Han Tao placed his luggage inside the wardrobe. Just as he was about to ask Wang Qiqi to help unpack, he realized she wasn't in the room. This sent a jolt of anxiety through him; he worried she might be planning an all-night discussion with Shi Man and the others, yet he hadn't heard the door close at all.

Just as Han Tao’s worry reached its peak, he spotted Wang Qiqi lounging on a sunbed on the balcony, gazing out at the sea. A wave of relief washed over him. "What are you thinking about?" Han Tao handed her a cold drink and settled onto the adjacent lounger.

"Contemplating whether to take a stake in Old Feng's investment company," Wang Qiqi twisted open the cap and took a sip. The sudden immersion in a tropical climate had taken her by surprise, but after so long without real sun, the sheer brilliance of it made her genuinely happy. If she didn't worry about others swimming nearby seeing her, she'd love to catch a deep tan before heading back. Chinese culture favored fair skin, but abroad, a sunkissed look was desirable. Since they were in the tropics, Wang Qiqi definitely wanted that bronze hue to look youthful, though it had to be perfectly even—patches of lighter and darker skin were simply hideous.

"Do you want to?" Han Tao took the sunscreen Wang Qiqi had set aside and began gently smoothing it over her arms and shoulders.

"I don't think so. We aren't experts in that field, and we don't have a surplus of cash." As Han Tao applied the lotion, Wang Qiqi felt a wave of comfortable drowsiness. "The money I got back from my brother—I plan to invest it long-term in Apple stock, so I'm tapped out otherwise."

Hearing Wang Qiqi reiterate her commitment to buying Apple shares, Han Tao knew he wouldn't sway her decision. "If you want to buy, then buy." Apple’s current outlook was improving, so she wouldn't lose much by investing. "But if you don't invest with us, will Shi Man be upset?" If Qiqi genuinely lacked funds, it would be one thing, but since Shi Man knew Qiqi had capital available yet chose not to fund Feng Xuanxiang, she couldn't possibly remain indifferent.

That was precisely where Wang Qiqi’s dilemma lay. "What do you think I should do?" It wasn't that Wang Qiqi viewed the investment as inherently risky. Rather, knowing a more lucrative path existed right in front of her, it seemed foolish to ignore it. Yet, with her close relationship with Shi Man, and a good rapport with Old Feng, refusing to contribute felt wrong.

Han Tao suddenly remembered something. "Didn't you mention that Old Feng and Mark get along quite well?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "They often discuss stocks. I haven't asked for specifics, but the fact they maintain contact suggests they genuinely click." As she spoke, Wang Qiqi’s eyes suddenly widened. "What if Old Feng were open to collaborating with Mark?" Wang Qiqi suspected Mark wouldn't settle for a position in a major investment bank. While the salary and upward mobility would be higher, for someone of Mark's caliber, self-employment was likely the preference. Mark had apparently been taking on private projects with the goal of establishing a venture fund, and now he and John were co-founding a company—every sign pointed to them intending to strike out on their own. If Old Feng inserted himself into that equation now, how would Mark and John react?

Old Feng partnering with Mark? Han Tao pondered this. "Even setting aside whether Mark and John's partnership is financially focused, Mark getting along with Old Feng doesn't guarantee smooth collaboration. And even if they collaborated well, doesn't Old Feng already have a partner?" In Han Tao's view, a partnership required far more consideration than just compatible personalities. "Stay out of this, Qiqi. If they run into trouble down the line, you'll be caught in an impossible middle ground."

Wang Qiqi conceded that Han Tao had a point. She and John had also hit it off initially, which led to their venture; however, conflicts inevitably arose once they started working together. Thankfully, their open communication helped prevent their collaboration from collapsing.

Han Tao and the others had initially assumed Wang Qiqi and the women were treating their vacation like a runway show, changing outfits constantly. But then they noticed the women perpetually striking poses for photographs, making Fatty finally realize the situation. "Hey, aren't we supposed to be on vacation? Do we really need this many pictures?" It was a small island; initially beautiful, but half a day was enough to see everything, leaving few scenic spots left to photograph.

"A yearbook," Lu Qiaowei declared righteously. "You men might hate photos, but we love them. Forget it; you guys go have fun." Lu Qiaowei recognized Fatty's growing impatience. She knew forcing him to stay would only result in half-hearted effort and constant complaining, so letting him go was the best option.

Hearing Lu Qiaowei grant them release, Fatty immediately grabbed Han Tao and bolted. Feng Xuanxiang and Zhu Hanlin quickly followed suit. "We’re going diving nearby," the men announced. Although none of them had scuba dived before, one try had hooked them. It wasn't a profound love for the sport, but swimming was infinitely preferable to acting as a backdrop for the women’s photoshoot marathon.

Watching Lu Qiaowei and Shi Man industriously photographing each other, Julina tugged Wang Qiqi's sleeve. "Feng Xuanxiang’s venture isn't going smoothly; are you planning to invest?" Julina knew Wang Qiqi wouldn't keep this information entirely to herself.

"I just found out," Wang Qiqi murmured, her gaze fixed on Shi Man posing a short distance away. "Old Feng has no choice but to start this venture now. That other person found a new partner and announced in the company that Old Feng was also starting up." Wasn't that practically forcing Feng Xuanxiang out? Wang Qiqi couldn't fathom why that person was so awful. "Thank goodness Old Feng didn't partner with him; he might have sold the whole thing without anyone noticing."

Julina hummed in agreement. Old Feng’s previous partner’s conduct had little bearing on her. Her concern was singular: "Are you putting in money?"

Julina asking if she was investing made Wang Qiqi hesitate. She turned to look at Julina. "Are you tempted?" If Julina hadn't been considering it, she likely would have just told Qiqi she wasn't investing instead of gauging her friend's opinion first.

"A little." Julina never concealed her thoughts from a close friend like Wang Qiqi. "But I trust Old Feng's operational capability; I’m just uncertain about his new partner. Hopefully, they aren't as tasteless as the last one." Julina used to think Old Feng had good judgment, but after the recent debacle, she wasn't entirely convinced of his foresight.

Well, it seemed she was seeking inside information. "After I arrived in the States, I’ve only kept in touch online. My company is absorbing new shareholders, and I’ve been tied up dealing with that." If Wang Qiqi had known about this earlier, she certainly wouldn't have even suggested pulling capital from Song Ziwen’s side to discuss with Shi Man. "I might have to talk to my brother about withdrawing my stake after the New Year." This was a major decision; some of the cabinet factory’s business had come through Julina’s connections. Wang Qiqi knew that if she proposed divesting now, Song Ziwen would worry whether she and Julina could maintain their business relationship. Regardless, she hoped they could part amicably, remaining like family upon separation, and that the process would be smooth, without unnecessary drama.

"Divesting?" The news shocked Julina. "But your brother’s factory is doing so well! They own the facilities outright and have expanded their scale so much." Could it be that Song Ziwen was forcing Wang Qiqi out? If so, Julina immediately began calculating how to teach Song Ziwen a lesson; it was too outrageous. If not for Qiqi’s initial involvement, that contract would never have gone to Song Ziwen. Now that his business was thriving, kicking Qiqi out was despicable behavior.

Seeing Julina’s expression sour, Wang Qiqi quickly clarified. "It’s not my brother’s intention; it's mine." Wang Qiqi explained her concern. "Even if my brother is unhappy, he won't say much out of respect for you, but it’s still awkward. I’d prefer to part on good terms while things are still amicable."

Julina finally understood Wang Qiqi’s apprehension. But if she was pulling capital from Song Ziwen’s factory, she must have liquid funds. "Do you have a new plan?" Otherwise, she wouldn't be hesitant about investing in Old Feng's company.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "I want to buy some stock. But both Han Tao and Old Feng aren't keen, though I think it looks promising. Holding a small amount might give me a nice surprise later."

Han Tao and Old Feng both disapproved, but Qiqi was optimistic. Julina considered this. "Tell me which stock it is. I might buy some too. The money I have won't stay uninvested forever; it’ll get spent eventually."

Wang Qiqi named the stock. "The company hasn’t been doing great for the last couple of years, but I have a good feeling about it. Do your own research. Honestly, I’m stuck in a bind right now: Shi Man knows I have money, but I'm reluctant to invest in Old Feng's venture..."

"Then put in less," Julina thought, wondering why this was such a complex issue. "Since I’m investing anyway, won’t the sum we contribute together outweigh that other person's share?"

"Besides, the contract doesn't expire until next year. Won't Feng Xuanxiang find a new partner before then?" Julina mused that if Old Feng was truly that unlucky, there was nothing she could do. "My personal savings aren't endless. The company looks big and makes a lot of money, but my parents are keenly aware of the funds I possess, and I can't pour everything into investments."

"You just don't want your parents to know about your external dealings." Candidly, Wang Qiqi and Shi Man had never understood why Julina, an only daughter, had to conceal her investments from her family. Although Julina claimed it was to prevent trouble from extended relatives finding out, Wang Qiqi and Shi Man suspected deeper reasons. However, since Julina preferred not to elaborate, they refrained from pressing the issue.

Julina could only offer a faint smile in response. "Every family has its own difficult chapters. Never mind, let's go take photos." With that, Julina walked toward where Shi Man and the others were gathered.

Watching Julina stride ahead, Wang Qiqi sighed inwardly. She had just told Han Tao she didn't want to invest, and now she was changing her mind. Han Tao would surely claim her entire anxiety from a few days ago had been entirely pointless when he found out.