Chapter 41: Heart Racing

Meng Xingzhe, with his long strides, covered the distance of one and a half of Yao Jia’s steps with each of his own.

Watching the tall figure swaying ahead, Yao Jia couldn’t explain why she felt an urge to kick him. Some people in this world simply inspire a desire to hit them without any reason.

Once inside the supermarket, Meng Xingzhe had no idea what to buy. He hadn’t planned on purchasing anything—besides, even if he wanted to, he had no money.

He couldn’t even muster the energy to lament how his life had fallen into such a pit. All he hoped for was that time would pass quickly, so he could return to his true form and use his Domineering CEO persona to intimidate Yao Jia, who constantly challenged him with her irreverence.

Yao Jia ignored Meng Xingzhe, who leaned lazily against the wall inside the supermarket, and couldn’t be bothered to tell him that the shelves next to him were lined with rows of Okamoto products, as if he were their unwitting spokesperson.

She pushed her cart through the aisles, selecting snacks that children could eat and enjoy.

When she reached a shelf, she spotted some milk candies on the top row. Stretching her arm to grab two bags, she underestimated the shelf’s height and couldn’t reach them.

She stood on tiptoe and tried again. Still out of reach. Yao Jia felt annoyed by the shelf’s height. Did it expect her to bring a ladder every time she shopped?

Refusing to give up, she tried again. Still no luck. Finally, she jumped, managing to touch the edge of the bags, but instead of pulling them down, she pushed them further back.

“…”

Yao Jia looked up at the milk candies, mentally cursing the shelf.

Suddenly, an arm appeared in her view.

The arm was clad in a shirt, revealing a wrist that was well-proportioned and fair-skinned. The fingers were long and clean, the nails neatly trimmed. The hand and wrist were so aesthetically pleasing that they stirred something in her. Yao Jia watched as the hand picked up a bag of milk candies and waved it at her.

Snapping back to reality, she reached out to take it, thanking the person.

But the hand waved the candies again before placing them back on the shelf, pushing them even further in.

“…………”

Yao Jia realized whose hand it was!

Taking a deep breath, she turned around, ready to scold the owner of the hand.

But as she turned, she froze.

She was backed against the shelf, and Meng Xingzhe was very close. Seeing her turn, he deliberately stretched his arms, trapping her between him and the shelf.

She found herself surrounded by him. He had her pinned between him and the shelf.

She looked up at him, seeing the mischievous smile on his lips.

With a hint of mischief in his voice, he looked down at her, raised an eyebrow, and said in a magnetic tone, “Yao Xiaojia, I don’t mind you challenging me every day. Call me ‘brother’ respectfully, and I’ll help you get the candies!”

Yao Jia looked at Meng Xingzhe, and for some reason, her heart started to race.

Steeling herself, she stood on tiptoe, moving even closer to him. “What if I don’t?”

Meng Xingzhe’s mischievous smile faltered for a moment. The faint scent of jasmine filled his senses—it was her scent.

His heart started pounding.

He released the shelf, muttering a silent curse to himself.

He turned to leave. After taking two steps, he suddenly turned back, grabbed two bags of milk candies, tossed them into Yao Jia’s hands, and continued walking away. His movements were exaggerated, and he seemed annoyed.

He walked all the way to the supermarket entrance before his heartbeat finally calmed down.

He wondered if this was karma for trying to flirt maliciously.

He had intended to tease her, but ended up being the one teased.

******

Yao Jia let out a long breath, patting her chest to calm her racing heart. She thought, good, she hadn’t lost.

She pushed her cart to the checkout.

After paying, she didn’t expect Meng Xingzhe to still be there. Judging by his earlier annoyed demeanor, she assumed he would have already headed back to the dormitory.

But as she walked past the entrance with her bags, a ghostly voice sounded in her ear.

“Hey, there’s still a living person here.”

Yao Jia stopped and turned, surprised to see Meng Xingzhe still there.

“Why are you still here?” she blurted out.

“…”

Meng Xingzhe turned and walked away.

Yao Jia figured he was having one of his moody episodes again. She didn’t bother calling after him.

Carrying two large plastic bags, both heavy and weighing down her arms as if they were being pulled to the center of the earth, every step she took made the bags rustle, irritating Meng Xingzhe as he walked ahead.

He suddenly stopped and turned around.

Yao Jia, just a few steps behind, stopped as well when she saw him turn.

He walked over to her.

“Your shoelace is untied,” Meng Xingzhe said irritably.

With that, he impatiently grabbed the two bags from her hands.

“Tie your shoelace.”

Yao Jia looked down at her feet. Her shoelace was not untied.

“…” She wondered how this moody guy hadn’t driven himself crazy. If he wanted to help carry the bags, he could have just said so instead of making up an excuse.

“Damn, these are heavy! How old are you, still buying so many snacks?” Meng Xingzhe grumbled. “If there were an award for wastefulness, you snack-loving girls would all win first place.”

Yao Jia retorted, “I’m not buying them for myself. If there were an award for wastefulness, with you, King of Extravagance, around, how could we girls dare to compete? You’d sweep the gold, silver, and bronze awards all by yourself.”

Meng Xingzhe had to admit, he was impressed by Yao Jia’s ability to argue with him. Once he regained his true form, he was determined to recruit her to Xingbei Technology, not for any other reason than to use his authority as her boss to keep her in line.

“If you didn’t buy it for yourself, then who did you buy it for?” Meng Xingzhe asked casually.

Yao Jia answered just as casually, “For Shanshan.”

Meng Xingzhe commented directly, “The kid has a mom, a real one, so why are you acting like you’re obligated to bring snacks?”

Yao Jia turned her head to give him a sidelong glance, her lips moving as she spoke.

The evening breeze gently blew, brushing a few strands of Yao Jia’s hair against her cheek. The sunset cast a warm glow on her face as she raised her hand to smooth her hair, casting a playful glance at Meng Xingzhe while she continued speaking.

Perhaps it was the enchanting light of the sunset that made the world seem so dreamlike; in that moment, Yao Jia appeared especially vibrant and lively. For a couple of seconds, it felt as if the world had gone silent. Meng Xingzhe’s grip on the bag tightened as he watched Yao Jia’s lips move, unable to hear what she was saying.

A car horn blared, abruptly bringing his hearing back. The world roared back to life in his senses.

“What were you just saying?” Meng Xingzhe quickly asked Yao Jia, not having had time to analyze his strange moment.

“What kind of ears do you have? Ones you picked up off the ground because no one else wanted them?” Yao Jia shook her head and sighed. “I was saying that even though Sister Chen is Shanshan’s mom and they should be the closest people in the world, sometimes parents overlook what their children really need.” She sighed again. “Forget it, you don’t have a child’s heart. No, you don’t have a heart at all. You wouldn’t understand.”

“…” Meng Xingzhe indeed didn’t quite understand.

“You’re so caring and love to entertain kids, why don’t you become a kindergarten teacher?” Meng Xingzhe couldn’t help but add sarcastically.

Yao Jia replied with the same line, “You don’t understand.” After a pause, she added, “Because you haven’t experienced it.”

******

After dinner at home, Yao Jia went to knock on the door across the hall.

Lu Fangfei answered, and Yao Jia asked to see Chen Luoxi. Lu Fangfei led her to Chen Luoxi’s room.

Chen Luoxi was overwhelmed, trying to work overtime on reports while also keeping Shanshan from causing trouble.

Seeing Yao Jia, Shanshan immediately ran over, his little legs moving quickly.

He hugged Yao Jia’s leg and called her “sister” in a sweet voice.

Yao Jia’s heart melted, and she asked Chen Luoxi, “Sister Chen, can I take Shanshan to play for a while?”

Chen Luoxi’s face immediately showed relief. “Oh, I feel so bad! But if you could help me by taking him for a bit, that would be a huge help! He’s been acting up these past few days, refusing to bathe or sleep at night, and not wanting to go to kindergarten in the morning. I have all these accounts to finish, and I’m at my wit’s end!”

Yao Jia assured her it was no problem and took Shanshan back to her own dorm across the hall.

Yao Jia placed two large bags of snacks on the coffee table in the living room, letting little Shanshan choose whatever he wanted.

Shanshan was delighted, his smile as bright as a little flower bun.

Tian Huasheng abandoned his yoga practice to join them on the sofa, helping Shanshan open the snack packages. Shanshan laughed continuously, a stark contrast to the tearful, tantrum-throwing child from the morning.

The living room was filled with the sound of Shanshan’s happy giggles. Even Meng Xingzhe, who had been working on his programming, was drawn out by the cheerful sounds.

The little guy had drooled all over his shoulder earlier, so Meng Xingzhe thought he might as well scold him a bit to vent his frustration.

But as soon as he entered the living room and heard the little guy call him “brother” instead of “uncle,” he decided to let it go. This kid knew how to play his cards right.

Yao Jia instructed Shanshan to only eat a little of each snack, making sure not to overindulge.

Then she suggested, “Shanshan, how about we play a game with your brother and sister?”

Shanshan nodded enthusiastically, “Okay!”

Tong Yumo emerged from her room, drawn by the lively atmosphere, and casually rummaged through the snack bags. “Wow, so many snacks!” she exclaimed, picking up a bag of milk candies, opening it, and starting to eat. “Don’t just stare at me, aren’t we playing a game? Count me in!”

Yao Jia couldn’t be bothered to argue over a bag of milk candies. It was beneath her to fuss over someone who even mooched off kids’ snacks.

Turning back to Shanshan, she said, “Shanshan, you can be the kindergarten teacher, and we’ll be the kids. Let’s play house, okay?”

Shanshan puffed out his chest, “Okay!”

Yao Jia instructed Tian Huasheng and Meng Xingzhe, and by extension, Tong Yumo, “Alright, everyone, play along and act like kids.”

Tian Huasheng rubbed his hands together, eager to join in.

Tong Yumo blinked her eyes, instantly adopting a childlike innocence. Yao Jia had to admit, her acting was impressive.

Meng Xingzhe’s face darkened. “I’m out.”

As he tried to leave, Yao Jia stretched out her leg to block him, then pulled his arm, forcing him to crouch down.

“?! Are you a girl?” Meng Xingzhe was shocked. “With strength like that, if she ever decides to abuse her boyfriend, there’s no way he could escape.” His thoughts wandered freely, and he couldn’t help but think that maybe not escaping wouldn’t be so bad. If she hit Yue Xuran, so be it.

Yao Jia pulled Meng Xingzhe and Tian Huasheng down to squat in a row, while Tong Yumo sat on the sofa next to them. Tian Huasheng pinched his voice, calling Shanshan “teacher.”

He really managed to mimic a little girl’s voice. Meng Xingzhe shivered so much it felt like his bones were about to fall apart.

Suddenly, Shanshan walked over and slapped Meng Xingzhe on the head. With a childish tone, mimicking someone else’s voice, he said, “That’s what you get for being disobedient, go stand at the door as punishment!”

Then he moved to Tian Huasheng, twisted his ear, and said, “That’s what you get for not taking a nap, stand on the bed as punishment!”

He approached Yao Jia, gave her a push, and said, “Disobedient, disobedient, punishment!”

Finally, he went to Tong Yumo and kicked her, saying, “Punishment!”

Tong Yumo immediately complained, “Oh my, how can you be so rude, little one? We’re all playing with you out of kindness, and here you are, hitting everyone! You’re really not likable, I’m not playing with you anymore!”

With that, she took a bag of milk candies and went back to her room.

Tian Huasheng and Meng Xingzhe frowned.

“Shanshan is so violent!” Tian Huasheng remarked in amazement.

Yao Jia didn’t respond to them. Her expression turned serious as she sat on the sofa and pulled Shanshan close to her, asking softly, “Shanshan, is your kindergarten teacher usually like what you just acted out?”

Shanshan nodded.

Yao Jia hugged Shanshan tightly with a pained expression.

Holding Shanshan, she looked at Meng Xingzhe and Tian Huasheng behind him, “Now you understand why Shanshan doesn’t want to go to kindergarten, right?”

Because the kindergarten teacher hits the children.

The children are too young to articulate clearly or explain the situation. All they can do is cry and refuse to go to kindergarten. Chen Luoxi, always busy and overwhelmed, never had the time to understand the real reason, dismissing it as childish tantrums.

But through this role-playing, everything became clear without needing many words.

At this moment, Chen Luoxi came over from next door, saying she was here to take Shanshan home for a bath and sleep. Seeing that Yao Jia had bought a lot of treats for Shanshan, she was deeply moved.

Yao Jia asked Tian Huasheng to take Shanshan back to the room to play for a while, as she wanted to talk to Chen Luoxi. She thought Meng Xingzhe would find it boring and leave, but to her surprise, he sat down on the living room sofa. He casually turned on the TV to the finance channel but muted it, pretending he stayed to watch silent news.

Yao Jia ignored him and recounted the game they played in the living room to Chen Luoxi.

After listening, Chen Luoxi was first shocked, then her eyes reddened with guilt. She hit her head, blaming herself for being such a careless mother, not realizing what was happening to her child, and even scolding him for being disobedient.

Chen Luoxi cried and blamed herself, hitting her head.

Yao Jia quickly stopped her, comforting her by saying it wasn’t entirely her fault, as being a single mother with a job and a child was incredibly stressful.

Chen Luoxi gradually calmed down. After all, she was a small leader in the finance department of a large company. Despite her panic and guilt, she managed to regain her composure and think rationally about the situation.

“I’ll take a day off tomorrow to go to the kindergarten, check the surveillance footage, and demand an explanation from the principal,” Chen Luoxi said.

Yao Jia thought for a moment and said, “I don’t think Shanshan’s teacher would be so foolish. She’d probably avoid the cameras when acting out. If you directly request the footage, it might alert them.”

She offered Chen Luoxi a suggestion, “To find out if the kindergarten teacher is hitting the children, you can use this.”

She took out her phone, opened Heyi.com, and searched for “button recording locator,” telling Chen Luoxi, “Sister Chen, this looks like a button, but it’s actually a GPS tracker. It can record audio and transmit real-time conversations. Buy one of these, attach it to Shanshan’s clothes, and you can record his entire day at kindergarten.”

Without hesitation, Chen Luoxi placed an order.

After Chen Luoxi left with Shanshan, Meng Xingzhe, who had been focused on the TV, asked Yao Jia, “How did you know about this device?”

Yao Jia replied, “I was browsing a tech enthusiast forum my boyfriend and his friends run, and someone shared this as a practical and easy-to-use gadget.”

Meng Xingzhe turned off the TV with a snap and went back to his room.

How amusing, she even made a point to mention her boyfriend.

******

The next day, the button arrived, and Chen Luoxi attached it to Shanshan’s clothes. On the third day, after Shanshan came home from school, Chen Luoxi brought the recording to Yao Jia next door. Her hands were shaking as she spoke, “The kindergarten teacher really scolds and hits the children! Just thinking about Shanshan being subjected to this makes my heart ache like it’s being cut with a knife! I’m going to the kindergarten to confront the principal tomorrow!”

The aftermath of this incident caused quite a stir, even attracting media attention.

This kindergarten is quite famous locally, known for its high fees and its claim that all teachers are rigorously selected and highly qualified.

Later, after finishing dinner and putting Shanshan to bed, Chen Luoxi hurried over to discuss the aftermath with Yao Jia.

Tian Huasheng and Meng Xingzhe sat in the living room listening in. Tian Huasheng was focused, while Meng Xingzhe looked as if he were watching muted financial news.

Chen Luoxi told Yao Jia that she went to the kindergarten to speak with the principal about teachers hitting and scolding children.

Initially, the principal denied it, and the accused teacher cried in grievance. Other parents picking up their children even criticized Chen Luoxi, accusing her of stirring up trouble and claiming the teacher was fine, telling her not to find fault. They sarcastically suggested that perhaps her unhappy marriage was causing her paranoia.

Yao Jia was deeply moved upon hearing this. She couldn’t understand why some people derive pleasure and a sense of superiority from hurting others.

Then, Chen Luoxi played a recording.

“Guess what happened next?” Chen Luoxi said to Yao Jia. “In the recording, not only did the teacher hit and scold Shanshan, but it also captured her doing the same to the child of the parent who criticized me. That woman, who had been blaming me moments before, changed her tune after hearing the recording. She rushed up, grabbed the teacher’s hair, and started hitting and cursing her. It wasn’t until someone called the police that they were separated. Now that teacher has been taken by the police for investigation. It’s said that she was hired due to some connection, without proper qualifications. But with media involvement, the issue has become transparent, and regardless of her connections, she can’t escape the consequences.”

Chen Luoxi also told Yao Jia, “Later, the parents elected me as their representative to negotiate with the principal. First, they need to address what happened. Second, future hires must be qualified. Third, we hope those interacting with children can have a heart, not just think about money and exploiting parents through their kids. Aren’t children the future of our country? Destroying them for profit is a crime, isn’t it?”

Yao Jia found this immensely satisfying.

Tian Huasheng couldn’t help but cheer from the side.

Meng Xingzhe remained silent, but he was so absorbed that he forgot to drink from his cup for quite a while.

Chen Luoxi continued, “I then recommended this recording and tracking button to other parents, and they all ordered it. Even the mother who initially spoke harshly to me—the one who hit the teacher—apologized to me.”

At this point, Chen Luoxi held Yao Jia’s hand, her face full of gratitude. “Yao Jia, I really have to thank you! If it weren’t for you, our Shanshan might have suffered not just physically, but also mentally! Physical wounds heal easily, but psychological scars last a lifetime! Yao Jia, I truly thank you! If you ever need help, just let me know!”

Yao Jia quickly told her not to mention it, but Chen Luoxi expressed her gratitude profusely before returning to her home.

Tian Huasheng gave Yao Jia a thumbs-up. “Jia, you’re amazing! Your kindness is truly inspiring. You’re my idol!”

Meng Xingzhe didn’t join in with the thumbs-up, but his gaze at Yao Jia became deeper than before.

As night fell, Tian Huasheng went to the bathroom to wash up.

Just as Yao Jia was about to return to her room, Meng Xingzhe called out to her.

“Hey, Yao Xiaojia,” Meng Xingzhe said, stopping her. “How did you figure out from the start that Shanshan was being hit at kindergarten?”

Yao Jia looked at Meng Xingzhe and smiled.

“You wouldn’t understand,” she said. “You haven’t experienced it yourself, so you don’t know. When I was young, I had a teacher who was very harsh with me, often scolding me, which made me dread going to kindergarten. I would cry and fuss every day before going. I was too young to articulate what was happening, and my parents were busy—one with work, the other with taking care of my sister—so they didn’t have time to figure out what was going on with me. They just thought I didn’t like kindergarten because I was too naughty and stubborn.”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow. “And then your parents used the same game method, letting you play the role of the kindergarten teacher, and solved the mystery?”

Yao Jia laughed, but it was a laugh that couldn’t bring joy, only a strange sense of pity.

“No, they didn’t,” Yao Jia said. “They never discovered what I went through at kindergarten. They sternly criticized me and then sent me back to school.”

It was an expensive private kindergarten, claiming to be the best in everything. Her parents thought she was ungrateful, not satisfied with the best. It was her grandfather who felt sorry for her and suggested trying another kindergarten. Only then did her dark childhood of crying every day before school end.

What Chen Luoxi said earlier moved her deeply—physical wounds heal easily, but psychological scars last a lifetime.

The fear of being unjustly punished by a teacher and the frustration of her parents not investigating and just thinking she was being difficult have indeed stayed with her.

Whenever she recalls those times, she can’t help but feel sadness, helplessness, and anger.

So when she realized Shanshan was going through the same thing she did as a child, she couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

She didn’t want Shanshan to grow up feeling the way she did.

“Now you understand why I always said you didn’t get it, right? Because you haven’t experienced it firsthand, but I have.” Yao Jia spoke these words with a lighthearted tone. Yet she knew that behind this facade lay a scar on her soul, one that might never fade, only be gently eased over time.

Meng Xingzhe watched her intently, his gaze deepening just as it had moments before.

“What kind of family did you grow up in?” He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was like an unloved child, as if the sister she mentioned was the real daughter and she was the one picked up from elsewhere.

Yao Jia rolled her eyes at him, about to respond when her phone rang.

Meng Xingzhe glanced at the caller ID, which displayed the name Yue Xuran.

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

Yao Jia answered the call. Yue Xuran’s voice faintly emerged from the phone’s speaker.

Meng Xingzhe recalled Yao Jia boasting about using the first model produced by Yue Xuran’s company. Silently, he criticized the phone’s poor quality, as it leaked sound like a loudspeaker, while he strained to catch every word.

It seemed Yue Xuran wanted to meet Yao Jia and give her something…

Yao Jia listened as Yue Xuran said, “The money you gave me earlier, I’ll convert it into shares for you. Let’s meet up later, and I’ll bring the documents for you to sign and seal.”

Initially, Yao Jia insisted it wasn’t necessary, suggesting they treat it as a loan.

But Yue Xuran replied, “You’d be missing out on a golden opportunity. You know, once our product hits the market, Four Dot Technology will soar. As a shareholder, your worth will skyrocket, and the more shares you hold now, the greater your future value.”

Yao Jia burst into laughter. As she laughed, she glanced over to see Meng Xingzhe, who, despite his nonchalant expression, had ears perked up like antennas.

Fearing her investment in Four Dot Technology might be exposed, she quickly got up and headed to her room to continue the call in private. Once the door was closed, she told Yue Xuran, “Alright, I’ll follow your advice. Convert it into shares for me!”

Meng Xingzhe watched as Yao Jia retreated into her room, chatting and laughing with her boyfriend, closing the door and separating him from her world.

He patted his chest, feeling an inexplicable heaviness.

He recalled her laughter before she answered the phone.

He thought, even though she laughed so heartily just now, there was a part of her heart that bore an indelible wound.

Just like him.

— Translator’s Notes —

– Okamoto products: Okamoto is a popular Japanese brand of condoms, adding a humorous undertone to Meng Xingzhe unwittingly posing near them.