Shi Hongrui and the others were dumbfounded, entirely unprepared for Shi Man’s sudden maneuver. “No, please no, no!” Although Qiqi’s cooking was good, it couldn’t possibly compare to restaurant fare; places awarded Michelin stars weren't achieved by accident. They had been looking forward to a great feast and an eye-opening experience, only to have their beautiful dream shattered so quickly.

Shi Man watched the chorus of pleas—everyone chanting "no, no"—and felt an inner surge of delight. Let them bully me, huh? Do they think I’m a pushover? “What do you mean ‘no’? I proposed this, I negotiated it with Qiqi. Am I suddenly going to regret it?”

Of course, they could renege, the others thought silently, but the problem was they felt they had completely misjudged the situation. They had missed out on so much over a mere plate of spare ribs. In that moment, they desperately missed Doraemon; if only they could rewind half an hour and reverse everything. Alas, this was nothing more than a pleasant fantasy.

Wang Qiqi, meanwhile, felt no urgency. While the others were busy placating their demanding friend, she concentrated on eating. Sigh, although smelling the aromas while cooking had somewhat filled her, the thought of facing a diet of takeout for the next two main meals made her resolve to savor this one meal intensely. Who knew when she would taste such home cooking again?

Shi Hongrui and the others tried persuading Shi Man for a long time, only to find her stubbornly refusing to budge, clinging to her pride. She shot Shi Man a suspicious glance. She knew this friend was fiercely devoted to food; there was no way she would truly forgo a Michelin-starred restaurant over a few ribs. Qiqi’s cooking was excellent, yes, but it was not in the same league.

The more Shi Hongrui thought about it, the more certain she was that something was amiss. She stared at Shi Man until the latter began to feel self-conscious. Just as Shi Man was about to lose her temper, Shi Hongrui spoke up. “Manman, are you planning to have Qiqi cook one meal here, and then have Qiqi treat you alone to that Michelin restaurant?” That way, Shi Man would enjoy two full meals—a definite win for her.

“No way!” Shi Man instantly rebutted, her denial swift as lightning. Hmph, don't think a surprise attack like that will force the truth out of me; I’ve mastered this game.

“Really?” Although Shi Man’s reply was superficially normal, Shi Hongrui noted the speed of the reaction was too quick. “Do you want to swear on it?”

Swearing? That carried no pressure at all, but the issue was, “Why should I swear? Don’t you trust me?” Shi Man huffed indignantly. “Hmph, all of you are going too far! First, you wiped out all the ribs without saving me any, and now, when I just want to make up for eating ribs later, you all start doubting everything. This is absolutely outrageous, utterly outrageous!” Shi Man declared, genuinely annoyed. Hmph, if I don’t flare up now, they’ll really think I’m guilty. Although that was precisely her intention, she certainly wouldn't admit it to them. Hmph, I won't let you lot snatch away the spoils of victory I fought so hard to secure!

Wang Qiqi didn't care whether Shi Man was being sincere or not. For her, the only thing that mattered was that Shi Man had given up the chance for a grand Michelin feast in exchange for having her—Qiqi—cook a substantial, delicious meal. Wang Qiqi welcomed this development wholeheartedly. “Let’s settle it like this then. I promise to put my heart into cooking a meal on that day that will surpass this one. Alright?” Regardless, the arrangement needed to be finalized and stated in front of them. If Manman then... Wang Qiqi genuinely wanted to say: Manman, even if you have your little schemes, I’ll play along too. “This meal was originally Manman’s suggestion, her negotiation. If Manman now chooses to celebrate my bonus in a different way, that’s her freedom. I have no objections. I think Manman’s proposal is excellent. What do you all think?”

Listening to Wang Qiqi, Shi Man felt a slight unease, even though the words, on the surface, seemed to align with her intentions. “Yes, I have no objections.”

Since the person directly involved agreed, what could Shi Hongrui do, even if she still felt something was off? “I have no objections either.” Heh heh, I’ll be watching both of them closely then. If the slightest thing seems wrong, hmph, don't blame me for not being polite.

Seeing how serious everyone looked, Shi Man suddenly felt an impulse to give in and agree to their original plan: Qiqi should treat them all to the Michelin restaurant. But she had been so resolute just moments ago; changing her mind now... Shi Man decided that wasn't a good idea. Shi Hongrui would surely accuse her of only trying to stop them from enjoying the big meal. Therefore, no matter what, Shi Man resolved to stand her ground. “It’s settled then.” Shi Man decided to hold firm.

Wang Qiqi noticed Shi Man’s expression stiffen for a fraction of a second. She wondered if the girl was cooking up some mischief, but she decided she would prove with actions that plotting was ill-advised. Internally, Wang Qiqi looked forward with anticipation to the expression on someone’s face when they realized their own cunning plan had backfired. Perhaps she would be furious enough to die of anger. Of course, Shi Hongrui and the others would likely be quite pleased by someone’s failure to profit from deceit.

As soon as she was online, Wang Qiqi related the day’s events to Han Tao and Feng Xuanxiang. Han Tao was in class and didn't reply immediately, but Wang Qiqi knew he would respond as soon as he was back online. Feng Xuanxiang, however, replied to her email quickly. Wang Qiqi smiled happily, reading Feng Xuanxiang's response filled with jealousy. Previously, a certain someone had repeatedly expressed envy over her good fortune. It was only after seeing Wang Qiqi doing the work of a standard assistant that that person stopped displaying a perpetually aggrieved expression. But now, Wang Qiqi had dropped such significant news so soon; it would be unnatural for Comrade Feng Xuanxiang not to be shaken.

Regarding the content of Feng Xuanxiang’s reply, Wang Qiqi assured him she would strive to get along well with everyone, as this was crucial networking for her future endeavors. Wang Qiqi was determined not to miss out on building these relationships, which delighted Feng Xuanxiang. However, due to his busy work schedule, after exchanging a few emails with Wang Qiqi, he had to return to his tasks. Naturally, he concluded by congratulating Qiqi on such a great opportunity. As for which specific project Qiqi would be swamped with, Feng Xuanxiang wouldn't ask, and even if he did, Qiqi wouldn't offer any clue—that was the rule. For instance, although Feng Xuanxiang privately helped manage their stock accounts, he would never overlap with tasks Qiqi was assigned.

Uncertain how many days she would be burning the midnight oil at the studio, Wang Qiqi decided to prepare some changes of clothes. For the laundry, she could only rely on Shi Man, asking her to wash everything and bring it back to her later.

Wang Qiqi quickly packed a simple overnight bag. As for her toiletries, she figured she could organize those just before leaving tomorrow.

Finishing her preparations, Wang Qiqi realized it was already nine in the evening. By this time, Han Tao had finished his class. He had replied quickly to Qiqi’s message, but because Wang Qiqi had been busy packing earlier, she hadn't noticed the chat interface. When she finally returned to her computer, she found Han Tao had sent numerous messages.

In response to Han Tao’s inquiries, Wang Qiqi briefly explained the scope of her new work duties.

Han Tao, waiting on his end, had grown impatient. He had considered calling her if she didn’t reply soon. Just as his impatience peaked, he finally saw Wang Qiqi’s response.

Han Tao saw that Wang Qiqi would remain an assistant, albeit with significantly heavier responsibilities. He couldn't fathom how Shi Man had managed to secure such a good opportunity for her, but ultimately, it was good news.

Wang Qiqi chatted with Han Tao online for a while. He also offered advice on how to foster good relationships with colleagues. In Han Tao's view, Qiqi rarely had the chance to collaborate with so many people, especially high-caliber elites. While Qiqi had worked for a period before, her workload hadn't been this demanding, and her position within the studio had been somewhat peripheral. This time, Qiqi carried much more weight. If her colleagues didn't actively sabotage her, everything would be fine. Han Tao had great confidence in Wang Qiqi.

Reading the cautions Han Tao sent, Wang Qiqi felt somewhat speechless. Even if she hadn't shared an office with so many people in this life, it didn't mean she hadn't in her previous one. While she wasn't an expert in workplace politics, she understood the basics. Moreover, Wang Qiqi felt that even if some among them truly disliked her and wanted to trip her up, they would need to weigh the benefits of such actions carefully. What if a slight deviation in the analyzed data wasted everyone's hard work? At the very least, she had MAY overseeing everything; according to Mark, she was highly competent, and even Feng Xuanxiang recognized her name. The fact that such a powerhouse hadn't left the team but remained right behind the BOSS gave Wang Qiqi considerable peace of mind.

However, Wang Qiqi wouldn't share these internal analyses with Han Tao; it would be too hurtful to her man. Still, the experience she gained interacting with Chinese colleagues in her past life might not translate well to foreign coworkers, making Han Tao’s advice quite valuable.

Seeing Wang Qiqi seemingly obediently accept his advice, Han Tao felt happy. He did notice, however, that Qiqi seemed quite tired and instructed her to go to bed early.

Wang Qiqi murmured an acknowledgment, said goodbye to Han Tao, and prepared to shut down her computer for the night. It was then she remembered she hadn't informed her bosses that she would be extremely busy and might not have enough time to complete all her assignments. Although Shi Man and Zhang Yan also worked in the field, and Shi Man's skill level was decent enough for urgent orders, Shi Man sometimes made mistakes, requiring Wang Qiqi to review everything before feeling secure. In this line of work, reputation was everything; if the quality of completed orders declined, the reputation would suffer, and lucrative future orders might be withheld. Thus, Wang Qiqi meticulously checked every assignment delegated to others; she couldn't afford any damage to her name. For non-urgent work, she could help review when she had free time, but for rush jobs, Wang Qiqi was somewhat powerless.

After a moment’s thought, Wang Qiqi sent an email to her boss, briefly explaining that due to the current heavy load from classes and her internship, she would not be accepting urgent orders for a while. Once everything was set, Wang Qiqi stifled a yawn, turned off the light, and prepared for sleep. She decided she needed to conserve her energy to face the upcoming grueling overtime schedule.

Though Wang Qiqi intended to sleep early, once she lay in bed, she found herself completely unable to drift off. Tossing and turning in frustration, she finally got up, picked up a book, and started reading seriously. Sigh, someone accustomed to falling asleep around midnight found it very difficult to force sleep before ten-thirty. It was better to get up and read than to lie awake in bed. As for her computer, Wang Qiqi didn't want to go online, lest her man see she was still active late at night and start pressing her about why she couldn't sleep. Better not to worry him.

When Wang Qiqi walked downstairs yawning, Zhang Yan and the others were also already awake. Whether they had classes or not, none of them indulged in sleeping in anymore. After breakfast and a brief exercise session, they were either in the living room or their rooms diligently reviewing their coursework.

“Qiqi, didn't you say yesterday you were going to sleep early?” Shi Man placed Wang Qiqi’s prepared breakfast in front of her, sounding quite puzzled. Yesterday, when Qiqi returned to her room, she had explicitly stated she needed early nights for the tough times ahead, yet her appearance suggested the opposite. “Your eyes look like a giant panda’s.” While not quite that dramatic, Qiqi rarely had dark circles, so seeing them now gave Shi Man a small scare.

“You didn't spend too long video-chatting with your guy, did you?” Honestly, after being a committed couple for nearly five years, they were still this inseparable. Shi Man found it a bit much. Besides that, she couldn't think of any other reason; Wang Qiqi absolutely did not suffer from the common ailment of being unable to sleep in new beds. As long as the environment was adequate, Qiqi could fall asleep instantly—an adaptability that impressed Shi Man and the others greatly.

Wang Qiqi yawned, thanked Shi Man for the breakfast, and sat down looking groggy. “Sigh, I wanted to sleep early yesterday. I turned off the light around ten-something.”

Shi Man quickly calculated the time. That wasn't late. If she went to sleep at ten, she should have slept for over eight hours by now, especially considering her usually excellent sleep quality. Why, then, did Wang Qiqi still look half-asleep? “Did you have insomnia yesterday?” If she herself heard about such an important assignment, she might not sleep, perhaps staying up all night. But Wang Qiqi had faced plenty of high-pressure situations before; why would this affect her now?

“I couldn't fall asleep at first, so I got up again and started reading a book. By the time I realized the time, it was past two in the morning.” Sigh, if she hadn't felt her eyelids growing heavy, Wang Qiqi probably wouldn't have slept at all.

Two in the morning wasn't particularly late by their current standards; most of them were used to sleeping around one or two a.m., given all the pressure they were under. But the issue was, “Qiqi, didn't you forget how busy you’re about to become?” Shi Man shook her head disapprovingly. Facing a major battle and failing to take care of her health—Shi Man was exasperated. “Even if you couldn't sleep, you should have at least felt drowsy by midnight.” Being exhausted now meant that even if coffee or tea could perk her up, was consuming too much of it really good for her health?

“In the future, if you can’t sleep, read the Bible,” Zhang Yan suddenly suggested an idea after some thought. Didn't a certain someone once say the Bible was merely a hypnotic tool for her? Since her sleep quality wasn't great now, coupled with the pressure from work and studies, she might as well use that ‘hypnotic book’ to fall asleep quickly.

“Yes, yes, read the Bible!” Shi Man quickly seconded the motion. “You can’t just have sleepless nights every time you feel stress! If you don’t sleep well at night, how will you work or attend class during the day? Your health will collapse if you keep this up! Don't you always say health is the capital of a beautiful body? You can’t fail to adhere to that yourself!”

Hearing those words, Wang Qiqi felt a rush of emotion. She thought, Manman is truly Manman, caring about me so much. She is truly my good friend, my buddy of so many years. Wang Qiqi suddenly felt that trying to fool her yesterday had been too mean. Perhaps she should just treat her to that Michelin-starred meal privately, provided Manman promised not to spill the beans.

But what followed immediately made Wang Qiqi realize she shouldn't have expected too much consideration from her friend. “If you mess up your work because of insomnia, will you still treat us to delicious food?” At that point, forget the Michelin feast; eating even a slightly decent meal at home would be a pipe dream. “In short, for the sake of that grand meal you owe us, you must work hard and earn lots of money!”

Wang Qiqi knew she couldn't expect too much from this friend. “Oh, you are too much! All you ever think about is food!” Wang Qiqi decided to ignore her friend’s rambling nonsense, even if there was a tiny shred of kindness hidden in her motivation. “Oh right, if I have to work late, help me wash my clothes and bring them to me.” Wang Qiqi said this while eating her bread, addressing Shi Man.

Shi Man readily agreed. “There's a place to wash clothes over there.” That sounded a bit too domestic.

“Yes, and a washing machine.” Wang Qiqi finally understood why that location had two bathrooms and several washing machines—they were clearly prepared for overtime work. “I don’t plan on washing clothes there. Besides the inability to dry them, I don't know if it’s clean.” So many people sharing just a few machines; even if they washed separately, Wang Qiqi still felt a sense of uncleanliness.

Shi Man and the others were speechless. “Aren't the washing machines in the school dorms communal too?” The dorm was huge, yet there were so few machines; they were definitely shared. No one else complained, yet Comrade Qiqi found fault with it. Wasn’t that a little pretentious, perhaps even slightly germaphobic? “Besides, they disinfect them, don't they?” Honestly, with a washing machine that could clean and dry clothes, even without sun-drying, she could just wear them. When one is busy working away from home, one shouldn't be so fussy.

“Their situation is theirs; mine is mine.” Wang Qiqi conceded that she wasn't a severe germaphobe, but she strongly disliked this particular situation. “Got a problem with that?” Really, asking someone for a small favor and being met with excuses—it was too much.

Seeing Wang Qiqi getting irritated, what could Shi Man do but agree? Alas, it seemed her unmet desires, compounded by a bad night’s sleep, had raised Qiqi’s temper by a significant percentage. “Did you talk to Han Tao? What did he say?” Shi Man wondered if Han Tao had said something to Wang Qiqi yesterday—perhaps expressing dissatisfaction that Qiqi was taking on such a strenuous assignment? Or maybe Qiqi was upset because she wouldn't be able to video chat with Han Tao during the busy period?

“I told him. He’s very supportive.” Wang Qiqi gave Shi Man a sidelong glance. Her man wasn't that small-minded. It was Feng Xuanxiang who, despite appearing open-minded, tended toward traditional machismo. Han Tao could support her ambition to achieve something significant, but Wang Qiqi estimated Feng Xuanxiang would be less likely to do so. Although he claimed to support Shi Man having her own career, he surely wouldn't want to see her career overshadow his own. “Alright, I’m leaving.” Wang Qiqi quickly finished the sandwich in her hand, downed the large portion of milk in one gulp, waved goodbye to everyone, and left.

“Car keys.” Shi Man realized Wang Qiqi was just walking out without leaving anything behind and immediately called out a reminder.

Wang Qiqi patted her pocket and pulled out a set of keys. “Drive carefully, and don't speed,” Wang Qiqi truly worried about her friend’s driving; she drove rather aggressively. As a novice, Wang Qiqi thought it was better to drive more smoothly; rushing wildly wasn't as good as simply leaving earlier.

Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered something else important. They had taken out a credit card in Shi Man’s name for communal use. After everyone verified their expenses, they would transfer their individual shares onto the card before the due date, avoiding the need to settle accounts weekly. “Oh, and the card.”

Wang Qiqi thought she had covered everything she needed to mention. As for warnings about guarding the house, she decided against it; they weren't children, and they would definitely handle those matters appropriately.

Wang Qiqi straddled her bicycle, one foot planted firmly on the ground, exuding an air of practiced nonchalance. "Girls, I'm off. Wait for my good news," she announced. Despite her attempted swagger, the enormous backpack slung over her shoulder, the small bag crisscrossing her torso, and the assorted bundles tied to the rear rack lent her an undeniable air of dishevelment.

At least, that’s how it struck Shi Man. Qiqi, decked out like that, looked ready to cycle across continents in pursuit of some grand adventure. It was a shame, Shi Man thought, that Qiqi had forgotten her camera; capturing this moment would have been perfect.

"Go get 'em, Qiqi!" Zhang Yan and the others waved enthusiastically, bidding farewell as Wang Qiqi embarked on her inaugural foray into the financial markets, albeit in the humble role of an assistant. RS