As Christmas Day drew nearer, everyone knew that any thoughts of distant holiday travel were off the table. Five days off would be a good outcome, and even those five days depended on how quickly things resolved. Consequently, morale plummeted. Especially during meetings, whenever someone mentioned friends heading off for a vacation, the envy was absolutely contagious. Having no holiday of your own only to hear others talking about getting out and about was enough to thoroughly imbalance anyone’s mindset.

“Guess it’s back to staying home,” Mark groaned, “I was planning to catch up on studying here, but sigh, any hope for that scholarship is completely gone now.” Although the results weren’t out yet, Mark knew chasing that scholarship was just a pipe dream.

Nick, watching Mark get so agitated, delivered a cold remark from the sidelines, “Mark, how many scholarships have you actually won? Besides, do you really lack that little bit of money? You should leave that for those who need it more. You used to handle things well before; you never fought for scholarships with those people.”

Hearing Nick’s pointed jab, no one could hold back their laughter; they all laughed uproariously. Wang Qiqi certainly couldn't restrain herself. Mark might be an elite, but he’d truly only secured the scholarship once. Given how hectic things had been, most people were expected to scrape by with barely passing grades.

Mark hadn’t expected Nick to embarrass him so openly, but he found himself at a loss for a rebuttal, as Nick was speaking nothing but the truth. “Hey, give me some face, guys. I just feel like since I can earn money, why bother competing with them?” Mark stated his justification for not vying for the scholarship.

“We know, we know,” everyone chimed in, covering their mouths as they smiled. As for how one particular person was truly feeling, well, that wasn't their business to manage.

After that little outburst, everyone felt significantly better, at least less gloomy. In reality, aside from Qiqi, everyone else was seasoned staff. They were prepared for this kind of sudden turn of events. It was just that most of the major issues had been sorted out and were wrapping up. Naturally, everyone had looked forward to the holiday, but this unexpected shift certainly dampened spirits.

“Sigh, all I can think about now is getting two days off so I can properly rest,” someone said with great anticipation. “If we can’t travel, I just hope I can get some beautiful, deep sleep.”

This suggestion garnered plenty of agreement. Vacationing was meant to restore mental fatigue, and sleeping achieved a similar result. Moreover, given the current outlook, this proposal seemed highly likely to pass. “If we only get a few days off, let’s spend Christmas Eve together,” Mark suggested after glancing around at everyone.

If the break was too short, rushing back and forth would just be tiring. Since everyone might end up spending Christmas alone otherwise, it seemed better to gather and celebrate together for more liveliness.

Celebrate together? Wang Qiqi wasn't sure what the others were thinking, but she wasn't particularly keen on spending the holiday with the group. Of course, it also depended on what everyone else decided.

“Great idea, I’m all for it. We can just have a potluck here, everyone makes one dish,” Alice proposed. “That works out well; I was worried about spending the holiday alone. Ugh, being single during the holidays is so lonely.”

One dish per person, and there were at least twenty people, meaning over twenty dishes. It wouldn't take much effort but would result in a feast of variety. “Agreed, agreed. Just make sure we coordinate so no one makes the same dish—that would be such a waste.”

“Yep, agreed. How about we each make our signature dish or a regional specialty?”

“Hometown dish, hometown dish!” Nick exclaimed excitedly, even counting on his fingers to tally up everyone's origins. Calculating it out, “Wow, we’re all from completely different places. This potluck is definitely going to be something to look forward to.”

Wang Qiqi watched the increasingly excited person and knew she couldn't refuse joining such a gathering. “I’ll make Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs.” They all seemed to like sweet things; hopefully, they wouldn't dislike this dish too much.

“Chinese food?” Oh, everyone present was thrilled. Even though they hadn't tasted Qiqi’s cooking, her pastries were quite decent, so Chinese food shouldn't be bad, right?

Wang Qiqi nodded affirmatively. “But my cooking is average, so don't expect too much.” Qiqi gave them a heads-up. She intended to hold back slightly. While foreigners might not be overly pushy, she still needed to be cautious, especially regarding Mark. This guy truly lived up to his finance major; his calculations were too smooth. A slight lapse and you’d owe him favors. He knew she could cook, and cook reasonably well, so would he stop at just asking for pastries in the future? For the sake of her future peace, she needed to maintain a low profile.

Mark looked genuinely delighted. He knew Angel could cook but hadn't found the right moment to bring it up. Unexpectedly, an offhand idea of his solved this big problem. Ah, today was proving to be his lucky day. “Angel, don't be so modest. Our cooking skills are just average too.”

“That’s right, that’s right,” everyone else chimed in. Alas, what could they do? While there were other women in the office, they were all fiercely career-driven. Only Angel seemed somewhat gentle and domestic. Granted, her professional capability wasn’t top-tier—if it were, why would she be doing this instead of being a powerhouse already?

Wang Qiqi knew making Chinese food would be popular. She didn't miss the look Mark gave her, but it wasn't the look of a man appraising a woman; it was clearly the look of someone anticipating food. Qiqi understood Mark’s little schemes perfectly. Whether she would actually go all out, only heaven knew. Besides, after several months of intensive study, coupled with diligently trailing behind them recently, Wang Qiqi felt that even if she couldn’t ace the exams, scraping by with a passing grade was definitely achievable. So, let him stare. She’d teach him that the higher the hope, the greater the disappointment—a lesson some people (like him) had experienced countless times before.

“Qiqi, you’ll be fine staying here alone, right?” Zhang Yan asked Wang Qiqi, who had rushed back specifically. “Should I stay behind?” It seemed a bit miserable for Qiqi to be completely alone during the holidays.

Shi Man, who was busy grabbing food with her chopsticks, couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing Zhang Yan’s concern. “Relax, she won’t be by herself then. Her man is coming over. When is he due?”

“It’s fine. We’ve already arranged it. Everyone from the studio who isn't traveling will spend Christmas Eve together,” Wang Qiqi said, shoveling food into her mouth, clutching her rice bowl. Sigh, after eating nothing but hamburgers for days, she felt her taste buds were ready to retire. Finally getting a chance like this, Qiqi was certainly eating her fill. “So don't worry about me.” As for the New Year's party, no one mentioned it, perhaps everyone hoped to be on break by then. “We’ve already snuck in time these past few days to prepare what we need.” This included alcohol, the Christmas tree, wrapping paper, etc. Of course, it was all delivered via phone order, though they were footing the bill themselves.

Spending it with the studio crew was reassuring for Shi Man. A group celebration sounded much merrier. “What a pity for such a good opportunity,” Shi Man glanced at Shi Hongrui, noticing she had already put down her chopsticks. She knew Hongrui was likely regretting it internally. Such a fine chance, gathering with top-tier young professionals, and she was missing out because she’d already made plans to go away.

“Pity for what? It’s not a grand banquet, just one hometown dish per person,” Qiqi was too focused on eating to notice what Shi Man meant by ‘pity.’ Also, she had heard some less pleasant news: although you could bring a companion, that companion also had to contribute a dish. That meant if Han Tao came, he’d have to cook too. Qiqi had already settled on Tofu with Minced Meat for him—simple and quick. But she figured even the simplest dishes would seem difficult to foreigners. “We’ll just eat and then wrap up. We might even have to work through the night.” Even though the stock market was closed, there was data to collate and intelligence to gather. A holiday didn't mean a break from pressure. Although foreigners respected working hours, for those in finance, overtime was the norm. Otherwise, why earn such high salaries? Especially with the market reopening soon, they faced the final showdown. After fighting this hard, no one wanted to collapse at the last minute.

“By the way, hosting this here in the studio—your Boss doesn't mind?” Shi Man had assumed Qiqi’s Boss would be supportive, given the celebration, but hearing Qiqi mention they were splitting the costs suggested he wasn't very enthusiastic.

“The Boss has no objection,” Wang Qiqi said, unsure what Mark and the others had told him. “I just know they said celebrating in the studio was okay. Besides, the Boss hasn't been in a good mood lately; we shouldn't give him more reasons to be upset.” If things were progressing smoothly, she might ask the Boss, but with tasks being postponed repeatedly, the Boss’s expression was already unpleasant. If this wasn't entirely their fault, Wang Qiqi guaranteed the Boss would never have agreed to a Christmas Eve party in the studio. “We better behave.” The supplies weren't that expensive anyway, and they might even have more fun without the Boss around.

Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered something and quickly changed the subject. “Since you all won’t be here…” Ah, she’d originally promised not to bring a man home to stay, but now she was breaking that rule first. She felt quite sheepish.

Shi Hongrui and the others didn't mind. Hongrui was consumed by regret; if she had known they were celebrating together, she wouldn't have gone out with Zhao Rongrong and the others, no matter how fun Italy was. But with tickets booked, pulling out now would mean a significant loss. She could only console herself that such opportunities would arise again.

“It’s fine, we won’t be here, and we trust you to stay behind,” Zhang Yan said, feeling relieved when she heard Han Tao would be coming. Although there wasn't much valuable stuff in the apartment, leaving it empty for over ten days always caused some worry. With Qiqi and the others staying guard, she felt secure.

“Exactly,” Zhao Rongrong agreed easily. “Before, when we were all here, having one man stay overnight was awkward in all sorts of ways. Now that we’re gone, there’s no inconvenience.” At worst, they could just lock their bedroom doors. And besides, the room held nothing valuable—just clothes and books.

Once Shi Hongrui resolved her regret by telling herself there would be plenty of future chances to meet elites, she actually felt a little happy that Wang Qiqi couldn't go traveling. Qiqi had been the most excited among the five, eager for a tropical getaway, and now she was stuck here. It just proved that you shouldn’t get too smug, or even heaven would disapprove. “If things get resolved smoothly, Qiqi, will you at least get to travel a bit nearby?”

Zhang Yan caught on immediately. Wasn't resolving the situation considered a success? That’s why Qiqi was back now. Even though she’d return to the studio to keep watch afterward, since the emergency, Qiqi had been on alert every night, fearing another sudden situation might arise.

Wang Qiqi didn't overthink it and replied directly, “I plan to just rest. Next semester’s workload won’t be light either.” After all, only one year of graduate study meant immense pressure. Even if she didn't pass, she could retake the year, but why waste money? Plus, her man was waiting for her in the States.

Zhang Yan saw her point. She herself was struggling with just coursework; it must be tough for Wang Qiqi balancing studies and work. “But you look well-nourished this time. You haven’t lost weight; you’ve actually gained a bit.”

Wang Qiqi could only offer a wry smile. Could she tell them she’d been eating supersized hamburgers at every meal just to gain weight? Now, the sight of a hamburger made her want to gag. “I’m glad I’ve gained weight; otherwise, my man would have had something to say about it.”

“You were too thin, putting pressure on us,” Shi Man said with a look of disdain as she glanced at the flesh on her arm. She’d been so busy lately and still managed to gain weight—it was beyond her. While plump girls were sometimes considered lucky, being overweight wasn't exactly the current trend. “You need to aim for thirty pounds heavier before we can relax.”

The thought of Wang Qiqi gaining thirty pounds made everyone laugh. “Wouldn’t she look like a pig?” Shi Hongrui couldn't imagine the usually slender Qiqi getting that heavy. “Thank goodness Qiqi already has someone who wants her.”

“Having someone doesn’t mean looking like that!” Wang Qiqi snapped. Just because she was slightly slimmer, did they have to tease her so much? “Manman flies back tomorrow. What about the rest of you?”

“We’re taking the train all the way; we’re not in a rush,” Zhang Yan replied. Although their destination was Italy, they were prioritizing saving money and seeing more places along the way. “We’ll travel and sightsee as we go. Our first stop is France, focusing on the south before heading to Italy.”

Listening to Zhang Yan’s plan, Wang Qiqi had only one thought: their holiday was a real holiday—a multi-country tour! “I’m so envious of you all.” Ah, although she was earning money and had met some elite people, she had missed out on so much. “I’ll just be pottering around my own little patch of land.” She’d been so happy just thinking about a Southeast Asia trip before; now, forget Southeast Asia, even Italy was just a dream.

Noticing Qiqi’s conflicted expression, Shi Man got annoyed. “But you’re making money! Earning is what matters; we’re going out to spend. By the way, remember to do some shopping for us.” Since Qiqi and her group were definitely staying in Europe, even if not in the UK, they’d be close by. Shi Man wasn't worried about Qiqi failing to find good deals. “I’ll email you the list immediately.”

Ugh, she had to be a procurement agent too? Wang Qiqi felt this was the second piece of bad news after being unable to travel. “What, you don’t like it?” Shi Man gave Qiqi a sidelong glance. “Don’t forget, this is our business.” Honestly, with partners this high-maintenance, did Shi Man have a choice but to be exhausted? Shi Hongrui complained about her working hard; she should see what Shi Man’s partners were like. Of course, the biggest benefit of ignoring these petty squabbles was greater autonomy for Shi Man. Compared to the constant haggling Shi Hongrui had with her domestic partner, Shi Man preferred her setup. Once they agreed on the general items needed, they ensured client demands were met. Truthfully, Shi Man couldn't fathom how Shi Hongrui had chosen her partner back home; he was responsible for sales domestically but still tried to micromanage their procurement decisions, even when tasks were completed. Their relationship was none of Shi Man’s business, though.

What else could Wang Qiqi say? “Fine, I’ll buy, but I’ll only buy branded items. Don’t expect me to hunt for quirky things.” Wang Qiqi admitted her taste wasn't sharp enough for those so-called emerging designers; she’d only buy what she personally liked, never considering if the item could be sold back home.

Shi Man wouldn't need Qiqi to say that. “Don’t worry, if you were buying, I’d be worried about you wasting money,” Shi Man retorted without courtesy. “Keep checking your email; Sister Yaoyao and the others will be sending updates constantly.” While pre-ordered items meant slightly less profit, they were good because they didn't tie up capital. Plus, items during the sale season were already cheap, so the actual profit margin compared to usual wasn't much lower.

Wang Qiqi could only shake her head. “I think I need to start getting familiar with the boutique sales associates.”

Suddenly, Wang Qiqi remembered something. “Does this mean I’ll constantly have to run into London?” Oh god, Wang Qiqi thought her holiday was officially a tragedy—it couldn’t get worse than this. “I have to tell my sister—I’ll do one massive shopping haul right after the holiday break!” After all, the discounts would be steepest then. Running back and forth to London constantly was unbearable, especially with London’s high cost of living.

“Of course,” Shi Man found Wang Qiqi rather naive. “You’ll have a few days off anyway. Either pop over to London for a break—there’s not much fun here—or you two could just head straight to Paris. Didn't you say last time you went with your man that there were lots of places you didn't get to see and wanted to revisit later? This is your chance for a company-funded trip, just the two of you.” Hmph, ‘didn’t get to see enough last time’—she probably meant there were two huge, unwanted third wheels tagging along, which annoyed her. This time, Shi Man was making sure they got their chance.

Wang Qiqi genuinely didn't want this “company-funded trip.” “Don’t worry, I’ll stay in five-star hotels and eat gourmet meals,” Qiqi said with a bright smile, but her words were laced with menace. Hmph, she’d show them that ordering her around came at a steep price.

Wang Qiqi’s demand wasn't actually that high, considering overtime pay was usually doubled during holidays. “There is a budget. Anything exceeding a certain amount requires a vote by all partners,” Shi Man wasn't worried. She knew that even if the couple insisted on staying at five-star hotels and dining extravagantly, they would be footing the bill themselves.

Wang Qiqi was disappointed that she failed to shock Shi Man and suddenly felt bored. “So uninteresting. I’m heading back to the studio. And I won’t be here to see you off tomorrow. Travel safely.” She almost said ‘bon voyage,’ but since one person was flying, ‘travel safely’ seemed more appropriate. “Email me when you get home.” International calls were too expensive.

“Got it. You take care of yourself too.” Even though Han Tao was due to arrive in a couple of days, Shi Man was still worried about Wang Qiqi. When two people were busy, they couldn't keep track of everything. She could only offer reminders. “Also, you take the car today. We’ll figure out transport ourselves tomorrow.”

Wang Qiqi acknowledged with a simple sound. “I’m leaving. When you guys go, remember to switch off the water, electricity, and gas.” She didn’t know when she’d be back, and if anything happened, rushing back wouldn't be fast enough.

"Don't worry," Shi Man said, watching Wang Qiqi, who was still lingering anxiously at the doorway, with a sense of resignation. "We aren't three-year-olds anymore. We'll lock up everything in the house. Oh, and remember to buy groceries next time you come back; we're getting rid of everything in the house today." Shi Man suddenly remembered something very important and quickly called out to Wang Qiqi, who was already at the door, lest a certain someone comes back late at night craving a bite to eat only to find the cupboards completely bare—that would be a crisis.

Wang Qiqi murmured an "Oh," then added, "When you leave, remember to pay the electricity, water, and gas bills, and the broadband fee too." You certainly don't want them to cut off service during the holidays; there would be nowhere left to cry.

"Paid, paid. Waiting for your word," Shi Man said, ticking off on her fingers everything they had done at home over the last two days. "So stop worrying. All the necessary fees are settled, and the books we borrowed have been returned."

Wang Qiqi looked at the now clearly impatient person, pinched the bridge of her nose, and exchanged what felt like the umpteenth farewell with everyone present.

Just as Wang Qiqi managed to close the door, she heard Shi Man’s exasperated voice drift out from inside. "Finally gone. Honestly, treating us like children the whole time. We aren't actual kids, you know."