Chapter 13: The Reason for Coming Here

Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe, “Didn’t you hear that it was Tong Yumo knocking today? It wasn’t me, so why would I break down the door?”

Meng Xingzhe sneered, “You girls are all the same when you start chattering, so noisy. How could I tell who it was through the door?”

Yao Jia remembered that last night, after work, Meng Xingzhe had indeed fussily added soundproof strips to his door.

“Let me tell you,” Meng Xingzhe began, clearly displeased, “what did you mean by saying I’m already so old? How old do you think I am?”

Yao Jia wasn’t sure exactly, but she guessed, “You’re probably around twenty-six or twenty-seven, right?”

“Twenty-six, thank you very much,” Meng Xingzhe almost fumed, “and twenty-six is old? How old are you?”

Yao Jia replied, “Twenty-two.”

“See, we’re both in our twenties. You’re in your twenties, I’m in my twenties, so how am I old? Just four years older than you and I’m suddenly an old man?”

Yao Jia quickly said, “You can be old by yourself, no need to drag me into it.”

Usually, Meng Xingzhe had a charming look that could make girls blush, but now he was as cold as an assassin. He glared at Yao Jia, seemingly trying to make her feel ashamed with his stare.

Unfortunately, Yao Jia grew up under the loud scolding of a temperamental father, developing a thick skin and a rebellious spirit.

The more he insisted that four years wasn’t old, the more she wanted to show him that four years was a chasm.

“Look, they say there’s a generation gap every three years, so there’s more than one gap between us.”

“And look again, when I was in the third year of middle school, my friend’s aunt’s cousin’s brother-in-law’s child, who was four years older than me, was already in college. The gap between middle school and college, isn’t that big? That’s a gap of middle school, high school, and college, a whole three generations!”

“Moreover, fundamentally, when I was just born, you weren’t even a three-year-old anymore.”

Meng Xingzhe almost laughed out of anger.

“Yes, I was four.”

Yao Jia looked surprised, “You’re quite good at picking up cues.”

Meng Xingzhe rolled his eyes at her disdainfully, “Why are you babbling nonsense with me so early in the morning, kid?”

Yao Jia giggled, “This time, it’s you who’s acting all superior because of your age.”

Meng Xingzhe was so infuriated by her that he almost slammed the table, shouting, “Where’s HR? Get over here and fire her for me!”

He pointed at Yao Jia, threatening, “Just wait and see how I eliminate you from the bottom of the ranks.”

※※※※※※

During work hours, the older employees still guided the newcomers, with new hires sitting behind senior staff to learn how to handle issues.

It was late summer, early autumn, and the weather was hot, making it the peak season for air conditioner sales. Many calls were about air conditioners, with questions as varied and bizarre as one could imagine, broadening one’s horizons.

People of all kinds could be encountered through electromagnetic waves, showcasing a rich diversity.

Yao Jia overheard someone complaining over the phone that the remote control for their newly purchased air conditioner was faulty, unable to adjust the temperature or even perform basic functions like turning it on and off.

Then came a long rant.

Thankfully, Lin Qian was patient, continuously apologizing and catching the key points to calm the customer before they exploded. Yao Jia thought that if it were her handling the call, she’d simply put the phone aside until the other person was done venting.

Eventually, Lin Qian guided the customer to realize they had been using the TV remote to operate the air conditioner. The customer, embarrassed, still stubbornly complained, “It’s your fault for making the remotes look so similar.”

Lin Qian quickly apologized and said they would record the issue of “all remotes looking alike” and pass it on to the Design and Product Departments for further improvement.

After the call ended, Yao Jia was a bit stunned. Lin Qian’s adept handling of the situation made her realize that such incidents were not uncommon.

Some customers seemed to wield unchecked power over phone service, able to vent loudly even when they were at fault. She thought that only a saint could work in customer service, and wondered if she’d be polished into one after three months of gritting her teeth through it.

※※※

During the fifteen-minute break, everyone would gather in the break room.

The only thing Yao Jia found decent about the call center was the break room exclusively for their use. It was spacious and bright, with several long sofas and a row of cabinets filled with various snacks and instant noodles. A bar area offered drinks and coffee machines, all free for employees.

Yao Jia considered it the paradise of the building, but it didn’t appeal to Meng Xingzhe’s high standards.

During breaks, Tian Huasheng would invite Yao Jia for coffee in the break room and occasionally ask Meng Xingzhe to join, but he never deigned to accept.

Today, during the break, Tian Huasheng again invited Yao Jia and unthinkingly asked Meng Xingzhe too. As expected, Meng Xingzhe declined, “It’s too noisy, and the coffee isn’t pure.”

Yao Jia’s eyes twinkled as she deliberately whispered to Tian Huasheng, just loud enough for those nearby to hear, “Let’s go, don’t mind him. Older people find everything noisy.”

As soon as she finished speaking, there was a clatter beside her.

Meng Xingzhe abruptly stood up, his chair scraping loudly as it slid back.

He glanced at Yao Jia but said nothing, instead taking the lead and walking toward the break room.

Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng exchanged mischievous grins like two kids who had just pulled off a prank.

※

In the break room, Yao Jia wondered why she had been foolish enough to provoke Meng Xingzhe. As soon as he entered, he began his nitpicking routine.

The coffee wasn’t hand-ground, the cookies were cheap, and the drinks were just artificial concoctions of coloring and saccharin without a hint of sparkling water.

Even the sofa was criticized for not feeling like genuine leather. After much fuss, he finally settled for a glass of plain water, only to complain about the ceiling light’s position, which refracted and diffused light right into his eyes.

Blah blah, blah blah.

Yao Jia considered untying her shoelace to strangle him.

Before she could decide which shoe to untie, Tong Yumo entered with two senior employees, chatting and laughing. One was Hao Lidan, responsible for guiding Tong Yumo and Tian Huasheng, and the other was Hou Wenwen, Hao Lidan’s workplace confidante. Both were around twenty-six or twenty-seven and dressed fashionably.

As the three walked in, Yao Jia noticed they wore the same lipstick shade. Sometimes, women’s friendships form quickly; discussing bags and sharing a lipstick can be a solid start.

Hao Lidan and Hou Wenwen glanced at Yao Jia and then looked away, but Tong Yumo greeted Yao Jia with a pitiful expression. She then turned to Meng Xingzhe, adding a touch of shyness to her demeanor. Meng Xingzhe responded with a dignified “hmm.”

They went to the counter for coffee. Taking advantage of the moment, Tian Huasheng whispered to Yao Jia, “My mentor Hao Lidan and her friend Hou Wenwen have incredibly sharp tongues!”

Yao Jia asked if they were sharp in a biting way or quick in a witty way that left others speechless.

Tian Huasheng shook his head vigorously, “Neither; their sharpness lies in the fact that no gossip in the company goes a day without reaching their mouths and spreading from them!”

Yao Jia was impressed. A gossip hub and amplifier.

“That’s truly impressive!”

Meng Xingzhe suddenly interjected, “You say others gossip, but aren’t you gossiping about their gossiping right now? Ha, so in the world of women, there’s no real difference; women are just troublesome.”

Yao Jia was speechless. She wanted to retort but realized he wasn’t entirely wrong. Tian Huasheng was indeed gossiping about Hao Lidan and Hou Wenwen’s gossiping. She reflected on this.

However, she disagreed with his last remark, “The world of women you disdain now will be the world you find unreachable when you try to approach it in the future!”

Meng Xingzhe chuckled, almost rolling his eyes.

Tian Huasheng, oblivious to sides, praised, “Brother Meng looks handsome even when he’s out of breath!”

Yao Jia was speechless again.

Yao Jia, Tian Huasheng, and Meng Xingzhe sat on the same long sofa. In front of them was a round coffee table, with three single sofas on the other side. After getting their coffee, Tong Yumo and the others sat on the single sofas, with Tong Yumo predictably taking the one closest to Meng Xingzhe.

Hao Lidan and Hou Wenwen began chatting, showcasing their sharp tongues. They seemed to be engaging everyone in conversation, but Yao Jia, skilled in reading comprehension, knew she and Tian Huasheng were just background noise. Their real target was Meng Xingzhe—they were trying to talk about and flirt with him on Tong Yumo’s behalf.

Unfortunately, Meng Xingzhe was a master of the “hmm” technique, responding with “hmm” for affirmations and “hmm?” for questions, making it hard for even the sharpest tongues to pry information from him.

Questions about family, preferences, and relationship status went unanswered.

Eventually, even Hao Lidan felt exhausted, tossing out a question, “Why did you all decide to work in customer service?”

The spirited Tian Huasheng rescued the conversation, “Let me answer! I’ve loved solving problems since I was young, so customer service is the perfect job for me!” He spoke with pride and a hint of passion for the job, leaving Yao Jia surprised and impressed.

It’s remarkable that someone could love such a challenging job.

Tian Huasheng turned to Tong Yumo, “What about you, Tong Yumo? Why did you choose customer service? I think you’re the least like a customer service rep among us.”

Tong Yumo smiled shyly, “Are you saying my demeanor doesn’t fit this job?”

Tian Huasheng paused, “Are you looking down on this job? I meant your heart isn’t in it; you don’t seem to enjoy it.”

Tong Yumo’s shy smile vanished, “None of your business.”

“Fine, it’s not,” Tian Huasheng turned to Yao Jia with a playful tone, “What about you, buddy? Why customer service?”

The wealthy Yao Jia tucked away her invisible wings of affluence and humbly replied, “Because I’m broke and need money.”

Tian Huasheng encouraged her, “Your initial motivation might be a bit materialistic, so right now you’re just working for money and still struggling with some unpleasant things. But that’s okay, you’re sincere, and I believe you’ll eventually fall in love with this job!”

Yao Jia thought to herself, feeling a surge of passion, how great it is to have such enthusiasm.

Tian Huasheng then turned to Meng Xingzhe and asked, “Brother Meng, what about you? Why did you come to Kunyu Electric to work in customer service? Actually, you’re the second person I thought wouldn’t be doing this job.”

Meng Xingzhe gently swirled the water cup in his hand, as if he were holding a glass of fine wine, letting it breathe.

Leaning back on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, Yao Jia suddenly realized that he was quite handsome. Blessed with good looks and a great physique, if you just added a bit of lighting around him, she could easily paint a high-quality portrait of a sunny, handsome man.

Unfortunately, he was better off silent. The moment he spoke, his charm plummeted.

For instance, when he heard Tian Huasheng’s question, he swirled his water cup like it was a wine glass, turned his head to the most flattering angle between profile and full face, looked at Tian Huasheng, raised an eyebrow, and responded with, “Hmm?”

…Hmm, what the heck is that supposed to mean, you ‘hmm’ weirdo.