Song Ziwen departed with a thoughtful expression. Wang Qiqi smiled and returned to her room. Though Song Ziwen hadn't spoken much, the furrow in his brow showed he had taken her previous words seriously.

Han Tao heard the door open and turned to see Wang Qiqi. "Did you see my mom and the others off?" Han Tao had intended to see off Luo Hongjuan and the others, but an urgent phone call had pulled him back into handling matters.

"Mmm, and I chatted with Song Ziwen briefly," Wang Qiqi yawned, walking behind Han Tao. "Has Fatty left yet?" Fatty had planned to travel with Shi Man and the others, but a last-minute issue forced him to rush over with John, intending to leave immediately after the wedding. He’d lamented endlessly about his highly anticipated vacation being dashed, the beaches now out of reach. Wang Qiqi secretly thought he should be more upset about missing out on seeing bikini-clad beauties. She truly didn't know what to make of Fatty; he clearly lacked the guts to chase girls yet constantly bragged about wanting to see beautiful women. Wang Qiqi was speechless about him.

"He said he's losing out big time this time and owes us a great meal or a trip to the seaside when we get back," Han Tao sighed, exasperated with his friend. "Why does he even want to go to the beach if he has zero chance of a romantic encounter?"

"To look at bikini beauties, of course," Wang Qiqi retorted without enthusiasm. "Alright, let's go downstairs and check out the menu." They’d been here for over a day now, and he’d either been locked in his room dealing with work or downstairs inquiring about the wedding. He hadn't even stepped out for a casual stroll. Wang Qiqi sometimes suspected he was treating this trip as a business obligation with a wedding thrown in. He showed none of the mindset of being one of the main figures. While she wasn't demanding a lavish wedding, Han Tao didn't need to be such a workaholic. Being busy normally was fine, but there was no need to be so swamped even during the wedding preparations.

Wang Qiqi’s expression suddenly shifted, and Han Tao, naturally sensing it, responded immediately. "I'm going," he said, as he had just finished up his immediate tasks. If not for the sudden change, he wouldn't have been glued to his computer. "Oh, right. Have you scheduled your spa treatment?" Tomorrow was the big day; they still needed to look their best for the grand entrance.

"Scheduled. All the girls are going together." Han Tao's prompt packing pleased Wang Qiqi. "By the way, what are you guys planning for tonight?" They would eat dinner together, but the after-dinner activities would be separated by gender. Wang Qiqi was deeply curious about Han Tao’s plans, but whenever she asked, he claimed Fatty and Old Feng were handling the arrangements and he was just going along with them. This made her uneasy, but she’d never pried details out before, even when pressuring Fatty, who remained tight-lipped. Now, with only one day left until the wedding, Wang Qiqi doubted Han Tao still didn't know the itinerary.

Mmm. When Wang Qiqi asked him, Han Tao rubbed his nose. He had only just learned the plan for tonight, and frankly, he wished he hadn't. "Uh, um. About that…" Han Tao struggled to find the words. He really wanted to say he didn't know, but looking at Wang Qiqi’s face, he couldn't bring himself to lie. Lying was completely against his nature.

Seeing Han Tao's hesitation and stammering, Wang Qiqi immediately understood that he did, in fact, know the evening's activity, but it was something he wasn't allowed to share with her. An activity a man couldn't tell a woman about? Was it a bachelorette party-style event? A bar seemed a bit tame. "You’re not planning on going to a strip club, are you?" Though Qiqi hadn't left the hotel these past two days, she had made discreet inquiries about the surroundings. She vaguely recalled a certain nightclub nearby famous for its dancers' figures, a popular spot, perhaps Fatty had indeed chosen that place.

Wang Qiqi’s words startled Han Tao greatly. He hadn't expected Xiao Rourou to guess it. "You... how did you know?" Fatty? Han Tao wondered if Fatty had betrayed them. He was sure Fatty wouldn't tell Lu Qiaowei, and certainly not Qiqi. Watching exotic dancers was something Fatty had wanted to do back in China but had never managed, even after years abroad. So, this evening’s event was supposedly Fatty’s insistence. He shouldn't give them away. Besides Fatty, John? Unlikely; John could keep this kind of secret. Could it have been Feng Xuanxiang? Han Tao thought it over; maybe it was him, perhaps saying it unintentionally. Then Shi Man found out and mentioned it to Wang Qiqi. "Lao Feng said it."

"Fine," Wang Qiqi murmured, realizing it was a group decision. She looked at Han Tao’s guarded, slightly regretful expression. She couldn't tell if he was upset that she knew, or upset that Lao Feng had exposed them. "Lao Feng didn't say it; I guessed it. The only things Fatty would keep secret with such excitement are bar-hopping or seeing exotic dancers. Fatty probably goes bar-hopping often enough without needing to hide it." Although she wanted to just admit it, Wang Qiqi decided against pushing the issue. If they confronted Lao Feng later, everything would unravel. So, Wang Qiqi opted for the truth.

Hearing it was just Wang Qiqi’s guess, Han Tao breathed a sigh of relief. The main thing was knowing Lao Feng hadn't betrayed the group; otherwise, how would they ever hang out together again? "Don't worry, I’m just going to watch." As a man, he naturally had fantasies about exotic dancers. If he hadn't privately agreed with Fatty's suggestion to go, he would have strongly refused. His lack of opposition meant he was open to the idea.

He agreed rather quickly. "Go ahead, watch closely. The next time Lao Feng and Fatty get married, we'll throw a bachelor party there too." Although Wang Qiqi inwardly disliked the idea of Han Tao going to such a place, she knew she couldn't forbid it, especially among a group of men; she had to give Han Tao face. Moreover, from an aesthetic viewpoint, exotic dancers could be quite something to admire.

As Wang Qiqi mused this, an idea struck her: when Shi Man and Lu Qiaowei get married, shouldn't the rest of them go to a place with male dancers for a bit of appreciation? There was no reason for only the men to have all the fun. Thinking this, Wang Qiqi’s expression brightened considerably. Haha, if the men start it, the women can certainly reciprocate. If they complain, the women would have grounds for their own counter-suggestions.

Seeing Wang Qiqi’s mood lift, Han Tao relaxed. He didn't know why her mood had suddenly improved, but he dared not press the matter, lest she suddenly flip and forbid him from going, which would cause him to lose face spectacularly. "Let's go."

Wang Qiqi had half-expected Wang Hui and Gao Kai to look for her, but she never saw either of them that evening, which was a relief. When she later learned they had spent the evening in their rooms simply recovering from jet lag, Wang Qiqi internally cheered. She briefly wished they could continue recovering until the next evening, but she knew that was a fantasy; today wasn't the main wedding day after all.

Shi Man and Lu Qiaowei looked at the men, who were all visibly cheerful, practically wearing expressions that screamed, "We're going to have a blast tonight and find some excitement!" This made the two women feel quite glum. It wasn't fair that the men got to go out for fun while they just had dinner and then went for a spa treatment. Even though they would leave the spa looking radiant, they still felt they were missing out on something substantial.

Shi Man and Lu Qiaowei exchanged a glance, deciding they absolutely had to add an activity for the evening, or they would truly lose out. As they exchanged subtle signals, Zhu Lina and Song Yao noticed, both feeling intrigued and wondering what the two were planning. Why couldn't they just say it out loud?

Zhu Lina stared at Shi Man and Lu Qiaowei so intently that she stopped thinking about talking to Song Ziwen. This caused Song Ziwen to frown, yet he couldn't loudly stop Shi Man and Lu Qiaowei's actions. Even less could he call out to Zhu Lina to talk to him. His relationship with Zhu Lina had already cooled considerably. Song Ziwen had come specifically for Wang Qiqi's wedding, putting his business aside, hoping to mend things with Zhu Lina. If he could even persuade Zhu Lina to let him handle some business from the Zhu Group’s real estate division, that would be even better. Song Ziwen had considered asking Wang Qiqi to mediate, but Yang Jing’s previous foolish actions had ruined any chance of that; now, Song Ziwen couldn't even bring himself to ask.

Song Ziwen’s displeased look did not escape Wang Qiqi’s notice. She understood his intentions perfectly, given how he had spent the dinner table trying to engage Zhu Lina. However, Wang Qiqi had no intention of helping mediate. This man was simply too unreliable. If she easily stepped in to speak to Zhao Lina on his behalf now, the couple might wrongly assume she was incompetent. Thus, Wang Qiqi preferred to wait and see.

Fatty hastily finished his own meal, then glanced around at everyone else’s plates. He noticed most people hadn't finished eating. Although the main event at the exotic club wouldn't start until after ten, for Fatty, who was seeing this for the first time, he wanted to arrive early to secure a good spot where he could better admire the dancers’ figures. But now, everyone was chatting while eating, which gave Fatty terrible anxiety.

Fatty’s fidgeting and restlessness were completely visible to Lu Qiaowei, who was now even more certain that the men were up to no good that evening.

Although Fatty later managed to compose himself, he was oblivious to the fact that his earlier eagerness had been fully observed by Lu Qiaowei. At that moment, his entire focus was on the evening's planned activity, leaving no room to consider anything else.

Since they had young children at home, Luo Hongjuan and Wang Damei skipped the spa, taking the children back to their rooms. John's wife also retired early due to feeling slightly unwell. In the end, only six women went for the spa: Wang Qiqi, Shi Man, Zhu Lina, Lu Qiaowei, Song Yao, and Yang Jing.

On the way to the spa, Shi Man pretended to be oblivious and asked Wang Qiqi if she knew about the men's evening plans. They figured Han Tao wouldn't keep secrets from Qiqi, and she might know something.

Wang Qiqi finally understood they were discussing what the men were doing that night. She had been thinking they were planning how to prank the newlyweds tomorrow. Even though they were abroad, if Shi Man and the others decided to cause trouble, Wang Qiqi knew she wouldn't be able to stop them. "They're going to see exotic dancers," Wang Qiqi declared, knowing this news would mean hard times for the men later, but concluding they brought it upon themselves.

"What? Going to see exotic dancers?" Lu Qiaowei erupted. "This must be that damn Fatty's idea! I said he was looking up local information the other day, muttering something about giving Han Tao an unforgettable bachelor party. So, this is it! I think he's completely lost his mind." Though she knew Fatty wouldn't do anything truly outrageous, she felt a surge of annoyance.

"Exactly!" Shi Man was equally angry. While this was Fatty’s idea, she refused to believe Feng Xuanxiang was unaware. Fatty must have discussed it with someone, and it wouldn't be Han Tao; it had to be Feng Xuanxiang. "No wonder he’s been acting so well behaved these last few days." It turned out he was just plotting something bad. Shi Man had actually thought Feng Xuanxiang was finally appreciating her efforts.

Song Yao and Yang Jing’s expressions also shifted uncomfortably. They silently cursed Fatty. If they had known about the men's plans earlier, they wouldn't have bothered with the spa; they would have preferred taking the men shopping or swimming. However, they knew this was just wishful thinking; with so many men involved, if they, the wives, were the only ones absent, they wouldn't be able to show their faces later.

Zhu Lina remained unagitated. She knew forbidding them was useless; every man was interested in exotic dancers. Instead of trying to stop them, she thought it better to let them watch openly. "Let's go see exotic dancers too. I remember there’s a club here," she suggested. Since the men were going to see that, there was no need for them to be modest.

Hearing this suggestion, Shi Man and Lu Qiaowei exchanged another look. "Great idea!" That’s right—if they can do the first move, why can't we do the second? "Qiqi, you're footing the bill for this, right?"

Wang Qiqi was surprised at how quickly the favor was being called in. "I’ll pay. Sisters, sisters-in-law, you all should come too."

Going to see exotic dancers? Song Yao hesitated for a moment, then quickly agreed. It was a rare chance to be abroad, and they weren't paying; they should just go along with whatever the others decided. Yang Jing looked around; everyone else had agreed, so she consented without further argument.

"Done! It's settled then. We're not going home until we're drunk tonight!" Shi Man exclaimed happily. Since Wang Qiqi's wedding ceremony was in the afternoon, they could afford to nap during the day. (To be continued)

For more novels, visit storyread.net.