Once Wang Qiqi unbuckled her seatbelt, she grabbed a book and handed it to the dope beside her, signaling that he could start sleeping. This guy was truly infuriating; although Wang Qiqi hadn't explicitly told him to move to the aisle seat, didn't he have the basic awareness?

Dai Lijun knew Wang Qiqi was displeased by his failure to yield the seat, but he still had some things he needed to ask. "Um, um, has Feng Xuanxiang been really busy lately?"

Dai Lijun's question surprised both Wang Qiqi and Shi Man. They both turned to look at the person they had previously assumed was dead weight. "You noticed something was off too?" Wang Qiqi hadn't expected that this boastful man would notice the strangeness. It made Wang Qiqi feel like she hadn't been paying enough attention to her friends lately; otherwise, how could all these men, who should be careless, have figured it out, while she, Manman's best friend, remained oblivious?

"What do you know?" Shi Man's arm shot over Wang Qiqi to grip Dai Lijun's shirt. At that moment, she remembered that one of Dai Lijun's senior classmates went to the same school as Feng Xuanxiang. Although they weren't in the same department, Shi Man now thought that perhaps he knew something.

Dai Lijun was startled by Shi Man's action and immediately regretted his loose tongue. "Know what? I just saw that something was wrong with your situation at the airport."

He quickly shifted his gaze, though his heart was uneasy. Whether to tell the truth or continue concealing it was a dilemma. On one side was someone’s request; on the other, seeing his friend, who was like a little sister, completely drained of spirit. He truly wanted to tell the truth, but the thought of the consequences made him hesitate.

When Shi Man heard Dai Lijun say that, her first reaction was disbelief. She couldn't imagine that the guy who was just busy comforting his girlfriend had the leisure time to notice their activities. "No, you definitely know something, what is it?" Shi Man held tightly onto Dai Lijun's shirt, looking every bit the shrew.

Wang Qiqi really wanted to step in and comfort Shi Man, while also suppressing the overly agitated person and rescuing Dai Lijun, who looked like he couldn't breathe. Although Wang Qiqi was reluctant—hmph, he clearly looked like he knew some inside scoop but refused to say—this enraged her. "Just say what you know! Do you want to die on this plane?" Wang Qiqi estimated that Shi Man was using all her strength.

Shi Man was leaning so heavily on Wang Qiqi that Wang Qiqi also felt unable to breathe. "Manman, don't get agitated. Relax a little. Dai Lijun can't breathe; you need to leave him some air." Wang Qiqi thought to herself that as soon as the person let go, she would immediately switch places with Shi Man. She couldn't stay caught in the middle; even if it seemed a bit disloyal, self-preservation came first. She shouldn't suffer just because of the clearly secretive Dai Lijun.

Han Tao also saw that things were getting out of hand from his side. "Manman, Manman, we're on a plane, watch yourself."

Although the commotion wasn't huge, it attracted the attention of many surrounding passengers. While they didn't fully grasp the situation, they automatically started imagining scenarios, pointing and whispering toward them. What worried Han Tao even more was that his girlfriend's breathing, along with Dai Lijun's, was becoming increasingly labored.

"Manman, look at me. You have to have some faith in Feng Xuanxiang. Haven't you forgotten..." Wang Qiqi stared into Shi Man's eyes. Where Shi Man couldn't see, Wang Qiqi viciously pinched the dope's flesh. Wang Qiqi was furious. If you really have inside information or intelligence, please don't reveal it! Don't give away a single hint. If you can't resist, then don't drag the people around you down into the same mess.

Taking advantage of Wang Qiqi talking to Shi Man, Han Tao whispered into Dai Lijun's ear, "If you keep keeping silent, you might really lose your life." Han Tao tried to pry Shi Man's hand away but found he couldn't; the grip was so strong that Han Tao felt like he was pulling on the arm of a strapping young man.

"But I promised I couldn't tell," Dai Lijun gasped. He thought that no matter what, he couldn't let that person know the truth. He was really looking forward to seeing the look on that person's face when they realized. "But I think it should be good news; I really don't know the specifics."

"Nonsense, you wouldn't not know." Whether it was the stares of the crowd or Dai Lijun's rather terrified expression, Shi Man slowly loosened her grip on Dai Lijun's shirt and sat upright. "Qiqi, let's switch seats." Shi Man was determined to force the truth out of him.

When Wang Qiqi heard about switching seats, she naturally had no objection. However, just as she was about to get up, she suddenly suggested, "How about I switch places with Dai Lijun?" Shi Man was sitting by the window, and Wang Qiqi certainly didn't want to be trapped in the middle again, making escape nearly impossible.

As for how they switched seats, Shi Man certainly had no opinion. "I just need to sit next to the dope." Furthermore, Shi Man thought it would be better to have Dai Lijun sit in the middle; otherwise, if he sat on the aisle, it would be too easy for him to escape.

When Dai Lijun heard that he would be sitting in the middle, how could he agree? "I'm a man; why should I be sandwiched between you two women?" At that point, it would be difficult even to run away.

"Did I ask for your consent?" As soon as Shi Man heard Dai Lijun object to the switch, she tightened her grip on his shirt again. Hmph, this kid couldn't be shown any kindness, or he'd get presumptuous.

Han Tao watched from the side, with only one thought in his mind: Dope, oh Dope, you really can't read the current situation. Why don't you consider that right now, you are in the position of being interrogated?

Dai Lijun never expected that a small protest like that would lead to this. Although he didn't want to yield to a girl, the situation was stronger than his will, forcing him to submit. "Switch, switch! Can't I switch?" Alas, women, women, what a strange species. They look so defenseless, yet once something happens, they immediately enter battle mode.

Dai Lijun was weeping internally. When he first met Shi Man and the others, they were all demure girls. How could they have changed so much in just a few years? Has life experience truly been so corrosive?

After Wang Qiqi and Dai Lijun switched seats, she let out a long sigh. "Tell me everything you know about Feng Xuanxiang. Think about how much longer you have to be on this plane."

Dai Lijun knew he couldn't hold out any longer. "I really don't know the specifics. I only know he's been busy lately. My senior said he ran into him a few times, and Feng Xuanxiang always seemed rushed. Plus, seeing Manman crying just now, that's why I asked." Dai Lijun revealed a little information, but then he quietly added that it wasn't bad news anyway.

Wang Qiqi caught this last comment. She thought this guy must know the whole story but was unwilling to tell. Was that person planning a surprise for Shi Man? Could it be he was planning to propose? But that didn't seem right either; hadn't Feng Xuanxiang already proposed before he left? Of course, Wang Qiqi wasn't present for that. The reason was simple: apparently, while they were eating out, the guy casually mentioned that once Shi Man went to the US, the two of them would get married, and that Shi Man actually agreed immediately. Although Wang Qiqi considered herself a practical person and didn't require things like roses for a proposal, at least a ring should be involved. But he hadn't offered anything, and Shi Man, who seemed like someone who would demand many things for a proposal scene, had simply agreed, and what surprised Wang Qiqi even more was that they were just eating at a small diner. Was that person trying to compensate Shi Man because of that decision?

But Wang Qiqi wondered, can one propose a second time? Could it be that he was preparing an unforgettable wedding for Shi Man? But it seemed too early for that. Arranging a grand wedding without spending too much money would take considerable effort. However, Wang Qiqi didn't think a wedding requiring such effort needed a year of preparation in advance. In the end, Wang Qiqi's head was spinning, and she couldn't figure anything out.

While Wang Qiqi pondered what major news Dai Lijun was hiding, Dai Lijun on the side was also lamenting, feeling he shouldn't have gone to the US with Shi Man and the others; it was truly tragic. "Manman, listen to me, I really don't know the situation."

"My senior just said he saw Feng Xuanxiang a few times and that he was quite busy."

"Oh my God, if the senior didn't ask in detail, what can I do? Besides, I can't ask my senior to start tailing Feng Xuanxiang, can I?"

Dai Lijun kept explaining the situation to Shi Man. "Manman, you're going to the US to see Feng Xuanxiang soon, aren't you? If there really is a problem, you can ask him face-to-face, right?"

"Besides, you should have confidence in Feng Xuanxiang. Of course, if he really changed his mind, Han Tao and I will stand with you, and we'll teach that kid a good lesson." Dai Lijun saw Shi Man's expression soften slightly and shamelessly betrayed his friend.

Shi Man considered it. Regardless of whether Feng Xuanxiang's recent changes were good or bad for her, she would know the result as soon as she arrived. "Qiqi, if there really is a chance, I'll come to you." However, Shi Man felt it was unlikely she would go to the US again anytime soon, and perhaps her study destination wouldn't even be the US. In short, the trip to the US, which had started out cheerfully, no longer held much anticipation.

Shi Man quieted down, and the dope also breathed a sigh of relief, closing his eyes to try and sleep. The dope had talked all night holding Lu Qiaowei yesterday, meaning he was already in poor spirits, not to mention the long ordeal with Shi Man just now.

"Manman, um..." Wang Qiqi knew that although Shi Man's mood had calmed down, she wouldn't be in good spirits, so she wanted to talk to her.

"Qiqi, I just want to be alone for a while," Shi Man said listlessly, her eyes fixed on the window outside. Wang Qiqi could see the tears welling up at the corner of Shi Man's eyes through the glass. She sighed. Some things one had to face alone. At that moment, Wang Qiqi could only hope for some good news when the time came. (To be continued)