"JOHN is heading to the US tomorrow," Shi Man said. She knew Wang Qiqi had been in seclusion these past few days and wasn't fully aware of everything; she hadn't been in touch with Han Tao recently, so Shi Man figured she wouldn't know about this either.

JOHN is going back to the US? Wang Qiqi gave a small 'oh,' perhaps rushing back for family matters. She didn't dwell on it, thinking Shi Man was just updating her on everyone's recent movements because she'd been busy cultivating.

"You knew?" Shi Man was surprised that Wang Qiqi only offered a simple acknowledgment without further comment. She mused that since Han Tao hadn't contacted her either, how could Qiqi have found out so quickly? "Don't tell me you actually guessed JOHN was going to invest." Thinking it over, this seemed the only plausible explanation. After all, wasn't it Qiqi who first facilitated the connection for this whole affair? She must have the inside track.

Invest? Wang Qiqi looked startled, setting down her chopsticks. "JOHN is definitely investing?" It had only been a few days; wouldn't he do some due diligence first? Wang Qiqi didn't believe her couple of casual remarks would make JOHN immediately put up hard cash. Besides, Mark’s expression that day had been strange. Qiqi had assumed that even if the deal went through, JOHN would wait until some results were achieved before investing. She never expected him to put money down so fast. This… Wang Qiqi wondered if his gambler's instinct was too strong. "Isn't he afraid of losing money?" she murmured quietly.

Wang Qiqi’s last sentence was spoken quite softly, but Shi Man caught every word. She instantly became annoyed, placing one hand on her hip and tapping Qiqi’s forehead with the other. "Hey, is that any way to talk? How did you pitch this idea to us for investment in the first place? Turns out you weren't entirely certain either." Half of Shi Man's anger was genuine. Although the amount everyone invested wasn't huge, in terms of Rénmínbì, it was still a considerable sum. Everyone had decided to invest based on Wang Qiqi's grand vision and Han Tao's explanations—and yes, there was another crucial factor: Qiqi’s previous ideas had actually made them quite a bit of money. Otherwise, no matter how well she spun it, no one would have bought in. But hearing Qiqi’s words now, Shi Man suddenly felt tricked.

"I thought it had potential, but he hasn't had much contact with Han Tao or Fatty, and he knows nothing about my previous situation. I was just wondering if he was being too rash, or perhaps he hasn't invested in this industry before and just saw how well the internet sector is developing now, so he decided to find a project to put money into?" Wang Qiqi considered this possibility. However, if that were the case, Qiqi hesitated about whether it was truly appropriate to let him look after their stocks. She realized she didn't know him well enough. What if he was just a reckless fellow who would end up sinking everyone’s money?

The thought of this possibility made Wang Qiqi’s face visibly pale with distress. She had put in a sum that wasn't trivial this time. What if it was lost? Wang Qiqi almost wished Mark would stop messing around in the studio; even if the BOSS was willing to share some profit, it wouldn't be as much as what Mark earned quietly managing the contracts. But now, Qiqi could only regret it internally. The agreement was signed. Sigh, she could only hope that what Mark said was true, and that someone was dependable.

"Qiqi, what's wrong? You didn't take what I said seriously, did you?" Wang Qiqi's prolonged silence startled Shi Man. She had only said that assuming Qiqi wouldn't take it seriously. Seeing Qiqi now looking genuinely regretful, Shi Man felt a twinge of fear. Did Qiqi really think she meant it? Ugh, she had been so busy writing her thesis, her brain cells must be severely depleted. Why was she joking with Qiqi now? "I was just saying things. If I don't trust you, who do I trust? Besides, Han Tao is handling this. If he wasn't confident, would he have suggested starting a venture? Even worse, am I not trusting my own man? Think about what kind of figure Old Feng is; you can't fool him easily..." Shi Man hurried on with her explanations, determined to make it clear to Qiqi that she truly didn't regret the investment.

Seeing Shi Man stuttering through her explanations, Wang Qiqi burst out laughing. What an adorable creature. "Of course, I knew you were joking. Besides, the contract is signed; even if we lose money, we just have to accept the loss. I was just wondering why JOHN is going to the US at this particular time, and Mark will be busy tomorrow too. I’m worried about our money." Wang Qiqi wasn't foolish enough to voice her distrust of JOHN. Things hadn't reached a critical point yet; there was no need to spread alarmist words. What if it reached Zhang Yan's ears and made her unhappy?

When Shi Man realized Wang Qiqi was worried about that, she initially thought Qiqi was overthinking things. But then she considered it: JOHN was handling personal business in the US, and if it were her, she'd be equally focused. Thinking this, Shi Man also sighed. "Well, it is a complication. But his investment does beef up our capital, so at least we have something. And perhaps the stock market is stable right now, so he doesn't need to stare at it constantly. Plus, even if he is in the US, he can still watch the market and make trades." Shi Man let out a breath of relief here. "How about I ask Yanyan tomorrow to check with Mark about the stocks they are trading, and then we can keep an eye on them?" Since that was the case, she could pay a little more attention and monitor the market. However, that depended on whether they were willing to share information. This involved insider knowledge, and if she pushed too hard, would they be displeased?

"Forget it. Since both Mark and JOHN are so confident, and they have their own money in this, besides, isn't Yanyan there too?" Wang Qiqi decided against asking Zhang Yan. Although she was JOHN’s girlfriend, asking her might yield worse results than if Manman or she asked directly. "I don't fully trust JOHN, but isn't there Mark?"

Shi Man stared at Wang Qiqi speechlessly for a long moment. She had only one thought: this person is sick herself. One moment she was worried about this person, the next she was saying this and that would be bad if asked—she was trapped between advancing and retreating. Shi Man decided not to get hung up on this issue. "By the way, when you have a moment later, ask Han Tao if he knows JOHN going to the US is related to the investment discussion." It would be more straightforward to ask Han Tao about this. Although the shareholders would eventually receive notification, that usually happened only after everything was set in stone.

Wang Qiqi responded with a soft 'oh.' "Can't you just ask Han Tao yourself?" It wasn't like she didn't have his contact information. As for Fatty, Wang Qiqi guessed he was too busy coding to bother with such matters. As for Han Tao, Wang Qiqi wasn't entirely sure if he would know.

Shi Man pouted. "You haven't contacted Han Tao in ages. I'm giving you the opportunity to reach out to him now, and look at you—it’s truly disheartening. These days you've been in seclusion..." Shi Man thought that if she wanted to know these things, she could ask Old Feng instead of Han Tao. Although Old Feng was busy, JOHN would certainly consult him about investment matters.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Shi Man to have that intention. "I misjudged you, girl. How about I cook a magnificent meal tomorrow to apologize?" This wasn't Wang Qiqi making empty promises; MAY had previously mentioned that considering Wang Qiqi’s upcoming graduation thesis, she would give her a hand. Besides, she had troubled Manman and the others a lot these past few days. Wang Qiqi intended to thank them properly. "You can go buy whatever dishes you all love eating."

Shi Man hadn't expected such a nice perk and let go of the JOHN issue. She was just a minor shareholder in his investment; jumping up and down wouldn't achieve anything. A good meal was much more tangible. "Don't worry, I won't be polite about it." Thinking about the feast Qiqi would prepare tomorrow, Shi Man could already picture that certain person's sour expression. "Oh, right, if you see that person's sour face tomorrow, don't take it to heart." Shi Man had grown accustomed to that person's look these past few days; if he suddenly wore a sunny smile, it would actually make Shi Man suspect something bad was about to happen.

"My eyesight is poor." Wang Qiqi certainly wouldn't take that person's expression to heart. Hadn't she seen that kind of look plenty in her past life? She would look at the faces she cared to see and simply filter out the rest.

Hearing Wang Qiqi's response, a thought flashed through Shi Man's mind. "You are strong." Shi Man gave Wang Qiqi a thumbs-up and then went downstairs to clear the dishes, planning to share this good news with Yanyan and the others, perhaps further souring the mood of someone who was already feeling down. "I need to tell Yanyan and the others this good news immediately!"

Watching the smug Shi Man go downstairs, Wang Qiqi knew she was off to gloat. It seemed Shi Man hadn't been driven too crazy by that person these past few days, otherwise she wouldn't be acting this way. After reviewing her thesis one last time, Wang Qiqi sent it off. She prayed continuously that this paper would be accepted. Although it combined theory with practice, Wang Qiqi worried her own professor might not pass her.

After sending the email, Wang Qiqi went online to check if her man was around. Seeing him online, she casually asked if he knew anything about the matter. Han Tao's reply greatly surprised Wang Qiqi. She had initially thought JOHN was investing haphazardly, but it turned out he hadn't been investing blindly before; it just seemed those earlier investments hadn't gone smoothly, according to his partners. Wang Qiqi understood—he was spreading his net wide, hoping to catch a blue-chip stock that could recover all his losses. At this moment, Wang Qiqi realized he wasn't brainless; he just wasn't reborn and wasn't in this industry, so what else could he do but cast a wide net? Of course, this decision came only after JOHN had gained some understanding of the projects. Wang Qiqi suddenly had an idea: perhaps once she had some money, she too could try this method of fishing in the ocean. After all, every investment she had made so far had been successful. Two successful outcomes could be luck, but constant success inevitably bred certain expectations. Therefore, having failed investments might make people view her as merely a slightly lucky individual.