Chapter 19: Who Are You Doing This For?

Yao Jia tilted her head back, smiling sweetly at Meng Xingzhe. “Today, the two of us are going to argue! Either cover your ears or come and shut us up!”

Meng Xingzhe looked at her, realizing she was using her drunkenness as an excuse to be a little rascal.

He pulled up a chair, sat next to Yao Jia, crossed his legs, and leaned slightly forward to look her in the eyes. “How about this? Let’s make a bet. We’ll play rock-paper-scissors as a drinking game. If you lose, you two have to stop arguing right away and promise to eat hot pot outside from now on, not at home.”

Yao Jia giggled. “Alright, but what if you lose?”

Meng Xingzhe glanced at her drunken demeanor and smirked. “If I lose, I won’t stop you two. You can argue as much as you want.”

Yao Jia tapped the table. “If you lose, you can’t stop us, and you have to drink!”

Meng Xingzhe looked disdainfully at the beer on the table. He had never drunk such poor-quality beer before. But for the sake of peace and quiet, he reluctantly agreed, thinking that he would never lose at rock-paper-scissors. Besides, he doubted that cheap beer could even make it to his stomach, so what was there to worry about?

※※※※※※

“You lost, drink!”

The beer rolled down his throat into his stomach, creating a swelling sensation.

“…Come on!”

The drinker, unwilling to admit defeat, demanded another round of rock-paper-scissors.

“You lost again, keep drinking!”

After the beer went down, stubbornness refused to yield.

“…Again!!”

“Hahaha, you lost again, drink up!”

The sound of gulping filled the air, leaving a feeling of fullness.

“…Damn it, I don’t believe it, again!!!”

…

Meng Xingzhe initially thought Yao Jia was nearly drunk, given her tipsy appearance when talking to him. He was skilled at rock-paper-scissors, and she was drunk; he thought he could beat her even with his eyes closed.

But, damn it, what a surprise!

Playing rock-paper-scissors with her, he didn’t win a single round?!

One cup after another filled his stomach, making him feel like his eyeballs were about to pop out.

When they ran out of beer, Tian Huasheng eagerly volunteered to go out and buy more.

But the new batch of beer didn’t bring him any luck; he kept losing.

By the end, he felt like he could return an ocean to the world with every word he spoke.

He patted his chest, catching his breath, and asked the girl who should have been drunk but was instead lively and spirited, “Tell me, how can you be so good at rock-paper-scissors?”

Yao Jia’s face was full of vitality as she giggled, “You might not know, but I, your auntie, have been drowning my sorrows in drink since I was a child. When no one would play rock-paper-scissors with me, I’d play with myself. So, in this game, I’m unbeatable.”

Meng Xingzhe felt uncomfortable from the beer but was too proud to go to the bathroom. He clutched his waist and asked, “Then why did you have mixed wins and losses with Tian Huasheng earlier?”

Tian Huasheng chimed in excitedly, “So, am I even more unbeatable?”

Yao Jia looked at the two of them, her eyes curving into crescents. “Of course, I let him win. Otherwise, if I kept winning and he kept drinking, what fun would that be?”

She paused, looked at Meng Xingzhe, and shook her head. “But you’re different. Watching you drink is particularly entertaining!”

Meng Xingzhe was about to explode with anger.

He had never been so disrespected in his life!

He first told Tian Huasheng, “Don’t clear the table!” Then he said to Yao Jia, “Don’t move either. Wait for me to go to the bathroom, and we’ll continue when I get back. I refuse to believe I can’t beat you!”

Before getting up, he remembered something and told Tian Huasheng, “Little Tian, plug in the hot pot and cook some dishes for me. I need something to go with my drinks.”

With that, he got up and went to the bathroom.

Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng exchanged glances.

…Weren’t they supposed to not eat hot pot at home?

※※※※※※

Returning triumphantly from the bathroom, Meng Xingzhe still couldn’t beat Yao Jia.

He was determined, refusing to give up, and wouldn’t let them clear the table until he won at least once.

Yao Jia thought that the drunken Meng Xingzhe was as stubborn as a big, mischievous child.

He had complained about not eating hot pot at home, yet now he couldn’t stop eating the hot pot dishes and wouldn’t let anyone clear the table.

He had said he never drank such terrible cheap beer, yet now he was drinking cup after cup, refusing to give up until he beat her.

He had said she and Tian Huasheng were too noisy, wanting to win so they would shut up. Yet now he had joined their noise, refusing to end the lively chaos.

After drinking, his complexion turned even paler, with a hint of pink. That color was like the ink mixed by the most skilled artist to create a masterpiece, neither too much nor too little.

His eyes resembled obsidian washed by water, glistening with a bright light. His nose was perfectly angled, and his lips were thin, giving him an air of restraint and a touch of sensuality.

Objectively speaking, he was the most handsome person she had ever seen. But his personality was too arrogant and annoying.

Look at him, unwilling to admit defeat, his gaze unfocused, yet still dragging her into another round of rock-paper-scissors.

Yao Jia couldn’t help but laugh.

She looked around the room, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. For ordinary people, it was quite nice, but it was far from her family’s standalone villa. Here, each person had only one room. The kitchen was small, the bathroom was shared by three people, and having a hot pot meal meant taking up part of the living room.

Compared to her former life, this place was so cramped. Yet it was filled with the warmth of everyday life, making it feel so lively and warm.

Yao Jia thought she was beginning to like it here.

Since she was so happy, why not let him win once?

In the next round of rock-paper-scissors, Yao Jia deliberately lost to Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Xingzhe was momentarily stunned and almost picked up another glass himself before suddenly realizing that Yao Jia had lost.

“Drink! You drink!” he shouted loudly, much to Yao Jia’s annoyance.

She picked up her glass and drank.

Meng Xingzhe smiled, his lips curving with a hint of intoxication and mischief, looking like a charming rogue.

The next second, he collapsed onto the table.

※※※※※※

Meng Xingzhe had no recollection of how he fell asleep the night before or how he woke up the next morning.

All he felt was a pounding headache and dizziness.

He lay in bed for quite some time before his memories slowly returned.

He grabbed his phone from the bedside and sent a message to Bei Luonan, typing so vigorously it seemed he might poke through the screen.

“Can you believe it? That Little Ponytail girl got me drunk yesterday!”

“I, the Chinese Rock-Paper-Scissors King, only managed to beat her once!!”

“I blacked out, damn it! Whoever marries her in the future will have the worst luck for eight generations!”

Bei Luonan responded with an overwhelming flood of merciless laughter.

※

Yao Jia woke up early, feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

For some reason, though, she sneezed several times without cause.

A new day lay ahead, bringing her seventy-plus days closer to freedom.

After washing up, she went straight to work.

Just as she was about to switch her phone to silent mode after clocking in at the call center, it started buzzing wildly in her hand.

Seeing the screen, Yao Jia was surprised to find it was a call from Meng Xingzhe.

Upon answering, she couldn’t help but understand why some girls were eager to chat with Meng Xingzhe on the phone. His voice, transmitted through the airwaves, was indeed magnetic. Coupled with the slight raspiness and nasal tone of someone who just woke up from a hangover, his voice was both restrained and alluring.

If he sang a love song with that voice into a girl’s ear, it would surely make her heart flutter uncontrollably.

But not Yao Jia.

Knowing his flirtatious tricks all too well, she was immune to this man’s charms.

On the phone, Meng Xingzhe first expressed his confusion about life to Yao Jia: “Are you even a woman? How can you drink so much?”

Then he stated the purpose of his call: “Help me call in sick to Lin Qian this morning.”

Yao Jia asked, “Why don’t you do it yourself?”

Meng Xingzhe’s logic was unusually clear: “Wasn’t it you who got me drunk? Shouldn’t you take responsibility?”

“…” He made it sound like she had taken advantage of him while he was drunk.

Yao Jia chuckled but didn’t refuse. “So, should I say you drank too much last night and can’t get up?”

Meng Xingzhe hissed, “Are you doing this on purpose? If you call in like that, won’t it affect my performance?”

Yao Jia asked, “Then what should I say?”

Meng Xingzhe replied, “Say I’m sick.”

Yao Jia agreed, “Alright, I’ll say you’re sick for the morning and should be better by the afternoon.”

Meng Xingzhe retorted, “Am I a weather forecast? Sick in the morning, clear by the afternoon?”

Yao Jia couldn’t help but laugh. She had never met someone who could banter like this.

When Lin Qian arrived, Yao Jia called in half a day’s sick leave for Meng Xingzhe.

Lin Qian noted the half-day sick leave in her book. Yao Jia couldn’t resist asking, “Team Leader, does this half-day sick leave count the same as being late?”

Lin Qian looked up at her with a smile. “If Meng Xingzhe is late one more time, he’ll be sent home. Are you worried about that, or hoping for it?”

Yao Jia answered frankly, “I prefer to eliminate him fair and square. If he gets himself eliminated by being late, it’s not as satisfying.”

Lin Qian nodded with a smile. “Don’t worry, it doesn’t count as being late.”

As soon as work started, Yao Jia received a call from a customer.

While answering the call, she mentally encouraged herself to remain calm and patient.

The customer, a Mr. Wang, called to complain about a refrigerator he bought from Kunyu Electric that wasn’t working properly.

Yao Jia confirmed Mr. Wang’s purchase details over the phone and found that his refrigerator was bought from an authorized dealer and was still under warranty.

While listening to Mr. Wang, she noted down the issues with the refrigerator.

After recording everything, she reassured him, “Mr. Wang, please don’t worry. I’ve noted the issues with your refrigerator. Since it’s still under warranty, we’ll promptly send a request to After-sales Service to arrange for a technician to come and inspect and repair your purchase. We apologize for the inconvenience our product has caused you. Thank you for your valuable feedback; it’s important to us, and we’ll work to prevent similar issues in the future.”

Mr. Wang accepted the arrangement, and after ending the call, he rated Yao Jia’s service as “very satisfactory.”

Lin Qian, who had been sitting behind Yao Jia listening, patted her shoulder, offering praise for her good work.

Yao Jia immediately felt invigorated.

She realized that even the smallest encouragement could give her a tremendous sense of achievement, which in turn fueled her ambition. This newfound energy made her feel particularly tolerant when dealing with more difficult customers.

In the afternoon, Meng Xingzhe arrived at work. He seemed just as he usually did, with a hint of nonchalance and a touch of hidden rebelliousness. The hangover from the cheap beer he disliked must have dissipated. However, his demeanor was subtly different.

He acted as if he didn’t see Yao Jia, sitting at his desk without greeting or speaking to her.

Yao Jia praised herself for her composure, then took the initiative to speak to him, asking, “Are you feeling better? Still hungover?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow and replied, “Why is a kid like you asking questions? Do you really think you can outdrink me?”

“…” This morning, when he asked her to take a leave of absence, he wasn’t saying that. He had claimed, “Who told you to get me drunk?”

His stubborn pride was truly unmatched.

During the afternoon break, Lin Qian called Yao Jia into the hallway.

Lin Qian informed her, “Tong Yumo complained to me about you. She said she was just trying to be helpful by lending the Wi-Fi to a neighbor, but you not only refused to let the neighbor use it, you also scolded her. She wants me to mediate, or she’ll report it to Cao Chun or Manager Li. So, what’s going on?”

Yao Jia was almost impressed. Tong Yumo might not tell the truth, but she was a master at complaining.

Before Yao Jia could defend herself, Meng Xingzhe happened to pass by in the hallway.

He stopped and directly told Lin Qian, “Tong Yumo’s account isn’t accurate. I’m the one who restricted the internet speed. Technically, I’m the one who didn’t allow the neighbor to use the Wi-Fi. Tong Yumo lent the shared network to others for a fee without consulting anyone. That’s not being helpful; it’s self-serving.”

After delivering his sharp opinion, he casually put his hands in his pockets and strolled towards the restroom.

“…”

Yao Jia looked at Lin Qian, who smiled and said, “Alright, I understand now. You can go back.”

“…”

She hadn’t even had a chance to speak.

After the break, just before returning to work, Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe, “Did you hear about the big drama upstairs yesterday?”

Meng Xingzhe nodded. “Your good buddy Tian Huasheng made sure I didn’t miss any of the excitement.”

Yao Jia could imagine Tian Huasheng talking non-stop to Meng Xingzhe, like pouring beans from a jar.

Yao Jia asked, “Were you helping me just now?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow. “Your self-assuredness makes me uneasy.”

“…” Alright, you win, Mr. Arrogant.

“Then why did you explain to Lin Qian?” Yao Jia asked again.

“Your good buddy Tian Huasheng made a bet with me, and that was the price of losing.”

Yao Jia thought this guy really loved to gamble.

“What did you bet on?” she asked curiously.

“On who could eat more at lunch today.”

Pfft. Of course, it would be Tian Huasheng. His robust physique was built on solid bowls of rice.

“You didn’t deliberately bet on that just to lose, did you?” Yao Jia asked, blinking.

Meng Xingzhe squinted at her. “Hmm?”

His voice was deep with a hint of raspiness, seemingly casual yet carrying a trace of allure. “But why would I do that?”

He looked at her, smiled, and added, “For you?”

— Translator’s Notes —

– like pouring beans from a jar: A Chinese idiom describing someone revealing information rapidly and without reservation, akin to ‘spilling the beans’ in English.

– sneezed several times without cause: In Chinese superstition, sudden sneezing without a cold or allergen is often interpreted as a sign that someone is talking about or missing you.