Chapter 36: This Is Impossible

Meng Xingzhe said, “Can’t I use a cup? Do I have to keep drinking from a bowl?”

Yao Jia retorted, “If you want a cup, go get one from the kitchen yourself!”

Meng Xingzhe shot back, “Who wants to move that far?”

Tian Huasheng immediately ran to the kitchen and brought back a cup for Meng Xingzhe, finally putting an end to the bizarre argument.

On the other side, Yao Jia was still goading Ling Xiaoxin with the “say ‘no’ and drink” game.

The two young women, emboldened by alcohol, were feeling bold and heated.

Ling Xiaoxin slammed the table, “Then I’ll give it a try?”

Yao Jia followed suit, slamming the table, “You must try!”

“Alright!” Ling Xiaoxin rolled up her sleeves and asked Tian Huasheng, “So, big brother, tell me, what’s the deal with your house and your uncle?”

Her demeanor before and after drinking was so different that Bei Luonan couldn’t close his mouth. He laughed as if he’d found a treasure with a dual personality, anticipating a future full of fun and happiness.

Meng Xingzhe looked at his foolish expression, thinking how stupid men in love were. He swore he’d never be like that.

Tian Huasheng recounted the story of his family’s troubles once more.

When he finished, the room fell silent. Everyone was waiting for Ling Xiaoxin to come up with a solution.

Ling Xiaoxin said, “Hold on, this is my first case. Let me think about what to do next.”

The silence lasted another two seconds.

Tian Huasheng was losing confidence in the quiet, wondering if he’d lose the case if Ling Xiaoxin represented him in court.

Just as his confidence was about to evaporate, Meng Xingzhe spoke up.

“Xiao Tiantian, was the house bought in your uncle’s name with a one-time payment or a loan?”

Ling Xiaoxin clapped her hands, “Yes, that’s the right question!”

Yao Jia: “…” She wondered if she had made Ling Xiaoxin drink too much.

Tian Huasheng replied, “It was bought with a loan.”

Meng Xingzhe asked again, “Who paid the down payment?”

Tian Huasheng said, “Our family paid most of it. At the time, we didn’t have enough money, so my uncle and aunt lent us some. Later, my parents paid them back. Now my uncle insists that the money wasn’t a loan, but part of his contribution to the down payment, claiming that the house is his.”

Ling Xiaoxin said, “This is a bit tricky.” She turned to Meng Xingzhe, “What should we do about this?”

Yao Jia: “…” She wondered who was supposed to be the lawyer here.

Meng Xingzhe surprisingly had an answer, “Was there any proof of the down payment at the time?”

Tian Huasheng said, “It’s been too long, there’s no proof.”

“Is there any proof of borrowing and repaying the money from your uncle?”

“No, there isn’t. We repaid in cash. Is this very disadvantageous?”

Ling Xiaoxin looked a bit troubled and turned to Meng Xingzhe, waiting for him to continue.

Yao Jia: “…” What’s going on? Why are they looking at him? You’re the lawyer!

Meng Xingzhe continued, “It’s not entirely disadvantageous. Neither side has proof. Although you can’t prove your uncle lent you the money instead of contributing to the down payment, your uncle also can’t prove he contributed to the down payment instead of lending you the money.”

His words were a bit convoluted, making Yao Jia feel almost dizzy.

After a pause, Meng Xingzhe asked, “What about the loan repayments? Who made them? Is there proof?”

Tian Huasheng said, “Our family made the repayments, and we have proof.”

Meng Xingzhe looked at Ling Xiaoxin, intending to hand over the questioning. But Ling Xiaoxin simply gestured for him to continue.

Yao Jia: “………………”

Meng Xingzhe continued.

“Who holds the house deed now?”

“I do,” Tian Huasheng said.

Meng Xingzhe nodded, “That’s a favorable piece of evidence.”

“But my uncle says that having the deed doesn’t matter because he can claim he left it with me for convenience in handling paperwork. The name on the deed is his, so the house is his. He also claims we’re living there because he’s renting it to us, so he has the right to demand back rent, and that the law will protect this right.”

Yao Jia slammed the table, “The law won’t protect someone so shameless!”

“Exactly!” Ling Xiaoxin raised her glass to clink with Yao Jia, and the two of them downed their drinks boldly.

The three men watched them with varied expressions: astonishment, interest, and disdain. They were, respectively, Tian Huasheng, Bei Luonan, and Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Xingzhe turned to Tian Huasheng, “Don’t worry about what your uncle says. Just because he says something doesn’t make it true. Everything needs evidence.” He suddenly turned to Ling Xiaoxin, “I’m about to outline the key points. Do you need to take notes on how to handle this case?”

Ling Xiaoxin paused, then quickly opened her phone to record, respectfully setting it in front of Meng Xingzhe.

Yao Jia: “…” She’s really starting to get confused about who the lawyer is here!

At this moment, she felt that Meng Xingzhe had transformed again. He seemed to have a powerful aura, as if he had become a different person, commanding the situation with ease and strategy.

“You should fight this lawsuit under the premise of ‘purchasing a house under someone else’s name.’ First, because Xiao Tiantian and her uncle are relatives, it is reasonable to claim that the house was bought under a relative’s name. Second, Xiao Tiantian’s family has lived in the house for over ten years, and her uncle never asserted ownership. It’s unreasonable for him to suddenly claim he’s the owner now. Third, Xiao Tiantian’s family has proof of mortgage payments. Fourth, the house deed has been with the Tian family all these years. These facts form a compelling chain of evidence, proving that the house was indeed purchased under a borrowed name, and the actual rights should belong to the person who borrowed the name.”

After Meng Xingzhe finished speaking, he asked Ling Xiaoxin, “Do you know how to proceed now?”

Ling Xiaoxin nodded firmly and clasped her hands in a gesture of respect toward him. “Hero, may I ask which law firm you transferred from to Kunyu Electric?”

Yao Jia was also curious. “How do you know so much about the law?” The image she had of him as a freeloading slacker was crumbling, as if he could cast a towering shadow on the wall.

Meng Xingzhe glanced at her sideways, wanting to say that he knew a lot more than she could imagine. Back in the day, his second major was law.

Seeing this, Bei Luonan quickly interjected to prevent him from revealing too much. “Actually, his family went through something similar before, so he knows how to handle it.”

Yao Jia nodded in understanding. No wonder he was so knowledgeable; he had firsthand experience.

Looking at Meng Xingzhe, Yao Jia suddenly felt a bit of sympathy. “I didn’t expect you to have such a story. Did your family manage to get the house back?”

Meng Xingzhe looked at her, speechless.

“We got it back!” Bei Luonan answered quickly again.

But then he worried that these people might want to visit Meng Xingzhe’s regained house, which would expose his grand mansion. So he hurriedly added, “But later, he invested in financial products and sold the house.”

Realizing that didn’t make sense—selling the house should mean he had money, so why would he still work as customer service?—he awkwardly continued, “And then he lost all the money in investments like P2P and internet finance.”

Yao Jia shook her head, clicking her tongue. “P2P is indeed a trap.”

She turned to Meng Xingzhe. “You’re really something. The law saved your house, but you managed to lose it again, and now you have to borrow money from me to get by.”

Meng Xingzhe’s face turned ashen, listening to Bei Luonan’s wild rewriting of his life story. He almost believed the nonsense himself.

“Let’s start crowdfunding for Xiao Tiantian’s legal fees!” Yao Jia suddenly declared, slapping the table.

Yao Jia took out half the money from her wallet and placed it on the table. This was originally meant for Yue Xuran, but she decided to use it for now and sell her last small bag later to make up for it.

“Xiao Tiantian, I’ll start with this, and I’ll find a way to gather more for you later!”

Tian Huasheng was so moved that he bit his hand. “Jia, I’ll work hard to pay you back!”

Ling Xiaoxin also took out some money, saying, “I can waive my part of the lawyer’s fee. I’ll cover the part needed for the law firm!”

Seeing this, Bei Luonan pulled out his wallet and placed the few remaining bills next to Ling Xiaoxin’s money. “Come on, everyone gets a share!”

Those who contributed looked at Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Xingzhe frowned. “Why are you looking at me? What does this have to do with me? I’m broke!”

Everyone shifted their gaze away from the poor guy.

Tian Huasheng reassured him, “It’s okay, bro. Even if you didn’t contribute money, you gave us ideas. Money has a price, but ideas are priceless. You’re still my brother!”

Everyone started drinking merrily, and Ling Xiaoxin promised with a pat on her chest that she would fight this lawsuit with all her might. Yao Jia recorded her, saying, “Listen to this a hundred times when you sober up. Don’t be afraid or waver.”

Taking advantage of a moment when no one was watching, Meng Xingzhe nudged Yao Jia’s arm.

Yao Jia snapped, “Why are you nudging me?”

Meng Xingzhe frowned. “Don’t use inappropriate words.” Then he said, “Lend me some money.”

Yao Jia was puzzled. “?”

Meng Xingzhe, impatient, said, “I’ll pay you back with interest!”

Yao Jia handed him two hundred and fifty.

Meng Xingzhe was annoyed. “Not for taking a girl out to eat!”

Irritated, Yao Jia emptied the rest of her wallet into his hands.

Meng Xingzhe casually tossed the money onto the pile for the lawyer’s fees, acting as if nothing had happened.

But everyone was watching him.

“What are you looking at? Keep looking, and I’ll charge you!”

Everyone burst into laughter, raising their glasses to drink.

The night was filled with the warmth of hotpot steam, the burn of alcohol, and the comfort of camaraderie.

Yao Jia smiled, thinking that Meng Xingzhe was truly awkward. He clearly wanted to change and become someone who helps others, yet he acted like he was doing something wrong, sneaking around.

But in the end, he was slowly changing, no longer walking blindly down a dark path, becoming the kind of indifferent person he despised.

******

That night, Ling Xiaoxin stayed in Yao Jia’s room, while Bei Luonan insisted on squeezing in with Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Xingzhe refused to give up even an inch of the bed, leaving Bei Luonan with the choice to either leave or sleep on the floor.

In the end, Bei Luonan shamelessly settled into the massage chair, sprawling out comfortably and refusing to budge. He seemed quite satisfied. “I’m fine sleeping here!”

Meng Xingzhe scoffed at him. “You’re interested in that shy little bunny who blushes for three years after saying a single word, aren’t you? Planning to leave with her in the morning?”

Bei Luonan looked shocked. “Is it that obvious?”

“…” Anyone who couldn’t see it must be blind.

Unwilling to back down, Bei Luonan retorted, “I think you’ve changed a bit recently. You’ve even learned to help others. Is it because of that rebellious Yao Jia?”

Meng Xingzhe immediately shot back, “No way, she has a boyfriend.”

Bei Luonan was taken aback. “I didn’t ask if you liked her. Why are you so quick to point out she has a boyfriend?”

Then he paused again. “So you do like her?!”

Bei Luonan’s question prompted an immediate denial from Meng Xingzhe.

“Who likes her? Stop talking nonsense! She’s looking for a tall, rich, and handsome guy, and she’s already found one. I only want a rich and beautiful woman, a top-tier one!”

Feeling that his denial wasn’t strong enough, Meng Xingzhe sat up on the bed, emphasizing forcefully, “How could I possibly like a girl like her? Think about it, what part of her meets my standards for a partner?”

—Is she a refined girl? No, she’s rough, drinks like a buddy, even men can’t compare.

—Does she have a wealthy family? No, she might barely be middle class, even stingy about the electricity for a desk lamp. Borrowing money from her requires negotiating a ton of repayment terms, it’s exhausting.

—Is she good-tempered? Absolutely not! It’s like she has an automatic contrarian machine inside her. If she doesn’t argue with me for a day, her body’s functions must be malfunctioning.

—Is she good-looking? …Okay, she’s fairly good-looking. But what good is just being good-looking? I’m good-looking enough myself; can’t I just look in the mirror if I want to see something nice?!

Meng Xingzhe’s mind was a tumultuous sea of thoughts, convincing himself he would never like Yao Jia.

After finishing his mental argument, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Yes, he would never like Yao Jia. She’s just not his type!

He lay back down on the bed and suddenly asked Bei Luonan, “When Four Dot Technology releases their new product, is there a chance they’ll surpass us?”

Bei Luonan thought for a moment. “It’s hard to say. If we only rely on our small home appliance production line to compete with their phones, we might be surpassed. But if we add our Smart Communication Chip technology line, it won’t be easy for them to surpass us.”

Hearing this, Meng Xingzhe got out of bed.

Bei Luonan: “???”

He watched in confusion as Meng Xingzhe sat at the desk and turned on the computer.

“Are you crazy? What are you doing in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”

Meng Xingzhe seemed completely sober. “My competitive spirit won’t let me sleep. I want to be the unrivaled entrepreneur. I want Xingbei Technology to be above Four Dot Technology! You go ahead and sleep; I’ll write a few more lines of code.”

“???” Bei Luonan was so bewildered he almost fainted. “No, why are we competing with Four Dot Technology? They make phones. Isn’t our real competitor supposed to be Kunyu Electric?”

After a pause, he added, “You’re not doing this because Yue Xuran is Yao Jia’s boyfriend and you’re jealous, are you?”

With a bang, Meng Xingzhe slammed his laptop shut.

He lay back down on the bed and declared loudly, “That’s impossible. Sleep.”

If Xiao Tiantian got a girlfriend, and if her company was called Four Dot Technology and had the potential to surpass Xingbei Technology, he would be just as competitive. Does that mean he likes Xiao Tiantian? How could that be? Why would a straight guy like another straight guy?

This only shows that he can’t stand people around him or people related to those around him being better than him. That’s called competitiveness!

It’s definitely not jealousy.

Meng Xingzhe explained his reasoning to Bei Luonan in a clear and firm manner.

“…” Bei Luonan was left with a headache from all the getting up and down and the barrage of logic.

“You’ve been polishing your skills at the customer service position for a month, how are you still so restless?” Bei Luonan voiced his inner confusion.

******

On Monday morning, when Yao Jia went to work, she received a notice from the finance department. They said she needed to provide an additional signature for the bonus she received for saving someone over the phone last time.

During her morning break, Yao Jia took the elevator to the finance office. The finance office was on the same floor as the executives’ offices. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she sensed a different atmosphere. Normally, this floor had a solemn and serious vibe, but today it seemed even more cautious and formal.

Just as she was thinking about it, a group of people emerged from the Chairman’s office down the hallway, all dressed in suits, exuding a sense of social elite.

Yao Jia quickly stepped into the finance office.

The person who called her in to sign was a junior leader in the finance department named Chen Luoxi. She was in her early thirties, a single mother who, it was said, had a tough time. After her divorce, she raised her child alone and lived in the employee dormitory across from Yao Jia’s.

Chen Luoxi greeted Yao Jia and had her complete the signature. Smiling, she said, “That’s all.”

Yao Jia put down the pen but didn’t move.

So Chen Luoxi added, “It’s all set, Yao Jia. You can go about your business now.”

Yao Jia scratched her head and pointed towards the door. “It seems like the leaders are about to pass through here. I think I’ll wait until they leave before I head out.”

Chen Luoxi immediately understood. “Oh right, someone is visiting Kunyu today for a tour and to discuss cooperation. How about I find you a chair so you can sit here for a bit?”

Yao Jia quickly declined, saying there was no need, and told Chen to go about her business.

A series of footsteps echoed from the doorway, each step exuding an aura of professionalism.

As the footsteps faded away, Yao Jia and Chen Luoxi exchanged farewells, and Yao Jia left the finance office.

When she returned to the call center, it wasn’t yet time to start work. Hao Lidan and Hou Wenwen were sitting at their desks, gossiping in a race against time.

“I heard from a friend in another department that the big shot Wen Zhihe is visiting Kunyu Electric today. Not sure what he’s here for, but apparently our Chairman is personally hosting him,” Hao Lidan said.

Yao Jia thought, no wonder the atmosphere on the executive floor felt different; a big shot was coming. She also thought about how well-informed Hao Lidan was, her network in the building was extensive. If she were transported back decades to work in intelligence, she’d surely be a rare talent.

“What else could it be,” Hou Wenwen chimed in after Hao Lidan, “it’s either cooperation or confrontation. If Wen Zhihe and our President Yao hit it off and have a good talk, then it’s cooperation. If they don’t see eye to eye and things go south, then it’s confrontation.”

Yao Jia thought that while this sounded like a cliché, it actually made sense when you thought about it. She just couldn’t imagine what it would look like if Yao Bingkun and someone else hit it off… But if you said they were having a heated argument, she could instantly picture it in vivid detail.

At that moment, Meng Xingzhe returned and sat down at his desk.

Yao Jia turned and asked him, “Do you know who Wen Zhihe is?”

Meng Xingzhe turned to look at her, frowning and raising his eyebrows, looking a bit displeased.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to know who Wen Zhihe was, but wasn’t keen on talking about him.

Yao Jia teased him, “If you don’t know, just say so. I won’t laugh at you for being uncultured.”

Meng Xingzhe immediately retorted, “If you knew, you wouldn’t be asking me. Since you don’t know either, how can you laugh at me?”

After a pause, he added, “Wen Zhihe is quite capable. He’s involved in both industry and finance. He’s not very old—of course, a lot older than me, almost thirty, maybe twenty-eight? Something like that—but he’s amassed quite a bit of wealth. He seems gentle but is said to be ruthless. The hottest e-commerce site right now, Heyi.com, is his creation.”

Yao Jia was unimpressed by the personal bias in Meng Xingzhe’s words and made a pointed correction. “Brother, you’re twenty-six. According to rounding, you’re practically thirty yourself, so you’re not that much younger than Wen Zhihe.”

Meng Xingzhe glared at her furiously. “With a brat like you, if I answer your questions again, I must be crazy.”

As the workday began, Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe turned to face forward, put on their headsets, and prepared to take calls.

The first two calls were relatively easy to handle, and Yao Jia efficiently resolved the customers’ issues.

However, the third call posed a challenge for Yao Jia.

The caller was a woman who said to Yao Jia over the phone, “I bought a Kunyu brand air conditioner from Heyi.com’s Kunyu Electric store. When I placed the order, there was an option for a paid installation service, which I selected along with the air conditioner. Later, when I received the air conditioner, Heyi.com contacted me to arrange for a technician to come and install it. The technician had a slight limp, and watching him climb the ladder was quite nerve-wracking.

“But later, when I talked to others, I found out that your air conditioners come with free installation after purchase, right? So I want to understand why I was charged for this installation.”

Yao Jia quickly looked up the customer’s purchase records using the information provided. The air conditioner was indeed purchased from Heyi.com’s store, and the customer had indeed bought an additional installation service.

Yao Jia reviewed the details of the service and understood the situation.

“Ma’am, here’s the situation: when you purchase a product from Kunyu Electric, after receiving it, you can call our customer service hotline, and we’ll arrange for free installation within forty-eight hours. The installation service you purchased is Heyi.com’s service and is not related to Kunyu Electric. So, when buying the product, you can ignore that option and just order the air conditioner. We will install it for free.”

The customer became a bit upset. “If there’s no need to purchase extra, why don’t you make it clearer? Why put the paid installation option there to mislead customers?”

Yao Jia patiently explained, “Ma’am, if you look carefully at the product details page, there is a notice about the free installation.”

The customer wasn’t satisfied with this explanation. “You put the notice so far back, and it’s not prominent. Who would see that? Now, I’ve spent unnecessary money on installation. What should I do?”

Yao Jia patiently suggested that she could try calling Heyi.com’s customer service to negotiate a refund for the installation fee.

As soon as the customer heard the suggestion, they began to vent furiously: “Buying these so-called big brand products nowadays offers no guarantee at all! It’s fine if nothing goes wrong, but once something does, everyone just passes the buck. No one steps up to take responsibility! Oh, I’m already the victim here, having wasted my money, and now I have to run around myself trying to get answers. You and Heyi.com are both hiding like turtles in their shells. One tells me to contact the other’s customer service, and vice versa. What exactly is your customer service for? Is it just set up to shirk responsibility?”

Yao Jia rubbed her temples, silently reminding herself not to get anxious or angry while listening to the call.

This was clearly Heyi.com’s fault, so why should Kunyu Electric take the blame? She felt she was about to lose her patience, the urge to argue and shake off this undeserved burden for Kunyu was building explosively inside her.

A hand rested on her shoulder. The warmth from the palm seeped through her shirt, bringing a calming reassurance.

Yao Jia turned her head and saw Lin Qian.

Lin Qian whispered to her, “Let me handle this.”

— Translator’s Notes —

– purchasing a house under someone else’s name: In China, this refers to a common practice where property is registered in a relative’s or friend’s name to bypass purchase restrictions (e.g., limits on multiple properties or local residency rules), but the actual buyer funds it, often leading to ownership disputes when relationships sour.

– P2P: P2P (peer-to-peer) lending platforms were popular online investment schemes in China during the 2010s, promising high returns by connecting lenders directly with borrowers, but many collapsed as Ponzi schemes, causing widespread financial losses.