Wang Qiqi managed to race against time and arrive at the airport just as the boarding announcement began; the moment she stepped out of the car, she bolted toward the gate.

Han Tao stood by the gate, luggage in hand, watching quietly in the direction of the parking lot. When he spotted Wang Qiqi sprinting toward him, he immediately grabbed his bags and ran toward her.

Seeing Han Tao rushing over, Wang Qiqi stopped where she was, waiting for him to close the distance.

Han Tao ran and ran with his bags, finally reaching Wang Qiqi and pulling her into a tight embrace. "You've lost weight," he managed to say after staring intently at her face for a long moment.

"Lighter is prettier," Wang Qiqi could only reply, sighing internally that she actually didn't want to lose weight. "The pressure has been a bit much; earning money isn't easy."

"You don't have to do it," Han Tao said very seriously. "If you like it, I support you. But if you're unhappy, if the stress is too high, there’s no need to continue." Han Tao knew that if Qiqi genuinely loved making money, she absolutely wouldn't be working as an assistant; no matter how high the salary, could it surpass what she earned as a translator?

"If I quit now, how will they perceive it? They won't think I just didn't fit in; they'll assume I was kicked out by the professor for being inadequate." Regardless of the specific reason, Wang Qiqi knew she couldn't back out. If she did, the notion that she was incapable would forever linger in their minds. "Besides, I've learned a great deal. I'm responsible for acting as the liaison for Old Feng." Wang Qiqi declared with spirit. "Knowing the elites in the Xu financial circle—no matter what, we stand to benefit greatly." Of course, the quality of the relationship also depended on the strength of both parties; if one side couldn't match the other, the connection would inevitably cool, becoming purely transactional as they’d have little common ground left.

Han Tao looked at the calculating expression on Wang Qiqi’s face, and a pang of bitterness shot through him. If only he were more capable, would Qiqi need to scheme like this? Seeing Shi Man, he noted how much less desperately his own woman strived. Though Shi Man was running a personal shopping business, it looked significantly easier compared to Qiqi’s endeavors. "I promise I'll make sure you live an easier life soon," Han Tao assured her.

Hearing this abrupt, context-less statement, Wang Qiqi found it odd. Just as she was about to ask what he meant, she suddenly remembered something. She held the question until they were in the car, starting the engine, before finally asking, "Are you planning to start your own business? Is everything okay over there?"

Han Tao shook his head. "I'm very happy with the work, but I can't just keep working for someone else forever. I reconnected with Fatty online; we have some new ideas. I also talked to John, and he thinks it's a great concept too. The three of us are thinking about launching a venture together." Han Tao hadn't been averse to starting a business before, but the major concern had always been the severe financial pressure. He was pursuing his Master's degree while managing loan repayments, and starting a business required capital—the stress was immense. However, thanks to both him and Qiqi, they had managed to earn enough to cover the mortgage payments, which significantly eased that financial burden. As for living expenses, he could take on small programming gigs to sustain them. Only after considering all this did Han Tao finally settle on the decision to venture out, and he proceeded to explain his reasoning.

Wang Qiqi had actually been thinking about this herself over the past few days. "Have you been mulling this over for a long time? It can't be something you just decided on recently." Wang Qiqi knew Han Tao; he wasn't the type of man to make impulsive plans. He must have considered many angles and secured his exit strategies. Especially seeing how utterly resolute he appeared now, she cut him off abruptly. "Have you been planning this for a while?"

"Yes," Han Tao answered truthfully out of habit. The moment the word left his lips, he knew he'd made a mistake. He wasn't worried about Qiqi disapproving; he was worried she’d be upset that she was kept in the dark about something already settled. His intention in coming here was to discuss it with her—he knew she always supported his entrepreneurial aspirations. Han Tao realized he had been somewhat out of line this time. "Uh, uh..." Han Tao desperately scrambled through his mind, trying to formulate an explanation for Qiqi.

Wang Qiqi did feel a surge of anger. She knew he had considered it, but she hadn't expected him to have worked everything out already. "You are incredible. You just present me with a final decision and that's it? Why couldn't you wait until the foundation was laid before telling me?" The more Wang Qiqi thought about it, the angrier she became, her voice rising uncontrollably.

The consequences of Wang Qiqi’s anger were severe. She drove alarmingly fast. Fortunately, she retained some rationality; although the speed was excessive, it remained within the posted limits. Han Tao frowned beside her, but what could he do besides gripping the overhead handle tightly? He feared that speaking up might only escalate her temper, causing her to accelerate further. He could only pray silently, hoping her fury would dissipate quickly.

Alas, fate was not on Han Tao’s side, or perhaps someone hadn't heard his plea. Wang Qiqi sped furiously all the way to the garage entrance. "Go open the garage door," Wang Qiqi commanded, her chest heaving.

Han Tao took the key from her, swiftly got out, and opened the garage door. He watched in genuine fright as Wang Qiqi rapidly backed the car inside. Just as he was about to call out, the car stopped. Wang Qiqi then climbed out of the driver's seat. "Hey, Wang Qiqi, what's the meaning of this?"

Wang Qiqi rolled her eyes at him and walked past, "Didn't I safely bring you back? Didn't I park the car safely?" Hmph, he still had the nerve to question her. If it weren't for him, would she have acted so wildly? "Leave me alone. I'm going up to rest for a while. You cook dinner." Wang Qiqi had initially planned to let her man rest well after such a long flight and late nights spent programming before his trip, intending to make him a good meal so he could recover. Hmph, but now? Why should she let him recover when he clearly hadn't even considered her feelings? That thought only fueled her irritation.

Seeing Wang Qiqi completely ignoring him, Han Tao felt annoyed but knew he couldn't afford to get angry with her right now. Even if he needed to lecture her, it would have to wait until she allowed him to pass muster first. Only then could he give the little woman a proper safety education session.

Wang Qiqi had no idea that the man beside her was already planning a thorough scolding once he earned her forgiveness. Yawning, she headed toward the bedroom to rest. She hadn't slept well the night before and felt exhausted. With such a perfect opportunity presented, she certainly wasn't going to waste it. Yawning, she passed through the door connecting the kitchen and the garage, entered the living room, and went upstairs.

"I'm going to rest, and I’m not making dinner. You sort yourselves out," she muttered. She was officially going on strike to let the man know that she, too, got angry, and the consequences of her anger were serious. She would let this business slide for now, but if she didn't show him some pushback, he’d think she was a pushover.

Han Tao had expected Wang Qiqi to just throw a small tantrum; she had acted up before. But he hadn't anticipated this level of severity. She hadn't acknowledged him at all. "Qiqi, I was wrong." Han Tao considered chasing after her but noticed the garage door was still open and his luggage hadn't been removed from the car. He sighed. He closed the garage door first, then returned to the car and saw that Qiqi had left him the keys. With resignation, he retrieved his luggage from the trunk and slowly carried it toward the upstairs area.

As Han Tao stepped into Wang Qiqi’s room, he found a figure already curled up in bed. "Qiqi, Qiqi..." Han Tao called out several times, receiving no response. He gently set his bags aside and approached the bedside. To his surprise, in the short time it took, Qiqi had already fallen asleep.

Han Tao could only shake his head. At least the girl had remembered to remove her makeup and wash her face; otherwise, she would certainly nag about it when she woke up. It was precisely because she had washed up that Han Tao noticed the dark circles under Wang Qiqi's eyes. She looked genuinely weary. Han Tao understood that some of her fatigue must be related to him—like their conversation about starting a business. He walked over to the suitcase, gently pulled out his clean clothes, and headed to the second floor to shower.

When Wang Qiqi woke up, she noticed the bedding was strangely warm. This puzzled her. Her body was constitutionally cold; in winter, relying only on her own body heat, it would take four or five hours before the bed felt warm. She usually depended on an electric blanket or the heating system. Now, thanks to the fireplace, she didn't know how she would manage otherwise. But this time, she hadn't slept in the living room; how could she feel warm? As Wang Qiqi shifted slightly, she felt an arm pressing down on her. "Still restless even when you sleep?"

Wang Qiqi shoved Han Tao away. Looking out the window, she realized it was already dark; it must be late. Despite her earlier declaration that she wouldn't cook for him, she couldn't actually refuse to make food. Besides, even if not for his sake, she had to answer to her own protesting stomach, didn't she?

Wang Qiqi yawned and was just about to climb out of the warmth when a sudden chill hit her. It was quite cold, but tolerable. Since Zhang Yan and the others left, Wang Qiqi stopped sleeping in the living room. She usually returned late and was too annoyed to bother starting the fireplace; plus, being alone, she wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night to add wood, making it cold. More importantly, running the fireplace tended to dirty the room. To reduce housework, Wang Qiqi had simply endured it, relying on an extra electric blanket she kept nearby—the cold was only noticeable when getting up.

"What's wrong?" Han Tao, who had thought the movement beside him was just Qiqi being restless in her sleep, was surprised to find her actually trying to get up. He rubbed his eyes, confused.

"I'm hungry," Wang Qiqi said curtly to Han Tao, who hadn't grasped the situation yet. As if to underscore her statement, her stomach obligingly rumbled loudly.

Wang Qiqi was mortified that her stomach would betray her at such a moment. Go ahead and protest, she thought, but you don't need to be so loud about it. I haven't been abusing you!

Han Tao almost smiled at Wang Qiqi's awkward expression but managed to suppress it. "Should we just order takeout?" Her stomach's protest indicated genuine hunger. As a decent boyfriend, how could he let his girlfriend cook at a time like this?

Wang Qiqi had expected Han Tao to say something like, “Wifey, you’re hungry? I’ll cook, you stay put and rest.” Instead, the 'old man' suggested takeout. "I've been eating takeout constantly lately. Do you think I want more?" Wang Qiqi intensely missed the simple meal boxes now. While she had once complained bitterly about how unappetizing they were, now she regretted it. Even the worst meal box offered variety; the food from foreign delivery services? Ugh, no comparison.

"You haven't been cooking for yourself?" Han Tao was genuinely shocked to learn she'd been surviving on fast food recently. Qiqi had criticized the local cuisine upon arrival, deeming it the worst she’d ever tasted. "Work has been that busy?"

"Yes," Wang Qiqi yawned. "Good thing it’s almost over." Though she didn't know the exact end date, reliable sources suggested her assistant role would wrap up after Christmas Eve. Anything beyond that wasn't her concern as a novice. Wang Qiqi was happy about this, although she admitted that seeing the conclusion of a project would offer valuable insight into the workflow. Still, after working so hard, giving up vacation time felt too wasteful. Moreover, some situations were better avoided. Compared to Marknik and the others, Wang Qiqi knew she was an outsider.

"How about we go out for steak?" Han Tao genuinely wanted to cook, but he worried his skills weren't up to par, and since Qiqi was already starving, by the time he finished preparing a meal, he worried she wouldn't be able to hold out.

Steak? Wang Qiqi wasn't particularly keen. "There are dumplings in the fridge from when Yan left. Let’s eat some of those first." Thankfully, before leaving, Zhang Yan, concerned Qiqi would be too busy to cook, had made two hundred dumplings with Shi Man, suggesting they could keep them as snacks. Wang Qiqi had initially thought that was excessive, but now, looking at the remaining pile, it seemed barely enough. Eating a dozen a day, they were quickly dwindling.

Dumplings in the fridge put Han Tao at ease. "You keep resting. I'll go cook." He needed his wife to be well-rested; constant exhaustion was bad for her health. "My cooking is presentable, you know."

Seeing her man so willingly take charge, Wang Qiqi decided to offer him a little goodwill by naming a few dishes she liked that Han Tao knew how to make. "When you go down, start up the fireplace. We’re sleeping in the living room tonight." Having the fireplace nearby was quite cozy. Now that Han Tao was here, Wang Qiqi wasn't worried about falling asleep too deeply and letting the fire die out.

Han Tao agreed without objection. While sleeping in the living room felt slightly unusual, changing locations occasionally sounded like a nice idea. Especially watching Qiqi by the glow of the fireplace, there was an indescribable feeling, plus it was warm—definitely better than lying in bed alone.

Wang Qiqi noticed the strange expression on Han Tao's face but didn't press it. At least her man wouldn't betray her secrets.

Han Tao carefully pulled on his clothes, ready to go downstairs to work. The fact that Qiqi was already assigning him tasks suggested her anger had subsided. Han Tao felt a wave of relief; the danger alert could finally be lowered.

"Don't think this issue is settled," although Wang Qiqi had her back to him, she knew he was feeling smug. "Think carefully about what you did. We are having a serious discussion tonight." This wasn't over. Just because she assigned him a chore didn't mean she let him off the hook. Brother, you are celebrating too soon.

Hearing his wife’s stern words, Han Tao’s smile faltered. "No way, Wifey, you can't be that cruel." Usually, after sleeping it off, she’d let such things go once she woke up refreshed. Why was she still holding onto this? "But I know, I know! I promise I will conduct a thorough self-examination." Under Qiqi’s terrifying gaze, Han Tao conceded defeat. He understood that no amount of begging would absolve him. Instead of pleading, he should focus on formulating an explanation and finding a way to appease her.

Wang Qiqi knew Han Tao was usually receptive. "Good boy. Think hard about where you went wrong, precisely what mistake you made. Oh, and does Feng Xuanxiang know?"

Han Tao wanted to say no, but he worried about the possibility of Old Feng accidentally leaking the news, which would create serious problems. "I spoke with him briefly, mostly about how much capital he currently has available for maneuvering. Perhaps in the future, our mortgage payments will come from that side." Previously, the surplus money Han Tao earned—after mortgage and living expenses—was given to Feng Xuanxiang for investment. Therefore, his next move couldn't truly be hidden from Old Feng.

"So that's how it is," Wang Qiqi remarked upon hearing the explanation. "Your planning is quite thorough," she said, then turned abruptly and walked away, leaving Han Tao standing there, unsettled. Hmph, all because he’d inexplicably sent that email without any follow-up explanation, she had lost several nights of sleep.

Han Tao was genuinely startled by Wang Qiqi’s clean and sharp exit. Wow, his wife was a bit too assertive. Although Qiqi possessed an inner core of steel, she rarely displayed it overtly in her words or facial expressions.

Han Tao lay in bed for a moment, organizing his thoughts, then got up to go downstairs and start the fireplace. "Wifey, what are we eating tonight?" Once the fire was roaring, the once-chilly living room warmed considerably. He finally understood why Qiqi and the others liked huddling there to read and study. It felt much warmer than upstairs, though admittedly a bit cramped.

"Hot pot," Wang Qiqi replied, too tired to lift a finger. "In a few days, when things settle down, I'll cook something nice." Given the hour, if they waited for an elaborate meal, they wouldn't eat until much later.

"Hot pot? Great!" Han Tao readily agreed. "I remember you writing online about how lively hot pot dinners are. I always thought we could have one together someday. Eating alone is too quiet." It was so quiet sometimes that he felt a profound loneliness, almost unbearable. "Oh, by the way, why no dumplings?" Han Tao scanned the ingredients Qiqi had laid out and noticed the absence of dumplings. "Don't you usually put dumplings in hot pot?"

"Yan isn't here; no one can wrap them," Wang Qiqi commented dryly. "If you really want dumplings, toss some frozen ones in, but the pot isn't huge, and I doubt they'll all cook through." The dumplings she referred to were the specialty ones Zhang Yan had wrapped. She had been thrilled just to wrap this many for Qiqi to use as backup before leaving. How could she possibly ask for a smaller batch of those special dumplings now?

Han Tao's face fell when he heard there were no small, specialty dumplings. "Oh, such a disappointment." He glanced at Wang Qiqi’s face, decided against dwelling on the dumplings, and resolved to explain his situation now. "Fatty mentioned starting a business the other day. He said while working for others pays stably, he felt too restless, unwilling to settle. He shared his concept, and I thought it was brilliant." Regardless, starting a business required a sound product, and it was during his discussion with Fatty that the idea truly took hold for him. "Originally, I thought I’d wait another decade until everything stabilized before trying, but Fatty was right: if you keep analyzing and hedging, you’ll never start. And I’m still young; what's the worst that can happen? I can afford to fail once." Han Tao had always lived his life step-by-step, never taking reckless chances. But this time, he intended a true leap of faith. If it succeeded, great. "If it fails, I’ll give up, go back to working for someone, and strive to become middle management."

Wang Qiqi hadn't realized Han Tao viewed the situation so dramatically. "Starting a business isn't a one-shot success. If this attempt fails, it won't be entirely your fault; many factors are involved. Honestly, starting a business is better than being an employee. No matter how strong you are as an employee, what’s the ceiling?" She was genuinely curious, though. "Why did Fatty suddenly decide he wants to start a business? I remember him talking about buying a house and marrying Weiwei." How could his mind change so drastically in such a short time? Wang Qiqi mused that men could be just as mercurial as women when it came to monumental decisions. Then, a possibility struck her: surely they hadn't broken up?

"We won't buy the house first; Weiwei also supports Fatty starting a business." Han Tao noticed Qi Qi's expression change and wondered if she thought Fatty had broken up with his girlfriend. "Although Fatty is quite capable, you know him—once he gets his hands on a computer, he forgets all sorts of things. Even with his abilities, since he's hardly an athlete, how many girls would actually like him?" Fatty might be a good boyfriend choice, but the problem was that he was practical rather than romantic, the kind of guy very few young women would be drawn to. "As for Weiwei, your sister will help keep an eye on things. Do you really think she could find someone better than Fatty?"

Wang Qi Qi shook her head. "Impossible." Although Weiwei was attractive, she wasn't some unparalleled beauty. It was likely that Fatty had excellent taste, coupled with the fact that he pursued her aggressively under the guidance of the strategist Shi Man. Wang Qi Qi estimated that Weiwei wouldn't have ended up with Fatty otherwise. Given that, "Wow, Weiwei has more courage than I do." Not everyone chooses entrepreneurship; most people opt for standard employment because they value stability.

"She has ambition," Han Tao corrected. "Weiwei has very high expectations for Fatty, and Fatty's development in the States has proven that her judgment was sound."

With his girlfriend's backing, Wang Qi Qi understood Fatty would certainly be tempted. "So, what brilliant ideas do you all have?" Now that the reason for starting the business was clear, the focus shifted to their specific entrepreneurial concept—that was the crucial part.

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