Zhang Yan emerged from her room, planning to use the restroom before heading to bed. Tomorrow was the first day of classes, and she didn't want to make a bad impression on the professor. Though she doubted she would sleep easily, perhaps counting sheep would do the trick.

Just as Zhang Yan reached for the bathroom door, she spotted a figure coming up from downstairs. It was nearly eleven, and considering everyone had been overwhelmed by their reading lists, they had scattered early after dinner—some to pore over books, others to rest. The downstairs area should have been empty. Who could it be? She was about to call out when she recognized the silhouette: it was Qiqi. "Qiqi, didn't you say you were going to review your lessons?"

Zhang Yan remembered Qiqi muttering about reviving the good old tradition from primary school: reviewing and previewing lessons daily so as not to panic during exams. Why was she downstairs now? Had someone gotten hungry? But that didn't fit either; even if Qiqi were hungry, she never had midnight snacks.

"The two of them are coming back for breakfast tomorrow," Wang Qiqi thought, feeling rather like a cook now. A message from a certain someone had her scurrying downstairs to start preparations.

Breakfast, for several people. "So, Old Feng will be staying with us tomorrow?" Zhang Yan asked, surprised. Surely he wouldn't return to the hotel after breakfast, meaning Qiqi would then have to prepare lunch too?

Wang Qiqi nodded. "That means I need to prepare lunch for a few people tomorrow." Zhao Rongrong and Shi Hongrui had tasted their school cafeteria lunch today; they agreed the food was decent, but the price was steep. Okay for an occasional treat, but they hadn't explicitly said they wanted to bring lunch. Still, Wang Qiqi figured since the others were bringing meals, she might as well make a bit extra, especially since the cost would be shared. If she didn't bring lunch, that would be one thing. "I'll make some sushi tomorrow." It was warm, and Wang Qiqi worried about rice bowls spoiling. "Or maybe I'll just make some cold noodles?" That shouldn't go bad.

Cold noodles. Zhang Yan was from the North. While she enjoyed rice, her preference leaned more towards wheat-based foods. "Then let's have cold noodles," she said, then paused, realizing making cold noodles wasn't easy and was quite time-consuming. "Is that going to be too much trouble?"

Making cold noodles was indeed tedious, primarily because the noodles needed to be cooled down. Zhang Yan recalled that every time her family made them, preparations started early: boiling water and then letting it cool completely. Since Qiqi had just thought of it, didn't that mean she'd have to wake up near midnight to get started? "How about I go boil the water now? Then you can sleep in a bit later tomorrow."

Wang Qiqi was startled by Zhang Yan’s movement toward the stairs and even more so when she heard her intention was to boil water. "Don't worry, the tap water here is very safe, drinkable directly. I plan to just rinse them with tap water tomorrow." That made things much more convenient, of course. Otherwise, Wang Qiqi wouldn't bother making cold noodles; while nice once in a while, if she was making it herself, she preferred the simplest method.

Rinsing with tap water? Zhang Yan was shocked by Wang Qiqi’s words. She was about to protest that it wasn't hygienic, but then she remembered the water here was quite clean, especially with the filtration system. "That's true, I keep forgetting I’m not back home."

Wang Qiqi patted Zhang Yan’s shoulder. "Relax, I'll eat it too." She wouldn't deliberately consume something unclean, especially since medical fees abroad were exorbitant. "It's getting late; go to sleep." At this hour, Zhang Yan should already be asleep, but she was still thinking about the restroom—that showed how nervous the girl was. "There’s some milk downstairs; have a drink before you sleep." Although milk is supposedly helpful for sleep, Wang Qiqi didn't know if it was due to her own high intake of coffee and green tea, or if milk simply didn't work for her; at some point, she always managed to drift off.

Hearing about the milk, Zhang Yan moved her lips, intending to mention that she drank milk a few nights ago when she couldn't sleep, but it had zero effect. Still, drinking more milk couldn't hurt her health. "Thank you."

Even though Wang Qiqi had simplified the process of making cold noodles, preparing lunch for five people, plus that 'certain someone's' lunch, meant she had to boil a considerable amount of noodles. She was thankful she had stockpiled some dried noodles at home recently for those midnight hunger pangs. "Thank goodness I stocked up back then." Wang Qiqi looked at the emptied noodle container and then at the noodles already spread out on the counter to partially dry. Wiping sweat from her brow, she had one clear thought: she would never casually suggest making cold noodles again. Boiling the noodles took energy, and then there were the sauces; realistically, it was no less work than stir-frying.

Shi Hongrui shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and hauling a large backpack. She was about to ask what was for breakfast when she saw the pile of cooked noodles. "Are we having cold noodles for breakfast?" Cold noodles were fine for this weather, but the quantity made Shi Hongrui hesitant. It seemed too much for breakfast, but perhaps too little for lunch.

"Lunch. See how much you can eat. Whatever is left after we take ours is for Manman's man." Wang Qiqi assumed Old Feng was coming over to check on the stock market, and it would be inconvenient without proper facilities and internet access at the hotel.

Manman’s man’s lunch? Shi Hongrui looked at Wang Qiqi in surprise. Was he planning to stay here all day if he came so early? "Then I’ll hang the laundry out. Can you help me bring it in later?"

Wang Qiqi had expected Shi Hongrui to mention that it was awkward for a grown man to be alone at home, not suggest having Feng Xuanxiang collect laundry. Outer garments might be acceptable, but if it involved underwear, Old Feng’s face would likely turn dark. Wang Qiqi decided against pursuing that idea.

Zhao Rongrong, trailing behind, overheard Shi Hongrui and glanced at Qiqi’s expression. She quickly walked over to Shi Hongrui. "Old Feng has important business to attend to; he's not here to do your laundry." Old Feng wasn't useless; he was taking time out to accompany Shi Man, not to do housework.

"Exactly. Asking him to collect clothes? We might as well have someone treat us to a good meal," Wang Qiqi remarked, recalling Feng Xuanxiang’s previous treat. She was genuinely curious how he knew that restaurant was good; the storefront wasn't large, and she would have missed it entirely without guidance. While the prices weren't cheap, compared to the quality of the food, they were quite reasonable.

Hearing Qiqi say that, Shi Hongrui's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes, eating out is better. Although that last place was good, it would be nice to try a different spot." This way, they could vary the cuisine. Although Qiqi’s cooking was excellent, Shi Hongrui still craved a slight change of pace.

"Who is treating?" Zhang Yan walked over, yawning, looking like she hadn't slept enough. She found it strange. "Qiqi, will your man be passing through here on his way back?" Last time, didn't he go straight back to the US? But Old Feng already treated them once. Everyone else here either didn't have a boyfriend or their boyfriend wasn't present, so who would treat them?

"We were thinking of asking Old Feng to treat us again," Wang Qiqi said, wishing her own man would pass by. "He’s flying back in about ten hours." She sighed; her husband, a typical tech geek, still had to deal with business trips and socializing. Thankfully, he was only dealing with a group of elite geeks; otherwise, Wang Qiqi would worry about Han Tao handling the ordeal.

Old Feng treating again? Zhang Yan almost asked why they wanted Old Feng to treat them again so soon, but seeing Qiqi and Shi Hongrui in good spirits, she decided against mentioning it. "Are the noodles almost ready? Oh, Qiqi, I just remembered something—we don't have any lunch containers, do we?" They couldn't possibly eat noodles straight out of plastic bags; that would look terrible.

Everyone, including Wang Qiqi, froze. Yes, they had the food, but they had forgotten the most crucial element: containers. "Oh, what do we do now?" Shi Hongrui exclaimed first. She definitely didn't want to spend a fortune on lunch today, especially since future expenses—like stocking up—would be numerous. She believed in saving every penny possible. "I wonder if the supermarkets nearby are open yet."

"Even if they are open, they won't have lunch containers," Zhang Yan said. While she wasn't intimately familiar with the supermarkets near the complex, she knew for a fact that items like dedicated lunch boxes wouldn't be stocked there. She wondered if the Chinese supermarkets might carry them.

While the others debated whether to go out and buy containers, Wang Qiqi was rummaging furiously through the cabinets. For her, whether the supermarkets were open wasn't the main issue; the key was that going out to buy them and then coming back to pack would definitely waste time. "Let’s use the microwave-safe containers for now," Wang Qiqi said after searching for a while, finding those were the only suitable containers for carrying lunch. "Everyone use these for the next few days. We can look for proper ones during the big grocery shop on the weekend." Even if the supermarkets didn't have them, Wang Qiqi was sure the small shops on that street would.

Although they weren't dedicated lunch boxes, they did have lids, so everyone agreed. They gathered around the counter, packing lunch according to their appetites. Wang Qiqi portioned the prepared sauces into food-safe bags. "Remember to bring chopsticks!" Wang Qiqi reminded them before starting to pack lunch for herself and Shi Man.

"Starting tomorrow, we’ll be having Curry Potato Beef Rice. You all need to prepare yourselves mentally to eat that for a few days." After all that effort, Wang Qiqi felt she needed to conserve energy. Whether they were satisfied with her suggestion was outside her current consideration.

Upon hearing what the next few days’ lunches would consist of, Shi Hongrui started to protest but quickly lost her nerve. Qiqi was eating it too. If Qiqi got stubborn and refused to cook lunch, wouldn't she be the one suffering? Never mind; curry was decent anyway.

"We’ll eat whatever Qiqi makes," Zhang Yan replied. She wasn't too demanding about food, nor did she feel she had the standing to make requests. "It’s just dinner..." They couldn't keep relying on this, could they?

"Don't worry, dinner won't be like this." Wang Qiqi didn't want to turn into an Indian person, eating only curry every day. Moreover, she worried about her skin turning yellow from too much curry—while she aimed for a sun-kissed tan, yellow was quite a distance from tanned. "Dinner time is TBD, content TBD, number of dishes TBD." However, Wang Qiqi had already planned: she could cook larger batches of meat on the weekend or stew meat after dinner while the others reviewed or chatted in the living room. That way, the next day would only require preparing a few vegetables.

Despite all the "TBDs," the three of them understood one thing: dinner wouldn't be lacking.

And so, everyone began their postgraduate studies. Although Zhang Yan and the other two had arrived in the UK early and their English proficiency was decent, once classes began, they realized the gap was significant.

Shi Hongrui was sprawled on the living room floor, her gaze constantly flickering between the textbooks and notes. One hand gripped a pen, the other continuously massaged her hair, and she mumbled incessantly. Anyone watching might think she was cramming lessons.

Zhao Rongrong stared blankly at her book, and how much she actually absorbed was known only to her, especially with the person next to her constantly muttering, which gave her a massive headache. "Ruirui, can you please stop that chanting? I’m frustrated too, you know." She was already irritated enough, but the incessant mumbling beside her made it impossible to focus. If one couldn't focus, how could the material in the textbook sink in?

Shi Hongrui stopped her mumbling and let out a long sigh. "Do you think I made a mistake coming here for graduate school?" Back home, the pressure wouldn't be nearly this intense. She could study in a familiar environment instead of being thousands of miles away. Although Rongrong was here, so much felt strange. Listening to language that was only half-understood and required significant effort to interpret, Shi Hongrui could still console herself that it was just an experience. But sitting in class feeling like an idiot while listening, she felt like crying.

These words hung in the air, and the living room fell silent for a moment. After a beat, Zhao Rongrong sighed deeply. "What good would regretting it do now?" Going back was impossible. For one, returning meant restarting the long slog toward the postgraduate entrance exams next year or looking for a job. Even if their parents could accept them returning home empty-handed after spending so much money, what about the relatives? Zhao Rongrong could already picture how those relatives would gossip, either behind their backs or right to their faces, about their failure.

"Exactly, what good is regret?" Shi Hongrui couldn't bear to imagine returning home like this and how her parents would view her. Hadn't she declared that there was only forward, no turning back? "Sigh... let's just study." Despite the difficulties, she believed that with enough determination, they could overcome these obstacles.

Zhang Yan studied for a while, then looked up at Zhao Rongrong and Shi Hongrui. She noticed Zhang Yan’s gaze seemed clear. "Yanyan, you understood what the professor said?" Although much of the content was in the textbook, the professor also shared personal insights. Even if those insights weren't the 'correct answer' for exams, they could certainly open up new avenues of thought.

Zhang Yan looked up, pulling her gaze from the book, and shook her head at Zhao Rongrong. "The teacher speaks too fast; I couldn't hear clearly either." Sighing, although Zhang Yan had prepared herself, and Qiqi had exchanged a few words with the professor on registration day—when the professor spoke slowly, Zhang Yan understood fine, giving her confidence about starting school—the very first lecture had knocked her flat. By the end of the session, Zhang Yan couldn't recall what she had even heard. "Thank goodness for Qiqi."

Zhao Rongrong and Shi Hongrui both sighed in unison, exchanging glances. How could they have forgotten Qiqi? Although Qiqi’s English leaned toward the American accent, they had all learned the British variant since primary school, so Qiqi understood most of what they said. As for Zhang Yan, she didn't need to worry; she could review Qiqi’s notes later and work on improving her listening and speaking skills separately. Her studies wouldn't stall. But it was different for them; there was no one to provide ready-made notes. After class, they either attended activities or went to the library; no one was walking the same path as them.

"I realize buying second-hand textbooks is actually great." After studying Wang Qiqi’s textbook and her notes for a few days, Zhang Yan began to see the value. She didn't know who the previous owner was or which professor the notes belonged to, but the annotations were incredibly useful. Zhang Yan felt a bit regretful. Not only were they cheaper, but they offered such a huge benefit. She had hesitated before about buying used books because the price was a bit... tempting, but now Zhang Yan's scale had tipped decisively in favor of second-hand books.

When Zhao Rongrong and Shi Hongrui understood why Zhang Yan had switched from being a firm advocate for new books to second-hand ones, they exclaimed, "Yes, yes, second-hand books are the way to go!"

"Ugh, we were so misguided," Shi Hongrui felt a pang of regret—not only had they spent more money, but they had missed out on so much.

Wang Qiqi, cooking in the kitchen, heard the clamor from the three in the living room. She really wanted to walk out and tell them that not all second-hand books were good. However, compared to undergraduate texts, postgraduate materials should generally be better maintained. She held back her urge to chime in, deciding to wait until they needed to buy textbooks to discuss it. In reality, buying used books required careful inspection to see what notes were inside. For instance, Wang Qiqi had flipped through several copies before settling on the textbooks she bought previously, rather than immediately snatching up every book listed in the syllabus.

After a brief discussion, Zhang Yan and the other two returned to their studies. Time was limited. Not understanding the professor's lectures was already a disadvantage; if they didn't study diligently, they felt their future days would be miserable. They imagined ending up like many others, living in the library day in and day out, perpetually sleep-deprived, and the thought sent a chill through them.

Wang Qiqi finished making dinner and waited, surprised that no one came out to ask if it was time to eat. Usually, whenever she cooked, someone would wander in to see her progress, and they would automatically gather for the meal without needing to be called. Today, however, not only was no one moving around, but no one had even spoken. This struck Wang Qiqi as strange.

She washed her hands and walked into the living room, finding the three sitting seriously on the floor, studying. Judging by their expressions, their progress wasn't smooth, but at least they were trying. "Dinner is ready! Study hard after you eat." Although Qiqi had no trouble with listening comprehension and could keep up with the professor's speaking pace when taking notes, the sheer volume of information was daunting. Wang Qiqi realized that her previous ideas about taking on more orders or improving her Korean language skills might be difficult to implement. Furthermore, while the reading list the professor provided was long and required purchasing many books, after a few days of class, Qiqi understood that relying solely on those books wasn't enough; they needed to borrow from the library too. This made her understand why university libraries abroad were so large and why so many people borrowed books—it saved a substantial amount of money. Otherwise, buying everything they needed would require a veritable gold mine. "Oh, by the way, I'm going to driving practice after I eat." Wang Qiqi regretted not coming sooner; otherwise, she wouldn't have to waste time getting a license. Thankfully, she had experience. Once she adapted to the foreign driving direction, Wang Qiqi’s handling became steady, and the instructor said she could take the test soon, which relieved her. It wasn't just about saving money; it was about saving a great deal of it.

Driving practice? Shi Hongrui suddenly became animated. It wasn't just about having a car to ride in later for classes—though she couldn't hitch a ride since Qiqi was at a different school. It was about borrowing the car for trips to buy groceries later, provided she could drive and get her license. She couldn't rely on Qiqi to drive her everywhere. "So, are you planning to buy a car soon?"

"I'll buy a used one once I get my license." Although cars were cheaper abroad compared to back home, and Shi Man kept murmuring about wanting a new car, if they were in the US, Wang Qiqi might have bought a new one. But now they were in the UK, and they would be leaving in about a year, meaning they would lose a lot of money selling the car. Besides, while she drove well, the steering wheel was on the opposite side from home. For safety, a used car was better for practice, and they would lose less money when selling it later. Seeing her excitement, Wang Qiqi asked, "Why, do you want to get a license too?" It was true that getting a license was much easier abroad than in China.

Shi Hongrui nodded repeatedly. Driving! What a cool thing to do. She could even brag about it to her classmates back home.

Getting your driver's license is a good idea. "Once you get the license, don't buy a car yet. I don't use my car very often anyway, so if you need it when I'm not using it, you can borrow it," Wang Qiqi said, knowing that Shi Hongrui mainly needed a car for stocking up on goods or for shopping trips. When going to school, she rarely needed it since there was a direct bus route right outside the door. "Just cover the gas money."

"Of course, of course," Shi Hongrui replied happily. She really only needed the car for major shopping excursions; otherwise, who would use a car? Usually, walking or taking the bus saved money and was much greener. RS