Wang Qiqi carefully carried the Black Forest cake she had just finished baking out of the kitchen. "Cake time." Whew, the timing was perfect; the cake was done, and she had finally finished assembling the bed. "Oh, help me move the mattress up to the ** later."

"You finished?" Shi Man was surprised by how quickly Wang Qiqi had moved. She had checked earlier, and Qiqi had just started, so how could it be done so fast? "You’ve become quite the skilled worker."

Fast? "It was just tightening the screws." After all, the frame was already built; the rest was easy work. "By the way, do you know where I can buy some lumber nearby?" Wang Qiqi thought it over. Although she only needed one board, it wasn't a simple task since she’d have to arrange for delivery. The cost of the board might even be less than the shipping fee. But Qiqi couldn't just leave her room without a desk. Their other roommates had desks or dressing tables, but her room only had two nightstands and a wardrobe—nowhere to handle her work.

As soon as Wang Qiqi emerged with the pastry, Shi Man stepped forward to help carry the plate to the living room coffee table. Naturally, she wasn't going to be shortchanged; she snagged a piece of cake as she took the plate. "Delicious." Even though the first cake she made had failed, or wasn't very successful, Shi Man understood. Qiqi hadn't baked in ages; the first one was just a warm-up. This current one was the true reflection of Qiqi's skill.

Zhang Yan also gave Wang Qiqi a thumbs-up, signaling approval. "A good wife and mother."

Wang Qiqi had heard such praise often enough and didn't dwell on it. She sat on the sofa and nudged Shi Man’s thigh with her foot. "Do you know where to buy wood boards?" Once there was food, she forgot to listen to subsequent conversation. Wang Qiqi figured nothing in her heart held the same status as cake.

"Wood boards?" Shi Man struggled to swallow the last bite of cake, looking at Wang Qiqi with genuine confusion. "What do you need lumber for?" Although her room wasn't fully furnished, nothing seemed dilapidated enough to require wood board repairs.

Only after Wang Qiqi explained why she needed the lumber did Shi Man understand. "I don't know about that. But you really do need a desk." For work, and later for studies, she couldn't keep working in the living room or dining room, translating manuscripts and such.

"But there’s no wood nearby. However, Qiqi, you could just buy a desk," Zhang Yan said, finally getting the pastry down. While she adored Qiqi's cakes, it was already evening, and she envied Shi Man for indulging in such high-calorie food. Zhang Yan hadn't even finished her first piece, while Shi Man was already halfway through her second.

Buying a desk wasn't something Wang Qiqi hadn't considered, but the issue was: "They aren't cheap. I was hoping to find some discarded wood for sale nearby, or maybe I can check the storage unit tomorrow." Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered that sometimes the foreigners did roof repairs and might have spare lumber. If so, it would likely be in the garage. Wang Qiqi thought she could borrow some; besides, she wouldn't alter the wood's shape.

Shi Man was stunned by Wang Qiqi’s suggestion, nearly choking on her cake. "Are you treating the storage unit like Doraemon’s pocket?" While having tools in the garage was normal, Qiqi was asking for wood. "Do you think you’ll be that lucky?" Shi Man thought—how could anything be so convenient, where Qiqi wanted something and just found it?

Wang Qiqi had intended to check tomorrow, but seeing Shi Man’s skeptical look made her instantly annoyed. She shot up. "I’m going to check the garage."

Shi Man was startled by Qiqi’s sudden movement and forgot about eating the cake. "What’s wrong with Qiqi? Why is she so angry?" Shi Man wondered. How often had she poured cold water on Qiqi before?

Zhang Yan didn't understand why Qiqi was flying off the handle, but she was certain: "You are dead meat. You’ve offended Qiqi."

Shi Man let out a long sigh. She wasn't an idiot; she knew she must have upset Qiqi for her to be that angry, but the problem was: "Qiqi has been weird today." This morning was fine, and it lasted until noon. "Could it be related to Shi Hongrui?"

Zhang Yan couldn't comment much on that, as it bordered on gossip. She summarized carefully, "Actually, she’s quite nice, just a little picky about food."

Shi Man retorted with irritation, "It’s that speed with which she grabs what she likes." The memory of Qiqi’s braised beef made Shi Man’s heart ache. At first, Qiqi had claimed it was too spicy, but in the end, Shi Man had eaten the least of that bowl of braised beef, which deeply displeased Shi Man, who had been looking forward to the beef. "I can already foresee my good days ending."

Though she hadn't spent much time with Shi Hongrui, Shi Man was certain she was also a meat lover. Qiqi and Zhang Yan, being three of them, were satisfied with one or two pieces of meat per meal—the former mindful of health, the latter concerned about weight. Shi Man, however, had no such reservations and ate what she liked, believing she ate plenty of fruits and vegetables anyway, so eating more meat seemed normal. Thus, Shi Man had been quite relaxed during dinner today, but she hadn't expected Shi Hongrui to be so ruthless. "After eating so much beef, she didn't even forget to pack up the chicken wings before leaving."

"We can eat more meat then," Zhang Yan suddenly remembered something and yelped, "What are you worried about? The three of us eat very little meat, but we have to split the food costs with you two. We are the ones losing out." Zhang Yan could already envision her wallet thinning, but she comforted herself that eating out at Chinese restaurants occasionally wouldn't be cheap either; overall, eating at home was better.

Shi Man chuckled, scratching her head, realizing Zhang Yan had a point. "You can eat more meat too. But maybe in the future, we should consult with Qiqi about dividing meals like fast food portions." That seemed fairer, didn’t it? Shi Man wasn't worried about being cheated, but rather that, as Zhang Yan pointed out, eating less while paying the same would eventually make someone uncomfortable. At this moment, Shi Man finally understood why Qiqi had always opposed the idea of shared living expenses, especially concerning food.

"Portion control?" Wang Qiqi walked into the living room without showing any expression. Hearing Shi Man’s suggestion, she asked, confused, "Why would we need that? We’re not a fast-food place. Besides, if we portion everything, someone who dislikes a particular dish will end up wasting it."

After listening to Shi Man’s reasoning for the suggestion, Wang Qiqi sighed. "I guess I'll just have to cook more in the future." It seemed this girl was overly provoked by Shi Hongrui today. "Maybe she’s just testing your limits. If you ignore her, what can she do?" If no one paid attention, no matter how much she stirred things up, she'd eventually get bored.

Shi Man had only spoken out of momentary frustration; she also wanted to change the subject. "I know. By the way, you came back so quickly. Did you not find anything?" Ha, she knew Qiqi wouldn't be lucky forever. "I told you there wouldn't be any lumber in the garage." If Qiqi had found anything, she wouldn't be this calm; there would at least be a glimmer of joy on her face.

Wang Qiqi desperately wanted to tell Shi Man she found nothing. "If I had found it, would you help me build the desk?"

Help build the desk? Wang Qiqi’s question stumped Shi Man. Did Qiqi really find wood? But then she reconsidered. If Qiqi had found lumber, why would she ask for help with a desk? Earlier, Qiqi had implied it was a super simple desk—just placing the board onto a frame. "I’ll definitely help you build the desk if you find it, provided the wood is actually usable for a desk. Don't tell me you found scrap pieces." Those counted as wood, but would that material keep her busy for days on end?

"Don't worry, it’s a whole, sizable board." Wang Qiqi knew she’d have help with the desk tomorrow. "I didn't find a whole piece, but I found a few small boards."

Small boards? Shi Man was confused again. "Small boards? How will you manage that?" She couldn't possibly use several chair legs, could she? It wasn't impossible, but wouldn't the space underneath be too limited?

"I saw some battens and used them to connect the boards, then added a few extra chair legs." Wang Qiqi had searched the garage for anything metallic. If she found something like that, the boards could be welded into a single unit. Although that would be tedious, the benefit would be a rock-solid tabletop.

Shi Man could only shake her head. "Don't worry, I’ll definitely help. But do you think a desk made like that will be sturdy?" Shi Man estimated, "You’ll put books, your laptop, and probably a water cup on it. Oh, and you’ll put some skincare products there too, right? The weight won't be light."

"Exactly, Qiqi, using battens might not be stable enough," Zhang Yan also worried. "I think instead of connecting them, you might as well make two tables. You could put your books on the floor, or build a simple shelf, separating your workspace from your vanity area."

A simple shelf? Wang Qiqi’s face fell. "I’d rather not buy books and just borrow them." Otherwise, when they moved to the US, shipping those books would be a hassle; she'd only buy the truly important ones. Besides, she wasn't capable of building a bookshelf. Just because her practical skills were strong didn't mean she knew all aspects of woodworking.

The three chatted for a while, planning to head to bed, when the doorbell rang. They all fell silent, glancing at the clock on the wall—it was almost ten. Who would be knocking now? Wang Qiqi and the others couldn't imagine who it could be. They had just moved in and weren't acquainted with any neighbors.

They wondered if it was someone dangerous, but that seemed unlikely; the neighborhood security was supposedly quite good. "Maybe they have the wrong door?"

Having made up their minds, the three stayed silent and didn't answer, waiting for the person outside to leave.

"It’s me, open up." After knocking for a long time with no response, the person outside finally spoke.

Hearing that familiar voice, Wang Qiqi and the others were stunned, exchanging glances. "How could it be them?"

Wang Qiqi and the others found it incredibly strange. Why would they come over this late? Had something happened? The three immediately jumped up and rushed to the door.

When the door swung open, they saw Zhao Rongrong and Shi Hongrui standing outside, pulling luggage. "What are you guys...?"

Wang Qiqi and the others were baffled. Weren't they supposed to have extended their current lease for one day and move in tomorrow? Why were they arriving late at night? What was going on?

Regardless of the reason for their sudden arrival, Wang Qiqi and the others ushered Zhao Rongrong and the others inside. As Shi Hongrui stepped into the room and spotted the cake on the coffee table, her eyes lit up immediately. "Can we eat the cake?" She had worried there wouldn't be any for her, let alone Black Forest cake. "Didn't you say you weren't making any more?" Humph, if she hadn't arrived just in time, she never would have known they made another cake. Humph, they were all bad people, but luckily, they didn't know she’d shown up unannounced tonight.

"Uh, after you left, I made another one. I was worried my skills might have degraded, but this one went very smoothly. I actually put another one in the fridge; I was saving it for you tomorrow." Wang Qiqi was genuinely relieved she had prepared enough ingredients for two small cakes.

Shi Hongrui's expression soured slightly when she heard about the cake in the fridge, but she quickly flashed a saccharine smile. "This cake is delicious. Qiqi, teach me when you have time." Shi Hongrui affectionately grabbed Wang Qiqi’s arm and shook it coquettishly.

Shi Hongrui had little interest in cooking. Not only was her skill level low, but another reason was that cooking grease smoke was anathema to a woman's skin. For her, intellect, appearance, and figure were paramount; without those three, how could she secure a good husband? Baking, however, was different. Shi Hongrui discovered that as long as she wore gloves, she could insulate her skin from damage while mastering a highly marketable skill.

Qiqi had no objection to someone wanting to learn baking; another helper was always welcome. However, she worried about teaching someone inept. "I have a bad temper. If I have to teach you seven or eight times and you still don't get it, I won't continue." Although Wang Qiqi knew that once school started, everyone's focus would shift to academics or socializing, there were still a few days left before then, and she didn't want these few teaching sessions to end unpleasantly. "Yanyan, Rongrong, you two should learn too. Knowing pastry skills means you can at least use them to trick men in the future."

Trick men with this? Zhang Yan thought better of it. "I’d rather study photography." She felt she had better use of her time researching how to make money to buy cakes than learning this. "Not many men are like your Han Tao."

"My Han Tao is great?" Hearing Zhang Yan praise her man, Wang Qiqi was inwardly delighted but didn't show it on her face. "He’s just a bookworm, a total homebody. He doesn't even have anyone to spend money on." Qiqi believed Han Tao was so good partly because most people around him were tech geeks and introverts. Even if someone with ulterior motives existed, he wouldn't have the time to engage with them.

Zhang Yan looked at Qiqi, whose face was smiling sweetly despite her dismissive words. "You are so fake. Don't think I don't know you’re secretly beaming. You know, you and Han Tao were selected as the 'Best Couple' on campus." Otherwise, why would so many people in class have opinions about Qiqi? Qiqi’s notes had saved quite a few people; logically, her popularity should have been quite high.

Wang Qiqi and Shi Man were dumbfounded, exchanging glances. Right, ever since they moved out of the dorms, they had been completely disconnected from campus gossip. Wang Qiqi finally understood why her standing in class had been so poor—it was all because of her boyfriend’s popularity. "Forget it. We’re graduating soon; no point dwelling on it." Wang Qiqi felt utterly innocent about this; she had no idea that Han Tao in this life would be so successful.

"I don't want to learn, and besides, I don't really like sweets that much." Zhang Yan knew Wang Qiqi disliked talking about her boyfriend, especially since Shi Hongrui, standing nearby, seemed to show a slight interest. She quickly shifted the topic. "Why spend too much time on something you don't particularly enjoy?"

"I don't want to learn either," Zhao Rongrong said. Though she and Zhang Yan had only met that day, they shared common interests, so learning pastry was a complete turn-off for her. She’d rather spend that time talking about travel.

Shi Hongrui had already asked Zhao Rongrong for some background information on Wang Qiqi's boyfriend and knew he was doing well in the IT field in the US. An idea formed in her mind. Of course, she wasn't interested in Wang Qiqi’s man—putting aside whether he’d even look at her, Shi Hongrui felt it was unnecessary to be a homewrecker. There were plenty of IT guys out there; meeting one or two through Wang Qiqi would make her happy. Preferably a foreigner, to facilitate her future immigration plans. Her desire to study abroad was ultimately to immigrate and live overseas. Of course, that was Plan B. Her ideal scenario was meeting a wealthy man at school and marrying him right after graduation.

"Actually, the reason I came abroad is to find a foreigner to marry." Shi Hongrui noticed a hint of wariness in Wang Qiqi’s gaze. She understood that the momentary attention Qiqi paid when Han Tao’s name was mentioned indicated something. Shi Hongrui decided to be blunt. "Qiqi, no matter how excellent your man is, I wouldn't stoop to such low behavior. I was interested because I know many people in IT in the US are wealthy."

Wang Qiqi, Shi Man, and Zhang Yan were all stunned by Shi Hongrui’s bluntness. While many international students shared that aspiration, this girl was too direct.

"You spent all that money to study abroad just to marry a foreigner and immigrate?" Wang Qiqi found it rather unbelievable, pointing out that marrying a foreigner didn't guarantee happiness. "Foreigners place a high value on finances. They don't support their mothers, let alone expect you to support yours." While foreigners might be wealthy, their money wasn't easy to acquire. Culturally, they supported their wives and children, but support for parents and in-laws was conditional—a stark difference from the Chinese upbringing.

Parents? Shi Hongrui took a deep breath. "They have their own lives. I just need to manage mine. At the very least, I still have my younger brother."

"What’s wrong with you?" Zhao Rongrong finally noticed something amiss with Shi Hongrui. As someone familiar with the Shi family’s situation over the years, she knew a little. Although Shi Hongrui's parents favored their son, that was somewhat understandable, but they had still sent Shi Hongrui abroad to study. Why did Shi Hongrui seem so critical of her parents' actions toward her?

Wang Qiqi and the others sensed the situation had taken an awkward turn and realized it wasn't good for them to stay. "Manman, Yanyan, help me carry the mattress up to the **. I'm exhausted from working all day; I need to sleep."

Shi Man feigned displeasure, hooking her arm into Zhang Yan's. "First helping you dismantle the bed, then carrying it up, and now moving the mattress. Sister, I'm exhausted too."

Once Wang Qiqi and the others left, Shi Hongrui could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down her face. Zhao Rongrong didn't press for details, just kept handing her tissues, quietly staying beside her. Zhao Rongrong knew Shi Hongrui must have held this in for a long time. It explained why she seemed so changed, turning somewhat mercenary. The former Shi Hongrui, though a bit calculating, had never been this outrageous.

While helping Wang Qiqi move the mattress, Shi Man whispered, "Wow, I didn't expect her to be that direct. But Qiqi, how much of what she said do you think was true?" Although she felt Shi Hongrui was likely telling the truth about her parents, Shi Man harbored doubts about her claim that she wouldn't go after Han Tao.

Zhang Yan felt the same way. "Better safe than sorry. She seems straightforward, but some people’s straightforwardness is just a defense mechanism." Zhang Yan could sense Shi Hongrui’s intense desire to marry a rich man, preferably one who could facilitate her immigration, and such a person might do anything to achieve success.

Wang Qiqi gave a soft acknowledgment. "Truthfully, Han Tao will only be over in a few days, and after that, he might not have time either." Although Wang Qiqi felt that even if she made a move, Han Tao might not take notice of her, being cautious was always better. "That poor girl is just feeling terribly slighted." No child truly hates their parents, especially when those parents provided the money to send them abroad.

Shi Man felt no pity for her. "Being able to go abroad is already quite fortunate; how many people secure an acceptance letter from an overseas institution only to end up giving up on it." Shi Man suspected it was probably some cliché, overwrought drama. "Perhaps she thought she could gain more, only to discover there wasn't as much there as she imagined."

"Indeed, regardless of the situation, it’s good that her parents could afford to send her out," Zhang Yan added from the side.