After Shi Man stayed a while longer in Zhao Rongrong's room, she finally excused herself and returned to her own. The moment she left Zhao Rongrong’s space, however, her face completely fell. She hadn't expected that while she hadn't grown tired of someone, that someone had already started looking down on QiQi. Shi Man found the thought amusing; such an extreme character was truly rare.

As for Zhao Rongrong worrying that she might be angry, Shi Man honestly wasn't. In fact, she had been hoping someone would make a scene—that would be better. If she disliked QiQi so much, then they should simply mind their own business.

Shi Man was also thoroughly fed up with someone. When they went shopping together, one suggestion led to another. If Shi Man bought a lot, the tone of voice would become prickly, as if implying, "Your business is booming, mine isn't." Seriously, she had been a purchasing agent for years; this other person had only been doing it for half a year! How could they possibly compare? Where was her reputation? Was she really going to give up her territory? Did they truly think everyone was a fool?

Shi Man hadn't planned on going to the library today, but she decided it was best to touch base with Wang QiQi first, to gauge her thoughts. She didn't want QiQi to be caught off guard and unable to respond later. If she was going to be aware of the situation, it was better to prepare early. In any case, it was best to resolve this someone problem completely.

With something happening so early in the morning, Zhao Rongrong had no choice but to climb out of her warm bed, no matter how much she wanted to sleep. "My head hurts so much, sigh." Zhao Rongrong rubbed her temples, planning to take a hot bath to ease her mental exhaustion.

Passing Shi Man’s room, Zhao Rongrong knocked, but after waiting a long time, no one answered. Zhao Rongrong recalled that Shi Man didn't have classes today. She had planned to stay home, work on her report, and do some translation work to earn some money. Where could she be? Had she gone downstairs to find something to eat?

Zhang Yan saw Wang QiQi return to her seat, phone in hand, looking thoughtful. "What did Man Man need?" She wouldn't call unless it was urgent, but Wang QiQi didn't seem tense, so it probably wasn't anything major.

"It's about Shi Hongrui." Shi Man hadn't explained clearly over the phone. She had only asked where Wang QiQi was and mentioned she was coming over to discuss something related to Shi Hongrui. Wang QiQi was equally puzzled. What was going on so early in the morning? Could it be some new drama stemming from yesterday's events?

When Zhang Yan heard Shi Hongrui’s name, she immediately lowered her head back to her book. She had decided to completely shut herself off from anything related to that person now; she didn't want to hear about it.

"If things develop smoothly," Wang QiQi repeated what Shi Man had said earlier, "we probably won't have any more dealings with that person." However, she was extremely curious. What happened overnight, or just this morning, that could make Shi Man so certain and speak with such conviction? Honestly, she was dying to know.

Zhang Yan looked at Wang QiQi, completely bewildered. She couldn't understand what QiQi was trying to convey. How could she speak in such fragmented sentences? Wasn't this just building suspense? How annoying.

"I don't know either, until Man Man gets here." Wang QiQi inwardly cursed Shi Man for giving only two vague sentences without any context, making it impossible to feel happy—it only made her itch with curiosity.

The two were helplessly restless. Although they appeared calm on the surface, they couldn't focus on their books at all; their minds were stuck on trying to figure out what had happened.

As soon as Shi Man appeared, Wang QiQi rushed over and grabbed her arm. "What on earth happened? Why didn't you explain clearly?"

Although Zhang Yan didn't make the same physical gesture, her eyes betrayed her thoughts.

Shi Man wanted to be deliberately difficult and demand they get her something to eat and drink, but before she could put on an air of authority, she found Wang QiQi and Zhang Yan pulling her out the door. She sighed. This entire setup looked exactly like the scene in a TV show where the villains finally capture the hero. "Come on, you two, don't treat me like this," she said. Couldn't they offer slightly better treatment? There was no need to treat her like an escaped fugitive! "I promise I'll treat you both to a good meal later." How could she not vent her frustration? She had rushed over here without even sleeping in after learning such big news, and this was the reception she got.

Treat you better? Wang QiQi pretended not to hear Shi Man's complaints. Honestly, she could have taken an extra minute to explain during the phone call. Making them both anxious for so long—she didn't know how they’d account for that debt. If the news was good, they’d let it slide. But if someone dared to exaggerate, she’d see how she handled her. "We can treat you to celebrate, but it depends on your news."

Hearing Wang QiQi’s reply, Shi Man knew lunch was on the line today. She smiled so happily. Finding a secluded spot, Wang QiQi got up, bought three cups of coffee, and handed them to Shi Man, signaling that she could finally begin.

"Damn, her skin really is thick," Zhang Yan commented bluntly after hearing Shi Man's story. "She only ever focuses on QiQi. Why doesn't she mention that she hasn't cleaned in ages? QiQi gets busy and stops cooking, but has she made fewer snacks? Those things should have been fed to the dogs!" Zhang Yan was genuinely irritated thinking about it. "Why did we let her move in in the first place? We were getting along fine, the four of us. We should have made her take the dorms." You really can't teach an extreme person manners. No matter how well you treat them, the moment they find the slightest flaw, they assume everyone is bullying them. She couldn't understand how Zhao Rongrong had been friends with her for so many years. If it were her, Zhang Yan swore she would have cut ties long ago. She couldn't afford a friend like that.

"If we hadn't taken her in, Rongrong wouldn't have come to live here either," Wang QiQi stated objectively. "Back then, we just thought she was a bit spoiled, but who knew, sigh." At first, her behavior was acceptable, but later it became so speechless that they genuinely didn't know how to interact with her.

"Then we just shouldn't have taken Zhao Rongrong in. We know her well enough; a few more visits would have sufficed." Shi Man was filled with regret. She had found someone slightly displeasing from the start, but because someone had buttered them up, and considering they could live with Zhao Rongrong—meaning they wouldn't have to adjust to strangers—they let them in. Who knew so much trouble would follow? If she had known, she shouldn't have yielded just for Rongrong's sake. Truly, hindsight is worth a thousand gold.

The three sighed in unison. Back then, they figured since they knew each other, and were from the same hometown, they could help each other out a little. Who knew it would turn out like this? Seeing everyone looking glum, Zhang Yan clapped her hands. "What if, by not letting Rongrong in, we had found a tenant who was even more of a nightmare than Shi Hongrui? Regardless, she's still tolerable; it's just the constant scheming against us that’s bad."

"Sigh, that's true," Shi Man conceded. What if they had ended up with two monsters? That would have been truly disastrous. "At least the things we leave in the living room have never gone missing. That counts for something." Shi Man could only comfort herself with that. "Besides, we are about to be free of that person soon. We just need someone to speak first."

They had previously agreed to act oblivious and wait for that person to initiate things, to avoid being accused later of ganging up on her. Shi Man knew Zhao Rongrong had tried to persuade someone not to cause trouble, but knowing her personality, Shi Man was sure she would only stay quiet for a few days. Once she saw Wang QiQi refusing to cook and she had to clean instead, someone would inevitably feel unbalanced, and then an explosion would occur. Once she erupted, the problem would be easily solved.

"Of course we have to wait for her to speak first, otherwise she'll definitely say we ganged up on her," Wang QiQi asserted firmly. "What if she speaks up demanding we return to the original arrangement? If she speaks first, it’s not her decision to return whenever she wants."

Wang QiQi was furious about the accusations that person had made against her. Shi Hongrui had badmouthed her to Man Man previously, shifting the blame onto Man Man, which had already angered Wang QiQi immensely. That was why she had treated everyone to a meal—it carried an implication of apology. But there she was: she ate the meal, wiped her mouth, and immediately started speaking ill of others again. Wang QiQi felt that if she knew it would be like this, she should have just thrown the food to the cats or dogs; at least they would have barked in gratitude. Furthermore, setting aside the fact that Shi Man cooked for her, why did Shi Hongrui need to get so agitated, especially when Shi Man herself had no complaints?

"I'm busy lately anyway, no time to cook. Doesn't she look down on me? I don't want to cook for a wolf," Wang QiQi said fiercely. "Since she dislikes me not cooking, I won't cook for her to see!"

"Right, we can push her buttons too," Shi Man said, raising both hands in support of Wang QiQi's cooperation. "Alright, let's go back. Just pretend you don't know anything about this."

Wang QiQi certainly knew that, but the issue was, "Will Rongrong tell her?" Since Zhao Rongrong had already told Shi Man, it meant they were all aware. The worst-case scenario would be someone finding out and waiting for them to speak up first. With graduation only three months away, Wang QiQi needed to be able to settle down and focus on her thesis to get a good grade.

"Don't worry, Rongrong won't tell her," Shi Man was very confident about that. "You should have seen how unhappy they were this morning. The way Shi Hongrui slammed the door when she went into Zhao Rongrong's room, and how terrible her face looked." Hmph. Did that woman think that just because she was close to Zhao Rongrong, she could win her over and force Shi Man to back down out of respect for Rongrong? She certainly had lofty ideas. But if she hadn't been so calculating, would Rongrong be this angry?

Wang QiQi knew that Zhao Rongrong's relationship with Shi Hongrui wouldn't be great after this morning's exchange, but she hadn't expected Shi Hongrui to treat Rongrong so poorly right then and there. "Holy crap, she’s gone too far. Is she acting like Rongrong owes her something?" Honestly, the reason everyone put up with her was mostly for Zhao Rongrong's sake. But now someone was pulling a stunt like this? Did she think too highly of herself? Still, this was good—the worse their relationship became, the less pressure there would be on them when dealing with that person later.

"Exactly," Zhang Yan expressed her contempt. What kind of person was she, having no friends? "I bet it's not just her parents being clearly biased toward her. She probably does terrible things at home. Otherwise, what kind of parents would be so ruthless? And her innocent little brother—he’s so young. Maybe she’s bullying him. Maybe she thinks if he dies, all the family fortune will go to her?" Although the thought was terrifying, when money was involved, this scenario wasn't uncommon.

Wang QiQi and Shi Man were startled by Zhang Yan's speculation. "You don't think so?" While they verbally dismissed it, their thoughtful expressions showed they were considering the possibility.

Shi Man rubbed her temples after thinking for a moment. With a grand wave of her hand, she said, "Why think about that? Let's go back and review our studies." If she tried to think from Shi Hongrui's perspective, it was quite unfair. She was already this old, and her parents had another child, especially a boy. The pressure on her must have been immense. Originally, the entire inheritance was hers, and now she only got a fraction. Anyone would feel unbalanced. Even if she held such thoughts, it wasn't impossible. But that had nothing to do with them. They should spend the time studying instead of worrying about her affairs.

Shi Man brought her laptop out since she didn't know how long she’d be staying here. "I need to continue translating manuscripts to earn money." Earning money and studying were the big things; everything else was minor. "Oh right, what about lunch?" Shi Man asked urgently. It was already close to ten o'clock. The lunch needed to be settled. "Let’s agree not to eat cafeteria food." Although the quality was good, why save money for someone when they could trick her into paying for a good meal? They definitely had to eat somewhere nice.

"No problem. Go tell Rongrong to meet us at twelve-thirty." Wang QiQi wasn't looking for a place far away. She chose a Mexican restaurant near the school that had good food and wasn't too expensive. Although Wang QiQi didn't absolutely love it, it was fine for an occasional meal.

Hearing they were eating out, Shi Man immediately pulled out her phone to notify Zhao Rongrong to meet them at the restaurant. As for Shi Hongrui? Sorry, first, she didn't know where she was, and second, this meal was to celebrate getting rid of that person. How could she be invited? Having her at the table would ruin the appetite of the others.

Zhao Rongrong had just finished her bath and was heading to the kitchen to heat up some dumplings QiQi had prepared when she received Shi Man's call about going out for lunch. Of course, she had specifically instructed Shi Man not to invite Shi Hongrui on the phone. She knew Shi Man must have gone to the school library to discuss this with Wang QiQi.

Although Zhao Rongrong had been prepared for Shi Man to contact Wang QiQi when she told Shi Man earlier, she hadn't expected Shi Man to act so quickly. Zhao Rongrong could only inwardly pray that Shi Hongrui wouldn't do anything brainless. Otherwise, she would be the one facing the consequences. Judging by the light and happy tone of Shi Man’s voice on the phone, she knew Shi Man and the others had already discussed their strategy.

Zhao Rongrong got ready, slinging a bag over her shoulder to leave, just as Shi Hongrui pushed the door open. She saw Zhao Rongrong looking like she was heading out. "You're going out?" Going out now? Wasn't it lunchtime? Was she going on a date? Didn't she say she had a headache earlier and planned to catch up on sleep and then work on her report? Hmph. If she hadn't come back, how would she have known she was leaving?

Zhao Rongrong was also startled to see Shi Hongrui return. She murmured an acknowledgment, "I'm heading out," and quickly left. She was worried Shi Hongrui might ask where she was going and if she could come along. Sixty superior maneuvers: fleeing was the best.

Zhao Rongrong's hurried exit struck Shi Hongrui as extremely irritating. She didn't suspect Rongrong was rushing to meet Wang QiQi, but rather thought, "Hmph, so stingy. It's just a date, why rush off? Is she afraid I’ll latch onto you and demand you pay?" What a cheapskate. She found a boyfriend and didn't even bring him around for us to vet? Does she think I’ll steal him? That thought is utterly despicable.

Shi Hongrui kept moving her hand around her chin, contemplating whether she should follow and see who this mysterious boyfriend was. But she ultimately dismissed the idea. She and Zhao Rongrong had a major falling out this morning. If Rongrong discovered she was following her on a date now, she would probably freak out. Forget it; she'd interrogate her tonight—yes, privately. Hmph. They always complained about her asking people to treat her. This time, once she got the information, she wouldn't share it with them. She'd just have Rongrong bring her man and treat her to a meal alone. That way, she could demand a higher-end place and order some gourmet dishes. Since the total cost would be reduced anyway, Shi Hongrui decided this was quite a good plan. Even if Rongrong got upset later, she wouldn't broadcast it to everyone.

Zhao Rongrong had no idea that her hasty departure had led Shi Hongrui to assume she had found a boyfriend and was now planning how to cover it up for her. If she knew, she might be furious enough to explode. For now, she was only focused on running quickly out of the complex, genuinely worried that if Shi Hongrui snapped out of it and followed her, things would get complicated.

The three of them—Wang QiQi, Shi Man, and Zhang Yan—entered the restaurant. Looking around, they were surprised to see Zhao Rongrong seated in the very back corner. It wasn't even fully booked; why choose that dark corner? Usually, everyone preferred window seats to catch the sun and enjoy the view, which lifted their spirits. Huddling in this corner made them lose their appetite.

"Come sit, come sit," Zhao Rongrong stood up, waving at them, and quickly sat back down. Her demeanor made everyone quite suspicious; she looked like she was hiding something.

"I ran into Shi Hongrui when I was leaving, and it scared me half to death. I was so worried she would chase after me," Zhao Rongrong explained why she was acting this way before they even sat down.

Shi Man, who had been considering changing seats, immediately dropped the idea when she heard this. "This spot is fine too. It's a quiet corner." Before a complete falling out, it was best to give that person a little leeway. Although she might not come to eat here, if she happened to pass by and saw the four of them eating heartily, she would certainly be unhappy. If they could avoid it, they should.

Wang QiQi looked at the bright windows, then at her own secluded spot, and sighed. Fine, she’d stay put. Consider it a candlelit lunch, even if it was four women. "Let's order. I'm treating today."

"Weren't I treating?" Zhang Yan countered. "The news Man Man brought is fantastic news, I love it. I'll pay." The thought that she wouldn't be extorted for food by that person anymore made her mood lift considerably. Honestly, Zhang Yan was planning to save every penny now so her own plan could come to fruition sooner.

"Forget it, I'll pay. This meal is on me, but don't expect any future ones. We all need to save money," Wang QiQi restrained Zhang Yan, who was eager to argue over the bill. "We owe this meal to Shi Hongrui, after all."

"No matter who pays, let's order, order," Shi Man said, watching the two squabble over paying. She thought it was redundant; they could just settle it when the bill came. Why argue now?

In the end, Zhang Yan paid the bill. Mainly because someone slipped away to the restroom and settled it before the others realized. Wang QiQi was quite unhappy about this. "You paid this time, but don't expect me to treat you next time," Wang QiQi said, pouting.

"Fine, if you don't treat, you don't treat." Zhang Yan zipped up her backpack. "It’s getting late. Let’s go." Class started soon, so walking slowly now would aid digestion.

"Are you going back or heading to the library?" Wang QiQi asked Shi Man as she shouldered her bag.

Honestly, Shi Man didn't want to go back so early to face that person's expression. Although she could hide in her room to avoid her, Shi Man felt, why should she be the one avoiding? It wasn't her fault. Besides, she paid rent. "I want to go back."

"Let's go shopping," Zhao Rongrong suggested, realizing she hadn't been out in a while either. "Didn't you say there were some stores with nice things last time, but you never got the chance to go?" Although Shi Man's mood had improved, Zhao Rongrong couldn't guarantee it would remain peaceful after seeing Shi Hongrui, nor could she predict if Shi Hongrui would start sowing discord again.

Shi Man knew Zhao Rongrong hadn't rested well. "Don't you have class this afternoon?" It wasn't too late yet; she could still rest if she went back. Shi Man knew Rongrong was only suggesting this because she was worried Shi Man might clash with Shi Hongrui.

"It’s fine, I’ll go to class when it's time." Zhao Rongrong suddenly remembered her afternoon class—that was indeed a problem.

"Never mind, I'll just go shopping by myself. You should go back and rest," Shi Man thought for a moment and decided to go shopping alone. "Go back and get some sleep; you have dark circles under your eyes."

Zhao Rongrong stared at Shi Man for a moment before finally relenting. "Okay." Since Shi Man had given her assurance, Zhao Rongrong knew she wouldn't cut the trip short. "If you see any interesting brooches, remember to bring back a few for me." The brooches Shi Man bought last time were quite nice, but everyone liked them so much that Zhao Rongrong hadn't managed to snag many for herself.

"Sure," Shi Man replied. She had also really liked those brooches last time, but the stock had been so limited that she couldn't even spare one to send back home. However, older sister Song Yao had exclaimed how beautiful they were when she saw the photos, even complaining that Shi Man hadn't procured more so they could sell them at a good price domestically.