Wang Ruirui knew it was the big day for Wang Qiqi and Han Tao, and she had expected their wedding to be grand. After all, they had gone to the trouble of inviting all their relatives from the mainland to Hawaii, covering airfare and hotel bookings—the expense was surely no less than a domestic affair. Yet, after touring the hotel, she found almost no decorations; it looked nothing like a venue prepared for a wedding.

Wang Ruirui was utterly anxious. Although her visit seemed to have offended Song Ziwen slightly, and Wang Qiqi hadn't exactly welcomed her—not only refusing to help secure a room but also making her pay for her own lodging, food, and drinks upon arrival—the cost stung deeply. A trip to Hawaii wasn't cheap; a single plane ticket cost over ten thousand, not to mention accommodation, and the dining prices here were exorbitant—a steak set meal cost one or two hundred US dollars, not even counting a bottle of wine.

Wang Ruirui paced around the hotel, hoping to run into any of the Wang family members, though running into Juliana would be even better. If Juliana were to marry into the Gao family, Wang Ruirui was determined to show Gao Kai’s parents that she could bring more benefits to the Gao lineage than the former daughter-in-law, besides bearing children. She had already secured Song Ziwen, aligning him to cooperate with Gao Kai, but if she could also establish a connection with Juliana and collaborate on a project or two, Wang Ruirui knew her own position would be absolutely secure.

Wang Damei and Luo Hongjuan were taking the two children to the beach to watch them dig in the sand when they suddenly spotted Wang Ruirui wandering the hotel like a lost spirit. Wang Damei's first instinct was to evade the girl; encountering this one never brought anything good.

Had Wang Damei not moved so abruptly, Wang Ruirui might not have noticed her at all, but the sudden, sharp movement caught her eye. Wang Ruirui immediately looked over. “Auntie, Aunt Luo.” Well, she hadn’t met the main people, but running into her aunt and the others was fine too; chatting with them wouldn't hurt.

Wang Damei and Luo Hongjuan exchanged a glance, both registering the shared look of impending trouble in the other’s eyes. Luo Hongjuan had no intention of engaging with Wang Ruirui; the girl had been ill-intentioned since childhood and only ever caused headaches for her daughter-in-law. Knowing full well she wasn’t invited to her son and daughter-in-law’s wedding, yet showing up anyway—Luo Hongjuan certainly wasn't eager to entertain her. “Damei, I think I’ll head back to my room.” It had nothing to do with her; she wasn't relying on Wang Ruirui for anything, so Luo Hongjuan certainly didn’t feel inclined to make polite conversation. She’d rather go back and rest.

Seeing Luo Hongjuan completely disregard her presence, acting as if she hadn't even appeared, Wang Ruirui pressed her lips together so tightly her hands clenched into fists. But she knew that Luo Hongjuan’s son and daughter-in-law were now successful, and they simply didn’t need to show her any deference. Even Song Wenbo, being present, couldn't do anything about it.

Wang Damei listened as Wang Ruirui continuously lamented how mediocre her recent life had been, spinning tales of her undying love for Gao Kai, yet lamenting the impossibility of marrying into the Gao family. Wang Damei inwardly seethed, regretting ever coming this way. “As a mistress, you expect the main wife to treat you well?” Knowing her own relationship with Old Song involved a third party, Wang Ruirui dared to show up and cause trouble. Did she think Wang Damei didn't know Old Song’s current predicament was partly Wang Ruirui's doing? “And your Uncle Song will really have to rely heavily on you and your father’s care.” Wang Damei hadn't wanted to dig up the past, but she was infuriated that her being driven out of Beijing had only made Song Wenbo more arrogant, to the point of skipping Qiqi’s wedding. The more Wang Damei thought about it, the angrier she became, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to turn and leave, just like Luo Hongjuan.

With Wang Damei gone, Wang Ruirui stood stunned. Back then, when she incited the old man to sow discord between Wang Damei and Song Wenbo, she only wanted to see Wang Damei humbled, to stop her from always acting so high and mighty. When events spiraled beyond her control, Wang Ruirui hadn't been without regret, constantly fearing retaliation from the Song siblings. Yet, to her surprise, they had made no move whatsoever. Wang Damei’s attitude toward her remained unchanged, which had somewhat eased Wang Ruirui’s worries. She had even begun to think her machinations were getting better, leaving no trace—but now she realized it was all just her wishful thinking. Wang Damei had seen everything. Wang Ruirui felt a chill deep in her heart. She terribly feared that after Wang Damei’s outburst today, she might reveal everything to Song Yao and Song Ziwen. If that happened… Wang Ruirui dared not contemplate what Song Ziwen might do to her. She knew the only person who could sway Song Ziwen’s judgment was Yang Jing. Wang Ruirui decided she needed to return and discuss the situation with Gao Kai.

Gao Kai woke Wang Ruirui from her stupor. He was already in a foul mood, and upon hearing the implication of her words, he desperately wanted to strangle this incompetent fool who only managed to ruin things. Wang Qiqi, Song Yao, and Song Ziwen were all sharp; how could Wang Ruirui possess such a simple mind? Gao Kai’s desire to bring Wang Ruirui into the Gao family cooled considerably. “You fix this yourself. I don’t know what to do.” If it were him, hearing someone try to sow discord between his parents, how could he possibly tolerate it? Especially when Wang Ruirui’s motive was sheer jealousy over Wang Damei’s seemingly perfect happiness. Gao Kai had only one thought: this woman was utterly deranged.

Gao Kai refused to listen to Wang Ruirui’s incessant chatter and turned over to rest. “You have time to whine to me; you’d better spend it figuring out how to explain yourself to Song Ziwen. You’d better pray your aunt isn't a gossiper.”

Wang Ruirui watched Gao Kai dismiss her, her expression shifting rapidly, her eyes flashing with a predatory glare. She knew her actions had been partly calculated for Gao Kai’s benefit, but more importantly, for her own sake. If Wang Damei and Song Wenbo’s relationship were solid, why would she have tried to alienate Song Ziwen, Song Yao, and Wang Qiqi, and why would she have collaborated with him? Yet, this man said nothing of those points. Wang Ruirui wished she could strangle him, but she only dared to think it.

Wang Qiqi, unaware of the explosive news she’d slept through, wouldn't have cared much anyway. Even if she had heard, what difference would it make? The fissures in Wang Damei and Song Wenbo's relationship had existed long ago; it was only external factors that prevented an outright explosion. If their relationship were truly strong, how could Wang Ruirui and her father have succeeded in driving that wedge?

Han Tao, feeling the physiological need to take care of business, opened his eyes and went to resolve it. Passing through the living room, he spotted Wang Qiqi sprawled on the sofa. Han Tao stared at the sleeping Qiqi, trying to recall if he had seen her when he returned the night before. Although he had drunk heavily, he wasn’t blackout drunk; he distinctly remembered that no one was in the living room when he came back. This meant Qiqi had returned even later than him. Hadn’t they gone for a spa treatment yesterday? How could they have gotten back later than him? Han Tao had assumed when he didn't see Wang Qiqi, that the women had simply found a room to talk all night long, not realizing they had all retreated to separate rooms.

“Qiqi, Qiqi, wake up. Are you hungry?” It must be past nine; Qiqi must be starving. As Han Tao approached Wang Qiqi, a sharp, pungent smell of alcohol hit him, nearly driving him away. Good heavens, she drank even more than I did. Han Tao wondered if the women had gone out for more drinks afterward.

Wang Qiqi was deep in a wonderful sleep when she heard someone calling her name. Her instinct was to swing a hand out, but Han Tao, intimately familiar with her sleeping habits, was prepared. Seeing the danger, he instantly clamped down on her wrist. “Qiqi, are you hungry?”

Oh, she wanted to call him up for breakfast. “No, no.” Despite being hungry, Wang Qiqi only wanted to sleep right then.

She won’t even eat breakfast? Han Tao thought she must have drunk way too much. Was Qiqi only interested in sleeping now? Han Tao realized this was the perfect moment to ask questions. “Qiqi, where did you all go after last night?”

“Went to see the Dancers.” Wang Qiqi yawned dramatically, then delivered a forceful kick that sent Han Tao—who had frozen upon hearing her answer—tumbling beneath the sofa. Honestly, constantly asking her questions and preventing her from sleeping.

After kicking Han Tao away, Wang Qiqi enjoyed the sudden quiet and returned to sleep contentedly. Han Tao, meanwhile, was completely shell-shocked. “Ah, they actually went to see exotic dancers?” Han Tao knew Qiqi was a bit upset, and he’d planned on begging her forgiveness once they returned, but he never expected her to be this impatient, heading straight for a strip club. This enraged Han Tao, but what choice did he have? When he confronted her later, he was the one who had done wrong first.

Amidst his anger, Han Tao wondered how Fatty and the others were faring, given that the suggestion had originally come from Fatty. Still, Han Tao felt no pity for Fatty; if it weren't for him, would Qiqi and the others have needed to visit such a place?

The same situation unfolded in Fatty and Feng Xuanxiang’s room. Upon learning where the women had gone last night, every man’s face soured. Their pleasant mood from the previous day abruptly turned sour. They silently cursed Fatty, who suggested the club, but other than mumbling curses, they couldn't do anything, since they had all enjoyed themselves thoroughly the night before.

The least burdened among the group were John and Zhu Hanlin. John, being a foreigner, found such things perfectly normal. Zhu Hanlin viewed it purely from an appreciative standpoint. Juliana, knowing Zhu Hanlin’s nature, paid it no mind. The two of them even began discussing which scenes they had each found most interesting yesterday—if Han Tao and the others were present, they would have been struck dumb with admiration. (To be continued)