It was supposed to be a day for shopping, as planned for the weekend, but because everyone had consumed so much red wine the day before, some people were still stumbling out of their rooms well past noon when the sun was high in the sky.

"My head hurts so much." Wang Qiqi yawned, walking into the living room only to be met with the messy scene on the dining table. Seeing all that just made her head feel heavy and painfully throbbing.

"Let's watch some TV first," Qiqi mumbled, sinking onto the sofa, hoping to restore some energy by watching a bit. But slowly, her head grew heavier, nodding rhythmically, nod... nod... "Forget it, I’ll just go back to sleep." She switched off the television and returned to her room to catch more rest. As for the pile of dishes on the table, Qiqi decided to leave it for whoever woke up next; failing that, weren't there still the master and mistress of the house?

When Wang Qiqi finally woke again, she realized she was completely alone in the room. "You’re awake. Want something to eat?" Han Tao approached the bedside and gave her a good-morning kiss—a late one.

Qiqi nodded, still not entirely clear-headed. "Where are the others?" She had assumed they’d all be in the living room, but with the door ajar, she heard no clamor or conversation filtering in, meaning the living room must be empty.

"Shi Man and Zhulina went shopping. The lawyer just called; all the contract drafts have been reviewed and look good," Han Tao explained their whereabouts one by one. "Fatty went with Feng Xuanxiang to pick up the final contract copies."

"Still out shopping?" Qiqi clutched her chest, feeling residual shock. "Zhulina is going to empty out New York this trip." When Zhulina had arrived previously, she’d brought a massive suitcase, but it had been mostly empty. It seemed someone knew this trip was for serious hauling and had deliberately left the luggage bare, anticipating stocking up heavily for the return journey. But their stamina was incredible; Shi Man had specifically said yesterday that she needed a rest and wouldn't go shopping with Zhulina, yet upon waking, someone had seemingly forgotten yesterday’s lesson and regained all her energy. "Thank goodness they didn't call me," Qiqi thought, feeling she might genuinely have to jump off a building otherwise. It had been utterly exhausting.

"They did call you, but you wouldn't wake up," Han Tao chuckled, seeing the blank expression on Qiqi’s face. "They tried to rouse you, but you nearly punched Zhulina away with one swing." Everyone knew Qiqi had a terrible temper upon waking, but they hadn't anticipated it being this fierce. Even Han Tao, her pillow companion, was seeing this level of ferocity for the first time. When Feng Xuanxiang and the others looked at him with expressions that clearly said, 'You are indeed formidable,' Han Tao found it impossible to offer any defense or explanation for Qiqi’s actions. Their faces were clearly etched with the sentiment: Don't bother explaining; we saw it all.

"Ah!" Qiqi gasped. "I hit someone? Did I hurt her?" At that moment, she vaguely recalled hearing someone calling her name after she fell back asleep. She had assumed it was someone nagging her to get up and wash dishes—a task she naturally resented. But to think it was an invitation to go shopping! Well, shopping and washing dishes were equally things that sent Qiqi into a frenzy. People blame their actions on being drunk; how did it become sleeping that caused trouble for her? If she had struck Shi Man, it would have been one thing, but the issue was that the great Goddess of Fortune, Nana, was nearly taken out by her! This was a serious matter.

"Don't worry, Zhulina dodged quickly, and you were still in a deep sleep, so there wasn't much force behind it," Han Tao quickly soothed her tense expression. "Relax. Everyone knows you have waking anger, but we didn't expect it to be this intense. Though, I am curious: where does such powerful waking anger come from?" Usually, Qiqi would just roll over and ignore you, only throwing whatever was nearest if you persisted—that at least gave people time to react. But this time, it was so sudden that no one was prepared.

Not much force, plus Zhulina dodging fast—that meant at most, she only grazed Zhulina's skin. "Right, are you leaving tonight or tomorrow?"

"After I put you on the plane, I'll fly out too," Han Tao replied, helping flip the quilt and straightening the bedsheet. "What's the news on selling the house?"

"It's nearly Chinese New Year. Even if someone likes it, the transaction won't happen until after the break," Qiqi lamented, her face falling. "And I have to go back then. I just hope everything goes smoothly." Sighing, she was glad Wang Rui would likely be back in school when she left. But Wang Rui was graduating from her vocational college this year; there was a real possibility she might stay and work back home, and that possibility was quite high.

Han Tao knew Qiqi was worried about Wang Rui. Honestly, he was surprised when he first heard the news—not surprised that Wang Rui was being a homewrecker (they knew she couldn't change for the better), but surprised she had reconnected with Gao Kai. If Gao Kai hadn't gotten engaged or married, they would have been a decent match. But the problem was, Gao Kai just got engaged! What kind of mess was this? "Ah, forget it. Don't dwell on it too much. Anyway, your brother and the others will be immigrating soon. Let her fuss if she wants to fuss." As for them, they were already established in the States, putting them even further away from her drama.

"Why do people insist on making trouble? How she ruins her own reputation is her business. It would be fine if she made a scene dying far away, but she has to come back home to cause chaos. My sister said she’s thankful she left our hometown; otherwise, she’d die of anger," Qiqi recalled Song Yao's shocked and deeply wary expression, realizing how cautious Song Yao was regarding Wang Rui. "Besides, someone like her definitely won't let us off just because we're far away in the US. Man Man mentioned Gao Kai's fiancée isn't exactly a pushover either."

"Let them fight it out. We can have your aunt moved to Beijing for a while," Han Tao suggested, not having a good impression of that certain someone either. "Wang Rui’s ability to clash with Cousin Shi Man relies on borrowing your strength. Once your aunt is gone, she won't have that leverage." Song Ziwen was sharp as a tack, and Yang Jing was even more so; only a fool would side with Wang Rui.

"Oh, one more thing," Han Tao suddenly remembered. "If you run into any issues concerning my grandmother while you’re back, just play ignorant." He paused, worried. "She isn't doing well, it seems. Since none of us are in the hometown, we can pretend not to know. If you go back, I worry..." The relatives knew Qiqi was his wife; if they saw her, they'd latch onto her, telling her this and that. "Also, Han Jun and his wife got divorced, and they sold the house too..." Han Tao hadn't been back, but he knew a little about the situation from his mother. He was baffled that his mother, having left the hometown for so long, still knew so much about the Han family affairs; someone must be sending information, though he didn't know who. He worried that person might leak details about their situation to his mother.

Wang Qiqi wasn't surprised at all by the news of Han Jun's divorce. Aside from being handsome, Han Jun offered nothing else of value. Even if Ding Meina hadn't found anyone else on the outside, watching a man who never sought progress would eventually become tiresome. But that wasn't the core problem; the problem was, "They sold the house—where will they live?" Although Luo Hongjuan's house had been rented out, that wouldn't stop some shameless people from showing up and staging a dramatic scene, crying and wailing at the doorstep. Even if the house was rented, the tenant wouldn't welcome such a spectacle.

"They're renting, I suppose. They wanted to move into my house, but my mother sold it. If they want to cause trouble, they won't know where to direct it," Han Tao admitted he only just found out his mother sold the house. Even though it was rented out and they wouldn't live there when they returned, it was the house he grew up in, and he felt a pang of loss now that it was gone.

The house was sold? Wang Qiqi was quite surprised. Luo Hongjuan had insisted vehemently she would never sell that property. Now it was gone, and judging by Han Tao's expression, he learned about it afterward. Such a major decision, and Luo Hongjuan hadn't consulted Han Tao at all—that suggested the sale was rushed. "Did they sell Han Jun's house recently too?" Qiqi suspected the Han family intended to sell their place to raise cash, planning to move into Luo Hongjuan's house. They probably thought that since Han Tao was successful now, he wouldn't care about that house, allowing them to stay permanently until they could gradually arrange for the title to be transferred to Han Jun. She couldn't be certain, but given how doting Han Tao's grandmother was on Han Jun, it was likely true. The unluckiest party in all this would be the buyer. Buying a house should be a joyous occasion, but now it might turn sour. If it were her, she’d feel incredibly uncomfortable, but since Luo Hongjuan made the decision, she couldn't criticize her directly in front of her son, dragging an innocent party into the mess.

Han Tao nodded. "They were trying to keep it quiet, but selling a house is a huge deal; people kept coming to view it, so eventually, whispers got out. When my mom learned the situation was deteriorating, she sold the house to the tenant." He felt a bit awkward, but selling it to a stranger meant that if Han Jun and his two generations decided to cause a scene, let them—the ones losing face would be them in the end. "My mom sold it at 85% of the market price and made the situation perfectly clear to them."

They made the situation clear—then it should be fine. "I predict the buyer is probably some shrew or someone connected to the underworld," Qiqi speculated. "Otherwise, why would they buy it after knowing the truth? Although, the price point is tempting—15% off is a bargain no matter what."

"I don't know about that, but they certainly went to cause trouble, and they must have lost big in the end," Han Tao said, his smile completely unconcealed.

Losing out was certain; otherwise, why would they be renting? But with this outcome, "I can only imagine what your and your mother's reputations are going to look like." As for why Song Ziwen hadn't brought this up with Wang Qiqi, she figured they knew about it afterward but chose not to burden her with such tiresome issues. In their view, even if Qiqi married Han Tao now, matters concerning his grandmother’s generation were Han Tao’s mother’s responsibility. Who ever heard of a grandson’s wife stepping in?

"Reputation can't be eaten. Let them talk. We’ll only be going back once a year at most." Han Tao admitted if his father weren't buried back home, he wouldn't want to return to that place he held little affection for. "What can they say about me? They never took care of my family when I was growing up. My father was the eldest son and never received any part of the Han family assets. Whatever they say, they should start with Han Jun, that prodigal grandson."

That was true. "Don't worry. When I go back and they bring up your family matters, I'll play dumb." Qiqi understood why Han Tao suddenly brought up the Han family issues; perhaps he was worried that when she went back to handle the property sale, conflicts might arise with the Han relatives. "Besides, even if I knew, what does it matter? I’m not a Han family daughter-in-law."

"How are you not?" Han Tao bristled immediately. "You are my wife!"

"Yes, yes, but if I run into your collection of freaks, I absolutely won't admit it. Your family utterly abandoned you and your mother when you were in trouble, but now that you're successful, all the distant aunts and uncles suddenly appear. I truly admire them," Qiqi shot Han Tao a look. This news had come from Wang Damei, who was friendly with Luo Hongjuan and likely vented to her. "If Wang Rui manages to scheme against Song Ziwen, she'll probably try to use her relationship with him as leverage against me too. She probably thinks that by getting involved with Gao Kai, she can make Song Ziwen see her in a new light."

"Wang Rui?" Few people could make Qiqi mention a tough battle, especially concerning their hometown. "Isn't she supposed to go south for classes?" Wasn't she only in her third year?

"She’s graduating this summer; she only attended a vocational college," Qiqi said, suspecting that even if Wang Rui were pursuing a bachelor's degree, she might drop out just to keep that man. "For her, finding such a rich, promising, and faithful man is hard to come by."

A faithful man? Han Tao nearly spat out his drink. Luckily, he realized something was wrong and turned his head quickly, or Qiqi would have snapped at him. Faithful? Han Tao thought only a man like himself could be truly faithful. "If he was so faithful, why did Gao Kai get engaged to someone else instead of her? If he was so capable, why didn't he start his own business instead of chasing after that kind of woman?" She was really gilding the lily for herself.

"I don't know about that, but for someone like Wang Rui, finding someone as rich and young as Gao Kai is rare. Actually, if she weren't playing mistress, we genuinely wouldn't object," Qiqi conceded. Having a sister who lived comfortably would be better than constantly hearing her cry about poverty, immediately grabbing hold of people at every meeting as if they owed her millions. Though they met rarely, those few occasions were enough to nauseate Qiqi. But then again, if Wang Rui lived well, she’d probably revert to her arrogant demeanor, causing endless annoyance. "Why is it that both my family and yours have all these extreme characters? Even though we ignore them, they still cling to the idea that we are relatives and must be looked after."

Wang Rui was able to approach Song Ziwen, appealing to their distant relatives to look after her. It was likely she would try the same with Qiqi upon her return. In Wang Rui's mind, the feud between their families stemmed from their parents’ poor conduct; there wasn't much hatred between the sisters. As for stealing Gao Kai, she would surely invent a reason—perhaps claiming that by taking Gao Kai, she paved the way for Qiqi and Han Tao. A truly thick-skinned person would twist the facts, claiming the whole thing was her doing, or at least that she deserved credit for her efforts.

"Relatives should be looked after, but it depends on which relatives," Han Tao said, expressing his deep disgust for shameless relatives. "Just treat them like they’re passing wind. Sort out your business and leave immediately to go back to school." If the property sale didn't require Qiqi’s personal presence, Han Tao wouldn't let her go back at all.

Wang Qiqi suddenly hit upon a good idea. "About our investment shares—since my sister and the others don't know the real reason, I'll tell her that because of Wang Rui, I need to dispose of the property back home to avoid future trouble." It wasn't that Qiqi was overly cautious; she worried Song Yao might inadvertently mention things to Wang Damei, who could then spread the major news. It wasn't that Wang Damei couldn't keep a secret, but in her eyes, this showed Han Tao’s competence—people without capability were just employees. How many people started a business at Han Tao's age?

Han Tao quickly understood Qiqi's reasoning. He slapped his thigh. "Exactly! This way, my relatives and Wang Rui will think that our expenses abroad are huge, and we haven't made nearly the fortune they imagined. Otherwise, why sell the house? If they believe we aren't living lavishly overseas, they won't latch onto us. They might even run away, fearing we'll ask them for money to cover tuition and living expenses." "Why didn't we think of such a brilliant idea before?" Selling domestic assets and transferring them abroad—the relatives back home wouldn't know the full picture; they only believed what they saw with their own eyes.

"Why didn't we think of it?" Wang Qiqi regretted it too. They had such a perfect solution and were foolish enough not to see it. "We could actually liquidate all our property back home. Even if we don't need it here, we could buy commercial shops in Beijing instead." Property value appreciates quickly there, far better than keeping the houses in the hometown. "I regret it so much; I missed so many opportunities. Ugh, I’ll immediately tell my brother to dump all the houses back home, keeping just those two." As for how she’d use the money later, Song Ziwen wouldn't pry too much. Buying shops in Beijing would only solidify Song Yao’s belief that she was deliberately avoiding Wang Rui.

"The shops are sold too?" Han Tao asked in return.

"No, those are staying," Wang Qiqi shook her head. "That one is downtown; it was left to me by my maternal grandfather." Even if its appreciation potential wasn't sky-high, the annual rental income was substantial. Only a fool would sell it. "If I said I was selling it, someone would instantly offer a higher price to snatch it away."

"Keep it. It’s a sentimental connection," Han Tao said, stroking the top of Qiqi's head. "Hurry up and get out of bed, then we’ll go for a walk."

"I’m not going out." It was chilly outside, and Qiqi didn't feel like leaving. Yesterday was special, driven by the desire to explore, to walk around with Han Tao and soak up the atmosphere, which she had achieved. What was the point of going out today? "Let's just snuggle up inside."

Han Tao was surprised Qiqi didn't want to go out. "You really don't want to go? Well... I was hoping to buy you a gift." Last time, he’d given Qiqi a brooch, which Shi Man had mocked relentlessly, saying while brooches were nice and Qiqi would use them, they simply couldn't compare to a ring. A necklace would have been better, at the very least. This had made Han Tao reflect on whether he was genuinely bad at buying gifts, so he wanted to take Qiqi out while she was still in the States to buy her a ring and a necklace.

Need to buy presents too? Wang Qiqi first glanced out the window. "The sun isn't out today. Could the sun be hiding behind the clouds and rising from the west?" Wang Qiqi murmured to herself, utterly perplexed. She knew her man well; he was definitely not the type to be so diligently buying gifts. Previously, him remembering to buy her a brooch was already considered generous. She couldn't believe this man wanted to buy her something again so soon after the last present. "Stop buying things, we can get them later." Although she adored receiving gifts, the current economic situation didn't warrant unnecessary spending.

Just as Han Tao was about to say something, "When we get married, buy me a big carat diamond ring instead," Wang Qiqi immediately cut him off. She wasn't keen on ordinary jewelry; she'd rather have something truly fine, something with better potential for future appreciation.

"Alright then," Han Tao sighed. What else could he do but agree? RP