What should friendship be like between women?

Aka thinks that living close by, walking together, eating and shopping together naturally forms a small clique. Then, finding common topics, preferably talking bad about a few people, like one’s boss, classmates, colleagues, and complaining about everything that’s complaint-worthy, then they become besties.

The boss once told her that women’s friendships are built on one complaint after another.

Aka felt she had done enough, frequently offering olive branches to Qian, but Qian almost never showed any expression. The usual tactics she used on others seemed to be ineffective on Chen Xiaoqian...

Just how could she meet the boss’s requirements and integrate into Chen Xiaoqian’s small group? Chen Xiaoqian was different from typical girls.

"Qian, are you familiar with Aka?" Mr. Liu noticed that his favorite student was always staring at Aka, so he lowered his voice and asked Qian.

Qian shook her head, "Not familiar."

"Aka’s expertise is such a mess...not much value in communicating. By the way, it reminds me, hasn’t Qi really replied to you?"

This was the Nth time this month she asked Qian about this.

"Teacher, are you having menopause? How many times do I have to tell you I sent it! I even sent it from Lv Xiaocha’s house, right, Xiaocha?"

Qian glanced at Lv Xiaocha, who was sitting next to her. Ever since that incident, Qian had maintained a neither close nor distant relationship with her, and Lv Xiaocha thought the matter hadn’t been exposed yet.

Hearing Qian mention it again, Lv Xiaocha’s eyes flitted around, daring not to look at Qian, and she nodded guiltily.

Lv Xiaocha, out of jealousy toward Qian, deliberately sent a blank email when Qian asked her to send an email. Now that Qian couldn’t get accepted, it was within her expectations. But every time Mr. Liu asked, Qian made her answer, which made Lv Xiaocha a bit uneasy.

"Lv Xiaocha, are you sure you really sent it?" Mr. Liu still couldn’t believe that Qian’s application sank without a trace. She knew how high her favorite student’s level was. Any paper Qian wrote could be published in foreign prestigious psychology journals, plus all the awards she won internationally during university, why would Qi reject such a kid?

"I, I sent it." Lv Xiaocha’s hesitant attitude made Mr. Liu very doubtful.

Lv Xiaocha was a protégé of a junior boss, so Mr. Liu wasn’t too familiar with her. According to the junior boss, recently Lv Xiaocha seemed to be involved in plagiarism, with less than 20% copied, not enough for serious consequences, but she was asked to rewrite it, which was enough to question her character.

Qian using someone like that to send emails, could it really be trouble-free? An ominous feeling welled up in Mr. Liu’s heart.

"I’ll get in touch with Qi later—"

"Teacher, if they don’t contact us, why are you pushing me to go? How many times have you nagged me this month? Is your student so worthless to let ’em get spoiled? Can’t I just learn well with you?" Qian interrupted Mr. Liu, putting on a righteous facade.

"I’ve decided, I’ll do my Ph.D. with you, I’m not leaving Lishi, stop fussing. Without going to that world-renowned professor, I can still achieve something."

Mr. Liu puzzled over Qian’s sudden dramatic style, looking at Lv Xiaocha, she probably also figured out Qian’s issue might be related to Lv Xiaocha, Mr. Liu would thoroughly investigate it.

Qian noticed both Mr. Liu’s expression and Lv Xiaocha’s guilty look, chuckling inwardly. She didn’t want to go deliberately, otherwise how could Lv Xiaocha mess her up?

Not to mention her close bond with her teacher, nor wanting a new advisor, her Xiaoqiang was already here, so doing her doctorate under Mr. Liu without leaving the city was optimal, balancing family and academics. If conditions permitted, perhaps she’d even have a baby during her Ph.D., and with Yu Minglang by her side for support, why go far?

If the teacher found out about Lv Xiaocha’s sabotage, she definitely wouldn’t let her off, which had nothing to do with Qian, she didn’t put a knife to Lv Xiaocha’s neck to make her schemes, did she?

The more she thought, the more comfortable she felt.

Qian calculated all of this, observing both Mr. Liu and Lv Xiaocha’s expressions, but she didn’t see the blondie making a report not far from her who had been watching her closely.

Qian’s voice wasn’t loud, no one but the big boss could hear, but blondie understood lip-reading like Yu Minglang, she saw it all.

Tsk tsk, the boss got disdained again—was this the nth time Chen Xiaoqian openly disdained the boss? Blondie also disliked the boss, because he had just docked a week of her salary, it hurt so much...

After the group meeting adjourned, Qian walked out alone. Her car was parked outside the campus, she planned to drive back to her new home, having arranged workers to fix up her new place this afternoon, hoping to have it ready by summer break when they’d have a semi-wedding in Q City and live there.

"Qian!"

Qian turned around to see Aka beaming with a cheerful smile running toward her.

"What’s up?"

"We’re on the same route, can you give me a lift?" The first move for girls’ friendship development: convenient lift!

"I’m not going home, might not be convenient." By now, Qian pretty much grouped Aka with Chrysanthemum Mai, not wanting to show a good face.

"Then where are you going~ need any help?"

"No need." Aka hit a soft nail with Qian.

Most people would’ve retreated by now, but Aka wasn’t deterred by her coldness, intending to cling to Qian, not just for the boss’s task, also finding Qian agreeable.

"We live so close, let’s commute to school together. You drive, I share fuel costs, making it convenient for both." Second wave of girls’ friendship development: share my juice!

"Not convenient, my car only takes friends and family."

"Am I not your friend?"

"What do you think?" Qian thought, who’d befriend someone monitoring them? Not crazy!

Aka hadn’t given up yet, ready to chat further, when she suddenly stiffened, sharply looking behind.

Behind Qian stood two tall and burly foreigners, wearing black suits and sunglasses, looking like trouble.

Aka instinctively pulled Qian behind her, vigilantly watching them.

"Qian, get in the car and call your Xiaoqiang."

Confronting an outsider, the usually playful Aka had a serious look for the first time as Qian’s hand touched the car door, hearing a voice in English from one of the guys behind her.

"Our boss wants to meet Chen Xiaoqian."