Wang Qiqi beamed, clutching the freshly printed pair of property sales contracts. "Thank you, we will make the payment as soon as possible." Given that the market for property sales, especially commercial spaces, wasn't particularly vibrant right now—it was a substantial outlay, after all—a few days' delay in payment was perfectly normal.

The two sellers breathed a sigh of relief. They had initially suspected a tactic, thinking the buyer—or perhaps the agent representing them—was only interested in one property and was playing hardball to negotiate a lower price. To ensure the sale went through, they had offered their best terms. They hadn't expected the other party to genuinely intend to purchase both shops. As they signed, a flicker of regret crossed their minds, but what could they do? They couldn't very well admit regret, especially with a middle-aged woman standing nearby, her face set in an unmistakably displeased expression. If they pushed the price issue now, what if she suddenly backed out altogether?

"So, when can we expect the funds to arrive? I set my price with the expectation of needing the money quickly," one seller pivoted to the most pressing matter.

The other seller watched Wang Qiqi and her companion intently, also eager for the funds. Since the price was non-negotiable, he added, "The price I quoted is quite favorable; I hope the money can be transferred soon."

Wang Qiqi and Song Yao exchanged a glance. "We'll have the money to you within five days." Song Yao knew Wang Qiqi had the funds, but arranging her share would take time. Fortunately, she had already hinted at selling her own property before leaving, and it was likely to move quickly. "It's just that the mortgage arrangements will require some trouble from the agent."

The agent, seeing the contracts tentatively signed by both sides, finally relaxed. Even though the commission was halved, it was still significantly more than the fee for renting out a single property. Moreover, the work had been relatively easy—just a few days of running around, especially since the clients had even rented a car, meaning they traveled comfortably and ate quite well. "Very well, I will follow up. I will provide you with the necessary documentation."

Shi Man sat on the sofa, reading a book while listening to her Walkman, murmuring something under her breath. Hearing the door open, she turned to see Wang Qiqi and her mother-in-law. She gestured toward the kitchen. "Your dinner is in there. Heat it up yourselves."

Just as Wang Qiqi started toward the kitchen, Luo Hongjuan placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go rest." Between teaching, running around to view shops, and starting work to earn money, Luo Hongjuan realized after these few days that she knew very little about Qiqi previously.

Wang Qiqi murmured an "Oh." Honestly, she was exhausted today; negotiating with the sellers had drained a significant amount of mental energy. If Luo Hongjuan hadn't been there, Wang Qiqi would have just wanted a shower and to collapse into bed, ignoring her stomach for the moment. But with Luo Hongjuan present, Wang Qiqi couldn't just skip eating, or she'd surely face a lecture later.

Seeing the furrow in Wang Qiqi's brow, Shi Man immediately turned off her Walkman, placed her book on the coffee table, and patted her thigh, inviting Wang Qiqi to lie down. Wang Qiqi stifled a yawn and obediently settled onto Shi Man's lap. "So tired." Her head felt like it was throbbing. "My brain cells were heavily depleted today."

"Didn't your sister negotiate?" Shi Man assumed Song Yao must have been involved; it seemed unlikely that Gong Peixing would stay completely out of it either.

"She did," Wang Qiqi replied, thinking it wasn't just her own transaction. "But it was still exhausting. It's mostly because I've been so worn out these past two days." Even with a car eliminating walking, inspecting floors upon floors and debating layouts was tiring. Some shops even had tenants operating inside, making a full assessment difficult. It truly took a great deal of effort.

"You," Shi Man began, hearing Wang Qiqi mention her headache, and immediately started massaging her scalp. "Don't take on some jobs; you don't lack this little bit of money." Why wear yourself out so completely? "Don't you always say you shouldn't recklessly waste your youth? You don't want your body failing you when you get older, do you?"

"It's just these two days; it will ease up soon," Wang Qiqi managed a wry smile. "To be honest, I never expected things to develop this way. I genuinely hadn't planned on acquiring more property in Beijing, especially since..." The prospects back in America weren't bad either, but...

"You," Shi Man sighed, choosing not to press the point. Having a relative who was constantly wheeling and dealing was a kind of trouble. "But in the long run, you'll be living very comfortably. Of course, I'm not doing badly either," Shi Man added unapologetically. "While my abilities might not match yours, I have a good man. Did you know our stock portfolio is doing quite well?"

"That's the best news," Wang Qiqi murmured. Under Shi Man's massage, sleepiness intensified. Her voice, previously audible, gradually faded until it was barely a whisper.

Shi Man noticed the silence and looked down to find Wang Qiqi already asleep. She smiled softly, gently lowered Wang Qiqi's head onto the sofa cushion, and then walked toward the kitchen. "Auntie, Qiqi has fallen asleep."

Luo Hongjuan had just finished heating the food and was about to call Wang Qiqi when she heard Shi Man. She casually scooped some food onto a plate and ate standing in the kitchen. "Qiqi has been exhausted these past few days. Yesterday she stayed up past one in the morning."

"Normal," Shi Man replied, finding Wang Qiqi’s bedtime completely unsurprising. "Qiqi and Han Tao often sleep very late. Qiqi is better; she doesn't stay up excessively, but Han Tao frequently stays awake until four or five in the morning." So, like attracts like; her own Feng Xuanxiang didn't keep such hours.

"Sigh," Luo Hongjuan thought, what else could she say? Should she criticize them for staying up late? But they were all engaged in serious matters, not just playing around.

A week later, Wang Qiqi was back at the airport arrivals area to pick up Song Yao and her husband. "Sister, Brother-in-law, you're living the life of the wealthy! Only this long, and this is your second trip to Beijing—and by plane, too."

Song Yao lightly tapped Wang Qiqi's head. "You little scamp, still teasing us. Wasn't I worried about problems arising with the house?" They had finally settled their property back home, the funds were in place, so naturally, they wanted to finalize things early. "Oh, right, that commercial space—you mentioned someone was interested in renting it?" Song Yao had been anxious when she heard about the rental inquiries. What if the sellers changed their minds about selling the shops? Wouldn't that be a loss?

Wang Qiqi nodded slightly, remaining near the exit without moving. "Sister, wait a moment; Han Tao should be coming out soon too." Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Han Tao to return so soon, and that he would coincidentally arrive around the same time as Song Yao. His flight was supposed to arrive earlier, but due to weather delays, it ended up landing two hours behind Song Yao's group. "Regarding the shop, someone did inquire, but they didn't offer a very high rent. They proposed renting it at that price for three years in exchange for handling the renovations. Sister, what do you think?" If the shop were solely hers, Wang Qiqi would absolutely refuse the offer, but since Song Yao was the other owner, she needed her input.

What? "Three years with no rent increase?" Song Yao dug into her ear, checking if she heard correctly. Upon seeing Wang Qiqi nod, she immediately objected. "It’s just the cost of renovations; it won't require that many materials. How much rent will increase over three years?" Hmph. While their capital was tight, three years at the same price was something Song Yao could never agree to. "If we agree to a ten percent annual rent increase, I have no objection." That would be acceptable.

Wang Qiqi made a gesture acknowledging the instruction. "I understand." Even with a ten percent annual increase, it felt slightly disadvantageous, but she would accept it since she was short on cash. "I'll confirm the renovation requirements with them later." Otherwise, they might rent it cheaply and use shoddy materials and poor workmanship, which Wang Qiqi felt would be a real loss.

Gong Peixing stood aside guarding the luggage, watching the sisters chat, but his mind seemed miles away. Wang Qiqi noticed her brother-in-law’s expression wasn't great. "Brother-in-law, what's wrong?" Wang Qiqi asked quietly. Could he be regretting the sale now that they were back home? Though she knew that possibility was unlikely.

Song Yao pouted. "I don't know where that family heard we were selling the house, but they came over, going on about how I was squandering the family fortune." Thinking of her in-laws' disruptive behavior that day filled Song Yao with irritation. "It's clearly our own money; how we spend it is our business. They talk as if we're spending their money." Hmph. Let them fuss; we'll be leaving that place soon anyway.

Wang Qiqi mused that the old couple had simply changed tactics, using the argument of Song Yao's frivolous spending. "Are they trying to seize the moral high ground? Sister, how did you end up with such persistent people? They're impossible to get rid of."

"That's why I, just like your mother-in-law, need to flee our hometown quickly," Song Yao whispered, covering her mouth with a laugh. "You wouldn't believe how well your brother-in-law unleashed his temper that day, and then he spent several days catering to me." Although the confrontation had upset Song Yao, the fact that her own man had been so formidable pleased her immensely. "Oh, right, after we make the down payment, when will the property deeds be sorted out?" There were many things at home. "Also, Yang Jing gave birth a few days ago—a big, chubby boy! My mother was ecstatic." She had been worried because the due date had passed, wondering if it was a girl. Even though the ultrasound suggested a boy, Wang Damei felt that since the person providing the information was familiar to Yang Jing's family, they might have lied just to make her happy. After all, girls were the ones who delayed birth; boys were usually early.

"Is that so?" Wang Qiqi felt happy for Yang Jing too. "She has completely secured her position now." Given the grandson, Wang Damei’s complaints would have to be suppressed. Moreover, with Song Ziwen showing promise, Wang Damei wouldn't dream of trying to suppress her son. (To be continued)