Chapter 18: Such a Beautiful Smile

Yao Jia had no interest in playing the “guessing game” with Meng Xingzhe. She didn’t want her increasingly mature soul to be dragged back by his childish antics.

Leaving the company, she suppressed a small thrill of excitement and called a car to head home.

In early autumn, the days were still long. The world outside was bright and lively, and from the car window, the sky appeared high and clear. Even during the evening rush hour, with the car moving in fits and starts like a spring, Yao Jia didn’t feel annoyed.

She was preoccupied with thoughts about whether her parents had prepared her favorite dishes. Had they felt the house was a bit empty and unfamiliar without her? Did they sneak into her room while she was away, trying to capture a hint of her presence?

The more she thought about it, the more eager she became to get home. Sometimes she scolded herself for being so spineless, always clashing with her parents, wanting to break free from their control, yet still craving their attention and even a little encouragement.

Finally, the taxi navigated out of the traffic jam and stopped at her doorstep.

Yao Jia quickly paid and got out of the car. Her voice was almost bursting with excitement as she greeted the housekeeper upon entering.

“Aunt Luan, I’m back for dinner!”

She swiftly changed her shoes and hurried to the dining room, so eager that she didn’t notice Aunt Luan’s hesitant expression, a silent warning that the head of the house was in a foul mood today.

Entering the dining room, she cheerfully called out to her parents, only to see Yao Bingkun sitting at the table with a stern face. Beside him, Gan Yu also wore a serious expression.

Yao Jia’s elation sank a little.

“Sit down and eat,” Gan Yu said to her.

Yao Jia took her seat.

The dishes on the table did not include her favorites.

This meal was not the one she had imagined or hoped for.

Her heart sank further.

She picked up her bowl and chopsticks to serve herself, but before she could secure a bite, Yao Bingkun suddenly erupted.

“Do you really have the appetite to eat?” he asked gruffly.

Yao Jia was taken aback, holding her bowl. “Is there something that should make me lose my appetite?” she asked, the vegetables still caught between her chopsticks, hovering above the plate.

Her response clearly infuriated Yao Bingkun.

“How dare you ask? Didn’t you claim you could handle customer service? How did you manage that? On your first day, you argued with a customer? Not only did you rank last in the interview, but you also came last in the training assessment? When has our family ever produced someone who consistently ranks at the bottom? Your sister is so outstanding, always coming first. Can’t you learn from her? When will you put some effort into things, be more sensible, ambitious, and do things well? Yao Jia, I’m telling you, if you want to do customer service, do it seriously. If not, don’t embarrass me at the company!”

As Yao Bingkun spoke, his anger grew, and he pounded the table with his fist. Gan Yu gently patted his shoulder, trying to calm him, but her eyes also showed disapproval as she looked at Yao Jia.

Yao Jia’s hands went limp, and the chopsticks lost their grip, the vegetable falling back onto the plate.

She set down her bowl and chopsticks.

It turned out they hadn’t called her home for dinner. They had called her back to be judged, scolded, and criticized.

How laughable that when she received her mother’s call, her heart had leaped with joy and happiness.

All they saw was her lack of effort, ambition, and excellence. Why couldn’t they see that she was trying her best, working hard? Her talents were what they were; she wasn’t a genius like her sister, couldn’t achieve such extreme excellence. But she could improve; couldn’t they give her a little time, patience, and even a tiny bit of encouragement?

Yao Jia suddenly felt disheartened, unsure of what she was striving for. For a moment, she almost wanted to give up.

Give up proving that she could succeed at something.

“Xiao Jia, not only did your father hear that call, but other senior executives at the company did too. They even questioned how someone with such poor quality was hired. Fortunately, they don’t know you’re the Chairman’s daughter. If they did, you’d truly disgrace your father.”

In that instant, Yao Jia felt like crying. As the Chairman and his wife, they could blame her for lacking professional skills. But as parents, they showed no understanding of how hurtful it was for their daughter to be unjustly insulted at work. Not even a shred of empathy.

All they threw at her was harsh criticism.

Yao Jia felt like crying inside, but on her face, she wore a carefree smile.

“Hey, if I were ambitious, how would my sister stand out as excellent? I thought you were used to my lack of ambition by now. I didn’t expect such a big reaction.” Inside, the little Yao Jia was already in tears, but at the table, she continued to smile defiantly. “Calm down, everyone, calm down. It’s not worth getting upset over me. After all, I’m just a disappointment. Well, I have work tomorrow, so I’ll head back early. Mom, Dad, eat more. I’ll disappear quickly, so I won’t bother you anymore!”

With that, she stood and walked out.

Gan Yu called after her, “Child, who are you upset with? Can’t we say a few words if you don’t do well? Come back and finish your meal before you go!”

But Yao Bingkun, still angry, said, “Let her go. She’s capable; she won’t starve!”

Yao Jia smiled as she reached the door, bent down to change her shoes, and said goodbye to Aunt Luan.

Outside, she looked up at the sky.

For some reason, even though the sky hadn’t fully darkened, everything seemed blurred and misty, as if she were looking through a veil.

※※※※※※

On her way back to the dormitory, Yao Jia decided not to take another taxi. She resolved to see if she could survive each month using only the salary she earned, without touching the money her parents deposited into her account.

So from now on, her life needed a complete change. She had to learn to live like an ordinary person, simplifying everything.

As she got on the bus, Yao Jia’s phone rang.

She picked it up and saw a message from Tian Huasheng: “Jia, have you eaten? When are you coming back to the dorm? I’ve made hot pot and saved some for you. Could you pick up some chives on your way back?”

Yao Jia was both hungry and feeling down, so receiving Tian Huasheng’s message felt like a warm coal in the snow, bringing tears to her eyes.

She quickly replied, “No problem,” and as soon as she got off the bus, she rushed into the supermarket.

After buying the chives, she stood in front of the beer shelf, with the phrase “drowning your sorrows in drink” bouncing around in her head.

Looking down at her full heart of worries and frustrations, she reached for the shopping cart.

Tonight, she decided to drown her sorrows in alcohol.

Back at the dorm, Yao Jia saw that Tian Huasheng had moved the dining table to the center of the dining room. In the middle of the table was an electric stove with a pot that looked well-used, the kind that thrifty families would have. Surrounding the pot were several plates of lamb slices and other hot pot ingredients.

Meng Xingzhe wasn’t home, and Tong Yumo was in her room.

Tian Huasheng was in the kitchen washing clams, and Yao Jia went to give him the chives.

She asked, “Are the chives for stir-frying with the clams?”

Tian Huasheng turned his head amidst his busyness, “Huh? Of course not, the chives are for the hot pot.”

“…?” It was the first time Yao Jia had heard of using chives in a hot pot.

Everything was ready, and the hot pot feast was about to begin.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Yao Jia got up to open it, and outside stood a stranger, a woman in her fifties. She smiled at Yao Jia and asked, “Do you live here too?”

Yao Jia nodded in confusion, unsure of who this woman was.

The middle-aged woman quickly introduced herself, “I’m your neighbor from upstairs. You can call me Aunt Xue!”

Yao Jia politely asked, “Hello, Aunt Xue. Is there something you need?”

The woman clapped her hands, “Oh yes, there is! Did you change your Wi-Fi password? My daughter is working on her thesis and needs to do research, but none of the websites are loading. It’s really causing problems!”

“…??” Yao Jia remembered the router with over twenty devices connected to it and asked, “Aunt Xue, how many daughters do you have?”

The woman proudly replied, “Three daughters, I had triplets!”

Yao Jia nodded in understanding.

No wonder the Wi-Fi was connected to so many devices, with so many people in the family.

She asked again, “How did you get our Wi-Fi password?”

The woman said, “One of the young ladies here told me. She lives in that room.”

The woman pointed to Tong Yumo’s tightly closed door.

Yao Jia recalled asking Tong Yumo if she had given the Wi-Fi password to anyone, and Tong Yumo’s innocent and bewildered expression… She was truly impressed by this girl’s acting skills.

The woman urged Yao Jia, “Your internet speed is really slow. Could you get someone to fix it? We can’t have my daughter being delayed in her research!”

She then enthusiastically offered, “If you don’t have time, I can call the telecom company for you and have them come fix it!”

She was about to take out her phone to make the call.

“…” Yao Jia felt like she was losing her grasp on reality.

Tian Huasheng came over and asked the woman, “Auntie, if you have so many people needing the internet, why don’t you get your own broadband?”

The woman smiled, “Getting our own is too expensive!”

“…………” Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng exchanged glances.

Throughout their conversation with the woman, Tong Yumo acted as if she were asleep or suddenly deaf, staying hidden in her room without making an appearance.

Yao Jia patiently explained to the woman, “Aunt Xue, here’s the thing. The more people using a broadband connection, the slower it gets…”

The woman interrupted her, “That’s not true. Yesterday, the internet was fine. My daughter was downloading data, my husband was playing cards online, and I could watch videos! Then suddenly, it stopped working. There must be a fault. Please get it fixed quickly, okay?”

Yao Jia couldn’t hold back any longer. She really struggled with people who were overly shameless; she felt embarrassed for them.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Xue, but with broadband, the more people using it, the slower it gets. So if your family is using our internet, not only will it be slow for you, but it will also be slow for us, and no one will be able to do anything. It would be better if you got your own broadband.”

Yao Jia believed she was being very polite and courteous when she said this.

Unexpectedly, the woman exploded, “Why are you young people so narrow-minded? Always thinking about money! Just borrowing the broadband and you’re making such a fuss. We live as neighbors, and you’re so selfish. Don’t you feel ashamed? You’re just renting here, right? Don’t you know that a generous heart leads to wealth? With attitudes like yours, stingy and lacking in community spirit, you’ll never make big money! You’ll never own your own home!”

She didn’t give Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng a chance to speak, storming into the entryway and knocking on Tong Yumo’s door, “Young lady, come out and say something. Didn’t you agree to let us use your internet?”

Tong Yumo, like a turtle hiding in its shell, remained silent and refused to open the door.

Yao Jia’s phone suddenly rang. She glanced down and almost laughed in exasperation. Tong Yumo had sent her a message saying, “Just tell her I’m not home. Get rid of her quickly. I’m so scared!”

Yao Jia had no intention of stopping the middle-aged woman from pounding on the door. Whoever started this mess should be the one to resolve it.

The middle-aged woman continued banging on the door until she threatened to call the police. Finally, Tong Yumo timidly opened the door.

The woman grabbed her arm and said, “Come on, young lady, tell them it was you who agreed to let me use your internet. Make it clear, so it doesn’t look like I’m taking advantage of you!”

Tong Yumo, on the verge of tears, said pitifully, “Auntie, it’s them who won’t let you use the internet, not me. Don’t just blame me. You’re hurting my arm!”

Yao Jia thought to herself, unbelievable, even now she’s trying to shift the blame.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. Why was Aunt Xue so confident? Why was Tong Yumo so guilty and timid?

“Tong Yumo, did you receive some kind of benefit?”

Yao Jia probed.

“Exactly,” the middle-aged woman chimed in. “She took my red envelope, 58.8 yuan! Since she took the money, why can’t I use your internet?”

Yao Jia was speechless. This was turning into a ridiculous farce.

“Tong Yumo, seriously? Just 58.8 yuan? Are you really that stingy?” Even Tian Huasheng was bewildered.

“I don’t care. Either you fix the internet so I can use it, or I’ll call the police and report you for fraud, for scamming my money!”

The farce finally ended with Tong Yumo returning the red envelope and the middle-aged woman’s grumbling. As she entered the elevator, she continued complaining to those inside, “I tell you, don’t bother with these people. They’re renters, uncultured, and very selfish…”

Yao Jia shut the door, blocking out the incessant chatter.

She turned to Tong Yumo and asked, “When I asked you yesterday if you’d given the wifi password to anyone, why didn’t you tell the truth? Did you send the new password to the people upstairs?”

Tong Yumo pouted and nodded, looking pitiful, though it was unclear what she was upset about.

Yao Jia laughed, “Was that 58.8 yuan red envelope worth it?” All this trouble for such a small amount.

Tong Yumo mumbled, “I just thought, helping others is a joy…”

Yao Jia frowned, “Helping others, but you still took the red envelope?”

Tong Yumo explained, “She insisted on showing her appreciation, and she really needed to use our internet. If she wanted to give a red envelope, I didn’t see the need to refuse…”

Yao Jia was particularly impressed by Tong Yumo’s ability to rationalize her actions.

Tong Yumo suddenly pursed her lips, feeling wronged. “It’s just letting a neighbor use the internet. Do you have to be like this? Besides, aren’t you usually very helpful? Why are you so cold this time? Or is it that only you are allowed to be helpful, but not others?”

Yao Jia retorted, “Is that what you call letting them use the internet? They practically took over our entire connection. Being helpful shouldn’t come at the cost of our own interests. Otherwise, it’s not being helpful, it’s being a martyr.”

Yao Jia sighed and continued, “Tong Yumo, let me say it again. We’re living in a shared space now. You can’t make decisions for everyone on your own. For example, whether or not to share the wifi with another household, you need to discuss it with everyone before making a decision, understand?”

Tong Yumo’s eyes reddened, and she raised her voice, “Why are you always picking on me? I really hate you, Yao Jia!”

With that, she turned and ran back to her room, slamming the door.

Yao Jia thought to herself, “There are plenty of people who dislike me. Who do you think you are?”

Already in a bad mood, the farce had only worsened Yao Jia’s spirits.

Tian Huasheng quickly invited her to join him for hot pot. Yao Jia shook her head and sat down.

“You know, this way of cooking chives is actually pretty good!” Yao Jia praised the new way of eating chives after sitting down to eat.

Tian Huasheng’s face flushed with excitement, “This is how we eat it in my hometown. If you like it, it means you’re a true buddy! Come on, let’s have a drink!”

Yao Jia clinked her beer glass with his, feeling a sense of relief.

The frustrations from home seemed to be slowly dissolving in the alcohol.

As Yao Jia and Tian Huasheng ate and chatted, there was a noise at the door.

Meng Xingzhe had returned.

As soon as he entered, he wrinkled his nose in distaste, “Wow, what a strong smell! Why are you having hot pot at home?”

Yao Jia, still in a bad mood, didn’t respond. Tian Huasheng apologized, “I didn’t use a very strong broth. It’s just a clear soup… But if you can’t stand the smell, I won’t do it at home anymore. Please understand!” As Meng Xingzhe headed to his room, Tian Huasheng couldn’t help but invite him, “Since you’re here, why not join us for a bit?” His last sentence was practically a plea.

But Meng Xingzhe still refused, “I can’t stand the smell.”

He walked to his room. Yao Jia told Tian Huasheng, “Ignore him, let’s keep eating!”

They continued eating and chatting.

After a few drinks, Tian Huasheng’s rugged face showed a hint of embarrassment.

“Jia, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my financial situation isn’t great, so I don’t miss any opportunity to make or save money. I usually cook at home instead of eating out whenever I can.”

Yao Jia thought to herself, she had noticed. Meng Xingzhe even competed with the cleaning lady for work on moving day.

“I’ve been going through some tough times at home. I have to count every penny I spend. There were moments when I almost couldn’t afford to eat. I couldn’t even buy the cheapest instant noodles. I had to buy plain noodles, boil them in water, sprinkle some salt, and eat that for a week until I got paid.”

Tian Huasheng’s voice, which usually had a youthful lilt, grew hoarse and low.

“The company where I used to work as a customer service representative went bankrupt, and I ended up finding a job at Kunyu Electric. I really like Kunyu because I don’t have to rent a place to live, which saves me a lot of money. I thought it was quite a coincidence that we all met during the interview, became colleagues, and moved into this dormitory together. Why not celebrate with a hot pot meal?”

Tian Huasheng continued with a touch of weariness in his youthful voice, “But eating out is really expensive. If the four of us went to Haidilao, with my appetite, it would cost at least eight hundred to a thousand. So I thought, why not just cook at home?”

Raising his beer, Tian Huasheng said to Yao Jia, “Jia, you’re the most supportive. When I said I was cooking at home today, you were the one who came. Tong Yumo said she’s on a diet and wouldn’t eat dinner, not even for my cooking. Brother Meng said he was going out to eat and thanked me for the invite. But you, you not only came but also brought your own drinks. It warms my heart, brother! Hey, don’t look at me with such pity. I’ll be fine. I’ll make a lot of money in the future! Come on, let’s have another drink!”

Yao Jia was moved. She wanted to say, “Brother, actually, you’re the one who warmed my heart. During my hardest times, when I felt helpless and wanted to give up everything, to revert to being a directionless drifter, it was your message about the ‘bunch of chives’ that gave me warmth.”

After they finished a drink, Tian Huasheng said, “I know many people dislike working in customer service, but I enjoy it. I know you think the job is unfair and can make people feel undignified. But Jia, trust me, that’s only part of it. Over time, you’ll find that our job has its rewards and sense of accomplishment! So Jia, keep going!”

Looking at Tian Huasheng and listening to his words, Yao Jia suddenly felt enlightened.

This young man with a youthful voice, despite his hardships, was living energetically and optimistically. She had never lacked anything growing up, except being compared to her sister by her parents.

So what if that was the case?

Could she really let her father look down on her for the rest of her life?

Inspired by Tian Huasheng, Yao Jia regained her fighting spirit.

Feeling invigorated, she suggested to Tian Huasheng that they play a drinking game with rock-paper-scissors, where the loser drinks. Tian Huasheng eagerly agreed.

The two of them played noisily in the living room. Sometimes Yao Jia won, and Tian Huasheng would groan and drink. Other times Yao Jia lost, and Tian Huasheng would cheer as she drank.

Meng Xingzhe suddenly emerged from his room, wearing his shiny silk pajamas, looking displeased. “You two are too noisy.”

Yao Jia looked up at him with a smile. Her cheeks were flushed, and her smile was particularly charming.

— Translator’s Notes —

– Haidilao: Haidilao is a well-known Chinese hot pot restaurant chain famous for its attentive service and variety of dipping sauces.