Shi Man watched Wang Qiqi head out and casually asked, "Qiqi, where are you going?"

"To buy groceries," Wang Qiqi replied. Truthfully, she had stocked up for two days yesterday from Old Man Wang's place, but the problem was that someone was excessively wasteful; the vegetables at home had been nearly decimated. If that someone was wasteful again today, they’d either be starving or eating that someone's half-finished attempts.

Groceries. "To the supermarket?" Shi Man mused that the supermarkets Qiqi frequented were genuinely quite good. At least Feng Xuanxiang had commented that the vegetables Qiqi bought looked like they had just been picked from the soil, worlds better than what she used to buy at the grocery stores in Boston.

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "To a vegetable patch. An elderly couple from back home cultivates vegetables on a vacant lot. Absolutely fresh, and cheap too." Wang Qiqi figured the couple wasn't aiming to make much profit, and besides, she often stopped to chat with them, which probably earned her a discount.

A vegetable patch? Shi Man found the idea interesting, but glancing at the scorching sun outside, she decided to stay put, enjoy the air conditioning, and watch some TV. As for Feng Xuanxiang, Shi Man thought it was better to let him focus on the stock market; he was their god of wealth. "You go, you go. Oh, Qiqi, let's have a BBQ today, shall we?" Shi Man glanced at the terrace, thinking what a waste of such a beautiful setting. On a crisp autumn day, setting up two chairs, sipping a cup of *coffee, and catching up with Wang Qiqi—it would look like a perfect painting.

BBQ? Wang Qiqi paused, stunned. "Didn't you say you were cooking today?" Hmph, a BBQ was just grilling meat and such, which held no real challenge; it was certainly easier than actual cooking. It was obvious someone was starting to get lazy. "I don't mind a BBQ either, but just remember you need to finish your assigned homework today."

Shi Man gave a sheepish smile. Ugh, Qiqi was so irritatingly direct. "Don't worry, I remember my task. Qiqi, hurry back, we have a lot planned for today. Oh, do we have a grill at home?" This was the most crucial question.

"No, no grill, and no charcoal either." Wang Qiqi described the scene of summer grilling to Shi Man. Although that person had mentioned it was a waste not to BBQ in such a setting, what she was actually thinking was that standing by charcoal in this heat was like sitting in a steam room. Oh well, she could count it as weight loss, and besides, this girl wasn't staying for long. "I'll make a menu then. You handle the meat, please."

"Okay." Shi Man was about to grumble about the hassle of going out in this heat, but seeing Wang Qiqi’s stern look, she knew Qiqi would be happiest if Shi Man went to the supermarket herself. "It's a bit far to the supermarket from here, though." This complex was too quiet and vast. It took a distance to reach the entrance, and then the supermarket was further still. Grocery shopping here was quite the workout. It would be simple with a car, but Qiqi didn't have one, and even if she did, no one here knew how to drive.

Wang Qiqi shot her a look. "You didn't mention it when I went to the supermarket before. Now that you want BBQ, of course, you have to go buy the supplies. Otherwise, you can cycle, and Feng Xuanxiang can give you a ride." She wondered if a traffic cop would issue a ticket for that.

"Fine." Shi Man thought that having someone drive her to the supermarket without her lifting a finger was perfectly acceptable. "I should have made Feng Xuanxiang learn to drive before coming over." Learning to drive abroad was easy, and cars weren't even expensive. Perhaps next year when she visited for the holidays, Feng Xuanxiang could pick her up in their own car.

"Then learn. It will be convenient for going anywhere later." America truly lived up to its nickname as the land of automobiles; cars were cheap, even if gas wasn't. It would be a shame not to buy one. "By the way, how's the stock market been lately? Has your man spotted any shares worth making a killing on?" The previous few stocks had made a profit, albeit small ones, which still showed that capable people are capable no matter where they go.

Shi Man shrugged, indicating she didn't know. "How would I know? Oh, Qiqi, you've invested so much in the stock market; does Han Tao really have no objections?" Sometimes she envied Qiqi and Han Tao. Though unmarried, they acted like an old married couple. Wang Qiqi bought whatever she liked, and Han Tao even paid for their last trip, whereas Shi Man only spent her own money—this girl had completely forgotten that she herself refused when Feng Xuanxiang suggested he pay.

"Objections?" Wang Qiqi found the question strange. "The stock market is performing so well; it would be a waste not to invest. Besides, look at our current expenses." Keeping money in the bank before was unavoidable. First, no one analyzed the US stock market, and second, Han Tao only stayed for a month or two during his visits, so he wouldn't have the time or energy to analyze US stocks. He didn't even study the domestic market trends, let alone delve into K-charts or financial reports—to him, those were as esoteric as hieroglyphics compared to coding. "Thank goodness for Feng Xuanxiang. Where my family lives in the future—a seaside villa, a high-end community, or a regular one—really depends on Feng Xuanxiang."

Shi Man rolled her eyes at Wang Qiqi. "So, without Feng Xuanxiang managing your finances, you’d just be renting?" Hmph, she wasn't naive. She knew Qiqi and Han Tao had invested heavily in Julina's property development this time. Knowing Wang Qiqi, Shi Man didn't believe Qiqi had staked all her savings or capital.

Wang Qiqi smiled. That was absolutely not the case. For one thing, just based on Han Tao's intelligence, she knew their future would only get better. "I'm leaving now. Oh, did you keep the key I gave you yesterday?" Han Tao had given his key to Shi Man and her husband in case they needed it while Wang Qiqi was out.

"Got it."

After Shi Man arrived, Han Tao told Wang Qiqi not to bring him food, asking her to spend time with Shi Man instead. He knew Shi Man wouldn't stay cooped up at home for long. Moreover, he felt like he'd gained a bit of weight these past few days; it was inevitable with Qiqi cooking such good food for him, plus having midnight snacks later. Gaining weight was the only possibility. More importantly, his waistline had expanded, reaching the area Qiqi was most sensitive about. He planned to watch his diet and use the gym facilities in the building during breaks, aiming to sport a four-pack again before Shi Man and her husband left.

Wang Qiqi didn't overthink Han Tao's request about the food; she welcomed the break, allowing her to settle onto the terrace and enjoy the BBQ. "This tastes good, Feng Xuanxiang, I want grilled long beans now," Wang Qiqi said after swallowing a piece of grilled eggplant, speaking to Feng Xuanxiang, who was diligently grilling nearby.

Wang Qiqi's comment earned her a few eye-rolls from Shi Man. "You only know how to exploit my man. Hmph, if he weren't your man, you wouldn't know how to be tender with him." The speaker declared righteously, but then she turned to Feng Xuanxiang, who was working overtime to satisfy the grilling demands of two women, and added, "I want chicken wings now. Grill a few more skewers."

"Oh, okay," Feng Xuanxiang replied in a gentle, agreeable manner.

This time it was Wang Qiqi's turn to look at Shi Man with contempt. Seriously, she had the nerve to talk about tenderness, as if that one didn't order Feng Xuanxiang around. And she talked about cherishing a man—well, that was her version of cherishing one. Wang Qiqi got up and moved toward the grill, intending to fend for herself, lest that one label her a bad person.

"Qiqi, why are you glaring at me? I didn't order your man around," Shi Man snapped. "My man is only for me to bully."

"Exactly, just like someone is only for someone else to bully, right?" Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man with a sly glint in her otherwise smiling eyes. "So, to avoid bullying your man, I plan to grill my own food."

Shi Man was about to agree, telling Qiqi to bully her less in the future, but as she processed Wang Qiqi’s tone and expression, she understood what kind of "bullying" was being referred to. "Wang Qiqi, you, you, you..."

Wang Qiqi took the long beans from Feng Xuanxiang's hand. "What about me? Am I not just echoing your sentiment?" Wang Qiqi let her mischievous smile fade, looking innocently at Shi Man. "I haven't said anything wrong."

Well, she hadn't said anything technically wrong. Based purely on the words, she was entirely correct. Would Wang Qiqi dare voice the meaning Shi Man understood? That would be too embarrassing; Shi Man wasn't old enough to be a middle-aged woman who spoke so bluntly. "Right, you aren't wrong. But I didn't expect the vegetables to taste this good grilled..." Since she couldn't pursue that topic further, Shi Man quickly switched gears. "Also, why do these vegetables taste so much better than the ones back home?" For instance, the chives had such a strong flavor. Shi Man remembered the chives she ate in China didn't have this intensity.

"Old Man Wang doesn't use much chemical fertilizer; it's mostly farm manure." Wang Qiqi thought that what the old man was aiming for initially was to feed his family vegetables free of chemical additives, a goal he had researched for a long time. She was just benefiting from that a little. "Once I get on better terms with Old Man Wang, I plan to buy a hen to stew for soup." Wang Dahai raised quite a few chickens, letting them eat bugs from the vegetable patch all day. These chickens ran around constantly, practically wild. Wang Qiqi had mentioned it once before, but Wang Dahai said they were for family consumption, so she had to drop the idea. Still, Wang Qiqi hadn't given up hope; she always imagined there would be a day she could taste that exquisite chicken.

Chicken soup? Shi Man wasn't particularly interested. She pouted. "No matter how tasty chicken soup is, it's still just that." In her memory, chicken soup was always too greasy. The sight of that layer of oil made Shi Man feel nauseous. In this heat, standing in front of the charcoal fire was truly like taking a sauna. Oh well, she could count it as weight loss, and besides, this girl wouldn't be staying for many more days. "I'll make a menu then. You handle the meat, please."

"Okay." Shi Man was about to grumble about the hassle of going out in this heat, but seeing Wang Qiqi’s stern look, she knew Qiqi would be happiest if Shi Man went to the supermarket herself. "It's a bit far to the supermarket from here, though." This complex was too quiet and vast. It took a distance to reach the entrance, and then the supermarket was further still. Grocery shopping here was quite the workout. It would be simple with a car, but Qiqi didn't have one, and even if she did, no one here knew how to drive.

Wang Qiqi shot her a look. "You didn't mention it when I went to the supermarket before. Now that you want BBQ, of course, you have to go buy the supplies. Otherwise, you can cycle, and Feng Xuanxiang can give you a ride." She wondered if a traffic cop would issue a ticket for that.

"Fine." Shi Man thought that having someone drive her to the supermarket without her lifting a finger was perfectly acceptable. "I should have made Feng Xuanxiang learn to drive before coming over." Learning to drive abroad was easy, and cars weren't even expensive. Perhaps next year when she visited for the holidays, Feng Xuanxiang could pick her up in their own car.

"Then learn. It will be convenient for going anywhere later." America truly lived up to its nickname as the land of automobiles; cars were cheap, even if gas wasn't. It would be a shame not to buy one. "By the way, how's the stock market been lately? Has your man spotted any shares worth making a killing on?" The previous few stocks had made a profit, albeit small ones, which still showed that capable people are capable no matter where they go.

Shi Man shrugged, indicating she didn't know. "How would I know? Oh, Qiqi, you've invested so much in the stock market; does Han Tao really have no objections?" Sometimes she envied Qiqi and Han Tao. Though unmarried, they acted like an old married couple. Wang Qiqi bought whatever she liked, and Han Tao even paid for their last trip, whereas Shi Man only spent her own money—this girl had completely forgotten that she herself refused when Feng Xuanxiang suggested he pay.

"Objections?" Wang Qiqi found the question strange. "The stock market is performing so well; it would be a waste not to invest. Besides, look at our current expenses." Keeping money in the bank before was unavoidable. First, no one analyzed the US stock market, and second, Han Tao only stayed for a month or two during his visits, so he wouldn't have the time or energy to analyze US stocks. He didn't even study the domestic market trends, let alone delve into K-charts or financial reports—to him, those were as esoteric as hieroglyphics compared to coding. "Thank goodness for Feng Xuanxiang. Where my family lives in the future—a seaside villa, a high-end community, or a regular one—really depends on Feng Xuanxiang."

Shi Man rolled her eyes at Wang Qiqi. "So, without Feng Xuanxiang managing your finances, you’d just be renting?" Hmph, she wasn't naive. She knew Qiqi and Han Tao had invested heavily in Julina's property development this time. Knowing Wang Qiqi, Shi Man didn't believe Qiqi had staked all her savings or capital.

Wang Qiqi smiled. That was absolutely not the case. For one thing, just based on Han Tao's intelligence, she knew their future would only get better. "I'm leaving now. Oh, did you keep the key I gave you yesterday?" Han Tao had given his key to Shi Man and her husband in case they needed it while Wang Qiqi was out.

"Got it."

After Shi Man arrived, Han Tao told Wang Qiqi not to bring him food, asking her to spend time with Shi Man instead. He knew Shi Man wouldn't stay cooped up at home for long. Moreover, he felt like he'd gained a bit of weight these past few days; it was inevitable with Qiqi cooking such good food for him, plus having midnight snacks later. Gaining weight was the only possibility. More importantly, his waistline had expanded, reaching the area Qiqi was most sensitive about. He planned to watch his diet and use the gym facilities in the building during breaks, aiming to sport a four-pack again before Shi Man and her husband left.

Wang Qiqi didn't overthink Han Tao's request about the food; she welcomed the break, allowing her to settle onto the terrace and enjoy the BBQ. "This tastes good, Feng Xuanxiang, I want grilled long beans now," Wang Qiqi said after swallowing a piece of grilled eggplant, speaking to Feng Xuanxiang, who was diligently grilling nearby.

Wang Qiqi's comment earned her a few eye-rolls from Shi Man. "You only know how to exploit my man. Hmph, if he weren't your man, you wouldn't know how to be tender with him." The speaker declared righteously, but then she turned to Feng Xuanxiang, who was working overtime to satisfy the grilling demands of two women, and added, "I want chicken wings now. Grill a few more skewers."

"Oh, okay," Feng Xuanxiang replied in a gentle, agreeable manner.

This time it was Wang Qiqi's turn to look at Shi Man with contempt. Seriously, she had the nerve to talk about tenderness, as if that one didn't order Feng Xuanxiang around. And she talked about cherishing a man—well, that was her version of cherishing one. Wang Qiqi got up and moved toward the grill, intending to fend for herself, lest that one label her a bad person.

"Qiqi, why are you glaring at me? I didn't order your man around," Shi Man snapped. "My man is only for me to bully."

"Exactly, just like someone is only for someone else to bully, right?" Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man with a sly glint in her otherwise smiling eyes. "So, to avoid bullying your man, I plan to grill my own food."

Shi Man was about to agree, telling Qiqi to bully her less in the future, but as she processed Wang Qiqi’s tone and expression, she understood what kind of "bullying" was being referred to. "Wang Qiqi, you, you, you..."

Wang Qiqi took the long beans from Feng Xuanxiang's hand. "What about me? Am I not just echoing your sentiment?" Wang Qiqi let her mischievous smile fade, looking innocently at Shi Man. "I haven't said anything wrong."

Well, she hadn't said anything technically wrong. Based purely on the words, she was entirely correct. Would Wang Qiqi dare voice the meaning Shi Man understood? That would be too embarrassing; Shi Man wasn't old enough to be a middle-aged woman who spoke so bluntly. "Right, you aren't wrong. But I didn't expect the vegetables to taste this good grilled..." Since she couldn't pursue that topic further, Shi Man quickly switched gears. "Also, why do these vegetables taste so much better than the ones back home?" For instance, the chives had such a strong flavor. Shi Man remembered the chives she ate in China didn't have this intensity.

"Old Man Wang didn't use much chemical fertilizer; it was mostly farm manure." Wang Qiqi thought to herself that he had originally intended only to grow vegetables free of chemical fertilizers for his own children to eat, a goal he had researched for quite some time. She was merely benefiting from that dedication. "Once I’ve built a better relationship with Old Man Wang, I plan on buying a hen to stew for soup." Wang Dahai raised quite a few chickens, specifically allowing them to forage among the vegetable patches for insects. Those chickens ran around all day long, essentially growing up wild. The last time Wang Qiqi had brought it up, Wang Dahai had firmly stated they were reserved for the family, so she had to shelve the idea. Still, Wang Qiqi hadn't given up hope; she always imagined that one day she would finally taste that delicious chicken.

Chicken soup? Shi Man wasn't particularly interested. She pursed her lips. "No matter how good chicken soup tastes, it’s still just that." In her memory, chicken soup was always terribly greasy, and the sight of that oily film made her feel instantly nauseous.