Zhang Yan scrambled up early, just finishing her morning ablutions when Shi Man cornered her in the bathroom. “You need this?” That didn’t make sense; there were two other washrooms upstairs, so there was no need to block hers. She glanced over and noted the bathroom door wasn't even locked; there was absolutely no reason to block her door.

Shi Man immediately yanked Zhang Yan into her room and shut the door, staring intently at Zhang Yan, which made Zhang Yan increasingly uneasy. “What is wrong with you?” Why was she acting so crazy first thing in the morning?

Shi Man just kept staring without speaking. Finally, Zhang Yan lost her temper, pushed Shi Man away, and prepared to return to her own room. “That Mark emailed Qiqi yesterday—no, wait, early this morning. Don’t you want to know what it said?” Shi Man was betting this would make the other woman pause.

Who was Mark? Shi Man was just about to claim she didn’t know any Mark, and besides, there were so many Marks—who knew which one Shi Man was talking about? She wasn't going to humor Shi Man, humming to herself, thinking, Trying to keep me in suspense?

Shi Man hadn't expected the other woman to ignore her and just walk away. This left her stunned. She quickly grabbed Zhang Yan’s arm. She knew Shi Hongrui might wake up outside at any moment. “Mark emailed Qiqi yesterday, asking for your opinion on that man.” Although the email didn't state it exactly like that, the meaning was identical.

“Opinion? I have no opinion of him, hmph.” Zhang Yan knew exactly which Mark Shi Man meant, and she was truly annoyed. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. “Is it written on my face that I think about men?” Right now, she had no time to spare for such thoughts. “I just want to finish my coursework.” With that, Zhang Yan pulled the door open and left Shi Man’s room. While there wasn't a huge commotion, her heavy footsteps clearly signaled someone was in a terrible mood.

Shi Man hadn't expected Zhang Yan to storm off in such a fury. She was instantly dumbfounded. Although Qiqi had mentioned before that Zhang Yan’s temper wasn't the best, Shi Man had never witnessed Zhang Yan truly angry. As for Zhang Yan’s cold expression, Shi Man had seen that many times, thinking it was merely a protective shell, just like Shi Man’s own perpetually stern face. Wang Qiqi and Zhu Lina’s protective shell was a smiling face. But she never imagined that the cold beauty’s true anger would be so terrifying.

Watching Zhang Yan return to her room and gently close the door, Shi Man’s first reaction was, I’m dead. How am I going to explain this to Qiqi? Qiqi had explicitly said to ask Zhang Yan about her feelings on that certain person slowly, and Shi Man had agreed. Now look what happened—she had completely messed it up. Shi Man felt her future was pitch black.

Shi Man hid in her room and didn’t come downstairs. But Zhang Yan couldn't stay up there forever. When she went down, she saw Wang Qiqi forcing a strained smile for her. This made Wang Qiqi feel strange. She put down what she was doing. “Didn’t rest well yesterday?” Why did that person have such a fake smile, nearly identical to the polite one she used to placate people?

Zhang Yan glanced at Zhao Rongrong beside her and didn’t elaborate much. “Shi Man came looking for me just now.” Saying that, she picked up the sandwich she’d made and poured a glass of milk from the fridge, then stood by the counter to eat her breakfast.

Shi Man looked for Zhang Yan. Wang Qiqi instantly understood why Zhang Yan was acting that way. She inwardly grumbled: We agreed to take it slow, or maybe not ask Zhang Yan at all. If Mark asks me, I’ll just say I’m too embarrassed to pry. As for that guy pursuing Zhang Yan, let him pursue her. If he has the nerve, he can hang around the complex all day. If not, Mark knows our school, and if John is serious, he could certainly wait for her there. Besides, they were in the same school, which offered many conveniences. Wang Qiqi mused that women who were too easily won over might not be cherished by men. On the flip side, men who had to pursue a woman too fiercely might later seek revenge after finally winning her. The balance was tricky to strike, though Wang Qiqi admitted she really wasn't in a position to lecture, considering her own progression with Han Tao.

Zhao Rongrong sensed a strange tension between the two women, but their conversation, limited to something vague like, “Manman looked for me,” didn't give her any solid clues. She wondered if something they didn't know about had happened yesterday or that morning.

“I really didn’t know, I…” Wang Qiqi was annoyed. The other girl had apologized on someone else’s behalf just moments ago, and now it was her turn. She finally understood why Manman hadn't come down yet—she must have been worried Qiqi would scold her.

“I know, I know everything. I said what needed to be said yesterday. I don’t want to repeat it.” Zhang Yan realized she had unfairly blamed Qiqi and the others. If they truly wanted something, they would have discreetly tried to glean information from her instead of being as direct as Shi Man had been. “By the way, let’s have hot pot for dinner. It’s getting colder.”

“Okay, we’ll use beef bones for the broth today.” Ever since they started eating hot pot, Wang Qiqi bought bones whenever she went grocery shopping. They weren't expensive, and while it was a bit of a loss compared to just eating the meat, they made an excellent base for the soup.

Zhao Rongrong listened to their exchange, wondering what was going on with the three of them. Did something happen yesterday that she missed? But hadn't they been making pillows yesterday? Their relationship should have been fine.

Zhao Rongrong thought of the pillows. “Qiqi, I heard Ruirui say you have some batting or something? Can we use it to make pillows?”

Wang Qiqi hummed in affirmation. “Yes, but you have to make them yourselves. I don’t have time. If you need guidance, ask Shi Man and the others.” She had already instructed them yesterday; Wang Qiqi had no desire to be a perpetual teacher, especially for something like needlework, which wasn't inherently difficult but hard to do well.

“I know a little needlework.” Zhao Rongrong was somewhat interested in this domestic skill. “When I was little, I used to make clothes for my dolls all the time. Mine were so beautiful that lots of kids clamored for them. My mom even thought I’d study design.” Unfortunately, as her studies became more demanding and the list of required subjects grew, this hobby faded away. Except for occasionally looking at her childhood toys or hearing news from her parents and relatives, she was almost forgetting her childhood glory.

You used to make clothes for dolls? “Wow, you’re amazing.” Playing house was a favorite pastime for many little girls, and dolls often served as their children. Patiently feeding the dolls and changing their clothes—Wang Qiqi hadn't realized Zhao Rongrong’s level was so high; she actually made clothes for them. “Hey, why didn't you continue studying? You might have become a major designer.”

Zhang Yan also loved playing with dolls as a child. Although she didn't play with other children, she would often change her dolls’ clothes by herself. She had also tried making clothes for them, but they were undeniably hideous. Yet, this genius could create beautiful garments. “Qiqi is right. Why didn’t you pursue it? Things might be different now.” Becoming a fashion designer sounded like a decent career, provided you succeeded. Otherwise, it might not amount to much. But weren't many professions fine if one excelled? Even garbage collectors—surely there was a wealthy one out there somewhere?

Zhao Rongrong gave a wry smile. “Back then, it was either study or study. For my parents, me making clothes for dolls was just being idle.”

“Exactly! If I played for too long back then, my mom would call me back and tell me how much so-and-so scored, then ask me what my score was.” Zhang Yan felt this deeply. “Look at kids of foreigners; they just play and play. We’re the opposite—we study hard when we should be playing, and when we should be serious about studying, we’re playing.” How many people, once they got to university, only played games online or dated, letting their grades hover just above failure? Zhang Yan considered herself diligent in college, but compared to the people here, she felt her university years were wasted. “We really should have made our children do high school domestically and then study abroad for university,” Zhang Yan declared fiercely.

“Right,” Zhao Rongrong agreed. “Let them experience how hard we had it back then.”

Wang Qiqi listened, momentarily stunned. She wanted to point out that studying domestically put enormous pressure on children. Studying abroad might make them top students, but the issue was that many children in China focused only on academics and learning some so-called elegant musical instruments. The problem was, did the children actually love learning it? Perhaps the pieces they practiced most skillfully were just those required for grading exams.

Shi Man stayed in her room for a long time. Hearing her stomach protest, she realized she eventually had to go down and settle things. Regardless, she had to confess before Zhang Yan did, hoping for leniency. She hoped to at least put in a good word for herself. But she hadn't expected that the person she thought was sulking in her room had already gone downstairs for breakfast. This worried Shi Man greatly. She stood at the kitchen doorway, peering in—and yes, Zhang Yan looked fine, chatting and laughing, a full smile on her face. She glanced at Wang Qiqi next; she seemed okay too, no signs of anger.

Shi Man assumed that because Zhao Rongrong was present, Zhang Yan was too embarrassed to bring up the issue, and Wang Qiqi was unaware that Shi Man had already told Zhang Yan. Thinking this, she happily bounced out. “Eating breakfast? Qiqi, I’m starving. Oh, why are we having sandwiches?” Shi Man walked over, took a look, and felt a bit displeased. Sigh, while she thought Western food was fine before, after coming here, she preferred Chinese breakfast. Her stomach wasn’t used to this all the time. “Haven't we always had Chinese-style breakfast?” Even when they had Western options, there was always congee or something similar. But she scanned the area and noticed there wasn't even a pot on the stove. She was curious what Qiqi had been up to earlier.

Wang Qiqi watched Shi Man walk in, acting as if nothing had happened but avoiding her gaze. Qiqi knew the little girl thought Zhang Yan hadn't revealed what happened and that she was safe. “No choice, someone did something foolish early this morning, and I had to help clean up.”

Shi Man instantly knew the jig was up. She desperately wanted to hug Qiqi and explain her reasons, but in front of everyone, she couldn't bring herself to act spoiled. “Uh, Qiqi, you, you listen to me…” Though she couldn't act spoiled, she still needed to offer some explanation.

“No explanations. I know everything,” Wang Qiqi said flatly, refusing to acknowledge the other woman. Although Zhang Yan had said she wouldn't dwell on it, given that Shi Man had been disobedient, snatched her pillow, and then blackmailed her into making late-night snacks yesterday, Wang Qiqi felt she needed to teach her a lesson with a few penalties. Otherwise, wouldn't Shi Man climb over her head later? Although that trend already seemed to be starting.

“As for breakfast, this is what we have. If you don't like it, you can eat outside, or you can make your own.” Wang Qiqi said coldly. Hmph, I’m deliberately provoking you, scaring you a bit.

Shi Man heard this and knew her problems were serious; otherwise, Qiqi wouldn't speak to her like this. She decided to behave. For now, she had to get through the immediate situation. “Sandwiches are fine too. It’s nice once in a while.” Shi Man grabbed a sandwich, took a bite, and started lavishing praise on Wang Qiqi—her change in demeanor was remarkably fast.

While eating, Shi Man quickly tallied up in her mind if she had offended Wang Qiqi in any way over the past few days. As she calculated, she inwardly gasped; she knew she had deeply offended the other woman from yesterday to today. She estimated that even if she behaved perfectly today, it might not be enough to appease Wang Qiqi. Shi Man desperately thought about how to get the other woman un-angry. As for Zhang Yan, whom she had just offended, Shi Man felt that wasn't a huge issue; at worst, she could flatter her a bit more. But Qiqi needed coaxing. She deeply felt that the current Qiqi was incredibly proud and needed coddling, which Shi Man found exhausting. She kept silently calling for Comrade Han Tao to arrive soon. However, she often complained that compared to her and Old Feng, they had spent much more time together, yet they were ridiculously attached. As long as the other was online and the setting allowed, they would video chat, even if they were just doing separate things in silence. This made Shi Man intensely jealous. Shi Man had mentioned it to Old Feng, but compared to Han Tao, the tech-savvy otaku, Old Feng had too many things that couldn't be leaked. So, she only got to video chat briefly each day. Alas.

Wang Qiqi ignored Shi Man’s overly subservient behavior. “After eating, I’m going back to my room to study. Don’t bother coming in, or I won't be able to keep it clean.” Honestly, having many people coming and going made things dirty so easily. The floor she had just mopped yesterday already felt somewhat soiled.

“What? Qiqi, you…” Shi Man became angry. What did she mean by that? Although the living room was spacious, Qiqi’s room had pristine floors—you could just lie down. But the living room downstairs wasn’t that clean; everyone walked around with shoes on. Even changing to indoor slippers required frequent dragging. Moreover, sweeping didn't clean as well as mopping, and who wanted to mop the common area every day?

“Can I go to my room then?” Zhao Rongrong noticed Qiqi was teasing Shi Man and asked with a smile.

Shi Man was about to protest, I can’t even get in, how can you? You know how good my relationship with Qiqi is! But to her surprise, Wang Qiqi actually agreed. Shi Man grew angry and was about to demand an explanation when...

“She’s going to make pillows,” Zhang Yan murmured softly.

Oh, that’s why. Shi Man immediately swallowed the words she was about to use to accuse Qiqi of favoritism. She worried that if Zhao Rongrong didn't know needlework, Shi Man would end up having to instruct her. If Zhao Rongrong wasn't quick to learn, wouldn't that waste Shi Man’s precious time? Shi Man decided it was better for her to stay in her room and read.

Zhang Yan watched Shi Man’s expression shift so suddenly from dissatisfaction with the supposedly biased Qiqi to being quite accommodating once she heard the reason for Zhao Rongrong’s visit. She decided it was best not to disturb the other woman, lest she send Shi Man into a full-blown rage.

To atone for her sins and deflect Qiqi’s lingering anger, Shi Man kindly prepared lunch as well. Then, she walked sternly to Qiqi’s room to call them to eat. She wouldn't admit that she actually wanted to see the look on Qiqi’s face when angry. But when she entered Qiqi’s room, she was stunned: there were several heart-shaped and circular pillows. “Qiqi, did you hide these?” Otherwise, she hadn't seen them yesterday.

Shi Man reached out to pick up a pillow. Before she could examine it closely, she heard Qiqi’s sharp warning: “Don’t touch that! Those are Rongrong’s.”

Wang Qiqi had initially thought that even if Zhao Rongrong’s needlework skills were good in the past, years of disuse might have dulled her touch. But unexpectedly, her fundamental skills were still intact. Except for the first pillow, which wasn't great, the subsequent ones were better than the last. She was contemplating whether she could manage to snag a few from the stack when the little thief walked in. Wang Qiqi panicked. With so many pillows, Zhao Rongrong would likely give two to Shi Hongrui, and she’d want some herself. How many would be left for her? If Shi Man snatched them all, what would be left for Qiqi? For the sake of her own benefits, Wang Qiqi naturally had to hiss at Shi Man.

Shi Man was shocked that these were Zhao Rongrong’s creations. “Rongrong, Rongrong made these?” She found it truly incredible. Few young women nowadays were this skilled at handicrafts, especially if they didn't do it often or study design. Parents would usually consider learning to cook more practical than making such things.

Shi Man quickly tallied the five residents living together, growing excited. “Wow, we really have a collection of talents here!” (Though she mentally excluded the small-minded one who ate a lot but did nothing.) “Oh, Rongrong, can you make two pillows for me too?” If she had known Zhao Rongrong was so skilled, why had she and Zhang Yan worked so hard yesterday? Their efforts resulted in ugly creations.

Not enough material? Shi Man was about to say she had seen Qiqi had a decent stock just the day before yesterday; how could two pillows deplete it? But then she remembered that after they made the large pillows and felt their skills were presentable, they excitedly started preparing smaller ones. The result was that the smaller ones turned out poorly, and the scraps cut incorrectly were useless except for throwing away. Shi Man regretted it then—why had she been so wasteful yesterday? “Then, so many pillows?” She decided to approach Zhao Rongrong first. As for Wang Qiqi, forget it; she was ruthless. Shi Man could see Qiqi waiting nearby too. What she was doing now was stealing food from the tiger's mouth.

Wang Qiqi knew Shi Man was plotting something, but she wasn't worried. She was the one supplying the materials, so if she gave them to Shi Man, she was guaranteed a share. She felt completely secure.

Zhao Rongrong knew that if her work looked this good, someone would want them. Despite the material shortage, she had tried to make a few extra. “I made about six. I’ll take two, and you all can have one each.”

Only one? Shi Man’s expression soured slightly, but she quickly rallied. No matter what, Qiqi was providing the raw materials, and she only had one anyway. Just as she was about to reach for one, Wang Qiqi swiftly snatched the pig-face-shaped pillow.

“Ahhh! Qiqi, you’re too fast!” Although Shi Man wasn't fond of the pig-face pillow, seeing Wang Qiqi grab it so quickly, she naturally had to grumble a bit.

“Here, take it,” Wang Qiqi said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She generously offered the pillow back to Shi Man. Hmph, let’s see if she takes it. Qiqi knew Shi Man really wanted one of the long, cylindrical pillows, about fifty centimeters long. Fortunately, Zhao Rongrong had made three of those; otherwise, dividing them would have been difficult.

Shi Man certainly didn't want the pig face. She quickly pulled her hand back. “Qiqi, if you like it, how could I take it?” Although the craftsmanship was good, it wasn't her favorite. She worried Qiqi might actually try to force it on her, and worse, Qiqi might also have her eye on the long, cylindrical one. Although Shi Man had one that was even longer, the quality was terrible. Especially since she saw Qiqi’s hand moving toward a certain direction, Shi Man couldn't let Wang Qiqi succeed. She swiftly snatched a long, cylindrical pillow. “I’ll take this one then.”

Although Shi Man spoke with composure, her anxious gestures betrayed her. “Fine, I won’t fight you for it. I’ll take this one,” Wang Qiqi conceded, withdrawing the pillow she had been holding. While the cylindrical shape was nice, she still didn’t prefer it. The one she had chosen initially could be placed under her bottom during the winter for extra warmth.

Shi Man finally realized that someone was just playing around, but regardless, everyone was satisfied with the outcome.

When Shi Hongrui woke up and received the bolster from Zhao Rongrong, she was ecstatic. Even seeing that Shi Man had an identical one afterward didn't spoil her good mood. As for Wang Qiqi, seeing Shi Hongrui chatting and laughing with her just like before, what could she do? Han Tao had guessed correctly; if she got angry here, Shi Hongrui might just take it as a minor issue, which was clearly the case by her current demeanor. Of course, it was also possible that she was just being clever, hoping to ease the slightly strained relationship this way. Regardless of the reason, Wang Qiqi couldn't stay upset with her any longer and could only revert to their previous style of interaction. RS