Chapter 48: Truly a Good Girl

During dinner, Yao Jia continued to ignore Meng Xingzhe.

After dinner, Hao Lidan came knocking at the door, bringing a bag of fruit and a small packet of cooked food. She wanted to thank Yao Jia and the others for their help. She mentioned that Little Lawyer Ling, whom they introduced to her, was efficient and responsible. She added that once Little Lawyer Ling finished preparing the materials, they could proceed to file the case in court.

At that moment, Tong Yumo emerged from her room. Seeing Hao Lidan, she was visibly surprised and even a bit delighted. She sweetly called out, “Sister Lidan!”

However, her expression quickly turned awkward as she said, “My place is still quite messy, not suitable for living. I’m just here to grab a couple of clothes and then I’ll head back home!”

With that, she casually picked up a couple of outfits, said her goodbyes, and left.

Hao Lidan shook her head and said to Yao Jia, “I must be blind, can’t judge men or women right. You only see a person’s true colors in times of need. No matter how friendly they seem in words, when trouble comes, they hide away. She’s afraid I might ask to stay with her. And to think I was so good to her before.”

She smiled and said, “Forget it, let’s not talk about her. I’ve learned my lesson about people.” Skipping over the topic of Tong Yumo, she regained her spirit and took Yao Jia’s hand, saying, “Little Lawyer Ling told me she’ll do her best to get the best outcome for my case. For instance, Xia Luo will face criminal charges for domestic violence, and he’ll have to bear the debts he borrowed from his hometown friends. Even if he transferred the assets, it won’t matter; he still has to return them to be divided as marital property. The best part is, the IOU he signed for a million is valid, and he has to pay it back!”

Hao Lidan was a different person from the lifeless figure she was the day before. Her eyes were filled with hope and anticipation. “I’m waiting for that day to come!”

Yao Jia shared her hope. “That’s great. We’ll wait to see that scumbag get what he deserves!”

Hao Lidan also told Yao Jia that she would be staying in the dorm across the street for the time being. Once the divorce was finalized, and the house sold, she planned to buy a new single apartment.

Yao Jia said, “Feel free to come over and visit us whenever you like.”

Hao Lidan agreed and then shyly asked if Tian Huasheng was available to help fix some pipes across the street and maybe move a mattress and wardrobe.

Tian Huasheng grabbed his toolbox, put on his shoes, and followed her out.

The house still smelled of fried fish from dinner, so Yao Jia left the door open to let the air circulate.

She brought the fruit and cooked food inside, placing the cooked food on the coffee table in the living room. She intended to wash the fruit in the kitchen but found Meng Xingzhe there, washing dishes as part of his debt repayment.

She paused outside the kitchen, deciding to wait for him to finish.

She was so angry that even sharing the same air with him felt infuriating.

She returned to the living room and sat on the sofa, fuming as she waited for Meng Xingzhe to finish washing the dishes so she could wash the fruit.

Suddenly, she heard a loud scream. The kind of scream that typically only a terrified girl would make, a sound of utter panic and fear.

Yao Jia had to take a moment to process the sound, realizing that the one who screamed was Meng Xingzhe.

???

Yao Jia

What on earth is he up to now?

She got up and rushed to the kitchen.

“Why are you screaming? You’re a grown man, why are you yelling like that?” she snapped at Meng Xingzhe.

As soon as Meng Xingzhe saw her, he clung to her arm like she was his lifeline, pulling her in front of him.

???

Yao Jia felt his grip on her arm was unusually strong, as if he was genuinely scared of something.

“What are you doing?” she asked, tilting her head to look at Meng Xingzhe hiding behind her.

Meng Xingzhe released one hand and pointed over her shoulder towards the countertop by the window.

Following his finger, Yao Jia saw nothing but a few ants crawling around.

As for why there were ants… she recalled the conversation between the elderly couple in the elevator that morning. They must have escaped from upstairs.

So… wait!

So Meng Xingzhe was terrified, hiding behind her like a scared little girl, because of these ants???

Meng Xingzhe, a man standing at 1.85 meters, afraid of ants? How is that possible? She couldn’t believe it.

She thought this must be Meng Xingzhe putting on an act, trying to use this fear to draw her in and reconcile with her through a pitiful display.

But it was too ridiculous. Who would believe a grown man would be afraid of ants??

“Meng Xingzhe, stop pretending! Let go and get out from behind me!” Yao Jia said angrily to Meng Xingzhe.

But Meng Xingzhe didn’t listen, staying behind her.

Yao Jia reached out and picked up an ant from the countertop, turning to Meng Xingzhe and asking, “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of this thing!”

As she turned, she saw Meng Xingzhe’s face was as pale as a sheet. Seeing the ant in her hand, he suddenly turned around, as if his soul had left his body, and stumbled out of the kitchen in a panic.

“…?”

Yao Jia was stunned.

It seemed he really was afraid of ants.

She remembered the sharp intake of breath in the elevator that morning when the old couple discussed their neighbor upstairs keeping ants.

…Could it have been Meng Xingzhe, inhaling sharply out of fear?

Yao Jia released the ant, thought for a moment, and walked out of the kitchen. As she turned her head, she saw Meng Xingzhe leaning against the wall outside, gasping for breath.

When he saw Yao Jia coming out, he instinctively flinched, as if afraid she might show him another ant.

“I don’t have anything in my hands,” Yao Jia said irritably. “Stop being so jumpy.”

Pausing, she looked at Meng Xingzhe and asked, “Are you really afraid of ants?”

Meng Xingzhe put on a proud facade, raising his chin. “Yeah.” As if being afraid of ants was something to be proud of.

After a moment, he added, “But you don’t need to ask why, because even if you do, I won’t tell you.”

Yao Jia felt an urge to go back into the kitchen, grab those ants, and shove them down Meng Xingzhe’s collar to torment him!

She looked at Meng Xingzhe, a tall man over six feet, wearing an apron. Leaning against the wall, his face was pale, with panic in his eyes from fear, yet he stubbornly maintained a facade of pride. He looked both ridiculous and pitiful, almost making one feel… sympathetic.

She took a step forward, glaring up at Meng Xingzhe fiercely.

Meng Xingzhe was pressed so tightly against the wall by her sudden approach that he felt he had never stood so straight before.

“Apologize for what happened yesterday,” Yao Jia demanded, her eyes fixed on him with a sinister tone. “Or I’ll catch all the ants and scare you to death!”

Meng Xingzhe’s mouth twitched. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Yao Jia snapped.

“…I’m sorry for saying you weren’t good enough for me,” Meng Xingzhe admitted.

“And what should you say?” Yao Jia leaned in even closer, her expression fierce. “Think carefully before you speak, or I’ll catch some ants to play with you!”

Meng Xingzhe felt like he was about to merge with the wall.

“I should say I’m not good enough for you…?” Meng Xingzhe tried to offer an answer.

“Which teacher taught you that apologies can be questions?” Yao Jia scolded.

“…Fine.” Meng Xingzhe took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I’m not good enough for you.” He tried to say it as if he were a machine devoid of emotion.

Yao Jia squinted at him for a while, making Meng Xingzhe hold his breath. Suddenly, she stepped back, her expression turning serious. “Meng Xingzhe, remember, what I said yesterday wasn’t out of anger. Even if I went mad, jumped off a building, I would never pair up with you. Our Bluetooth connections just don’t match. So please, don’t overthink things in the future. Thank you. And another thing…”

Yao Jia cut herself off. She almost blurted out—besides, I’m actually Yao Bingkun’s daughter, and making you apologize by saying you’re not good enough for me isn’t unjustified.

Meng Xingzhe finished her sentence for her: “Besides, you have a boyfriend, a remarkable man, a dragon among men. Got it, got it.” He sounded impatient by the end.

Yao Jia thought, well, he’s good at filling in the blanks.

She reached out her hand to Meng Xingzhe impatiently. “The apron.”

Meng Xingzhe silently exhaled, relaxing his spine from the wall, and handed the apron to Yao Jia.

Yao Jia gave him a sideways glance, tied the apron on, and returned to her room to get a bottle of insecticide before heading back to the kitchen.

She sprayed the areas where the ants had crawled, then called the property management to explain the situation. Halfway through her explanation, they said, “Several neighbors have already complained about the ant issue. Rest assured, tomorrow our management will personally visit the homeowner with an expert to ensure she understands that eating ant powder won’t make her smarter. We’ll resolve this matter tomorrow, so please don’t worry!”

Yao Jia hung up and turned to glare at Meng Xingzhe.

She almost burst out laughing. Meng Xingzhe was standing at the kitchen door, half-hidden, looking like a once-proud king now reduced to a pitiful figure.

“What are you hiding from? I’ve sprayed the ants to death, and the property management said they’ll resolve it tomorrow. Relax.”

She spoke with irritation. After speaking, she reached into the sink and began washing the unwashed dishes.

As she washed, she grumbled, “Let me tell you, Meng Xingzhe, I didn’t get rid of the ants because you’re afraid! I just can’t stand them!”

She paused, feeling the need to clarify further: “And I didn’t call the property management for you, let me tell you! I’m worried that if the problem isn’t solved, the ants will keep coming down, and you’ll keep playing the scaredy-cat with me, leaving no one to wash the dishes and pay off the debt!”

She paused again, feeling the need to add another point: “And I’m not washing the dishes because you were scared earlier, so don’t get any ideas. You don’t have that kind of influence! I just… I just felt like washing dishes!”

Yao Jia raised her voice, as if raising it would make her argument more convincing.

Meng Xingzhe clung to the doorframe, watching her bend over to wash the dishes, listening to her scold him. His heart suddenly felt a warm sensation, as if something warm was flowing through it.

He thought her stubbornness looked so familiar. Just like himself.

Yao Jia finished washing the dishes and walked into the living room. She saw Meng Xingzhe sitting on the sofa, rummaging through bags of fruit and snacks on the coffee table.

As Yao Jia walked over, she couldn’t help but comment, “I’ve never seen a grown man afraid of ants.”

Meng Xingzhe, rummaging through the bags, interrupted, “Do you want a pear or an apple? I can wash it for you.” His gesture of reconciliation was quite humble.

Yao Jia picked an apple and then asked, “Besides ants, is there anything else you’re afraid of?”

At this moment, Meng Xingzhe was no longer the same person who had shivered and screamed at the sight of ants in the kitchen. He boasted confidently, “Besides ants, your Brother Xing fears nothing.”

Yao Jia chuckled coldly, “If bragging could boost GDP, then with your mouth, the whole nation would be prosperous.”

Having just been rescued by her, Meng Xingzhe decided to let her have her way today and not argue back.

He went to the kitchen to wash the apple. Entering the kitchen, he looked around nervously, checking three times to make sure there were no ants on the counter before quickly washing the apple and darting back to the living room.

“Here.” He handed the apple to Yao Jia.

Just as Yao Jia was about to take a bite, she suddenly noticed a white blur flash by, and something fluffy brushed against her foot.

Looking closely, she saw a cute little white Bichon running in through the open door, hopping onto the coffee table, and eyeing the food with its tongue out, drooling.

Yao Jia couldn’t help but say, “Whose little dog is this? It’s adorable!”

“Isn’t it?” she turned to ask Meng Xingzhe.

As she turned, she was taken aback.

Meng Xingzhe had climbed onto the sofa, cowering beside her, looking as if he wished he could shrink from 185 centimeters to 185 millimeters.

“???” Yao Jia looked at him, noticing his pale face, and recalled what he had just said.

“Brother Xing, you fear nothing?”

“…” Meng Xingzhe, with a ghostly pale face, added a condition to his fearless claim, “…except for ants and dogs.”

“Could you… help me get it out?” he asked Yao Jia.

When Meng Xingzhe said this, his voice seemed a bit stiff.

She sighed, suddenly feeling like she was taking care of a godson with a fear as small as a pinhole.

She put down the apple, intending to pick up the dog, when someone came in through the door, apologizing as they entered.

Coincidentally, it was the same lady they had met in the elevator that morning.

The lady apologized while picking up the dog, saying to Yao Jia, “I’m sorry, this little thing has such a greedy mouth. It ran off as soon as it smelled the meat. I couldn’t catch up! I hope it didn’t cause you any trouble?”

Yao Jia quickly assured her it was no trouble and saw the lady and her dog out.

Worried that another neighbor’s dog might mischievously run in, she closed the door. As she did, she told herself that if another dog came in and scared Meng Xingzhe onto the sofa, it would be a minor issue if he got scared, but a major one if he damaged or dirtied the sofa. She was thinking about the sofa’s well-being.

Returning to the living room, Yao Jia saw that Meng Xingzhe had already gotten off the sofa.

She picked up the apple from the coffee table, planning to head back to her room, but as she reached the door, she heard Meng Xingzhe behind her say, “Um, thanks.”

“Heh.”

“And about my earlier apology,” Meng Xingzhe added from behind her, “I meant it.”

Yao Jia felt her anger dissipate.

But she still kept a straight face, snorted, and went into her room, closing the door.

******

That evening, Yao Jia ordered several books on human resources online and browsed some recruitment and HR company websites for research. She also downloaded a lot of HR-related materials to read.

She became engrossed in her reading and only turned off the computer to go to bed in the middle of the night.

Though she lay down, her mind remained active, thoughts and ideas jostling around. Amidst the chaos, she suddenly thought of Meng Xingzhe.

What kind of family did he grow up in? He had experienced relatives fighting over property and witnessed his cousin’s divorce. He was afraid of the dark, needing a lamp to sleep, and feared ants and dogs.

Could he have been tormented by relatives using ants and dogs in the dark?

Yao Jia turned over.

Sleepiness crept in.

Before drifting off, she vaguely thought: Right, that bastard still hasn’t returned my lamp.

Meng Xingzhe lay in bed, staring at the lamp he borrowed from Yao Jia. Her lamp was really quite ordinary. Though it had anti-glare features, its design was terribly ugly. His own Italian lamp had been fixed long ago. Yet, he seemed to have grown accustomed to using this broken lamp.

Thinking back, he realized the past month had been quite unsettling. It had changed him, making someone who once pursued material comforts start to appreciate inferior goods.

Looking at the lamp, he couldn’t help but think of its owner.

That girl, she was probably hurt by his words yesterday, but today, when she realized he was genuinely afraid of ants and dogs, she didn’t make a fuss. She sprayed insecticide, called the property management, and even washed the dishes for him, handling everything perfectly. All for him.

And when the dog rushed in, she noticed him crouching on the sofa. Despite her disdainful look, she turned to stand between him and the dog, subtly blocking the dog from getting to him.

Meng Xingzhe closed his eyes and sighed.

Ah.

What to do? The more he interacted with her, the more he found her to be quite remarkable.

******

The next day was an exciting one for Yao Jia, Meng Xingzhe, and their customer service team, the Three Poor Ghosts.

Today is payday!