Qi Qi had her back to Shi Man, unaware of the other woman's troubled expression. She was determined to tackle the wire task since someone else would handle the curtain sewing, wanting their home to be spotless by tomorrow when Han Tao arrived. They'd aim to finish preparations for their trip in two days - finally an adventure after weeks of domestic chores that had consumed every minute since arriving in Britain.

Shi Man watched Qi Qi hammer nails into walls and floors while wrestling with the wire. A sigh escaped her lips. If Cong Yao could see how hard Qi Qi was working, what would she think? The younger woman might assume Qi Qi's life wasn't going well at all.

"What are you sighing about?" Qi Qi wiped sweat from her brow after securing the last wire, plopping down with a groan. "You're killing yourself for nothing. What did you expect me to do if you showed up unannounced?" She grabbed her water cup and examined the curtain she'd sewn earlier.

"I wanted to tell you..." Shi Man's voice wavered as she watched Qi Qi work. "...about someone I saw today."

"Who? Someone from our past?" The needle slipped, piercing Qi Qi's finger. "Cong Yiyi?" She stared at her friend in disbelief.

The name resurrected memories long buried. "She went to Canada, didn't she? You said something about her finding a wealthy Canadian who wanted to marry her."

"Not anymore." Shi Man shook her head, describing the woman behind the counter with carefully applied makeup but prematurely aged eyes.

"A store clerk?" Qi Qi's voice cracked as she realized what it meant. "She was supposed to be living this glamorous life!" The betrayal of expectations was too much - their former classmates had marveled at Cong Yiyi's luck when she left, yet here she was working menial jobs in England.

"She's considering beauty school," Shi Man added grimly. "The designer boyfriend? He's off chasing inspiration while the store flounders."

Qi Qi could barely process it. "So she's just... waiting for her visa to expire?"

"Exactly." Shi Man smirked. "And by the way, she's been bragging online about how happy she is living in a 'dream world' with him. Classic Cong Yiyi - always spinning stories."

The girls fell silent as Qi Qi considered alternative scenarios. Maybe beauty school was wiser than university? At least it could offer practical skills for post-divorce life... if that ever happened.

"Still, she'll never come back to China willingly," Shi Man said suddenly. "She's obsessed with foreign welfare benefits. Even if her visa gets rejected."

"Right." Qi Qi nodded, already dreading potential encounters.

"Don't worry," Shi Man reassured her as they continued working. "Her store is a dead end. We have nothing in common anymore - except maybe she'll try to impress you now."

Imagining Cong Yiyi's attempts at flattery made Qi Qi groan.

"Think of it as acting practice," Shi Man laughed, dodging the other woman's half-hearted swat. "Besides, it's better than dealing with the real problem..."

The conversation abruptly shifted when Han Tao finally spotted his girlfriend waving frantically through airport crowds. He'd been waiting for her signal since navigating past an oblivious tourist group. Now seeing Qi Qi's exaggerated gestures drawing curious glances from strangers, he sighed inwardly at their predictable domestic dynamic.

"Did you miss me or just the chance to shout nonsense?" Han Tao teased as they reached their luggage, though his relief was palpable after weeks of family drama back home had left him exhausted.

"Excuses," Qi Qi huffed. "You didn't even acknowledge my existence until we were practically on top of each other."

"I brought two aunties and a couple of couples with me," he explained as they walked towards the hotel where Qi Qi had booked their rooms in advance. The conversation about overseas holidays and future travel plans resumed, blending seamlessly into the familiar rhythm of their relationship.

Back at the apartment complex, Shi Man surveyed the pile of lumber with amusement. "Han Tao might need a defibrillator when he sees this," she whispered to her roommates, imagining his reaction as they prepared for the next day's DIY projects and eventual trip.

Wang Qiqi, beaming with excitement as she recounted their last barbecue's deliciousness and joyous moments to Han Tao, failed to notice the wooden planks scattered across the lawn. Han Tao had already spotted them but kept silent, his voice steady as he handed her a suitcase. "Help me carry these inside first," he said, glancing at the lumber pieces on the ground, "I need to sort this framework out." Though tomorrow would work just fine, the sight of Qiqi's carefully selected materials stirred something in Han Tao - the shelving unit wasn't particularly difficult, just tedious. The desk she wanted? That could be assembled blindfolded.

Qiqi finally noticed the lumber now and flushed with embarrassment. "We can do it tomorrow," she offered hesitantly, "You must be exhausted after today."

"Today's fine," Han Tao said decisively, already weighing his response in mind, "Tomorrow take me around nearby - show me where you'll spend your year-long stay." After all, there was still the library he wanted to visit. Qiqi had plenty of time for campus tours when she wasn't otherwise occupied.