When Han Tao heard Wang Qiqi’s plan to have her colleague Mark and Zhang Yan’s man invest in the stock market, he was very confused. In his view, the previous cooperation with Old Feng had been quite good, and they had made quite a bit of money; why switch partners?

Wang Qiqi understood Han Tao’s thinking; after all, working with acquaintances was more reassuring. However, Wang Qiqi had no choice but to cooperate with Mark and the others. Old Feng was getting increasingly busy; he was just an employee, and when he had work, he could only focus on his primary duties. On several occasions, they had missed out on good opportunities. Even Old Feng suggested finding someone new to help manage the stocks, a topic brought up several times. However, the right person hadn't been found. Those with ability felt Qiqi and her group's funds were too small, while those willing to take on the job lacked the necessary competence. When Han Tao knew Old Feng had agreed, he didn't object anymore. Since Feng Xuanxiang had no issues, neither did he.

As for Han Tao’s worry about insufficient funds, Wang Qiqi wasn't concerned at all. This time, upon returning, while dealing with the house, she converted the money her parents left her into foreign currency. Originally, Qiqi didn't want to touch this money, feeling it was a meaningful keepsake. When Song Yao found out, she repeatedly called Wang Qiqi's brain "pig-headed," saying that while the money was a remembrance, the current time required it. It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong; it would be better to earn big later and establish a fund to help those in need. To be fair, Shi Man's sudden suggestion made Wang Qiqi think that this way, her parents' methods could become known to more people, meaning the funds would be relatively sufficient.

Although everyone knew each other, when it came to money matters, an agreement needed to be signed. The place for signing the agreement was John’s house. As soon as they entered, Zhang Yan acted like a competent housewife, helping to bring out drinks and simultaneously serving the pastries Wang Qiqi had made at home earlier.

Shi Man watched the person busy running back and forth, embodying the perfect hostess, and whispered in Wang Qiqi’s ear, “The saying that women are outgoing is definitely true. Look how diligent Yan Yan is here; when is she ever this active at home? She comes here and acts so familiar with the place…” Shi Man thought that knowing where the kitchen and bathroom were immediately upon entering was normal, but seeing how familiar Zhang Yan was in the kitchen suggested she visited often. “Thank goodness someone here can’t cook, otherwise I suspect she’d be cooking for her man.” If that were the case, Shi Man felt she might cry herself to death—the stimulus was too great.

This remark could easily have been made in Chinese, but she spoke it in English, and although it was a whisper, the tone she used would certainly carry to John and Mark. Wang Qiqi knew this was entirely intentional on Shi Man's part.

“They say Eastern women are all virtuous; I deeply feel that from ELLA,” Mark said with longing. “I hear their cooking skills are excellent.” His good friend was so lucky; either he didn't have a girlfriend, or as soon as he did, he found such a great match. How could Mark not feel envious, jealous, and resentful?

Mark’s comment left Wang Qiqi and the others unsure how to respond—should they speak the truth or go back and train Zhang Yan to graduate from beginner cooking class soon? But then they recalled the performance of that person in the kitchen and deeply felt this task was extraordinarily difficult, definitely needing a five-star rating. Although the three hadn't discussed it, they simultaneously decided to leave this arduous task for Zhang Yan to handle herself.

“If you’re envious, find someone just as virtuous yourself in the future,” John thought. If Mark could truly decide to break up with her completely this time, it would be great news. However, they had broken up and reconciled countless times; even John was tired of complaining and comforting the so-called heartbroken man so many times, only for them to reunite shortly after. After so many times, when John received a late-night call from someone claiming to be heartbroken, he could just hang up, roll over, and go back to sleep. “But finding a woman like that in this lifetime might be tough for you.” As long as he didn't fully separate from her, Mark shouldn't expect to find a new girlfriend.

Mark knew John had never hidden his dislike for his girlfriend. Before, he thought John just hadn't interacted with her enough. Now he understood it was because John knew she wasn't a good woman. Only now did Mark truly wake up, but even if he hadn't wanted to, he couldn't help it. “I will find a good woman. My requirements aren't high; I just need someone to take good care of the home.”

Hearing this come from Mark’s mouth was startling. John’s first reaction was that he must have misheard; his second was the urge to curse immediately. It was so shocking. “Did you two break up? Are you absolutely not getting back together? Or did you argue over another trivial thing?” Their reasons for fighting were truly bizarre. John, who had witnessed their entire dating process, was utterly speechless. He was anxious to death, but they seemed to find it romantic. “Fine, I won't meddle in your affairs anymore; you never listen to what I say anyway.”

John didn't really care about the woman’s wasteful behavior. What he couldn't stand was Mark’s behavior of seeing her cheat and still waiting around. He had waited so many times before; why was that person unwilling to wait this time? This surprised John. Had something happened? But now wasn't the time to discuss private matters with a friend; there would be plenty of time to ask after Qiqi and the others left.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected to hear about Mark's breakup while coming over to sign a cooperation agreement—this was too abnormal. Wasn't Mark with his girlfriend at the celebration party last month? They were so clingy then that Wang Qiqi felt like throwing up; it was sickeningly sweet. How could they break up so soon? It seemed foreigners truly loved intensely when they were in love, but once the passion faded, the love vanished. But that didn't make sense either; hadn't they known each other for years? They were like an old married couple; how could their feelings change so easily? Wang Qiqi felt her brain couldn't process it.

Zhang Yan came out carrying several plates. “I’ll bring out some coffee in a bit,” she said, turning back to the kitchen to continue her work.

Shi Man peered at the snacks Zhang Yan brought out. Then, she whispered in Chinese into Wang Qiqi’s ear, “See? Isn’t she being an outgoing girl now? She nearly cleaned out our pastries before, but now she’s only bringing out this little bit. I think she’s saving the best for her man.” Although they could eat these things at home, or have Qiqi make them, her current behavior made Shi Man deeply lament that perhaps all the delicious food made at home in the future wouldn't be safe; she might even invite him over for dinner. Since it wasn't too far, they could stroll in the neighborhood afterward, perhaps even walking them out eighteen times. But wouldn't that increase Shi Man's own workload? Shi Man felt completely frazzled. Regardless, she had to hold firm and not let him form a habit. Eating once in a while was fine, but too often would be unbearable.

“If it were you, you’d be even more formidable,” Wang Qiqi retorted. Don't talk about Yan Yan; who was it that once took the entire pot of freshly stewed chicken soup and gave it to Feng Xuanxiang, leaving everyone else to eat while smelling the chicken soup wafting through the air? How miserable that was.

Shi Man could only give a silly laugh. Alas, being friends with someone since high school meant too many embarrassing stories.

“I also had my lawyer look over the agreement; generally, there are no issues. You can take a look,” John said after his girlfriend brought out the coffee, holding up several copies of the agreement. “The content is basically as discussed before. You can have your lawyer review it before signing.”

Wang Qiqi and the others were accustomed to all agreements requiring legal review. They took the documents and placed them aside. “We’ll have the lawyer look tomorrow. If there are no problems, we can sign tomorrow.”

“Me too, tomorrow,” Mark said. John used the same lawyer, and this agreement was drawn up after they consulted with the lawyer together, so Mark could sign today. “After the contract is signed, your money…”

Mark gestured vaguely, realizing his tone sounded a bit rushed, and immediately added an explanation: “I heard from the BOSS that in four or five days at most, we’ll be swamped. Is your thesis ready?”

What? Going into seclusion in four or five days? Wang Qiqi was stunned. Although the framework was done, the content still needed research to flesh out the topic. She hadn't expected the BOSS to be in such a hurry this time. “Doesn't he have some sort of conference?” Wang Qiqi recalled that the BOSS had received a notice from some association. For someone of the BOSS’s caliber, there were many invitations to meetings, but he rarely traveled. This time it wasn’t a major gathering, so Wang Qiqi assumed the BOSS would decline again. She was surprised he agreed so readily. She found it very strange that the BOSS would leave to attend some unknown meeting while the task proceeded as usual. Although everyone could guarantee task completion, it was still a pity that the BOSS wouldn’t be present at such an important moment.

“His absence will mislead them,” Mark guessed. “Anyway, you should finish the task as soon as possible in these few days. But this mission isn’t very big.”

Not very big meant it probably wouldn't receive much attention, right? But why did Wang Qiqi feel this task was definitely not as easy as Mark made it sound? “Even if it’s not big, it must be completed seriously.” Wang Qiqi wouldn't voice her inner thoughts. Besides, whether the task was big or small didn't matter; what mattered was learning something from it, and earning some money on top of that would be even better.

Mark looked at someone who showed zero interest and couldn't help but sigh. How could they both be graduate students when this girl was so much more composed? Mark felt it was embarrassing. “If your task goes well this time, Qiqi, I think many people will be fighting over you.” Although Mark was still in college, his relationship with Qiqi was good enough that he had inquired about the job situation for graduates. Through this inquiry, he found that neither Wang Qiqi nor ELLA had shown any inclination to look for work—they hadn't attended job fairs, nor did they seem to have even submitted résumés. Were they planning to return to China? Or did they intend to become housewives?

Many people fighting over me? Wang Qiqi froze, then waved her hand sheepishly. “I don't have that kind of ability; I’m just helping out in the background.” Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered that whether she admitted it or not, joining this team meant she possessed a certain level of competence. Even though she started as an assistant (general helper), Qiqi had contributed significantly to the previous few deals. While not an elite, she was at least capable. Large investment banks might not be interested in Qiqi, but some smaller ones probably would. Although the prospects sounded average, Wang Qiqi knew that sometimes there were more opportunities in smaller firms. Large investment banks had many deals, but also many capable people, and those without super strength were destined for tragedy.

Wang Qiqi knew Mark meant well, so she didn’t hide anything and stated her plan. “I plan to study in the US in the latter half of the year. Honestly, I don’t have much talent for finance,” she said with a self-deprecating smile. “If I were that capable, I would have been doing my own stock trading long ago and wouldn’t need you to earn this money for me.”

“If you wanted to do it, we wouldn't dare; this is the most crucial step for us to strike it rich,” Shi Man commented with disdain. To be honest, Shi Man was still a bit dizzy. She knew Qiqi would bring out the money her parents left when she went back, but she hadn't expected Qiqi’s parents to leave her this much. She again marveled that with enough houses and shops, they wouldn't worry about life in the future, and this solidified her belief that if you have money, buy shops and houses.

Although Wang Qiqi and Shi Man didn't clarify things, Mark could tell one thing: Qiqi likely wouldn't enter the finance circle. Besides the supposed lack of talent, she probably found finance work too exhausting. When the market was active, it was common to be away from home for long periods. For a genuine Eastern woman, abandoning family was probably something they were unwilling to do. “Starting your own business or finance—both earn a lot, but if you’re not careful, you can fall and never get back up.” Mark used to have a drive, always believing his talent and ability would carve out a niche. But as he learned more about the industry and the situations involved, Mark wasn't just unsettled; he was becoming increasingly timid. This made the BOSS focus even more on cultivating Mark, which surprised him. Before, the BOSS valued his drive, but he didn't expect that after he became timid, the BOSS wouldn't mind at all, even giving him extra attention. Mark somewhat understood why, but it also made him more vigilant, reminding himself never to relax his guard during victory.

“That’s the result of greed,” Wang Qiqi muttered in protest. In the end, no matter what one does, those who lose are defeated by themselves. “My demands have always been low; I just want to live an easy, simple life. The finance circle is good, but the pressure is high; I don’t want my future life to be spent among these numbers.” Especially since even with large sums of money being managed, only a tiny fraction was theirs; the profit earned was only a small part. This feeling always annoyed Wang Qiqi. “But you’re different, Mark; you’re a man, you have to support a family. My man needs to work very, very hard.” Wang Qiqi stated this without the slightest shyness. “So I support him starting his own business. Working for a company is fine, the salary is decent, but if he stays there, he’ll eventually be unhappy. It's better for him to start a business.” Wang Qiqi let slip a little information.

John, hearing this, suddenly shifted from a nonchalant expression to one of deep thought. Although he had never met Qiqi’s boyfriend, he knew from Yan Yan that he was in computer science. A person in the computer field starting a business—what field would he likely enter? “Is he building a website?”

Zhang Yan and Zhao Rongrong looked at Wang Qiqi with slight surprise. They hadn't expected Qiqi’s man was also going into entrepreneurship. But compared to them, Han Tao was doing well working in the US and could take private jobs. Why would someone like that start a business? What about the mortgage? And didn’t starting a business require money? Was this all related to Qiqi’s recent trip back?

Wang Qiqi let out an affirmative sound. “Yes, with a few friends he met before. I don't know the prospects, but we are still young; we can afford to fail,” Wang Qiqi said with a beaming smile, conveying absolute trust in him.

John didn't expect him to be in the website business. Honestly, as the internet developed better and better, industries related to the internet multiplied, and the money flowing into this sector increased correspondingly. However, many companies were burning cash; some seemingly successful online companies didn't have great profits. Despite this, John remained optimistic about the future. He had considered investing in this area before, but he didn't understand it well enough. Of the few ventures he’d tried, two were still hanging on, but John knew their collapse was only a matter of time. These repeated setbacks had disappointed John, but they didn't change his judgment on the internet sector. Now, Wang Qiqi’s man was planning to make a big move in this industry; should he get involved? John tapped his leg repeatedly.

Although Zhang Yan was John’s girlfriend, she wasn't fully aware of some of his affairs, especially investments. However, she recognized his habitual actions. She noticed John looked somewhat agitated after mentioning Han Tao's venture? Was he thinking of investing? Wasn't this sector known for burning money, possibly leading to zero results even after spending a fortune? Was John planning to jump in?

Mark knew his friend’s high expectations and envy toward internet companies. Honestly, he was also optimistic about this industry, but compared to John, Mark was more rational. While investing in a nascent company from the start meant earning more if it succeeded, if it didn't take off, one earned nothing. So, Mark preferred buying stocks in established companies—he wouldn't make a fortune, but he could earn some hard-earned money. Now, his friend’s expression told him John was moved. However, Mark thought that after investing so much money that went down the drain previously, even if his grandfather had left him plenty, and he’d earned quite a bit in the stock market, constantly investing in various ventures meant his money wasn't endless. He was probably trying again. If this venture succeeded, it wouldn't matter, but if it was another fruitless project, he would truly lose everything down to his underwear. “John, you…”

John thought for a moment. “Qiqi, can you tell me the specifics of the project your man is planning?” Although he wanted to rationally pretend not to know the news, he couldn't ignore it. In the end, he felt it was better to understand the situation first. If the project was genuinely good, a small investment wouldn't hurt. Of course, John wouldn't dare make a large investment; he had paid enough tuition fees.

Wang Qiqi didn't expect John to be interested in Han Tao's project. Although he was only asking for now, Wang Qiqi was confident there was a forty percent chance he would invest. While not over half, it was a decent ratio. However, she wouldn't bring it up herself—first, because she didn't know which details were appropriate to share, and second, if she spoke too eloquently, Zhang Yan and the others might think she had been involved for a long time, which could cause them some unhappiness. “I really don’t know much about this. I don’t understand much about computers; I just know how to use them. Why don’t you contact him yourself?” If he was sincere, Wang Qiqi knew he would contact Han Tao and the others directly. If he wasn't interested, Han Tao and his partners wouldn't need to humiliate themselves. Currently, their funds were sufficient, and the core team was gradually forming. Therefore, Wang Qiqi didn't need to bring in new people at this moment; it would be better to wait until the situation was clearer before inviting partners in, as that would make their implicit stock value rise, wouldn't it?

“Okay.” John had actually been planning to talk directly to the person in charge. “Can I have his email address?”

Wang Qiqi had originally intended to circle back and quickly touch base with her man, but she hadn't anticipated JOHN being in such a rush. With no other choice, she handed JOHN Han Tao’s email address. "There’s another founder on that end who is also named JOHN; what a coincidence." It was only then that Wang Qiqi recalled her husband's business partner shared the same name as JOHN. It was an absolute case of a duplicated name. If the investment didn't happen, it was one thing, but if it did, she genuinely didn't know how she would even begin to address the situation.

JOHN took the slip of paper with the email address, and Wang Qiqi’s comment made him pause. Though his own name was quite common, he wondered if encountering this situation was what his grandfather meant by fate. This discovery significantly heightened JOHN’s interest in this particular investment.

Shi Man, watching from the sidelines, was also taken aback. Wasn't today supposed to be about signing the agreement? How could Qiqi possibly be bringing in a new investor for the website? The situation felt profoundly strange. JOHN had approached many people, and very few were willing to invest; even then, the terms were usually severe. In the end, it was Qiqi who stepped in and managed to secure the shareholders, and now, the possibility of pulling in another investor—she deeply felt that her best friend was perfectly suited for this world.