Wang Qiqi stifled yet another yawn as she trailed the four women, who were excitedly drifting from one jewelry display case to the next. “I’m so tired. This beautiful weather is made for staying home, blasting the A/C, and sleeping under the covers, not for dragging ourselves shopping.” She sighed inwardly. “And honestly, not much of this jewelry is actually nice.”

Wang Qiqi truly couldn’t fathom why these women, who usually saw the best things money could buy, were so utterly fascinated by the trinkets here. Han Tao noticed how drained Wang Qiqi looked and knew she was exhausted. “Just hang in there a little longer. Think of it as accompanying them on a shopping spree.” Han Tao knew Shi Man and the others were formidable shoppers, but this was the first time he’d witnessed his mother-in-law-to-be display such fiery consumer desire.

Han Tao watched the four people in front of him inching toward frenzy and let out a weary breath. “Should we find somewhere to sit down?” He was already juggling several shopping bags, his legs were starting to ache, yet the women who had been complaining of fatigue moments ago were now brimming with relentless energy. “All women are shopaholics,” Han Tao confirmed.

Wang Qiqi nodded along from the sidelines. Thinking of shopping, she much preferred the convenience of online retail—though the resulting expense on delivery fees was often substantial. “By the way, do you have reservations about the engagement?” Han Tao had been meaning to ask for a while. Why wasn’t Wang Qiqi more enthusiastic about getting engaged? Or did she harbor other ideas? He felt perhaps he was being overly suspicious, knowing everything Qiqi had done for him over the years, yet her recent reaction left him uneasy.

Wang Qiqi didn’t notice the subtle shift in Han Tao’s expression. She sank onto a nearby chair, relentlessly rubbing her calves. “I think an engagement ceremony is completely superfluous. We could just get married in a year, or perhaps we should just find a time to fly to Las Vegas and do it there. I hear it’s incredibly simple.”

“I just think marriage is ultimately just a piece of paper, right? There’s no need to make the wedding ceremony a huge spectacle. We have to live our lives; no point in spending a fortune just for one day’s grandeur.” We aren’t fabulously wealthy celebrities; why put on such an elaborate wedding production?

Han Tao was dumbfounded. He had secretly planned dozens of wedding scenarios in his mind, plotting how to give Wang Qiqi the most glorious wedding imaginable. To hear her suggest this so casually was a shock. “That, that seems a little too simple…” Han Tao recalled Qiqi getting wistful watching those lavish, bustling wedding scenes in American and Hong Kong dramas. Why did it come to her wedding that the simpler the better? He suspected, if she could manage it, Qiqi wouldn't want a ceremony at all. “You’ll regret this later, especially when you see Manman’s or Weiwei’s weddings…” Not every woman would choose simplicity, especially when finances weren't an issue.

Wang Qiqi desperately wanted to say that everyone knew a bride wearing a Wang Weiwei-designed gown was a happy bride, but hadn't Ms. Wang Weiwei herself ended up divorced? Besides, wasn't marital happiness determined by more than just a wedding dress? Sure, her gowns highlighted the bride’s beauty, but couldn't other designers achieve that same effect? “I think just hosting a dinner for close friends and family to announce it is enough. The main thing is the marriage certificate. Hmm, I need to research the laws. I should find the jurisdiction most advantageous to the wife to register.” For instance, the laws varied across different US states. As a woman, she absolutely needed to familiarize herself with matrimonial law; that was the greatest protection for the wife should the relationship ever crumble.

Listening to Wang Qiqi, Han Tao had only one thought running through his head: “What has gotten into you lately?” He mentally reviewed the recent happy relationship statuses of Manman, Weiwei, and even Baige, whose relationship with her boyfriend seemed to be progressing well. His older brother and sister-in-law were also happily married. Why did Qiqi suddenly harbor such a cynical view?

Wang Qiqi saw Han Tao’s suddenly anxious expression and burst out laughing. “I haven’t been traumatized. But it’s just normal; just like aging and death, feelings can fade away one day, okay…” Under Han Tao’s intensely serious gaze, Wang Qiqi raised the white flag. “If the day comes that you betray me, I will have you neutered.” Wang Qiqi said this with genuine malice. “And all your money will go to my children.” She knew that for a man, being castrated was the one outcome he dreaded most.

Neutered? Han Tao instinctively clamped his legs together, staring at Wang Qiqi in disbelief, as her gaze drifted pointedly toward his lower anatomy. “Come on, you don’t have to look at me like that. If I were neutered, wouldn’t you be stuck as a widow in name only?” Han Tao did not believe for a second that Wang Qiqi was joking. He was absolutely convinced that if that day ever arrived, Qiqi might very well follow through with the threat.

A widow in name only? Wang Qiqi scoffed. “If you cheat, then yes, I’d be a widow in name only. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t neglect myself.” Wang Qiqi thought: If your heart has already strayed, do you expect me to weep and wail while remaining devoted to you? Please, my brain isn't broken.

Han Tao tightly gripped Wang Qiqi’s hand, the pressure so intense it almost made her cry out. “Don’t worry, that day will never come. For Qiqi’s sake—so she doesn’t go to jail—and for my sake, so I don’t end up neutered, I will try my best.”

“The latter is the most important part, isn't it?” Wang Qiqi rolled her eyes at Han Tao and shook a small fist at him, signaling that she was quite formidable.

Seeing Wang Qiqi’s little fist, Han Tao felt a distinct urge to say that being hit by her small fist felt rather tempting. Just as he was about to speak, Shi Man rushed over and yanked Wang Qiqi up. “It’s your engagement party, for goodness sake, Miss! Put some energy into this!” Shi Man couldn't believe she’d never seen such an unenthusiastic protagonist. It was normal for the man to sit on the sidelines, but Qiqi, the heroine, was lounging around too. “I wonder if you’ll be this quiet at your own wedding.” She seemed more like a guest than the main event.

Wang Qiqi pouted. “I’m exhausted, let me rest.” She really wanted to shout at Shi Man that if she hadn't cooperated, she wouldn’t have just posed like a mannequin, trying on who knows how many outfits. Wang Qiqi had been dragged through so many costume changes that she’d lost count. The outfits they finally bought were the ones the others had insisted on. As for the prices, Wang Qiqi hadn’t a clue, and neither had Han Tao. All the expenses today were being covered by Luo Hongjuan, the future mother-in-law.

Tired? “Someone who demands a break every time we move to a new counter thinks they’re tired?” Shi Man couldn't believe Wang Qiqi was such a strange woman. She could spend a whole day at a scenic resort, even hiking up a mountain all day, but an entire day of shopping was apparently her personal death sentence. Shi Man simply couldn't comprehend the existence of someone as uniquely peculiar as Wang Qiqi.

“You all were trying on clothes; I was constantly taking clothes off and putting them back on, standing like a wooden doll for you to inspect,” Wang Qiqi grumbled. Though she hated getting up, she knew she had to move. “Hurry up and finish choosing so we can go home.” Hmph, they called this a simple engagement ceremony. In Wang Qiqi’s opinion, a simple ceremony meant everyone sitting down for a meal and that was it. Why bother with buying clothes and jewelry? Of course, if they insisted on buying things, it could just be converted to cash.

Shi Man, seeing Wang Qiqi’s discontented expression, grew irritated and gave her a gentle shove. “Alright, alright, don’t show off in front of this single person. You’re being a bit much, you know.” After receiving Wang Qiqi’s phone call, Shi Man had been thrilled for her friend, expecting her to be ecstatic. Seeing her instead acting like she was half-dead infuriated Shi Man. If she were the protagonist, she’d be overjoyed!

Too much? Wang Qiqi pointed at herself. Fine, if someone called her excessive, she’d behave. “Get up, let’s go together.” Wang Qiqi kicked Han Tao a few times, as he remained seated, looking perfectly comfortable. There was no way she was going to run around while he sat there like a pampered elder.

Han Tao sighed and reluctantly stood up. He wanted to point out that Qiqi rarely wore jewelry even when they bought it. It wasn't that she disliked it; she was just incredibly absentminded. She wouldn't notice if a large item went missing, but watches or bracelets often vanished, and she wouldn't realize it immediately, let alone bother finding them. After several incidents, Wang Qiqi generally stopped wearing expensive watches or bracelets. Han Tao could already predict that the jewelry his mother had picked out for her would simply end up stored away in a jewelry box.

After agonizing over outfits, Luo Hongjuan finally moved to the jewelry counter and felt utterly dazzled. She thought this one was nice, that one was better, and the others weren't bad either—making a final decision seemed impossible. Finally, with the help of Song Yao and Yang Jing, she selected a set of platinum jewelry that looked rather elegant.

Wang Qiqi saw that Luo Hongjuan had chosen platinum and diamonds. “Mom, I actually prefer gold.” Although gold might seem gaudy, Wang Qiqi thought the current gold price was relatively low, making it a good investment to buy and store. The platinum and diamond set Luo Hongjuan favored was certainly overpriced; gold was a better deal.

Qiqi prefers gold? Song Yao and Yang Jing glanced from the nearby gold counter back to the platinum set they had specifically chosen. “Qiqi, there aren’t many pretty gold pieces; the platinum is much nicer,” Song Yao said. She suspected this silly girl was trying to save money for the Han family again. Honestly, the Han family wasn't the struggling entity it once was. Never mind how much Han Tao earned; Luo Hongjuan had significant assets herself. “Stop trying to save your mother-in-law money.”

“Exactly! And the diamonds! Platinum and diamonds really suit you, Qiqi,” Yang Jing persuaded after regaining her composure.

Luo Hongjuan was also taken aback. She always assumed young people preferred platinum and diamonds, and Shi Man and Song Yao seemed to confirm her belief. Why was her future daughter-in-law different? She actually liked gold. “Qiqi, you aren’t trying to save money for me, are you?” Luo Hongjuan couldn’t think of any other reason Qiqi would suddenly claim a preference for gold jewelry.

Save money? Wang Qiqi rapidly shook her head. “Mom, I won’t save money for you on something like this.” Wang Qiqi thought: Why would I save you money on my engagement? “I genuinely love gold jewelry.”

“Mom, let’s just buy gold,” Han Tao said, deciding his little woman probably figured that since she wouldn't wear it often anyway, she might as well buy something that retains its value. Gold was the best choice, and honestly, the domestic diamond prices were inflated. Han Tao scanned the cases and noticed there really weren’t many attractive pieces. That might explain Qiqi’s preference for gold. If necessary, he’d buy her prettier jewelry later; they’d let this pass for now. “If you feel bad about it, just buy more,” he added mentally. If his little woman wanted gold, they would buy a lot of it; that would make him feel better too.

With her own son agreeing, what could Luo Hongjuan say? She stared at Wang Qiqi for a long moment. “If Qiqi likes gold, then we’ll buy gold. Qiqi, don’t be shy; tell me what you want.”

Song Yao and the others were furious that the jewelry they had spent so long selecting was instantly dismissed by Wang Qiqi without even a proper look. Song Yao walked over and pinched Qiqi’s flesh quite hard. This silly girl was too simple sometimes.

Wang Qiqi knew she was being a bit willful, wasting everyone’s effort. “Sister, I don’t wear much jewelry. What she gives me will be an heirloom. Han Tao can buy me pretty things later. Plus, I looked around, and there wasn’t much here I actually liked.” Wang Qiqi paused. “The prices here have huge markups. I’d rather wait until we go to Europe, and Han Tao can buy me pieces there. The styles will be better, and the prices will be better too.”

Song Yao conceded the point. “You, your little calculation skills are quite sharp.” Song Yao truly admired her cousin; she calculated things perfectly, satisfying both the future mother-in-law and the man, while appearing to lose out on jewelry. Song Yao realized that although her sister seemed to be forfeiting immediate gains, she was actually securing much more than just jewelry.

Since Wang Qiqi insisted on gold, Luo Hongjuan didn’t reduce the overall budget. She bought Qiqi enough gold jewelry to match the value of the platinum and diamond set Song Yao and the others had initially chosen.

Wang Qiqi expected a necklace, a ring, and maybe a bracelet, but she was hugely surprised when Luo Hongjuan also bought her two sets of dragon and phoenix bangles.

“When Qiqi has children, for every baby she bears, I, as the grandmother, will gift them a set of jewelry. They can use those sets for their own weddings later on,” Luo Hongjuan remarked. She had initially considered buying more dragon and phoenix bangles immediately but decided to wait to see how many children Qiqi planned to have.

Wang Qiqi hadn’t expected Luo Hongjuan to say something like that. Was this some kind of monetary incentive? Though the incentive was for the grandchildren, not for her, the mother. Shi Man nearly choked with suppressed laughter. She wondered if Han Tao’s mother was treating Qiqi like a broodmare. While there was no one-child policy abroad, Shi Man and Feng Xuanxiang had only discussed having three children—two boys and a girl, ideally. But based on Aunt Luo’s comments, Shi Man worried Aunt Luo was planning for a whole basketball team.

The people directly involved didn’t see anything unusual in Luo Hongjuan’s statement, but the sales associate laughed. “Auntie, isn’t it one child these days?” Rewarding every birth with a set of jewelry—that was quite ambitious, unless they had twins, which was unlikely.

“One child in China, yes, but my son and daughter-in-law plan to emigrate.” Luo Hongjuan knew exactly what the clerk was thinking. Hmph, her son and daughter-in-law were moving abroad, so naturally, they could have as many as they wanted. Didn’t foreign countries sometimes give money for large families? Why not take advantage of capitalist society?

The sales associate, who had initially treated the conversation as a joke, immediately stopped smiling. “That’s quite something!” But then she thought: If they’re immigrating, why not buy platinum and diamonds? She couldn't figure it out, but it wasn't her business; as long as she got her commission, she was fine. Plus, these customers were generous. After purchasing so much jewelry, the clerk added, “Auntie, you can join them later too.”

Watching his mother chatting animatedly with the sales associate, Han Tao took the receipt, ready to pay. “Use my card.” Luo Hongjuan quickly stopped him, handing him her wallet. Her son knew the PIN.

Wang Damei, seeing Wang Qiqi and Luo Hongjuan still chatting in the living room, pulled Song Yao into the kitchen. “Why did you buy gold jewelry?” She suspected this was Luo Hongjuan’s preference, as she couldn’t believe Qiqi would actually like gold. “I sent you along to supervise; why didn't you keep an eye on things?” Why did she bring along so many people if not to ensure good choices? Yang Jing and Shi Man were too embarrassed to speak, but Song Yao certainly could have spoken up.

Hearing her mother’s complaint, Song Yao felt aggrieved. “Can you really blame me for this?” She recounted the entire jewelry selection process. “It was Qiqi herself who asked for gold jewelry, and she did have her reasons…” She then elaborated on everything Wang Qiqi had told her. “I finally see it: that girl Qiqi won't let herself be taken advantage of. Aunt Luo actually bought quite a bit too; the total weight of those pieces added up to nearly a hundred grams.” In the end, they hadn't actually spent less money.

Can one hundred grams of gold compare to a diamond ring? “Your younger brother bought a wedding ring for Yang Jing that cost twenty thousand, didn’t it?” Hmph. The ring the son bought for his wife alone was worth more than all this gold. “That girl Qiqi, sigh… but it’s fine; at least she has a firm grip on Han Tao’s finances.” Having Qiqi control the man’s money was better than buying a few pieces of jewelry. “It’s good Qiqi wants to shop in Europe. By the way, did you buy anything?” Even though Qiqi wasn’t planning a massive engagement party, there should at least be a betrothal gift, shouldn’t there?

“Zhiwen and I discussed it, and we’ve decided not to give anything for the engagement this time. We’ll give a magnificent gift when they have the actual wedding,” Song Yao explained. She and Song Ziwen had discussed it over lunch to decide on a suitable gift for Qiqi. “The timeline is tight, and Qiqi might not accept it anyway. We plan to cover the entire cost of the wedding ceremony when they marry.”

The children paying for the wedding? Wang Damei was astounded by the sheer generosity of Song Yao and Ziwen. “How much will that cost?” If Qiqi and Han Tao invited many classmates and colleagues, and insisted on high standards, wouldn’t that cost a fortune? And they would be spending US dollars! She thought these two young people had no concept of money once they had some.

“The cost doesn’t matter,” Song Yao said, feeling helpless watching her mother start calculating money again. “Mom, my brother and I have done well these years entirely because of Qiqi’s connections, so…” She expected to rely on Qiqi’s goodwill for a long time to come. Besides, Song Yao was certain Qiqi wasn't the type to throw an overly extravagant wedding, though she certainly wouldn't say that now.

Hearing her daughter’s justification, Wang Damei felt a little awkward. “Then find a chance to tell Qiqi later. I don’t want her to think you’re refusing to give a gift because…”

Song Yao had already anticipated that. “Did you think I wouldn’t? I already told Qiqi on the way back that we’d present a grand gift on her wedding day.” Naturally, what kind of grand gift was not for discussion now. “Qiqi told me, if it makes them uncomfortable, she’ll pay for the happy hour tonight.”

Wang Damei made a sound of acknowledgement. She assumed Qiqi and the others were going out for karaoke after lunch, which couldn’t cost much, so she dismissed the thought. “Have a wonderful time, and buy whatever Qiqi wants to drink.”

Seeing Song Yao emerge from the kitchen looking generous again, Wang Damei realized her mother had misunderstood. Qiqi had mentioned she’d never been to a proper bar before and wanted to take advantage of this excellent opportunity. Qiqi’s comments had thoroughly shocked Song Yao. She knew that girl preferred high-end red wine over beer. If they went to a bar, how much would that cost? Especially with Shi Man, the big drinker in the group; Song Yao knew the two of them could easily put away three bottles between them.

Wang Qiqi noticed Song Yao emerging from the kitchen and immediately pulled her aside. “Sister, I just asked Manman, and she said there’s a really great bar nearby.” After Wang Qiqi mentioned her post-dinner plans to Shi Man, the girl had been ecstatic, constantly recommending a particular bar with excellent ambiance and genuine liquor. Wang Qiqi suspected the bar’s prices would be steep, but she thought: If it weren’t for these two pushing me into an afternoon of retail therapy, I wouldn’t need to get revenge now, would I?

Hearing the name of the bar, Song Yao’s face instantly paled. Although she had never visited that specific bar, she was quite familiar with that area. When she used to run her small shop back home, several young women were regulars there, and they often mentioned that place. Song Yao clearly remembered the bar’s exorbitant costs, which was why many pretty girls frequented it—hoping to catch a rich husband. She couldn't believe Qiqi knew about that place. “Qiqi, we’re going there?”

Wang Qiqi noticed Song Yao seemed reluctant, and she nodded innocently, asking, "Manman said that place is good. Sis, you won't let me down today, will you?" Hmph, regardless of whether you agree to go or not, we are definitely going tonight. Wang Qiqi could already visualize those crisp banknotes leaving Song Yao’s side. "At most, we won't have late-night snacks." Of course, we will spend lavishly at the bar, leaving you all with a deep impression, so you know some things can't be pushed, or else your wallets will suffer.

Song Yao finally understood. It turned out Qiqi had some inside knowledge about that bar and knew that no matter what she said, Qiqi wouldn't change her mind.