Han Tao yawned as he returned home, and seeing the light in the attic sent a warmth through him. It felt so good to have someone at home, especially knowing that no matter how late he worked, Wang Qiqi would wait for him.

Han Tao opened the door and walked in to find Wang Qiqi, as expected, sitting on the sofa, her fingers flying across her keyboard. He casually dropped his laptop bag next to the sofa and kissed her, "I got back pretty late, don't wait up for me like this."

Hearing such a caring remark, Wang Qiqi knew exactly how pleased her husband must be that she waited for him. "Don't worry, in a couple of days, even if you ask me to wait, I won't," she replied. Only after finalizing all the travel itineraries did Wang Qiqi remember she hadn't mentioned her trip with Shi Man to Han Tao, given how much he’d been working overtime lately. She hoped he wouldn't sulk when he found out, but then again, thinking about the trip, Han Tao should have mentally prepared for her going away.

Not waiting for me? Han Tao found that odd, but he was exhausted from the day and figured a shower was in order first. Besides, he still had some work left that required more overtime.

Wang Qiqi interpreted Han Tao's lack of immediate questioning as him already being prepared, so she didn't press him, continuing to refine the travel plans. She wanted the itinerary for their trip—especially since she'd be traveling without any men—to be as flawless as possible, with backup solutions for any emergencies.

Engrossed in her work, Wang Qiqi didn't notice the sound of water stopping in the bathroom, the door opening, and then a man emerging, wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. Ever since she started taking those impromptu morning photos of him—some just portraits, others showing his torso—Han Tao had become completely relaxed. After a shower, he no longer bothered with swim trunks and a tank top; he just wore whatever felt comfortable. Furthermore, Han Tao noticed that whenever he appeared dressed like this, Wang Qiqi’s face would flush crimson, though she’d still stare, sometimes reaching out to touch his skin and offer a few comments—provided she omitted the discouraging remarks about his slight paunch or the lack of any visible abs, let alone a six-pack. Han Tao felt he’d be much happier if she omitted those parts.

Walking out of the bathroom, Han Tao didn't receive the welcoming glance he expected. He wondered if Qiqi was swamped with translation orders, otherwise, why would she still be working so late? In the evenings of the preceding days, Han Tao would usually find Qiqi curled up on the sofa watching an American drama when he returned.

Han Tao approached the sofa and glanced at the computer screen. Taking a closer look, he realized something felt slightly off. "Qiqi, you're going out?" But why only book one room? A booking for two women and one man in a single room looked highly suspicious. "Isn't Feng Xuanxiang coming along?"

Hearing Han Tao’s footsteps, Wang Qiqi instinctively wanted to close the document, but she decided that closing it abruptly would seem too evasive. This way, Han Tao could see the plan for himself. "Mm, Feng Xuanxiang has to focus on stock market research and doesn't have time to travel. Are you okay with that?"

Am I okay with it? Han Tao sighed, his tone laced with sourness. "Does my agreement even matter anymore?" While it was certainly unusual for Qiqi to be cooped up at home constantly, Han Tao supported her going out. However, this feeling of being presented with a fait accompli made him deeply uncomfortable. "Qiqi, I know I've been busy lately, often working overtime, but you didn't have to tell me about something this major only at the very end." The travel plan was practically complete, the room almost booked—only the final confirmation remained. Naturally, he wasn't going to be happy finding out like this.

Seeing Han Tao’s face slowly cloud over, Wang Qiqi thought, Not good. I must have overestimated his tolerance. She put down the laptop, walked over to Han Tao, and hung her head, sincerely apologizing. "I know it was wrong of me not to tell you sooner, but these days it’s just the supermarket, your office, or home. I'm really bored." Well, she had been sneaking out for short strolls around the complex in the mornings, but the scenery there was truly monotonous. Besides, all the purchasing for her proxy shopping orders was being handled by Shi Man in Boston, as the area where Wang Qiqi lived lacked any large shopping malls. For Wang Qiqi, who relied on a bicycle for transportation, shopping was quite a chore.

Looking at the pitiful expression on Wang Qiqi's face, Han Tao couldn't bring himself to say much more. Qiqi had been stuck at home these past few weeks, and it had clearly suffocated her. He reached out and stroked her hair, then gently pulled her down to sit on the sofa beside him. "It’s not that I’m against you traveling. I just need you to be careful. Forget what you mentioned about hitchhiking and staying in youth hostels; stick to public transport and book slightly better hotels..." Since Qiqi's trip was a settled matter, Han Tao dropped the argument, instead peppering her with constant reminders about safety.

Wang Qiqi looked at the worried expression on Han Tao’s face, her mouth twitching. She desperately wanted to tell him that his current fussiness made him sound exactly like her parents, but she dared not voice those words—that would invite a scolding. She needed to appear extra earnest. "I know, I know. Safety is absolutely the number one priority, number one." Although she was disappointed about abandoning the hitchhiking plan, Wang Qiqi agreed that public transport was the wiser choice compared to risking her life.

Han Tao was quite satisfied with Wang Qiqi’s response. He even took her computer to examine the itinerary they had drafted. As he scrolled through, he noticed a discrepancy that surprised him. "You guys are only...?" In Han Tao's estimation, Qiqi and her friend would be traveling for at least a month, but the plan showed a much shorter duration.

"And Manman and I are only traveling for half a month this time," Wang Qiqi chirped, playfully hooking her arm around Han Tao's waist. Since Shi Man had no objections to the travel dates, Wang Qiqi certainly didn't either. Though she regretted not having more time to see everything, which meant skipping several spots, Wang Qiqi felt no deep disappointment, and neither did Shi Man. For them, this quick tour was fine; it wasn't like they wouldn't visit again in the future. "Are you happy?" Wang Qiqi kissed the slightly stunned Han Tao.

Han Tao nodded with a broad smile. "Happy." How could he not be? He'd braced himself for at least a month away, so this short trip was a wonderful surprise. "Make sure you bring your cards."

Wang Qiqi nodded; she knew that even with the best planning, unexpected events could happen while traveling. "I’ll leave you some money before I go." She also planned to stock the refrigerator full of food.

"Don't leave too much," Han Tao said. He knew half the money in the card was already invested in the stock market for Wang Qiqi, and he himself didn't spend much. "I get rides at work, and two meals are provided there. Breakfast is easy to sort out." Like grabbing some bread or buying something on the way. When he was alone during the winter break, his biggest expenses besides rent and utilities were negligible.

Wang Qiqi knew Han Tao would be extremely frugal if left alone. "It's fine if you don't spend it." After all, they were abroad; borrowing money if needed was an option, but Wang Qiqi worried about whether anyone would actually lend it.

With Han Tao’s approval secured, Wang Qiqi spent the following days cooking an abundance of delicious food. Every time Han Tao returned, he’d tell her how envious his colleagues were. "They all said they knew Chinese women were virtuous homemakers, but they didn't expect them to be this virtuous. Several single guys even asked me to introduce them to some." Han Tao said this with obvious pride.

Introduce him to girls? Wang Qiqi froze for a second. It wasn't that she opposed it—she guaranteed that if she went back to school and announced that American IT guys were looking for Chinese wives, she would instantly become the talk of the campus, perhaps the most beloved person among the female students, and the most hated among the male students. But the issue was: "There aren't many my age who are as capable as I am." For instance, take Shi Man; she certainly didn't have Wang Qiqi’s cooking skills. Her culinary talent was top-notch, as was her ability to act coquettishly.

That much was true. Back in high school, how many girls in their class knew how to cook? Even if a female classmate wanted to learn, their parents would always tell them to focus on studying for a good university entrance exam. "Exactly. My wife is such an amazing person—managing the household, earning money, and keeping up with studies, all at once." The longer he spent with Qiqi, the more Han Tao felt he didn’t truly know her; she always had new ideas springing up. Without Qiqi by his side, Han Tao understood that even if he pursued advanced studies abroad, it wouldn't be at this juncture, and all the positive changes in their home life were thanks to her. "Is everything packed? Tomorrow I..." Han Tao had initially planned to take Qiqi to the airport, but a sudden work assignment meant he couldn't leave.

Given how much her man was working overtime, Wang Qiqi hadn't expected him to see her off anyway. Moreover, even though she’d never taken a domestic US flight, the procedures were essentially the same. "It’s fine, I’ll go by myself tomorrow. I’ve already scheduled a ride. I’ll call you once I meet up with Shi Man in New York."

Since Qiqi was leaving the next day and they wouldn't see each other for half a month, Han Tao skipped his programming work that evening and pulled Wang Qiqi into bed with him. Afterward, Han Tao held Wang Qiqi close, ceaselessly reminding her of this and that. Wang Qiqi, in turn, insisted that Han Tao not get too absorbed in his work to forget to eat. She knew many of his colleagues were so busy that they would only remember to eat when their stomachs started protesting loudly. Once or twice might be forgivable, but doing it frequently would surely lead to stomach ailments. Fortunately, every time she brought him lunch, Han Tao would finish the meal, no matter how busy he was.

Listening to Wang Qiqi’s continuous stream of reminders, Han Tao genuinely felt like saying, If you're this worried, maybe we shouldn't go traveling. But the words wouldn't leave his mouth. Qiqi had stayed with him here for a long time, and she was deeply bored.

Time flies; Singles' Day is almost here again. I wonder how many people will be splurging on Taobao tomorrow, how many cards will be maxed out (To be continued...).