"I'll head upstairs for a bit," Wang Qiqi said, finishing organizing the groceries. Realizing it was almost time for her scheduled chat with Han Tao, she let Shi Man know and hurried upstairs.

As soon as she logged on, Han Tao eagerly sent a video request. The sight of his face made Wang Qiqi break into a smile; his recent darkening was far more noticeable than just a slight change. Seeing her immediate, happy reaction, Han Tao could only offer her a look of resigned exasperation.

It took a while before Wang Qiqi could rein in her laughter. What had annoyed her most about Han Tao the last time he was back in the country was how much paler his skin had become from avoiding the sun. It made her look considerably darker by comparison. Now, with Han Tao tanned, Qiqi’s own complexion appeared much fairer.

After chatting online with Han Tao for a while, Wang Qiqi was about to ask about the recent situation with Wang Damei and Song Wenbo. Although their relationship had been rather strained before they left, they had initially resisted going on the trip. However, everyone ganging up on them about losing the airfare if they stayed put had finally convinced them—they couldn't bear to waste the money, especially with Taotao and Niuniu constantly insisting on going. So, they dragged themselves along for the overseas vacation. While the scenery outside was nice, Han Tao reported that the atmosphere throughout the tour group had been weighed down by the two of them. Even after several days of travel and with the two children acting as intermediaries, they could barely manage two sentences to each other.

"Qiqi, can I ask you something?" Zhao Rongrong knocked lightly on the door, then after a moment, pushed it open and poked her head in.

Wang Qiqi thought to herself how oblivious some people could be; this rare moment of private chat time with her man was something she cherished daily. But despite her inner impatience, she had to invite Zhao Rongrong in, quickly closing the video call. While they couldn't video chat anymore, typing was still possible.

Zhao Rongrong entered and saw Wang Qiqi rapidly tapping away on the computer. "Did I interrupt you?"

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "No, just chatting with my husband, asking how his trip is going."

Zhao Rongrong murmured an "Oh." Knowing she had indeed interrupted Wang Qiqi’s call, leaving seemed too obvious. She steeled herself and stated the reason she had come.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Shi Hongrui to approach Zhao Rongrong for a partnership—preferring to work with a friend over her own parents. Moreover, based on Zhao Rongrong's expression, Wang Qiqi doubted she had any serious interest in starting a business venture. "So, do you want to partner up or not?" Although Wang Qiqi could guess Zhao Rongrong's leanings, she still needed to know her true feelings. "Looking at the current situation, the proxy shopping business is still viable. Even if the profits might drop later, as long as the reputation holds, the business will generally be good." Wang Qiqi was very certain of this. Take her older sister, for example—she was savvy at business. Even though many people in the capital were now doing proxy shopping, she managed to keep her small operation secure. Of course, Wang Qiqi figured expanding the scale of operations would be risky, especially in the capital with so many eyes around; standing out too much could easily invite trouble. It was better to stick to her familiar territory. Besides, Wang Qiqi knew Song Yao’s positioning for that store was simply to cover household expenses with a little extra saved up for a house down payment, passing the time pleasantly. Wang Qiqi fully agreed with Song Yao’s philosophy of investing any spare money into property.

If Zhao Rongrong said she wasn't tempted, she'd be lying. But the problem was, "When partnering with someone, I always worry about future issues." Didn't many partnerships end with people losing friends and relatives? Zhao Rongrong dreaded reaching that point with Shi Hongrui. Also, she wondered why she would even consider partnering if she was genuinely interested in doing it; why not just go solo? However, Zhao Rongrong was intensely curious how Wang Qiqi and the others had managed to cooperate so well for several years without any arguments over profits, but she didn't know how to ask.

"Then let's lay it all out. When you partner up, you have to discuss the good and the bad," Wang Qiqi said dismissively. While careful consideration was good, overthinking often led to backing down. "Actually, we seriously considered dissolving our partnership a couple of years ago," Wang Qiqi mentioned a long-buried old issue casually.

Zhao Rongrong was startled by Wang Qiqi’s words. She hadn't expected that two people who seemed to get along so well would have considered breaking up. But as she listened further, she understood: although the thought of splitting was initially triggered by issues of profit distribution, it stemmed more from the unequal contributions leading to an eventual problem with equal profit sharing. "So, how did you..." Since they were still partners now, Zhao Rongrong assumed they must have figured out a way to continue.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "In reality, Manman contributed the most, but she insisted on not dissolving the partnership because of it. In the end, the rest of us discussed and agreed that we absolutely had to compensate her for her effort; only then was the issue resolved. Perhaps seeing Manman’s insistence on staying might have allowed us to just continue with the old arrangement, but over time, feelings would definitely surface. Now that we’ve spoken openly, it’s a system where the more capable earns more, and only then could we continue working together." Wang Qiqi’s underlying message was that successful partnerships required more than just agreeing on the terms at the start; she felt that whether a business succeeded or failed, problems were inevitable, so regular communication was crucial for a pleasant partnership. Especially in the case of Shi Hongrui and Zhao Rongrong, where Shi Hongrui clearly wanted to leverage Zhao Rongrong’s family connections to make the business succeed. From Shi Hongrui’s perspective, Wang Qiqi suspected Shi Hongrui was the one who should be worried; once Zhao Rongrong got the hang of the business and saw the potential profits, kicking her out wouldn't be difficult.

At first, Zhao Rongrong didn't grasp why Wang Qiqi was bringing this up, but slowly, she understood Qiqi's point. "Are you worried that..." Although a little hurt—knowing she wasn't that kind of person—she acknowledged that where money was involved, she couldn't guarantee her own initial intentions would remain unchanged if the business boomed. "Alas, even an outsider like you has these concerns; it’s certainly possible that Hongrui worries too."

"That's why you need communication," Wang Qiqi said, looking at the conflicted Zhao Rongrong. The current situation was that not partnering wasn't ideal, but partnering wasn't entirely smooth either. "Honestly, if life is manageable, not doing this line of work is fine too," Wang Qiqi concluded with a final thought.

Manageable life. Hearing those words, Rongrong offered a wry smile. A few years ago, it wouldn't have mattered whether she did proxy shopping or not. But the reason she was so attached to money now stemmed from several factors. "Life will certainly be manageable." Her parents had provided enough money for her to finish university and live modestly in the country for a few years afterward. But this money was also the last that her parents intended to give Hongrui. She had to consider that. "Actually, Hongrui has many constraints." Zhao Rongrong knew Wang Qiqi and Shi Man held certain opinions about Shi Hongrui. As her friend, though she couldn't say too much, she felt obligated to offer some defense.

Many constraints. Wang Qiqi offered a fleeting smile. "Life isn't life without its constraints. Whether you go ahead with this or not, you should have some clarity in your heart by now." Wang Qiqi was certain that even if Zhao Rongrong preferred not to enter the business, her concern for Shi Hongrui’s future welfare would likely lead her to agree to the partnership.

Zhao Rongrong gave a bitter smile. "What if we don't partner? Besides, can I really say no?" That girl would probably wear her down until she agreed. "Forget it, I’ll just treat it as earning some extra money. The cost of the trip abroad was already high enough. Even budget travel costs money." Easing the burden on her family, even slightly, was still helpful, especially after a quick trip to the supermarket today had seen money vanish like water just buying snacks and daily necessities—the prices, particularly when converted into Mao Zedong's face, were painful for someone used to being extremely frugal.

"There you go, problem solved. And it depends on how you partner. If the cooperation is good, it's the best. Our current business is mostly managed by my sister and Manman; we just collect dividends at the end of the year," Wang Qiqi explained. Knowing Song Yao was involved meant everything was clear. Plus, the initial capital had long been recovered; anything they earned now was pure profit, so there was no need to obsess over the amounts. Everyone also knew each other's bottom lines and wouldn't push things too far. Moreover, the fewer people meddling, the better the business ran; otherwise, one person’s suggestion could confuse the staff.

Zhao Rongrong pondered this. Perhaps she should rethink things too, like finding someone who was good friends with Shi Hongrui, had good connections, and a decent character to be her partner, letting herself become like Wang Qiqi—a sleeping partner waiting for the dividends? That sounded like a decent plan. "Thanks, Qiqi."

Wang Qiqi knew Zhao Rongrong had gleaned the intended message from her words. Wang Qiqi’s point was that partnership required clarity, but also not taking everything too seriously. Anyone with a very broad view would likely scoff at Qiqi's approach, thinking such laid-back cooperation would inevitably lead to being swindled. But for Qiqi, handling every detail herself would be exhausting, and the money earned might not even be more; it was better to follow her model.

After Zhao Rongrong left, Wang Qiqi turned her attention back to the chat, only to find Han Tao had already logged off to sleep. He had left her a message regarding the situation with Wang Damei and Song Wenbo.

"Wow, Niuniu really has some talent; she got those two old folks to talk a lot." Though the message from Han Tao showed that the relationship between the Wang Damei couple had significantly eased today—they were no longer arguing over trivial matters but consulting each other—even if only for the sake of the two children, this brought Wang Qiqi a sense of relief. Perhaps the couple understood that even if they chose divorce, the impact on the several children would be considerable, not to mention the large family and assets; Song Wenbo couldn't realistically leave with nothing. A little softness here, a little softness there, and their relationship gradually began to mend.

Seeing the good news, Wang Qiqi stretched, preparing to check her emails for any work she could pick up. She glanced at the clock on her computer, and what she saw shocked her: two whole hours had passed! This realization alarmed her, and she immediately rushed towards the kitchen, mentally chastising herself for promising Shi Man she'd only be upstairs for an hour at most. She had already doubled that time; if she didn't get downstairs soon, Wang Qiqi feared someone would come upstairs to drag her down.

Shi Man was just about to head upstairs to call Wang Qiqi when she heard the hurried footsteps. "Well, look who decided to come back to the kitchen," Shi Man said with displeasure. Seriously, she had only said she'd be up for a little while—this was far more than 'a little while.' What was there to talk about with Han Tao every day? Besides, someone had been working on programming after a long day of activities; she should consider if the man was tired. Of course, Shi Man’s reasons weren't the main point; the crucial thing was that she was hungry. She had prepared so many ingredients; if the chef didn't start working soon, when would they eat?

Wang Qiqi knew she had been excessive, but she also felt wronged. She hadn't actually spent much of that time chatting with Han Tao. But she couldn't reveal the real reason. If Zhao Rongrong decided against the partnership, would Shi Hongrui assume that Wang Qiqi had said something to dissuade Zhao Rongrong? Living under the same roof, Wang Qiqi did not want to spend the next year enduring cold shoulders directed at her; that feeling was truly irritating. "Sigh, there were a lot of family matters, everyone needed an update on the situation, so it took longer than expected."

Hearing Wang Qiqi’s explanation, Shi Man found it difficult to press further. She assumed Qiqi’s aunt must have had another issue. "Alright, go cook then." Shi Man felt a little helpless thinking that someone of that age could still cause such a fuss.

Zhao Rongrong was sitting in the living room discussing matters with Zhang Yan. When she heard Shi Man’s reproach to Wang Qiqi, she knew she was the reason Qiqi was so late. She was about to offer an explanation when she noticed Wang Qiqi had already smoothed things over with Shi Man. She clamped her mouth shut. Though she appeared engrossed in conversation with Zhang Yan, she had actually made her final decision. She had initially planned to string Shi Hongrui along a bit, but since a partnership seemed likely, there was no need for games. She decided to use the time before dinner to find Hongrui and discuss things openly. If Hongrui agreed, they could start making arrangements. "Yanyan, I need to find Hongrui about something."

Zhang Yan murmured an "Oh," picked up the book from the coffee table, and continued reading. Meanwhile, Shi Hongrui, though lying down in her room claiming she needed rest, couldn't actually sleep. Her mind raced, considering whom she would approach for a partnership if Rongrong declined. She was completely unaware that good news was about to drop into her lap.

Shi Man lingered on the stairs for a moment before following Wang Qiqi into the kitchen. "Did Zhao Rongrong come looking for you just now?" Shi Man knew how much exaggeration was in Wang Qiqi’s words earlier. She recalled Qiqi mentioning that Wang Damei and her husband’s relationship was slowly improving; how much worse could it really get?

Wang Qiqi was startled by Shi Man’s direct question and the sudden appearance of her face right in front of her. "Yes." Wang Qiqi replied with a touch of annoyance. Did she have to be so sneaky just to inquire about the situation? Besides, wasn't she going to tell her anyway?

Shi Man hadn't expected to be right. "It wasn't about the partnership, was it?" Shi Man figured that Zhao Rongrong wouldn't seek out Qiqi at this time for any other reason. Furthermore, Shi Man had noticed that Zhao Rongrong and Zhang Yan seemed to be on the same wavelength, and she had seen Zhao Rongrong come downstairs only ten minutes before Qiqi did; Zhang Yan certainly hadn't needed anything from Qiqi.

Wang Qiqi had planned to tell Shi Man later, but since Shi Man had guessed correctly, Wang Qiqi lowered her voice and explained Zhao Rongrong’s purpose.

"No way!" Shi Man was taken aback by what Wang Qiqi told her, but she quickly understood. "Partnering with Rongrong is a good idea; she’s a really good person." Shi Hongrui had good judgment; Zhao Rongrong would make a decent partner. Of course, whether the business would continue successfully depended not just on Zhao Rongrong, but also on Shi Hongrui's intentions.

"Qiqi, honestly, I was worried she might suggest partnering with us," Shi Man said quietly. Although the possibility was slim, she had worried Shi Hongrui might tentatively bring it up.

Wang Qiqi looked at the visibly relieved Shi Man. "Impossible. We’ve been cooperating for so many years; why would we add her now?" It wasn't like in the beginning when capital and connections were scarce, and an extra partner might have been a significant boost. "My sister's side is stable like this; they won't expand much, and the same goes for my sister-in-law’s side," Wang Qiqi stated, knowing Shi Man's ambition and offering some preemptive information.

"I know," Shi Man replied with an 'I knew it all along' expression. "Why else would I have agreed to buy shares from Bai Ge?" Shi Man intended to continue in the proxy shopping business, but she knew the competition would only increase, necessitating diversified development. "I plan to become a purchasing agent. My future development path will gradually shift from proxy buying brand names to sourcing distinctive clothing and jewelry."

Wang Qiqi had previously floated this direction, but due to everyone being busy, this aspect hadn't progressed smoothly, remaining small-scale. Since Song Yao and Yang Jing couldn't detach themselves from family or store matters these past two years, the responsibility for being the purchasing agent had fallen entirely on Shi Man, who wouldn't be able to develop this area until next year at the earliest.

"That sounds great. We’ll be relying on you for our private savings from now on," Wang Qiqi said, catching the implication in Shi Man’s words. That was fine; being a purchasing agent would be more tiring, but if done well, the profits would definitely surpass what they were making now.

"I know, I know," Shi Man retorted, sounding exasperated. "Oh, and when is your man arriving in the UK? Are you picking him up?"

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "He’ll manage the transfer himself." Wang Qiqi had no intention of flying to London to meet him only to take another plane back—that would be a waste of money. "I’ll just pick him up at the airport."

"That makes sense; your man travels quite a bit." Even though he was something of an indoor enthusiast, he had to go out sometimes and wouldn't be completely unfamiliar with airports. "Are you really going to make Han Tao stay in a hotel?" Shi Man thought Han Tao could stay in Qiqi’s room; there was no need to waste that money.

If it were just the three of them, Wang Qiqi wouldn't mind having Han Tao stay over, but given the current circumstances—"We agreed initially that we wouldn't bring boyfriends home to stay. I’ve only been here a few days, and if I break that rule now, what happens later?" If Shi Hongrui found a boyfriend later and wanted him to stay, Wang Qiqi wouldn't have a moral standing to refuse him entry. Han Tao hadn't been there for long, but for the sake of long-term domestic bliss, Wang Qiqi couldn't be the first to renege on an agreement.

Shi Man considered this and agreed. Their men’s stays in the UK wouldn't be long anyway; there was no need to set a bad precedent first. "Right, right."

"Dinner time!" Through the combined efforts of Wang Qiqi and Shi Man, the lavish welcoming feast finally commenced at six in the evening.

At Shi Man’s announcement, the three people waiting impatiently in the living room hopped up and rushed to help carry the dishes to the dining table. Shi Hongrui had already set out the cutlery. "Oh, I forgot to buy wine!" With such a great atmosphere, such good food, and good news to announce, how could they lack fine wine? This omission really took the shine off the meal.

"Right, right! How can we do without wine?" Shi Man finally realized what she felt she had missed buying. Shi Hongrui’s reminder made it clear. "I'll go buy some wine." There was wine at the supermarket; a quick trip would suffice.

"I'll go, I'll go!" Shi Hongrui exclaimed enthusiastically. "I'll buy the wine, and I'll pay for it!" Hahaha, Shi Hongrui said generously, after all, she had good news to share shortly.

Shi Man paused, and Zhang Yan also looked surprised. Why was Hongrui suddenly so eager, volunteering to buy wine and pay for it? Wasn't this supposed to be a welcoming dinner where everyone chipped in?

Wang Qiqi watched Shi Hongrui, who was already nowhere in sight due to her excitement, and wondered if Zhao Rongrong had told her about agreeing to the partnership. She glanced at Zhao Rongrong, noticing her complete lack of surprise. "Let her go buy it. She has good news to announce later." While revealing the matter so quickly might have slightly displeased Zhao Rongrong, it wasn't something that could be hidden for long. Once the groceries were back, the others would figure it out, so it was better to announce it now than later.

Now that even Zhao Rongrong said as much, only a complete fool wouldn't grasp it. Zhang Yan looked around, realizing she was the only one unaware of the good news Shi Hongrui was about to announce, which soured her mood. She felt they had only just moved in, and already she was being isolated from the others—what would the future hold?

Wang Qiqi noticed the change in Zhang Yan’s expression and knew she was upset, but she couldn't reveal the happy tidings. After a moment's thought, Wang Qiqi leaned in and whispered a few words into Zhang Yan’s ear. As Zhang Yan listened to Wang Qiqi’s explanation, the tension slowly eased from her face, bringing a measure of relief to Shi Man, who had been watching with concern. Shi Man had only one thought: living with women, even close friends, presented too many considerations, especially when sharing quarters with someone quite private.