Since it was breakfast time, and they were scheduled to have lunch at Dai Zi’s place, Wang Qiqi ordered only typical morning fare—just enough to tide her over. “Mom, can we take the subway and then a taxi back later?” Although they could easily take a taxi the whole way, Qiqi suspected that if they did, the cost would cause someone a pang of sharp regret, so a slightly more complicated route would be better.

“Can’t the subway go directly to the residential complex?” Luo Hongjuan wondered, finding the combination of subway and taxi sounding overly troublesome. “Are we very far from where we live?”

Wang Qiqi murmured an affirmation. After paying for breakfast, she picked up her luggage and started the journey home with Luo Hongjuan, who was taking the subway for the very first time. Along the way, she asked, “Is it safe for the subway to run underground?”

“Is it fast?”

Luo Hongjuan felt uneasy about riding underground. “How about we take the bus instead?” Surely there was a bus route that reached their destination. Besides, Qiqi had initially mentioned transferring to the subway, so if that was the case, the bus might be preferable all along. “That way, I can at least see the scenery outside.”

Luo Hongjuan’s suggestion was excellent, and if she had been traveling light, Wang Qiqi wouldn't have minded taking the bus with her, enjoying the sights of the capital city. However, the problem was all the things they were carrying. “Mom, we’d have to transfer buses several times, and we still wouldn’t get home until after twelve.”

“I have the day off tomorrow. I can take Mom out on the bus to look around then,” Wang Qiqi proposed, sharing her thought. “What do you think, Mom?”

Luo Hongjuan certainly wouldn't object to her daughter-in-law’s suggestion. Moreover, now that she was full, sleepiness began to creep in. “Fine.”

Luo Hongjuan followed Wang Qiqi through the subway ride and taxi transfer for over an hour. When they finally stopped, Luo Hongjuan realized she felt dizzy. “This place is so huge. I don’t know how I’ll ever find my way home if I have to go out alone.” The subway had no traffic lights and moved so quickly, yet it still took this long. Luo Hongjuan shuddered to think how long the bus ride might have been. No wonder Qiqi’s expression had changed when she suggested the bus; she would feel faint too. “Qiqi, do you mostly take the subway when you go out?”

Wang Qiqi nodded, stepping to the roadside to hail a taxi. “Yes, we’re heading downtown now. That really means we’re entering the city proper.” Big cities were nice, but in Wang Qiqi’s view, they were congested, crowded everywhere, and she didn't truly enjoy them. She had initially thought living in a large city was a good idea, perhaps the best choice considering medical care and education. But after spending two months in the US, Wang Qiqi found the city where Han Tao worked quite agreeable.

Luo Hongjuan felt the same way. “The subway is faster,” she remarked emphatically after they got into the taxi and noticed the abundance of traffic lights on their route.

The moment Luo Hongjuan stepped into the apartment, she noticed it was spotlessly clean, and she nodded in approval. The three young women had certainly kept the place tidy. “The north is quite comfortable. Having heating really is better than in the south. No wonder Han Tao has trouble readjusting when he comes back.”

Wang Qiqi took the food Luo Hongjuan had brought straight to the kitchen to store, then carried her own luggage into her room. “Mom, why don't you take a shower and then get some sleep?” Although they had sleeper berths, Wang Qiqi suspected Luo Hongjuan hadn't rested well all night.

Luo Hongjuan murmured, “Okay.” But she looked around at the two closed doors next to Wang Qiqi’s room. “Are they still sleeping?”

“Nana must have gone to work at the company. When I left, Manman was still here,” Wang Qiqi said uncertainly, unsure if Shi Man had gone to the library or out to buy food.

Just then, the main door opened, and Shi Man returned carrying a bag of snacks. Seeing Luo Hongjuan standing in the living room, she immediately greeted her. “Auntie, you’re here! We’ll just eat something simple for lunch; I bought some groceries, and we’ll have a real feast tonight.”

Shi Man turned to Wang Qiqi. “After you left, Dai Zi came by. He said Weiwei’s classmate is treating everyone to lunch because she found a boyfriend. We’ll have to sort out our own lunch.” Hearing this, Shi Man panicked. Look at the time, and while she felt capable of cooking for Feng Xuanxiang, preparing a meal for Luo Hongjuan made her feel inadequate.

Wang Qiqi asked with a wry tone, “You didn't just buy takeout, did you?”

“I bought some beef. We’ll just have noodles with beef for lunch. Anyway, tonight we’re going all out and making Nana pay dearly!” If it weren't for making sure Luo Hongjuan’s first meal in Beijing wasn't too meager, Shi Man would have been content with plain noodles.

Wang Qiqi smiled watching Shi Man carrying the beef, thinking the girl was quite good at budgeting. “Fine, noodles it is. By the way, didn’t you say you were going to borrow books? Did you get them?” It was past eleven, time for lunch.

Shi Man rubbed her stomach. “I did. I haven't eaten breakfast yet.” Ah, Shi Man had originally planned to skip breakfast and just eat more at lunch, never expecting Lu Qiaowei to have plans for noon.

“Then I’ll cook,” Luo Hongjuan immediately offered when she saw Shi Man looking hungry.

Wang Qiqi nudged Luo Hongjuan toward the bathroom. “Mom, you shower, I’ll cook the noodles.” Hmph, Wang Qiqi thought, Shi Man is just pretending. She would never starve herself; she probably bought at least a steamed bun.

Shi Man hadn't expected to hide anything from Wang Qiqi. She managed a strained smile. “Qiqi, you’re the best. Oh, I bought almost a pound of beef. We should eat it all.”

A pound of beef! Wang Qiqi did a quick calculation. “Save it. I’ll make beef and vermicelli soup this afternoon.”

Shi Man readily agreed, “Whatever you say. I’m going to read now. By the way, I completely cleaned the living room and your room again—it’s spotless, right?” Shi Man offered her achievement as proof of her diligence.

Regarding the other woman’s smugness, Wang Qiqi’s lips twitched slightly. “Should I thank you?” Honestly, the biggest source of mess in the living room was Shi Man herself. She liked to sprawl on the sofa reading, watching TV, and snacking. She used to do the same in Qiqi’s room, but since Wang Qiqi forbade eating in bed and Qiqi’s room lacked a television, Shi Man had relocated, effectively taking over the living room. The usually tidy coffee table often hosted empty drink bottles or snack wrappers.

Shi Man saw Wang Qiqi’s strained, artificial smile and waved her hands dismissively. “No need, no need.” Then she glanced toward the bathroom, hearing the sound of running water. “You’re late; did Auntie scold you?” Otherwise, why the severe expression?

Wang Qiqi shot Shi Man a glare. “No, Auntie is very nice. Besides, I wasn't that late.” Then she headed to the kitchen to start boiling the noodles. “I just didn’t want to look at your self-satisfied face.”

In the following few days, whenever Wang Qiqi didn’t have classes, she took Luo Hongjuan out to look around, noting down several locations for storefronts with good foot traffic. Naturally, Wang Qiqi also inquired about the rental costs and the sale price of the properties.

Hearing the rental rates and especially the asking prices for the properties, Luo Hongjuan’s heart began to race. She wondered if Song Yao could actually make a profit with such high rent. In her view, Song Yao was doing very well back home; owning her storefront meant saving significant rent, and she had a stable customer base. Why bother expanding here? Still, she only mumbled these thoughts to herself because her attention was drawn back to Wang Qiqi. She noticed Qiqi seemed quite pleased with the sale prices. Did Qiqi plan to buy a storefront?

Luo Hongjuan certainly had no objections to buying property; it was a fixed asset, after all. But the price was steep. Moreover, Luo Hongjuan knew Wang Qiqi already owned several properties back home and in Beijing. Since their future focus was abroad, she felt it was unnecessary to accumulate too many domestic assets, cornering themselves financially. Loans required rent payments. The property Han Tao had previously bought was cheaper (though still quite expensive in Luo Hongjuan’s estimation until this trip gave her a true sense of Beijing prices), but it wasn't yet handed over, and there were no rental income streams yet, while the bank loan installments were due. Luo Hongjuan felt the pressure was immense.

Wang Qiqi was genuinely surprised by the prices quoted by the agents. Even though prices had been climbing rapidly, they still seemed relatively cheap. However, while tempted, Wang Qiqi hadn't actually considered buying. She had a clear understanding of her financial situation; buying more now would significantly increase their loan burden. While it might be profitable later, Wang Qiqi didn't want to compromise their current quality of life. “Mom, what do you think if I suggested my sister just buy a storefront to open her business?” That way, they wouldn't have the headache of a landlord becoming greedy and demanding higher rent once business boomed.

When Luo Hongjuan heard Qiqi was considering having Song Yao purchase the commercial property, she couldn’t be certain. “Buying it? Do they have enough money?” Renovation, stocking inventory—it would cost a fortune, Luo Hongjuan thought with apprehension.

Money was an issue. Wang Qiqi knew that Song Yao and her husband absolutely couldn't afford to buy a commercial property outright. “It was just a suggestion, if it’s my sister’s problem.” However, Wang Qiqi suspected Song Yao would most likely buy it; for someone ambitious about growing their business, owning their commercial space was essential.

Luo Hongjuan hummed in acknowledgment. “Let your sister make the decision. By the way, Qiqi, did you record all the shops you looked at these past few days?”

Wang Qiqi confirmed with an “Mm-hmm.” “I’ll summarize the situation today and email it to my sister.” That way, she could discuss it with Gong Peixing at home, and then they could come to Beijing for final inspection before making a decision.