Wang Qiqi woke up, sitting there for a moment, staring at the slightly unfamiliar surroundings, unable to react immediately. After a while, she snapped back to reality; this somewhat bare room was where she would be living for the next year.

Wang Qiqi flung the covers off and scrambled out of bed, padding quickly to her suitcase. She rummaged inside until she found her digital camera. “I need to take pictures of the room first. Too bad I forgot yesterday. If my sister and the others knew I was living in a warehouse in the UK, I don't know what they'd say about me. I’ll use this as a baseline comparison.” Only by having a comparison would they understand the blissful life she would lead later.

Wang Qiqi quickly snapped dozens of photos—full shots from the doorway, and detailed close-ups. “It’s simple, but acceptable enough.” She had seen photos posted by many others: just a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a chair; generally very sparse setups.

Shi Man pushed the door open and poked her head in, surprised to find Wang Qiqi already holding her camera. “Why are you taking souvenir photos of this room?” It’s not exactly a gorgeous place. “You should decorate it a bit before taking pictures. By the way, are you almost ready?”

Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man quizzically. Did she want her to go down and make breakfast?

“Don’t worry, I bought milk and the pastries you made yesterday for breakfast. I just wanted to see if you were ready so we could head to the supermarket.” Since they were going quite far today, Shi Man had already confirmed the route, which involved changing buses midway—a bit inconvenient, but they could treat it as a small-town tour. Otherwise, staying cooped up at home would be dull. “Oh, Qiqi, let’s buy a lot of seasonings today. We can have a BBQ tomorrow!” When the weather is nice, a group BBQ is fantastic, especially since everyone can pitch in and Qiqi won’t have to cook everything herself. Though, marinating the meat would still need her expertise; even without it, the meat cooks, but it certainly won't taste as good as when it’s been properly prepped.

A BBQ in this weather? Wang Qiqi worried her face would turn dark from the sun exposure and coal smoke, inching her closer to looking like a Black person. But since Shi Man was announcing it, Qiqi knew all four of them had agreed on the plan, and it felt improper for her to object now. “Fine, I have no objections.” At worst, she’d be extra careful when grilling, aiming to cook a lot at once, and then mooch some off the others. “Oh, remember to buy some vegetables too.” Grilled vegetables are fine, though not as good as the meat; they’ll help cut the richness.

Shi Man knew vegetables could be grilled, but she wasn't keen on them herself. That was fine; they could just buy less. “Hurry up then, we’ll leave in half an hour. We’ll just grab a casual lunch.” Since they were unfamiliar with the area, they unanimously agreed to keep lunch simple so as not to spoil the lavish dinner planned for tonight.

Leave in half an hour? Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man in surprise. “The contract is settled?” She glanced at the watch on her bedside table; it was already ten o’clock. It was a reasonable time for things to be wrapped up, but the lawyer was certainly fast.

Shi Man made an ‘OK’ gesture with her hand. “He showed up just after eight. Thank goodness I’m an early riser.” Otherwise, who knew how long they would have had to wait? And they’d have to pay him for his time waiting too.

The lawyer showed up after eight? Wang Qiqi’s first thought was, “He doesn’t live in this complex, does he?” Otherwise, arriving that early was a bit much, even if his service attitude was excellent.

Shi Man covered her mouth and nodded vigorously. “Yes. He said on the phone yesterday he’d be back by 8:30, and I thought he was kidding. Then I realized he lives right here in the complex.” Having a lawyer in the neighborhood is a bonus, especially abroad, where legal help can be frequently needed. “If anything happens in the future, we can say we waited for our lawyer to arrive.” She used to think hiring lawyers was just for rich people; being abroad taught her that lawyers are intrinsically linked to daily life, though ordinary people only seek them out when trouble arises.

Wang Qiqi shook her head speechlessly at Shi Man, who wore a self-satisfied look. “Let’s go; I need to change.” Wang Qiqi really wanted to tell her that her man probably already had a legal consultant on retainer.

After changing and checking her bag, Wang Qiqi slowly descended the stairs. Before even reaching the first floor, she heard a lively debate below.

“Cologne Cathedral is magnificent.”

“Neuschwanstein Castle is amazing. Let’s take the train to Germany! We can enjoy the scenery all the way, stopping and starting as we go,” Shi Man voiced her idea. “Preferably daytime travel, leaving at night.” This way, they could save on one night’s accommodation, a significant expense for poor students like them.

An overnight train ride? No one objected to the suggestion. Although staying in a youth hostel wasn't expensive, saving that cost meant more funds for culinary exploration, as Shi Hongrui chirped with happy anticipation.

“Mmm, scenery followed by good food,” Shi Man nodded repeatedly beside her. “One day, I’ll open a huge hotel.” Shi Man imagined a time when she could eat for free and earn money—a beautiful dream. Of course, she knew that even if she had the capability to open a hotel, managing and operating it afterwards would be incredibly complex, beyond her abilities, so Shi Man could only let herself indulge in the fantasy for a moment.

“I want to open inns all over the world,” Wang Qiqi said, pausing by the door to look out the window. “I think we should buy a mirror to put by the entrance so we can check our appearance before leaving.” Wang Qiqi suddenly realized there was no full-length mirror in the room; checking one's appearance meant going to the bathroom, which was quite inconvenient.

“Right, right.” No one disagreed with the suggestion; they were all young women who cared about presentation.

The five of them chatted the whole way. Led by Shi Man, they transferred twice before finally arriving in front of a Chinese supermarket. “It’s not very big,” Shi Hongrui had expected the supermarket to be larger. Shi Man had mentioned that this Chinese grocery was doing well, and she figured success should lead to expansion, but she hadn't expected it to be tucked into such a small storefront.

Shi Man and Wang Qiqi were both a little disappointed. Their expectations had been quite high previously. “Let’s go inside first.” If foreigners said this supermarket was good, it couldn’t be entirely terrible. Despite their disappointment, they had traveled a long way to get here; they couldn't just turn back because the facade was small.

Once inside, the first thing they saw was a row of storage lockers followed by an escalator. “A basement?” If that was the case, Wang Qiqi and the others finally understood why the storefront didn’t need to be large. However, there were still concerns, like air circulation, though Wang Qiqi suspected it was due to rent costs.

Entering the basement, they saw a brightly lit, vast space. “It’s huge!” The shelving units were large and numerous, indicating a massive inventory, and there were quite a few people inside as well.

“Mostly Chinese people, I think,” Shi Man pushed a cart and began slowly selecting items. Although the space was large, to maximize stocking capacity, the carts weren't very big. Additionally, perhaps because it was the weekend, the supermarket was crowded.

Wang Qiqi listened to the familiar yet foreign chatter drifting around her. “Mostly people from Guangdong and Fujian.” People from those regions had ventured overseas much earlier. While many from the mainland had followed later, generally, those two regions had the largest overseas populations.

“The boss is from Guangdong too,” Shi Hongrui popped up from the side and whispered.

Zhao Rongrong then realized Shi Hongrui had been missing. “You! With this many people, if we don’t stick together, how would we find anyone?” They couldn't exactly page her over a loudspeaker, and Zhao Rongrong wasn't sure if the place even had one.

Shi Hongrui was unconcerned, waving the card in her hand. “I signed up for a membership card. It gives a discount and points, which we can exchange for things later.” Shi Hongrui thought to herself: this group was gawking at the supermarket like country bumpkins visiting the city, completely failing to inquire about its operations. If it weren't for her, humph, they wouldn't even know about the card or the discount.

Wang Qiqi subtly glanced at Shi Man, thinking that Shi Man used to be in charge of these things, but now there was an addition in Shi Hongrui. “Thank goodness for Rui Rui! She’s saving us a lot of money.” Getting a discount was good, not to mention the future redemption options. After hearing what Shi Hongrui said could be exchanged, Wang Qiqi immediately spoke up: “Let’s aim to exchange for a set of knives!” The set the landlord left was, in Wang Qiqi’s opinion, far from adequate. Using company funds for a new set felt slightly improper, but since they had the chance now, she had to suggest it first. The first person to voice a desire usually got some advantage.

As soon as Wang Qiqi spoke, the expressions of the others didn't look entirely pleased. They all had things they wanted to exchange for, but what Qiqi requested directly related to their daily meals. Furthermore, Qiqi explained why she needed new knives and mentioned they would only decide after seeing the actual item. With that, the others conceded. This was the suggestion of their resident chef; if they objected, and the chef later claimed the old knives were poor and insisted on cooking only simple dishes, they would be the ones suffering.

Seeing their unanimous agreement, Wang Qiqi felt smugly clever for proposing it early. She beamed with pride. “It looks like we’ll be making trips here often from now on.” Who knew how much they’d have to buy to earn a set of knives? It certainly wouldn't be cheap.

As Wang Qiqi mentioned needing multiple trips, they happened to pass the vegetable section. Shi Man looked at the selection, which was clearly larger than the supermarket near their lodging. “We will need more trips. Qiqi, I estimate we need to come here at least once a week.” But buying a week's worth of vegetables—Shi Man doubted they would still have any moisture left by the last day, and even if they did, the nutritional value would likely be gone. Ideally, they should come every three days, but Shi Man figured they’d need to buy a car to manage that frequency.

Wang Qiqi also noticed the vegetables. Compared to the vegetable markets back home, the quantity wasn't huge, but it was decent, and they looked quite fresh. Converted to RMB, the prices were a bit higher than in China but not outrageously so. “How do these compare to the supermarket you visited yesterday?” Wang Qiqi asked Shi Man, who had done the scouting the day before.

“Cheaper than ours,” Shi Man murmured. “Qiqi, you should hurry up and get your driver’s license, then buy a car.” Shi Man calculated that if the prices here were lower than the local supermarket, making a trip every three days and hauling everything back would be cost-effective.

“Let’s check more prices,” Wang Qiqi whispered back. She intended to inquire about the licensing process tomorrow anyway. Wang Qiqi had observed that the bus routes looped around; driving would cut the travel time down to half an hour at most. Buying a car was definitely necessary. “Let’s look at the prices for the meat and milk too.”

Shi Hongrui and the others weren't interested in Wang Qiqi and Shi Man’s hushed conversation. They tossed items they found interesting into their carts as they passed each aisle. The responsibility for vegetables, meat, and seasonings was delegated to the "professionals."

Wang Qiqi and Shi Man hadn't expected the others to handle these staples; they figured the others rarely shopped for groceries back home, so it was safer if they selected the perishables themselves.

Wang Qiqi and Shi Man moved through the aisles, comparing prices and carefully selecting ingredients. Their practiced movements in choosing produce and meat left the three trailing behind, like Zhang Yan, gaping in astonishment. “Wow, do they shop for groceries often?” Shi Hongrui found it incredible. Back in China, their main focus was studying; very few parents would let their children handle housework. If not for studying abroad, they probably wouldn't even know how to perform basic chores. The ease with which Wang Qiqi and Shi Man selected ingredients definitely suggested they did it frequently.

Zhao Rongrong was speechless at Shi Hongrui’s naive remark. “They studied in Beijing. If they didn't buy groceries, how did they eat? Did the vegetables magically appear at their homes?” Still, she deeply felt that Wang Qiqi was the quintessential good wife and devoted mother—capable of earning money and managing the household. “If I were a man, I would absolutely marry her.” Wang Qiqi was the kind of wife a man could be proud of; Zhao Rongrong doubted it would be easy to find another woman this exceptional.

Shi Hongrui nodded vigorously beside her. “Yes, yes. She has looks, she has family background—truly the perfect wife material.”

Zhang Yan watched them talking and stifled a laugh internally. She wished they could see Qiqi’s assertive side. “Alright, keep up!” Zhang Yan was genuinely curious if they would feel immense pressure when they learned more about Qiqi’s accomplishments. For a man to feel overshadowed by a woman—few men could sustain that. That must be why Han Tao was rushing off to develop his career in the US; while it was his passion too, Zhang Yan was certain Han Tao’s intense drive was fueled by Qiqi’s overwhelming brilliance, forcing him to strive harder.

Zhao Rongrong and the others snapped back to attention only to find that Wang Qiqi and Shi Man had already filled one cart entirely, mainly because they had already passed the meat counter. “Qiqi, did you buy enough meat?”

Zhao Rongrong had quickly scanned the prices and found them cheaper than the supermarket near their lodging. While fresh meat was best, a few days in the fridge wouldn't spoil it. Besides, they were having BBQ tomorrow—the more meat, the better.

“We did,” Shi Man replied without turning back, continuing to push the cart forward. They might skip other things, but meat was essential for tomorrow’s main event. “There will be plenty of meat for tomorrow.” She just hoped the final bill wouldn't shock them into silence.

Seeing the smile on Shi Man’s face, Zhang Yan felt a slight jolt; she wondered if Shi Man was hatching some mischief. But then she reasoned it probably only involved cleaning the meat or something similar, so she stopped overthinking and focused on the food passing her by.

Wang Qiqi reviewed the supermarket prices, and her initial anxiety gradually settled. Although things were a bit expensive, it was manageable. She wasn't particularly fond of snacks, buying only some fruit.

Shi Hongrui and the others, however, picked out quite a few treats. During checkout, they separated their purchases. “Qiqi, you didn’t buy any snacks?” Shi Hongrui exclaimed suddenly. She couldn't fathom someone not buying snacks. Knowing Qiqi worked as a translator, she wondered how she endured the boredom without nibbling on something, although it was certainly economical.

“I don’t really like snacks.” Wang Qiqi was indifferent; if there were snacks, she’d eat them, otherwise, no big deal.

“Oh.” Shi Hongrui didn’t press the issue; the other person had made her stance clear. “Wow, so much meat! I need to eat a lot tomorrow.”

Zhao Rongrong nudged Shi Hongrui, who was staring longingly at the meat being scanned while waiting for checkout. “Didn’t you say you were going on a diet?” It was rather frustrating for someone who constantly talked about dieting but lost all self-control at the sight of food.

Shi Hongrui was dieting? Wang Qiqi looked at her in disbelief. Well, she wasn't exactly overweight, but perhaps not at a stage where a diet was necessary. However, Wang Qiqi suspected it was just talk. If someone truly wanted to diet, she doubted they could rapidly consume half a six-inch cake.

“Actually, the best way to lose weight is to do more housework,” Shi Man thought privately—if you eat that much, why diet? If you want to lose weight, eat less and save money too.

Wang Qiqi gave the straightforward Shi Man a firm pinch of flesh. “The actual best way is to run around the complex every evening.” Wang Qiqi had noticed while looking out her window that many people jogged around the neighborhood in the mornings and evenings. “I plan to start exercising after dinner tonight, not just for weight loss, but for overall health.”

Wang Qiqi often spent three or four hours straight hunched over her computer screen. Although she wasn't very heavy due to her attention to diet and genetics, she constantly felt uncomfortable here or there. Medical checkups showed nothing wrong. Wang Qiqi realized she likely suffered from what was called sub-health discomfort syndrome. So, she resumed running and brisk walking. Within a few months, the old symptoms vanished, and Wang Qiqi continued the habit. A gradual, stable weight loss was a pleasant bonus.

“I’m joining too!” Shi Man immediately chimed in. “Oh, I need to buy workout clothes.” Worried about overweight baggage fees and not wanting to bring too much, she had left her athletic wear in China. Now Shi Man realized she was going to be spending money again.

“There’s a clothing store nearby,” Shi Hongrui said. Despite only walking a short distance, she had already scoped out the immediate vicinity. “I just don’t know about the quality and prices.”

Wang Qiqi suspected the clothes might be manufactured in China. But the prices would definitely be lower than back home, given that exported goods receive tax rebates, whereas domestic sales rely on local sales for factory profits without the rebates.

The group naturally decided to browse the shops. Even if they weren't buying clothes, they wanted to get a feel for the area. “Ah, why did we buy groceries first?” When the group finished paying and walked out, seeing everyone loaded with bags, Shi Hongrui suddenly exclaimed. If it were just a few bags, fine, but they had meat, frozen milk, and vegetables—in this heat, if they shopped more, the food might spoil.

The other four heard Shi Hongrui’s words, and their high spirits deflated like a punctured balloon. “Ugh, are we really only coming here once just to buy groceries?” Shi Man ignored the others. “I’m going to buy a set of workout clothes first.” Shopping could wait, but exercise was an immediate necessity. Shi Man was particularly eager because her man would be visiting soon, and she absolutely had to shed the excess fat around her middle, lest he see her less-than-ideal form after a year apart—what a tragedy that would be.

“I’ll buy a set too,” Shi Hongrui said. She had asked Wang Qiqi earlier and learned that Qiqi’s body shape improved and her weight dropped after she started exercising, which made her very eager. More importantly, Qiqi hadn't given up eating what she liked; she ate when she wanted to eat. Shi Hongrui wasn't entirely dissatisfied with her weight, but she felt her curves weren't ideal, especially her stomach. When standing, she could suck in her stomach, but sitting down made the little paunch impossible to hide. “Rongrong, you should buy some too. We can exercise together.”

“Yes, yes! The five of us should get the same style—it’ll be our team uniform,” Shi Man bounced along excitedly.

Shefù. Wang Qiqi nearly spat out her water upon hearing that name. She truly admired Shi Man for being able to come up with it, but she couldn't withstand the persistent gaze from the side, so she could only nod in agreement. In Wang Qiqi's view, as long as the price wasn't too high and the style was acceptable, buying a set for rotation wouldn't hurt.

Zhang Yan had initially intended to refuse the purchase; for her, exercise was an odious affair. However, she couldn't resist the four pairs of intensely focused eyes staring at her and was forced to surrender and buy the clothes.