Wang Qiqi was nestled on the sofa, alternating between watching the soap opera on the screen and occasionally popping a slice of pear into her mouth, with fleeting glances at her laptop. When a new email arrived, she would check it over and then fire off a reply. Looking at the snacks piled on the coffee table before her, and contrasting that with the treatment someone else was currently receiving in the States, Wang Qiqi thought, "We're the truly fortunate ones.

Happiness is being able to do what you want, eat what you want, and oh, yes, having no one nagging you." Wang Qiqi mused, rather uncharitably. Just then, Wang Qiqi heard a knock at the door. It struck her as odd.

Luo Hongjuan had gone home to sleep long ago, and at this hour, she wouldn't come over unless it was something major. Wang Qiqi initially assumed the knocker had the wrong address and didn't move to answer, letting the knocking continue outside. But the visitor kept knocking persistently.

"Qiqi, open up, I know you're home." After knocking for a good while, the person outside finally spoke. Hearing that voice made Wang Qiqi’s body stiffen. She couldn't fathom why she would be here at this time.

Wang Qiqi knew the visitor probably spotted the light on in her apartment from downstairs, but letting someone in so easily was something Wang Qiqi was loath to do. Heaven knew if this person came alone or with company. Wang Qiqi still vividly recalled this afternoon’s scene.

At that time, she even harbored the thought that if those two ended up together, wouldn't something awful happen? Especially when Wang Rui looked at her, Wang Qiqi felt an unsettling discomfort all over. Yet, here they were, not even having spent the night, and someone had already chased after her.

Wang Qiqi walked to the door. "What do you want? Come back tomorrow during the day." Hmph.

If anything needed to be stirred up then, she wouldn't have to worry. It wasn't that she expected backup, but surely anyone with a shred of sense wouldn't cause trouble in broad daylight, right? Wang Rui could tell Wang Qiqi was clearly feigning nonchalance.

She secretly chuckled. Did this girl think she had brought Gao Kai along to settle scores? Although she hadn't ruled out the thought of storming in with a whole crew, then sexually assaulting Wang Qiqi and filming the whole affair to ruin her prospects for life, it was just a fleeting thought.

She knew such a plan was completely unfeasible; those types of people who associate with the underworld were absolute trouble to deal with. "Relax, it's just me. I just want to chat for a bit." Chat?

Alone? Fine. Even if it was truly just one person, the problem was Wang Qiqi couldn't imagine having any conversation worth sitting down for with Wang Rui, especially this late at night.

"Tomorrow. I’m going to bed. It's getting late." It was already ten o’clock; what was there to talk about?

Tomorrow? "If you don't want to let me in, I don't mind if we talk through the door." Wang Rui was counting on Wang Qiqi not wanting to just stand there watching her linger at the threshold. Wang Qiqi wasn't being kind out of concern for Wang Rui catching a chill; rather, Wang Qiqi, who always cared deeply about her reputation, would never allow the neighbors to see her standing at the door.

Wouldn't that just tarnish her image? This was clearly a veiled threat, and Wang Qiqi’s face immediately fell. Good heavens.

The level of threat delivery had certainly gotten sophisticated. Defeated, Wang Qiqi could only open the door to let the annoying pest inside. Of course, before doing so, Wang Qiqi flipped on the main light near the entrance and peered through the peephole.

She still clutched a stick, just in case the other person tried to barge in the second the door opened. Wang Rui saw the nunchaku in Wang Qiqi’s hand as she entered. She let out a few cold laughs.

"Do you really think I'm the type of person to come at you like that? I knew you didn't trust me, but I didn't realize it was to this extent." Wang Qiqi replied bluntly, "If I trusted you, you might find yourself sold off somewhere. I know you resent me.

If I hadn't been so firm back then, maybe you'd be living the life of a rich young lady now. Too bad this is what my parents left me, so you can only curse me in your heart." Since she was in her own home, Wang Qiqi saw no reason to be polite to Wang Rui; she might as well say whatever would provoke her the most. Wang Rui looked at the smug expression on Wang Qiqi’s face and genuinely wanted to land a punch, to show her exactly how formidable she was.

But she knew Wang Qiqi was just waiting for that chance—didn’t she see the nunchaku in her hand? She took several deep breaths, mentally admonishing herself that she was here to discuss things, not to start a fight. Seeing Wang Rui’s heavy, ragged breaths and closed eyes, with her chest visibly rising and falling, Wang Qiqi understood she was undergoing mental conditioning.

Although it was slightly disappointing that she couldn't openly teach the woman a lesson, Wang Qiqi also worried that if she truly pushed Wang Rui too far, she might do something completely unpredictable. Wang Qiqi leaned back on the sofa, sending an email to Han Tao, and helped herself to more snacks. As for the uninvited guest beside her—sorry, Wang Qiqi felt she really lacked the motivation to offer drinks.

Besides, offering food and drink would clearly imply she intended to chat for a long time. Wang Rui opened her eyes again to find Wang Qiqi stuffing her face like a hungry mouse, while her own side of the table was bare. Despite all the mental preparations she had made, Wang Rui still felt deeply insulted.

Her hands clenched tightly, and the smile on her face was as bright as possible. "You saw it this afternoon, didn't you?" Although Wang Rui didn't specify what she saw, they both knew. Wang Qiqi hummed an affirmative.

"I saw it. So what?" Wang Qiqi thought, So what if I saw that scene this afternoon? You show up late at night to boast about your skill in seducing two men, one of whom is my ex-boyfriend—no, wait, I guess she wasn't officially dating that one either.

Wang Rui was angered by Wang Qiqi's remarkably calm demeanor. "I know you two were in the car, and I know you think I’m cheap, playing two men at once, but don’t you think I’m capable? Do you know what?

Gao Kai bought me clothes today." Wang Rui stood up and walked around Wang Qiqi, showing off her new outfit. Gao Kai bought Wang Rui new clothes? Wang Qiqi hummed dismissively.

"That’s nice. It means you have skill. And what of it?" Pfft, it’s just a new piece of clothing.

And only Wang Rui would be willing to wear it. If it were me, I might have kicked it away. "Is Gao Kai still financially backed by some lonely, middle-aged rich woman, or has he found some young girl whose family is wealthy?" Wang Qiqi yawned, covering her mouth.

"I don't care where his money comes from, but don't you think I’m capable?" Wang Rui didn't get angry. Truthfully, her feelings for Gao Kai were ambiguous. Reason told her to avoid further contact with him; that man wasn't a good prospect and wouldn't amount to anything.

But whenever Gao Kai appeared before her, Wang Rui felt her heart and eyes were filled only with him, especially when he held her close and she touched his chest. Thinking of this, reliving the afternoon's scene, Wang Rui immediately dismissed all those thoughts. Wang Qiqi looked at the woman glowing with visible pleasure, clearly satisfied by some recent attention.

Wang Qiqi snorted. That woman really was brainless, running off to a hotel room with her ex and getting intimate. Wasn't she worried that he might have set a trap?

Like recording the entire encounter, or perhaps passing on some kind of unclean disease? "Don't worry, Gao Kai and I are just playing around. At most, we’ll just maintain a lover's arrangement." Wang Rui dismissed it casually.

As for her relationship with Gao Kai, Wang Rui had thought it through very clearly: marrying him was impossible, and she knew that even if she wanted to, that boy Gao Kai wouldn't marry her. After all, two poor people couldn't achieve a good life together. A lover's arrangement?

At that moment, Wang Qiqi felt as if she had leaped several years into the future. How could a freshman girl so casually talk about maintaining a lover’s relationship? She wasn't a married woman, so perhaps this mindset was normal for her.

Although Wang Qiqi was inwardly surprised, she offered no commentary on the matter, continuing to eat her pear. "That’s your business. If you have the skill to juggle multiple partners, then juggle away." If disaster struck later, that would be something for Wang Rui to handle.

Wang Rui felt a pang of pain from Wang Qiqi’s words. She understood that if it had been Song Yao in her place, Wang Qiqi would have advised her against it. If this kind of thing got out, the woman was always the one who suffered the most.

How could Wang Qiqi not understand that principle? Yet, she offered no word of caution. "If it were Song Yao, would your attitude be different?" Wang Rui asked, indignant.

Wang Qiqi found the question strange. She poured a cup of longan and red date tea from the nearby kettle, cradling the glass mug, and stared at Wang Rui with a teasing expression. Wang Qiqi genuinely couldn't grasp what was going on in Wang Rui's mind.

"What does this have to do with Song Yao? Are you implying..." "...that just because you have the ability to play two men, Song Yao does too? Yao Yao-jie and I are both people of modest ability; staying on one boat is enough for us." The best thing was to stay on the boat that suited her best, which was certainly better than Wang Rui clinging to one boat that was clearly sinking and another whose condition was unknown.

"Besides, is my relationship with Yao Yao-jie comparable to yours? Only those with a truly close bond can say the things we say; acquaintances certainly wouldn't offer any advice." Wang Qiqi stated this plainly and bluntly. Since the other person was going to ask, there was no need to hide anything.

"Some people can do whatever they like; what advice do you think I can give you, or what expression do you expect to see from me? I’m sorry, if Yao Yao-jie hadn't noticed you, I wouldn't have paid attention to you at all." Wang Rui stared hard at Wang Qiqi’s face for a long time, took a deep breath, and suddenly stood up. She felt that if she stayed any longer, she would just end up listening to Wang Qiqi lecture her.

She walked to the door. "If my reputation is ruined, do you think those people will look at you the same way?" "Do I care what outsiders think?" Wang Qiqi truly found this amusing. "As long as Han Tao knows who I am, and my mother-in-law knows, that’s enough.

In contrast, you should be more careful, in case the man starts investigating..." Wang Qiqi thought Wang Rui should worry about herself. She was already spoken for. She really is brain-dead.

Poor kid. [Book Web ∷ Fast Updates ∷ No Pop-ups ∷ Pure Text ∷