Shi Man always thought she was busy enough, juggling shopping for bargains and working part-time, but every time she logged online, Wang Qiqi seemed even busier. Either she was online but unresponsive, or after just a few exchanged words, Qiqi would claim she was tired and needed to sleep. Once or twice was unusual; this frequent occurrence made Shi Man suspicious.

Just as Wang Qiqi, yawning widely, was about to tell Shi Man she was ready to call it a night, she saw the message Shi Man had sent. She was startled because Shi Man’s message read: Qiqi, you’re not pregnant, are you? Otherwise, why are you always wanting to sleep?

Reading that sentence, the grape Wang Qiqi had in her mouth sprayed out. “My heavens, do I look like a pregnant woman?”

Wang Qiqi furiously hammered at the keyboard: You’re the one who’s pregnant! I’m just a bit tired lately.

Shi Man certainly knew someone was tired, but the issue was: What have you been so busy with lately that you’re exhausted like this? I’m not even this tired. Don't tell me you’ve been doing housework and cooking for those two men every day until you’re wiped out.

Shi Man thought this wasn't impossible, but she wondered if the two men, seeing Qiqi so worn out, actually had the nerve to ask her to deliver meals. Even if the ride to Han Tao’s workplace wasn't far by bike, delivering two meals a day plus cleaning up was definitely exhausting. Your man is quite something, making you deliver meals. Men shouldn't be spoiled too much, or they just get worse. Look at you now.

Shi Man’s concern warmed Wang Qiqi’s heart: Actually, I just prepare their lunch and dinner in the morning for them to take, and I usually just make do for lunch myself. If they come back for dinner, I’ll cook; if not, I just boil some noodles.

What Wang Qiqi said completely baffled Shi Man. Since she wasn't delivering meals, Dai Lijun was just going back to sleep; how much chaos could he create in the room? Suddenly, Shi Man thought of something: You haven't gone looking for a house, have you?

The word "house" gave Wang Qiqi a headache: I’ve bought so many houses, but this time is the most troublesome. I have to prepare the strategy guide, then show it to Han Tao, and then find time for him to look at places together. One word: tiring. Two words: very tiring. Three words: utterly exhausting.

Wang Qiqi recalled the process of buying a house these past few days, and it truly felt heartbreaking. Sometimes she genuinely felt why such a major event as buying a house had to be handled by a tomboy like her. Of course, the task itself wasn't that exhausting; the issue was Wang Qiqi couldn't drive. If she had a car, it would actually be quite easy: Manman, I must learn to drive when I get back. It's genuinely inconvenient without a car here.

In China, there were subways and buses, and if all else failed, taxis. As long as one wasn't stuck in a very remote area, transportation wasn't a worry. But here, not only were buses scarce and mostly concentrated in the city center, taxis didn't run down every street. Even if she managed to flag one down, Wang Qiqi wouldn't dare ride one—it was far too expensive. Plus, there was the worry of not being able to find a ride back. That would truly leave her crying with no one to pity her.

Regarding this issue Wang Qiqi complained about, Shi Man didn't feel it as deeply because her range of activities wasn't as broad. Moreover, Feng Xuanxiang had a car, and if they needed to go somewhere farther, Shi Man would wait until Feng Xuanxiang was free.

After venting to Shi Man, Wang Qiqi immediately felt much better: Girl, a best friend really is the best in times of need. I can’t make Han Tao unhappy over such a small thing. But these days will be over soon. I’ve spotted a few houses, but I’m just not sure if Han Tao will be satisfied, because the commute from there to his workplace by bike would be forty minutes. I’m worried he won’t agree.

That far? Shi Man knew that forty minutes by car wasn't really that far in the US, but she had visited the area where Wang Qiqi and the others stayed. It was a satellite city, not very large. According to the travel time Wang Qiqi mentioned, it was truly on the edge of the city: Didn't you plan to buy a house near the complex you’re currently renting? Why go so far? Is it because of money?

Wang Qiqi: If it were about money, that would be great. But the problem is, the people around here aren't short on cash, and since they also work nearby, there’s no reason for them to move their houses further away. The environment and facilities here are good, so there’s even less reason to move. Sigh.

Shi Man suddenly had an idea: Does your landlord have any intention of selling? When I stayed at your place last year, we chatted, and they seemed to be planning to move. They said the climate here isn't very good for the old lady’s health.

Shi Man’s message shocked Wang Qiqi—the landlord was thinking of moving? This news brought a brief flash of joy, but it quickly dimmed. If the landlord wanted to sell, there was no way Han Tao wouldn't know. John was their son, and Han Tao had a good relationship with him; Han Tao had even asked John to help look for a house. If Mark and his wife intended to sell, John wouldn't keep silent about it.

Wang Qiqi thought the old couple weren't short of money. Although the old man was retired, he dabbled in the stock market and was quite well-off. Perhaps they were keeping the house so they could easily return to live in it anytime.

Wang Qiqi had planned to wander around the neighborhood in the afternoon to look for houses for sale, but after hearing this news, she completely lost the heart to go house-hunting. She felt completely drained and ended up staying home to sleep through the entire afternoon, not waking up until Han Tao returned.

Han Tao was surprised to find Wang Qiqi wasn't napping on the sofa when he entered. He found it strange and pushed open the bedroom door to see the air conditioner was on and Qiqi was lying in bed. "Qiqi, have you eaten dinner?"

Wang Qiqi had actually woken up earlier but just felt too tired to get up. "Not hungry. I just want to sleep."

"That won't do. I'll go boil some noodles." Han Tao knew his wife had been tired these past few days; he could tell from the thick stack of strategy guides she’d made, especially since she’d cycled everywhere to gather that information. It was more tiring than when she accompanied Bai Ge to scout out the rental shop last time, as she didn't have to bike around looking for houses then.

While eating the noodles Han Tao made, Wang Qiqi shared the news about the landlord possibly moving away: "Do you think they will sell the house?"

"Impossible," Han Tao stated confidently. "Mark seems to be a shareholder in some company; he has to return annually for meetings, and he has some old friends here too."

"Besides, rich people like them usually own multiple properties; that’s normal." Han Tao knew Wang Qiqi wanted to buy a house nearby mainly for his convenience commuting to work. "Plus, we can keep renting here. We can move into the purchased house once we have a car."

Wang Qiqi realized that was true; she had been foolish. The rent here wasn't expensive, and they only spent money when they were staying here; it cost nothing when they were away. It seemed quite cost-effective. "Okay, then tomorrow I'll look for a place that isn't too far and has a nice environment." Having made up her mind, Wang Qiqi thought the newly developed communities looked quite good too—the houses were new, and the surrounding environment was nice, especially one complex that had a small artificial lake where they could use an inflatable boat later. "Then let's look at that complex I mentioned before. The environment is good, about a fifty-minute drive. They’ve also started pre-selling units."

Wang Qiqi made her decision quickly. "When are you free so we can go look at houses together?" Now that she had decided, she wanted to settle it quickly. After all, Wang Qiqi was quite worried about the money sitting in the stock market. Even if they earned a bit less, it was better than losing money.

Han Tao calculated in his head. "I have two days off this weekend. We can drag Dai Lijun along to look then." Hadn't that guy been clamoring to see his new house? "I predict the 'Dunce' will stay at our place for a while then, so we'll need at least three bedrooms, right?" His mother could stay too when she visited.

"Yes, absolutely," Wang Qiqi thought three rooms might actually not be enough. "When Mom comes, my aunt and cousins also said they’d stay for a while to experience the atmosphere here. Especially Song Yao; she keeps saying once we settle down here, she’ll buy a house too and send Tao Tao over." The couple would earn money back home, and the kids would mostly be left for us to look after.

"Your aunt and the others will come to help look after the child?" Han Tao wondered if Qiqi was expected to raise Tao Tao. That was a serious responsibility—it wasn't just about feeding and clothing him; it was about preventing him from learning bad habits and encouraging him to strive for the best. That responsibility wasn't light. If Tao Tao came, there was no reason Song Ziwen’s daughter wouldn’t too.

"If my aunt doesn't come, who will look after the child? Being close by means we can keep an eye on him." Wang Qiqi was also worried initially, but if Wang Damei came, she wouldn't have to worry about that part. However, Wang Qiqi suspected that once they arrived, her leisurely days would be over, as Wang Damei would be nagging her about every little thing.

The thought of Wang Damei’s arrival made Han Tao’s face crease too. "I hope they don't settle down too close to us then." But that possibility was low. If Wang Damei and her husband couldn't speak English, they would end up relying on Wang Qiqi for any issues. Han Tao could only hope they wouldn't buy the house right next door.

"What I'm worried about now is if my aunt comes and your mom comes, what if there’s a conflict between them?" This was Wang Qiqi's biggest fear. Wang Damei had a terrible temper, and if she clashed with Luo Hongjuan over some trivial matter one day, how would she face it? Wang Qiqi trembled just thinking about that scene.

"Forget it, let’s not talk about things that far off. We’ll look at houses this weekend and finalize things early." She couldn't control everything in the future anyway. Besides, houses were in such high demand; maybe by the time Song Yao and the others wanted to buy, there wouldn't be any houses left near theirs. Wang Qiqi truly felt she was overthinking things.

Dai Lijun panted, following Wang Qiqi. "Qiqi, how much longer?" Heavens, how could the houses be so far away? It felt like over half an hour by bike. He truly regretted not staying home to sleep or chat with his girlfriend on such a nice day. Moreover, they might not even decide to buy this house today—what a strategic error.

"We’re almost there." Wang Qiqi glanced back at her classmate Dai Lijun, shaking her head. He was considered a man, but his stamina was truly lacking.

'Almost there' again? Dai Lijun didn't want to complain anymore. "Qiqi, you’ve said that so many times." Twenty minutes after setting off, Dai Lijun had asked when they would arrive. Qiqi had said 'soon,' but now another twenty minutes had passed, and she was still saying 'soon.' This was too much; he had asked several times in between.

"We are really here this time," Wang Qiqi pointed to the residential area appearing ahead. "Besides, how far do you think I would buy a house?"

Hearing they were truly about to arrive, Dai Lijun let out the breath he was holding. "Then let's rest for a bit before we go in." Dai Lijun looked at the empty road, with only an occasional car passing by. "This place is really desolate." It felt somewhat terrifying. "The environment looks nice, just a bit far."

Wang Qiqi listened to Dai Lijun’s incessant chatter and took a sip of water, noticing Dai Lijun had already drunk more than half of his. "Pace yourself. We still have to ride back." If they ran out of water on the way, they would truly be in trouble, especially since they hadn't seen any supermarkets along the route.

Dai Lijun was speechless. He really wanted to ignore Wang Qiqi’s advice and gulp down all the water, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. What if they truly ran out of water halfway? What would he do then? Crying wouldn't help.

Since he couldn't drink the water, Dai Lijun didn't want to rest either. "Let's go inside and look at the houses." The sooner they settled this, the sooner they could go back to enjoy the air conditioning and fruit. Even if there was no fruit, Dai Lijun felt he would be more comfortable than he was now.

Upon entering the complex, Dai Lijun discovered the environment was genuinely excellent—filled with lush trees. "It’s quite nice; the environment is good, and the yards are quite big." Walking along, Dai Lijun kept nodding. "Ah, and there’s a lake!" Heavens, this seemed incredible to Dai Lijun. Even if it wasn't large, it was still a lake; at the very least, they could swim or row a boat.

"In China, this would absolutely be a high-end complex within a high-end complex," Dai Lijun pointed to the houses around, then gestured toward the houses near the lake that had private swimming pools, then pointed at the artificial lake. "Han Tao, I genuinely suggest you buy a house with a pool." Next year, he could bring Lu Qiaowei here for swimming and barbecues. Thinking of that scene, Dai Lijun got excited and kept persuading them.

Han Tao was naturally tempted by this suggestion, and Wang Qiqi also liked the idea, but the problem was, "Houses with swimming pools must be expensive, right?" Even without asking the price, Han Tao instinctively assumed so.

"You give us the money," Wang Qiqi thought. People never realize how expensive things are until they manage the finances themselves. Just casually suggesting things without realizing their financial capacity! "And houses with pools are super large units, like five bedrooms, three living rooms, four bathrooms, three washrooms. Especially the master bedroom, which has a walk-in closet and a study. Do you know how much that costs? Plus all the furniture you'd need to buy after purchasing it..." Wang Qiqi calculated the subsequent expenses would be massive. "And the annual taxes are higher too. You calculate..."

The more Wang Qiqi calculated, the more she realized that large houses were just money pits under their current circumstances. "It’s just Han Tao and me living here, and you staying over occasionally. It’s not suitable for us."

Dai Lijun hadn't expected there to be annual taxes. "Taxes?" Wasn't that a one-time payment when buying the house? Why did they have to pay taxes every year? He genuinely didn't understand.

"Yes. In China, once you buy a house, besides the property management fee, you only pay taxes upon transaction—though not every household pays that fee. In the US, land is privately owned, so you also have certain obligations, like paying taxes."

"The collection and use of US property tax belong to the local government. The government uses every penny for the citizens, education, and public safety, so of course, they’re willing to pay. Moreover, the property tax bill is transparent: how much is used for the public school district, how much for the library, how much for the fire department... it’s all clearly written. The biggest portion goes to the school district, usually accounting for 70%–80% of the total tax amount. I find this reasonable; it’s better than the domestic tax system where you have no idea how the money is spent. Of course, the government assesses the value of your property annually, and you multiply that assessed value by the tax rate, which is about 1% to 2% here." Wang Qiqi had looked into the general situation of this property tax before; honestly, she was quite satisfied. "Later, when Han Tao and I have children, I'll buy a house in a good school district; it counts as an investment for the kids."

After Wang Qiqi’s description, Dai Lijun weighed the necessity of paying this money. "Does this mean the higher the tax, the better the community environment?" He had initially thought that since he had to pay taxes anyway, he should buy a house in an area with a low tax rate, but after learning this, he realized that might not be beneficial. "Do foreigners actually choose schools? I can't believe it. I thought foreigners wouldn't care that much about that, unlike in China, where everyone scrambles to get into good schools through connections. I feel like foreigners don't emphasize academics that much. Kids here definitely aren't the type whose parents frequently visit school because of poor grades, nor do many students regularly attend tutoring centers or cram schools."

"Why wouldn't they?" Wang Qiqi rolled her eyes at him. "Those with the means buy houses near good schools; those without rent." Wang Qiqi thought this aspect was better than in China, where you absolutely needed your household registration within the school district, and the owner had to be the child's parent; otherwise, even grandparents weren't allowed. Wang Qiqi suspected schools used this to solicit 'sponsorship fees.' Didn't they see parents lining up for days just to secure a spot in a famous kindergarten later on?

"Renting also grants admission?" Dai Lijun was surprised that foreigners had such a policy. He thought foreigners wouldn't...

"Many foreigners rent. Do you think in China you must buy a house? You should know that foreigners, if capable, support their children until they graduate from university. If not capable, they just support them until they turn sixteen. Not to mention the funds needed for a child’s marriage," Wang Qiqi thought that parents in China carried a heavy burden, having to save up education and marriage funds from the moment the child was born. If the child studied abroad, the expenses would be even higher. For boys, a wedding house was a considerable pressure point, especially with the rapid housing price inflation later on—it was a huge burden for many Chinese parents.

Hearing this, Dai Lijun’s mouth dropped wide open. "Then I must immigrate here. If I have ten or eight children, I won't have to worry. They can all go to public school, tuition-free, and I won’t have to spend much on their weddings either." Dai Lijun thought he could completely fulfill his ancestors' wish for numerous descendants and blessings, but more importantly, the money required wasn't much. Furthermore, it wasn't like the US population was sparse; if they had many children, would the government even offer subsidies? Calculating it this way, having more children might actually be profitable.

"Ten or eight?" Han Tao exclaimed. He envied Dai Lijun's idea, but he felt Qiqi would never agree to have so many children, especially considering what women couldn't do during pregnancy. "I’ll be happy if Qiqi gives me just four or five."

"My God, do you think Weiwei is a broodmare?" Wang Qiqi was so stunned by Dai Lijun's comment her mouth couldn't close. "I have to tell Weiwei when I get back. If it's one a year, that’s ten years! Have you considered who will look after the baby after it's born..."

Before Wang Qiqi could finish criticizing someone for being excessive, Han Tao’s words made her choke up, unable to catch her breath. She glared at Han Tao. "You can't be serious, are you trying to start a basketball team?" Damn it, so he was only responsible for the sowing, and the rest was off his hands? "Who will look after the children? Do you think I’m a robot and never get tired?"

"And are you really planning to just give birth and avoid the education part?"

"Won't your mother criticize you for being so irresponsible?" Although Wang Qiqi generally agreed with how foreigners raised their children, the question was whether Luo Hongjuan would be willing to do so. Affection for grandchildren was a major factor. If Han Tao was busy with work every day, wouldn't she be the one to suffer in the end? Wang Qiqi worried she would end up battling two mountains, and the third mountain would be Wang Damei.

"And you, Dai Lijun, I’m going to report every single word you said today to Lu Qiaowei. Let’s see how you can laugh then." Wang Qiqi wanted to lecture Han Tao a bit more, but when she saw Dai Lijun covering his mouth and stifling a laugh nearby, she immediately shifted her attention to the dunce. Hmph, if he hadn't brought it up, would it have ended like this? "Let’s see what you do then."

Wang Qiqi's words jolted Han Tao out of his idyllic daydream of being swarmed by little ones shouting "Dad," snapping him back to reality. Right, if they were going to have children, they needed to raise them well; if he just let them run wild, like that kid Han Jun, Han Tao felt he might as well jump into the Great Lakes. "Yes, yes, when it comes to children, quality absolutely trumps quantity. They must amount to something. If we raise an ungrateful brat or a wastrel, it's better not to have them at all." Han Tao swiftly aligned himself with his wife's stance.

Dali Jun chuckled quietly to himself from the side, thinking the couple's little spat would quickly cause them to forget what he'd just said. He knew exactly how much Lu Qiaowei valued her figure; asking her to bear eight or ten children was a non-starter, he was sure of it. Yet, he hadn't anticipated Wang Qiqi turning the tables on him so quickly, and his good buddy Han Tao siding with Wang Qiqi. "Oh, Han Tao, don't forget how Qiqi disciplined you before..." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m. to read.)