The subsequent days were remarkably calm; Daly Jun felt that if not for the peculiar glances those few women occasionally cast his way, everything would have been just as it was before. “Seriously, do you all have to treat me like this?” Daly Jun finally couldn’t help but protest. Alas, Daly Jun now felt that not taking an internship somewhere had been a huge mistake. He had originally planned to spend more time on things that interested him, but unexpectedly, it had become a burden lately. Qi Qi and the others holed up here whenever they had a moment—honestly, weren't they worried about gossip stemming from an unmarried man and several women being alone together? Or perhaps they trusted him too much?

Daly Jun thought that if they kept acting this way, harrumph, he would definitely do something shocking to scare them into stopping their constant, strange staring. However, after some thought, he realized Han Tao should be returning soon. Wasn’t it supposed to be a month in the States? Maybe he should email Han Tao today to ask when he’d be back before deciding anything, as his previous thought seemed a bit excessive. The blockhead wouldn't worry about Shi Man and the others getting awkward, but he worried that Wang Qi Qi and the rest would retaliate even more fiercely later. In short, Daly Jun had learned one thing: women should not be offended, as their capacity for revenge is formidable.

Wang Qi Qi nudged Shi Man beside her and whispered, “Are we going too far? I think someone is about to break down.” His expression was truly terrifying.

Shi Man looked up quickly, glanced over, and then returned to her book. “Don’t mind him. He’s just…” Shi Man pointed to the spot above her head, “He’s a bit off up here. Why worry about him? By the way, is Han Tao coming back soon?” It had been almost a month since school started, hadn't it? In a few more days, Han Tao’s mother was supposed to arrive, right?

Wang Qi Qi sighed. “It’ll be the end of March. He seems to have run into trouble; he’s been working overtime lately.” Previously, she might receive a dozen emails a day occasionally, but lately, it was a good day if the fellow sent two or three, just saying he was busy. Wang Qi Qi could deduce from the email arrival times that they were usually sent around two or three in the morning, local US time, meaning the kid was often working until then. Wang Qi Qi worried that if Luo Hong Juan came to Beijing and saw her darling son looking as thin as a rail, she wouldn’t know how heartbroken she would be.

Shi Man looked at the worried Wang Qi Qi and patted her arm. “It’s fine. We’ll make sure he gets replenished when he gets back. It’s a good thing he’s a junior, though. Right, are there any issues with taking leave from school?” Such a long absence. She wondered if the school had any objections.

“I don’t know, probably not a big deal. Besides, Han Tao’s grades have always been excellent, and he has a good relationship with his professors.” Wang Qi Qi reflected that after his internship, Han Tao had learned a lot—for instance, how to buy items in the States that weren't overly expensive but were still brand names. When his advisor saw such a sociable and high-achieving student, of course, he would put in a good word for him.

Shi Man recalled that when he returned during the summer break, the fellow seemed to have bought quite a few souvenirs. “Han Tao will probably buy a lot of things this time too, right?” Han Tao’s transformation over the past few years was truly vast. The old Han Tao was a bit too straightforward, but the current Han Tao knew how to obtain what he wanted with the least cost.

“Everyone changes,” like Wang Rui now, who was becoming increasingly incomprehensible to Wang Qi Qi.

Daly Jun perked up his ears, listening intently whenever Wang Qi Qi and Shi Man mentioned Han Tao. He felt that the return of his blissful days depended entirely on when Han Tao came back. But to hear that he had to stay a while longer, Daly Jun wailed. Perhaps he was too agitated, as his wail was quite loud: “Heavens, still that long? A whole month!”

“It’s not easy earning money to support a family.” Seeing how dejected Daly Jun looked, Wang Qi Qi’s lingering resentment about her own man coming back late diminished somewhat, or perhaps in front of the other two, Wang Qi Qi felt too embarrassed to be too harsh. “I heard your man’s stock trading has been doing quite well recently. Han Tao said our family’s assets have increased quite a bit.”

It would have been better if Wang Qi Qi hadn't mentioned Feng Xuanxiang. The moment that name surfaced, a look of melancholy crossed Shi Man’s face. Although Feng Xuanxiang used to be busy with work, they at least managed to meet once a week. But now, even though they exchanged emails daily, this long-distance romance left Shi Man feeling somewhat lonely, especially in the dead of night, when she missed seeing Feng Xuanxiang and everything about him more acutely. “I want to take leave to go to the States during the May Day break.”

Wang Qi Qi was stunned. Ah, wasn't the seven-day long holiday not yet implemented for May Day? “You’re taking leave to go over?” A woman with a man really was different. Even if the trip to the States wouldn't be long, this little girl still had to go there.

Shi Man nodded. “Yeah, I checked the course schedule; there aren't many classes. Next year, I expect to have even more free time.” Shi Man was even thinking that when everyone else was doing their internships next year, she could just stay in the States, treating it as preliminary preparation for her postgraduate studies.

Wang Qi Qi was astonished to hear Shi Man say that. “You’re not planning to stay in the States for the entire second half of next year, are you?” Even during the internship period, one occasionally needed to return to school to revise thesis drafts and such. Surely this girl wasn't thinking she had so much money now that flying back and forth wasn't an issue? “What a spendthrift!”

“Exactly, you are too extravagant!” Daly Jun seized the chance to mock her. “And how about your TOEFL? Don't think that just because you’ve been abroad a few times, the exam becomes easy.” Daly Jun remembered his own TOEFL experience; it was truly made of blood and sweat, and if Wang Qi Qi and the others hadn't tutored him intensively, he felt getting into college abroad would have been very difficult.

“You, who took the TOEFL multiple times, have no standing to lecture me,” Shi Man retorted disdainfully. “Regardless, my spoken, listening, and written English are excellent. Even if I’m not a translator, passing the exam should be easy. As for you, Blockhead, if Wang Qi Qi and Han Tao hadn't drilled you, do you think you would have passed?”

“I contributed effort too!” Daly Jun glared sideways at Shi Man, but then he thought of something. “Manman, does your man… does he possibly help manage my stocks?” Daly Jun also had money deposited in a US bank, but because he had considered studying abroad, he hadn’t touched it. However, watching Wang Qi Qi and the others frequently discuss the stock market made him quite tempted. He also remembered Han Tao mentioning how they made their first pot of gold by trading stocks when they first arrived in Beijing, which later provided the capital to start their personal shopper business. But he truly didn't understand the stock market much; he always felt this way of making money was unnerving. By the time he was finally tempted to enter the market, it had already taken a downturn, and quite a severe one at that, which terrified Daly Jun. The reason he was tempted now was twofold: first, he had confidence in Feng Xuanxiang; second, he felt the pressure would be immense after going to the States, as he would have to cover his tuition and living expenses, and after Wei Wei went abroad, her expenses would also fall to him. This pressure was far from light, so he was wondering if there was a relatively fast and safe way to earn money.

Wang Qi Qi and Shi Man both looked at Daly Jun in surprise. In their view, Daly Jun shouldn't have been someone interested in such matters, so why was he suddenly making this request?

Shi Man didn’t have much of an issue with it, but she felt there was one thing she didn't know if she should bring up. She cautiously glanced at Wang Qi Qi, as their relationship with Daly Jun was good, and asking him about a commission felt a bit excessive. But Qi Qi and the others insisted on paying; there was no reason to accept money from Qi Qi but refuse it from Daly Jun.

Wang Qi Qi understood Shi Man’s predicament. She patted Shi Man’s hand and smiled at Daly Jun. “It’s fine to let Feng Xuanxiang manage the stocks, but, Blockhead, even though Feng Xuanxiang is close to us, we can’t expect him to work for free, right?” Wang Qi Qi also felt awkward bringing up the issue of paying Feng Xuanxiang right away; perhaps Daly Jun would think that since she and her husband were wealthy, they wouldn’t care about a little money. So, Wang Qi Qi hinted at it subtly.

Daly Jun certainly noticed Shi Man’s troubled expression and initially wondered why she was hesitant. After hearing Wang Qi Qi’s words, Daly Jun understood. Although it might seem excessive in Chinese culture to ask for a commission for managing a friend's stocks, Daly Jun knew that people relied on this for their livelihood, so asking for money was perfectly normal. Moreover, paying a commission meant he wouldn’t owe a favor, and a debt of favor was the hardest to repay. “Understood, understood, I know. Do I need to go through some procedures?” Foreigners were probably more strictly regulated in this regard, right?

“We need to sign an agreement outlining the rights and obligations of both parties,” Shi Man explained briefly about the contract’s content.

Daly Jun listened while thinking that this agreement truly protected both parties’ interests. “No problem. As for the fee…” That was the crucial part.

“Five points of the earnings,” Shi Man said hesitantly. “Qi Qi gave the same rate. And you can ask around; this commission really isn’t high.”

“I know, I know. Do I need to go to the States in person for that?” Daly Jun felt that since the decision was made, it should be settled quickly. While the market was currently doing well, or rather, while Feng Xuanxiang’s operations were good, he wanted to finalize this matter quickly and start making his money multiply.

Shi Man looked at Daly Jun, who had excitedly rushed over to her side, and nodded. “Yes, but have you obtained your visa?” Although the acceptance letter had arrived, the fellow apparently hadn't gone to the embassy for his visa yet. Without a visa, how could he go?

Daly Jun’s excited heart plummeted. He tugged incessantly at his hair. He hadn't applied for the visa before because he was worried Lu Qiaowei would be unhappy if she found out. Moreover, Daly Jun thought that once he had the acceptance letter, getting the visa would be easy, but he hadn't expected this. “I’ll go apply tomorrow!”