"I plan to start a website with Rongrong," Zhang Yan said, instantly feeling a wave of relief as she saw no change in Wang Qiqi and Shi Man's expressions. She didn't really care what they thought, but she felt sheepish. After all, Qiqi had given her translation work, earning her some money, and now, knowing about a lucrative opportunity, she hadn't included Qiqi—which felt thoroughly disloyal.

A website? Wang Qiqi and Shi Man had the exact same thought pop into their heads: Damn, seriously? Why is starting a business always defaulting to a website? Do they all think the IT sector is where the easy money is? While it looked profitable and the industry was certainly hot, the truth was, very few ever succeeded.

"Is there a problem?" Zhang Yan asked, noticing their expressions had become strange the moment she spoke. She wondered what was wrong. Were they angry she hadn't told them sooner?

"No problem, no problem at all," Shi Man quickly shook her head, glancing at Wang Qiqi, who nodded back. Shi Man then explained the source of her surprise. "I just found it odd. Han Tao is also planning to launch a website. Qiqi went back recently specifically to raise capital for it."

Wang Qiqi's initial excuse for taking leave was some urgent family matter she needed to handle back home. They had all assumed someone in her family was ill. Later, they heard Shi Hongrui declare that Qiqi’s brother’s business had hit a snag, and Qiqi rushed back to sort it out. Although Shi Hongrui had looked anxious then, Zhang Yan always felt there was a touch of schadenfreude in her demeanor, especially when she mentioned that Qiqi’s brother was safe and the issue resolved. Even Zhao Rongrong felt Shi Hongrui seemed disappointed that Qiqi’s brother had pulled through. This left them feeling awkward about pressing Qiqi about what exactly had happened; even though it was settled, it left a slightly sour taste. Now, they realized Qiqi had actually been dealing with financial matters.

"Han Tao is partnering with someone else. The partner is putting up the capital and the ideas; Han Tao is only providing the intellectual input. He worried about losing out on equity, so he’s planning to liquidate some of the assets back home." If Shi Hongrui were present, Wang Qiqi certainly wouldn't be this candid—she’d be spinning polished lies. But now, they were essentially family, so there was no need to hide anything. "While working a steady job is fine—good salary, and in a few years, we could immigrate and enjoy the perks of a capitalist society—my man says he’s still young and needs to go out and make his mark. I agree with him. I thought my man had guts, but I didn't realize you two had the same ambition."

Wang Qiqi wasn't flattering Zhang Yan and the others; this was the plain truth. Starting a business is hard, especially for two women. Even Qiqi, despite envying the large sums made in IT, honestly wouldn't have dared to invest without her prior knowledge (rebirth). Right now, she only dared to pursue ventures with obvious, guaranteed returns.

Shi Man nodded along enthusiastically. "You are amazing. Go for it! If you run into any snags or need to hire someone with computer expertise, ask Han Tao or Fatty. They studied computer science, after all; they must know people." Since they were entering this field, she wanted to help where she could. "By the way, what aspect are you focusing on?"

"A travelogue site," Zhang Yan said, putting down her knife and fork, briefly summarizing what she and Zhao Rongrong had discussed. "Occasionally, the photos we take when we go out get accepted by newspapers or travel magazines—a few pieces have run already. That reminded us of an idea Qiqi mentioned before. We now think that idea is quite good." As she said this, Zhang Yan felt a bit embarrassed. If the idea was based on Wang Qiqi’s suggestion, then the two of them quietly planning to capitalize on it made her wonder how Qiqi would perceive them.

Wang Qiqi was stunned. Did this involve her? "I mentioned it?" Wang Qiqi thought back for a moment, finding no memory of it. She shook her head. "I don't recall. If you truly credit me, then when the website takes off, you’d better treat me to a huge dinner." Even if she had suggested it, Zhang Yan and the others still had the initiative and courage to act on it. Wang Qiqi was certain that if Shi Hongrui had heard this, she would absolutely never pursue it. While Qiqi wanted to start a business, the risk in IT was too high, requiring massive investment with uncertain returns.

Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong were surprised that Wang Qiqi only expected a nice meal after they succeeded. They had half-expected her to ask for a percentage of equity or something, not realizing her request was so simple.

"Don't tell me you're so stingy you can't even afford one meal," Wang Qiqi teased, seeing their astonished faces. Do I look like that kind of cold-hearted person? "Maybe I mentioned it, but I genuinely have no interest in building a website. I admit I'm timid; I can't handle that kind of pressure. Secondly, Han Tao is already pouring money into his project, and we don't know how much more it will swallow. I don't have the financial stability to support two projects."

Although she knew Han Tao’s current venture was promising, it required a constant infusion of cash before any returns materialized. Moreover, she still had a 'Golden Goose' waiting to be fattened up (referring to her future plans/investments). Wang Qiqi quickly ran the comparison in her head and decided it was best not to jump into this one. Some things had to be let go; if she had unlimited capital, joining both ventures would be feasible.

Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong stared at Wang Qiqi for a moment, seeing no hint of pretense in her face, and relaxed. Since Qiqi had let it go, why should they hold on? Furthermore, this endeavor was indeed known to be quite cash-intensive. "We plan to earn some money first, then slowly build the foundation," Zhang Yan stated. IT projects burned cash; if this idea truly launched, they wouldn't want to collapse right before success arrived, even if they couldn't secure all the necessary funding immediately.

"Money," Shi Man’s face drooped too. "Yesterday, when I picked up Qiqi, we both felt we weren't earning enough. We have to find ways to increase income; cutting expenses isn't an option." Cutting back? Shi Man hadn't really considered it. In her view, they already lived quite frugally—buying staples in bulk, and now, frequently visiting the supermarket late at night for clearance items nearing their sell-by date, which were perfectly edible.

"Worrying," Wang Qiqi agreed about needing more income, but she had no leads. "If we were in a big city, we could try teaching Chinese or something." Supposedly, that was easier money to make, but such opportunities were scarce even in major metropolitan areas, let alone the small city they were in now. "How about taking on more translation jobs?" Truthfully, even taking on more translation work yielded only so much, unless one became an interpreter.

Mentioning this sparked an idea in Wang Qiqi. "What if we look into becoming interpreters?" They didn't have many chances here in the UK, but back home, opportunities would surely abound. Boss Ye was always trying to persuade her to become an interpreter, claiming it was fast money, albeit exhausting work.

Speaking of Boss Ye, Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered it had been about a year since they partnered to open the inn. There should be some dividends by now, right? She recalled Aunt Qian mentioning distributions around mid-year. The business was supposedly booming; rooms were constantly booked, and after a TV series was filmed there, even more people flocked to Lijiang. Wang Qiqi welcomed these rumors wholeheartedly because more money was always good. She hoped this dividend would be substantial. As for recovering the principal investment, she hadn't expected that in just one year; if that were the case, too many people would rush to invest. Besides, Wang Qiqi worried that if Aunt Qian saw such success, she might propose further expansion, which would make Wang Qiqi cry.

"Interpreters?" Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong were familiar with the term, but they felt that line of work was far removed from their capabilities. They were fine with written translation, but interpreting involved immense pressure.

"High pay, tiring work," Wang Qiqi briefly summarized the demands of interpreting. "And it requires training. Calculated that way, you don't earn that much extra. With that time commitment, it’s better to learn another foreign language." Wang Qiqi felt that spending the same amount of time was better invested in acquiring a new language, which would benefit their future careers, as none of them relied on translation for their livelihood.

"That’s true. Let’s think of other ways," Zhang Yan concluded after a moment’s thought. "If all else fails, we’ll do stocks." Since she studied finance, this was the natural avenue to explore.

All four at the table were worrying about money. If Shi Hongrui hadn't left, she would certainly have scoffed at Zhang Yan's worries: "What are you worried about? Doesn't JOHN have tons of money? He could easily sponsor you a bit."

"Right, stocks! Qiqi, you research stocks. Remember when we first got to university, you led us to make our fortune in the stock market? If it weren't for you..." Shi Man suddenly realized it—since meeting Old Feng, she had completely forgotten that Wang Qiqi was adept at navigating the stock market with a decent track record. Seriously, the God of Wealth is right here, and I completely blanked! I'm such an idiot.

Wang Qiqi was nearly in tears, especially as Zhang Yan and the others started bombarding her with questions after hearing Shi Man's account. Upon hearing Shi Man recount their past successes, Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong looked at Wang Qiqi with awe, regarding her like a walking money tree. This made Wang Qiqi feel utterly burdened: in her past life, she only tracked the domestic stock market developments within her limited sphere; how could she be expected to know about foreign markets? Yet, Shi Man had so easily sold her out.

It wasn't that Wang Qiqi didn't want them to profit, but she lacked certainty. Although her next revelation would likely disappoint them, Wang Qiqi felt it was better than risking their hard-earned savings. "I just heard someone say the stock market was heading for a major bull run, and I was thinking about buying a house in Beijing at the time. That’s why I started studying the market, and it actually performed well, letting me make money. But since the market became sluggish, I’ve rarely traded stocks. I honestly don’t know the market's trajectory anymore. It will go up, but..."

The hope that had just blossomed in Zhang Yan's heart was immediately extinguished by Wang Qiqi's words, and she couldn't help but feel disappointed. "But Qiqi, you said the domestic market is heavily influenced by external factors. The foreign market isn't like that. Qiqi, look..." Since external influence was minimized abroad, meaning less room for manipulation, Zhang Yan felt this environment might better leverage Qiqi’s skills.

"Yes, yes," Zhao Rongrong looked at Wang Qiqi with eager expectation. Qiqi studied finance; hadn't she been exposed to the stock market at the studio? Even as a subordinate employee, she must know more than them. "I don't ask for much; just making money every month is fine," Zhao Rongrong said, careful not to pressure Wang Qiqi.

"Mm-hmm," Zhang Yan also looked at Wang Qiqi nervously. As for Shi Man, she wasn't worried; didn't she still have Old Feng? The only slight concern was that when Old Feng got busy, he couldn't always manage private stock trades, sometimes causing them to miss the absolute peak—though they still made money, they lost potential gains, which Shi Man regretted. If Qiqi could manage the stocks, she could pinpoint the high and low points herself, or Old Feng and Qiqi could collaborate, allowing Qiqi to improve her skill level and potentially earn more. "Qiqi, I've decided. When you have time, discuss stocks with my Old Feng and take charge of this endeavor. The kind of life we live from now on depends on you," Shi Man concluded. "Yanyan, Rongrong, do you have any objections?"

"None."

"Approved."

Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong certainly didn't object. They knew Shi Man’s husband worked in finance. Aside from his professional obligations, they couldn't expect him to manage their personal accounts. But with Qiqi joining, it was different; since her own money was involved, she would undoubtedly be more diligent.

JOHN watched the four women strategize about making money, ultimately settling on trading stocks. He almost spoke up, pointing out that the market wasn't a guaranteed win and even the most brilliant masters faced their Waterloo days. However, seeing the hopeful anticipation lighting up their faces, he held back. They weren't ignorant of the risks; it was just that their initial capital wasn't substantial, so they naturally sought unconventional paths to rapid wealth accumulation.

JOHN was also startled when his girlfriend announced her plan to start a business. He wasn't worried about her asking him for money, but he pondered whether her current resources were enough to launch a website. Starting a website could require little or a lot of money, but based on his girlfriend's description, this wasn't a small undertaking. JOHN felt he should help her devise a strategy that kept within her actual financial capacity.

As for why Shi Hongrui wasn't included, JOHN understood the reason. Frankly, he wasn't fond of Shi Hongrui either. If they weren't sharing a residence and due to graduate soon, JOHN would seriously advise his girlfriend to kick her out. Her behavior was too outrageous; for an Eastern woman, she possessed absolutely no reserve, her eyes swimming only with schemes and calculations that made him nauseous. Yet, his girlfriend remained clueless, seemingly believing Shi Hongrui was charming and kept leaning into her company, which JOHN found unbearable. Thankfully, they hadn't involved Shi Hongrui in the business venture; otherwise, he would have thought his girlfriend was losing her mind, collaborating with someone who harbored obvious designs on her. Fortunately, his girlfriend was still rational.

Wang Qiqi watched the three of them unanimously approve the resolution, closing her eyes to ignore their "decision." Hmph, what does your approval matter if I’m not wholeheartedly on board?

Shi Man wasn't in a hurry, noticing Wang Qiqi’s clear refusal to engage with the proposal. After all, someone desperately needed money, and it wasn't a small sum. Han Tao’s current project involved shares for both of them, amounting to a significant stake that required substantial funding. Qiqi would soon feel the pinch, so Shi Man wasn't worried.

Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong, initially anxious, calmed down when they saw Shi Man eating slowly instead of pressing the issue. They couldn't persuade Qiqi, but surely Shi Man had a way.

Wang Qiqi waited a while, surprised that no one was persuading her. When she opened her eyes, she found the four of them quietly eating. This thoroughly irritated Wang Qiqi. Did they assume she would surely soften up and agree to trade stocks? Did they think she was a pushover?

Wang Qiqi wanted to remain firm—I'm not trading stocks, period!—but then she thought of her plan, of that bite of the apple waiting for her to seize wealth—it wasn't just a golden apple; it was a diamond apple! Thinking of this, Wang Qiqi could only sigh mournfully, "You guys are completely counting on me giving in, aren't you?" If there’s no easy exit, then so be it. Wang Qiqi wasn't the type to cling stubbornly to pride; pride doesn't fill the stomach.

Shi Man gave Zhang Yan and the others a look that meant, I told you so; believe and receive eternal life. She knew Qiqi would eventually cave. "Then this matter is settled. We’ll get the ball rolling as soon as we get back." Time waits for no one; both projects involve money, so earning more is always good. Besides, Qiqi worked at the children's studio now; maybe she could even get wind of some insider information.

"Actually, you could ask Mark; he’s quite enthusiastic," JOHN said from the driver’s seat to Zhang Yan and the others. Although it felt like betraying a friend, he knew Mark also traded stocks privately. If he could bring Qiqi and the others into the fold, Mark could potentially earn more money as well.

Wang Qiqi had wanted to discuss this with Mark, but she didn't know how to bring it up. What if he wasn't interested? Her approaching him out of the blue would be awkward. But now that JOHN had suggested it, Wang Qiqi certainly wouldn't be polite. "We won't treat Mark unfairly when the time comes." Though their relationship was good, giving what was due ensured cooperation lasted longer. Besides, if it meant making money, sharing a small profit was nothing.

"Right, right," Shi Man understood the implication.

Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong were a bit confused, but they knew this wasn't the time to ask questions; they would discuss it once they returned home.

When Wang Qiqi and the three others returned, they found the house dark. Wang Qiqi’s car wasn't in the garage either, indicating Shi Hongrui hadn't returned yet. "Qiqi, I need to ask you something," Zhao Rongrong said to Shi Man at the foot of the stairs. They could have asked in the living room, but what if Shi Hongrui suddenly came back and overheard something they shouldn't discuss? It was better to talk in Qiqi’s room.

"Okay," Wang Qiqi agreed. She was eager to ask Mark about the stocks anyway, wanting to start earning sooner now that the preliminary agreement was in place.

After Wang Qiqi explained the situation, Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong understood why Qiqi hadn't asked Mark for guidance earlier—or rather, why she wouldn't have asked unless JOHN initiated it. They had no issue with sharing a portion of the profits with Mark; not giving him anything would create an obligation. Now that they could avoid that debt of gratitude, they preferred it.

Seeing their agreement, Wang Qiqi breathed a sigh of relief. "There was another reason I didn't want to bother Mark before: the money. We look like we have plenty, but when put into the stock market, it’s smaller than mosquito meat. Now, the four of us combined might finally be worth mentioning." Wang Qiqi had been embarrassed to ask Mark to manage such a small sum; if he had flat-out refused, her thick skin wouldn't have been able to handle the embarrassment. "If JOHN hadn't spoken up today, honestly, I wouldn't have dared approach Mark." This meant she now owed JOHN a favor.

"Yes, that makes sense. I'll check how much money I have when I get back," Zhang Yan finally understood why Qiqi hadn't approached Mark—she felt the amount was too small to warrant his time. This whole situation was facilitated because Zhang Yan’s man had stepped in.

Shi Man listened intently while eavesdropping, occasionally diverting her attention to listen for sounds near the stairs. When she heard the front door open, she swiftly shut the door to Qiqi’s room. "She's back." Shi Man was certain Shi Hongrui would come upstairs to find Wang Qiqi soon. It wasn't about settling scores, but since the second floor was dark and only the attic light was on, it would be strange if she didn't come up.

They quickly switched topics. Shi Hongrui initially stood near the door, trying to discern what they were discussing, but after a moment of silence, she grew puzzled. Then, excitement took over. Are they plotting something? With that thought, Shi Hongrui quickly knocked once, then pushed the door open, only to find Wang Qiqi and the others practically piled onto Zhang Yan. What on earth was this situation?

They inwardly cursed the other person’s impatience. Thankfully, Shi Man had been watching the downstairs area. Even though Shi Hongrui had moved lightly up the stairs, there was still noise. Then, the noise paused for a moment before the door opened, clearly indicating she had been eavesdropping but hadn't heard anything juicy.

"We were just disciplining Yanyan. It turns out she accidentally found herself a sugar daddy," Shi Man said, pretending to just notice Shi Hongrui’s entrance, explaining their awkward positioning.

"Right, we thought we were just finding someone with potential, but who knew we’d snagged a blue-chip stock," Zhao Rongrong also pouted.

Shi Hongrui hadn't expected the four of them to be huddled in Wang Qiqi's room to lecture Zhang Yan. Although she had a nagging feeling their performance was partly for her benefit, she watched intently and realized they were genuinely pouring all their energy into educating Zhang Yan. It seemed Zhang Yan must have revealed details about her man today—good, humph, let her keep secrets from the rest of them. "Oh, by the way, I still don't know about YanYan's man’s situation."

Wang Qiqi stared at the person feigning innocence—clearly knowing all about JOHN’s circumstances yet acting as if she were utterly clueless and needed to be informed by everyone else. This pretense irritated Wang Qiqi, so finally Shi Man recounted the details. And the person in question put on a masterful performance, her mouth dropping wide in an expression of profound shock. RS