Wang Qiqi and Shi Man were ecstatic about the new task Li Qian had assigned them, especially since they hadn't expected her to actually pull in a foreigner. The thought that their little inn’s reputation might spread overseas sent a thrill through Wang Qiqi. "Oh my god, Sister Qian, you're amazing! You even managed to hook up with a foreigner."

Hook up with a foreigner? Li Qian felt a strange sensation hearing that phrase. "Hook up with a foreigner? Qiqi, what do you mean by that?" The word was far too suggestive.

"I mean, Sister Qian, your business is getting better and better. But, Sister, have you ever thought about what comes next?" Wang Qiqi asked this only because Li Qian seemed to be in a good mood today.

Li Qian hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to bring up that specific question. For a moment, her expression faltered, looking slightly unnatural. Wang Qiqi mistook it for shyness. Even though they were all adults, there was nothing shameful about such matters, but Li Qian’s current look made Wang Qiqi suspect she had developed a fear of marriage. After all, the man seemed so honest, and they had been a couple since their campus days; she never expected this outcome.

Li Qian had intended to postpone the discussion, but since Wang Qiqi had broached the subject, she paused to consider. "Actually, I've already found a companion." She had mentioned this companion to her son, Li Zhe, who had already met him and expressed his satisfaction. Besides, even if she didn't say anything now, the others would find out tonight. "I was just hesitant about how to bring it up before. I thought maybe we could just have dinner and I could reintroduce everyone." She never imagined Wang Qiqi would stumble upon the question like this.

Found a companion? Wang Qiqi was surprised at how quickly Li Qian had moved on to finding a new partner. "Ah, Sister Qian, you..." Wang Qiqi wondered if she meant a travel companion, but that didn't seem right, as Li Qian spent most of her time rooted in Lijiang. Could it be someone local, or perhaps someone opening a shop nearby? Wang Qiqi worried that Li Qian had been cooped up in Lijiang for too long and had lowered her standards for men. Regardless, she needed to congratulate Li Qian on finally moving on from that disastrous marriage. "Congratulations, Sister Qian. When can you introduce him to us?" Of course, she wanted to assess the man's character, but what really concerned Wang Qiqi was whether Li Zhe knew. Based on the emails Li Zhe exchanged with Han Tao, Wang Qiqi suspected Li Zhe was unaware his mother had found a second spring.

"You know him." Li Qian saw Wang Qiqi’s happiness for her, mixed with a bit of worry. She knew Qiqi was concerned about Li Zhe's reaction. "Li Zhe met him during the Spring Festival, and they had a great chat."

Someone I know? Wang Qiqi found this incredible. Her and Li Qian's social circles had very little overlap, and she couldn't recall any single men in her circle who were older. Unless... Wang Qiqi quickly dismissed that thought; after everything Li Qian had been through, she wouldn't repeat the same mistake.

Shi Man also looked at Wang Qiqi curiously, wondering if Wang Qiqi had introduced him. But that wasn't right either. As a super homebody, most of the men she knew were younger than Li Qian. The only older, single man they both knew suddenly popped into Shi Man's mind. "Mr. Ye?" She recalled that he knew Li Qian, supposedly even being a university classmate. Most importantly, his wife had passed away, making him a bachelor—perfectly fitting Li Qian's criteria for a partner.

"Mr. Ye?" Wang Qiqi repeated Shi Man’s words blankly, then noticed Li Qian’s face slowly flushing red. "Ah, Sister Qian, you're not becoming my boss's wife again?" Heavens, Wang Qiqi found it hilarious; she had changed bosses, but Li Qian remained "our boss's wife." What a coincidence.

Li Qian truly hadn't expected them to guess the answer so quickly. "You two go rest for a bit. We can all eat together tonight."

"Mr. Ye is coming?" Wang Qiqi asked foolishly, but then realized it made sense. Since tomorrow was Li Qian’s big day, it would be strange for her boyfriend not to attend.

"Yes, his flight arrives this afternoon." Seeing that Wang Qiqi still looked like she had more questions, Li Qian gave her a little shove. "Go take a shower first, then get the real work done. There will be plenty of time to ask questions tonight." Li Qian thought if they kept circling, they might ask something truly awkward.

Wang Qiqi did have many questions, but Li Qian clearly didn't want to answer them. She had to retreat, but it was fine; if Li Qian wouldn't talk, she still had Ye Ruizhi. She could ask him! Even though he was her boss, today she was representing Li Qian’s family, and there were many things to scrutinize. "Sister Qian, today I’m acting as your family, right?"

Li Qian paused, confused by the talk of family. "You're my friend, so you’re family, in a way." Although she didn't understand why Wang Qiqi asked, she answered with certainty.

Wang Qiqi nodded happily, then walked past Li Qian with a beaming smile. Shi Man understood why Wang Qiqi had asked that; she had used the 'family' card herself to thoroughly vet Feng Xuanxiang. But Shi Man was curious how Wang Qiqi planned to treat Ye Ruizhi, who was Wang Qiqi’s boss. If she provoked him too much, wouldn't he make her life difficult later on?

Li Qian found the starkly different expressions on Wang Qiqi and Shi Man strange. Why would her answer elicit such different reactions? She felt puzzled, but before she could figure out if there was an issue with her answer or ask them about it, someone came looking for her, pulling her back into work. By the time she was done, she had completely forgotten that little interlude.

The moment Wang Qiqi entered the room and saw the bed covered with blankets, she had only one thought: I need sleep. Shi Man expressed her desire through action, tossing her luggage aside, rapidly stripping off her clothes, and leaping onto the bed, ready to sleep.

Zhao Rongrong, having just finished her own tasks, received Li Qian’s instruction to take Wang Qiqi and Shi Man out for dinner and a tour of the new shop next door. However, after knocking for a long time, no one opened the door. "Huh? Did they go out?" That couldn't be right; didn't they say they were tired in the car? Why would they leave to play without resting?

Wang Qiqi had heard the knocking but assumed it was someone knocking on the wrong door and ignored it. Just as she turned over to continue sleeping, she heard Zhao Rongrong's voice. She opened her sleepy eyes, threw on a robe, and went to open the door. "What is it?"

Seeing Wang Qiqi dressed like that, Zhao Rongrong immediately understood. "Get up, it's time for dinner, and then we need to go next door to see if anything needs to be added."

Wang Qiqi mumbled an "Oh," then went to shake Shi Man awake. Shi Man genuinely didn't want to get up. "I don't want to get up; I need sleep." Besides, she hadn't eaten much on the road, so she wasn't hungry.

Wang Qiqi wouldn't allow Shi Man to keep sleeping. There was no way she was up while someone else was still snoozing. After Wang Qiqi’s persistent nagging, Shi Man finally sat up with irritation. "Hmph, you just can't stand seeing me sleep."

"It’s for your own good. If you don't see the inn Qian-jie meticulously renovated today—our future golden goose—won't you regret it?" Although she had bought property and done some purchasing agency work over the years, it wasn't a real career. Wang Qiqi was genuinely thrilled about her first business investment. Even if the profit might not be huge, compared to other ventures, she felt it deserved celebration. "I also plan to take lots of pictures to commemorate this."

Wang Qiqi's excitement piqued Shi Man’s curiosity. "You’re really fired up today." Ever since hearing the inn was opening, Wang Qiqi frequently brought up Lijiang. Shi Man thought she was excited too, but nowhere near Qiqi's level; at least she didn't constantly bring it up. Moreover, in Shi Man's view, she was just a minor shareholder. After investing so much money, who knew when the principal would be returned? She still preferred the purchasing agency business—less capital tied up, and it still brought in a decent annual income. The scenery in Lijiang was nice, but Shi Man felt she could visit for ten days or half a month for a mood change, but living there for half a year would surely break her.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "How could I not be excited? I never thought I'd be a shareholder one day." Although she was a small shareholder, Wang Qiqi firmly believed her path would broaden, and she would invest in more industries. Recently, she had been contemplating whether to have her husband try to woo that famous Mark. Following him might not be ideal—many who had built things up with him had already left—but that wasn't the point. The crucial thing was Wang Qiqi wanted a small amount of original stock, even just two or three percent. That could easily make her a multimillionaire, calculated in US dollars!

Shi Man finished dressing and saw Wang Qiqi wearing a vacant, daydreaming expression. She sighed to Zhao Rongrong, "This girl is probably daydreaming again. Poor Han Tao." To emphasize her point, Shi Man even shook her head with an expression of pity for Han Tao.

Zhao Rongrong knew who Han Tao was, but why should Han Tao be pitied just because Wang Qiqi was daydreaming? Zhao Rongrong gestured her confusion.

"Once Qiqi gets a money-making idea, it all falls on Han Tao to work hard and build the foundation, while she just focuses on building the tower sky-high," Shi Man mused. She thought they were a perfectly matched couple. Although some might call Wang Qiqi overbearing, what did it matter? In front of Han Tao, she was still delicate and bird-like.

Zhao Rongrong understood, but she thought Shi Man was overthinking things. "Isn't it a man's job to earn money? Besides, isn't Qiqi quite capable herself?" Although Zhao Rongrong didn't know the details of Wang Qiqi's situation, the fact that they were chatting casually and hadn't worried much about the investment suggested they had a solid financial base and could manage their finances independently. Although Zhao Rongrong had money, she needed her husband's consent to spend it, which she found quite frustrating.

Shi Man patted Zhao Rongrong’s shoulder. Some things weren't meant to be said to her, and her guess was completely wrong. "Qiqi earns all the money for her personal spending." Qiqi always aimed for large expenditures, like buying a house on a whim. "The big money is what the man spends."

Big money? Zhao Rongrong truly didn't understand what standard Shi Man used for "big money." However, she didn't ask, considering it private. And it was a good thing she didn't ask, because if she had, she would have agreed with Shi Man’s assessment: being Wang Qiqi’s man wouldn't be easy, but it would also be easy to become wealthy. Wouldn't making a fortune require both increasing income and reducing expenditure? The former was crucial, but so was the latter.

When Wang Qiqi snapped back to reality, she overheard Shi Man saying that about her. "Alright, let's go eat, and then we'll work hard in the afternoon." Hmph, was she some kind of relentless exploiter like Zhou Bapi? While she might set high expectations for Han Tao, it was ultimately for his own good. "You have a twenty-four-filial-son boyfriend who considers everything, of course, you don't need to be like me." Feng Xuanxiang was sharp-minded and considered many things, but her own man was a technical guy. He was good at making money and coding, and passable at socializing, but he genuinely didn't want to consider investments. If Wang Qiqi didn't push herself, what else could she do? Still, Wang Qiqi liked Han Tao precisely because fighting for a man against a computer was better than fighting him against many beautiful, fiery women. Feng Xuanxiang, for instance, was a prime target.

Shi Man enjoyed hearing Wang Qiqi’s words because she was praising her own man. "Not at all, your man is great too..." Shi Man naturally praised Han Tao a bit, though in her heart, her own man was still the best. Han Tao, while good, was a bit too rigid and lacked any romantic flair—perfect for Wang Qiqi, who had an older mindset.

Listening to Wang Qiqi and Shi Man continuously praising their respective men, Zhao Rongrong rubbed her arms. "Good heavens, do you two always brag about your husbands like this?" It was making her nauseous. Even if they wanted to flaunt their affection, did they have to do it in front of a single person like her?

Wang Qiqi and Shi Man were actually inwardly gagging too. Saying nice things about the other's man wasn't easy, but since the other kept praising their own, neither wanted to be the first to stop. Hearing Zhao Rongrong’s comment, they both breathed a sigh of relief and dropped the topic. "By the way, Qiqi, what are your plans for tonight?" Shi Man suddenly remembered she hadn't asked about Wang Qiqi’s evening agenda.

"Of course, I'm being the family representative," Wang Qiqi declared smugly. "Hmph, even though he’s our boss, tonight I’m family. Since Li Zhe isn't here, I have to properly vet him for him." Wang Qiqi thought: a man Li Zhe doesn't even know, someone who might become his stepfather—she absolutely had the right to check his character.

Shi Man looked at the highly excited Wang Qiqi, who seemed ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work. She really wanted to ask if Wang Qiqi wanted to help Li Zhe, or if she wanted to use this opportunity to give her boss a good talking-to. "I think Li Zhe must know. No matter how long Sister Qian and your boss have been together, Sister Qian would have asked for Li Zhe’s opinion. Given the current situation, it seems she got his approval, otherwise, how would you know..." Although this statement seemed to slightly belittle Wang Qiqi, it was the honest truth.

Wang Qiqi found Shi Man's speculation reasonable, but what suddenly concerned her was, "How long do you think Sister Qian and my boss have been together..." Wang Qiqi was extremely curious. Although they were university classmates, they hadn't kept in close touch after graduation. When she had mentioned going to work under Ye Ruizhi, Li Qian’s expression had been a bit odd. Wang Qiqi had assumed it was the reunion of old classmates recalling their university days, but now she wondered if some dramatic, soap-opera-like event had occurred between them back then. However, not long after Li Qian divorced Li Xiangdong, she started traveling alone and eventually settled in Lijiang to open her inn, rarely returning to Beijing. Ye Ruizhi's business was based in Beijing, and apart from occasional trips, he spent most of his time there. So, when did they hook up? Another question: Ye Ruizhi wasn't short on money. Don't let his simple attire fool you; his clothes were custom-made, and his tastes were exquisite. How could he afford such extravagance without deep pockets? His financial power likely far surpassed Li Xiangdong’s.

Thinking of this, Wang Qiqi’s mouth stretched into a wide grin. "What do you think Li Xiangdong's expression would be if he knew Sister Qian was marrying Mr. Ye?" Wang Qiqi guessed he would look like he had swallowed feces. Although Wang Qiqi worked in the translation circle, she rarely attended industry gatherings and didn't know much gossip. However, she still kept in touch with some former employees of Li Xiangdong. From their fragmented updates, Wang Qiqi knew Li Xiangdong wasn't doing very well now. Despite his competence, he had a troublesome wife. When business slowed, she constantly squeezed employee wages. As a result, who would want to stay? Older staff might occasionally help with drafts, but dealing with the boss's wife's unpleasant attitude made them reluctant to work there. They could easily find other work where they weren't required to fawn over people. As for newcomers, while the pay was low, the quality of their completed work was poor. Bad quality meant dissatisfied clients, and Li Xiangdong's company slowly fell behind. Yet, he and his wife acted as if everyone had wronged them. Even Wang Qiqi, who left early, hadn't been publicly labeled an ungrateful traitor by Li Xiangdong, but the more he complained, the worse his reputation became.

"He'd probably want to vomit and then jump into the moat," Shi Man retorted. Shi Man knew about Li Xiangdong’s actions outside the office. Although Wang Qiqi treated it as a joke, Shi Man knew Wang Qiqi wasn't entirely unaffected. After all, the reason she left Li Xiangdong wasn't just her own issues; Li Xiangdong’s excessive behavior played a part. Yet, he only spoke ill of Wang Qiqi, never mentioning the meager compensation he offered. "You ended up working for Mr. Ye, and now Sister Qian is marrying Mr. Ye." Shi Man thought Ye Ruizhi might successfully become the person Li Xiangdong hated and wanted to eliminate the most.

Listening to their exchange, Zhao Rongrong was inwardly stunned. She hadn't expected Sister Qian's boyfriend to have such a deep connection with Wang Qiqi and Sister Qian's ex-husband. These were not matters for an outsider like her to comment on. She just lowered her head and walked forward, silently telling herself she hadn't heard anything.

After chatting with Wang Qiqi and Shi Man for a while, Zhao Rongrong felt much better about her own mood. Hmph, she really looked forward to seeing Li Xiangdong's disgraceful reaction when he received the wedding invitation or heard the news of Li Qian and Ye Ruizhi’s marriage from industry peers. Even if she couldn't witness it in person, she was sure some busybody would spread the news.

Although Wang Qiqi and Shi Man claimed they were there to inspect the renovation progress and opening preparations for the inn, in Zhao Rongrong's eyes, they were treating the place like a park. "Oh, Qiqi, this rockery is lovely! Let's take a photo together."

"Manman, this hammock is great. Come here, take a picture for me."

"Wow, this daybed is nice!"

Zhao Rongrong felt like she was hired as a photographer for the day, constantly snapping group photos or solo shots. She did take quite a few pictures herself, occasionally pulling over passing colleagues to take a few more. "Um, do you think anything else needs to be added here?" Zhao Rongrong tried hard to steer the conversation back to business, doubting that the relaxed state of Wang Qiqi and Shi Man throughout their tour had allowed them to truly notice anything.

To Zhao Rongrong's surprise, after mumbling a few affirmations, Wang Qiqi said, "I think if the bathrooms had transparent glass walls, the effect would be much better. And the attic bathroom could absolutely have a skylight. If guests are in the mood, they can open the skylight. Also, why aren't there any open-concept bathrooms? For example, there's no need to fully enclose the bathtub." The great thing about an ancient city is the lack of high-rises, allowing for skylights. "And you should prepare an astronomical telescope. The air quality here is excellent; you can watch the stars."

"Watch the stars?" Zhao Rongrong found the first few suggestions acceptable, even if they were slightly beyond her usual scope. Society was developing, and maybe some guests would like them. But watching the stars required an astronomical telescope? That seemed too specialized. How many astronomy enthusiasts would come here?

"To show off," Wang Qiqi thought. If a true professional came, they would likely start discussing how the telescope was inadequate and how to get a better one.

Shi Man knew that everything Wang Qiqi was saying was merely for atmosphere, but the problem was they were in a hotel, not some kind of lovers’ inn. Never mind whether Li Qian would accept it; they’d likely scare away the regular guests. She coughed a few times. "Qiqi, try to be mindful. It’s not just about how you want to decorate things."

Wang Qiqi inwardly wondered why no one understood her ideas. Don't look at Chinese people as conservative; if they had a bathroom like that, who knew how many guests would flock here? Simply put, it was a case of outwardly reserved but inwardly passionate attitudes. What they needed now was to give those people a space to vent, wasn't that right?

After Ye Ruizhi set the last dish on the table, he looked at the arrangement for a moment, then shifted a few of the dishes around. "That's better. Alright, I'm going to take a shower first." He smelled strongly of cooking oil, which was really unpleasant. Ye Ruizhi thought that if Wang Qiqi smelled it later, she would likely spend the entire meal giving him mocking looks.

Li Qian felt that ever since she told him that Wang Qiqi knew their secret—that she had guessed it—Old Ye had been acting particularly abnormal, even overly nervous. "You weren't this tense when you met my son before." Honestly, Old Ye was truly acting out of character. If Li Qian didn't know the two of them so well, she might have suspected they were having some illicit affair; otherwise, why would he be so worried about Wang Qiqi's opinion?

Ye Ruizhi wasn't a fool; he certainly heard the sour undertone in Li Qian's voice. "Qiqi is like family today, and she knows we're together. How do you expect me to act?" She might not do anything to Li Qian, but she could certainly seek personal revenge for public slights.

Li Qian hadn't expected Ye Ruizhi to be so nervous about this. She was just about to comfort Old Ye, telling him he was overthinking things and that Qiqi wasn't that kind of person, but then she suddenly recalled Qiqi's strange expression that morning after learning she was considered family. Thinking of this, Li Qian abruptly put her hand over her mouth, preventing an exclamation from escaping, and her expression was caught by Ye Ruizhi. "How about I help you?" After all, she was the one who provoked this situation; she had the responsibility and obligation to make Wang Qiqi fuss less.

"You see now? Don't help me either, or Qiqi will only get more carried away." Ye Ruizhi thought that if Li Qian actually intervened, it might only encourage Wang Qiqi to make a bigger scene. If he faced it all head-on himself, after a few times, Qiqi might get bored and give up teasing him. Besides, he was her boss, after all; she wouldn't go too far, would she?

"Really?" Li Qian looked at the self-assured Ye Ruizhi and felt he might be underestimating things slightly. "You don't think that just because you're Qiqi's boss, she will..." That girl Wang Qiqi was the type who would stubbornly resist anyone who tried to force her hand, unless the opposition was truly immovable.

Ye Ruizhi managed a wry smile. Based on the current situation, that girl Wang Qiqi was definitely plotting how to deal with him. "If she respected me as her boss, would she act this way?" Moreover, that little girl knew he was with Li Qian; she was probably secretly delighted about it. Of course, he wasn't worried that Wang Qiqi wouldn't handle the orders seriously; she probably just found it hilarious that their boss was dating the 'Sister Qian' she spoke of. "Besides, I specifically cooked all these dishes to try and win her over a bit. Sigh, why do I feel dealing with Wang Qiqi is stranger than dealing with Li Zhe? Am I worried that a subordinate is challenging my authority as the boss?" Ye Ruizhi couldn't quite figure out why he thought that, but then again, he and Li Zhe had no prior history; their first meeting was due to his pursuit of Li Qian. Li Zhe was concerned about whether Ye Ruizhi would treat Li Qian well, whereas Wang Qiqi, besides caring about those things, would consider other aspects more deeply.

Li Qian smiled, unsure how to answer. Forget it; why worry so much? Qiqi was a girl with good judgment; at most, she would just joke around with Ye Ruizhi. "Oh, right, how long are you planning to stay here this time?"

"About half a month, depending on things." If they were young lovers, they might say something like, "I just got here, and you're already asking when I'm leaving." But Ye Ruizhi and Li Qian were both people who had experienced much; they knew neither would completely abandon their careers. This wasn't about money; it was about passion. "If nothing pressing comes up, I might stay longer. Oh, a few days from now, some friends of mine from abroad will arrive; I'll need a few rooms reserved for them then."

"Done." Li Qian agreed immediately. After all, Ye Ruizhi’s friends would pay for the rooms; friends were friends. "Alright, hurry up and shower, or Qiqi and the others will be here."

Wang Qiqi and Shi Man arrived one after the other in Li Qian's room and found the table already laden with dishes. Although they didn't know the taste, the aroma was quite good and fragrant, and the colors looked appealing too. "Sister Qian, your cooking skills have truly improved!" Wang Qiqi wondered if dating caused such rapid improvement in Li Qian’s cooking. But Old Ye often stayed in Jingcheng; wouldn't most of that skill go to waste if Li Qian cooked so well when he wasn't around?

Wang Qiqi looked at the dishes, smelled the aroma, and hearing the sound of running water from the bathroom, immediately knew Director Ye was showering. She swiftly reached out, grabbed a piece of meat, and stuffed it into her mouth. After chewing briefly, the piece was swallowed. "Awesome," Wang Qiqi gave Li Qian a thumbs-up. "Sister Qian, your cooking has really improved. Old Ye is lucky in the future." Sigh, divorced men are lucky, look at Sister Qian personally cooking now, and her skills are so high.

Wang Qiqi walked up to Li Qian and whispered in her ear, "Sister Qian, if you remarry, I bet he'll die of anger." Although Wang Qiqi didn't say who 'he' was, everyone present definitely knew. "I’ll work under Director Ye, and you marry Director Ye."

Li Qian didn't expect Wang Qiqi to make such a leap of association, but her words weren't entirely wrong. However, that wasn't the main point. The crucial part was: "My cooking hasn't improved; Old Ye made all these dishes."

Old Ye made them? Wang Qiqi was stunned. She pointed incredulously at the full table of dishes. "All made by Director Ye?" Heavens, in Wang Qiqi's eyes, Ye Ruizhi was a man far removed from the kitchen. How could he cook so well? "You didn't bring a chef with you, did you?" Wang Qiqi thought this must be the explanation.

Shi Man was also quite curious that Ye Ruizhi had made the dishes. "It wouldn't be that extravagant, would it?" She didn't quite agree with Wang Qiqi's guess. "I think it must be the chef for the new shop." Wasn't the new place going to open as a restaurant? The chefs should be in place now; maybe today was the day for the chefs to show off their skills.

"Yeah, yeah, there are already chefs available," Wang Qiqi nodded in agreement with this idea.

Li Qian looked at the two girls stubbornly unconvinced, still speculating about bringing their own chef or making the restaurant chefs work. "Old Ye made them; otherwise, why would he go take a shower?"

Regarding the reason for showering, Wang Qiqi felt one needed to shower after doing other things too—for instance, Sister Qian's complexion looked quite good right now. However, Wang Qiqi only dared to guess such things to herself; she certainly wouldn't dare say them out loud. If the boss knew her impure thoughts, who knew how he'd lecture her.

Ye Ruizhi, still in the bathroom, heard the two girls expressing their disbelief about his culinary skills. He walked out of the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. "I can cook. I live alone in Jingcheng; if I didn't cook, wouldn't I starve to death?"

"You didn't hire a housekeeper?" Wang Qiqi thought, 'Who is Old Ye trying to fool?' A bachelor living in a hundred-square-meter apartment—did he clean it himself?

"A part-time cleaner. I quite enjoy cooking." In other words, Ye Ruizhi wouldn't have bothered explaining unless Wang Qiqi asked. Whether she believed him or not was irrelevant to him.

"Alright, let's eat, let's eat. We can discuss any problems at the table." Li Qian urged everyone to sit. Before they had even sat down, the discussion had become so intense. Who knew what else they would say later? Better to eat first. Since Wang Qiqi was clearly pleased with Old Ye's cooking, it was best to use delicious food to completely win her over; once you eat someone's cooking, your mouth is soft, right?

Time to sit down? Wang Qiqi stopped the somewhat naive Shi Man who was about to take her seat. "Sister Qian, aren't you going to introduce the gentleman next to you?" Although Wang Qiqi knew Ye Ruizhi, she needed an introduction about his capacity today and why they were all gathering for this meal. Otherwise, this dinner would be eaten under unclear pretenses.

Li Qian blinked. In her mind, everyone present knew each other. "Hello, I'm Ye Ruizhi, Li Qian's boyfriend." Ye Ruizhi extended his hand and introduced himself automatically.

Wang Qiqi shook Ye Ruizhi's hand. "Oh, so that's how it is, Director Ye." Wang Qiqi silently made the 'scissors' sign with her fingers. Yes! First round, my side wins.

Li Qian shot Wang Qiqi a sidelong glance. This girl actually played that card. She gestured with her eyes for the young woman to take it easy and not go too far. "Eat, eat."

Wang Qiqi naturally received Li Qian's signal. She sighed inwardly. The saying 'a girl runs off with her husband' was entirely true. Sister Qian wasn't even married to Ye Ruizhi yet, and she was already considering things from his perspective. This was too much. However, truthfully, she didn't dare overstep the line. She absolutely had to maintain a certain boundary, because if she pushed it too far, Ye Ruizhi might start making things difficult for her later. But if the topics all revolved around Sister Qian, Wang Qiqi was confident Director Ye wouldn't trip her up, as she was fulfilling her responsibility as family to the fullest.

The subsequent topics Wang Qiqi asked about were very amiable, such as, "Director Ye, when did you two start seeing each other?"

"Director Ye, when are you planning the wedding, and what are your plans after marriage?" Wang Qiqi was very concerned about this. After all, the industry she invested in had just launched, and Li Qian was the principal manager. What would happen to her investment if Li Qian suddenly quit? While she could sell her shares and recoup the cost, what about her time, effort, and the accrued appreciation on the capital? In short, Li Qian's trajectory after marriage was closely linked to the state of her own purse.

Li Qian and Ye Ruizhi answered the questions one by one. Afterward, while Li Qian was washing dishes and handling some business matters, Wang Qiqi pulled Ye Ruizhi aside for a long talk. Li Qian had gone through a failed marriage; it wasn't easy for her to move on this time, and Wang Qiqi hoped her second marriage would be smooth sailing. Ye Ruizhi's answers satisfied Wang Qiqi too. He didn't make sweeping promises about taking care of Li Qian for the rest of her life (Wang Qiqi felt one only knew if they could keep such a promise when closing their eyes), but only stated he would definitely strive to walk forward with Li Qian. His resolute gaze made Wang Qiqi understand why Li Qian was able to move on. At the same time, Wang Qiqi wondered if Li Qian would have been happier if she hadn't chosen Li Xiangdong back then and had chosen Ye Ruizhi instead. Perhaps she wouldn't have the freedom she had now, but who could say? You never truly know what impact a choice made in the moment will have on your future life.