Ye Ruizhi was actually quite quick. As soon as Wang Qiqi left, he started contacting friends to see if anyone was willing to take on this venture. Naturally, those who received the message needed to inquire about the situation and consider it; after all, being asked to join a training center that was nothing more than an empty shell made it impossible not to think twice. To be honest, if Ye Ruizhi hadn't put in a good word, if Bai Ge or Wang Qiqi had gone to ask, they might have been severely rebuffed.

Some people declined immediately after a brief consideration. They weren't without jobs, so why bother joining a training center that hadn't even been registered, especially with no salary offered? Who knew if such an institution would even succeed? Especially once they discreetly inquired and learned that it wasn't Ye Ruizhi's venture, their refusal came with even less psychological burden.

Some, after thinking it over, desperately wanted to decline, yet they felt that anyone Ye Ruizhi would personally vouch for must not be running an ordinary training center. Even if Ye Ruizhi had no direct involvement, the person who could persuade him to make the request surely wasn't average. Furthermore, even if it were an average person, wouldn't they still turn to Ye Ruizhi for help if problems arose later? Based on this consideration, they agreed to talk with the training center owner—though what they truly wanted was to gauge the owner's relationship with Ye Ruizhi to better inform their own decision.

Ye Ruizhi naturally understood the thoughts of those willing to speak with the owner. However, he wouldn't deny that the owner truly had no personal connection to him. Some things couldn't be cleanly separated just because he wanted them to be. Bai Ge, Wang Qiqi's friend, Ye Ruizhi hadn't met, but Qiqi had mentioned her once or twice. Someone who could prompt Qiqi to ask for help probably wasn't a major problem. He would help out this one time, and the rest of the path would be hers to walk.

Upon receiving Ye Ruizhi’s reply, Wang Qiqi quickly contacted Bai Ge. When Bai Ge got Wang Qiqi’s message, she completely ignored the graphic arts club and rushed over to Wang Qiqi’s place. “Qiqi, where do you think we should meet them?” This was the crucial first step to retaining talent. Bai Ge had never imagined those people would be persuaded into joining her training center just by a few words from her. The fact that they were willing to meet her face-to-face was already giving ‘Mr. Ye’ enough deference. Since Mr. Ye had helped this much, Bai Ge certainly wouldn't let Wang Qiqi off the hook. She had already planned on the road that Qiqi absolutely had to be present for the interviews. Setting aside how capable Qiqi was in front of Mr. Ye, her English proficiency alone would surely be enough to impress those candidates.

Us? Wang Qiqi looked at the sweaty Bai Ge, completely bewildered. This was Bai Ge’s training center; hadn't she, the intermediary, already completed her task perfectly? Why did she still need Qiqi to handle the teacher interviews? This sudden turn made Qiqi feel like she had stumbled into a trap. Wang Qiqi wondered if she was just tired and her ears were playing tricks on her. She felt she needed a low-key break to recover; too much had been happening lately. Besides, Wang Qiqi remembered that just by helping someone out, she ended up pleasing neither side. Several days had passed, and Shi Man and Song Yao still occasionally threw pointed remarks her way. Wang Qiqi decided it was best to tread lightly and avoid anything she could.

Wang Qiqi tried to evade the subject, but Bai Ge wouldn't let her go. She hooked her arm around Qiqi, shaking her body repeatedly, desperate to hear the answer she wanted.

Wang Qiqi looked at the eager Bai Ge, listening to the flow of compliments spilling from her mouth. She realized that if she didn't agree now, someone might resort to physical coercion later. Better to accept the offer while the going was good.

Just before Bai Ge’s patience ran out, Wang Qiqi reluctantly agreed. “Let’s be clear first: I’m only responsible for assessing whether this teacher is qualified. I won't be involved in anything else.” Although the candidates introduced by Mr. Ye should be good, Bai Ge was right—while she was interviewing others, they were also interviewing her. Bai Ge’s written English was mediocre, let alone her spoken ability. Wang Qiqi consoled herself that since she was helping, she might as well bring the matter to a satisfying conclusion.

When Bai Ge heard Wang Qiqi agree, she was so happy she almost wanted to kiss Qiqi twice. However, she remembered the awkwardness of a few days prior and decided she didn't want to experience that scene again. “Long live Qiqi! Long live Qiqi! Qiqi is the best!”

Wang Qiqi looked at the leaping, nearly manic Bai Ge and felt her brain starting to spasm. “What are you celebrating for? Have you decided on the compensation package for them? Don’t forget, you haven't even set up shop yet. How are you going to sweet-talk them on the day?” Yes, sweet-talk—Wang Qiqi thought only Bai Ge would try to lure teachers when she had nothing set up. But if it was sweet-talking, it had to be done skillfully.

Sweet-talk? Bai Ge was quite dissatisfied with Wang Qiqi’s choice of words. “Qiqi, how could you say that? I just haven't applied to open the school yet because I haven't hired the teachers. As soon as the teachers are secured, I’ll immediately file the paperwork. I’ve already found out all the necessary documentation.” Bai Ge had been frantically working on this for a long time, even visiting several relevant agencies and meeting minor officials just to ensure the paperwork went smoothly.

“Have you figured out the compensation yet? No matter how grand your blueprint is, without solid ‘Grandpa Mao’ [cash] backing you up, don't even think about it.” Since the other person had already drafted the blueprint, Wang Qiqi couldn't be bothered to ask how she planned to pitch it. Having done business for so long, some things just came out naturally. She’d pitch however she needed to secure the talent.

Regarding compensation, Bai Ge was actually quite troubled. She had contacted teachers from several training institutions, but those people weren't the core staff, so the salaries they quoted might not be reliable. Moreover, how could she know there wasn’t any exaggeration in the figures they gave?

Wang Qiqi saw Bai Ge’s face fall as soon as the salary question came up, realizing she hadn't gathered any useful information. Wang Qiqi couldn't help with that either. She patted Bai Ge’s shoulder. “Girl, this is your next mission. I trust that with your eloquence and diligence, you’ll manage to find out.” Bai Ge had real tenacity in business; there was no reason she could secure several clients but fail to discover the salaries of core staff. “Remember, those being interviewed have their own scales. If you offer too little, they won't come, and if they come, they won't exert themselves. If you offer too much, will you become a public enemy, and will you still profit?” While high salaries were necessary to attract top talent, the higher the salary, the better wasn't necessarily true.

Bai Ge hummed in agreement. Right, someone was willing to give her a chance, but this wasn't the time to celebrate; important tasks still awaited her. With that realization, Bai Ge couldn’t stay seated. She shot up. “Qiqi, I’m leaving. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.”

Watching Bai Ge run off, Wang Qiqi realized she hadn’t even poured her a glass of water. “What a flighty girl, she runs at the slightest breeze.” It wasn't a short trip from Bai Ge’s studio to here—at least an hour round trip. Yet, she rushed over for this visit, only to dart out less than fifteen minutes after entering. Wang Qiqi really wanted to say, Girl, do you have too much free time?

Shi Man emerged from the restroom and saw Wang Qiqi alone in the room. “Bai Ge left?” Was that a lightning visit?

Wang Qiqi hummed. “A woman like the wind.”

“She must be thrilled. But Qiqi, you’re quite the friend, agreeing to help with the interviews.”

Wang Qiqi sighed. “Didn’t you hear what she said just now? Do you think she would have left if I hadn't agreed? She would have pestered me endlessly.” Wang Qiqi thought that for the sake of peace and quiet, she should just surrender.

Shi Man shook her head. Bai Ge absolutely wouldn’t leave until she got what she wanted, and Shi Man knew Qiqi’s bottom line, considering her perceptive. “Qiqi, have you ever considered that if you don't take a stake in her venture, your sister could?” Song Yao hadn't brought it up, but Shi Man didn't mind mentioning it on Song Yao's behalf. Even if she didn't mention it, Song Yao would find an opportunity to bring it up with Wang Qiqi anyway.

Song Yao taking a stake? Wang Qiqi wondered why Song Yao hadn't brought it up herself, but Shi Man did. However, if Song Yao was willing, taking a stake in this training center wasn't out of the question; she could monitor things closely while developing her career domestically, and if anything went wrong, she could pull out early or sell her share to someone else. “If my sister is interested, I’ll mention it to Bai Ge after the teachers have been interviewed.”

Shi Man pouted when she saw Wang Qiqi agree so readily without any expressed reservations. “You’re truly sisters. But can you guarantee Bai Ge will actually find someone to partner with?”

“Do you think Bai Ge hasn’t thought about finding a partner?” Wang Qiqi thought that if Bai Ge hadn’t intentionally brought up the topic with Song Yao, Song Yao wouldn’t have known. “She’s already leaked some feelers. I suspect she didn’t let it slip by accident. Since neither of us has indicated an intention to invest, and she only has so much capital herself, coupled with the fact that she feels she owes me a huge favor for helping this much—if I don’t invest, who else around me has both the funds and a good relationship with me?”

Wang Qiqi mused that Bai Ge was learning to use strategy, which showed progress. “But I’m waiting for her to bring it up herself. If we bring it up first, it’ll feel like we’re begging her.”

Shi Man thought about the many exchanges these two had gone through. “Forget it. Since she’s already considered pulling Sister Yao into the partnership, that’s fine. Who brings it up first doesn't matter.”

Wang Qiqi affirmed. “Tell my sister tonight to prepare the money.” Wang Qiqi was genuinely looking forward to seeing her brother-in-law’s expression when he returned from his hometown and found his wife was setting up another venture.

When Song Yao received Shi Man’s call, she was ecstatic, shouting directly into the phone, “We’re going out for dinner tonight! My treat!”

Wang Qiqi, standing a little distance from the receiver, could clearly hear the loud proclamation. She pursed her lips. “Sister, maybe we should celebrate after things are successful. This isn't a done deal yet.” Wang Qiqi’s words carried a hidden meaning: Bai Ge still needed to convince those teachers; otherwise, all this would just be talk and happy daydreaming.

Song Yao was startled by Wang Qiqi’s words on the other end. “What’s going on? Is there a change?” Wasn't this supposed to be mostly settled? How could there be a sudden reversal so quickly?

Shi Man looked at Wang Qiqi in surprise. She had clearly said she would notify Song Yao, but now Wang Qiqi was changing tack. If not for the fact that someone else was on the line, she would have slammed the table and cursed. Wasn't this just playing games?

Wang Qiqi felt quite wronged. It wasn’t her fault for not anticipating her sister’s excitement. “I was just telling her to prepare the money. How was I supposed to know she’d get so worked up?” She added reassuringly, “Don't worry, the chances of this succeeding are very high. Bai Ge definitely won't let such a good opportunity slip away.”

Shi Man considered it. Indeed, perhaps someone else wouldn't have succeeded, but Bai Ge had honed her skills since her freshman year. “They say Duan Xiaomin is talented—from class representative to department student union officer, then to the university student union officer. Everyone says she’s capable, but I think she’s not as strong as Bai Ge. She just never fought for things; otherwise, it could have gone either way.”

Duan Xiaomin? Wang Qiqi instantly recalled the person’s demeanor during the dorm gathering that day. “She’s not as strong as Bai Ge. She had too smooth a time in university, so smooth that she never faced setbacks or blows. This time, she’s paid the price.” The shift from being the main speaker at the gathering to barely speaking was too drastic. If the person hadn't remained physically the same, Wang Qiqi would have thought someone else had taken her place.

Shi Man’s eyes widened as she looked at Wang Qiqi. She patted the sofa beside her, motioning for Wang Qiqi to sit closer. She had something to ask. Ideally, the other woman would volunteer details about that gathering. Shi Man was sure there would be drama at Qiqi’s dorm gathering. Their relationship was already strained, yet they still tried to mimic the 'sisterly affection' of other dorms. It all seemed so fake.

Wang Qiqi felt a bit helpless looking at the sudden sparkle in Shi Man’s eyes. She really wanted to say, Girl, if your admirers saw you looking so gossipy now, I bet a lot of the men pursuing you because you’re a campus goddess would run away. “Girl, you’re about to graduate. Has no one in your class confessed to you?” Wang Qiqi thought her four years of university had been utterly wasted; everyone knew she had a steady boyfriend from the moment she entered, so aside from one troublesome admirer, she had no romance. But Shi Man was different. Even though she had a boyfriend, he was working first and then studying abroad later, leaving Shi Man looking boyfriend-less to many. “Or do they all think you and Nana are a couple?” They were always together, going in and out of places together.

Nana? Shi Man’s expression flickered dramatically several times. What made her happiest about graduating was finally escaping classmates who would ask, with various implications, why she hadn't been seen with Zhu Lina recently or how close they were. Shi Man wanted to stomp her feet, especially since she clearly had a boyfriend! Every time Shi Man mentioned having a boyfriend, her classmates would react with disbelief. Alas, Shi Man knew that if she brought Feng Xuanxiang to school for a visit, the rumors might stop, but she preferred a low profile, and Feng Xuanxiang was studying in the US with little chance of returning. Shi Man thought even if Feng Xuanxiang were willing to drop everything and fly back, it would only be for one or two appearances, after which her classmates would surely start new wild rumors. “You’re still teasing me.”

Wang Qiqi saw Shi Man’s change in demeanor and naturally dropped the subject. “By the way, have you ever considered partnering with my sister?” Wang Qiqi asked casually while half-reclining on the sofa, flicking through TV channels.

Shi Man snatched the remote to skip an annoying commercial, regarding Wang Qiqi’s seemingly random question. “Partner on what?” She didn’t think Wang Qiqi had cooked up some clever new scheme.

“Bai Ge’s training center.”

Bai Ge’s training center? Partnering with Song Yao? Shi Man couldn't focus on the TV anymore. She turned to Wang Qiqi. Did she mean for her to be a silent partner—with Song Yao and Bai Ge holding the visible shares, but Song Yao's portion actually including a share for her? Could that work? Shi Man wanted to ask why she couldn't step forward and claim a stake. Why be a secret shareholder? It wasn't that she worried Song Yao would swallow her share, but it was better to keep things clear from the start.

“Didn't you want to invest? Now that my sister is involved, you can join too. Of course, you’ll have to negotiate the specifics with Bai Ge. If the funding gap is large, I think she’ll agree.” Wang Qiqi had analyzed that her sister’s capital wasn't limitless. Once the training center was set up, the money would flow out like water. Although tuition fees would come in once students enrolled, students had to enroll first. Advertising needed to be done, classrooms rented, and offices set up—these were all fronts. They couldn't let fee-paying students see an unimpressive training facility, especially considering future development. The initial rental couldn't be small, either. Wang Qiqi thought a small elementary school that closed due to insufficient enrollment would be ideal, but that was rare luck, and the financial pressure wouldn't be small.

Shi Man understood Wang Qiqi's implication: she was the backup plan. Although it didn't feel great, Shi Man reasoned that being a backup wasn't the issue; as long as she was making money, no one would remember the details later. In fact, those people might even praise her for having the foresight to invest in a certain industry early on. “Fine. Don’t worry, I don’t have vast sums, but I have a few tens of thousands.” If that wasn’t enough, she could ask her parents for sponsorship.

Bai Ge had no idea that while she was out market-testing and gathering intel, her rear guard was already calculating things about her. But truthfully, even if she knew now, she could only let them strategize. Her own capital truly wasn't enough to sustain the training center.

After gathering information, Bai Ge had a solid understanding—about eighty to ninety percent accurate—of teacher compensation in the training market. She looked at the list detailing salaries for various levels of teachers, and her face tightened. She knew these teachers wouldn't be cheap, but she hadn't expected them to be this high. “At the beginning, we have to give them some advance salary, right? Otherwise, how can we expect them to work wholeheartedly?” Bai Ge was rather generous on this point; she knew that to get subordinates to work hard, the necessary benefits had to be provided.

“We need to rent a venue, then renovate it, and buy desks and chairs.” Bai Ge held a pen, paper, and calculator. After a round of calculations, her face threatened to drop completely. “Heavens, it costs this much money! While this business can be quite profitable, the initial investment is too high.”

Bai Ge pondered and decided it would be best to find a recently abandoned school, perhaps one that still had complete desks and chairs. At most, it would require minor refurbishment, plus the purchase of equipment like air conditioners, which were a major draw for students. “Money, money, money. It’s hard to love you.”

Looking at the items she intended to add to improve the overall hardware standards of the training center, Bai Ge was out of energy to think about how to manage the money. “The hardware is set, but then there’s the software—that’s the big expense.” Even those who came because of Mr. Ye’s reputation couldn't be offered low salaries. Furthermore, they would certainly inquire about market rates. For the future development of the school, Bai Ge decided to offer a certain level of increase based on their standards. “I need to talk to Qiqi. It would be best if I knew the specifics of those willing to interview; that way, when they show willingness to join, I can immediately offer a suitable price.”

Though she couldn't quite gauge the number of people involved or the level of their skill, Bai Ge was certain of one thing: even if she were willing to sell a property, the funds would still fall short. Furthermore, selling a house wasn't something she was truly considering. Telling her parents she might sell one to boost her career was, in their eyes, nothing short of extravagant wastefulness. "It seems I absolutely must bring in some capital." As for who this capital source should be, Bai Ge had long since decided. They had known each other for several years, and there was a degree of mutual understanding. Bringing in a different partner might not necessarily inspire the same level of trust. RS