"The ceremony is concluded." With the master of ceremonies' final pronouncement, the ritual for Wang Dajun and his wife's tomb relocation officially ended. Song Yao, standing nearby, distributed the prepared gratuities and several red envelopes to the staff members one by one.

Wang Qiqi knew that with Song Yao handling the arrangements, she didn't need to worry about the formalities at all. She remained kneeling before her parents' headstone, murmuring softly to them. Meanwhile, Han Tao, having finished with his own father's reinterment matters, walked over to his in-laws' grave and knelt beside Wang Qiqi, continuously muttering under his breath as well.

Song Yao watched Wang Qiqi and Han Tao kneeling motionlessly before the stone markers. She pulled out her phone to check the time—it was already getting late. In this scorching heat, if she let the couple continue kneeling, she truly feared they might suffer heatstroke.

Hearing Song Yao's voice, Wang Qiqi wiped away her tears and rose with Han Tao's assistance. "Mom, Dad, Han Tao and I are leaving now. We promise to come visit again when we have time."

Wang Qiqi surveyed the surroundings, then walked over to Han Tao’s father’s newly situated grave to kowtow three more times. She then took Han Tao's hand and headed towards the car without looking back. Wang Qiqi had expected to dissolve into tears, but to her surprise, after completing the entire procedure, hardly any tears had fallen. "Am I cold-blooded?"

Han Tao understood what Qiqi meant and gripped her hand tightly. "It's not about crying every time we visit to prove we haven't forgotten them. I think every visit should be met with smiles, to let them know we are living well. That way, they can rest assured below. Otherwise, seeing us weep every time won't bring them any joy down there. Besides, I believe they will be delighted that they are now settled here, able to chat with the in-laws again, and the environment is so excellent."

Luo Hongjuan watched her son and daughter-in-law approach from below. "I initially felt the price here was a bit steep, but now I realize there’s a reason for the cost. His father's living situation wasn't ideal, and the old burial plot was... But now that our son and daughter-in-law have bought such a fine resting place for them, he will certainly be happy." Sitting in the car, Luo Hongjuan observed the trees lining the road and the overall scenery, admitting that a superior environment invariably required significant expenditure.

"I also initially questioned spending so much money, but then I considered that this place is where we will reside for a long time, plus the Master said it would benefit our descendants. Of course, we had to buy it." Wang Damei thought that if there was a good place to be, why refuse it? In recent days, whenever she casually mentioned the cemetery plot their son bought for them to her friends, the envious and jealous looks she received gave Wang Damei immense satisfaction.

"We have everything now; we're just waiting for Qiqi and Han Tao to marry," Luo Hongjuan said with emotion. She had just spent a long time talking to Han Tao's father, imploring him to bless their son and daughter-in-law so they could blossom soon. America has no one-child policy, her daughter-in-law doesn't plan to work, and their financial situation is sound; Luo Hongjuan felt it would be a disservice to the nation and the Party not to have three or five children. "By then, one son will be named Wang, and one son will be named Han."

Luo Hongjuan distinctly remembered her son once mentioning the possibility of marrying into the Wang family. She personally didn't care about the child's surname, but she couldn't shake the recurring dreams where Han Tao’s father questioned her why she let his son marry out, why his grandsons would bear the Wang surname, and insisted that the children Han Tao fathered were the last hope of the Han family. Dreaming about it once or twice, she could dismiss it, but dreaming about it repeatedly meant she had to take it seriously.

Luo Hongjuan had brought this up with Han Tao yesterday, yet she worried that Wang Qiqi might hold onto the idea of Han Tao marrying in. But she didn't know how to broach the subject with Qiqi; what if Qiqi had never considered Han Tao marrying in, and her serious introduction of the topic would make her daughter-in-law overthink things? Luo Hongjuan pondered it for nearly half the night before finally devising a plan: she would first communicate with Wang Damei.

Wang Damei was unaware that Han Tao had ever mentioned marrying into the Wang family. If she had known, she would have immediately countered Luo Hongjuan by asking if Han Tao hadn't brought up marrying in himself. Now, hearing Luo Hongjuan essentially guarantee that there would be a boy with the Wang surname, she was naturally pleased. Although Qiqi had previously said there would be a son named Wang, she always worried about Luo Hongjuan’s reaction. Now that she heard Luo Hongjuan’s near-guarantee, she smoothly continued, "Actually, whether the children are surnamed Wang or Han, they are still their children. Furthermore, they don't plan on limiting their family size, so for the sake of the lineage, surnames reflecting both mother's and father's sides are necessary."

Hearing Wang Damei agree so readily, Luo Hongjuan nodded continuously in affirmation. Song Ziwen happened to overhear his mother's last remark. He was just about to interject that Qiqi planned to marry out and Han Tao would be marrying in; if that were the case, all of Qiqi's children would bear the Wang surname. His mother had been thoroughly persuaded by Han Tao’s mother!

Just as Song Ziwen was about to speak, Yang Jing pulled him back. "Why be so chatty? Qiqi hasn't even decided on marrying out, and Han Tao only said that out of pique." Didn't they remember the initial reason Han Tao had mentioned marrying in? "Don't get too fixated on this issue." In Yang Jing’s view, as long as the two were happy in their relationship, there was no need to get bogged down over this specific point.

Pulled back by Yang Jing, Song Ziwen realized it wasn't his place to interfere; it was Qiqi's decision to make. "Shall we go eat some lake delicacies for lunch?" Song Ziwen thought that since they were already in the area, they might as well drive a bit further for some fresh lake fare. Previously, he felt that driving such a distance for a meal his parents knew about would earn him the label of a spendthrift, but now it was only a half-hour drive—it would be foolish not to go.

Eat lake delicacies? Yang Jing had no objections. A stroll by the lake on such a hot day sounded quite pleasant. "I have no objections."

When Wang Qiqi heard about eating lake delicacies, her eyes lit up, and Song Yao and Gong Peixing shared a similar reaction. "Lake delicacies! Lake delicacies!"

"My treat," Song Yao declared smugly. Her younger brother was someone planning a second honeymoon; he clearly had money. How could she not make him foot the bill?

My treat? Song Ziwen had intended to pay, but looking at Song Yao’s expression, he felt challenged. "Am I treating?" No matter how he looked at it, Song Ziwen didn't seem like the one who was supposed to pay.

"You're the host; don't you have to entertain us guests?" Song Yao mused for a moment before providing a justification, thinking of course the host should treat the guests.

Song Yao's unreasonable demand almost made Song Ziwen choke. "Sister, it’s been a while, but your skin thickness is..." It seemed boundless. People said business owners were thick-skinned, but his own sister was this thick-skinned even toward family. Song Ziwen was genuinely impressed.

Although this was trivial money, the joy of arguing surpassed everything for the Song siblings. Luo Hongjuan watched the brother and sister duo arguing animatedly, thinking how amusing it would be if someone familiar with their sibling dynamic witnessed this.

Wang Qiqi and Han Tao walked down slowly and saw the Song siblings arguing. Gong Peixing and Yang Jing watched from inside the car, knowing that as long as they were arguing, everything was likely fine. "Aren't you two hot standing out in the sun?" wondered Song Ziwen, recalling someone moments ago complaining about the intense heat, feeling faint from the temperature. How quickly had they forgotten the heat?

"We are discussing important matters."

"I'm trying to convince this cheapskate to treat us to a meal," the two replied without even looking at Wang Qiqi, maintaining an air that they were discussing serious business and children should stay out of it.

Wang Qiqi yawned. They had chatted late last night and woken up early today. "Then you two continue arguing. I'm getting in the car." It was much more interesting to sit in the air-conditioned car and watch their squabble.

Song Yao and Song Ziwen were surprised that neither Wang Qiqi nor Han Tao showed any inclination to mediate. After a brief inquiry, the couple got into the car. The siblings were momentarily annoyed. "Hey, Wang Qiqi, that's too much!"

"Exactly! You are the one who should be treating today!"

The siblings quickly formed a unified front, having successfully identified who should pay today. They had come for the young couple's sake, and yet Wang Qiqi and Han Tao were remaining detached from the discussion of who would cover the bill.

Listening to their accusations, Wang Qiqi felt wronged. "I was going to treat anyway; I never said I wouldn't!" she protested weakly. "I thought you were arguing over who would treat for dinner." Lunch was on me, but dinner wasn't necessarily my responsibility, was it?

"Dinner is on you too," Song Yao retorted. Having secured a lunch host, she readily agreed to that part, but how could Qiqi wriggle out of paying for dinner? "Don't forget how many meals you mooched off me in Beijing. You owe me a return treat."

Song Ziwen, now allied with his sister, chimed in. "Absolutely. My brother-in-law earns US dollars, so he should definitely treat for dinner. That settles it: lunch is on Wang Qiqi, and dinner is on Han Tao."

"Yes, yes. Oh, Qiqi, are you two planning an engagement ceremony?" Song Yao suddenly remembered something. Although an engagement wasn't a very formal rite, it would still give them an official status.

An engagement ceremony? Wang Qiqi and Han Tao exchanged bewildered glances; they had never considered such a step. "Yes, yes, we should get engaged," Song Ziwen initially paused. Many people now went straight to marriage, skipping engagement parties. But considering Qiqi and Han Tao's current situation, marriage seemed too soon. Besides, if anything happened to Han Tao, his sister would quickly acquire the label of a divorced woman at a young age. Being together without a formal status felt somewhat improper. An engagement was better; it provided status, and if they broke up, the loss wouldn't be as significant.

Song Yao knew her suggestion would gain Song Ziwen's approval. "Why bother with an engagement? It's too much trouble," Wang Qiqi said, throwing a bucket of cold water on the excited Song siblings. "That's enough. Let's go eat; I'm starving." Wang Qiqi thought the two of them must be slightly delirious from the sun exposure, otherwise, why would they suggest such a thing?

Seeing Wang Qiqi deftly avoiding the topic, Song Yao turned helplessly to Song Ziwen. "This girl..." She was clearly a clever girl, but lately, her actions seemed brainless—yesterday was like this, and today too. "No, I need to talk to Mom about this." An engagement ceremony could be elaborate or simple, depending on the preferences of the parties involved and their families. But based on the current circumstances, Qiqi and Han Tao came from simple families, with few relatives or friends attending. A simple gathering over a meal could settle the matter.

Song Ziwen grunted. "You talk to Mom." This was a task best suited for the elder sister to handle, after which they could coordinate how to arrange things. "Keep it simple, or I worry that girl will find it bothersome again..."

"And we need to speed things up; Han Tao leaves tomorrow." Although Han Tao mentioned possibly returning in August, having only the groom return wouldn't allow for proper planning. Qiqi couldn't possibly fly back just for that event; the round trip ticket alone cost over ten thousand dollars.

"Don't worry, we'll sort this out tonight," Song Yao thought. If they kept the arrangements simple—just booking a banquet, buying the rings and clothes—it all came down to having the money ready. A quick trip to the mall could finalize everything in an hour. Song Yao felt confident in completing this task.

Wang Damei noticed her son and daughter standing outside the car, still muttering amongst themselves, and rolled down the window. "When are you two getting in the car? Niu Niu and Tao Tao are still at home!" Even though Yang Jing’s aunt had come to help look after them, it didn't mean they should dawdle just because someone was home. "And what lake delicacies were you planning to eat? If we don't hurry, there won't be any good stuff left." Wang Damei had been to that place once; business was booming, and if they arrived late, all the best items would be snatched up. It was already late now; if they delayed further, they might not even get a decent fish.

Song Ziwen acknowledged this, delegating the task to Song Yao. After Wang Qiqi and Han Tao settled into Song Ziwen’s car, Han Tao quietly asked, "Isn't an engagement a good thing?" Han Tao understood that the reason Song Ziwen and the others brought up engagement was likely out of concern that he might abandon Qiqi later. Han Tao knew it wasn't distrust but perhaps their worry over him being alone in the US for a year. Moreover, he himself was quite inclined toward the engagement proposal. After all, an Eastern woman like Qiqi was quite sought after abroad, and he didn't want trouble brewing on the home front. However, he couldn't voice his concerns to Wang Qiqi without losing face. Now that his brother-in-law had suggested it, Han Tao was absolutely in favor. But his wife's disagreement left him unsure whether to be pleased or worried.

Luo Hongjuan had been busy since returning from Beijing. She had chatted with Han Tao until deep into the night yesterday and woken up early this morning; her body was starting to feel strained. Seeing her son and daughter-in-law get in the car, she didn't open her eyes, instead leaning back against the seat to rest. However, she overheard snippets of Wang Qiqi and Han Tao’s conversation. "Engagement? Who is getting engaged?" She wondered if it was Shi Man, one of Qiqi’s close friends from back home. But that didn't seem right either; wasn't Little Feng still in the US? How could she get engaged by herself?

"Sister and I were discussing whether we should arrange a simple engagement ceremony while Qiqi and Han Tao are both here," Song Ziwen said as he opened the driver's door and slid into the seat, answering Luo Hongjuan's query in passing.

So, they were planning an engagement ceremony for Han Tao and Qiqi. "Yes, yes, absolutely," Luo Hongjuan immediately agreed. "Why didn't I think of engagement?" She had originally planned to put the marriage talks on the agenda after her son graduated with his Master's degree, but Song Ziwen’s reminder struck her—yes, marriage was still three years away; engagement was better. Such a wonderful daughter-in-law needed to be securely tied to her son; if she were snatched away, not only would her son cry his heart out, but Luo Hongjuan truly didn't believe she could find a better daughter-in-law than Qiqi.

Wang Qiqi was surprised that a discussion involving four people had been overheard by her future mother-in-law. At this moment, Wang Qiqi began to suspect Han Tao’s motives for asking that question in the car earlier. In her view, if Han Tao hadn't brought up the topic earlier, how would Luo Hongjuan even know about it?

Hmph. Wang Qiqi dared not show any reluctance on her face in front of Luo Hongjuan, lest she assume Qiqi didn't want to get engaged or marry Han Tao. Heaven knew, Wang Qiqi considered engagement merely a performance. Did having a so-called marital agreement prevent people from changing their minds? If marriage contracts were so effective, why were so many people divorcing every year? In Wang Qiqi’s eyes, the marriage certificate that many people considered a guarantee was just a piece of paper—useful mainly for establishing ownership rights during a messy divorce battle. "Isn't the timing a bit rushed?" Wang Qiqi felt this was the best excuse.

Timing—Luo Hongjuan considered it. Yes, her son was leaving after dinner tomorrow. "This..." But if they didn't get engaged now, it would likely be until next year before Qiqi and her son had time, and whether they would even be back then, Luo Hongjuan wasn't certain.

"Our family is small, there’s not much to prepare; we just need a meal together," Song Ziwen said, noticing Luo Hongjuan's hesitation in the rearview mirror. He quickly spoke up. Had he let this topic slip away after it was finally brought up? Luo Hongjuan had readily agreed to the engagement suggestion earlier. "Auntie Luo, I think this engagement can just be a dinner among the few of us, nothing too grand. What do you think?"

If that was the case, Luo Hongjuan decided the timing wasn't an issue. "Fine, I agree. Qiqi, we’ll go to the mall this afternoon, and Mom will buy you some jewelry." Luo Hongjuan wasn't sure what the groom's family was expected to provide for an engagement nowadays, but jewelry was definitely necessary. "Just tell me what you like, Qiqi."

"Oh, and clothes too. Xiao Tao, you need to come along," Luo Hongjuan considered. Jewelry was covered, so they needed new clothes for tonight; they couldn't have new jewelry with old clothes. "Qiqi, don't you have two very close classmates, Manman and Nana? Call them."

If Wang Damei were present, she might have hesitated and asked if Wang Rui and her father should be invited. But Luo Hongjuan had witnessed the whole farce from beginning to end and had seen how that uncle had cared for Wang Qiqi afterward. Frankly, Wang Qiqi’s two classmates had been better to her than they were.

"Nana is in Hong Kong for business negotiations; Manman should be free," explained Zhu Lina, who was increasingly taking on the demeanor of a corporate powerhouse. The last time they had coffee, it lasted just over an hour, yet her phone rang incessantly. Watching her skillfully issue commands, peppered with technical jargon, one could see how much she had progressed. "Nana has developed such a strong executive presence." However, Wang Qiqi and Shi Man had discussed how difficult it would be for such an assertive woman to find a man. Men generally preferred petite, demure women, but Lina looked down on the 'pretty boy' types. It was indeed a conundrum.

Going to Hong Kong for business made Song Ziwen’s grip on the steering wheel momentarily loosen. At that moment, he remembered Qiqi’s classmate wasn't just an ordinary person. "Are you still dabbling in the sourcing business with Zhu Lina?" Honestly, Song Ziwen couldn't fathom why the heir to the Zhu family would bother with such minor commerce.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "We didn't expect her to continue partnering with us." Wang Qiqi thought that maybe the business wasn't immensely profitable, but to Zhu Lina, it was different—it was an enterprise she built through her own capability. "I'll notify Shi Man this afternoon, though I’m not sure if she’ll have time." Qiqi was a very busy person now. Reportedly, the probability of her encountering peers her age during a casual meal out had increased significantly lately, which troubled her. In her opinion, even if those men looked decent, they were far inferior to her Old Feng. Old Feng was clearly an elite, and having spent two years in the US, his caliber was beyond that of his peers. When Han Tao and Old Feng stood together, Wang Qiqi felt Old Feng possessed qualities Han Tao lacked—perhaps due to age, perhaps experience, but mostly related to their respective professions. Han Tao had spent two years communicating with his mind and fingers, while Old Feng expressed his competence using his mind and mouth. The difference was substantial.

"So, you will continue to cooperate?" Song Ziwen was actually more concerned about this. Considering that they were classmates, but Zhu Lina would develop her career domestically while his sister would study abroad, their relationship was bound to become somewhat distant.

"Don't worry, brother, I already mentioned the previous matter to Julianna. She said that as long as the quality and price are acceptable, she will give us priority consideration." Wang Qiqi certainly wouldn't put Julianna in a difficult position; besides, pushing things too far would only wear away the years of friendship they all shared. This outcome was the best—although it was a collaboration, the cabinet factory was only gaining an extra opportunity, nothing more.

Song Ziwen responded with an "Oh." He knew that the reason he dared to invest so much money initially was not only because he was optimistic about the industry but, more importantly, because he had his eye on the Zhu family's real estate business. If he could catch a ride on the Zhu family's success, the benefits for the factory's development would be immense. "Qiqi, since you're getting engaged tonight, your brother and sister-in-law need to give you a gift. Yang Jing, go out this afternoon and buy Qiqi some jewelry." A younger sister's engagement meant the elder brother couldn't show up empty-handed; he had to let Han Tao know that even though Qiqi didn't have parents, she had the strong backing of her brother, sister-in-law, elder sister, and brother-in-law.