Wang Qiqi yawned, leaning against the arrival gate, and looked over at Lu Qiaowei, who was waiting anxiously nearby. "Girl, how about we find somewhere to grab a drink?" The flight was still two hours away due to the delay, but Wang Qiqi had already been standing there for over an hour. She genuinely regretted letting Lu Qiaowei catch her and sweet-talk her into coming to the airport. Moreover, Wang Qiqi felt she was truly reaching her limit; her legs ached terribly.

Wang Qiqi honestly felt the frequency of her airport visits had become unusually high—she was practically an employee now. Especially since this certain person dragged her here right after lunch. To save money, the other girl timed things perfectly to take the airport bus. While it saved money, Wang Qiqi felt they were standing there like idiots. Alternatively, finding a fast-food place to sit down for a drink was something Wang Qiqi could accept. "I'll treat the beauty to something, and I can grab a bite too. The lunch I had at school today really didn't fill me up."

Lu Qiaowei looked at Wang Qiqi rubbing her stomach with a distinctly hungry expression. "I have money." She patted her pocket; she did have some cash on her. Besides, standing here was quite tiring, and she was also on her period.

"My treat," Wang Qiqi insisted. How could she let Lu Qiaowei pay? Compared to her, Wang Qiqi considered herself relatively well-off. "Don't argue with me. You paid for the fare; it’s only fair that I treat you to food."

Lu Qiaowei really wanted to say that of course she should pay the fare, as she was coming to pick up her man. But seeing Wang Qiqi’s determined demeanor, she swallowed the words. Fine, she thought, she'd just order something cheap later. She knew Wang Qiqi and her cousin had recently co-purchased a shop and were quite indebted to the bank.

Wang Qiqi led Lu Qiaowei into a nicely decorated caffè. The last time they went to the US, Wang Qiqi and her friends had camped out here for food. After bringing Lu Qiaowei inside, Wang Qiqi scanned the menu and ordered two pastries and two cups of coffee. "The pastries and coffee here are great." Perhaps because it was run by foreigners, the taste was quite authentic. Of course, it wasn't cheap, but Wang Qiqi felt that since this was a rare visit and they needed a place to rest, they shouldn't miss out.

Lu Qiaowei’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at the prices listed. Although the coffee was good, and she had grown fond of its taste lately, the cost compared to the instant coffee she brewed at home was staggering. "But the price..."

"It’s delicious; you’ll know once you try it. It’s true what they say: you get what you pay for," Wang Qiqi interrupted quickly. "Next time you come to pick up Daizi, you can stop by here too. Try the taste here, or you can check out other places." Wang Qiqi felt there were few places around with an atmosphere as quiet and pleasant as this one, so she basically had no intention of trying elsewhere.

Lu Qiaowei smiled without responding. She thought to herself how could she possibly sit here indulging in expensive drinks and snacks alone? She couldn't compare to Wang Qiqi and the other two. While they looked at prices when shopping, they wouldn't dwell on things unless they were excessively expensive.

Wang Qiqi gazed at the people walking past the glass window, muttering either to herself or perhaps to Lu Qiaowei. "I never thought I'd see a day like this. But money earned is meant for enjoyment. Only by focusing on what you want to enjoy do you have the drive to earn money. Otherwise, relying on the money my parents left me, I could still live quite comfortably..." Just on rental income alone, Wang Qiqi believed she could lead a rather comfortable life. But Wang Qiqi had been raised by Wang Dagui and his wife with habits of eating and drinking well; as long as her financial situation allowed, she wouldn't let herself suffer. "You will get used to this kind of life later. Remember, your motivation to earn money lies right here."

Lu Qiaowei remained silent. She knew Wang Qiqi was also implying that Daizi would eventually provide her with a good life. But the problem was, Lu Qiaowei always felt that kind of life was still distant and lacked a sense of stability.

Soon, the pastries were served. Lu Qiaowei took a bite, and her eyes instantly narrowed into slits. "It’s so good!" It was far better than the pastries she usually bought; the taste truly differed with the price.

Wang Qiqi also scooped a spoonful into her mouth. Yes, the same taste as before. Her eyes also narrowed in contentment. She decided that once Song Yao bought an oven at the shop, Wang Qiqi would frequently go over to use it for baking. She was determined to master baking before going to the US so that when she had free time, she could sip coffee with her homemade pastries, basking in the sun on the balcony while reading. That would truly be the life of indulgence. "I must learn to bake pastries myself someday."

Lu Qiaowei nodded, but what she was thinking was, "I'll open a coffee and pastry shop someday too." Although it seemed a bit difficult, Lu Qiaowei felt that if she worked hard, she would surely master it, and then she would be her own boss. "Qiqi, do you think opening a shop like that is a good idea?"

"It’s fine for earning a living," Wang Qiqi said. She wasn't very familiar with coffee shops, but she assumed they could make money—though perhaps not huge fortunes.

Lu Qiaowei made a soft sound and turned to talk about other things with Wang Qiqi, like how things were in the US. Wang Qiqi looked at Lu Qiaowei, asking questions with concern. "If you want to go next year, buy a ticket and we'll go together then." If they were to break up, it might be around next summer's break. If they didn't, Wang Qiqi figured if they could last a year, there was no reason they couldn't last the remaining half-year.

Go to the US? Lu Qiaowei’s eyes immediately lit up, but then she shook her head. "I should keep working part-time." Lu Qiaowei had been tutoring since her freshman year and recently took on another tutoring job with better pay; overall, her income was quite decent. Moreover, since she was with Daizi now, she basically didn't need to spend money. "Tutoring is more popular during the summer break."

Wang Qiqi thought for a moment. "You could try working as a translator. It will be exhausting at first, and the pay won't be high, but if you excel at it, whether you go to the US or stay domestic, it will be a good source of income, though the pressure will be immense." Wang Qiqi originally thought simultaneous interpretation was stressful enough, but now she realized written translation carried its own heavy burden.

Translation—Lu Qiaowei had considered it, but her English wasn't great. Besides, Shi Man was already a translator; she wondered if her skill level was comparable.

"How will you know if you don't try?" Wang Qiqi looked at Lu Qiaowei, who seemed to want to try but was hesitant about this and that. "As for Manman, she found something else she’s interested in." Shi Man didn't face the same pressure as Wang Qiqi, or perhaps her desire for money wasn't as intense, so she wouldn't put herself under such strain. "If you don't put in the effort and don't try, you'll never know if you can succeed."

Lu Qiaowei considered it. What was the harm in trying? Even if her level wasn't sufficient for translation, improving her English proficiency would be a powerful asset, whether for tutoring, the CET-4/6 exams, or even finding a job after graduation. "Okay, I'll try."

"Good, I'll contact the Boss and let him know," Wang Qiqi said after hearing an announcement over the loudspeaker, finishing the last sip of her coffee. "Daizi is about to land. If we rest another ten minutes, we should be ready to go out."

Dai Lijun walked towards the exit with a backpack slung over his shoulder and a luggage cart in tow, contemplating whether to take the airport bus back or a taxi. The former saved money but required a transfer or a taxi ride upon arrival; the latter meant he could rest immediately upon boarding. As he pondered his options, he heard someone shout, "Dai Lijun!" At first, he wondered if another passenger shared his name, but as he listened closer to the voice, something felt off. It was familiar, yet he hadn't emailed Weiwei or Han Tao about his flight details. Could Feng Xuanxiang have told them?

Dai Lijun didn't have to look far; he saw his girlfriend waving frantically at him from behind the arrival gate railing. He could even make out the tears on his wife’s face.

Knowing someone was there to meet him, Dai Lijun quickened his pace. As Lu Qiaowei saw Dai Lijun emerge, she rushed toward him and practically threw herself into his arms. Dai Lijun opened his arms wide, and when Lu Qiaowei crashed into him, he held her tightly. "Weiwei, Weiwei..." Being in the US for so long, Dai Lijun realized all he could think about was Lu Qiaowei. He had only been gone a few days! "Weiwei, what am I going to do when I miss you while I'm in the US?"

Lu Qiaowei had missed Dai Lijun terribly too. Hearing his words, her tears refused to stop. Holding Dai Lijun, she sobbed his name repeatedly.

Wang Qiqi had initially wanted to watch how the couple, reunited after a long separation, would express their feelings. She hadn't expected them to collapse into tears. They might cry, but passersby were giving them strange looks. "Excuse me everyone, can we perhaps head back now? This is the arrival exit, not customs." If it weren't for worrying about the taxi fare and the gifts this certain person had brought back, Wang Qiqi would have gladly ignored this pair of buffoons. This was too embarrassing! "Let's go back. We haven't had a proper gathering since Han Tao returned last time. Let's all go out for a good meal this time."

Perhaps motivated by the mention of good food, or perhaps feeling a bit ashamed, Dai Lijun stopped crying, though his voice was still choked with emotion. "Okay, okay, I want to eat! I want to feast on the rich!"

"Aren't you the rich one?" Wang Qiqi paused in surprise. "Sigh, I was planning on splitting the bill, but seeing as someone is this heartbroken... Fine, fine, we'll pay, just for the sake of your sorrow." It was rare to see this person cry so miserably; even when Jiang Xin got a boyfriend and kicked Dai Lijun to the curb, he hadn't cried this hard. Just for that reason, Wang Qiqi felt she absolutely had to treat them.