Wang Qiqi rubbed her eyes and shut down the computer, planning to rest a while before heading down. Since it was barbecue night anyway, going down later wouldn't be an issue. Of course, Wang Qiqi’s grand scheme was that perhaps by the time she woke up, the others would have already set up the grill and started cooking some meat, allowing her to just swoop in and enjoy the feast. Wang Qiqi had truly calculated everything perfectly, but Shi Man was not about to let Wang Qiqi have her way.

Hardly had Wang Qiqi lain down when she heard a knock, followed by a head poking in. Upon seeing Wang Qiqi sprawled on her bunk, the face was clearly etched with the expression, I knew you’d try to nap and be lazy.

Wang Qiqi turned and saw Shi Man. She rolled over, preparing to go back to sleep. Hmph, she thought, you want me to pay attention to you? Impossible. I need a good rest now so I have the energy to fight for food later, right? "How was the haul today?" After waiting for a long time with no sign of Shi Man leaving—in fact, she had squeezed inside—Wang Qiqi reluctantly asked about the day’s findings.

"The haul wasn't great," Shi Man admitted she wasn't very satisfied. "You’re still sleeping? Everyone else is already getting the barbecue stuff ready." Luckily, the landlord had left a set of barbecue tools in the garage, so they only needed to buy charcoal, saving them quite a bit of money.

"You guys go ahead and grill," Wang Qiqi thought, I'm exhausted; I really need rest. I'll come down later.

"Oh, Wang Qiqi, you have some nerve sleeping!" Shi Man and Shi Hongrui had gone out early that morning, and Shi Man hadn't complained about being tired. To think that Wang Qiqi, who had nothing pressing to do at home today, was planning to sleep struck Shi Man as utterly excessive. "Qiqi, get down here and grill the meat." Hmph, she thought, trying to sneak down later to share the spoils of victory—that’s a bit too much, isn’t it?

"I'm not coming," Wang Qiqi stated her position firmly. "This is to exercise everyone’s practical skills. If you can’t cook, fine, but you can’t even fail at barbecuing, can you?" Wang Qiqi declared with impeccable righteousness, an expression of concern plastered across her face for the other girls.

Anyone else might have thought Wang Qiqi was genuinely worried about their culinary abilities. But how could Shi Man not know Wang Qiqi’s true intentions? "You just want to eat what's ready, don't you?" This girl was clearly trying to slack off and yet insisted on putting on a worried face for them—it was too phony. "Barbecuing is such a wonderful way to foster closer relationships."

"We have a whole year to get closer," Wang Qiqi thought, I'm truly so tired, all I want is sleep. "Let me rest a bit; I stayed up late yesterday." Alas, there were too many things to consider, making Wang Qiqi genuinely feel worn out.

"A commission?" Shi Man asked, puzzled. But then she reconsidered; if there were that many orders, Qiqi could easily have asked her to do them. Not all orders could be rush jobs.

Wang Qiqi truly wished they were all rush jobs, but that wasn't the issue. "Bai Ge."

Bai Ge? Although Shi Man was abroad, Bai Ge often updated them online about the school's progress, and Song Yao was also keeping an eye on things locally. Could she have run into a major snag?

"It’s nothing, just about teaching matters." Although it was a bit tricky, it was the first time Bai Ge had encountered something like this, causing her to panic slightly. Moreover, Song Yao wasn't in the country, and she couldn't be reached. That’s why Bai Ge was a little flustered.

After learning from Wang Qiqi about the difficulty Bai Ge was facing, Shi Man rolled her eyes several times. "She needed our consent for this?" It wasn't that big of an issue. "I think she's just being overly cautious." Of course, they were currently in the investment phase, so even if Bai Ge had any ill intentions, she wouldn't show them. But the fact that she had to ask Qiqi about such a minor thing left Shi Man speechless.

"Better safe than sorry. Besides, if handled poorly, it could significantly impact the school's development." Wang Qiqi understood Bai Ge’s cautiousness; after all, if they lost money, it would be hard to justify.

Shi Man took a deep breath. She understood the logic Qiqi presented. "In reality, we appointed her to manage the school so we could be hands-off owners." Alas, Shi Man sometimes found Bai Ge to be incredibly bold and at other times excessively timid. Shi Man truly couldn't figure her out, but as long as the money was coming in, she didn't really care. "Alright, let's go down. We’ve talked for so long; you probably aren't sleepy anymore."

Wang Qiqi understood Shi Man’s tactic perfectly—she had intentionally kept talking to wear down her sleepiness. That was truly vicious. "You," she sighed, "are too much." Even if the sleepiness had completely vanished, Wang Qiqi had to get up. "You’re a real grim reaper, refusing to let me rest properly. So excessive."

No matter what Wang Qiqi said, Shi Man just smiled at her. As long as her goal was achieved, that was enough. What Qiqi thought of it was completely irrelevant. "Oh, by the way, Old Feng is moving house," Shi Man dropped a bombshell on Wang Qiqi.

Moving house? Wang Qiqi wasn't surprised in the least. It made no sense to work in NY while keeping a residence in BSD. Even if the BSD place could be rented out, maintaining two residences would be tough for Feng Xuanxiang, and NY property wasn't cheap. Comparatively, Wang Qiqi figured Old Feng would rather put the money into investments. "I thought he would rent." Many young people preferred renting so they could easily move when changing jobs without having to deal with too much baggage.

"People still prefer to buy houses," Shi Man countered, well aware of the benefits of renting. "Didn't you two secure your place early on? Having a home provides a sense of security."

Wang Qiqi trailed after Shi Man, swaying slightly, arriving on the lawn to find that they had already started barbecuing. The plastic tables and chairs were also set up. "Wow, it’s only a little past four, isn't it?" Dinner was starting quite early.

"Eat early, pack up early," Zhang Yan picked up a freshly grilled skewer of beef and started eating. "Not bad, tastes great. Qiqi, don't worry about the time; start eating." Although the meat was good, without Qiqi’s marinade from yesterday, it probably wouldn't have been this delicious.

Shi Hongrui rubbed her bulging stomach, looking longingly at the substantial amount of meat and corn still on the grill. "Sigh, all this good food, what are we going to do with it?" Looking at food you can’t eat is a huge torment for a foodie. She could eat the corn later. "Thank goodness I walked around with Manman a lot today, or my appetite wouldn't be this good."

Shi Man was continuously shaking her hands and feet on the side, trying to exercise, but her eyes remained fixed on the meat roasting over the fire. She wouldn't say anything; she wanted to use practical action to convey her desire for more.

Wang Qiqi observed the two: one talking, the other constantly exercising in hopes of working up an appetite for more food. "I’ve eaten enough; I’m going for a long walk. You two remember to clean up." Since the other two were determined to keep eating, they might as well handle the cleanup.

Shi Man looked at the greasy plastic table, the oily cutlery, and the greasy grill. She genuinely didn't want to clean. "I’ll go for a walk first and clean up when I get back." Perhaps by then, someone else would have already taken care of the cleaning. Besides, if she didn't exercise, how could she possibly eat more, especially with Shi Hongrui’s stomach already puffed up? Shi Man doubted she could eat much more, and maybe by the time her stomach settled, Shi Man would have finished her workout too.

Shi Hongrui had initially considered cleaning up, given the amount of meat they had eaten and the fact that Shi Man was supposed to help. But the moment Shi Man announced she was leaving first, Shi Hongrui immediately protested. "I’ll go for a walk too!" If it weren't for all the greasy stuff, Shi Hongrui might have accepted cleaning. But because everything was so oily, she worried her hands would become rough. She’d rather take a walk now to avoid discomfort and gaining weight tonight; exercise was necessary.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected that the end result would be a mandatory group exercise session, meaning they’d still have to clean up later. "Then let's all go together. Hurry up!" If they kept dawdling, who knew when they would even start walking.

The group quickly packed the already grilled meat onto plates and placed them in the dining area, then immediately embarked on their digestion exercise for the day. The barbecue tools and kitchen utensils would have to wait until they returned from their stroll.

Wang Qiqi and the others swung their arms vigorously as they circled the neighborhood roads. After walking for a while, Shi Man and Shi Hongrui began to feel increasingly uncomfortable in their stomachs. "Qiqi, my stomach hurts a bit," Shi Man admitted. Alas, she had eaten too much. Shi Man had thought that after walking a few hundred meters, the discomfort would subside, but she realized she was totally wrong. After walking this far, her stomach still ached terribly, perhaps even more painfully than before they started walking.

Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man’s distressed face. "You ate too much. Keep exercising." Poor girl, she looked at the grilled meat the same way she looked at Old Feng—eyes shining brightly. Even if she didn't want to be outdone by Shi Hongrui, did she really need to torture her stomach like this?

Shi Man had been spurred on by Shi Hongrui today, and after walking all day, how could she resist such delicious barbecue? Naturally, she ate with abandon. She had initially thought that with her usual appetite, a little exercise would suffice, never expecting such dire consequences. "I won't be so greedy next time." While eating extra meat meant they saved money on the bill, the physical discomfort was a cost that couldn't be easily calculated. Alas, Shi Man deeply regretted acting like a child without considering the consequences.

"Me neither," Shi Hongrui also regretted her binge. Seeing Shi Man eat so much, she had followed suit, leading to her current stomachache.

Zhao Rongrong, seeing Shi Hongrui clutching her stomach in discomfort, felt a pang of worry. "You, you’re happy and the food is delicious, but you can’t eat like that." Zhao Rongrong was about to suggest they take some indigestion tablets when she remembered they hadn't brought regular medications for fear of confiscation at customs. "If you feel unwell, don't walk so fast. Slow down a bit." They couldn't just stop walking because of stomach pain and bloating; some movement would help digest at least a little of what they ate.

"Honestly, it's because today's barbecue was just too good. Qiqi, when Han Tao gets here, let's have another barbecue, just not so much food," Shi Man suggested. She couldn't guarantee she wouldn't overeat if there was too much, so for safety, she thought they should keep the quantity down. "Then you can just cook a couple of side dishes."

Wang Qiqi looked at Shi Man, whose stomach was hurting because of gluttony, yet she was already planning the next barbecue. She didn't know what to say. "Next time, I'll grill more potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn." These items could be eaten cold, and these carnivores probably wouldn't like them much.

"What?"

"No way," Shi Man thought this was outrageous. While roasted sweet potatoes were okay, "Is a barbecue without meat even a barbecue?"

Shi Hongrui nodded vigorously in agreement with Shi Man. "Exactly. Meat isn't expensive abroad, but vegetables aren't cheap either." Shi Hongrui's point was that from an economic perspective, eating meat was more cost-effective, and it was more filling.

"Eating meat until you're stuffed, and then needing to walk it off—that’s the biggest waste," Zhao Rongrong remarked frankly. "Do you have any idea how much meat the five of us ate today?"

Wang Qiqi and the others hadn't actually calculated the quantity, but they were certain, "It wasn't a small amount." They had brought out so much meat, and only a little was left.

"The five of us actually ate over five kilograms of meat today," Zhao Rongrong reported after quickly tallying the consumption, "and that doesn't include the corn, potatoes, and other things."

Zhang Yan was shocked by the number Zhao Rongrong gave. "What? Over five kilograms of meat?" That was terrifyingly high, averaging over a kilogram per person.

"I probably ate less than half a kilogram," Wang Qiqi noted that she had eaten more grilled vegetables today and relatively little meat. "I estimate at least 3.5 kilograms were consumed by those two," she glanced at Shi Man and Shi Hongrui.

Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan were both quite health-conscious. Although they loved today’s barbecue, they wouldn't eat mindlessly. "But those mushrooms, grilled, were really tasty," Wang Qiqi added, especially the shiitake mushrooms topped with minced meat; that flavor was absolutely superb, and they weren't greasy at all.

"Yes, yes, shiitake with minced meat is delicious," Shi Man recalled fondly. She had been so focused on the meat that she hadn't paid attention to the mushrooms, only grabbing the last one on the principle of 'must try everything' and realizing what a great delicacy she had missed. "Next time, make more," she requested.

Shi Hongrui hadn't tried that dish. Seeing the look of fond remembrance on the other four faces, she asked with envy, "Are they really that good?"

Shi Man gleefully described to Shi Hongrui just how delicious that dish was, making Shi Hongrui intensely envious. "Ahhh, I must try it next time!" What a shame. Shi Hongrui didn't know when she’d get to eat that dish again, but she figured when Qiqi's boyfriend arrived, she’d definitely drag Shi Man along to persuade Wang Qiqi to host another barbecue, and this time, they’d marinate the meat properly first; that flavor was truly excellent and deeply infused.

Wang Qiqi was delighted that the shiitake with minced meat dish was so popular. "If we have shiitake mushrooms, I don't even need to barbecue them to make it for you. I can just bake them in the oven."

Shi Hongrui’s eyes lit up when she heard the oven could produce such a dish. "Manman, aren't we going shopping tomorrow? Let's go browse near your supermarket, and then we can pick up some shiitake mushrooms on the way back." It would be killing two birds with one stone. At this moment, Shi Hongrui regretted coming to this small town. While the cultural atmosphere was nice, it certainly wasn't as bustling as London, especially for her cross-border shopping business—big cities made procurement easier. Thus, she planned to shadow Shi Man around the distinctive shops, looking for business opportunities. Moreover, based on today’s interactions, even if Shi Man still held reservations about her and wasn't overly warm, she still offered some advice, which made Shi Hongrui quite satisfied. Even if Shi Man was only guiding her out of consideration for Rongrong, so what?

Originally, they were scheduled to visit a different place tomorrow, supposedly an interesting area where many designers who hadn't achieved peak success gathered. Sometimes, they could unearth some great finds there. Shi Man and Shi Hongrui had planned to check that area out the day after tomorrow, but because of the food, Shi Hongrui was changing tomorrow’s itinerary.

Shi Man initially wanted to object. After all, Han Tao was arriving in just a few days, and she also wanted to browse for some interesting items to send back to China to gauge the market. If the feedback was good, she could purchase more inventory. But food was also important; ultimately, they were earning money to eat and drink well.

"I'll go," Wang Qiqi said, seeing Shi Man hesitate. She knew where Shi Man intended to go tomorrow, as Shi Man had often tried to invite Qiqi along, but Qiqi genuinely wasn't interested in those things. "I can go look around for some good things to pick up. I want to decorate my room beautifully." While Shi Man’s room wasn't exactly glamorous, it was generally well-arranged. Wang Qiqi still remembered sending Song Yao a picture of her attic after she had cleaned it, and Song Yao’s immediate reaction was that it was slightly better than a pigsty. Han Tao’s reaction upon seeing it was, "Don't be cheap; even if you rent, get a nicer room." This had left Wang Qiqi quite speechless. Therefore, no matter what, she planned to spruce up her room before Han Tao arrived.

"I’ll go with you," Zhang Yan also wanted to check that street for any cheap, nice items. Although she often wrote about scenery now, she could incorporate lifestyle elements, perhaps by writing a guide on where students studying abroad could find good bargains.

Zhao Rongrong looked at Wang Qiqi, then at Shi Hongrui. After thinking for a moment, she decided, "I'll follow Rui Rui and the others tomorrow." Rui Rui had mentioned a good place they knew about, and Zhao Rongrong was keen to see it.

"So, there will be no one left at home tomorrow?" Wang Qiqi was surprised that Zhao Rongrong wouldn't at least accompany her. This meant that the two of them would have to carry back everything they bought in bulk tomorrow. Alas. "Tomorrow it will only be Zhang Yan and me going shopping. How pitiful."

Zhang Yan nodded with an equally disappointed expression, making Zhao Rongrong feel a bit guilty, as if she were abandoning Qiqi and the others. She considered perhaps staying with Wang Qiqi tomorrow, and for the place Rui Rui and the others were going, she could follow them next time.

"No labor force," Zhang Yan lamented, truly regretting it. She had expected Zhao Rongrong to definitely stick with them, but instead, she was following two dedicated shoppers. This made her quite angry.

Hearing this, Zhao Rongrong understood why Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan looked so unhappy—it was because they were losing their designated carrier. "Hey, you two are too mean! You’re deliberately making me sad."

Shi Hongrui immediately looped an arm around Zhao Rongrong. "Come with us instead. Manman and I will welcome your company." Hahaha, Shi Hongrui absolutely had to keep Zhao Rongrong. Tomorrow might involve major shopping sprees, and compared to Wang Qiqi’s group, Shi Hongrui felt that she and Shi Man were the ones who most needed a strong carrier.

"Mm-hmm," Zhao Rongrong thought it over and decided staying with Shi Hongrui and Shi Man was the better choice. She noticed that the two of them hadn't bought much during their outing today. Tomorrow, she expected to have a much more leisurely time with them, whereas Qiqi and Zhang Yan would likely return with bags overflowing. Therefore, Zhao Rongrong concluded that following Shi Hongrui was the most sensible decision.

Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan exchanged a look, thinking how pitifully Zhao Rongrong hadn't noticed the gleam in Rui Rui’s eyes. However, they wouldn't say anything; some lessons were only learned through experience. If Rui Rui and Shi Man returned tomorrow laden with bags, the likelihood of poor, pitiable Rongrong joining them for future shopping trips would be slim. And when that happened, wouldn't they have plenty of labor then?

Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan slept until late morning before heading out to shop. Having learned from experience, the two decided to browse first. Although they had gone shopping with a specific list before, they couldn't resist the allure of many beautiful items that weren't too expensive. As women, Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan were easily swayed. "Oh, this is nice, it would look great in the living room."

"This teacup is quite large and pretty; it'll be nice for drinking water back home."

Amidst continuous exclamations of approval, the two acquired quite a few daily necessities. Although it bordered on a spree, Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan felt that everything they bought was needed. Slowly, their purchases exceeded their initial intentions. If they hadn't later remembered they needed to go to the supermarket for food, who knew when they would have finished.

When Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan finally concluded their shopping, they looked at the mountain of bags piled at their feet and offered a wry smile. "We thought we were being quite rational, but it turns out..."

"Exactly. I predict Zhao Rongrong won't want to come out with us when she sees what we bought," Zhang Yan foresaw a low probability of Zhao Rongrong joining them in the future. "Forget it, let's head back. I need to go home and decorate my room." Zhang Yan was already eagerly anticipating how beautiful the small decorative pieces she bought would look in her room; it made her excited to return quickly.

Two people had originally assumed Shi Man and the others would have arrived; instead, they were met by an empty room. “Oh, they haven’t come back yet,” Zhang Yan said, and as soon as she saw no one was around, she and Wang Qiqi, like petty thieves, swiftly shoved the purchased vegetables and meat into the refrigerator. They then prepared to retreat to their respective rooms, intending to wait until Shi Man and the others returned to see what they had bought before deciding what to say.

“Good thing we got back early,” they both saw the same sentiment reflected in the other’s eyes. “Let’s go,” they encouraged each other with a quick pat on the back before darting into their rooms.

Bu Bu was hiking the ancient 20km trail today, hoping she could keep it up.