Fatty rushed back just in time for dinner, bursting through the door to see Han Tao pouring red wine. "I'm back! Wait up!" He tossed his laptop bag carelessly onto the floor, darted into the washroom to quickly rinse his hands, and then sprinted back out.

"You all really didn't wait for me, and I got off work right on time," Fatty collapsed into a chair, taking a deep breath upon seeing the spread of dishes. "Wow, this smells amazing." Chinese food was just better; eating all that deep-fried stuff made him feel nauseous, not to mention it led to weight gain. Even though Fatty hated exercise, he now forced himself to work out for an hour every day, though dreaming of fried meat was simply out of the question right now.

Han Tao watched Fatty hurry over, constantly giving him signals, knowing he wanted him to put in a good word. The problem was, Han Tao couldn't help; he’d covered for Fatty a few times before, but Lu Qiaowei had talked to him afterward. Qiaowei wasn't really concerned about him being fat; it was just that a recent physical checkup showed Fatty's health wasn't great, which was why she was so anxious. Fatty was considered stout by domestic standards, but among foreigners, he actually looked quite slim.

Lu Qiaowei noticed Fatty’s persistent signals and cleared her throat. "Come and sit." She gestured, marking off a space. "These dishes are all cleared for you."

Then she pointed to a few other plates. "You can have about two pieces of each of these; forget about the rest."

Wang Qiqi was startled when she saw that most of the permitted food was vegetables, with only occasional small portions of stir-fried meat or low-fat items like fish. The heavy meats were strictly off-limits. She thought it was almost inhumane to forbid Fatty from eating what he loved most. Just as she was about to interject, Han Tao shook his head at her, signaling her to keep quiet.

Wang Qiqi wondered if there was something she didn't know, so she naturally held her tongue.

Fatty looked at the designated area and immediately wailed, "It’s just a physical report, is it necessary?" He deeply regretted letting Han Tao drag him into exercising before; why didn't he go then? Otherwise, he wouldn't be staring at delicious food he couldn't touch now. Fatty expressed his deep regret, over and over. If time could rewind, he would definitely have pushed himself harder and harder.

Wang Qiqi finally understood. It must be the results of the company-mandated physical examination that had come out, and Fatty's metrics must have been terrible to warrant such strict dietary restrictions. She had previously assumed Lu Qiaowei was simply bothered by his weight, but it was this. Given the situation, Wang Qiqi felt she couldn't help. "Eat, eat. Fatty, don't cross the line, okay?"

Fatty was visibly unhappy, his face drooping. He had been hoping to take advantage of Wang Qiqi's visit to have a celebratory feast and indulge himself, but his sweet dream shattered before the meal even truly began. "Weiwei, look, this is a happy occasion today, right..." Fatty offered a strained smile.

Lu Qiaowei smiled at him, and just as he thought victory was in sight, she softly uttered one word: "No."

Instantly, Fatty felt the world go dark, his life plunging into black and white. "Vegetables it is, then," Fatty glared fiercely at the others at the table, vowing to remember them deeply. Once his health was restored, he would order a huge table full of food and watch the three of them drool while he ate with gusto. Thinking of this energized him instantly. "Let's eat."

Nobody understood why Fatty's mood turned so cheerful so quickly. Since he seemed fine with eating vegetarian, everyone happily tucked into the food. Although they were fast with picking up dishes, their verbal exchanges didn't cease, as they updated each other on their recent happenings.

"Qiqi, you must have earned quite a bit this time," Fatty suddenly interjected.

Lu Qiaowei was surprised by the directness of the question; salary was such a sensitive topic.

Wang Qiqi didn't mind. She felt salary wasn't something to keep secret; it was her investments that required discretion. "I'm not sure of the exact amount, but it shouldn't be small. Mark said the completion this time went well; they delayed finishing the project specifically so they could earn more." Qiqi only learned this later during a conversation between Mark and May on the farewell day—they had managed another round of trading. While it made Qiqi feel slightly excluded, May guaranteed her a cut of the profits, which relieved her residual feelings. As long as the money was coming, that was all that mattered.

"Sounds like a big haul. Remember to treat us," Fatty caught the underlying meaning; Qiqi’s earnings must be substantial. It was deserved, though, considering she’d been working tirelessly at the studio since graduation, with a workload comparable to theirs. Fatty was relieved Qiqi didn't plan to stay in finance long-term; otherwise, he worried about how they’d manage their lives in the future.

Though she didn't know the exact figures, Wang Qiqi estimated it wouldn't be negligible. "We'll see. I'll treat everyone to a Michelin five-star dinner then." Wang Qiqi recalled Han Tao mentioning Fatty had once treated him to a Michelin five-star meal, so she felt she needed to match that caliber.

"Great," Fatty said, surprised that his casual inquiry led to such a nice prospect. "Qiqi, when are you starting work?" Fatty assumed Qiqi, having just arrived from the UK, would need some rest, especially since this was her last summer vacation. Thinking of this made him feel sentimental. "I graduated from university earlier than you guys and smoothly went into graduate school, and I still have another year left until I graduate. Qiqi is already done." Fatty felt a pang of wistfulness.

"Next Monday," Wang Qiqi replied, surprised by his melancholy. "You're doing three years, I only did one. You were reluctant to go to the UK for your Master's in the first place." Wang Qiqi thought she had warned him before, but someone insisted that computer science in the US was much more advanced.

Fatty chuckled sheepishly. Although a Master's in the UK only took a year, he wouldn't have gone; computer science in the US was far superior. "If I went to the UK, such a great opportunity wouldn't have fallen to me." Rather than graduating early, Fatty preferred the idea of starting a business. He might think about entrepreneurship later, but Han Tao was right: as one gets older, one considers more factors, and the drive to start something diminishes. Crucially, at that point, everyone would need to support a family, leading to significant financial pressure and greater caution regarding startups. Starting up now, while still financially challenging, allowed Fatty to realize that even wealthy people often rely on bank loans. Thinking of this eased Fatty's mood considerably.

"Don't worry, I won't let you off the hook. It's such a good opportunity," Han Tao clapped Fatty on the shoulder. "You were my greatest takeaway from university." People said Qiqi didn't have many close friends in college, but she still knew Bai Ge and Zhang Yan, getting along well with both. His relationship with his own classmates was just so-so, and Fatty wasn't even from the same year group. But what did having many friends matter? One true confidant was enough. "If any good opportunities come up later, we'll start something together again."

Wang Qiqi paused her wine glass mid-air when she heard Han Tao say that: continue starting things together? Hadn't they only just started their venture recently? Wang Qiqi wondered if she was too busy and hallucinating.

"Deal," Fatty agreed immediately. He finally understood why Han Tao had been pushing him before; of course, they needed results from their current venture first. Otherwise, he wouldn't have the capital to start another. Besides, this idea was his, and he had contributed significantly; he didn't want someone else snatching the final fruits of victory.

Hearing Fatty's response, which matched his expectations, Han Tao raised his glass. "Don't worry. We’re counting on this to give our families a better life." As the progress deepened, Han Tao finally understood why Qiqi insisted on securing a fixed percentage of the stock—it really was a massive gold mine, though that was the most ideal outcome, requiring far more clients to adopt the software.

"Cheers," Wang Qiqi vaguely raised her glass. She wanted to ask what was going on several times, but seeing the lively atmosphere at the table, she bit her tongue, deciding she could ask when they got back to their room. The one thing Wang Qiqi was certain of was that Han Tao and Fatty’s friendship remained as strong as ever, which put her mind at ease. She speculated it was either work stress or friction with colleagues. However, Han Tao was no rookie navigating his first job; he was seasoned, and he was a shareholder. What could those employees possibly do to him? Han Tao wasn't incompetent either. Could it be because of John?

Wang Qiqi cycled through possibilities, and John was the only one left. But John used to be Han Tao's colleague; they had worked together for years, and Han Tao had mentioned enjoying working with John, saying their coordination was excellent. Why would they be unhappy now that they were partners in a business?

Wang Qiqi discarded the myriad reasons she conjured up, as each one had a counterargument. She gave up the fruitless speculation; she would know everything tonight anyway, so why worry now when she could be eating more?

Wang Qiqi wiped her mouth and pushed open the door to their room, seeing Han Tao sitting on the floor, furiously typing away—he was working again. She took out her own laptop from her suitcase, intending to start working too, but first, she needed to email Shi Man and the others to let them know she had reunited with Han Tao.

Wang Qiqi occasionally glanced at Han Tao, who remained intently focused on his coding. This bothered her somewhat. Such a major development, and she hadn't heard a single whisper. If Fatty hadn't let it slip, she wouldn't have known at all. And she was starting work on Monday; Wang Qiqi realized she was ignorant about many company details. "Should I go report in tomorrow first?"

Han Tao pulled his gaze away from the computer, looking quite puzzled. "Report in tomorrow? Haven't all the procedures been completed?" The plan was for her to finalize the remaining paperwork upon arrival and start work. Why report to the unit tomorrow? "Besides, I work there; isn't my introduction enough?" There were too many wolves in the office, Han Tao thought, and he needed to assert his ownership immediately. "You should rest well these few days. By the way, when is Manman coming to the US?" She graduated ages ago but was still wandering somewhere. Luckily, Feng Xuanxiang was busy lately, otherwise, he would surely be complaining bitterly, especially now that Qiqi was also in the States—Old Feng must be quite upset.

"The products for the beauty salon agency have also finalized the agreement. Manman is going back with Sister Yaoyao to handle related matters. Zhu Hanlin happens to be on summer break and has time, so the few of them can secure the storefronts in Jingcheng and Modu, then start applying for licenses. Also, there's an issue with Bai Ge's training center." Shi Man originally didn't need to go back, but Bai Ge ran into some trouble that required Shi Man's handling, so Shi Man regrettably packed her bags and returned.

Han Tao realized that was why she hadn't returned. However, he was curious what kind of trouble a training center could face. When it opened last year, Qiqi had remarked that if done well, the profits wouldn't be small, though she hadn't invested at the time due to various reasons. "It seems the investments of you, Nana, and Manman are proving more enduring," he commented. Even the collaboration with Song Ziwen, though stable for now, hadn't been entirely without turbulence, just nothing that caused a major storm.

"Probably because they're expanding," Wang Qiqi wasn't entirely sure what was happening. She had initially wondered if Bai Ge wanted to go solo since she had poured so much heart into it, but the email from Shi Man mentioned Bai Ge intended to expand the training center nationwide across most regions, which completely shocked Wang Qiqi. That scale of investment was huge; even with rented classrooms, it would cost a fortune. Honestly, Wang Qiqi wasn't entirely without regret, but she also knew that if she had invested, Song Yao might not have gotten a share. Bai Ge was used to running businesses where she called the shots; suddenly having three partners, especially united ones, must have made her uncomfortable. Given that, Wang Qiqi felt she had to take a step back.

"They're expanding?" Han Tao found it odd. Didn't Qiqi mention last time that they had already set up locations in several major cities? Manman hadn't gone back then; why the sudden grand mobilization? "It couldn't be that business is so good they plan to go national, right?" Han Tao asked half-jokingly.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Manman's investment is thriving; she's making money just lying at home. Oh, and Auntie Qian is planning to expand her hotel business. She said the scenery in Jiuzhaigou was lovely when she visited, and many people will go there in the future. She plans to rent or even buy a place to turn into a guesthouse." Wang Qiqi had been waiting for her dividends from Li Qian’s hotel, but Auntie Qian suddenly had this idea, which left Wang Qiqi feeling a bit helpless. However, she didn't want to miss the current opportunity to hoard real estate. Li Qian traveled around, always selecting unique properties, and buying them for a hotel business was an excellent choice.

Han Tao knew Li Qian was living very comfortably, successful in both love and career. Her recent high-profile appearance in front of her friends in Jingcheng made many people say Li Xiangdong had no vision for letting go of such a good wife for a spendthrift. "Is Li Xiangdong doing worse now?" Rumor had it he wasn't even running the translation agency anymore. Although he didn't need to worry about living expenses, the fall from being the boss of a translation company to a complete nobody was a huge drop. Li Zhe mentioned that his new wife was causing trouble, complaining that Li Xiangdong lacked ambition, and so on. "Auntie Qian is better off, happy and traveling." So, choosing the right wife was key; otherwise, you ended up like Li Xiangdong.

Li Xiangdong? Wang Qiqi said she hadn't been in much contact with him, but she still heard bits and pieces about his situation. It wasn't from Boss Ye; that man showed no sympathy or excessive mockery toward failures. The news came from some of Li Xiangdong's former subordinates who messaged Wang Qiqi with obvious ridicule. Their biggest grievance wasn't with Li Xiangdong, but with his second wife. However, this case would be a good example for Han Tao to remember: the wife who stood by you during your low points deserves a man's utmost respect and love.

"By the way, is Li Zhe planning to stay in France or return home after graduation?" Li Zhe must be graduating from university soon, too. What were his plans? Li Xiangdong had once insisted his son return to inherit the translation agency, which caused quite a stir, finally ending with Li Zhe renouncing his inheritance and refusing to support Li Xiangdong. When Wang Qiqi heard about it, she thought only one thing: Li Xiangdong's company wouldn't last long. Li Qian had originally intended to leave the translation agency to Li Zhe and had shown some leniency, but since Li Xiangdong was so heartless, she wasn't going to be polite either. Contacting old friends, she helped crush his business, and with Uncle Ye's intervention, Li Xiangdong's already shaky translation agency didn't stand a chance.

"He's coming to the US. He said he's very interested in finance now and wants to study it further. And if he goes back now, things might not be peaceful," Han Tao recalled an email Li Zhe sent a few days ago, feeling a bit wistful. "He said he'll come over for a few days to visit."

"Okay," Wang Qiqi understood that Han Tao meant she should remember to host the guest when he arrived. Wang Qiqi was excellent at that kind of hosting. She was also contemplating whether she should persuade Li Qian to take a trip to Tibet. Not many people went to Tibet back then; the journey was usually by plane or a relatively dangerous road trip by car. In a few years, with more people having money and leisure time, all the major scenic spots would be crowded, and many backpackers would turn their attention to the less developed lands of Tibet. Property values would skyrocket then, and while running a guesthouse would be profitable, the pressure would also increase. Wang Qiqi figured if Li Qian went to Tibet once, she wouldn't miss such beautiful scenery.

Wang Qiqi glanced at the time on her computer, then at the man beside her who had returned to his work mode. She leaned against the wall and stared at Han Tao for a long time. "Have things been going badly recently?"

Han Tao kept his head down, so his expression was hidden, but his hands paused their movements.

"Are you having trouble with your colleagues?"

Han Tao remained silent.

"With John?" Wang Qiqi continued guessing, and when she saw Han Tao's expression shift, she was startled. "It's not actually true, is it?" Good heavens, Wang Qiqi thought, had she actually guessed correctly? "What exactly happened? You’ve been working with him professionally for years?"

"We were colleagues for years, but back then, we were both just employees. Now..." Since Qiqi knew a little, Han Tao decided not to hide it anymore. He hadn't wanted to tell her earlier, fearing she would worry about the investment going wrong, and he needed time to adjust his own mindset. Now that he had settled himself, there was no need to keep it from her.

Listening to Han Tao's account, Wang Qiqi understood the reason. "If you feel you and John won't be working together long-term, then just bear with it for a while, at least until the company stabilizes. We hold shares in the company anyway; no matter how he stirs things up, we'll be fine. And as long as we don't completely destroy the relationship, we can still be friends." Wang Qiqi had initially considered advising him to be patient, as starting a business together wasn't easy, and some tolerance might be needed. But then she looked at Han Tao's expression, which clearly read I am very unhappy. Since that was the case, Wang Qiqi felt there was no point in persuading Han Tao to keep enduring it.

Han Tao waited for Wang Qiqi to offer some words of comfort, perhaps urging him not to overthink things and to focus his energy back on work, but he hadn't anticipated her actually saying something like that. "You... you don't blame me?" Anyone else hearing their husband practically advising them to smooth things over with John just for some intangible sense of pride, because one shouldn't turn down money, would have expected a different reaction. But Qiqi’s only concern was whether feeling down might affect his health. "Qiqi, you are the absolute best." Han Tao let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. If he had known Qiqi was this understanding, he wouldn't have worried so much. "Don't worry, my relationship with John is still manageable right now; it hasn't reached the point of a complete falling out. After all, I am a capable hand here, and a shareholder. He's worried that if I leave, all of you might pull your investments, and then what good is it to be the majority shareholder?"

"That's true," Wang Qiqi replied with a touch of pride. "There are few shareholders like us who are only waiting for the results to materialize. If he misses out on us, John might not find a better partner." Wang Qiqi was certain of this point. John wasn't a child; he wouldn't fail to see the difference. He would absolutely prefer a shareholder who treated him well and let him manage everything unimpeded, rather than a partner who, despite having more money, came with a mountain of conditions.

Apologies, I was completely overwhelmed yesterday and completely forgot to post the RP update.