Chapter 58: Not Coming Home Tonight

After work, Yao Jia took a taxi to a Western restaurant in the city center, where Yue Xuran had invited her for dinner.

Yao Jia initially offered to pay for the meal, but Yue Xuran firmly refused.

His reasoning was simple and logical: “You can treat next time.”

The restaurant had an elegant and quiet ambiance. The lighting was dim, creating a naturally intimate atmosphere, perfect for couples to exchange meaningful glances.

When Yao Jia arrived, Yue Xuran was already there.

He pulled out a chair for her and presented her with a bouquet of fiery red roses.

Yao Jia graciously thanked him and said, “Next time, don’t spend so much!”

She showed no trace of shyness or excitement at receiving flowers from a man. Yue Xuran smiled and shook his head slightly. This girl hadn’t realized her feelings yet.

But that was fine. It was better to take things slowly than for her to have already fallen for someone else.

He let Yao Jia order first.

After she finished, she asked Yue Xuran what he would like. Yue Xuran replied, “I’ll have the same as you.”

Yao Jia remarked, “You’re so easy to please. If it were Meng, the picky king from our dorm, he’d flip through the menu twice and complain, ‘What is all this? Can you even eat this?'”

As she mimicked Meng Xingzhe’s actions and tone perfectly, Yue Xuran couldn’t help but laugh.

They were seated by the window.

At a table across the aisle, Meng Xingzhe suddenly felt the urge to sneeze for no apparent reason.

To maintain his elegant demeanor, he held it back.

Sitting across from him was his blind date. He hadn’t expected that the “friend’s daughter” Old Meng introduced would turn out to be Tang Xin, a popular TV host.

He had just seen her at a new product launch hosted by Yue Xuran’s company, where she was the presenter.

The two of them engaged in a lackluster conversation. He wasn’t particularly interested, and surprisingly, she didn’t seem enthusiastic about him either.

After Yao Jia, Tang Xin was the second woman Meng Xingzhe encountered who wasn’t impressed by his looks or physique.

Not only was she uninterested, but Meng Xingzhe also noticed Tang Xin frequently glancing at a spot diagonally behind him.

Their food arrived.

Both of them ate and chatted without much enthusiasm.

Tang Xin tried to make conversation by asking, “I heard from my dad that your uncle used to be in business, and quite successfully?”

Meng Xingzhe paused, realizing that “uncle” referred to his father, Meng Yutang.

He found it both amusing and irritating that his father had actually gone through with his claim of being his uncle.

“Yes, it was quite big. But later, he felt the world was too filthy, so he and my… aunt returned to a simpler life.” Meng Xingzhe nearly bit his cheek saying “aunt.”

Tang Xin commented, “That’s nice. Nowadays, people are ambitious and restless. It’s rare to find someone as serene as your uncle.”

Meng Xingzhe nodded, expecting Tang Xin to probe further about his family. Like, what does your father do?

He planned to say his father was just like his uncle, so similar it was as if they were the same person—used to be in business, now retired, living in the same retirement home, and enjoying Latin dance with his wife.

But Tang Xin didn’t ask more. She just kept glancing sideways behind him.

Meng Xingzhe had a feeling—

“I don’t think you’re really here for a blind date.”

Tang Xin withdrew her gaze from behind him, startled, and quickly apologized, “Sorry, was it that obvious I was distracted?”

She put down her knife and fork, looking determined. “Mr. Meng, I’m really sorry. Let me be honest. I was pressured by my dad to come. He said his friend’s nephew was excellent and insisted I meet you. I refused several times because I already like someone.”

Tang Xin sighed, apologetic yet candid. “I confessed to him, but he turned me down, saying his heart was already taken. I found out from his assistant that he’d be here tonight with the girl he likes. My dad insisted I meet you, so I chose this place for our date.”

Once she started talking, she couldn’t stop. With a helpless and self-pitying smile, she continued, “I hoped the girl would be spoiled, pretentious, and overly dramatic, so I could justifiably pursue the man I like, claiming it was for his happiness. But unfortunately, she seems beautiful and genuine, and I can’t bring myself to dislike her.”

Meng Xingzhe finally understood.

It turned out they were both on this date with hearts already moved by others. That’s why they were so indifferent to each other.

He instinctively wanted to know what kind of man could captivate Tang Xin, making someone like him, who was often praised for his looks, feel invisible.

He turned his head slightly.

His gaze followed hers.

He saw Yao Jia and Yue Xuran sitting at a table by the window.

Yao Jia was animatedly flipping through the menu, mimicking something, saying something. Yue Xuran watched her with a doting smile.

His heart skipped a beat, filled with both bitterness and anger. It felt like his heart had grown a fist of fury, pounding everywhere.

Had he wronged Yue Xuran in a past life? Why was he being punished like this in this life, with the girl he liked and his blind date both preferring Yue Xuran?

---

During the latter half of the meal, Meng Xingzhe let go of his reservations with Tang Xin, sharing that he too had fallen for a girl. But unfortunately, she had a boyfriend, so he had to let her go.

He hoped to meet someone new through these blind dates, someone he could like even more, so he could move past his feelings for that girl.

Tang Xin listened, her expression one of shared suffering. This shared experience made her warmer towards him than before.

She asked Meng Xingzhe, “What kind of girl do you like?”

Meng Xingzhe smiled, not even sure himself what he felt.

“Not spoiled, not pretentious, not overly dramatic, beautiful and genuine.”

He gestured behind him. “Like the girl sitting across from the man you like.”

Tang Xin stared at him, shocked for a full ten seconds.

Then she said to Meng Xingzhe, “Is this too coincidental or too tragic?”

---

As they left the restaurant after dinner, Yao Jia glanced around and thought she recognized a familiar back at a nearby table.

That back looked just like Meng Xingzhe.

Looking past him, she saw the stunning TV host Tang Xin, who had hosted Yue Xuran’s product launch.

She suddenly realized Meng Xingzhe was on a blind date with Tang Xin.

She was shocked. She hadn’t expected Meng Xingzhe to have the ability to date someone of Tang Xin’s caliber!

For a moment, she felt a bit worried for Tang Xin. Did this beautiful lady know Meng Xingzhe loved treating his female colleagues to Pizza Hut?

It wasn’t until Yue Xuran called her that she snapped back to reality.

She said to Yue Xuran, “Tang Xin is over there. Didn’t she host your launch? Do you want to say hello?”

Yue Xuran glanced over, noticing the figure opposite Tang Xin.

He smiled at Yao Jia and said, “Your colleague is there too, but it looks like they’re on a date. We shouldn’t disturb them.”

Yao Jia agreed and left with Yue Xuran, holding the roses.

Yue Xuran walked Yao Jia to her dormitory building.

Before she went upstairs, Yue Xuran asked, “Yao Jia, do you know what I’m doing right now?”

“?” Yao Jia was puzzled. “You’re walking me home.”

Yue Xuran laughed, shook his head, and gently ruffled her hair. “Silly girl, I’m courting you.”

“Ah…” Yao Jia was a bit flustered. “I haven’t really been courted before, so I don’t quite understand…”

Yue Xuran chuckled and said, “You’re so beautiful, it’s impossible no one has ever courted you. I think you just never realized when someone was trying.”

Yao Jia’s heart trembled. Was that how it was? Back in school, there were indeed quite a few boys who appeared before her in waves, only to gradually disappear like the wind.

So, were they pursuing her back then? And when they couldn’t win her over, they just left?

Unfortunately, at the time, all her energy was spent on outsmarting Comrade Yao Bingkun, leaving no room for such thoughts.

Yue Xuran watched Yao Jia’s face, stunned under the starlight and moonlight. He restrained the urge to pinch her cheek, thinking how adorable she was.

Suddenly, Yao Jia looked up and asked Yue Xuran, “Do you like me?”

Yue Xuran nodded firmly.

Yao Jia was a bit anxious. “But I don’t know if I like you. What should I do?”

Yue Xuran laughed, enlightening her as if teaching a child. “If you don’t know whether you like me, it means you haven’t started liking me yet. Liking someone doesn’t require conscious awareness; it quietly takes root in your heart before you even realize it,” he said with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll work hard to make you like me.”

Yao Jia hesitated for a moment, then made a resolute decision. “Alright! If I feel like I’ve started liking you, I’ll let you know!” She paused, then added, “If I don’t, I’ll also let you know in time, so you won’t waste your efforts.”

Yue Xuran laughed helplessly.

Only this girl could talk about budding emotions as if she were issuing a meeting notice.

---

Yao Jia noticed that ever since Meng Xingzhe went on a blind date, his attitude towards her had become even more unpredictable.

She almost suspected she had some factor that made him blind to her. Every time he turned to look at her, he seemed oblivious, as if she were invisible.

Even Tian Huasheng started noticing something was off and asked Yao Jia privately, “Did you and Brother Meng have a falling out again?”

“???” Yao Jia almost drew three question marks on her face with a marker for Tian Huasheng to see. “Xiao Tiantian, shouldn’t you be asking him that? When have I ever started a fight with him? It’s just him being a drama king, acting like he’s on his period every day, throwing a tantrum at the slightest provocation.”

So Tian Huasheng quietly asked Meng Xingzhe, “Brother, did you have a falling out with Jia? Why haven’t you two been bickering… communicating lately?”

Meng Xingzhe replied nonchalantly, “I’ve been busy with blind dates, keeping my distance to ensure my loyalty to my dates.”

“…” Tian Huasheng was at a loss for words. But he relayed Meng Xingzhe’s explanation to Yao Jia.

For some reason, Yao Jia suddenly felt a surge of anger, as if menopause had given her a trial run without warning.

“Does he have no shame? Loyalty to his dates, my foot! He’s been through so many dates recently that he could line them up like a rainbow.”

Yao Jia found it odd. Why was Meng Xingzhe suddenly in such a rush to find a partner? Could it be that twenty-six was a critical age for men, and after that, their bodies couldn’t keep up?

She decided to put Meng Xingzhe out of her mind. She was just waiting to see how long he could keep pretending she was invisible.

The next morning, as she was getting ready to leave, Yao Jia noticed that Meng Xingzhe was already gone. Lately, he had been leaving earlier and earlier, as if deliberately avoiding her.

When she arrived at the company and clocked in, she hadn’t even entered the call center when she saw Tian Huasheng dragging Meng Xingzhe’s arm, rushing outside.

Seeing her, Tian Huasheng quickly pulled her along too.

He was dragging her with one hand and Meng Xingzhe with the other, swiftly moving towards the elevator.

Once inside, Yao Jia asked, “Xiao Tiantian, what’s going on? What happened?”

Tian Huasheng’s phone rang, and he quickly answered, saying to the person on the other end, “We’re coming down right now, right away!”

Yao Jia turned to Meng Xingzhe, asking, “Do you know what’s happening?”

Meng Xingzhe glanced upward. “No idea.”

Yao Jia: “…”

Seeing his indifferent demeanor, she really wanted to kick him.

After finishing the call, Tian Huasheng was so anxious he could have stomped his feet. “Sister Lidan is downstairs. She asked for my help, saying her scumbag husband is causing a scene at the company!”

“What?”

When the elevator reached the ground floor and the doors opened, Yao Jia rushed out first.

As she ran, she asked, “Where are they now?”

Tian Huasheng quickly caught up. “They should still be outside the building!”

Yao Jia ran straight for the building’s exit, footsteps echoing beside and behind her.

Beside her was Tian Huasheng, and behind her was Meng Xingzhe.

As Yao Jia burst out the building’s doors, she immediately saw a crowd gathered at the bottom of the steps, some Kunyu employees, others curious onlookers.

From her vantage point on the steps, she could see the situation clearly. The scumbag Xia Luo was grappling with Hao Lidan, trying to push his way into the building while Hao Lidan desperately blocked him. A company security guard stood nearby.

But Xia Luo was shouting that he and Hao Lidan were a couple, that it was a domestic matter and outsiders should mind their own business. The security guard was at a loss, unsure how to handle the situation, becoming just another spectator.

Seeing Xia Luo getting frustrated and raising his hand to hit Hao Lidan, the security guard stood there like a wooden post, not knowing to intervene. Yao Jia gasped, fearing that slap would leave a bruise. She hurried down the steps.

Just as she moved, a blur flashed before her eyes. Tian Huasheng had already dashed down the steps in a few quick strides.

In mid-air, he caught Xia Luo’s hand, his voice ringing out with righteous indignation, “Hitting a woman, are you even a man?”

Xia Luo shook off his hand and sneered, “I’m more of a man than you, you androgynous thing!”

He looked between Tian Huasheng and Hao Lidan, then opened his mouth with a lewd insinuation, “I bet you and Hao Lidan are fooling around, aren’t you? Otherwise, why are you sticking your nose into their family business? Hao Lidan, can’t you find a real man instead of this eunuch?”

Tian Huasheng was so angry he lost his sharp tongue. “Watch your mouth!”

Yao Jia, who had also rushed over, heard Xia Luo’s foul words and was furious. She snapped at him, “Using someone’s natural traits to attack them, aren’t you despicable? With what you’ve done, you don’t even qualify as human, so how dare you judge others’ manhood! Is being a decent person so hard that you have to act like an animal?” She then turned to the security guard, “Are you stupid? Just standing there watching the show, and you don’t even step in when someone’s about to get hit!”

The security guard mumbled, “Who are you? Why should I listen to you?”

Yao Jia was so angry she thought this security department was useless and needed to be dealt with!

Meanwhile, Xia Luo turned his aggression towards Yao Jia, charging at her. “Who are you calling an animal? You looking for a beating? Keep meddling, and I’ll slap you!”

He raised his arm as if to strike Yao Jia.

But in the next second, he let out a howl of pain.

Meng Xingzhe had stepped in, grabbing Xia Luo’s wrist and twisting it forcefully, bending his arm and body into a painful angle.

Meng Xingzhe didn’t hold back, and after twisting, he shoved Xia Luo forward, tossing him aside like trash.

“Try raising your hand to her again, and see if that arm stays attached!” Meng Xingzhe’s voice was cold and commanding, his gaze imperious like a powerful king.

Xia Luo was intimidated by him.

Even Yao Jia, standing beside him under his protection, was taken aback.

Her heart seemed to skip a beat, pounding faster in her chest.

Suddenly, she heard Tian Huasheng behind her say, “That looks like the Chairman’s car!” The Chairman’s car was unique, known by many.

Only then did Yao Jia realize that Xia Luo, the scoundrel, had deliberately chosen to cause a scene at the entrance to the parking area, waiting to block the company’s leaders.

She turned and saw the car approaching from a distance, recognizing it as her father’s limousine.

Yao Jia watched as Xia Luo scrambled up from the ground like a dog and rushed forward to block her father’s car. Instinctively, she wanted to stop Xia Luo, but someone grabbed her arm.

She turned her head and saw it was Meng Xingzhe holding her back.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

Meng Xingzhe pulled her aside and asked, “That’s the Chairman’s car. What do you plan to do by going over there now?”

Yao Jia replied, “That bastard Xia Luo is definitely going to spout nonsense to the Chairman. I need to go and testify for Hao Lidan.”

Meng Xingzhe chuckled, “And why do you think the Chairman would listen to your testimony?”

Yao Jia was taken aback.

Seeing her expression, Meng Xingzhe assumed she didn’t understand and bluntly said, “Let me put it simply: who do you think you are that the Chairman would care about you running over to explain?”

Yao Jia stopped in her tracks, looked up at Meng Xingzhe, and asked, “Then what do you suggest should be done in a normal situation?”

The truth was, her situation wasn’t normal, because she wasn’t just anyone; she was the Chairman’s second daughter.

Meng Xingzhe said, “If it were me, as the boss of a company, I wouldn’t have the time to personally deal with these petty domestic issues. Even if someone came to report that his wife was secretly married, it should be handled by the HR Department. If you, as a small employee, rush over to take sides and testify, I’d wonder why you’re meddling in something that doesn’t concern you.”

Yao Jia thought about it and realized Meng Xingzhe made a valid point. When she wanted to rush forward earlier, she was thinking of the person in the car as her father, not considering her current identity—as just a small employee in the eyes of others.

“So what can we do now?” Yao Jia asked.

Meng Xingzhe replied, “Nothing. If I were the Chairman, I’d have the driver turn the car around and leave. I’d send down more security to disperse the crowd and call the head of Human Resources to handle the mess. So rushing in now would only make things worse. It’s better to think about how to solve the problems that follow.”

Yao Jia asked, “Problems that follow?”

Just as she asked, her attention was drawn to her father’s black sedan, which was indeed turning around.

Xia Luo, acting shamelessly, clung to the car’s rear window, shouting at the people inside, “Hey, did you hear what I just said? This employee lied to you to get the job, breaking your rules! She said she was single, but she’s actually married. Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

Hearing his rude tone, Yao Jia almost couldn’t resist grabbing a brick and rushing over.

But several security guards, led by the head of the security department, charged past her.

The guards pulled Xia Luo off the car and began dispersing the crowd.

Yao Bingkun’s car turned around and drove away.

Soon, Yao Jia heard a rapid series of footsteps.

She turned to see Zhang Xirun, the head of Human Resources, approaching with HR specialist Lu Fangfei.

…Yao Jia thought, her father must have orchestrated this from inside the car, and Meng Xingzhe had guessed it all. She hadn’t expected Meng Xingzhe to understand the boss’s mindset so well.

Zhang Xirun, accompanied by Lu Fangfei, walked up to Xia Luo and Hao Lidan, gently advising Xia Luo not to make a scene in public and to discuss matters in the office instead.

Xia Luo seemed to agree. He and Hao Lidan followed Zhang Xirun and Lu Fangfei into the building.

As they passed by Yao Jia, Hao Lidan looked up at her, her eyes red with a mix of shame and helplessness. She paused briefly and said to Yao Jia, “You should go back to work, don’t get marked as absent!”

Yao Jia squeezed her hand firmly, “Sister Lidan, don’t be afraid.”

Hao Lidan nodded and turned to follow Zhang Xirun.

---

During the day, Hao Lidan went to the call center to collect her personal belongings. At the time, Yao Jia was on a call and couldn’t ask for details. It was during a break that Tian Huasheng told her, “Sister Lidan said she was dismissed by the Human Resources Department for concealing personal information and defrauding the company.”

He angrily pounded the table, “That scumbag Xia Luo really got his way!”

It was then that Yao Jia understood what Meng Xingzhe meant by “the problems that follow”—Hao Lidan would be fired.

After work, Yao Jia went to see Hao Lidan, who was packing her things.

Yao Jia quickly asked for the full story.

Pale-faced, Hao Lidan explained, “My lawsuit has been filed. After Xia Luo received the court summons, he was furious and came to the company to retaliate. The company found out I was married, accused me of concealing the truth, and decided to fire me.”

She continued packing.

Yao Jia, feeling anxious, stopped her and said, “Sister Lidan, didn’t Meng Xingzhe say you can defend your rights if the company fired you for concealing your marital status? Don’t be too discouraged! And where are you planning to go?”

Hao Lidan gave a bitter smile, “The company said I can’t stay in the employee dormitory anymore, so I have to move out quickly.”

Yao Jia asked, “Do you have anywhere to go?”

Hao Lidan shook her head, her face still pale, “No, I’ll find a hotel to stay in for now. Tomorrow, I’ll go to Little Lawyer Ling and ask her to help me take legal action against the company. I’ve decided to unite with other women who also hid their marriages and file a big lawsuit against the company!”

Yao Jia felt a bit alarmed by her words.

She quickly told Hao Lidan, “Sister Lidan, stop packing. Stay in the dormitory tonight. Who knows, there might be a turn of events tomorrow!”

Hao Lidan, eyes red, gave a bitter smile, “It’s come to this, what kind of turn could there be?”

Beside her, Lu Fangfei also advised, “Sister Lidan, don’t pack up. Just stay here. Tomorrow I’ll tell our department leader that you’ve already moved out. As long as no new colleague moves in, you can quietly stay in this room.”

Hao Lidan paused her packing and sat on the sofa, wiping away her tears.

“Why am I so unlucky? I met a scumbag, wanted to leave him and start fresh, but ended up losing both my marriage and my job. Now I don’t even have a stable place to stay!”

Yao Jia felt a pang of sadness.

She thought she had to go home immediately and confront Old Yao!

---

Yao Jia returned to grab her coat and phone, telling Tian Huasheng, “Xiao Tiantian, I won’t be having dinner tonight, so don’t prepare my portion.”

As she changed shoes at the door, she added, “Oh right, I might not come back tonight.” If the conversation with Old Yao didn’t go well, it might take a while.

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a “thud.”

Meng Xingzhe had just picked up the TV remote from the coffee table, but it slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.

Tian Huasheng looked at Yao Jia, awkwardly rubbing his hands, feeling compelled to remind her, “Jia, you’re an adult, so it’s normal not to come back at night… just… remember to protect yourself.” He hesitated to add, “If you can avoid taking medicine, try not to, since it’s harmful to your body.”

Yao Jia picked up on his words, “Don’t worry, I’ll be safe.” She was just going home, not wandering the streets at night.

But as soon as she finished speaking, there was another “thud.”

Meng Xingzhe dropped the remote again.

“Do you have Parkinson’s?” Yao Jia couldn’t help but tease Meng Xingzhe, “If you break the remote, you’ll have to pay for it. Xiao Tiantian and I aren’t chipping in!”

She turned to open the door and leave, but Meng Xingzhe suddenly called out to her.

“Hey, wait a minute!”

Yao Jia turned back.

“What is it?”

Meng Xingzhe looked at her for a long moment without speaking. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he just didn’t want her to stay out all night.

“Hao Lidan was fired from the company. Aren’t you going to call your little friend over to discuss a strategy?” He finally came up with a good excuse.

He almost wanted to applaud his own quick thinking.

Given Yao Jia’s passionate and enthusiastic nature, she would definitely decline Yue Xuran’s invitation and call Ling Xiaoxin over to discuss a plan.

“Not today. I have plans,” Yao Jia said. “Let’s see how things are tomorrow.”

Meng Xingzhe was both surprised and a bit jealous at her response.

Could Yue Xuran’s allure really outweigh a thousand pounds of loyalty?

“Are you really not coming back tonight?” Meng Xingzhe couldn’t help but ask.

Yao Jia looked at him, puzzled. “Do you need something from me?”

Was she imagining things, or did she see a hint of reluctance in his expression?

Meng Xingzhe’s face was impatient. “I’m worried about a power outage.”

Yao Jia scoffed. “Xiao Tiantian and Tong Yumo are home tonight. What are you afraid of?”

With that, she turned and walked out the door.

Meng Xingzhe tightened his grip on the remote control.

Tian Huasheng asked him, “Bro, what do you mean by worrying about a power outage?”

Meng Xingzhe’s tone was as stiff as a machine devoid of emotion. “Exactly what it sounds like.”

Tian Huasheng let out an “oh” and timidly raised his hand. “Bro, how about we order takeout today? I don’t feel like cooking. I want to go and console Sister Lidan…”

Meng Xingzhe, his face dark, agreed and added, “Then you order. I don’t know how.”

He felt a tightness in his chest, thinking that today, everyone’s hearts were elsewhere. It was infuriating.

---

Yao Jia took a taxi home.

When she entered, the housekeeper was both surprised and delighted. As Yao Jia changed her shoes, the housekeeper quickly went to the dining room to tell Yao Bingkun and Gan Yu, “Yao Jia is back!”

Gan Yu hurried out to greet her. Yao Bingkun had already stood up from his chair, but after a moment’s thought, he sat back down with a dignified air.

Gan Yu met Yao Jia at the door. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming back? Have you eaten?”

Though it sounded like a complaint, Yao Jia could hear the longing and joy of a mother who hadn’t seen her child in a while.

Yao Jia replied, “I haven’t eaten.” She then asked, “Can I have a meal here? Is there any food for me?”

Gan Yu frowned. “What kind of question is that? This is your home. Why wouldn’t there be food for you?” She paused, unable to hold back a complaint that seemed pent up for years, “You’ve always been like this, treating yourself like a guest in your own home, always saying polite things that upset your father and me!”

Yao Jia was taken aback by her words. She remembered what Meng Xingzhe had told her the night of the power outage.

—To look at her relationship with her parents from a third-person perspective.

She saw that the little girl named Yao Jia had indeed cast herself as an outsider in her own home. Initially, it was deliberate politeness, but over time, it became a habit and a weapon to provoke her parents.

Yao Jia felt a pang in her heart. She stepped forward and hugged Gan Yu.

“Mom, I’ve missed you a bit.”

Gan Yu stiffened, seemingly surprised by the gesture.

But she quickly returned the hug, saying, “How old are you now, just learning to act spoiled?”

Yao Jia heard Gan Yu sniffle softly.

From the dining room, Yao Bingkun’s authoritative and impatient voice called out, “Why are you dawdling outside? Are you coming in to eat or not?”

Yao Jia released Gan Yu, took a deep breath, and repeated to herself what Meng Xingzhe had told her—

Don’t argue, don’t resist, don’t rebel. Try to solve problems through effective communication.