How could Yang Jing not be surprised? Right across the road was a massive street dedicated entirely to restaurants and gourmet food. “I absolutely won’t do catering.” Even if it meant making money, the mere thought of being perpetually surrounded by cooking fumes made Yang Jing wince. She didn't want to have to shower ten times and use a face mask three times a day just to feel clean before heading home. Moreover, Yang Jing felt the catering industry simply wasn't as elegant as her current line of work. “Besides, the business over there is booming; those shop spaces are highly sought after.”

“Some things aren’t as they appear on the surface,” Wang Qiqi said, glancing meaningfully at the food street where people were still streaming in and out even though the main meal rush was long over. If her past life memories served her correctly, the downfall of a certain high-ranking official had exposed many unsavory details about that food street. The building itself, constructed with excessive bribes, turned out to be shoddy—specifically, the interior steel rebar had been substituted with thinner gauges. When this was exposed, the entire food street was shut down right at the peak of its profitability. The successor administration then rezoned the area into a pedestrian mall—a veritable gold mine with everything from food and drink to entertainment.

“Sister-in-law, believe me, by the end of next year at the latest, you’ll see if I was right.” That was Wang Qiqi’s final word. Whether Yang Jing believed her or not after that point was out of Wang Qiqi’s control.

By the end of next year? Although that was still twenty-odd months away, property prices would likely have risen significantly. But if Wang Qiqi’s prediction came true and she insisted on buying a shop here now, wouldn't she suffer a massive loss? Yang Jing pondered this. Even if prices rose, it would likely remain within a range she could manage. And if things developed exactly as Wang Qiqi suggested, what did it matter if she postponed opening her flagship store? She could treat it as extra preparation time. Perhaps she could use the money on hand to buy a house for her parents. They were currently living quite comfortably with her and Song Ziwen had no objections, nor did her in-laws. Once Niu Niu was older, they would eventually need their own space. Although her parents had savings, Yang Jing felt that buying them a place would carry a different sentiment.

Having come to this realization, Yang Jing said, “Fine, I’ll wait. I’m not in a huge rush for this much time.” Previously, based on sales and friend recommendations, she had thought the environment here was quite good, but after Wang Qiqi’s pointed advice, she suddenly felt it wasn't up to par—it seemed to carry a slightly unsettling vibe. “Let’s go, let’s go.” It was a good thing she brought Qiqi along; otherwise, she would have suffered a huge loss buying those shops, which would have completely emptied her pockets.

Wang Qiqi watched Yang Jing practically flee the scene, as if a predator were chasing her if she delayed even a second. She couldn't help but smile. Yang Jing had previously boasted about how wonderful this place was, yet the moment Qiqi suggested the place had bad feng shui, she instantly became dismissive. This kind of attitude was unbecoming. However, it was a blessing she wasn't Song Ziwen. If it had been him, he surely would have pressed her for details, and Wang Qiqi worried that under his intense questioning, she might let something slip. Of course, if it had been Song Ziwen, Wang Qiqi would have simply claimed to have overheard some vague whisper from Juliana. Song Ziwen was notoriously superstitious about such rumors. If the gossip turned out to be true, it could indeed be highly profitable, but such opportunities were rare, and even when they surfaced, they were usually beyond the reach of someone at his level to investigate.

Wang Qiqi stood at the corner clutching a cup of hot milk, waiting and waiting. She lost count of how many times she raised her hand to check the time. If no one came soon, she genuinely planned to find somewhere to sit down. It was February; the cold was biting, especially where the wind cut through. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the startled looks she received from the many people rushing past her.

Just as Wang Qiqi was about to wander off somewhere, a car pulled up beside her. The window rolled down, and Juliana, seated in the back, beckoned toward an almost dazed Wang Qiqi. “Qiqi, get in.”

As the window lowered, a wave of heat rushed out. “Geez, you’re something else, can’t even be on time,” Wang Qiqi grumbled, yanking open the rear door and plopping down onto the seat. “I was about to turn into a heartbroken statue waiting for you.”

Juliana knew she had truly let Wang Qiqi down today. “Sorry, sorry,” Juliana quickly handed Wang Qiqi a tissue. “Wipe your nose.”

Juliana’s gesture stunned the driver in the front seat. He had never witnessed his Vice President displaying such gentle behavior. Since becoming her driver, he had rarely seen such a scene; even when dealing with her boyfriend, the Vice President maintained a strong, businesslike demeanor. Why was she acting so strangely this time? The driver kept glancing backward while maneuvering the car. He rummaged through his mental files for a long time but couldn't recall ever seeing this woman before. She didn't look like the daughter of a wealthy family, nor a second-generation official. Yet, their bond seemed incredibly close.

Wang Qiqi felt a strange heaviness in her nose and hadn't realized she was running a runny nose. “Hey, you totally ruined my day! I have to fly back to England tomorrow, and you know how expensive doctor visits are for foreigners?” The medicine itself wasn't costly, but the labor charges were exorbitant. After arriving in England, Wang Qiqi had been rigorously exercising to maintain good health, hoping to minimize doctor visits and save more money. “Are there any spicy dishes today?” Regardless, she needed to eat something that induced sweating, then go back and sleep it off.

“Are you short on cash?” Juliana, while acknowledging her fault, felt a slight sting at Wang Qiqi’s tone. “If you’re short on money, there aren't many people who truly have wealth.”

“I…” Wang Qiqi started to explain that she wasn't short on money, but then she noticed the driver, though focused on the road, kept glancing into the rearview mirror toward the back. She immediately clamped her mouth shut. Sometimes, matters were spread through the mouths of drivers. Even if he didn't recognize her, a clever person might be able to deduce who she was with a little analysis, perhaps even guess something significant.

“Come on, I know you’re a bit tight on funds—it’s about buying that house in the US, right?” Juliana had also noticed Wang Qiqi’s subtle shift and, seeing the driver’s expression, sighed internally. She knew this driver couldn't stay. She had initially thought he was quite good—steady driving, always completing trips within the allotted time while adhering strictly to traffic laws. Juliana had intended to keep him as her dedicated driver, but this one time lending him out for Wang Qiqi had caused a problem. Even though his intentions were likely innocent and she hadn't discussed classified matters, his current behavior made her deeply uneasy. Juliana closed her eyes, trying to recall if she had said anything sensitive while taking calls in the car since he started driving her, especially regarding company business. That recollection startled her; she realized she might have said quite a lot.

Wang Qiqi saw Juliana’s expression suddenly turn awkward. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, her peripheral vision caught Juliana waving her hand to indicate that she was fine. Since Juliana claimed she was okay, Wang Qiqi didn't press the issue. “Houses in the US are so expensive, so I have to try hard to save.”

For the rest of the ride, Wang Qiqi discussed mundane topics, like what to eat for dinner. The driver was perplexed that their entire conversation revolved around food. He felt a dark cloud hovering over him. Where did the Vice President meet this Wang Qiqi? Why did she only talk about eating? In his mind, he dismissed the name Wang Qiqi, wondering if she was just some old classmate of the VP’s.

“You go on ahead; I’ll head back later,” Juliana told the driver just as they were about to get out.

The driver murmured an acknowledgment and started to pull away. “Keep the car; I’ll drive back myself tonight,” Juliana quickly called out when she saw him preparing to leave. “You can take a taxi back; expense reimbursement will be handled later.” Juliana felt increasingly displeased with the driver. Did he think she hadn't been clear enough? She had stated she would arrange her own transport later, yet he was taking the car. Did he not respect her instructions? Was she perhaps too accommodating with her drivers, leading them to overstep their bounds?

The driver hadn't expected to be told to take a taxi. His mouth moved slightly. His girlfriend had specifically asked him to pick her up after work today, and he had readily agreed. Now, the Vice President announcing she needed the car tonight made him panic. “Perhaps I can come back tonight to pick up the Vice President?”

Although it was already dark, the driver’s moment of hesitation was palpable, and Juliana noticed it. Even though she didn't know why his reaction was so strong, his attitude displeased her immensely. “I’ll drive myself. I might go for a cruise later, and it’s not good to have a driver when you’re on a date,” Juliana countered sharply, subtly sidelining her boyfriend.

So, she was going cruising with that pretty boy. The driver scoffed dismissively. He genuinely couldn't understand the mindset of the bosses who had found such a man for their Vice President—no family background, no real capability. “Alright, then tomorrow…”

Juliana waved him off. “I’ll drive myself to work tomorrow.”

The driver could only murmur “Oh,” get out, hand the keys to Wang Qiqi, and leave. “Your driver might misuse the company car for personal errands,” Wang Qiqi commented knowingly. She knew that some drivers used company vehicles to pick up relatives or girlfriends; if a dishonest one was at the wheel, he might even use it for small-time business—a cost-free operation for him.

“Hmph. It seems I need to start driving myself to and from work,” Juliana muttered. She thought about how, due to recent long work hours, she had let the driver shuttle her around, even allowing him to take the car back to save him time. Now she realized she hadn't been thorough enough, allowing certain individuals to form improper ideas. If this small potential gain was all he was after, Juliana wouldn't care much. But the real danger was if this petty benefit was noticed by certain relatives who hadn't entirely given up hope, providing them leverage to threaten him. That would be the biggest headache, considering she often needed the car and couldn't avoid taking calls about company matters while traveling. If they weren't confidential, fine, but if classified information was involved... Juliana shuddered at the potential fallout.

“Why hire a driver if you aren't going to use him?” Wang Qiqi tapped Juliana’s head lightly. “You’re getting dull. You just need to be more mindful and rotate drivers.” A large company surely had more than one driver. How they managed that was Juliana’s business.

Wang Qiqi patted her stomach. “Can we go up now? I’m starving.” Although she’d had a filling lunch, looking at shops, giving advice on Yang Jing’s renovation, and then freezing in the cold wind demanded replenishment.

“Yes, but don't be shocked by the feast waiting for you,” Juliana said, watching Wang Qiqi rub her stomach. She was too distracted by the driver issue to worry about it anymore, turning to hook arms with Wang Qiqi and leading her upstairs.

“This is an old residential block, isn’t it?” Although the location was excellent—right in the city center—the building style was quite dated. Still, it was reasonably clean; it wasn't dusty enough to leave footprints. “Has your mother been here?” She wondered what Juliana’s parents would look like seeing their high-status son-in-law residing here.

“My family used to live here. You think my parents don't know the situation?” Juliana sighed, anticipating the reaction if her parents learned the man’s background wasn’t particularly privileged. “Don’t worry, the wedding home won't be here.” Her parents knew the family situation, but marriage was a different matter. Juliana assured her that her parents would absolutely not allow them to marry here; they would feel they had lost too much face.

Naturally, it was one thing for the heiress of the Zhu family to marry a man without significant background, but getting married in this neighborhood would make people assume the Zhu family was in decline if their successor was getting married here. “Wait, that’s not right. Aren’t you taking him in?” Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered something. “Your family will be preparing the wedding home! Oh, what a blessing—getting married can save you decades of struggle. No, a lifetime!” Wang Qiqi wondered why she never encountered such a lucky break.

“Isn’t your Han Tao marrying you so he can save a lifetime of struggle?” Juliana teased back.

“That’s true,” Wang Qiqi admitted, nodding. “And my Han Tao is marrying into my family, too.” Saying that, their situations were essentially the same—the man was marrying out. “We’ll have more in common now.”

Juliana, steadying herself at the doorway before knocking, noticed the door was slightly ajar. “Seriously, student Zhu Hanlin, why don’t you close the door properly?” It was an old neighborhood, and the neighbors had lived there for decades, so there likely weren't any truly bad people, but what if someone managed to force their way in from outside?

“I opened it when I saw you downstairs,” a man’s very magnetic voice drifted from inside.

“You,” Juliana said, taking off her shoes and slipping on the slippers placed nearby.

Hearing that voice, Wang Qiqi’s first impression was that the man had a great voice—a good start. She then scanned the room and found it quite clean. While not comparable to a restaurant, for a single man, the apartment was commendably tidy. However, she wondered if it had been specially cleaned because she was visiting today.

“He’s obsessively clean; I suspect he has germophobia. It’s a good thing he’s a teacher,” Juliana whispered into Wang Qiqi’s ear. “If he didn’t have male characteristics, I’d swear he was a woman—absolutely domestically capable.”

Male characteristics. Okay, Wang Qiqi admitted she’d taken a wrong turn there upon hearing that. She gave Juliana an appraising look. “So, someone who claims not to like a certain man, but her body betrays her heart?” Wang Qiqi figured Juliana must have some affection for this man, otherwise, why would she continue seeing him, regardless of her parents' insistence? Besides, they had already become intimate.

Juliana looked at Wang Qiqi’s teasing expression and retorted unhappily, “We’re both adults; is there any need to look at me like that?” Honestly, when Qiqi was with Han Tao before, she hadn’t scrutinized her like this. Now that it was her turn, Qiqi was mocking her. Juliana regretted it; if she’d known, she would have teased Qiqi earlier to at least get some interest back.

Wang Qiqi smiled sweetly and nodded. “He’s a very good man. My Han Tao, and that Fatty, would never go this far.” Such a domestically talented man was rare; she truly wondered how Juliana had managed to find him.

“Want to trade?” Juliana asked in a low voice, crossing her arms.

“No way,” Wang Qiqi replied instantly. “Can I have a look around?”

“Sure,” Juliana waved her hand, allowing Wang Qiqi to explore at her leisure.

“Nana, please make some tea for Qiqi. I’ll come out after I finish simmering this soup. Also, dinner will be ready in about half an hour; I made some pumpkin cakes for you to snack on first…” The magnetic male voice continued emanating from the kitchen.

“Okay,” Juliana said. After Wang Qiqi opened the two rooms at the end of the apartment, glanced inside briefly, and settled onto a seat in the living room (which could also serve as the dining area), Juliana brought out the pumpkin cakes. “Eat up. His pumpkin cakes are quite good; not too sweet.”

“A truly capable man,” Wang Qiqi said, grabbing a cake and taking a bite. “This is delicious. Thank you to your man.”

It was only then that Wang Qiqi remembered she knew Juliana was a teacher but didn't know the man's name. “What’s your man’s surname and given name?” She couldn’t keep calling him “Juliana’s man,” even as a joke; it needed to stop.

“Zhu Hanlin.”

Zhu Hanlin? “You share the same surname?” Wang Qiqi wondered if this counted as marrying in.

“Yes,” Juliana nodded. “Is it not allowed to share a surname?”

“It is, it is,” Wang Qiqi conceded, realizing that Zhu Hanlin might not have considered marrying into the family at all, and since they both shared the surname Zhu, calling it a case of the man marrying in was debatable. “But shouldn't you go help him out?” Wang Qiqi noticed that after bringing the plate of pumpkin cakes out of the kitchen, Juliana hadn't moved. She prompted, “I don’t need you to wait on me; go help your man.”

“I…” Juliana started to say that she couldn't cook, so why should she go in? To taste-test?

“Go on,” Wang Qiqi winked at Juliana. This woman was unbelievable; a powerhouse in public but acting like the absolute authority at home. If this continued, her “Ah Nata” would grow tired of her. Finding such a good man seemed quite miraculous to Wang Qiqi.

“Fine,” Juliana, who had intended to maintain a facade of aloofness, couldn't resist Wang Qiqi’s look and swallowed the last bite of pumpkin cake. “You old scholar, I’m coming to help. What do you need me to do?”

“No, no, no,” shortly after Juliana’s figure disappeared into the kitchen, an anxious male voice called out. “Just slice this ginger for me. Didn't you say Qiqi likes river shrimp? I bought some river shrimp.”

“Oh.” Juliana’s face had darkened slightly when she heard Zhu Hanlin’s initial tone. Although her cooking skills weren't great, he didn't need to say "no, no, no" in front of Wang Qiqi, making her look incompetent. Luckily, he followed up with that offer, otherwise, Juliana would have been mentally wielding cutlery, planning how to discipline him.

“Slice the ginger, then mince some garlic; I plan to make a smashed cucumber salad.” With someone helping with the prep work, even if the movements were slower and the knife skills lacking, Zhu Hanlin felt quite content watching Juliana concentrating on chopping vegetables, head bowed. He knew scenes like this were rare, and he’d be happy with just one such moment. “By the way, you really like cold-dressed wood ear fungus, don't you? I tried making it a few times at home. It’s not quite as good as that place we ate at last time, but I think it’s acceptable.”

“Okay, if I taste it and it’s good, I’ll make it for my dad next time we go back. I heard it helps lower cholesterol, and my dad dislikes wood ear fungus. I saw him eating quite a lot of it last time.” Juliana was touched that this man had actually tried making cold-dressed wood ear fungus at home just because she had enjoyed a few extra bites of it once. Even though it was a small thing, it moved her.

“If Uncle likes it too, that’s even better. Oh, I also simmered some chicken soup, and I skimmed off the fat. Remember to take it home tonight. Don’t stay up late reading files and sleeping on an empty stomach; that’s bad for your health…” The richly magnetic male voice continued from the kitchen.

“I’m not overly fond of chicken soup,” Juliana said with a touch of proud affectation. “But given how much effort you put in, I’ll drink it.”

Wang Qiqi heard it from the living room and thought this man was either incredibly attentive or a master of flattery. Look, he went out for a single meal and noticed the specific dish Julina liked, then deliberately tried making it at home. One could even argue he was making the dish for his future father-in-law. Setting aside the purity of his motives, Wang Qiqi felt the man wasn't bad at all. Of course, it also suggested to Wang Qiqi that this man might be able to manage Julina—a gentle management, mind you. This led Wang Qiqi to worry that if this man’s intentions were impure, Julina might be in a rather precarious position trying to handle him.