Chapter 20: Truly Irresistible

Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe, “Did you lose the bet on purpose?”

Meng Xingzhe squinted at her, smiling, “Oh? Why would I do that? For you?”

His smile was as charmingly wicked as a devil’s, full of mischievous allure. “Do you really think you’re my type, kid?”

Yao Jia rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Funny, you’re not my cup of tea either!”

They both turned away, putting on their headphones, ignoring each other.

The afternoon work went smoothly, and Yao Jia returned to the dormitory in a good mood after finishing her shift.

Although the four of them lived under the same roof, they rarely commuted together. Perhaps adults prefer their own space, having long outgrown the age of going to the bathroom hand in hand.

The incident with Tong Yumo in the afternoon was insignificant to Yao Jia. However, once back at the dorm, she cornered Tong Yumo at the door for a chat.

“Tong Yumo, if you think reporting me will affect my performance evaluation and get me kicked out of the company, you’re overthinking it. Let me tell you, as long as I don’t want to leave, this company won’t get rid of me.”

Pausing, Yao Jia added, “We live under the same roof, always running into each other. I don’t want things to get too tense, but I’m not a saint. I don’t have endless patience. If you keep stirring up trouble, I’ll make sure everyone knows how you sold our shared Wi-Fi for a mere 58.8 yuan red packet. Then I’ll repay your mischief tenfold and see who’s more embarrassed.”

Tong Yumo’s lips moved, but Yao Jia cut her off before she could speak.

“Are you going to say I’m slandering you? Funny thing, when the neighbor upstairs was about to call the police, I secretly recorded everything. I figured if the cops showed up, I’d need some evidence, right? So, I happened to record how you sold our network.”

Tong Yumo’s expression changed.

“So, Tong Yumo, you know I’m not slandering you. You like to play dumb, but you’re not actually dumb. You understand what I’m saying. As long as you stop your antics, we can still be civil roommates and colleagues. But if you try this again, remember, you’re not the only one who can cause trouble. I’m not easy to deal with either.”

Throughout, Tong Yumo pouted, tears almost falling until she heard about the recording and being called out for pretending. Then, miraculously, her tears vanished.

Yao Jia almost wanted to suggest Tong Yumo switch careers to acting, perhaps at a film studio.

Having dealt with Tong Yumo’s overt and covert attacks, another unavoidable life problem suddenly confronted Yao Jia—how would she handle dinner from now on?

Since she didn’t plan to keep spending her parents’ money, she couldn’t continue dining out extravagantly every day.

She needed to simplify and economize.

She thought perhaps she should learn to buy groceries and cook.

With this idea in mind, Yao Jia decided to act immediately. She headed to the door, intending to visit the market.

Just as she put on her shoes, the door unlocked from the outside.

Tian Huasheng entered, cradling a large cabbage like a cherished baby, his robust frame radiating happiness. With a big smile, he invited Yao Jia in a playful voice, “I’m making potato and cabbage stew tonight. Want to join?”

Yao Jia’s eyes lit up. “Is that okay?”

Tian Huasheng replied confidently, “Of course! If you feel bad about freeloading, just wash the dishes afterward.”

“…” Yao Jia had never washed dishes before and almost wanted to say, “It’s fine, I don’t feel bad.”

※※※

Before she knew it, Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng became dinner partners.

Tian Huasheng cooked simple, everyday dishes: cabbage, eggplant, potatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and tomatoes. Initially, Yao Jia thought she’d struggle with such plain fare, having been accustomed to gourmet ingredients at home.

But to her surprise, she found herself quite enjoying these ordinary meals.

It turned out tofu and cabbage stew was quite tasty.

Potato and cabbage stew was surprisingly fragrant.

Potato and eggplant stew went well with rice.

Leftover tofu and cabbage stew from one day could be transformed into a new dish with a bit of potato the next day.

Leftover potato and cabbage stew could become something new with added eggplant.

It seemed…

Yao Jia felt she had unlocked the mystery of stews, a culinary art that made dining varied and delightful.

She believed her enjoyment stemmed from Tian Huasheng’s delicious cooking, his hearty eating style, or the relaxed company during meals.

Most importantly, splitting the cost of meals made them incredibly cheap. Compared to dining out every night, Yao Jia felt like she was saving money on dinner.

Every evening after work, Tian Huasheng would return to the dorm to cook, while Yao Jia went to the market for groceries. Once home, Tian Huasheng would handle the cooking.

Out of seven days, Yao Jia washed dishes four to five times. The remaining days, Tian Huasheng insisted on doing it himself.

Because—

“Jia, let’s make a deal. I’ll wash the dishes from now on, okay? Otherwise, you’ll break them all!”

“…”

Yao Jia had never done housework before. The first time she washed dishes, she broke a stack.

The next day, she bought five new bowls but broke three more while washing them.

Fortunately, over time, she finally got the hang of washing dishes and no longer broke them.

Thus, Yao Jia embarked on a life of “doing it herself,” something she had never experienced before. Initially, she found it troublesome and tiring, but gradually she began to feel a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment.

In the past, it was as if she lived in the clouds, enjoying the best of everything, even her worries were detached from reality. Now, she finally tasted the essence of everyday life, experiencing the ordinary and feeling grounded for the first time.

Tong Yumo did not join her and Tian Huasheng for dinner. Every night, she insisted on dieting, steadfastly resisting the temptation of dinner.

As for Meng Xingzhe, Tian Huasheng enthusiastically invited him, “Brother Meng, why don’t you join us for dinner from now on? I’ll cook, and you just have to eat. It’s more lively with more people!”

Meng Xingzhe had seen Tian Huasheng’s cooking and found it too plain, so he declined, “I’m used to eating out, so don’t trouble yourself.”

Tian Huasheng felt sorry for his spending, “Eating out costs a lot! Just join us, it’s just one more dish to cook, not troublesome and very economical!”

Despite the warm invitation, Meng Xingzhe remained unmoved, firmly refusing, “No, thanks. I need meat with every meal. If there’s no meat, fish will do, and if there’s no fish, at least some chicken or duck. Your meals are too plain for me.”

Yao Jia scoffed quietly on the side, thinking Meng Xingzhe was just putting on airs.

She wondered if this guy came from a family with a gold mine or a pig farm, spending so lavishly on eating out every meal.

In reality, he was just a customer service rep earning a few thousand yuan a month—

“I’d like to see how long you can keep eating out,” Yao Jia said to Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Xingzhe smiled at her, his charm seemingly increasing, like a mischievous spirit, and said, “Don’t worry, even if I have to borrow money to eat, I won’t join you for meals! If I had to eat with you every day, I’d be full from anger before the food even arrived.”

※※※※※※

The phase where old employees sat behind new ones to monitor and guide them had ended. The new employees were now officially handling calls independently. This meant that for every call, there was no one behind them to back them up; they had to solve all the problems they faced on their own. The real test had begun.

That day, as soon as work started, Yao Jia received a call from a woman named Gu Shun. From her voice and tone, she seemed to be of an aunt’s age.

Gu Shun spoke like a machine gun, firing words rapidly at the listener. Yet, her barrage was long and lacked focus. Several times, Yao Jia tried to steer the conversation toward the main issue, but each attempt failed.

“Let me tell you, young lady, I bought four air conditioners from your Kunyu Electric, four of them! I’ve created so much profit for you! How many customers do you have who buy four air conditioners at once? So, I should be your VIP customer, you hear me? You must solve my problem with VIP treatment!”

Yao Jia responded, “Ms. Gu, thank you for liking and recognizing Kunyu Electric’s products. We will strive to do better. So, Ms. Gu, what specific issue do you need help with?”

Ms. Gu launched into another round of chatter, “Let me tell you, young lady, when I decided to buy Kunyu Electric’s air conditioners, my neighbors and friends all suggested Jiangpeng Appliances, saying it would be a few hundred yuan cheaper! But I insisted on choosing your air conditioners!”

Yao Jia silently took a deep breath, calming herself down, “Thank you, Ms. Gu, for choosing Kunyu over Jiangpeng Appliances. So, what specific issue do you need help with?”

“Let me tell you, young lady…”

Blah blah, blah blah.

Yao Jia nearly lost her patience. But remembering the praise Lin Qian had once patted on her shoulder, she steadied herself.

Finally, she seized a chance to guide Ms. Gu to state her specific problem.

“A specific problem? Well, young lady, let me tell you, I bought four air conditioners at once, installed one in the living room, master bedroom, guest bedroom, and study. This should mean no dead spots in the house, right? It should be cool, right? But the problem is, it’s not cool at all, you know? All the air conditioners have issues! Now with the autumn heat, it’s like a furnace outside and a small oven inside, I tell you! You must come and fix these faulty machines quickly, replace them with new ones, I tell you…”

Blah blah, blah blah.

Yao Jia quickly seized the opportunity to ask for the purchase information amidst her dense chatter.

She pulled up the purchase records on the computer, checked the product information, and managed to ask about the size of Gu Shun’s house.

Being interested in various designs, she quickly calculated that Gu Shun had bought the wrong air conditioner capacity—the units were too small, hence the inadequate cooling.

Yao Jia conveyed this result to Gu Shun.

Gu Shun immediately wailed, “That can’t be wrong, can it? My husband specifically calculated it!” She asked Yao Jia to wait while she went to find her husband’s calculations.

Two minutes later, Gu Shun spoke dejectedly on the phone, “Oh, young lady, you’re right. My old man did tell me to buy the larger units, but when I placed the order, how did it end up being the smaller ones? I blame your shopping website for being too complicated! Young lady, four air conditioners aren’t cheap. I’m just from a working-class family, and these air conditioners were bought less than a month ago. You must promise to replace them for me!”

Yao Jia patiently and gently explained, “Ms. Gu, here’s the situation: if the product doesn’t have any quality issues and the seven-day return period has passed, generally, we can’t process returns or exchanges.”

Gu Shun began to sound tearful, “Young lady, it’s not easy for me. I earn just over a thousand yuan a month, and buying four wrong air conditioners is a huge loss! Please, help me, won’t you? Could you speak to your manager for me? Your website’s product information is so unclear. How was I supposed to know I needed to select the unit size before ordering? I trusted your company too much and just went ahead with the purchase. Please, young lady, help me out. I’m willing to pay the difference!”

Gu Shun pleaded earnestly with Yao Jia to talk to her manager for assistance.

Yao Jia had always had a soft spot for people her mother’s age, especially when they pleaded with her so gently.

Her own mother had never spoken to her like that.

She agreed to discuss it with her superiors and promised to call back.

After hanging up, Yao Jia stood up to find Lin Qian. Lin Qian came over and listened to Yao Jia explain the situation.

Meng Xingzhe had just finished a call and joined in to listen.

“Team Leader, I think, even people our mother’s age sometimes don’t see the details clearly when shopping. We’ve all made mistakes like that. Why not help her by applying for permission to exchange the units for larger ones, with her paying the difference?” Yao Jia advocated for Gu Shun to Lin Qian.

A soft laugh came from the side, carrying a hint of mockery.

Yao Jia turned to see Meng Xingzhe with a barely noticeable smirk.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Do you find what I said funny?”

Meng Xingzhe glanced at her, “Once an air conditioner’s indoor and outdoor units are installed, removing them will inevitably cause depreciation. You mean well, sympathizing with the customer’s mistake and wanting to replace it with a new unit, but the loss from this mistake, the depreciation cost, will ultimately be borne by the company.”

Yao Jia replied, “But a big company won’t collapse over four air conditioners, while a family might.”

Meng Xingzhe chuckled, “Have you considered what lies behind a big company? It’s costs, and these costs eventually fall on people. In simple terms, it means the company’s employees would be sharing the loss caused by the customer’s mistake.” He paused, then added, “Being a good-hearted person comes at a cost, and someone always has to bear the deficit left by your kindness.”

Yao Jia was at a loss for words. She knew Meng Xingzhe wasn’t wrong. Yet, inexplicably, his words left her feeling uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the undertone of “being kind is unnecessary” in his voice that she couldn’t agree with.

She turned to look at Lin Qian.

Lin Qian calmly said, “I can help you apply to management. They might agree to coordinate with other departments to allow the exchange for larger units with the price difference covered, but the condition is that the original units will be depreciated.” She paused, “However, even if you secure this outcome, the customer’s reaction may not be what you expect.”

Yao Jia appreciated Lin Qian’s humane approach, though she didn’t quite understand what Lin Qian meant by that.

But she soon found out.

When she called Gu Shun back to relay the arrangement Lin Qian had secured, Gu Shun’s attitude was completely different from her earlier pleading.

“What? I have to pay for depreciation and the difference? That’s impossible! Young lady, I’m telling you, don’t try to fool me. My husband just told me that your sales page lists the sizes together, with the default being the smaller size, which is why I made the mistake. So, you are fully responsible! And you want me to pay extra? Do you even care about your customers? I don’t care, you must replace them all for free! What depreciation fee? I won’t pay a single penny! If you don’t meet my demands, I’ll file a complaint against you! I’ll take your company to court!”

On and on it went.

Yao Jia thought she would be angry, but surprisingly, the more she listened, the calmer she became.

She now understood what Lin Qian meant by “the customer’s reaction may not be what you expect.”

She thought Lin Qian must have seen this kind of thing many times, becoming hardened to the unpredictability of human nature.

She listened calmly to Gu Shun’s angry tirade, telling herself that this was a life lesson. A lesson on the fickleness of human nature and the cost of kindness.

Perhaps Meng Xingzhe was right too; someone has to pay for your good intentions.

The call ended unresolved, with Gu Shun hanging up in anger.

But two days later, Yao Jia received another call from Gu Shun.

Gu Shun’s attitude had changed dramatically.

She was once again sweetly calling Yao Jia “young lady,” her tone almost ingratiating, saying, “Young lady, I’ve thought it over. Let’s go with your proposal and exchange for the larger units.”

Yao Jia responded appropriately, thanking her for calling and wishing her a pleasant day.

It was as if the unpleasantness had never happened.

She felt like her skills in customer service had leveled up.

After hanging up the phone, Yao Jia asked Lin Qian why Gu Shun’s attitude had suddenly changed so drastically.

Lin Qian didn’t answer directly. Instead, she turned to Meng Xingzhe, who was lounging nearby. “What do you think?”

Meng Xingzhe smirked. “It’s simple. She must have consulted a lawyer to see if she could win a lawsuit under these circumstances. The lawyer would have told her clearly that she couldn’t win because there was no quality issue with the air conditioner. She ordered the wrong model herself, so the mistake was hers. Realizing that even a lawsuit wouldn’t get her a free replacement, she naturally decided to come back with a smile.”

He looked at Yao Jia and said, “This is the great flaw of human nature. People think they can demand benefits by causing a fuss. When that doesn’t work, they act as if nothing happened and can immediately smile at you again.”

Yao Jia noticed that when Meng Xingzhe said this, his expression was different from usual. He had that aura about him again.

She turned to Lin Qian, who nodded at her.

“We’ve had similar cases before. Customers took us to court, and the court ruled that we weren’t at fault. Buying the wrong appliance was the customer’s mistake, and we weren’t obligated to refund or exchange it. But out of goodwill, the company offers customers a chance to privately negotiate a solution with us.”

Yao Jia sighed inwardly. She realized that Meng Xingzhe had gained his wisdom over the years. He seemed like a seasoned veteran, while she still had much to learn, many truths to understand, and much about human nature to savor.

※※※※※※

After work, Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng cheerfully returned to the dormitory to share dinner.

Tong Yumo continued her diet.

Meng Xingzhe planned to eat out again…

But just as he was about to step into a Vietnamese restaurant, he suddenly remembered he didn’t have much money left. He quickly pulled out his phone to check his available cash balance, then slowly withdrew his foot from the restaurant’s entrance.

The credit card he had taken from Bei Luonan had also been reclaimed.

Meng Xingzhe sighed silently.

He couldn’t understand how he had ended up in such a state, where even affording a meal at a Vietnamese restaurant was a stretch.

Sighing, he took out his phone and called his dear parents.

His father, Meng Yutang, answered, sounding a bit breathless.

Meng Xingzhe asked, “Dad, what are you doing? Why are you out of breath?”

Meng Yutang replied, “Your mom and I are having a dance-off with the couple next door. We’re competing for the last spot in next month’s Latin dance performance at the retirement home. Do you need something? If not, we can chat a bit longer. If you do, I’ll hang up now.”

Meng Xingzhe: “…”

That was definitely his dad.

Holding the phone, he said, “Dad, here’s the thing. I’ve put all my money into my company, and now I can’t even afford to eat…”

Before he could finish the word “eat,” the call abruptly ended, leaving him with a dial tone.

His dad had hung up on him.

Meng Xingzhe stared at his phone in disbelief.

Was he adopted?!

Suddenly, a message popped up on his screen from Meng Yutang: [Ah, bad signal, can’t chat long. Your mom and I are off to dance. Take care of yourself.]

“…” How was he supposed to take care of himself when he couldn’t even afford a meal?!

[Oh, and don’t bother visiting us this weekend.]

“…………” Were they really that afraid he’d come asking for money??

Standing on the shaded path, Meng Xingzhe looked at the message from his dad, feeling a deep sense of desolation.

After a moment, he scrolled through his contacts and called Bei Luonan.

He asked, “What are you up to?”

Bei Luonan replied, “Working overtime.”

He asked again, “Are you hungry?”

Bei Luonan was wary. “What do you want?”

Meng Xingzhe said, “I’m out of money for food.”

Bei Luonan quickly responded, “Then I’m not hungry.”

Meng Xingzhe continued, “What if you get hungry later? Why don’t you come and treat me to dinner?”

Bei Luonan swore, “No, I definitely won’t get hungry!”

Undeterred, Meng Xingzhe asked, “Buddy, how are you eating these days?”

They used to eat out together for dinner. Since he was out of money, he thought he might join Bei Luonan for a meal.

Bei Luonan said, “I eat at the company cafeteria every day now. It’s really cost-effective. Why don’t you come back and have some?”

Meng Xingzhe shuddered. He knew all too well how terrible the food at their company cafeteria was. He’d rather starve or team up with Tian Huasheng than eat at Xingbei Technology’s cafeteria.

He vented to Bei Luonan, “Can you believe it? My dad hung up on me the moment I mentioned money. Do you think he’s really my biological father?”

Bei Luonan laughed heartily. “Serves you right. Your parents have given you so much money already. Who told you not to plan how to spend it?”

Meng Xingzhe desperately wanted to reach through the phone and smack Bei Luonan. Hadn’t he spent all that money on developing the company???

Yet, he was being mocked as if nothing had happened.

Bei Luonan suggested, “Even though you’re out of money, don’t you have a bunch of valuable stuff? Watches, shoes, cars, bags—just pawn or sell a few, and you’ll have enough to keep splurging for a while.”

Meng Xingzhe scoffed, “Shut up! Are you crazy, or am I? Everything I bought is a limited edition. Do you think I can just let them go? Once they’re gone, they’re gone for good!”

He thought for a moment and said, “How about this: you advance me next month’s salary.”

Bei Luonan flatly refused, “No way. Not next month, not the month after, or even the one after that!” He spoke with righteous fervor, “Manager Meng, the company needs funds for research and development right now. As the bosses, we should lead by example and not draw so much salary from the company each month.”

“…” Meng Xingzhe felt like today was destined to be a day of frustration, as if marked on the calendar as ‘obstructive’. He was exasperated, “You couldn’t have told me earlier that we wouldn’t be drawing salaries from the company? I invested all my money into the company without leaving any backup for myself, just relying on my monthly salary to get by! Now, tell me, how am I supposed to survive?”

Over the phone, Bei Luonan trembled as he tried to encourage him, “Hang in there, darling, just get through these three months, okay? After that, our other product lines will start generating revenue. Hang in there!”

“Hang in there, my foot!” Meng Xingzhe wasn’t buying it. “Then how about this: lend me your credit card again.”

Bei Luonan immediately replied, “I don’t have it anymore. I canceled it.” He paused to explain, “Because I was afraid you’d steal it to use again.”

“…………” Meng Xingzhe was almost questioning his life choices. He had always lived a smooth and glamorous life, always the center of attention, always at the pinnacle of success. How did he end up in this ridiculous situation?

His parents and partners were all guarding against him like he was a thief, and he was so broke he couldn’t even afford a meal!

Bei Luonan continued offering advice over the phone, “You still have that salary from working as a customer service rep at Kunyu Electric, right? Xingxing, be good, save a little, and if you really can’t manage, borrow from your colleagues. You’ll get through this. Look at me, I either eat at the cafeteria or go to my mom’s to mooch meals every day!”

Meng Xingzhe held his phone, almost grinding his back teeth to dust.

Be good, my foot!

※※※※※※

When Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng were about to start dinner, Meng Xingzhe came home.

Yao Jia noticed he was home earlier than usual; typically, at this time, he’d be out dining at a restaurant.

The dining room and living room were connected in an open layout. After changing his shoes at the door and passing through the living room, Meng Xingzhe didn’t head straight to his room. Instead, he wandered into the dining area.

Standing beside the dining table, he looked down and asked, “What are you eating?”

Tian Huasheng replied cheerfully, “Cabbage stew with tofu!”

Meng Xingzhe frowned, “Is that even good?”

Tian Huasheng beamed, “It’s delicious, really fresh!”

Meng Xingzhe said, “I don’t believe it.”

Yao Jia almost spat out her rice laughing.

She tilted her head to look at Meng Xingzhe, who stood there with the aloof demeanor of a Greek god, and couldn’t help but say, “You want to eat, don’t you? Just say so if you do!”

Tian Huasheng had a sudden look of realization, his voice trembling with excitement, “Bro, do you want to try some? Hold on, I’ll get you a bowl and chopsticks!”

His large frame quickly dashed into the kitchen and just as swiftly returned, holding a pair of chopsticks and a bowl filled with rice.

He handed the bowl to Meng Xingzhe and guided him into a chair, saying happily, “Come on, Brother Meng, have a taste of my family’s secret stew recipe!”

Meng Xingzhe tried to maintain his composure, “I’m not actually hungry.”

But then his stomach let out a loud, echoing growl.

Yao Jia almost lost it again.

Awkwardly, Meng Xingzhe picked up the chopsticks and, under Tian Huasheng’s eager and encouraging gaze, reached into the large bowl of stew with the tips of his chopsticks.

He picked up a piece of cabbage, placed it in his bowl, and with a look of resigned bravery, ate it with his rice.

After a moment, his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

When he reached for the dish again, his chopsticks moved with increased speed and frequency.

Yao Jia watched as Meng Xingzhe experienced his first taste of stewed cabbage, and couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably, holding her bowl.

Meng Xingzhe turned to her, frowning, “What’s so funny? Are you laying an egg?”

Yao Jia didn’t mind the crude joke and simply asked Meng Xingzhe, “Have you heard of Wang Jingze?”

Meng Xingzhe sifted through his mental network and replied, “No, I haven’t.”

Then he asked, “Who is this person? Male or female? What do they do? Any special skills?”

Holding back her laughter, Yao Jia said, “This person’s special skill, just like yours, is really enjoying their food!”

※※※※※※

After dinner, Meng Xingzhe searched for Wang Jingze in his room.

Turns out he was this kind of person:

A few days ago, he swore vehemently:

—Even if I have to jump from here or starve to death, I won’t eat a single bite of this food!

Yet a few days later, holding a bowl of rice, he happily declared:

—So delicious!

“……”

Meng Xingzhe remembered his own words: Even if I have to borrow money to eat, I won’t join you guys for a meal.

Then he recalled how after dinner, Tian Huasheng had warmly invited him, “Brother Meng, why don’t we eat together from now on? I’m a great cook, you know!”

At that moment, Yao Jia stood to the side, smiling as she watched him. It was as if her eyes were constantly flashing with the words “Wang Jingze, Wang Jingze, Wang Jingze.”

He deliberately avoided looking at her, turning instead to Tian Huasheng. With a reluctant expression that suggested he couldn’t refuse such a generous offer, he nodded and said, “Ah, since you’re so insistent on partnering with me, I shouldn’t make things difficult for you. Let’s partner up then.”

… In retrospect.

Alright.

He thought.

Damn, it’s irresistible.

※※※※※※

The next evening, Meng Xingzhe officially joined the group.

For his first meal as part of the team, the dormitory kitchen was in complete chaos.

He complained that Tian Huasheng’s rice cooker was just a pot, a very old pot, and he hoped it could be replaced with a multi-functional cooker that could handle rice, porridge, and soup.

Yao Jia agreed to replace the pot with a cooker, but she suggested that everyone should share the cost.

After she proposed splitting the cost, she heard a light scoff from Meng Xingzhe.

She immediately scoffed back at him.

Meng Xingzhe then snorted in response.

Yao Jia snorted back again.

Tian Huasheng, standing by with a head full of question marks, asked, “Are you two communicating in some secret code?”

Yao Jia said, “He scoffed, thinking it’s stingy to split the cost of a rice cooker.”

Meng Xingzhe replied, “And she scoffed back, mocking me, saying that if I think she’s stingy, why don’t I just pay for it all myself.”

Yao Jia said, “He grumbled that he hasn’t received his salary yet.”

Meng Xingzhe said, “And she grumbled back, saying that once I get paid, I should cover the entire cost of the rice cooker. Fine, I’ll do it. What’s the big deal? Keep mocking me, and in three months, I’ll buy you a thousand cookers.”

“???” Tian Huasheng was shocked. “Are you two telepathic? Just with these scoffs and grumbles, you can have a whole conversation?”

Yao Jia pretended to gag, and Meng Xingzhe rolled his eyes at her.

After finally deciding to replace the rice cooker, another round of chaos ensued over which brand to buy.

Yao Jia insisted that as employees of Kunyu Electric, they should buy products made by Kunyu Electric.

However, Meng Xingzhe recommended a brand called Xingbei Technology, claiming their small appliances were powerful and trendy.

The two couldn’t reach an agreement, so they turned to Tian Huasheng for his opinion.

Holding his face in his large hands, Tian Huasheng looked torn. In a childlike voice, he expressed his feelings, “Emotionally, you two are my beloved meal partners, and I can’t make a decision. But financially,” his tone turned decisive, “of course, we should choose Kunyu Electric, since we have employee discount coupons.”

Yao Jia high-fived him in agreement.

Meng Xingzhe’s face darkened as he said, “Really, as Kunyu employees, shouldn’t we be buying products from our competitors to know them better?”

Yao Jia looked at him and said, “Isn’t Kunyu Electric’s competitor Jiangpeng Appliances? Who is this Xingbei Technology?”

Tian Huasheng said, “It must be a niche brand.”

After that, they happily went to the living room to order a Kunyu Electric rice cooker, not noticing that Meng Xingzhe’s face had turned as long as two meters.

Nor did they see him take out his phone by the window and furiously type:

“Old Bei, listen up. I’m willing to forgo my salary for a year. You better ramp up marketing. I don’t want to hear anyone calling our products niche anymore. I want them to fill the world!”

After calming down, he sent another message: “Our products are positioned as avant-garde and trendy, targeting young consumers. Their purchasing power is mainly online. So, for the time being, let’s focus our marketing channels online and pause offline expansion.”

Having finally resolved the rice cooker issue, Meng Xingzhe then criticized the cooking pot.

“Can this blackened pot really be used for stir-frying? Eating from it for long won’t poison us, will it?”

Over the weekend, Meng Xingzhe returned to his luxurious mansion and brought back a high-end stir-fry pan from his opulent kitchen to the dormitory.

He swaggered in, expecting the other two to admire and cheer for the pan, assuming ordinary folks like them wouldn’t have the chance to use such an expensive item.

But as soon as he took the pan out of the box, Yao Jia said, “Isn’t this a Japanese titanium pan?”

Tian Huasheng picked up the pan and said, “It’s so light, and the feel is amazing!”

Yao Jia said, “Of course, it feels great. It’s made from materials used in building spacecraft. Even the cheapest one costs several thousand.”

Tian Huasheng clicked his tongue.

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow at Yao Jia and said, “You have a good eye.”

Yao Jia raised an eyebrow back at him, “Where did you get such an expensive pan?”

Considering his current persona of being poor, Meng Xingzhe couldn’t admit it was from his own home. He had to say, “From a friend’s house.”

Yao Jia: “The friend whose credit card you stole?”

“Watch your words. It’s not stealing; it’s called sharing,” Meng Xingzhe retorted before admitting, “Yes, it’s from his house.”

Yao Jia: “So you stole the pan from him?”

Meng Xingzhe frowned and took a deep breath. This was usually his prelude to reprimanding someone at the company.

But remembering his current humble persona, he suppressed his authoritative demeanor.

“No.”

Yao Jia said, “I don’t believe you. Why don’t you call your friend and prove that the pot isn’t stolen? Otherwise, we at Huasheng won’t dare to use it.”

Tian Huasheng chimed in, “Yeah, exactly, it’s too expensive. We can’t use it, can’t use it.”

Meng Xingzhe, looking both speechless and helpless, had no choice but to call Bei Luonan.

As soon as the call connected, he asked, “Hey, did I take a pot from your house?”

Bei Luonan sounded as if he had just woken from a dream, “Huh?”

“Huh what? Let me rephrase. You have a nice pot at your place, and I wanted to bring it to the dorm. Did you agree to that?”

The response from the other end was uncertain, “Huh??”

Facing the skeptical gazes of Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng, Meng Xingzhe impatiently snapped, “Just say yes or no.”

The voice on the other end seemed a bit confused and slightly trembling, “So, did I agree or not?”

Meng Xingzhe said, “Think it over and then answer.”

Bei Luonan replied, “Of course, I agreed!”

Meng Xingzhe promptly hung up, not giving him a chance to babble on with something like “But you have to tell me what’s really going on with the pot.”

He put away his phone and said to Yao Jia, “You heard it, the pot’s not stolen. Go ahead and use it.”

Yao Jia turned to Tian Huasheng and said, “Use it.”

Tian Huasheng picked up the pot and nodded, “Use it!”

“…” Meng Xingzhe felt as if he had just participated in some bizarre game of hot potato.

With the issue of the rice cooker and the pot resolved, dinner was still far from peaceful.

They had a big argument over who would buy groceries, wash dishes, and take out the trash.

Meng Xingzhe acted like a spoiled young master, eating without a word and leaving immediately after, without lifting a finger.

Yao Jia couldn’t stand his lazy attitude. Even she, a chairman’s daughter who had never lifted a finger at home, had started buying groceries and washing dishes. Why should this pampered brat get away with doing nothing? Just because he had a nice face?

Unfortunately for him, she wasn’t impressed by looks.

So she dragged Meng Xingzhe into an agreement to take turns buying groceries, washing dishes, and taking out the trash.

Meng Xingzhe shamelessly resisted and even tried to bribe Yao Jia with money to avoid chores.

“How about this? I’ll chip in more for dinner, and I won’t do any chores.”

Yao Jia nearly threw the pot at him, ready to leave a titanium imprint on his face.

“Do you even have money? Show me first,” Yao Jia mercilessly jabbed at him.

If he had money, he would have been eating out instead of joining their group meals. Clearly, he was broke, yet still pretending to be rich.

“…”

“No money, huh? Then you’ll buy groceries, wash dishes, and take out the trash. Otherwise, you won’t be eating dinner with us.”

“…”

Reluctantly, Meng Xingzhe surrendered to Yao Jia’s demands.

The next day, it was his turn to buy groceries. Yao Jia wrote him a list: garlic sprouts, bok choy, and bitter melon.

When Meng Xingzhe returned with the groceries, Yao Jia opened the bag and nearly rolled her eyes.

He had bought scallions instead of garlic sprouts, spinach instead of bok choy, and loofah instead of bitter melon.

While everything was edible, not a single item was correct.

Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe, “Did you do this on purpose?”

Deliberately buying everything wrong so no one would ask him to shop again.

Meng Xingzhe immediately protested, “Have you ever not made mistakes the first time you went grocery shopping?”

His voice was full of “I’ve given my first time to you, what more do you want?”

They decided to just eat what he bought incorrectly. As long as it didn’t kill them, it was fine.

Next came the dishwashing. Meng Xingzhe was extremely reluctant.

Yao Jia forced him into the kitchen, locking the door until he washed the dishes.

Meng Xingzhe was so desperate he nearly considered turning on the gas. But then he thought he hadn’t lived enough yet, so he decided against it.

But staying alive meant washing dishes. With no other choice, he surrendered at the sink.

As he plunged his hands into the thick layer of dish soap bubbles, he couldn’t understand how he had fallen so low. He was already broke, how could he sink even further? When would this pitiful abyss finally end?

Meanwhile, Yao Jia stood outside the kitchen, pouring oil onto his fire of despair, “Meng Xingzhe, if you don’t rinse off all that soap, you’re doing it on purpose to poison us!”

Meng Xingzhe was so frustrated he nearly swallowed the soap bubbles in protest.

Truly, a fallen tiger is bullied by dogs. Once a rich second-generation and startup company boss, he was now being ordered around by a mere customer service rep. Not only that, he had to endure her stinginess and bossiness. It was outrageous!

Outside the kitchen, Yao Jia watched Meng Xingzhe clumsily washing dishes, as if doing a bit of work was such a grievance for him. She couldn’t help but shake her head and sigh.

A dog in tiger’s clothing pretending to be a king. Just a small customer service rep, yet he thought he was a young master? What a pretentious act.

Tian Huasheng stood on the yoga mat, striking a pose as if about to take off. With a cheerful expression, he said to the people moving in and out of the kitchen, “You two have such a great relationship. One of you is washing dishes, and the other is keeping company!”

— Translator’s Notes —

– red packet: In Chinese culture, a ‘red packet’ (hóngbāo) traditionally contains money gifted in a red envelope for luck and prosperity, especially during holidays like Chinese New Year. In modern times, it often refers to digital money transfers sent via apps like WeChat as casual gifts or incentives.