"Kiki, I envy you so much." Song Yao whispered into Wang Qiqi’s ear while Wang Damei wasn't looking. "You’ve completely dodged this whole mess." Song Yao was truly envious; she longed to return to the capital where plenty of her own issues awaited resolution. But her mother had made it clear: were her concerns more important than making money? Despite her frustration, Song Yao could only remain in their hometown.

Wang Qiqi let out a sigh of relief internally and patted Song Yao’s back. "Sis, learn well from Auntie." Infidelity—the mistress and the other woman—was practically a national topic these days. Learning and observing more now might prove useful later on.

At these words, Song Yao flared up. If her own mother hadn't been nearby, she would have violently shaken Wang Qiqi, demanding to know what she meant—did she think Song Yao’s life wasn't chaotic enough? Though Song Yao didn't speak, the look she gave Wang Qiqi, and the force with which she kept slapping her sister’s back, clearly conveyed her anger.

Wang Qiqi felt like she was taking internal damage from Song Yao’s assault. "Sis, my dear sister, how could I think that? I was just thinking that since your shop has quite a few wealthy wives as customers, if Auntie, at her age, runs into this, won’t they encounter it too?" Wang Qiqi sounded genuinely hurt. "If someone runs into something like this, wouldn't it be great to have someone nearby to offer advice?" Some things, if you haven’t experienced them, you simply don't know how to handle.

Wang Qiqi’s reasoning wasn't entirely without merit, but the problem remained: "By the time I realize their relationship has hit a snag, it might be irreversible." Unless such ugly matters become widely publicized, who would expose them? Everyone cares about saving face; even if they have to pretend, they will pretend.

"Then work hard to become their best confidante," Wang Qiqi conceded. "Alright, Sis, I need to go in now." If she didn't head in, she’d be too late.

Wang Damei and the others checked the time; it was nearly ready. They all came over, giving Wang Qiqi a final hug. "If anything happens, don't carry it all by yourself."

"If you need money, just call home."

"Take lots of scenic photos for us."

Song Wenbo, who had been hovering on the periphery, also approached and hugged Wang Qiqi. "Take care of yourself out there." Song Wenbo hadn't wanted to come today. Although he hadn't crossed that line, when he learned his son had hired someone to tail him, he was furious, feeling it was a profound sign of mistrust from the family. He had considered just letting things fall apart, but his wife's words made him reconsider. He wasn't foolish; he knew why that woman was drawn to him. How could even the fiercest passion sustain itself for so many years? But his children’s distrust made him feel that even if she loved money, she should at least treat him kindly. However, he hadn't expected that Kiki would actually ask to meet him at the teahouse yesterday for a long talk. While Kiki's intention was still to help Song Yao and the others, what she said made sense: the women outside might treat him well now, but would they continue to do so in the future?

Noticing Song Wenbo’s calmer expression compared to yesterday, Wang Qiqi leaned close to his ear. "Auntie isn't malicious, I think you two should try talking things over again." Although the discussion might end unpleasantly, if they didn't communicate, the problems would only escalate.

Song Wenbo sighed. "Some things aren't as simple as just wanting to talk." On the way, Song Wenbo hadn't stopped thinking about speaking with Wang Damei, but she either ignored him completely or gave him curt snorts. This uncooperative attitude made it impossible for him to communicate with Wang Damei.

Wang Qiqi was also troubled by Wang Damei’s attitude. She had discussed this with Wang Damei before, but while her aunt had agreed readily at the time, she had never truly followed through. The atmosphere in the car earlier had been quite good, apart from when someone spoke: "Uncle, you’re the man, you should concede a little to Auntie."

Song Wenbo thought to himself that of course he wanted to yield, but if he conceded on this, what about Wang Damei’s issues? Should he yield to her too? "Kiki, there are things you don't know. If you knew, you’d understand why I won't back down."

Wang Qiqi froze, hesitating for a moment. "Is the problem huge?" Was it a matter of principle? The only issues that could truly be considered matters of principle were a few specific things, but Wang Damei wouldn't do that, would she? "Uncle, you don't have to tell me, you can tell my brother and sister." If the problem was so big and Wang Damei refused to admit fault, Wang Qiqi figured they’d have to call a family meeting, expose the matter directly, and then see what happened.

Tell Song Yao and the others? Song Wenbo hadn't ruled it out, but if his children found out, he couldn't predict the chaos that might ensue. "I'll think about it again."

Seeing Song Wenbo’s troubled expression, Wang Qiqi didn't press him further. She looked up and noticed Shi Man was still saying goodbye to her parents. "Sis, I need to use the restroom, can you come with me?"

They were about to clear customs, and Kiki still needed the washroom. Song Yao really wanted to tell her to just go inside and use the facilities there, as Shi Man was nearly done. But she noticed Wang Qiqi had hooked her arm and completely shut down any chance of resistance. Song Yao wondered if Kiki had thought of something else, since they had already said everything that needed to be said earlier.

While in the restroom, Wang Qiqi quickly relayed what Song Wenbo had told her. "Sis, it looks like this situation is a bit bigger than we first thought—it’s not just about Uncle." As for whether Auntie had issues, Wang Qiqi wouldn't say, but they were all smart enough to figure it out.

Song Yao was stunned by the news Wang Qiqi gave her. She finally understood why Kiki insisted on dragging her along; this development was far beyond her expectations. She didn't know what to do now. "This, this..." Heavens, she had initially only intended to get her father to return home, but now it seemed her mother had problems too! The old man was furious about the mistakes his wife had made, and the secret money was just the tip of the iceberg. "Is it possible my mom is seeing someone else?" Song Yao guessed.

Wang Qiqi deliberately avoided the direct question. "It would be best if you find a time to talk to Uncle alone once you get back." Before, when they spoke to Song Wenbo, they had only focused on accusing him of betraying the family. Now, she realized that even if Song Wenbo wanted to explain, seeing the children’s attitude probably made him give up.

Song Yao certainly understood that. She nodded. "Don't worry, I'll find time to talk to him privately." But before that, Song Yao felt she should talk to her mother first. She really wanted her mother to tell her the truth first, although she knew the chances were slim. If her mother had been willing to talk, she would have done so long ago instead of keeping the conversation focused on her secret money being used to subsidize Wang Dagui and then immediately redirecting the topic to Song Wenbo’s affair. They hadn't thought much of it before, but now they realized the issue was deep-seated and obscured by fog. "The old man might be money-minded, but he wouldn't be this upset over a small amount of cash."

"It would be best if Auntie could tell the truth," Wang Qiqi mused, thinking it was highly doubtful Wang Damei would confess on her own. But seeing the determined look on Song Yao's face—that she would get the truth out of Wang Damei—Wang Qiqi knew Song Yao might resort to extracting a confession.

"If she won't tell the truth, I won't side with her," Song Yao thought. If her mother hid things this much, she couldn't help it. "I’m also a wife and a mother; I have my own responsibilities." Song Yao didn’t believe the old man would lie now. For a moment, Song Yao had considered asking Song Ziwen’s friends to tail Wang Damei. If she really had something going on, her staying home alone made it easy for her to go out or have visitors. "No wonder my mom said she needed to go out and relax, constantly meeting friends..." Once the seed of suspicion is sown, it will take root and grow.

Wang Qiqi sighed watching Song Yao become convinced of Wang Damei's guilt. She patted Song Yao’s shoulder. "Sis, you’ll know what to do after you talk to her." Judging things without knowing the facts is too arbitrary. "For instance, Uncle currently has no affair with that woman; at most, it’s just some flirting." Song Wenbo had been quite well-behaved lately, rarely going out, primarily because the family was watching him, and Nian Nian was instructed by the adults to keep Grandpa company constantly.

"Ambiguous flirting isn't enough?" Song Yao jumped up. Don't all affairs start with ambiguity? "No, I need to sit down and strategize with Song Ziwen." Before, she had Kiki to talk things over with, but now Kiki was leaving. While they could communicate online, the time difference complicated things; she’d talk to Song Ziwen. Besides, if her mother really had something unsavory going on, it was better for her and her brother to know, without involving Kiki.

Song Yao suddenly spoke with deep sincerity. "Kiki, Sis, I am truly very sorry." Although Kiki seemed normal these past few days, she had occasionally glanced at Kiki's chat screen with Han Tao and noticed her mood wasn't great, indicating that despite saying she was fine, Kiki carried a large burden in her heart.

Wang Qiqi understood why she was apologizing and managed a wry smile. "Sis, you don’t need to apologize. I imagine Brother-in-law's mood hasn't been great either these past few days." Facing such a major family crisis, Wang Qiqi didn't think Song Yao was handling it perfectly; Song Yao had lost weight these past few days, which showed her anxiety. "If they really aren't happy, sometimes letting go is a form of happiness." Wang Qiqi could only offer that. Song Wenbo had his bottom line, and Wang Damei had hers. Now, in their view, the other had crossed their lines, making them deeply unhappy.

Letting go is a form of happiness. Song Yao understood. "How many people can actually achieve that?" It was quite possible their parents would just continue living like this indefinitely.

Song Ziwen noticed Kiki talking to the old man for a while, and then saying she needed the washroom. He immediately suspected there was something she needed to discuss privately. Seeing the grave expressions on their faces, his heart sank. Did Kiki just say something to the old man—something bad?

Song Yao noticed Song Ziwen’s furtive glances and murmured quietly while everyone was seeing Wang Qiqi off at customs, "I'll find time tonight to talk to Mom."

Talk to Mom tonight? This confused Song Ziwen. Did his sister mean to advise their mother not to confront the old man, or was she telling her to confess something? If it was the former, he felt the task was quite heavy. If it was the latter, his head, heart, and lungs ached just thinking about it. He desperately wished for good news, but currently, there was nothing but bad news. "Okay." Although he wanted to bury his head in the sand, he could only agree.

Once seated, Wang Qiqi let out a long sigh. Finally on the plane. "Did Zhang Yan arrive two hours before us?" Wang Qiqi felt her memory had been failing lately, becoming quite forgetful. She wondered if it was due to poor sleep, coupled with the intense desire to vent her frustrations.

Shi Man hummed in agreement. "Assuming the flight has no delays. Also, are we staying in a hotel when we get there?" Staying a few days would be fine, but if they needed longer, she worried her purse couldn't handle it.

"Yes. That’s why we sleep on the plane so we can start looking for housing immediately upon arrival." Wang Qiqi was satisfied with a few properties she’d seen online, but she needed to see them in person before deciding. "For an apartment, I hope for a three-bedroom." The detached houses Shi Man liked would definitely require sharing with others. While that allowed them to meet people, Wang Qiqi felt uncomfortable at the thought of sharing common spaces with strangers.

"We'll see when we get there." Shi Man thought it was unlikely to be that easy. She had searched online before, but the satisfactory houses were too expensive, and the cheaper ones were either far from school, in bad neighborhoods, or dilapidated—looking like slums. "If we can't find anything, should we stay at the school?"

"Do we even have a spot at the school?" They had inquired at the time of acceptance about on-campus housing, but seeing the price, Wang Qiqi and the others decided against it. They had informed the school, but if there wasn't enough space, they couldn't count on it.

Shi Man knew she was wishing in vain. "We really picked a bad time to leave." If that incident hadn't happened, she wouldn't be studying abroad in the UK, wouldn't be separated from her man, and wouldn't have to worry about accommodation. "I should have told Old Feng to go to the UK instead."

Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man who was talking to herself again and offered a simple point: "The Master's program in the UK is only one year, right?" Besides, would Old Feng even agree to go to the UK? His goal for studying abroad was the financial environment in the US. Even if he studied for his Master’s in the UK, he would likely go to the US after graduation, resulting in nothing stable.

Shi Man grunted a few times. "You’re mean." She knew she was just talking idly, so why couldn't she be allowed to dream a little? "By the way, are Auntie and Uncle's relationship really that strained?" Shi Man noticed that when they saw Kiki off, they didn't stand together, barely even exchanged glances, and didn't speak—there must be something wrong between them.

Wang Qiqi gave a wry smile and pointed to her dark circles. "The problem is huge." Wang Qiqi had video-called her husband a few days ago. "Even Han Tao complained about me."

"You’ll get used to it," Shi Man thought. For the Kiki who loved sleep to have dark circles meant she hadn't been sleeping well recently. She knew that even with multiple heavy tasks, Kiki always ensured she got enough sleep, and she hadn't heard of many assignments recently. "Can you handle it?"

Wang Qiqi sighed. "It's rather uncertain."

"Problems keep appearing one after another. We thought one party was fine, but unexpectedly, their problems are also huge."

Shi Man was startled by this. Heavens, could it be that both husband and wife have issues? "They’re already this old, and they’re still causing trouble? They should be enjoying the good times that are just beginning, not stirring up drama."

Wang Qiqi was speechless regarding this. "I don't know either. Anyway, I'm going abroad; whatever the outcome, it has nothing to do with me."

Some might call Wang Qiqi cold-blooded; after all, they were elders who had always looked after her. But Shi Man knew this must be a huge affair. "Do you think this is beyond saving?"

"Even if a wound heals, scars remain," Wang Qiqi said lightly. She didn't know if they would persist. If they didn't want to continue, they might have to face one of the ugliest things in the world: a divorce battle fought over money and property.

"I'm tired and want to sleep," Wang Qiqi yawned. "Wake me up during the layover." Although she couldn't leave the airport during the transfer in Singapore, she could wander around inside. Wang Qiqi wondered if she could sample some delicious tropical fruits.

"Okay." Shi Man saw Wang Qiqi wasn't in high spirits and knew she was not only tired but probably wanted to avoid the topic. "I’m going to read for a while." To pass the long wait, Shi Man had brought a favorite book. As for adjusting to the time difference on the plane, she planned to sleep immediately after the transfer; otherwise, she worried sleeping too much would just leave her groggy.

After much hustle, Wang Qiqi finally set foot on British soil. After collecting her luggage, she announced, "I’m starving." Wang Qiqi rubbed her somewhat empty stomach. "I need to find somewhere to eat, or things will go very wrong."

Shi Man admired Wang Qiqi. Except for buying a quick snack during the Singapore layover, she had truly managed to sleep the entire time the plane was flying smoothly. "Your ticket was a big waste today." Although she slept, she didn't skip the in-flight meals provided. Even though the taste was consistently poor, anything included in the ticket price felt like a loss if not consumed.

In-flight meals? Wang Qiqi yawned. "Why bother with something that tastes that bad?" How good could pre-frozen and reheated food be? "Let it be a loss." At least she rested well, even if she felt more tired the more she rested.

It might taste bad, but "that's still money," Shi Man pointed out. She looked around and couldn't spot Zhang Yan at the arrivals gate. "Did Zhang Yan not arrive?"

"Are you sure you gave her the right meeting spot?" Shi Man thought that in such a large place, getting the meeting point wrong would make locating each other impossible.

Wang Qiqi rolled her eyes. "The exit is obviously here." I'm not senile enough to mix up the location. "Is her plane delayed and she hasn't landed yet?" Wang Qiqi had considered checking Zhang Yan's flight status earlier but then reasoned that her own flight was delayed by over two hours; even if Zhang Yan’s flight was delayed, it shouldn't be that much longer. So, she hadn't bothered sending a message.

"Maybe I should go ask. Wait here," Wang Qiqi instructed Shi Man after a moment’s thought. If Zhang Yan arrived, Shi Man could let her know everyone was there and watch the luggage.

"I’ll go," Shi Man thought. She wasn't particularly close to Zhang Yan, and it would be awkward if they were left alone with little to say to each other.

Wang Qiqi knew Shi Man and Zhang Yan’s relationship was rather distant. In her view, this was unacceptable. They would be sharing a roof for the next year; Kiki couldn't guarantee she would always be around to prevent them from being alone together. "You two need to get familiar with each other eventually. Are you expecting me to be the go-between?"

Wang Qiqi found it strange. Shi Man wasn't difficult to get along with, and Zhang Yan, while a bit aloof, was generally decent. Why couldn't they click? Wang Qiqi was curious. She had asked Shi Man before, and Shi Man replied that they would become familiar over time. Yes, familiarity breeds closeness, but they hadn't grown close over the past year. Kiki deeply suspected that even after their studies were finished, they still wouldn't be familiar with each other.

Shi Man’s mouth moved as if to say their relationship was fine, but before she could speak, Wang Qiqi had already bolted, moving so fast it was as if she were fleeing for her life.

After checking with Xin, Wang Qiqi returned to the arrival gate to wait with Shi Man for Zhang Yan. From a distance, she saw Zhang Yan and Shi Man together, but she noticed they were both staring in different directions—either they were looking for her, or they were stuck in an awkward silence with zero interaction.

Seeing this, Wang Qiqi slowed her usually quick pace, hoping to see some interaction between them before she joined them.

Shi Man had thought guarding a pile of luggage at the gate alone was embarrassing enough, but it was even more awkward when Zhang Yan wheeled her luggage over, and she didn't know what to say to her—anything she thought of sounded stiff and silly. She wished she had kept Wang Qiqi talking for a while longer so she wouldn't have needed to ask Xin.

As Shi Man felt awkward, Zhang Yan was equally uncomfortable. She hadn't expected that by finding a place to buy a quick bite earlier, she would miss Wang Qiqi and then be left alone with Shi Man. Zhang Yan had considered saying a few words to Shi Man, but seeing Shi Man constantly scanning around, she swallowed what she intended to say.

Shi Man had no idea Zhang Yan wanted to speak with her; if she had known, she would have regretted it instantly. She only noticed Zhang Yan’s expression shift after realizing Wang Qiqi hadn't been seen, and then fell silent. Shi Man knew she wasn't the person Zhang Yan wished to converse with, so besides looking around everywhere, what else could she do while waiting for Wang Qiqi to return?

Just as Shi Man was beginning to lose her patience, internally cursing Wang Qiqi for taking so long just to ask for a message, she finally spotted a familiar figure. However, she immediately observed that Wang Qiqi’s steps were incredibly slow—so slow that Shi Man began to worry her friend was unwell. After excusing herself briefly to Zhang Yan, Shi Man hurried over to Wang Qiqi’s side.