"I'll take Qiqi with me," Yang Jing suddenly offered. "It'll be on the way, and I can have her drop by my shop to offer some input."

Offer input? Wang Qiqi found this strange. She ran her own business; why would Yang Jing, a mere middleman, need her advice? She only later understood that Yang Jing was considering a full renovation, but she was hesitant. A full renovation would halt business operations, so Yang Jing wondered if she could achieve a fresh look through soft furnishings instead, saving time. After all, keeping the doors open was paramount. Pausing business, while seemingly only sacrificing immediate profit, risked alienating some established customers in the long run—a thought that deeply troubled Yang Jing. Should she buy a new shop? This issue, Yang Jing felt, could no longer be postponed. If Qiqi refused to help her directly and instead took the money to manage things overseas, Yang Jing was prepared to use the opportunity to tell Song Ziwen that she intended to purchase a new premises for renovation. Having run the business for a few years, Yang Jing felt the current shop was cramped. Even though it was two stories, once the upper floor was set up as a salon-like space, the actual sales area felt insufficient.

Wang Qiqi knew Yang Jing must have had other reasons, but since Song Ziwen had agreed, how could she strongly object? She could only go along with it. "If what I say isn't helpful, sister-in-law, please don't mind." As someone studying finance, she truly had little flair for interior design or decoration. Her personal requirement for a home was simple: comfort and ease of cleaning. Now, Yang Jing had entrusted her with such a significant task, which made Wang Qiqi quite anxious.

Yang Jing knew that since Song Ziwen had agreed, Qiqi couldn't refuse, but seeing her lack of strong resistance, she knew that even if Qiqi had any lingering dissatisfaction, it wasn't fueled by anger. "It's fine. I just want to show you how foreigners decorate their shops. Afterward, sister-in-law will treat you to a grand meal, without them."

"Deal. I want Sichuan food," Wang Qiqi interjected quickly, snatching the words before Yang Jing could continue. Yang Jing preferred things like steak, and having spent so long in England, Wang Qiqi was quite tired of such fare. Finally back in China, Wang Qiqi was determined to savor several authentic Chinese meals. Although she cooked often in England, when busy, meals usually consisted of fast food. Moreover, many essential seasonings were unavailable abroad, and even if they were, Wang Qiqi couldn't replicate the true flavor. Sichuan food, especially, was something she had longed for.

Sichuan food? The mere thought of the fiery red pots made Yang Jing feel nauseous; it was simply too spicy. Furthermore, spicy food always caused breakouts on her face, so Yang Jing virtually avoided it. Yet, she had already made a bold promise, and Wang Qiqi was eagerly anticipating Sichuan cuisine. This put her in a difficult bind.

"Your sister-in-law can't handle spice," Song Ziwen spoke up, noticing his wife's conflicted expression. "How about your big brother treats you to dinner tomorrow night?" He also had some matters he needed to discuss with Qiqi; today's conversation hadn't flowed perfectly, and some points remained unsettled. He figured tomorrow night would be a good time to clear the air. "We'll have your sister-in-law treat you to light Japanese cuisine instead." Song Ziwen knew his wife adored Japanese food, though he personally found it too bland, almost offensively so.

Holy cow, Japanese food, and Yang Jing was treating? Wang Qiqi knew she wouldn't be taken to some mediocre place merely flying the Japanese flag. "Great, great! I've never actually had proper Japanese food before. Only had sushi," she replied, and even that was the most basic kind—just rice rolled with some meat floss, cucumber, and ham, wrapped in seaweed.

"Wonderful! The day after tomorrow, sister-in-law will take you to a really unique Japanese restaurant," Yang Jing said with a flirtatious smile upon hearing her husband take the burden off her shoulders. She then guaranteed Wang Qiqi, admitting she herself had been missing it lately. Besides, inviting Qiqi meant there was no budget limit, which made Yang Jing happy just thinking about it. "Qiqi, don't be shy, eat as much as you like. Big Brother will cover the entire bill."

"That's right, let your brother pay for everything! He’s flush with cash now anyway," Wang Damei chimed in encouragingly from the side. Her niece, the little goddess of fortune, rarely visited; how could she fail to foster goodwill? "If your brother refuses to pay, your aunt will cover it."

Wang Qiqi nearly flinched at Wang Damei's words. Wang Damei was usually fine with her, but she had never been this warm or gentle, advising her not to hold back. "Don't worry, I'll definitely bleed my brother dry! You guys don't know, I was miserable abroad—couldn't eat or sleep well, especially during that huge blizzard at Christmas..." Even now, Wang Qiqi still shuddered at the memory. "Thank goodness Han Tao came to keep me company." Without Han Tao, Wang Qiqi couldn't imagine how she would have survived those long, lonely nights.

"Without Han Tao, you probably would have gone traveling abroad for a vacation, right?" Song Ziwen suggested another possibility. He knew Qiqi had planned to explore before she left for overseas, intending at least to see all of Britain before finishing her postgraduate studies. "By the way, how's your internship going? Is your mentor really as brilliant as you said?" Although Song Ziwen had heard about the team Wang Qiqi was with, he still found it astonishing: a group comprised entirely of current students generating such remarkable returns. It seemed magical. "Here, let alone college or grad students, even professionals at securities firms rarely achieve such success."

Although Song Ziwen had focused heavily on his career these past few years and hadn't followed the stock market closely, he knew a few people in that circle. He noticed that while they boasted constantly about how well they lived and how much they made in a good market run, it was often just talk, meant to fool ordinary people. If they were truly that skilled, why bother being stock commentators? They should just trade stocks themselves. Thus, Song Ziwen wondered if Qiqi was also being misled by her mentor.

"Brother, in our country, we toil for twelve years to get into a good university, and then we spend our university years partying. It’s completely different abroad. Starting from Grade 10, which is like high school here, you study seriously, and you have to maintain that pace until graduation or finishing your master's. Those years are when you genuinely learn things. I consider myself a diligent university student back home, but compared to them, I was incredibly lax." Wang Qiqi couldn't help but sigh. "Studying at a good university abroad isn't easy. All those parties and gatherings you see in movies? Definitely not the reality."

"Oh?" Song Ziwen was dumbfounded. To be honest, he had always assumed studying overseas was quite relaxed. But hearing Qiqi say that, he didn't know what to say. His sister had been extremely focused for the first three years of her four-year degree—always sticking to the three main locations: home, school, work. She was definitely a model student. Yet, she claimed her university life was slack. What did that even imply? "It's hard to get into a prestigious university, and it's even harder to thrive once you’re inside."

"The tuition fees alone are enough to make you choke," Wang Qiqi added. "Especially at private universities; you need a solid family background unless you secure scholarships. That's why foreigners offer so many scholarships—they are specifically for the top scholars." Without those scholarships, even with student loans, a significant number of talented individuals would likely be lost.

Song Wenbo interjected, quite surprised. "Isn't it true that once foreigners turn sixteen, their parents stop supporting them?" From Qiqi's account, it sounded like parents were still financially responsible for university fees—that seemed peculiar.

"Families with good financial standing certainly take responsibility. For families with average means or many children, parents simply can't manage it all," Wang Qiqi explained. She understood that some domestic propaganda led to many misconceptions about life abroad. Conversely, foreigners were often ignorant about China. When she first arrived, some people, knowing she and Yanyan came from China, would ask if they were adequately fed and clothed. Wang Qiqi found this amusing at first, but the humor quickly gave way to a bleak urge to weep. She suspected this wasn't just the opinion of one or two foreigners.

Wang Qiqi briefly described what children learned in school overseas, starting from the early grades. As she detailed the curriculum for higher grades, Song Ziwen and Yang Jing found themselves staring with their mouths agape, feeling like she was describing kindergarten, not actual classes.

Yang Jing's parents, having devoted their lives to education and both being senior teachers, initially felt a sense of quiet satisfaction. But after listening to Wang Qiqi, they smiled wryly. "Sigh, we always thought the gap was small enough that we could catch up, but looking at this now..." Though retired, having dedicated their lives to nurturing young minds, certain realities were deeply ingrained in them.

"The system is different." Matters of such grand scope were beyond their personal influence. However, if Wang Qiqi had a choice, she would prefer children to play hard when it was time to play, and study seriously when it was time to study. "Brother, you might want to consider when you plan to send Niuniu abroad." Previously, Song Ziwen and Yang Jing thought it best to wait until Niuniu was older, perhaps at university age, so her personality would be set, minimizing the risk of her going astray. Wang Qiqi had wholeheartedly agreed with this plan before, thinking that if the children were sent abroad, she, as their aunt, could focus less on their care while the parents worked hard in China. But now, Wang Qiqi worried that if they stuck to the original plan, Niuniu and Taotao would already be significantly behind, making the catch-up process quite difficult.

Song Ziwen and Yang Jing exchanged glances. They wanted to discuss this, but concerning their child's education, the maternal grandparents held the deciding vote. Fortunately, while the grandparents spoiled their granddaughter, they hadn't let her become utterly spoiled or entitled. Song Ziwen and Yang Jing were grateful for their help; otherwise, given their demanding schedules and the guilt they felt toward their child, they might have inadvertently ruined her upbringing.

"Oh, so that's how it is," Song Wenbo murmured after Wang Qiqi's explanation. "When our Niuniu is a bit older, after she finishes middle school, we should send her out. I don't think it’s right to keep her here. Going abroad will let her learn more. Since she’ll likely go abroad eventually anyway, what do you think, in-law?" Song Wenbo reasoned that if sending his granddaughter abroad early benefited her future, then sooner was better.

They had previously agreed that the maternal grandparents would have the final say on the child's education, a point the son and daughter-in-law accepted without question, and Song Wenbo certainly wouldn't object. Although Wang Damei felt a flicker of resentment, it remained internal. Seeing how polite Niuniu was under her grandparents' guidance made Wang Damei, who occasionally paraded her granddaughter around to show off, quite happy and proud. This effectively quelled her earlier urge to take charge of the granddaughter’s upbringing, averting a potential major family conflict.

"Yes, at the very least, she needs to finish middle school." Yang Jing's father initially thought they had plenty of time, but now it felt tight. However, if she didn't finish, it wasn't the end of the world; they could figure out a way to accompany her abroad. His daughter and son-in-law wouldn't stay overseas long-term, and he didn't entirely trust the paternal grandparents to supervise the child, given how much they doted on her. Elder Yang worried they might spoil his sweet, obedient, slightly mischievous granddaughter. "If necessary, her grandmother and I will go with her."

The maternal grandparents going abroad? Wang Qiqi immediately looked up toward Wang Damei. According to the original plan, wasn't it Wang Damei and Song Wenbo who were supposed to move abroad to look after Niuniu and Taotao? How had the role of study-accompanying chaperones suddenly shifted? Wang Qiqi wondered if Wang Damei would throw a tantrum later.

"That would be for the best; we’d be more at ease," Wang Damei conceded. She had initially looked forward to experiencing life abroad, but her desire had cooled considerably. She didn't speak English, making her functionally mute overseas. Moreover, if she left for an extended period, she would be leaving Song Wenbo alone in China—something Wang Damei could never accept. Song Wenbo already showed signs of restlessness domestically; if she were gone for too long, Wang Damei feared she might return to find she was no longer Mrs. Song.

Wow, Wang Damei actually said that. Wang Qiqi was internally astonished. Had Song Wenbo's infidelity truly changed Wang Damei's mind so drastically? "With the teacher grandparents around, I'm also relieved. In the future, my children's Chinese education will be up to Uncle and Auntie." Although Wang Qiqi could teach Chinese, she recognized her patience was thin, and educating children demanded endless patience. It was better to hire a Chinese tutor than risk upsetting the children and herself. Now, this was a bonus—getting a master teacher to look after her child was wonderful news. Of course, the real benefit wasn't saving money, but knowing the teacher would be exceptionally dedicated.

As soon as Wang Qiqi finished speaking, Song Ziwen broke into a laugh. The atmosphere at the table had been somewhat strained earlier, but Qiqi's comments had eased the tension considerably. "What do you take my parents for? Thinking you can take advantage? I’m telling you, if you don't pay a first-class salary, they'll go on strike!" Song Ziwen knew the Wang family wasn't short of money; otherwise, while buying property domestically, they wouldn't also be purchasing homes in the US. If their financial strength were insufficient, would they act this way? Even Song Ziwen, despite his modest wealth, would have to think twice before buying property in the US, given that Qiqi and her husband earned in dollars, making their pressure much lighter.

"Hmph," Wang Qiqi shot Song Ziwen a look. "Brother, I can teach Uncle and Auntie English." If Yang Jing's parents did move abroad, the language barrier was one area Wang Qiqi definitely needed to help them overcome, or they'd always need guiding everywhere they went. "Brother, you need to step it up. You can't let Uncle and Auntie end up having to escort you around when you visit the States." This wasn't an impossible scenario; overseas, if you don't mind making mistakes and speak boldly, your English improves rapidly. In China, no matter how well you practice, it’s often useless due to the lack of immersion.

"Hey!" Song Ziwen glared sharply at Wang Qiqi. She always managed to hit the sore spot. He knew Yang Jing constantly pressured him to read more English books, but having disliked studying since childhood, Song Ziwen forced himself, though reading gave him headaches. Yang Jing was already slightly annoyed with his efforts, and now his sister brought it up—was this signaling a trip to the laundry board? "Relax, your brother is busy. Even if I go to the States, won't I still have you? You're destined to be a housewife anyway." Thank heavens Wang Qiqi planned to be a homemaker; otherwise, Song Ziwen felt he'd be completely dominated by her.

"Pay up," Wang Qiqi demanded unceremoniously. Hmph, expecting her to work for free? Absolutely impossible.

"No money," Song Ziwen slapped down the hand Wang Qiqi had extended. "Have we eaten enough? Let's go back." Song Ziwen noticed his daughter Niuniu was rubbing her eyes; she was probably sleepy.

Yang Jing picked up her wallet to settle the bill outside, while Yang Jing's parents helped Niuniu get dressed. Wang Damei looked at the table full of leftover food. She was about to ask for a takeout box when she glanced at Wang Qiqi. "Auntie, there’s so much food. We can pack it up and heat it tomorrow." Wang Qiqi noticed Wang Damei's hesitation, perhaps worried about Qiqi's opinion. Although Wang Qiqi wasn't keen on leftovers, she wouldn't shame anyone for wanting to save food.

Song Ziwen was about to jump in and say no to packing, but Wang Qiqi spoke first. What else could he say? Fine, it was mostly for his mother anyway. Sometimes Song Ziwen truly couldn't understand his parents; they weren't lacking money, yet they were frugal to the extreme. For instance, they always asked to pack food after dining out. Thankfully, they at least understood the concept of saving face—they only did this when dining with family; otherwise, Song Ziwen feared people would think his business was failing due to their excessive frugality.

"It's such a waste to discard this much food uneaten," Wang Qiqi said, taking the disposable containers from the waiter to help pack. "Brother, there's really no need to order so many dishes when family members dine together." Wang Qiqi observed several untouched dishes. It seemed Song Ziwen was applying his client-entertaining habits to his own family. Perhaps he saw it as a display of status, but if Wang Qiqi were choosing a business partner, she wouldn't collaborate with such a profligate boss.

Wang Qiqi lay under the covers, eyes half-closed, lost in thought. She heard a knock at the door from outside. Although she was deeply reluctant to leave the warmth of her bed, she knew who was waiting. She certainly didn't dare keep CEO Zhu Lina waiting outside.

Zhu Lina had grown incredibly impatient waiting outside. When Wang Qiqi opened the door looking half-asleep, Zhu Lina erupted in anger. "You didn't forget what we had planned for noon, did you?" This girl had a meeting scheduled for midday and dared to sleep this late! Zhu Lina was grateful she had left half an hour early; otherwise, the other party would have had more reason to criticize her. And look at her now—she opened the door but didn't even bother to freshen up, walking like a zombie to the sofa and collapsing directly. This made Zhu Lina's eyebrows knot together. "Hurry up and wash your face and brush your teeth! Skip breakfast; we'll eat lunch at the restaurant instead." Why eat breakfast at this hour?

"Nana, why are you so tense?" Wang Qiqi pulled the flustered Zhu Lina off the sofa with resignation. "Nana, I know you're anxious, but you need to remember she set the appointment. And I estimate she won't be precisely on time." After returning yesterday, Wang Qiqi had checked in with Shi Man to inquire about her cousin’s personality. Thank goodness she had asked; otherwise, Wang Qiqi feared she would have been sitting there foolishly for half an hour. Shi Man had assured her that even the cousin wouldn't dare make her wait too long, as keeping someone waiting excessively often led to a confrontation, especially if the other person had a bad temper and simply walked out. Shi Man believed her cousin knew Wang Qiqi wasn't one to be trifled with, so standard tactics to create embarrassment wouldn't work on her.

"How can I not be nervous? I'm doing this for your own good," Zhu Lina retorted, slumping onto the sofa when Wang Qiqi remained uncooperative. "I know what you’re thinking—you want to put her in her place, show her you’re not a pushover. Don't worry, I've already looked into it. The other party just wants to meet you. She knows you’re Wang Rui’s cousin." Zhu Lina worried that Wang Qiqi was intentionally delaying her departure to demonstrate her unyielding nature, which Zhu Lina felt was entirely unnecessary.

"She wants to meet me, so I just have to run over there and see her?" Although Wang Qiqi said that, she still obediently got up to wash up. "Right, if the other party explodes at me, I certainly won't tolerate it." Wang Qiqi didn't think the person opposite wouldn't blame her for Wang Rui's situation; perhaps there wouldn't be a blazing inferno, but a little burst of anger was likely.

"Don't worry, if you can stand it, I won't either. Just consider it giving my mother some face." Zhu Lina thought that although her relationship with her mother was decent, it was only average with the other party. If her own mother hadn't mentioned that this person was quite capable, she wouldn't be happy to wade into this mess. "If she pushes things too far, we'll just flip the table and walk out. I've got an explanation ready either way."

"Understood." Hearing Zhu Lina give such an assurance, the steps Wang Qiqi took toward the bathroom gained a noticeable surge of energy. RL