Wang Qiqi patted her still slightly rounded stomach. "Should I call your driver to pick you up, or...?" Chen Yan hastily settled the bill after finishing her meal and made an excuse to leave, though she politely offered to drive them back first.

As if! The look in that person's eyes when she paid earlier made Wang Qiqi feel like she was being targeted by a cobra. If Wang Qiqi drove them back, Chen Yan wouldn't know where she lived, giving her an opportunity for evening revenge—though that was perhaps Wang Qiqi’s overly dramatic thought. The two women actually planned to walk around the lake to aid digestion; they had eaten far too much and felt quite uncomfortable.

Zhu Lina waved her hand, looking distinctly unwell. "Ah, it’s like killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of our own troops. My stomach still hurts." Zhu Lina had deliberately overeaten just to provoke someone, and while it hadn't seemed like much at the table, standing up made her realize how uncomfortable her stomach really was.

Wang Qiqi also wore a long face. "Huge loss. Hey, Nana, do you get the feeling that Chen Yan was targeting me?"

Zhu Lina made a small sound of realization and then nodded. "I felt it too. I first thought she disliked you because she couldn't stand Wang Rui, but now I feel it has nothing to do with Wang Rui. Her animosity towards you was much stronger than towards Wang Rui. It’s really strange." If it had been Wang Rui, Zhu Lina could understand, but why Wang Qiqi? It was truly bizarre.

"Could it be that Gao Kai still has feelings for you?" Zhu Lina thought that this was the only possible explanation.

Wang Qiqi was startled by Zhu Lina's words. "Don't scare me." How could Gao Kai, that notorious playboy, still have feelings for her? Whatever happened between them was ages ago. If he truly cared, he wouldn't have been so easily seduced by Wang Rui back then. "Forget it, his business has nothing to do with me. If his wife bothers me again, Nana, I’ll have to trouble you to ask Gao Kai to control his wife." Hmph, Chen Yan should still fear Gao Kai, but why were there so many rumors circulating outside? Wang Qiqi was intensely curious.

"Exactly. If you can't manage your own wife, what kind of business can you run?" Zhu Lina supported Wang Qiqi's sentiment. Humph, after suffering such a loss today, she certainly wouldn't let it go unavenged.

"Speaking of which, do you know why Chen Yan looked so terrible when she walked in today?" Zhu Lina asked playfully after answering a phone call.

"How would I know?" Wang Qiqi found a place to sit down, finding Zhu Lina's random question strange. "Either work wasn't going well, or she had a fight with Gao Kai." That would be perfectly normal.

"Neither," Zhu Lina negated Wang Qiqi's guesses. "Because today, or rather, at noon, Gao Kai and your sister went to a hotel." Otherwise, she wouldn't have lost her composure like that.

What? The two of them checking into a room in broad daylight? Wang Qiqi felt a pang of sympathy for Chen Yan, though if it were her, "I would have charged in immediately; that’s crossing a line." But Chen Yan, despite her bad mood, had managed to focus on business. Wang Qiqi wondered if she was just responsible or if she didn't consider it a major issue, but Wang Qiqi herself would never have remained so calm.

"So you aren't as ruthless as she is." Zhu Lina weighed things up internally, feeling she might make the same choice Chen Yan did. "She has no hope for this promotion now." While it wasn't exactly a public scandal, how would her colleagues view her? Moreover, securing a promotion wasn't easy; her competitors had significant backing, especially the man she dumped for Gao Kai. Though that man seemed unassuming, his family had deep roots in the banking system, making it easy for them to cause trouble. As for Gao Kai, he might be untouchable now, but future opportunities abound. Unless the couple enjoyed smooth sailing forever, they were already facing issues before they even made a move. How could they be prevented from enjoying themselves?

"Does getting promoted matter that much? She's the boss's wife anyway." Wang Qiqi didn't want to delve into their marital issues. "Let's change the subject. That lunch was nauseating enough." She wanted no part in the affairs between those three. "By the way, my brother wants to partner with Gao Kai, but my sister-in-law is against it."

"Your sister-in-law said that?" Zhu Lina was surprised by how quickly Wang Qiqi had gathered information. "But why would she object? Isn't there money to be made?" Wang Qiqi's sister-in-law wasn't someone who shunned profit; why give up such a good opportunity? Zhu Lina couldn't understand. "My sister-in-law doesn't trust Gao Kai's character." Wang Qiqi found the irony quite amusing. "If Gao Kai ever found out, he'd probably pass out from anger."

That reason was powerful enough, and understandable from a woman's perspective. "So your sister-in-law plans to persuade you to talk to your brother?" Zhu Lina found it strange. From any angle, Wang Qiqi seemed like the least suitable person to mediate. "If your sister-in-law disagrees, she can just tell your brother. I think your brother treats your sister-in-law quite well." They seemed like a relatively loving couple.

"She hinted at it, but didn't say it outright. She asked me to help her move her funds, like transferring money overseas." Thinking back, perhaps Yang Jing was trying to use this method to get Wang Qiqi to persuade Song Ziwen.

"And you?" Zhu Lina was alarmed by Yang Jing's plan. "Moving money abroad without your brother's consent? Qi Qi, don't be foolish." If things went south, Wang Qiqi wouldn't fare well either; this issue could escalate significantly.

"Do I look that stupid?" Wang Qiqi thought, I'm not an idiot. "But I think it would be more realistic for my sister-in-law to buy a storefront. That current location feels a bit small. If they want to expand there, it’s risky." As more wealthy individuals moved into that area, rents kept climbing, and even sale prices were exorbitant. If Yang Jing wanted to buy the shop next door, the owner wouldn't be polite and would certainly inflate the price. It would be better to find a larger, new location entirely.

"That settles it, then." Zhu Lina knew Wang Qiqi would find a solution. "Your brother couldn't possibly refuse that. Your sister-in-law’s shop is doing well, isn't it? I never expected our little idea to make money from tourism would turn into something this big." Even though the dividends weren't exactly significant in Zhu Lina's eyes, they grew year by year. "This time, when I invested in your man's company, I didn't tell my family. I used my private funds and my savings." For some reason, Zhu Lina felt no need to mention it to them.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected the investment to be kept secret from her family; that was surprising too. "You didn't tell your parents?"

"No. Why should I? It’s my personal matter; I didn't touch company funds. I just didn't want extra trouble later." Zhu Lina flopped down next to Wang Qiqi, resting her head on her shoulder, and let out a long sigh. "You know, I'm so tired. Tired to the point where I don't want to wake up every day." Some things couldn't be shared with her parents; they believed the path they laid out for her was perfect. Zhu Lina used to agree, but this past year, she felt utterly exhausted and under immense pressure. "I often dream that I'm drowning or caught in a net with no escape."

Wang Qiqi turned to look at Zhu Lina's face and saw deep dejection. "Are things unhappy at work?" Wasn't it supposed to be relatively smooth now that she had taken over? And the company was developing well; there shouldn't be any issues. Why was she so tired? "Or is it your parents? Did they arrange a blind date for you?" Wang Qiqi suddenly exclaimed. If that were the case, it would explain things.

"Yes, they introduced me to a man who is willing to be a live-in son-in-law." Although Zhu Lina had never been in love, she had nursed crushes and held various romantic ideals. Later, realizing her love life wouldn't follow her desires, she never imagined it would end up like this.

A man willing to be a live-in son-in-law? Wang Qiqi's first reaction was, "Is the guy capable?" In Wang Qiqi's view, few capable men would agree to be a son-in-law; it seemed too demeaning, unless they were deeply in love with the woman. But judging by Zhu Lina’s reaction, this was likely a transactional setup, meaning the man was after money. "Your parents aren't that naive, are they?" Did having an heir for the family business really matter that much?

Zhu Lina found it unbelievable too. She never thought her seemingly rational parents would do something like this. "They think so. This man, well, how to put it... he doesn't have much ability, but his character is fine, and he's good to me. If he were a woman, he’d be a perfect, devoted wife." This put Zhu Lina in a terrible bind. All her friends were looking for capable men, yet she was expected to settle for a deadbeat. Zhu Lina felt deeply uncomfortable. "I don't ask for much; I just want someone with some capability, not a complete waste."

The thought that this man agreed to everything she said without argument drove Zhu Lina crazy. She recounted several instances of interacting with him, shaking her head at her rotten luck. "How can I tolerate a man like this? You and Manman ended up with such great men." Zhu Lina didn't demand unconditional devotion, but she wanted a capable partner. How could she end up with such a specimen? The thought of gathering with friends like Han Tao and Feng Xuanxiang—such accomplished men—only to show up with this piece of trash made Zhu Lina lose all face.

Compared to Zhu Lina's unhappiness, Wang Qiqi thought the man sounded decent, at least being good to Zhu Lina. Though she wondered if he loved the Zhu family money or Zhu Lina herself. "Where did your parents find him? He sounds a bit like a child bridegroom," Wang Qiqi remarked, feeling this was a case of deliberate cultivation—it wouldn't be easy to find such a man in this era.

"An old neighbor. His grandparents took care of me when my parents were busy with business." Zhu Lina answered quickly. "His parents died when he was very young; his grandparents raised him. He’s had a hard life. My mom says people like that know how to cherish things and come without troublesome in-laws." Zhu Lina felt that perhaps his background made her parents think he was suitable for her. Fine, Zhu Lina admitted this arrangement might shield her from difficult in-laws, but the question was: was she afraid of difficult in-laws? She would much rather choose a capable man with troublesome relatives than this.

"Do you think a capable man is willing to live in the shadow of his wife?" Wang Qiqi calmly pointed out a crucial issue. "Forget you; look at Han Tao and me. When we got together, weren't there rumors outside? Didn't Han Tao have opinions?"

Zhu Lina fell silent. It was true. Even if a capable man agreed to be a live-in husband temporarily, there was always the risk of him turning later. If he were ruthless, he could even turn his wife's family assets into his own, leaving his wife with nowhere to go. "Can't I keep a man in check?" Zhu Lina thought. She wasn't powerless; surely she could manage him. Did Qi Qi underestimate her?

Manage him? Wang Qiqi let out a long sigh. "If a relationship or marriage needs to be maintained through suppression, I think it should end sooner rather than later. Remember, men need face. They might give way to a woman on small things, but not forever. In many aspects, they have their own ideas. What you need to do is keep his trajectory within your control." Wang Qiqi mused that while Zhu Lina might be better at business negotiations or dealing with people, when it came to relationships, this girl was still too naive. "If possible, bring your man out for dinner tomorrow night?" First, she could meet Zhu Lina's man to show off to Shi Man, and second, she could judge his character herself. Zhu Lina had expressed strong reservations, and there might be exaggeration in what she said. Wang Qiqi wanted to see him through her own eyes.

"Okay," Zhu Lina agreed readily. "We can just pick a casual place. He doesn't like expensive restaurants. Maybe we can eat at home; his cooking is excellent." This was the part Zhu Lina liked most about him; his culinary skills were top-notch, something Han Tao and Feng Xuanxiang couldn't match. But the problem was, he was a man, not a woman.

For Zhu Lina to praise his cooking highly despite her other reservations, Wang Qiqi suspected it was more than just "excellent." "Then I'm looking forward to it. You know what dishes I like, right?" Since they were eating at home, Wang Qiqi naturally hoped for her favorite cuisine.

"Got it," Zhu Lina immediately agreed. "I'll have him start preparing today, otherwise he might not have enough time to cook tomorrow after work."

Wang Qiqi stepped out of Zhu Lina's car and waved to Zhu Lina, who was leaning against the window. "Drink less tonight, and don't overdo it." Wang Qiqi watched Zhu Lina, who seemed slightly tipsy. She couldn't believe her friend drank so much at lunch when she had a dinner engagement that evening. While drinking with friends was fun, they had plenty of time for that; why rush it now?

"Don't worry," Zhu Lina said, slightly irritated by Wang Qiqi's mother-hen routine. "It’s dinner with relatives, not clients, so relax. They're afraid of offending me and getting me to make things difficult for them." She wasn't the clueless parachuted-in newcomer from a few years ago. Zhu Lina now held real sway in the company. Those troublemakers had either been fired or were behaving quietly.

"Just relax. I rarely get truly drunk anymore; my tolerance has improved. I was just so happy to see you today; we didn't drink enough the last time we met." Although Zhu Lina found Wang Qiqi a bit nagging, she remembered her friend's kindness. "You go in now, don't fight with your brother. I'll tell you after I finalize things tomorrow."

Wang Qiqi watched Zhu Lina's car drive away, and just as she turned around, she was startled by the person standing directly behind her. "Brother, what are you doing?" Standing there silently like that! Thank goodness it was still daylight, or she would have been scared to death.

"You had plans with Zhu Lina today?" Song Ziwen was surprised. Not only had Zhu Lina dropped by yesterday afternoon, but she was having lunch with Qi Qi today too. He found their closeness astonishing. They did run a small purchasing business together, but how much did that net them in a year? How could their relationship remain this strong? It genuinely surprised him.

"Not a planned date with her; she was entrusted with a task," Wang Qiqi replied, linking arms with Song Ziwen as they walked to the Sichuan restaurant he recommended. The air along the way was thick with chili aroma, making Wang Qiqi's mouth water. This smell was incredible.

Someone being able to persuade Zhu Lina to arrange a meeting with Wang Qiqi struck Song Ziwen as strange. He wondered who would need to see Qi Qi, someone who wasn't even developing in their hometown, and who also happened to be close with Zhu Lina. After some thought, he asked, "Did you meet Gao Kai today?" Song Ziwen wondered if Gao Kai had something to say to Qi Qi—perhaps about the collaboration—or if Qi Qi, knowing he was close to Gao Kai, had asked Zhu Lina to arrange a meeting. Both possibilities seemed plausible.

"Gao Kai's wife. Gao Kai was busy today; he was in a hotel room with Wang Rui in broad daylight. Gao Kai's wife gave me a hard time today," Wang Qiqi complained irritably. "She said Wang Rui has no manners and doesn't know how to discipline her. This should really be your problem, but since you're close to Gao Kai, I, who just returned with no connections and as Gao Kai's ex-girlfriend, got unlucky. She kept guarding against me, trying to find out my plans, constantly bragging about how good Gao Kai is to her, and asking how I'm doing now." Wang Qiqi delivered a mix of truth and fabrication; Song Ziwen wouldn't verify the details anyway.

"What? Checking into a room in broad daylight? Gao Kai's wife knows?" Song Ziwen was speechless, but he wasn't overly concerned about Wang Rui and Gao Kai. What agitated him was, "Gao Kai's wife asked you out just for this?"

"She initially wanted to gauge my intentions, I guess. I really don't understand why she thinks I'd come back to fight her for Gao Kai when I'm perfectly happy with Han Tao. Seriously, whoever wants that philanderer can have him." Wang Qiqi said angrily, finding a seat. As she sat, she felt something was off. "Why didn't you get a private room?" This wasn't Song Ziwen’s usual habit when eating out; he insisted on a private room everywhere. Why was he bringing her to the main hall today? It didn't fit his style.

"There are no private rooms here." Seeing Wang Qiqi's look of disbelief, Song Ziwen got annoyed. "Do you think I won't eat unless there's a private room?"

Wang Qiqi wasn't afraid of Song Ziwen and nodded vigorously in front of him. "Brother, I heard you're planning to cooperate with Gao Kai?"

Song Ziwen hadn't intended to hide it from Wang Qiqi, initially holding back because he didn't want her upset. But since she already knew, "Did Zhu Lina tell you?"

"She did, and my sister-in-law did too." Wang Qiqi made sure not to focus all her criticism on Yang Jing. "There are some things I probably shouldn't say."

Wang Qiqi hushed when a waiter approached, waiting until Song Ziwen finished ordering before continuing. "Gao Kai’s company—brother, have you researched it thoroughly? How much strength do you think he has? As far as I know, his company runs almost entirely on loans. While real estate requires borrowing, his reliance on loans exceeds ninety percent, and his wife works in credit."

"Isn't that perfect?" Song Ziwen thought. Husband needs loans for business, and wife handles credit? That made things much easier; a simple word and connections wouldn't even be necessary.

"Eventually, if one spouse manages credit and the other needs loans for business, banks won't approve. This situation is highly susceptible to collapse," Wang Qiqi said, noticing Song Ziwen still hadn't grasped the gravity. "I asked Nana today; she never heard anything about the development zone moving there. Her family actually acquired a lot of land near the development zone. Nana said they plan to build factory facilities." Zhu Lina's family did secure land, but not for property development; it was for relocating one of the factories under their company name to enjoy tax rebates, which was an immediate goal. If they just survived this period, things would be fine.

Song Ziwen had initially found Gao Kai's intelligence highly convincing, unable to fathom any motive for deceit from him, no matter how he looked at it. But hearing Wang Qiqi now, he couldn't help but wonder how Gao Kai, who made his living in real estate, could have received such flawed information. If they ended up at the wrong location, the losses would be substantial. "Gao Kai shouldn't..." Song Ziwen still tried to speak well of him, feeling Gao Kai couldn't possibly be so malicious, especially since he'd been so firm in his certainty.

"He also ate somewhere near the development zone," Wang Qiqi stated coolly. Her own brother was truly quite dense, forgetting everything once he saw a massive gold mine ahead, showing none of the shrewdness he was supposed to possess. "If you don't believe me, you can go ask around." Acquiring land wasn't something Gao Kai could keep secret if he tried.