Little Tao Tao burst into the room shouting, "Uncle, Uncle..." All the way over, Tao Tao had been counting on his fingers, constantly asking Song Yao and Gong Peixing what gift his uncle would bring him. It annoyed Song Yao and Gong Peixing to the point where they wished they could kick the boy out. They thought to themselves, we haven't exactly treated the kid poorly, have we? We never skimped on clothes or toys, and our collection of Transformers and race cars is nearly overflowing. Yet, how could the boy still be so hung up on presents?

Song Yao had thought she had mentally prepared herself sufficiently during the journey, but seeing her troublesome child shout for his uncle the moment he reached the stairs, even her best composure faltered, and her face changed. "I think we should have another one," she declared. Previously, when her parents or husband suggested having a second child, Song Yao hadn't been very interested; having a child seemed quite disruptive to her. In her view, as long as the first child was raised successfully, everything else would fall into place. But now, she felt a second child was necessary. If they couldn't have one domestically, they could always immigrate first.

Gong Peixing was naturally happy that his wife had agreed to a second child, but the reason—this specific reason—left him completely unsure of how to feel. "I feel like Tao Tao is Han Tao's son," Gong Peixing admitted after a long silence. "Shouldn't we perhaps be even better to Tao Tao?"

Gong Peixing found it rather pathetic. He knew the little fellow's bond with Han Tao was primarily maintained through online communication, and with Han Tao being busy with work plus the time difference, they actually interacted very little. Although Han Tao bought the boy gifts, Gong Peixing felt that he and his wife hadn't bought their son any less, and the quality was fine too. So why was their son so devoted to... that other person?

"Be better to him?" Song Yao's face darkened. "Haven't we been good enough to this kid?" Song Yao thought they were practically ready to pluck the moon from the sky for him, though they still maintained strictness where necessary. "You're not planning on spoiling your son unconditionally, are you? Look at your younger brother." Song Yao believed her brother-in-law had turned out the way he did because of his parents' excessive indulgence, constantly making him feel superior to his older brother, more successful than him. But when he saw his elder brother buying houses and cars, his sense of imbalance flared up. At that time, the in-laws hadn't managed his psychology well either; instead, they assumed the elder son's success came from business, supporting the younger son to go into business too. Seeing the younger son bring money home, they were just delighted and rarely inquired about the business matters, leading to the current outcome.

When Gong Peixing heard his wife, his face wrinkled in displeasure. "Don't mention that spendthrift to me. How could my son be like him?" That kind of person’s life was ruined. He used to act like he was capable, but now that he realized the outside world wasn't as easy as he imagined, he had completely devolved into a freeloader, demanding things and making his parents step up. "If Tao Tao ever becomes like that, I won't leave him any money." Giving it to him would only harm him more; taking away his safety net might actually give him more drive.

"But with Han Tao and Qiqi watching over Tao Tao, wouldn't it be difficult for him to turn into a spoiled brat?" Song Ziwen, overhearing his older sister and brother-in-law's conversation from behind, felt a vein throb in his forehead, mixed with jealousy. "Don't you two know? If Han Tao and Qiqi can raise my Niu Niu with the same standard they raise Tao Tao, I'll be happy." Hmph, everyone was bragging about how much their little boy looked up to Han Tao, how much he listened to Han Tao and Qiqi, and how seriously Tao Tao took every word they said. How could this not make Song Ziwen jealous? Every time this happened, Song Ziwen felt a pang of regret, thinking he really should have moved his life to the capital city back then. But it was just a passing thought. Never mind whether his parents or in-laws would have agreed, Niu Niu was still oblivious to everything right now, and when she grew up, she probably wouldn't remember what Qiqi taught her anyway.

Song Yao and Gong Peixing laughed when they saw their younger brother’s face contort. Although they were genuinely criticizing their son's excessive behavior, in their little brother's eyes, it sounded like blatant showing off. "When Niu Niu grows up, Qiqi will educate her the same way." Of course, Song Yao was quite sure that Qiqi would favor Tao Tao between the two children, not because he was a boy, but simply because they had spent more time together.

The three of them were standing by the door talking, while Tao Tao had already barreled into Wang Qiqi’s room. Since the little fellow didn't know which room his uncle was in, Tao Tao frantically opened doors from room to room in his urgent search for his uncle: "Uncle, Uncle..."

Wang Qiqi heard a child's voice and wondered why there was a child in the house. The sound seemed somewhat familiar. Listening closer, she realized he was calling for his uncle. Wang Qiqi knew it must be that mischievous kid, Tao Tao, who had returned. Though Wang Qiqi desperately wanted to stay asleep, the approaching footsteps and voice indicated he would be there any second. Wang Qiqi thought to herself, I can’t corrupt the child; he shouldn't see anything too mature.

Wang Qiqi groggily started to move, but the arm around her waist tightened as she stirred. "It's still early, sleep more," Han Tao mumbled groggily. He figured his mother-in-law and aunt would only call them downstairs for a meal and would never push the door open, so Han Tao wasn't worried.

"Let go, let go! Tao Tao is back," Wang Qiqi immediately exclaimed, seeing her man acting stubbornly. If he didn't release her, how would she face anyone?

The moment Wang Qiqi spoke, the door swung open. "Auntie?" Tao Tao paused slightly when he saw Wang Qiqi’s reaction, but then he knew the person he was looking for was in this room. "Is Uncle here?" The little boy stood politely at the doorway.

Wang Qiqi smiled, gesturing for Tao Tao to come in, while her hand under the covers fiercely pinched someone nearby. Hmph, see what happens when you won't let me get up? You let the kid see this! Hmph, thank goodness they had put their clothes on after they were done earlier, or Wang Qiqi would have been truly miserable. Nevertheless, she wasn't letting that person off the hook.

Han Tao poked his head out of the covers, intending to greet Tao Tao, when he suddenly felt an intense, sharp pain at his waist. Without even looking, he knew Wang Qiqi was taking her revenge. But with a child present, Han Tao naturally couldn't cry out in pain to gain her attention; even if he tried to feign it, it would only result in worse consequences.

Han Tao steadied himself, forcing a smile onto his face. "Tao Tao, come here." Although Han Tao was disappointed that the boy’s arrival cut short his alone time with Qiqi, in this current situation, Han Tao felt safer if Tao Tao stayed close to him.

Tao Tao hesitated slightly when he pushed the door open and saw his uncle lying in bed. He had thought since Uncle had been on a long, long flight, he must be very tired. He had initially planned to go play with his sister if his uncle hadn't called him over. But now that his uncle had called him, Tao Tao couldn't resist. He quickly ran to the side of the bed and launched himself forward. He intended to land on his uncle, but being a child, his jumping power was limited. The maneuver, meant to be cool, turned into a scene where half his body was on the bed, and half was suspended in the air, his legs shaking uncontrollably—it was simply hilarious.

Wang Qiqi had already gotten out of bed the moment Tao Tao accelerated his run. She was worried the little fellow wouldn't land correctly and might crush her. Thus, she witnessed the continuous leg-kicking motion. Wang Qiqi knew she shouldn't laugh, or the little guy would get embarrassed, but the pose was genuinely funny, and Wang Qiqi couldn't contain herself, laughing heartily.

Tao Tao hadn't expected his dear, smart aunt to laugh so happily when he, the cute and clever Tao Tao, got stuck on the bed, instead of helping him. This made Tao Tao feel like he had lost face. What annoyed him even more was hearing his parents’ laughter.

Gong Peixing and Song Yao truly hadn't expected to witness such an amusing spectacle. Ever since their son started kindergarten, he had become fiercely protective of his image. He rarely did anything that might tarnish his reputation, yet today they were lucky enough to catch this moment. Song Yao swiftly pulled out a digital camera from her bag, turned it on, and rapidly snapped a few pictures.

Tao Tao, facing away from the door and feeling humiliated, didn't notice his mother capturing such a humiliating scene. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let the matter go so easily. In the end, Han Tao couldn't bear watching any longer, reached out, pulled Tao Tao onto the bed, and then threw a look of 'you're impressive' at Song Yao. He truly hadn't expected Song Yao's first reaction upon seeing her son stuck mid-air to be taking photos. It left Han Tao speechless; he felt it was a loss to the journalism industry that Song Yao wasn't a camera reporter.

Wang Qiqi was also stunned speechless, her mouth wide open. "Sister..." Wang Qiqi truly didn't know what to say.

Song Yao quickly signaled Wang Qiqi to keep quiet. Such a rare scene couldn't pass without commemoration. "I'll give them to you," Song Yao knew that securing Qiqi's silence required payment, and that payment would be photos of Tao Tao’s embarrassment.

Since Song Yao was being so cooperative, Wang Qiqi naturally wouldn't object. "All of them?" Hmph, she needed to clarify the number of photos. Getting just one would be a huge loss.

Song Yao gave an OK gesture. It wasn't her face on the line; she was quite adept at selling out her son.

Han Tao and Gong Peixing just watched the two women efficiently divide the spoils, then glanced at the little boy who was blissfully cuddling and unaware. They sighed; it was best not to tell him. The truth was too cruel and would be a significant blow to Tao Tao's young heart.

Luo Hongjuan and Wang Damei watched the group chatting enthusiastically. Luo Hongjuan wanted to tell Han Tao that after such a long flight, he must be tired and should rest early. She knew her son hadn't been home for a long time and probably had things to discuss with them. "Yao Yao, I'll take Tao Tao back to rest now," she said.

Hearing his mother suggest resting, Han Tao immediately stood up. "Mom, let's chat for a bit." Han Tao noticed the glimmer of hope in his mother's eyes; he had a lot he wanted to tell her too.

Wang Damei immediately stopped Tao Tao, who was about to follow them. "Tao Tao, you sleep with Grandma tonight." The mother and son hadn't seen each other for a long time and surely had much to talk about. Tao Tao following would only lead to him distracting Han Tao, making it hard for mother and son to converse.

Tao Tao wiggled, unwilling to sleep with his grandmother. Hmph, it was still early. He wanted to talk to Uncle. Tao Tao knew Uncle was only staying for a few days before leaving, so he certainly wanted to use this chance to bond with him. The model Uncle brought this time was huge and beautiful—exactly what Tao Tao had wanted. He planned to use these few days of time with his uncle to communicate well and let Uncle know which toys he liked so Uncle could bring them next time.

"Be good, haven't you always wanted to play with your sister?" Wang Damei and Song Yao tried hard to coax the boy. Song Yao also exerted a little maternal authority before finally managing to subdue the kid.

After the somewhat reluctant Tao Tao was taken away to sleep, Wang Qiqi mentioned that Han Tao would have another break in August, sharing both his and her thoughts on the matter.

Song Yao looked at Wang Qiqi, one thought dominating her mind: You idiot! Han Tao clearly had free time in August to spend with Qiqi, but this silly girl actually suggested he go spend it with Luo Hongjuan. She had never seen such a foolish man; women usually fight to keep their man close, not push him away. "Do the math yourself. In the four years since you and Han Tao confirmed your relationship, how much time have you spent together? And how much time have you spent apart this time?"

Song Ziwen also looked at Wang Qiqi with disappointment, "You, Qiqi, you are clearly a smart person, why do you do such foolish things?" They had already been living apart for nearly a year, and now another year stretched ahead. Although they often contacted each other online, could an online connection ever be as deep as meeting in person? Besides, a keen observer would only see Han Tao as unattached. Even with a girlfriend, if they weren't seen together or interacting for a long time, how would people perceive him? They would assume Han Tao was single. "Look, you’re just worried Han Tao’s mother will be lonely. Don't worry, once the factory settles into the routine, I’ll take my parents, your in-laws, and Han Tao’s mother for a trip to Thailand. Oh, and my wife too." Song Ziwen thought that since marrying his wife, he had only taken her to the capital city once, and that 'trip to the capital' had other agendas mixed in—it didn't count as a pure vacation. Calculating carefully, Song Ziwen felt he truly hadn't taken his wife out properly, so a whole family trip would be perfect.

Seeing Song Ziwen make such a swift decision, Yang Jing gave him a sideways look. It wasn't that she disagreed with his unilateral decision, nor was she reluctant about the travel expenses. It was just that if she left, who would manage the family business? Her shop was manageable; business was mostly stable. But what about her husband’s cabinet factory? "How about we wait until after Mom and Dad return from their trip before we go out?" Yang Jing certainly wanted to travel, but she felt it wouldn't be ideal if no one was there to manage things. It would be better if they all traveled separately so that neither business nor personal matters would be neglected.

Traveling out with his wife? Song Ziwen thought this proposal was even better—it was essentially a honeymoon trip for him and his wife. "Great, I will definitely find a wonderful place," a sophisticated, scenic location.

"The Maldives," Wang Qiqi suggested. In her previous life, she had dreamed of visiting 'Maldy' (Maldives). The scenery was beautiful, though she recalled frequent internet users saying that while the scenery was nice, some islands lacked internet access, making them uncomfortable. It was just sea and sand; after seeing it for a while, they felt it was just so-so. However, people’s dependency on the internet wasn't as extreme now.

"The Maldives?" Song Ziwen pondered where that place was. "I've never heard of it?" In Song Ziwen’s mind, one should go to the US, Europe, or Australia, Japan, or similar places. But he had absolutely no concept of the Maldives. If it weren't for Wang Qiqi recommending it, he might have thought she was joking. "Is that place fun?" Since Qiqi recommended it, and it sounded like a high-priority suggestion, Song Ziwen wondered if they should check it out.

The Maldives—Song Yao had heard Wang Qiqi mention it a few times. "It sounds like an island nation in the Indian Ocean. They say the scenery is quite good, composed of many small islands." Although Wang Qiqi’s description was appealing and made people tempted, she noted a major drawback: "It's purely for vacation; there's no place to shop." For women, shopping was often the greatest pleasure, often more moving than beautiful scenery.

No place to shop? Yang Jing lost some of her initial enthusiasm, her bright expression drooping slightly. "Let's go to Hong Kong instead." Although she wanted to splurge in Europe or Japan, shopping there required a substantial amount of money. Given their current financial situation, even if they could secure visas, shopping wouldn't be enjoyable. It was better to find a place nearby for a short trip and then travel to Europe or America for shopping when they had more money later.

Wang Qiqi wasn't surprised at all by Yang Jing's suggestion. "That's fine too. We can browse Central, and then go to Ocean Park. Actually, Sister-in-law, you could scout out the cosmetics there. If the orders are large enough, Sister, you could make a trip yourself to stock up." Hong Kong prices were quite attractive. Of course, European and American prices weren't bad either.

Stocking up herself? Yang Jing’s interest was piqued, but she quickly shook her head. "Never mind, I'll just continue ordering from you. My friend went to Hong Kong and said the prices there aren't that cheap." She had looked into the situation before; comparing the two, the cost of round-trip airfare plus accommodation might not be significantly cheaper. It was better to stay put and let Qiqi ship the goods; she would be relaxed, and the product would still arrive.

Song Yao gave Wang Qiqi a subtle look while Yang Jing wasn't paying attention. She knew her sister-in-law must have considered sourcing goods herself. She was surprised Yang Jing was so honest about it.

Wang Qiqi, sitting opposite Yang Jing, ensured her facial expressions remained composed. "As time goes on, there will be more and more purchasing agent shops. Qiqi and I have discussed it; we should slightly shift our main focus, perhaps adding unique clothing and jewelry. The profit margin might not be lower." With the development of the internet, the prices of brand-name goods could be easily tracked, and the competition would increase. While they could rely on repeat customers, price was often a decisive factor. Focusing on unique items was the best path forward.

Song Yao and Yang Jing strongly agreed with this point. "Last summer, Shi Man sourced some great items."

"Yes, yes, Qiqi, when you go to Europe to study this time, don't forget to look around for us!" Yang Jing’s eyes lit up when talking about making money.

"Don't worry, Shi Man has been waiting for this day." Wang Qiqi knew that Shi Man had been staying home recently, spending most of her time browsing fashion-related content online. Wang Qiqi, even with the advantage of being reborn, felt Shi Man's eye for style was superior. "I think Manman should go into design."

Design, especially jewelry design—Wang Qiqi felt Shi Man might forge a unique path. Of course, Wang Qiqi wasn't expecting Shi Man to establish some huge brand; just designing some nice accessories for self-production and sales. This was just Wang Qiqi's thought; Shi Man might not be willing. For design, besides good taste, one needed creativity. From Wang Qiqi's perspective as an economics major, these two things absolutely required innate talent.

Shi Man studying design? Song Yao’s eyes lit up at Wang Qiqi’s suggestion. "Tomorrow, let's invite Shi Man to dinner and discuss this." Since Qiqi had this idea, and Shi Man had good taste, Song Yao thought they should seriously consider it. "You two haven't gone back to the capital city, have you?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "We brought everything back; there’s no reason for us to return." The tickets they bought weren't departing from the capital either. "We are transiting through Kuala Lumpur and flying straight to the UK. Zhang Yan’s ticket required a stop in Moscow and then Germany." Wang Qiqi felt that take-offs and landings were the most dangerous parts of flying. If price weren't a factor, she would have preferred direct flights. "But Sister, you aren't going to just bring this up to Shi Man directly, are you? I only mentioned it casually." Wang Qiqi could already anticipate the surprise on Shi Man's face when she heard Song Yao's suggestion.

"Do you think your sister is stupid?" Song Yao thought she wasn't foolish enough to reveal Wang Qiqi’s suggestion directly. "We can slowly steer the conversation towards that topic, preferably so that Shi Man brings it up herself."

"So, dinner out tomorrow then?" While home-cooked meals were certainly pleasant, Song Ziwen strongly felt that occasionally going out for a good meal to spice things up was a wonderful idea. "By the way, Qiqi, are you really not going to invite him tomorrow?" Although Wang Damei hadn't said much, Qiqi's failure to inform Wang Rui and her father still left her feeling a bit disappointed.

Wang Qiqi knew Wang Damei wanted her to extend the invitation to Wang Rui and her father, but Qiqi reflected on everything they had done to her in this life and the last; she genuinely did not wish to see them. "Have they ever visited my parents' graves since they passed away all these years?" Since they had always acted as if that part of their lives didn't exist, there was no need to notify them about tomorrow’s significant event.