"Buying a printer?" Shi Man was startled when she heard Zhang Yan mention it at the dinner table. In her mind, only corporate offices bought such things; why would a private individual need one? She couldn't think of any documents at home that required printing, perhaps only Qiqi, but it was Zhang Yan who brought up the request.

Shi Hongrui looked at Zhao Rongrong and Wang Qiqi in surprise. This proposal must have been agreed upon by the three of them; otherwise, why weren't Qiqi and the others surprised by the news?

"Yes, homework can be printed out directly from now on, how about that?" Wang Qiqi explained again why they needed a printer, but this girl really hadn't grasped the main point of the previous discussion.

Homework printed directly? Shi Man certainly had no objection to this proposal. "Buy it, buy it immediately." From now on, she wouldn't have to type it out on the computer only to copy it all over again. Handwriting was prone to errors, often requiring much more rewriting than necessary. With a printer, the task of homework would be significantly easier.

Hearing that they were buying a printer just for this, Shi Hongrui was so eager she almost lifted her feet, "Buy it, we'll go buy one tomorrow."

Shi Man kept nodding beside her. She thought the biggest benefit would be that when tallying the pre-order slips later, she could directly print out a list, which would definitely be much better than handwriting. Then she could just have Song Yao and the others compile the statistics, and she would only need to handle the procurement.

"These are the brands and models we roughly decided on." Although the internet wasn't very developed then, Qiqi and the others had looked up some information online.

Shi Man and Shi Hongrui took the list and looked it over. They recognized the brands, but they were unfamiliar with the models, and the price difference was quite significant. "This price is so expensive. What's the difference?" Shi Hongrui asked, tracing the price column. Why was there such a large discrepancy in price for printers of the same brand?

Wang Qiqi explained the differences. "This price is also the quote online; we won't know the actual situation until we buy it." This quotation was just for comparison purposes.

Shi Man pondered. She really wanted a laser printer; wasn't it said to be fast and save on consumables? But the price was considerably higher. "It would be great if we could find a used one." A cheaper price with good results should also be nice.

Wang Qiqi caught Shi Man's intention from her words. To be honest, she also wanted a used laser printer, but the problem was that these machines were mostly used by offices and unlikely to be available second-hand. So, it was better not to count on getting a cheap one. "Let's just get an inkjet. It might be slower, but we can print separately." Ink cartridges were expensive, but couldn't they buy ink refills? That stuff was much cheaper, and even if the inkjet speed was slow, everyone could print in shifts; it would definitely be faster than handwriting.

The matter of the printer was settled just like that. After agreeing on the issue, Shi Hongrui’s first comment was, "When you’re hustling out there, this kind of expense is not something you can always control." One expense after another, "If we don't make money, it won't work. I’m counting on the items we sent out yesterday to sell quickly."

"Didn't you say many of them were already spoken for?" Shi Man unceremoniously exposed the other person. "That's good; the capital won't be tied up for long. It's just that wiring the money over again is quite a hassle." After all, exchanging foreign currency wasn't easy unless you knew someone.

Exchanging foreign currency was indeed troublesome, but Zhao Rongrong and the others had already considered this. "Sleeping on the train for two nights is really exhausting." Although the train environment was decent, it wasn't one's own bed; sleeping wasn't very comfortable. Moreover, as soon as they got off the train, it was a non-stop rush to buy goods and ship them. Once everything was sorted, they’d eat a little something and immediately rush back. While making money was good, Shi Hongrui felt so tired just thinking about how many more such trips lay ahead. Money was easy to earn, but people got truly worn out.

Wang Qiqi wasn't surprised by Shi Hongrui complaining about being tired; she noticed Shi Man’s eyelids were practically drooping. "Have you finished your coursework?" Poor thing, but academic assignments couldn't be skipped just because she spent the weekend in London.

Shi Man yawned. "Just putting the finishing touches on it. I'll go buy the printer tomorrow." Shi Man suddenly realized if they bought a printer, her current assignment might be a lot easier. The thought excited her so much that if it weren't already evening and the shops closed, she would have rushed out to buy it immediately. "Sigh, stores here don't close until at least nine." It was the opposite here; many shops closed on days off. She really didn't understand if they were running a business, knowing that weekends were when the most customers showed up, meaning more potential profit.

"That's because they want to spend more time with their families." Wang Qiqi actually thought that aspect of foreigners was nice. Overseas, they could hardly imagine a couple living apart for extended periods, yet this was common back home. "Han Tao and I are the kind of couple everyone assumes will break up." Previously, when Han Tao only went to the US for holidays, people didn't think much of it, but this time, Han Tao had been in the US alone for a year, and the current situation suggested another year was needed. Han Tao once joked that many colleagues thought he was single, which startled Wang Qiqi quite a bit. "Then you go buy the printer alone tomorrow; I have something in the morning." Wang Qiqi hadn't expected her to be in such a hurry.

Shi Man was dumbfounded. She knew Qiqi had no classes in the morning, which was why she suggested they go together to buy the printer. A printer wasn't light, and if Qiqi drove over, Shi Man wouldn't have to lug it home. To think Qiqi suddenly didn't have time! "What are you going to do?" Participate in some club activity? But would Qiqi even bother with such activities? Shi Man never thought Qiqi would willingly join those kinds of things, especially since they'd be graduating soon, possibly before she even settled in.

"The professor asked me to be a research assistant." Wang Qiqi was genuinely surprised too. Earlier, the professor mentioned needing an assistant, and she hadn't paid much attention. Although she had submitted an application to the professor, she hadn't expected such an opportunity to fall on her lap. Never mind all the local students, even setting aside the locals, there were plenty with good English and strong professional skills. By all accounts, Wang Qiqi didn't think she was the one who would be chosen, but when the professor sought her out after class today and told her, Wang Qiqi was stunned. She truly hadn't anticipated such a good thing happening to her.

Wang Qiqi had considered it carefully and discussed it with Han Tao. Although the coming days would be busy, she decided to try it out. Not just for a better recommendation letter upon graduation, or for internship experience, but just to learn more or meet more people—Wang Qiqi felt it was worth it. Of course, the more crucial point was that Qiqi had already submitted the application. If she now told the professor, "Sorry, I was just messing around when I applied, and I didn't expect to actually be chosen," Wang Qiqi imagined the professor would immediately want to 'eliminate' her. She could perfectly foresee how miserable her future studies would be, and how much extra effort she might need to put in.

Zhang Yan wasn't surprised that Wang Qiqi agreed to be the assistant. Although she felt a pang of jealousy the moment she learned the news, she also knew that besides Qiqi’s slightly better ability, the professor approaching her was also due to her language skills, which Zhang Yan lacked. On the way back, Zhang Yan had thought for a long time and decided that even if the professor had chosen her, she might not have agreed to be the assistant, mainly because it would take up too much time.

Shi Hongrui and Zhao Rongrong were both quite surprised, especially Shi Hongrui. "Oh, doesn't that mean you get a salary?" Assisting professors abroad usually didn't come with pay, but in this country, it came with money, and it was a popular way for students to earn extra cash. However, such good opportunities weren't always available. Shi Hongrui had been interested at first, but the situation she learned about left her deeply disappointed. She hadn't expected Qiqi to be so lucky. But now, Shi Hongrui wasn't so envious anymore. If all the items sent out yesterday sold well, the money she earned wouldn't be small, especially the cosmetics purchased, which came with quite a few samples. According to Shi Man’s suggestion, these could be sold, used to build relationships with major clients, or even used personally. After all, things that didn't require capital investment were the most profitable, right?

Shi Man jumped up, pointing at Wang Qiqi. "Oh my gosh, Qiqi, how are you so lucky? Why did your professor call you?" Shi Man had done some research on Wang Qiqi’s supervisor. It was rumored that his team was highly capable, that everyone who joined was an elite, and that graduates from his team were highly sought after. In short, there were many legends—simply put, joining that person’s team meant a smoother path ahead. Putting aside everything else, just on the basis of being a fellow alumna, one’s network in this field would be much thicker than many others’. To think Qiqi had just joined this circle—how could one not be envious?

Shi Hongrui and Zhao Rongrong didn't expect Shi Man to be so excited. They had initially thought Qiqi had found a way to make money, but looking at Shi Man’s reaction, it seemed money wasn't the only factor; there were other elements involved.

Shi Man was too agitated to notice the unusual expressions and silent requests for explanation from Shi Hongrui and Zhao Rongrong. Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered that they had forgotten to inform the others about such a major development. It wasn't that Qiqi forgot to mention it, but rather that she never expected to be chosen. Now that she was, and she hadn't informed them, Zhang Yan, standing nearby, sighed and explained the situation.

At this, Shi Hongrui looked at Wang Qiqi with an expression filled with envy, jealousy, and a touch of resentment. "Wow, Qiqi, you are so blessed!" But the question was, for someone who might not even stay in this field long-term, taking up such a prime position—wasn't that a bit excessive?

Wang Qiqi certainly knew how formidable her professor was, but she countered, "If I were an undergraduate student, my prospects would truly be limitless. But I’m only here for one year. What opportunities do you think I can have? At best, I’ll be a grunt doing odd jobs." Teams had many tiers. Wang Qiqi was very clear that she would be there to handle miscellaneous tasks. It wasn't that she didn't want to advance, or that she wouldn't be given chances, but the reality was she was only here for one year, and she’d be leaving afterward. To get into the core of the team, it would take at least a year, by which time Qiqi would already be graduating. Han Tao analyzed that this was likely why no one wanted the assistant position—it truly offered no long-term prospects, yet it suited Qiqi perfectly.

Zhang Yan finally understood why the professor chose Qiqi. Perhaps he had asked others before, and they had all declined the offer. The assistant role could be quite busy, or not busy at all, depending on the situation, but considering the professor's reputation and his team, it probably wasn't easy work. "What are you going to do tomorrow...?"

"It's kind of to meet people," Wang Qiqi said with some uncertainty. She was quite nervous about tomorrow’s itinerary, not because of social obligations, but because she had slight prosopagnosia (face blindness). Especially to her, foreigners all looked similar. Everything else was fine, but misidentifying someone or calling them by the wrong name would be embarrassing. If she encountered a petty person, they might give her trouble later. The mere thought made Wang Qiqi nervous. "I already replied to the professor’s email saying I agreed to be the assistant." Honestly, Wang Qiqi hadn't expected the professor to reply so quickly. It likely meant the assistant position had been vacant for quite a while. Although the email didn't say much, she assumed she was supposed to familiarize herself with the team members so she wouldn't be completely unfamiliar with them later.

"Holy cow, they replied so fast," Shi Man analyzed. "Looks like your professor is anxious. Do you have some big deal coming up?" Otherwise, why the rush? It couldn't be that they were so eager for Qiqi to meet future collaborators so soon.

Whether there was a big deal, Wang Qiqi had no way of knowing. "If there’s a big deal, I probably deserve to die." Wang Qiqi thought that if that were the case, there would be no time for her to even grasp the situation. If there was a major deal, those on the front lines would be swamped, and she, in logistics, wouldn't have it easy either; there would be so much preparation needed. Thinking about this, Wang Qiqi’s face turned green. Failing badly or backing out at the last minute would likely leave a similarly poor impression on the professor.

"Qiqi, you'll be busy with cooking from now on." Given the circumstances, Wang Qiqi felt she had to give it her all. If she managed to succeed, it would be excellent experience. Take Comrade Lao Feng, for example; he studied in the US for three years, running errands and handling deals with his professor everywhere. Besides his wallet getting fatter, his experience increased dramatically—otherwise, how could he have landed such a good job? With the pressure of coursework and the assistant role piling up, Wang Qiqi estimated she might even have to give up her translation work, let alone cooking. Although it felt a bit unfair to Shi Man, she assumed Man Man would understand.

Shi Man was stunned. She had only been happy for Qiqi before, never considering this would bring her so much inconvenience. She had been smugly imagining Qiqi building connections in this field so they could work together to earn money, but now she realized she was being promoted from second chef and helper to head chef. While promotion was good, Shi Man genuinely didn't want it; the pressure was just too immense.

Wang Qiqi knew what she was doing seemed a bit excessive, but she couldn't help it. "Don't worry, I'll still cook when I have time." To ensure she had the energy to work well, she needed to make sure the meal arrangements were handled properly.

Wang Qiqi took another look and realized Zhang Yan and the others were also looking at her with expectant expressions. While this showed she was indispensable to them, the level of importance was hilariously awkward. "Besides, I’m just a junior assistant; I won't be that busy. I promise I’ll cook when I have time." Wang Qiqi repeatedly assured them. She felt that, as a hastily appointed assistant, how busy could she really be? They would probably just assign her to deal with unimportant documents. If nothing else, they should be a bit cautious with her, right? If some crucial piece of information leaked, the consequences would be dire.

Zhang Yan and the others just needed Wang Qiqi’s assurance. But even if Qiqi hadn't promised, they couldn't do anything; they couldn't force Qiqi not to take the assistant position.

Since the potential future troubles had been resolved, Shi Hongrui’s eyes gleamed as she recalled a very important matter. "Qiqi will be getting a salary as an assistant, doesn't that mean she has to treat us to a meal?" This was great news! It had to be celebrated. Of course, this was just an excuse; the main point was that everyone could go out for a good meal without having to pay themselves.

"Yes, yes, treat us, treat us!" Shi Man excitedly chimed in, and without waiting for Wang Qiqi’s agreement, she turned to Shi Hongrui to discuss where to eat.

Wang Qiqi had no intention of reneging on treating them. Besides, if she treated them this time, when they found part-time jobs in the future, she couldn't very well not treat them, since she had started this whole trend. Shi Man and Shi Hongrui had no idea what Wang Qiqi was thinking, or they wouldn't be so eagerly calculating how to make Qiqi pay handsomely.

Zhang Yan noticed Wang Qiqi seemed not to have heard Shi Man and the others discussing where to eat, which wasn't normal behavior. A normal person wouldn't say, "This place is too expensive, let's go somewhere cheaper," but Wang Qiqi had an expression like she wasn't the one footing the bill. It was strange, truly strange. There was definitely something going on.

Zhang Yan looked at the still excitedly discussing Shi Man and decided not to remind them. Honestly, she had no intention of working part-time here herself. Finding a job wouldn't be easy, but Shi Hongrui would need to look, right? Poor Shi Hongrui, being led astray by Shi Man like this.

When Wang Qiqi heard the alarm clock, she rolled over and expertly hit the snooze button. After lying there for a while, slightly waking up, she got dressed and went upstairs to finish the cleaning. Then she went to the kitchen, put the red beans and dates she had prepared yesterday into the rice cooker, and started her daily exercise routine.

Along the way, Wang Qiqi skillfully greeted every neighbor she met. So many people exercised in the early morning that after frequent encounters, even the face-blind Qiqi managed to memorize their names through certain distinguishing features. After that, Wang Qiqi knew their names without needing to recognize their specific traits.

When Wang Qiqi returned from her run, the congee was nearly ready. She put the steamed buns purchased yesterday into the microwave to heat up. Then she went back to her room to get a change of clothes, took a shower in the bathroom, and washed her sportswear. By the time she was done, Zhao Rongrong was still groggily rubbing her eyes as she stepped out of her room. "Finished exercising again?" Zhao Rongrong truly admired Qiqi’s endurance—exercising every night, walking to school every day, and still running five or six kilometers every morning. Zhao Rongrong really admired Wang Qiqi’s stamina.

Wang Qiqi hummed in response. Seeing Zhao Rongrong still looking half-asleep, Wang Qiqi knew from the dark circles under her eyes that she had likely been studying late in the room again yesterday. "Breakfast is ready. Come down early."

Zhao Rongrong murmured an affirmative and headed toward the bathroom. "By the way, Qiqi, what time are you leaving?" It seemed Wang Qiqi had to go to school today too, but she was still at home, and wasn't her attire a bit too simple—just a knit top and a pair of jeans? This outfit was perfectly fine and normal for attending classes, but wasn't she supposed to meet the professor and future colleagues today? Was dressing so casually appropriate...?

Wang Qiqi noticed Zhao Rongrong's eyes constantly examining her clothes. She looked down. It looked fine to her: a blue knit top paired with gray jeans, very youthful.

"You like this..." Zhao Rongrong stopped herself. "Isn't this kind of like going to work today?"

Wang Qiqi understood; she meant she wasn't formal enough. "I'll throw on a beige trench coat over it." That coat style was quite formal. Wang Qiqi bought it because she thought it resembled a Burberry trench coat, although the craftsmanship and fabric were far inferior to Burberry's. But then again, it was much cheaper.

A beige trench coat? Zhao Rongrong paused. Although the pants were still a bit informal, it was acceptable, considering Qiqi was just an assistant. "Good luck."

Although Zhao Rongrong tried hard to suppress her smile, the crinkles around her eyes betrayed her. Wang Qiqi took a few deep breaths, looking at Zhao Rongrong, who clearly wanted to tell her not to embarrass herself. "Don't worry, I will definitely concentrate on remembering everyone's names today." Honestly, foreign names were so troublesome, especially since there were so few commonly used ones. If she shouted 'Mark' on the street, how many people would turn around? "Hmph, laugh if you want to," Wang Qiqi said proudly, turning away from Zhao Rongrong.

Since someone actually said that, Zhao Rongrong let out a very unrestrained laugh. Wang Qiqi was only saying it in jest; in her opinion, the other person wouldn't be so shameless as to actually do it. But she never expected Zhao Rongrong to actually laugh. If it weren't for the fact that three other people in the room hadn't woken up yet, who knows how gleefully she would have laughed. "Laugh, laugh away. Laughter makes you ten years younger," Wang Qiqi retorted indignantly, "Let's see you laugh yourself twenty years younger and turn into a baby."

Seeing the particularly childish Wang Qiqi at that moment, Zhao Rongrong felt it was best not to provoke her too much. "Are you driving today?"

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "Walking." Why drive? It wasn't scorching hot outside; walking this short distance wouldn't make her sweat, and looking less than fresh wouldn't give a good first impression. "Oh, Rongrong, when you come back, could you help me pick up some butter and heavy cream?" There was an ancestral shop on Zhao Rongrong's route home; the cream and butter they sold were truly excellent. They were a bit expensive, but delicious. Wang Qiqi had tried it once, and ever since, she bought these items there. "I'm making Caterpillar Bread today." This treat was made so infrequently because the cost was quite high, but this time there was a major joyous occasion, so it served as a celebratory gift.