Chapter 33: He’s My Boyfriend

Everyone was gathered around the notebook, chattering noisily. Amid the sighs and murmurs, there was a unanimous refrain of “Who would have thought, who would have thought.”

Meng Xingzhe casually tilted his head, his gaze cutting through the crowd of sighs, and just like that, his eyes met Yao Jia’s.

In that instant, his heart skipped a beat.

He saw Yao Jia grin at him, revealing a row of neat white teeth. Her smile was as vibrant as peach blossoms in early spring, blooming overnight, making one feel at ease.

She suddenly spoke, her voice carrying over the crowd and noise with a cheerful tone, “Now that you’re rich, pay up!”

“…”

Meng Xingzhe couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Damn.”

******

That evening, after returning home, they all sat down for dinner together. It was Yao Jia’s turn to clear and wash the dishes.

But before they could even start cleaning up, Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe, under the watchful eye of Tian Huasheng, began settling their debts.

Meng Xingzhe kept 250 yuan for himself and gave the rest back to Yao Jia.

Yao Jia counted the money and said, “This isn’t enough!” She noticed the small stash he kept for himself and raised her chin, “What, are you marking your identity with that 250?”

Meng Xingzhe immediately retorted, “Why is your mouth so sharp for someone so young? Does calling me 250 bring you that much joy?”

Yao Jia nodded without hesitation. Yes, it does bring her joy.

“Hand over the money you’re holding too,” Yao Jia demanded with a confident air.

Meng Xingzhe refused, clearly displeased, “Did I save you for nothing? Without me, would you still be happily counting money here?”

Yao Jia decided to compromise, “Alright, tell me, how do you plan to cover the remaining few hundred in debt?”

Meng Xingzhe replied, “I’ll pay it back once I get my salary.”

Kunyu Electric pays salaries in the middle of each month, which means it would be half a month before he gets paid.

Yao Jia thought for a moment and said, “How about this, you don’t have to pay me back if you switch the master bedroom with me.”

Meng Xingzhe was resolute, “That’s not happening, pick another condition.”

Yao Jia knew he would refuse. Knowing it is one thing, but being told outright is another, and the latter was quite annoying.

Yao Jia fiercely said, “If you don’t switch rooms, you’ll have to wash the dishes for me. Each time is worth thirty yuan!”

Meng Xingzhe immediately bargained, “Each time for eighty!”

Yao Jia sneered, “Dream on! Your labor isn’t that valuable, you’re just cheap labor!”

Tian Huasheng, sipping his after-dinner tea, watched their lively exchange with amusement. Hearing Yao Jia call him cheap labor, he burst out laughing.

Meng Xingzhe glared at him fiercely, then turned to glare at Yao Jia, “Then how much per time?”

Yao Jia: “Forty!”

Meng Xingzhe raised his voice, “Seventy!”

Yao Jia shouted even louder, “Fifty at most per time, no more!”

Tian Huasheng started coughing, “Keep it down, keep it down! If the neighbors hear, they might call the police thinking there’s some shady deal going on here!”

“…”

“…”

Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe chose to ignore him.

Yao Jia continued to threaten Meng Xingzhe with great momentum, “Washing dishes once is worth fifty, no more! If you keep bargaining, I’ll just go sleep in your room! Tomorrow, I’ll post a big notice at the company entrance, announcing to everyone that you borrow money from colleagues and don’t pay it back, spending it to treat pretty girls from various departments. Let’s see if you can still hold your head high then!”

Meng Xingzhe’s face was practically dragging on the floor.

He gritted his teeth and said, “Fine,” adding a reluctant, “You’re ruthless!”

Yao Jia slammed the table, “Then what are you sitting there for? Go wash the dishes!”

Meng Xingzhe shot up, his finger trembling as he pointed at Yao Jia.

He truly never imagined he’d be so thoroughly outmaneuvered by this little girl in his lifetime.

Tian Huasheng sensed the tension in the air, as if a fight might break out at any moment. He put down his teacup, ready to intervene and restrain Meng Xingzhe if he lost control.

Meng Xingzhe, fingers shaking with anger, pointed at Yao Jia for a long time before speaking in a sinister tone, “Deduct fifty yuan from what I owe you!”

Tian Huasheng couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

His brother, facing his “sister,” was truly all bark and no bite.

******

The next day after work, Tian Huasheng hurried over to Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe, saying, “Jia, brother, I have something to do today, so I won’t be home to cook dinner. Sorry, you’ll have to sort out dinner yourselves!”

The expression on Tian Huasheng’s face was a mix of guilt for not being able to prepare dinner and a hint of urgency and anxiety about something else.

Meng Xingzhe said, “That’s fine, I have plans to eat out with someone.”

Tian Huasheng felt relieved about Meng Xingzhe, then turned to ask Yao Jia, “What about you, Jia, how will you handle dinner?”

Yao Jia replied, “No worries, I’ll splurge a bit tonight and order takeout.”

After saying that, she couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Who would have thought that one day, ordering takeout would be considered a luxury in her world?

Tian Huasheng felt a bit relieved, his guilty expression fading slightly, though he still looked anxious and worried.

Yao Jia quickly asked him, “Xiao Tiantian, is there something wrong? Do you need help?”

Tian Huasheng shook his head gratefully. “You probably can’t help me. Anyway, I have to take care of something, so let’s not chat too long!”

With that, he hurried off.

His demeanor left Yao Jia a bit concerned.

“Do you think something’s up with him?” Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe as they clocked out.

“He’s obviously got something going on,” Meng Xingzhe replied, also clocking out.

They walked together towards the elevator.

“He seems like he’s facing some trouble,” Yao Jia remarked.

She waited for Meng Xingzhe to respond, but he said nothing for a while.

The elevator arrived, and since it wasn’t crowded, Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe stepped in and turned to face the doors.

The elevator doors were so polished they could serve as mirrors. Yao Jia looked at Meng Xingzhe through the reflection.

Sensing her gaze, Meng Xingzhe looked back at her through the mirror.

Yao Jia said, “I mentioned he seems to be in trouble. Why didn’t you respond?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow. “Even if he’s in trouble, if he doesn’t want to talk about it, what can I do?”

Yao Jia frowned, muttering, “Cold-hearted.”

Meng Xingzhe stopped looking at her through the mirror and turned his head directly towards her.

“So tell me, what should a warm-hearted person do? Tie him up and interrogate him about what’s going on? Hold a knife to his neck and threaten to bleed him if he doesn’t let someone help?”

Yao Jia was speechless. She knew Meng Xingzhe was being sarcastic, but when she thought about it, there wasn’t anything wrong with what he said.

Yao Jia abruptly changed the subject.

“Are you taking another girl from a different department out for dinner tonight?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow. “How did you know?”

Yao Jia snickered internally. Yesterday, he stubbornly refused to return the 250 yuan he owed her, which was exactly the amount he usually spent taking a rich and beautiful girl to Pizza Hut. It wasn’t hard to guess.

The elevator descended slowly, stopping once to let two more people in.

Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe moved back a bit to make room.

Yao Jia casually asked, “So which department’s pretty lady is unlucky this time?”

Meng Xingzhe scoffed, “That’s rude! But to answer your question, it’s Lu Fangfei from HR.”

Yao Jia was momentarily surprised. She remembered this cool beauty; it was Lu Fangfei who had called everyone into the meeting room during interviews. She lived in the employee dorm across the street.

But Lu Fangfei was different from the other rich beauties Meng Xingzhe usually invited. She looked fair and beautiful, but not wealthy. She didn’t seem to have any hidden identity, so she was likely just an ordinary girl from an ordinary family, not someone from a wealthy background.

Since she was only beautiful and not rich, she couldn’t be Meng Xingzhe’s ultimate goal of marrying into wealth. She was just a fleeting romantic interest for him.

Yao Jia thought Meng Xingzhe was being a bit unfair. Since Lu Fangfei didn’t fit his ultimate criteria for a partner, inviting her out seemed rather insincere to Yao Jia.

The elevator dinged as it reached the first floor.

As they walked out, Yao Jia couldn’t help but mock Meng Xingzhe, “You’re like an iron-clad peacock with Pizza Hut, and the girls are like flowing water!”

Meng Xingzhe heard her and immediately asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Yao Jia chuckled, “I’m praising how popular you are with the ladies, how everyone likes you, and how you’re boosting Pizza Hut’s sales.”

Meng Xingzhe caught the sarcasm in her words and felt a bit anxious. He wanted to say it wasn’t what she thought, but the words turned into something else at the last moment.

He couldn’t exactly say he was taking Lu Fangfei to dinner to probe Kunyu Electric’s personnel structure, could he? That would give him away.

So he turned his defense into an attack, “Are you just jealous? Seeing that I have so many options while you’re probably still single?”

Yao Jia was immediately displeased.

Was she really going to be mocked by a flamboyant peacock for being single?

She had to retort!

Yao Jia turned to glare at Meng Xingzhe, “Don’t talk nonsense, I have a boyfriend!”

Meng Xingzhe was caught off guard by her response.

They continued walking out of the building.

Meng Xingzhe questioned, “Is that true? I don’t believe it.”

Yao Jia almost laughed. Did he watch too much reality TV, always saying, “I don’t believe it”?

“Believe it or not,” Yao Jia said.

“If you really have a boyfriend, bring him out to meet us. Otherwise, you’re just a single puppy making stuff up,” Meng Xingzhe taunted, eager to challenge Yao Jia’s claim.

Yao Jia scoffed, “Why should I introduce him to you? Are you my dad? No way.”

Meng Xingzhe goaded her, “Can’t show him off? Must be really ugly then.”

Yao Jia was determined, “Ugly? Absolutely not! My boyfriend is a dragon among men, refined and handsome!”

She was really just bluffing now.

Meng Xingzhe laughed, “Keep dreaming!”

They walked out of the building together.

Outside the grand building’s entrance, a few steps separated them from the ground. As they prepared to descend, Yao Jia heard someone calling her name.

Looking up, she saw a person standing not far away.

The man was tall and refined, with an elegant appearance. He wore a shirt and trousers, paired with gold-rimmed glasses. He was the very image of a young and promising talent.

Yao Jia recognized Yue Xuran, who was waving at her. She suddenly remembered that they had agreed to have dinner together today. Yue Xuran had mentioned he wanted to update her in person about the progress of their mobile phone development, a detail she had completely forgotten in her busyness.

Ever since she invested the adult fund her grandfather left her into Yue Xuran’s team, she had taken a hands-off approach, not bothering to follow up.

But Yue Xuran was reliable. He wouldn’t neglect her as an investor just because of her casual attitude. He would occasionally send her emails or make phone calls to report on the company’s status and the progress of their mobile phone development.

She glanced sideways at Meng Xingzhe, intending to end their argument quickly and say goodbye. However, she noticed Meng Xingzhe was staring intently at Yue Xuran.

A thought suddenly flashed through Yao Jia’s mind.

She said to Meng Xingzhe with pride, “That’s my boyfriend!”

Meng Xingzhe withdrew his gaze and looked down at her.

“You really have a boyfriend?”

******

Meng Xingzhe activated his “skeptical” skill again.

“Is he really your boyfriend? I don’t believe it.”

Normally, Yao Jia would retort, “Believe it or not, just because you don’t believe the earth rotates doesn’t mean it stops moving.”

But this time, she was indeed lying, so she felt guilty and couldn’t confidently retort.

She told Meng Xingzhe, “You don’t believe me? Wait, I’ll call him over.”

Yao Jia quickly descended the steps and appeared in front of Yue Xuran. Before he could speak, she rapidly fired off questions:

“Old Yue, do you have a girlfriend?”

Yue Xuran’s refined face showed a moment of surprise.

“No.”

Yao Jia couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him. Startup veterans aren’t meant for romance, even in their late twenties.

Yao Jia asked, “Am I your type?”

“No!” Yue Xuran, as if eager to dispel any suspicion, replied without hesitation.

The denial came so quickly that Yao Jia felt a bit embarrassed.

“You’re my investor,” Yue Xuran added, trying to make amends.

“Alright,” Yao Jia nodded, “You don’t have a girlfriend, and you’re not interested in me. So if I ask you to pretend to be my boyfriend, it’s not like I’m taking advantage of your feelings, right? It’s okay, right?”

Yue Xuran thought for a moment, adjusted his glasses with a scholarly air, and said, “It’s not impossible, but can I be compensated for my services?”

???

Yao Jia was exasperated. What’s with the men around her? Why are they all so fond of talking about money?!

It’s utterly disgraceful!

Yao Jia gritted her teeth and said, “We’ll discuss the price later. Just help me put on a good show and save my face first!”

******

Yao Jia initially intended to bring Yue Xuran up the steps to meet Meng Xingzhe. But as she turned around, she suddenly thought, why should she go to him?!

So she stood her ground, raised her hand, and beckoned to Meng Xingzhe, who was still on the steps, “You come here.”

Meng Xingzhe seemed to express reluctance with his expression, but his legs moved as he descended the steps and walked toward Yao Jia and Yue Xuran.

Once he was standing there, Yao Jia said, “Let me introduce you, this is my boyfriend, Yue Xuran.”

Meng Xingzhe discreetly assessed Yue Xuran. They were about the same age and height, and he looked decent, but certainly not as good as himself. However, he seemed…

Yao Jia then introduced Meng Xingzhe to Yue Xuran, with a very brief introduction, “My colleague, Meng Xingzhe.”

Yue Xuran smiled politely, extended his hand, and said to Meng Xingzhe, “Hello!”

Meng Xingzhe frowned slightly, shook hands, but instead of saying “Hello,” he said—

“Why do I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

Pfft.

Yao Jia nearly choked on her own breath.

It’s one thing for him to flirt with girls, but now he’s even making a move on someone claiming to be another’s boyfriend? And right in front of the girlfriend?

This level of brazenness is just too outrageous!!

“Meng Xingzhe, enough is enough. Are you planning to ask for my boyfriend’s WeChat next?” Yao Jia retorted coldly.

“Can I?” Meng Xingzhe actually asked.

Yue Xuran was a bit taken aback and turned to Yao Jia, also asking, “Can I?”

“No, you can’t!” Yao Jia nearly shouted.

What kind of ridiculous situation is this?!

“I really think you look familiar,” Meng Xingzhe continued to engage with Yue Xuran, undeterred.

Yue Xuran, maintaining his refined demeanor, replied, “Thank you.”

Yao Jia: “???”

What’s there to thank for?!

Someone from the Human Resources Department called Meng Xingzhe from the other side. Yao Jia and the others turned to see the cool beauty, Lu Fangfei.

In the midst of his busyness, Meng Xingzhe said to Yue Xuran, “I have something to attend to, so we can’t chat in detail today. If we can’t exchange WeChat, how about leaving a phone number?”

“…………”

Yao Jia was about to lose her mind. Did they think she was invisible?

She pulled Yue Xuran along, saying, “We’re not staying!”

******

After parting ways with Meng Xingzhe, Yao Jia asked Yue Xuran what he wanted to eat.

Yue Xuran, looking thoughtful, responded with a question of his own, “Do you like that colleague?”

“??” Yao Jia was puzzled by the way men thought, “If I liked him, why would I make him think I have a boyfriend?”

Only when you don’t like someone would you act so decisively.

“Maybe to make him jealous?” Yue Xuran’s voice was gentle yet carried an inexplicable depth.

“If that were my intention, let all the money I invested in you go down the drain.”

Yao Jia swore a serious oath, and Yue Xuran immediately conceded.

He asked Yao Jia, “Then why did you have me pretend to be your boyfriend?”

People don’t go through such lengths for someone who doesn’t matter to them.

Yao Jia replied, “To save face. He mocked me for being single since birth.”

Yue Xuran’s lips curled into a brief smile, so quick that Yao Jia couldn’t decipher its meaning.

“What is it?” Yao Jia asked.

“Nothing.” Yue Xuran’s pronunciation was precise, his tone as standard as a news broadcast, yet it was impossible to gauge his emotions.

“So what should we eat?” Yue Xuran asked Yao Jia in return.

For some reason, three words flashed in Yao Jia’s mind.

“Pizza Hut?”

Yue Xuran smiled at her, looking as if he would agree to anything she said.

******

In the end, they didn’t go to Pizza Hut. As they approached the restaurant, Yao Jia saw Meng Xingzhe and Lu Fangfei inside ordering through the glass window.

She suddenly remembered that this was Meng Xingzhe’s usual spot for treating wealthy and beautiful women.

She quickly dragged Yue Xuran next door to KFC.

While munching on a burger, Yue Xuran seemed deep in thought.

Yao Jia couldn’t help but ask, “Do you have something you want to say?”

Yue Xuran smiled and said, “Nothing.”

It wasn’t until Yao Jia finished her burger that he spoke, “I brought you a phone.”

He took out a sleek white box from his briefcase, simple yet elegant, and handed it to Yao Jia.

“Is the product finally developed?” Yao Jia was a bit excited, “Is it 5G?!”

Yue Xuran nodded with a smile.

Yao Jia eagerly opened the box, revealing a beautiful full-screen phone.

“Fantastic!”

She turned the phone around in her hands, gripping it, releasing, and gripping it again.

“The feel is amazing!”

“Turn it on and try it out,” Yue Xuran suggested with a smile.

Yao Jia pressed the power button. As the screen lit up, she felt a sense of pride, as if her own child had finally grown up and achieved something.

Her father had said she was wasting money, throwing it away without a sound.

But now she could hear it, the pleasant startup chime!

Yao Jia inserted her SIM card and tried downloading a few apps, running each one. The speed was impressive, the interface smooth, without a hint of lag.

Yao Jia looked up, “Did we make it?”

Yue Xuran nodded with a smile, “We made it!” He added, “The one in your hand is the first unit of the finished product.”

Yao Jia was almost reluctant to let it go, feeling as if she was holding something of great significance, not just a phone.

She regretted only having a quick meal at KFC with Yue Xuran. Who would believe it if she told them? An entrepreneurial boss with a new product, brought to KFC by an investor? It was almost an insult to the phone!

“Thank you for coming all the way to give me the first unit!” Yao Jia said excitedly.

Yue Xuran didn’t reply immediately.

Yao Jia looked up and saw a hint of… something unspeakable on Yue Xuran’s refined face.

Yue Xuran adjusted his glasses, coughed lightly, and said, “Actually, it wasn’t just to deliver the phone…”

Yao Jia: “?”

Yue Xuran: “The company is preparing for a product launch, and funds are a bit tight right now.”

In his usual calm and composed demeanor, a trace of embarrassment appeared, like a child shyly asking for pocket money, a bit bashful yet having no choice but to speak up.

When it came to men asking for money, Yao Jia didn’t feel the need to protect Meng Xingzhe’s pride, because in her eyes, he might not have any. But Yue Xuran’s pride, for some reason, she felt should be carefully maintained. Perhaps because he was someone who valued his dignity.

Yao Jia quickly ended his discomfort, asking, “How much more do you need?”

Yue Xuran gave her a figure.

Yao Jia calculated that with the money her parents had deposited in her account, her savings from childhood, and some luxury items she could pawn or sell, she should be able to gather the amount.

She told Yue Xuran, “Alright, I’ll gather it and transfer it to you in a couple of days.”

Yue Xuran’s gaze on Yao Jia grew deeper. There was delight, gratitude, relief, and a bit of something inscrutable.

He said, “If it weren’t for the financial relationship between us, I really…”

He stopped speaking at that point. No matter how much Yao Jia pressed him for more, he just smiled and said nothing further.