Wang Qiqi yawned, clutching her books as she appeared at the library entrance, just as Bai Ge began hopping animatedly to greet her, "Qiqi, Qiqi."

Wang Qiqi looked at the energetic Bai Ge and sighed inwardly. This girl must have been doing quite well lately; her parents' Yunnan-style snack shop was reportedly booming. This girl had even secured a few clients to start doing graphic design work, in addition to tutoring. Her life was definitely good, but the question was, how was someone who should ostensibly be busy living even more comfortably than I am? "Is the little thing dating?" Wang Qiqi asked tentatively.

Unexpectedly, Bai Ge gave a coy little hum, "We just confirmed the relationship not long ago. I'll bring him out for you to see in a few days." Bai Ge used to be part of the small circle with Duan Xiaomin and the others, but as she grew closer to Wang Qiqi, and with her own ventures flourishing outside, she initially felt a bit wronged by their scheming. Later, however, she came to terms with it: if they clicked, they’d chat; if not, she’d just treat herself as a piece of backdrop scenery.

"Confirmed the relationship?" Wang Qiqi thought. She hadn't heard any rumors a few days ago. How could someone have found a boyfriend right after she returned from a trip? "You're moving fast."

Bai Ge smiled. "Actually, he’s been pursuing me since the first half of the year, but I hadn't settled on it. I just made up my mind a few days ago and immediately notified you. By the way, I called you that day, remember to bring your Han Tao along." Bai Ge never considered inviting Duan Xiaomin and the others; inviting them would only lead to endless commentary. "I'll tell you about the situation with him later." Bai Ge was about to share details about her new boyfriend, but the moment her eyes swept over Duan Xiaomin and the others approaching, she immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Bai Ge to keep this from Duan Xiaomin and the others, nor was she planning to treat them to a meal. This implied a lot. Honestly, Duan Xiaomin had changed a lot recently, but since Wang Qiqi had no interest in competing with Duan Xiaomin and the others, their surface-level relationships remained cordial.

"Qiqi, Bai Ge, did you arrange to come look at materials together?" Duan Xiaomin was in a great mood today. She had just received confirmation that she would be recommended for graduate school. Although entering graduate school might not be as beneficial as securing a post at the university, she knew the on-campus positions were scarce. No matter how capable a girl from the countryside was, she understood the reality. However, she believed pursuing a Master's degree would greatly benefit her future job search.

Wang Qiqi nodded, pulled out a mug and pen from her bag, "I'll go find some materials first." That way, she could search without worrying about someone snatching her seat when she returned.

Duan Xiaomin originally intended to ask why Wang Qiqi was leaving as soon as she saw her. "Qiqi, while you're at it, could you check if those few books are available? I couldn't find them when I came a few days ago."

Wang Qiqi glanced at the reading list Bai Ge handed her, flashed an OK sign, and left. "Qiqi hasn't been to the library in ages," Bai Ge explained why Wang Qiqi was in such a hurry. "By the way, I heard you secured the recommendation spot?"

Duan Xiaomin had actually intended to show off her guaranteed graduate placement upon seeing the two of them. Although she regretted Wang Qiqi wasn't there, it didn't dampen her spirits. "Yes, that's right. I just got the notice. You hear things fast." Duan Xiaomin casually mentioned that the department only had a few recommendation slots, and she was one of them.

How could Bai Ge not realize Duan Xiaomin was showing off? She couldn't understand why, by any metric, Duan Xiaomin wasn't the most outstanding student, yet she managed to secure one of the rare spots. "Congratulations, congratulations. When are you treating us to a meal?"

Bai Ge subtly glanced at Duan Xiaomin a few times, recalling some scenes she had witnessed earlier. But that was Duan Xiaomin’s choice; Bai Ge wasn't going to lecture her on what she should or shouldn't have done, especially since many people engaged in such tactics.

Duan Xiaomin certainly had no objection to Bai Ge’s request. "Deal! You all must come then." It was a perfect chance to show everyone she was capable too. "By the way, is Qiqi still applying to study abroad? I heard getting a US visa is really difficult." Duan Xiaomin asked, feigning concern, while secretly hoping Wang Qiqi wouldn't go to the US, leaving her as the person ranking above Wang Qiqi.

A hint of mocking schadenfreude colored Duan Xiaomin's words, which Bai Ge sensed slightly. "I'm not entirely clear on the specifics, but she's been to the US several times; it shouldn't be difficult, considering her grades." What Bai Ge didn't say was that even if Wang Qiqi couldn't study in the US this time, couldn't she study in Europe? Her grades guaranteed her options; it was just a matter of applying to schools.

Duan Xiaomin hadn't expected even Bai Ge to be vague about Wang Qiqi’s study abroad plans. She recalled overhearing several professors discussing Wang Qiqi once when passing the office—they all expressed regret, with one professor explicitly stating that if Wang Qiqi hadn't insisted on studying abroad, he would have certainly given the recommendation spot to her. This certainly didn't please Duan Xiaomin.

When Wang Qiqi returned with a stack of materials, she was surprised to find Duan Xiaomin, who should have been busy, hadn't left but had instead pulled out a notebook and settled down beside her own spot. This struck Wang Qiqi as odd. Duan Xiaomin's academic goal was usually just above average, and with her many student union commitments, she rarely hunkered down in the library at this hour.

Wang Qiqi had assumed Duan Xiaomin was at the library for the same reason she was—to find materials. She hadn't expected her to be indirectly probing about her study abroad situation. If Duan Xiaomin hadn't just announced securing the recommendation spot, Wang Qiqi might have thought Duan Xiaomin was preparing to study abroad herself and was seeking advice. "I've submitted applications to a few universities, but I haven't received acceptance letters yet, so for now, I can only wait. As for whether I can actually make it to the US, I suppose it’s up to fate."

"Have you considered other places to study if your US visa doesn't come through?" Duan Xiaomin thought this was clearly a boilerplate response. Qiqi was being too calculating; they were friends, why use such formal language? "I think Europe is quite nice. Didn't you often read books about European scenery before, Qiqi? Plus, Zhang Yan has already decided on studying in the UK, and aren't you good friends with her...?"

Wang Qiqi deeply felt that coming to the library today was not a wise decision; it was a huge mistake. If she weren't trying to maintain her image as a top student, Wang Qiqi would have happily slammed the table. "It’s great that Zhang Yan is going to the UK, but just because I'm friends with her doesn't mean I have to go to the UK too. And just because the scenery in Europe is nice isn't the motivation for me to study there." Wang Qiqi knew why Zhang Yan was going to the UK. Her family initially wanted her to go to the US, the center of the global economy, but Zhang Yan had always longed to see the historical depth of Europe. Under family pressure, Zhang Yan agreed to the US, but then 9/11 happened. Not only did the US government tighten visa requirements, but the Zhang family would never let her risk going to America after such an event in a place considered relatively safe. Who knew what might happen next?

Bai Ge was thoroughly annoyed by Duan Xiaomin, who was chattering incessantly beside them. She had secured the recommendation spot, meaning her graduation thesis was guaranteed to pass unless it was truly terrible. But Wang Qiqi didn't have that guarantee, and Qiqi also needed to submit a thesis. Didn't Duan Xiaomin usually have a good grasp of her surroundings? Why was she acting so childish today? "Xiaomin, please, can you discuss matters outside the library? We all need to prepare our theses." Damn it, if only it were right before finals, this spot would certainly be taken, and everyone would certainly speak up to drive her away if they saw Duan Xiaomin occupying a seat without working.

Duan Xiaomin wasn't deaf; she noticed the displeasure in Wang Qiqi's eyes, but she stubbornly refused to leave. In the past, she maintained a good relationship with Qiqi to get good notes for high exam scores. Now, however, Duan Xiaomin felt no envy for anything Wang Qiqi possessed and believed she needed nothing from her. But she hadn't expected the interfering Bai Ge to jump in.

Duan Xiaomin often appeared dismissive of Bai Ge, but inwardly, she was consumed by jealousy. In her view, she and Qiqi had a good relationship initially, and Bai Ge’s connection with Qiqi was even weaker than hers. But at some point, Bai Ge and Qiqi grew increasingly close. One day, something she witnessed made her suddenly understand why Bai Ge seemed uninterested in the postgraduate entrance exam. It wasn't that she feared failing; it was because she was doing well outside, making the exam less critical. Duan Xiaomin analyzed that Bai Ge had changed this way entirely due to Wang Qiqi's influence. A thought often crossed her mind: If she built a better relationship with Qiqi, would she also end up like Bai Ge?

Unfortunately, Duan Xiaomin didn't know the answer, but she was certain that her personality differed from Bai Ge's, meaning even if she managed to get closer to Qiqi, the outcome might not be the same.

Bai Ge watched as Duan Xiaomin stared at her for a long time before slowly standing up and leaving. She let out a heavy breath. "Heavens, I wonder if she was stimulated by something; why was she staring at me like that?" It was unsettling, making Bai Ge feel as if she were suddenly in the dead of winter.

"She's probably stimulated by the good news," Wang Qiqi said. She mostly just listened to Duan Xiaomin's boasting. In fact, Wang Qiqi thought Duan Xiaomin would be better off finding a job now. Grad school might not guarantee a better job, and in finance, experience was crucial, wasn't it? But Wang Qiqi wouldn't remind her; her good intentions might just look like jealousy to Duan Xiaomin, making her resent Qiqi's success.

"Good news?" Bai Ge let out a cold laugh. "That's because you never intended to stay at this university." If Qiqi had planned to stay, whether Duan Xiaomin would have gotten that recommendation spot would have been anyone's guess. "The professors are quite fond of you, Qiqi. Do you regret it?" Since US visas were difficult now, she wouldn't have asked Qiqi if she regretted it otherwise.

Regret? Wang Qiqi hadn't needed to give the question a second thought. "Why would I regret it? Even if I were to pursue graduate studies, I never planned on staying here for my Master's." Wang Qiqi felt that if she were to go to grad school, switching to a different university and gaining a new perspective would be better.

"Besides, my grades are good, and so are Duan Xiaomin's. And the professors don't ultimately decide the recommendation spots, do they?" Wang Qiqi thought that even if she wanted to compete for the spot now, it was impossible; her connections within the school were practically nonexistent, completely unable to outweigh Duan Xiaomin's. "Moreover, if I hadn't fought for it, do you think Duan Xiaomin would be this polite and refined now? I bet she'd be badmouthing me behind my back." Wang Qiqi felt this wasn't just her being paranoid; it was highly likely.

Bai Ge considered it and agreed that this possibility was real. "She might even mock you to your face. You need to remember you're something of a figure in the class." Wang Qiqi had some money, her boyfriend was capable, her grades were good, and the professors liked her. Perhaps initially, it was just female jealousy, but as time went on and various situations involving Wang Qiqi surfaced, she became an object of contention for the entire class. People might secretly gloat whenever Wang Qiqi encountered misfortune.

A figure of contention? Wang Qiqi was stunned by the term; it absolutely didn't seem to fit her profile. "I'm a figure of contention?" Good heavens, Wang Qiqi felt faint. "I'm not a class officer, I'm not in the student union, nor am I a sports star, and I haven't represented the school in any major competitions..." In Wang Qiqi's mind, only people like that qualified as 'figures of contention.' She certainly didn't see herself in that category.

Bai Ge looked at Wang Qiqi, who seemed oblivious. "Only you would think that. Read your book, read your book." Bai Ge wondered if Wang Qiqi genuinely didn't know or was actively rejecting the label.

For the next stretch of time, the two constantly pored over materials, with Wang Qiqi diligently recording notes in her notebook. Sighing, she wished the library had more outlets so she could bring her laptop to take notes.

Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge often ended up spending half a day or a whole day buried in the library during this period. "Bai Ge, what's wrong with you today? Your face is drawn." Wang Qiqi noticed Bai Ge's mood was off, which struck her as strange. She wondered if she had fought with her boyfriend, but that didn't seem right. That day Bai Ge brought him out, and they had a meal. Wang Qiqi thought he seemed quite refined and treated Bai Ge well. If there was anything that worried Wang Qiqi, it was that his family's background appeared far superior to Bai Ge's, even though he wasn't from Beijing originally, his parents had already bought him a flat here. Although Bai Ge had also bought a flat in Beijing, the two situations were entirely different. Moreover, she had younger siblings, which meant a huge burden. Would his parents approve of a daughter-in-law who carried so much responsibility? Wang Qiqi reasoned that even if his parents acknowledged Bai Ge’s capability, they would likely prefer a daughter-in-law with a solid financial background—a single daughter free of family obligations—over someone like Bai Ge, the eldest sister from rural Yunnan, who would need years of hard work to earn that much.

Bai Ge let out a long sigh, clearly not wanting to elaborate. "Let's read." What good would talking do? Qiqi probably couldn't help anyway.

Although Bai Ge repeatedly told herself to calm down, the moment she thought about those troubles, her heart raced, and she couldn't focus. Her restless flipping of pages, even while Wang Qiqi quietly and seriously read, was palpable to Wang Qiqi.

Wang Qiqi glanced at Bai Ge several times. She noticed that Bai Ge hadn't looked up, even when Wang Qiqi's gaze was directly on her a few times—she couldn't possibly have missed it. This indicated something was seriously wrong.

Wang Qiqi sighed inwardly. With such a troubled partner beside her, how could she possibly concentrate on reading? She finished copying the last piece of material into her notes, closed her book, and then closed the book in front of Bai Ge. "Let's go get something to drink." Since she couldn't focus on anything, they might as well take a break.

Get something to drink? Bai Ge blinked. "Is the task for today finished?" No way. Had she been spacing out for that long?

Wang Qiqi was speechless; it hadn't been that long since they arrived. "You clearly don't have the mental clarity to read. We might as well go out and relax." Wang Qiqi knew her progress with Bai Ge was fast. Although Wang Qiqi had been gone for a few days, and they were both busy normally, neither of them needed to rush around for mandatory internships or job hunting, so Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge still had quite a bit of free time together.

"You noticed," Bai Ge gave a wry smile. "I was actually planning not to tell you, sigh." Even if Wang Qiqi couldn't help directly, at least having someone to vent to was better than nothing. She wasn't expecting to finish the task now, but she worried about how she would maintain the relationship with that company if she failed this project. That company printed quite a lot of material annually; missing out on them meant losing significant income for the year. Bai Ge wanted to buy a few more properties before getting married, even if it meant taking out loans, as long as she could collect rent, which, combined with her parents' shop income, would cover the payments. Although she hadn't met her future in-laws, she knew no in-law family would want a daughter-in-law who continued to support her maiden family after marriage.

"It was that obvious, even an idiot could see it," Wang Qiqi said irritably, tapping Bai Ge’s cheek lightly. "Tell me what's bothering you. Maybe I can offer some advice."

After following Wang Qiqi back to return the books, Bai Ge asked, "Shall we go to our usual spot?"

Wang Qiqi hummed in agreement. "Okay, but you're paying." Wang Qiqi felt that since she was sacrificing her research time for her friend, she shouldn't have to dip into her own wallet.

"No problem," Bai Ge readily agreed. "But let's not order anything too expensive; I'm poor too."

Another poor person, Wang Qiqi sighed. Why were all the people she knew who looked rich actually just broke souls? "I'm poor too. Money goes out everywhere, every place needs it." More income just meant more places money is needed.

"That's because you're buying so many houses," Bai Ge didn't know Wang Qiqi had bought property in the US. Otherwise, she might have thought differently and exclaimed that that was real wealth. Rich people just love to cry poor. "Qiqi, you're planning to go abroad, so why are you buying so many houses domestically?" Bai Ge couldn't understand. If she was short on cash, she shouldn't buy so many properties. Furthermore, once she left the country, managing these houses would be an issue.

"Why keep the money here? The transfer fees to take it to the US are very high," Wang Qiqi said, letting the topic drift away from the main point, giving the other person a relaxed avenue to talk. The two ambled toward the casual lounge, chatting along the way.

"Alright, what is the trouble, really?" Wang Qiqi asked quietly once their drinks arrived.

"Sigh," Bai Ge's mood, which had slightly improved, immediately soured again when Wang Qiqi asked. "It's just so troublesome." Bai Ge summarized the problem she was facing and explained it to Wang Qiqi. "Where do you expect me to find someone knowledgeable about machinery?" The requirement wasn't extremely high, but she lacked the channels. Even the few mechanics she knew had full-time jobs and no time to teach a complete novice like her. Moreover, she needed the materials first to even know what questions to ask.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected the problem to be this. However, what captured her attention wasn't Bai Ge's immediate issue but her next question: "You said your client is a mechanical company; do they need outsourced part processing?"

Bai Ge was surprised by Wang Qiqi's question after hearing her trouble. She found it odd. "I don't know about that. I only handle their printing jobs. By the way, Qiqi, why are you asking? Do you know about parts processing?" Bai Ge genuinely couldn't figure out Qiqi's motives.

"My brother-in-law is planning to open a parts processing workshop in Beijing; what he lacks are clients. Don't worry, my brother-in-law will take care of you." Wang Qiqi certainly wasn't going to tell Bai Ge that she also held shares in that workshop; that would incite too much envy.

"Oh, I see." Bai Ge finally understood, but she immediately focused on one crucial point. "Your brother-in-law understands machinery?" Good heavens, she had never imagined that man, who seemed like such a supportive spouse, had studied mechanical engineering. The contrast was too stark! But this piece of news was quite significant.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "My brother-in-law used to work in a machinery company, moving up from a workshop worker to the design department. But you should really ask him for the specifics; I only know so much about it myself." Wang Qiqi admitted there were some things beyond her understanding.

"I know, I know. Rest assured, I'll definitely keep your brother-in-law's situation in mind." Bai Ge didn't think Wang Qiqi was trying to leverage the situation for personal gain. Some matters weren't purely transactional; besides, if Wang Qiqi's brother-in-law did well in the future, his company would certainly need printing services, a contract Bai Ge fully intended to secure. "We are people who help each other."

Wang Qiqi truly enjoyed collaborating with intelligent people. A brief mention of a topic was often enough to settle the matter, leaving both parties quite satisfied. Of course, the final success hinged on the actual negotiations between them, but at least the initial groundwork had been successfully laid. RS