Wang Qiqi’s routine after finishing dinner was to link arms with her man and stroll around the residential compound, aiding digestion while whispering sweet nothings. Of course, another crucial task was watching Dai Lijun trudge miserably through his run, constantly heckled by someone on a bicycle zipping alongside him, shouting, “Idiot, why did you stop running?”

“Did you not eat enough for dinner?”

Wang Qiqi and Han Tao always found this line incredibly funny. Little did they know, Dai Lijun’s dinner was just a small bowl of rice (a privilege he’d begged for, and one he’d forfeit entirely if he failed his task the day before). As for side dishes, absolutely no meat—just vegetables and more vegetables. Honestly, Wang Qiqi admired Dai Lijun’s resolve. “If it were me, I’d rather get fat, but to eat so little—I couldn’t accept it even if I never exercised.” The power of love was truly immense.

Wang Qiqi’s comment left Han Tao, walking beside her, utterly speechless. Good heavens, he seriously wanted to strangle this woman. “It’s fine if you’re fat, but we’re not allowed to be?” This logic was too much.

“That’s because I’m a woman,” Wang Qiqi waved her hand dismissively. “You know, some things are settled just by men putting in the effort, so it doesn't matter if I gain a little weight. Besides, didn't you say yourself that skinny people aren't comfortable to touch?”

Han Tao now deeply felt that the ‘Idiot’ hadn't been wrong when he commented that his woman’s current standards were getting more and more outrageous. “Qiqi, you absolutely cannot say that in front of the Idiot, or he’ll lose all motivation to lose weight.” Or perhaps he’d develop a sudden urge to strangle this woman.

Wang Qiqi certainly knew that. “Don’t worry, I’m mindful too. Although I eat a lot, I actually exercise quite a bit.” It wasn't just for weight loss; Wang Qiqi felt that if she spent all day either sitting in class or glued to the computer translating manuscripts back home, she was, frankly, a super homebody. Continuing like that would ruin her health.

When Dai Lijun passed by the conspicuous couple again, he shot them a venomous glare. Dai Lijun was filled with regret now—intense regret. Why had he opened his mouth that day to provoke such a couple? And these two were incredibly petty. Worst of all, someone had actually made Lu Qiaowei confiscate his money, preventing him from even running a small illicit trade in the school! Truly, the most venomous heart belonged to a woman. “Is this what you call exercising?” He’d even said they’d exercise with him! At the time, Dai Lijun thought his buddies were being incredibly considerate, but now he felt they were just there to laugh at his misery, which was far more infuriating than Shi Man and the others.

Han Tao grunted an acknowledgement and waved back. “Two more laps! Finish strong. If you exceed the time limit, there’s no late-night snack for you.” Hahaha, even though the snack was only a tiny half-bowl for the Idiot, it was still his most anticipated treat and the biggest perk before bed, especially since it affected tomorrow’s dinner situation.

Dai Lijun immediately shut up and sped forward, his pace causing Wang Qiqi to gasp in surprise. “Even though the Idiot is a bit heavy, his movements are genuinely nimble.” Nimble enough that you couldn’t tell he was a nearly six-foot-tall heavy-set man. “It just goes to show that human potential is infinite.”

Han Tao watched as Dai Lijun accelerated until the Idiot’s figure vanished from sight. He was stunned. Honestly, in all the time he’d known the Idiot, he’d never seen him move that fast. His mouth hung wide open, and after a long moment, he muttered, “Did I imagine that? Could the power of food really be that strong?” Han Tao genuinely hoped that the final outcome of this weight loss endeavor would be sustained. “I hope the Idiot can maintain this exercise regimen.”

“There should be results. He weighed himself yesterday and apparently dropped about two catties.” Wang Qiqi had been quite surprised—only a few days into the diet, and there was already a change. But truthfully, Wang Qiqi had stared at the chubby guy for a long time. “Two catties distributed over his frame doesn't make much of a visible difference. Perhaps he needs to drop twenty catties all at once to be truly noticeable.” She remembered TOP losing forty catties in forty days, transforming from a heavy man into a handsome guy. Wang Qiqi wondered if Dai Lijun could become a little handsome if he possessed TOP's level of perseverance.

Dropping twenty catties all at once? Han Tao’s face twitched. What kind of speed was that? “I bet the Idiot couldn’t achieve that goal even if he stopped eating and exercised all day long.” Han Tao thought that if the Idiot overheard their conversation today, he’d probably just feign death and never mention dieting again.

“It means the motivation isn't strong enough,” Wang Qiqi sighed. “Alright, let’s continue our walk and head back. I won't be coming over today.” She had no overtime tasks today, so she was going back to her own place. While cuddling with her man in bed was lovely, the problem was he stayed up incredibly late, often not getting to bed until the early hours of the morning, which was affecting Wang Qiqi’s sleep quality lately.

Han Tao moved his lips, wanting desperately to keep Wang Qiqi there. Even if she didn't stay up late accompanying him, for Han Tao, seeing Wang Qiqi sleeping soundly in their bed whenever he finally returned exhausted gave him incredible motivation. But he also knew that no matter how lightly he moved when getting into bed, it was enough to wake her up. “Don't chat with Shi Man and the others too late tonight. She’s always exchanging emails with Feng Xuanxiang; you don’t need to keep her company.” The last time Wang Qiqi stayed over there, just one night had left her looking utterly haggard.

Wang Qiqi certainly knew this. “You should go to sleep early too.”

Shi Man was nestled on the sofa, watching TV while periodically refreshing a webpage, hoping for a new email. Hearing the door open, Shi Man assumed it was Zhu Lina returning and maintained her posture without turning her head. “There’s food in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”

“Nana isn't back yet?” After changing her shoes, Wang Qiqi slowly entered the living room and plopped down onto a seat. She looked at the messy coffee table littered with several empty drink bottles and numerous snack bags. Wang Qiqi shook her head, fetched the nearby trash can, and swept all the empty packaging into it. “The trash can is right there, young lady. Could you please toss things in when you finish eating?”

Wang Qiqi felt like life over there was too pampered; Lu Qiaowei handled so many things. But over here, Wang Qiqi had to worry about most of the cleaning. She truly couldn't understand how someone’s behavior could change so drastically after Feng Xuanxiang went to the US. She wasn't usually this messy; why did she leave the house looking so filthy now? Even with daily cleaning, it never felt quite right.

“I’ll clean up after I finish eating.” Shi Man hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to return today; it genuinely startled her. Since the one time she ate something and didn't clean up, she suddenly felt there was no real need to clean every day—it was exhausting work. She could do other things with that time. Moreover, since Qiqi often stayed at the other place, and Nana was busy, they wouldn't notice the changes here. So, Shi Man had been boldly leaving things out, never imagining she’d be caught red-handed by Wang Qiqi, who could only offer a sheepish grin.

Wang Qiqi looked around; the room was a bit messy, but the situation was manageable. She sighed and sat on the sofa, definitely not planning to help clean. She remembered she had cleaned once the last time she returned. Wang Qiqi wasn’t going to clean this time. “Ask your man how the stock market is doing lately.” This was what Wang Qiqi cared about most—it was the capital for their future establishment in the US! Wang Qiqi once converted the value of her assets and realized that when exchanged for US dollars, she was actually quite poor. To achieve her goal, the growth of her man’s salary was a major issue.

“The stock market situation is looking excellent,” Shi Man replied without looking up from the TV, let alone moving toward a computer.

Wang Qiqi pouted. Of course, she knew the market was good, but the problem was she wanted to know exactly how much they had earned. “Oh, right, how is our business going since you started going over there?” Wang Qiqi only remembered when she reminded Han Tao today that she hadn't seen Li Qian in four months. Li Qian hadn't even had time to pick up the gifts Wang Qiqi brought back from the US; they were passed over by the coffee shop staff. This struck Wang Qiqi as odd; she couldn't figure out what Li Qian was so busy with.

“Business is okay, much better than before; the reputation is getting better and better now.” Shi Man paused, unsure whether to share the news she had heard today with Wang Qiqi. After some thought, she decided it was necessary, to prevent Wang Qiqi from being overly shocked later. “Apparently, Li Xiangdong’s mistress is pregnant.”

His mistress is pregnant? Seeing Shi Man’s conflicted expression, Wang Qiqi thought Li Qian had made some move, but instead, it was such explosive news. Wang Qiqi jumped up, looking at Shi Man. “You didn't mishear?” No way. Li Xiangdong would be eligible to be a grandfather in a few years; his son was already studying in Europe. How could he make such a foolish mistake in his old age? Although Wang Qiqi always knew Li Xiangdong had affairs, in her view, he wasn't the type to be so thoughtless anymore. If he divorced now, Li Qian would definitely claim half his assets, which Li Xiangdong wouldn't accept.

Shi Man shook her head. “I only found out when the coffee shop owner was discussing it with someone. They say the couple is currently fighting for a divorce and division of assets.” Sigh, honestly, ever since hearing this news, Shi Man had been completely shocked and hadn't fully processed it. If Wang Qiqi hadn't returned today, Shi Man probably wouldn't have mentioned it.