Chapter 66: Searching for Something

Yao Jia dragged Meng Xingzhe back to the dormitory.

She pushed him onto the sofa, making him sit down, and said, “Wait for me!” before getting busy.

She went to the bathroom to get a basin and fill it with clean water.

Then she returned to her room to find a new towel.

Next, she headed to the entrance, intending to retrieve the first aid kit from the wall cabinet above.

Opening the cabinet, she realized she couldn’t reach the items inside due to her height.

So she turned back to the living room, and as she passed Meng Xingzhe, she warned him, “Don’t move. I’ll get a chair myself!”

She went to the dining room, brought back a chair to the entrance, and finally managed to reach the first aid kit after climbing up.

Meng Xingzhe watched her bustling around for him, his gaze following her, his chest swelling with an almost painful sensation. For a moment, he wondered if she was this attentive to Yue Xuran as well. Or perhaps she worried more for him than for himself?

This thought was like a dull knife, cutting into him and amplifying every bit of pain.

He quickly shook off these thoughts.

To hell with it, he thought. Why bother with such thoughts? In this moment, wasn’t it just him and her? So he decided to savor it.

Yao Jia came over with the first aid kit, brought a small stool, and sat down across from Meng Xingzhe.

She lifted his injured hand and took a sharp breath.

The knuckles on the back of his hand were all scraped, covered in blood, with some grayish-white skin hanging from the wounds.

Yao Jia dampened the towel and carefully cleaned around the wounds. As she wiped, she blew gently.

The warm, gentle breath brushed over Meng Xingzhe’s wounds, inexplicably reminding him of his childhood.

Back then, he was in constant pain, a despairing kind of pain. Later, he became terrified of the pain from such wounds, so he tried his best to live a precious life, avoiding any physical injuries.

But today, to protect someone, he threw away his preciousness and pain. He even lost his rationality.

Yet he thought it was worth it; her gentle breath on his wounds seemed to transcend time, soothing the despairing pain of his past.

She healed him a little more.

Meng Xingzhe silently watched the top of Yao Jia’s head, where a small swirl of hair was. He found it absurdly cute, even that little swirl.

Suddenly, she looked up at him, her eyes bright, and said, “I’m going to apply the medicine now. Bear with it!”

She lowered her head again, diligently applying the medicine.

The sharp sting, which used to terrify him, now felt like a kind of enjoyment.

Suddenly, her phone on the coffee table rang.

“Answer it for me,” she said, still focused on applying the medicine.

It seemed that no call was more important than tending to his wounds.

His injured hand was held by her, enjoying her careful ministrations.

He leaned forward, reaching for her phone with his other hand.

As he extended his arm, he turned his face slightly.

Yao Jia suddenly felt a tickle on her cheek and instinctively turned her head.

Just then, Meng Xingzhe’s face was turned towards her.

Their noses brushed lightly against each other for a moment, their breaths mingling.

Meng Xingzhe caught a faint fragrance. The scent instantly blended into his body and consciousness, making his bones feel weak.

Yao Jia looked into Meng Xingzhe’s eyes, her mind going blank for a second. He had a faint scent of sweat from his earlier exertions, the smell of a grown man’s hormones. She was dazed by it.

The phone, after a brief pause, rang again, snapping both of them back to reality.

Meng Xingzhe grabbed the phone and leaned back, trying to act calm, as if their brief closeness hadn’t affected him at all.

Yao Jia lowered her head again, continuing to treat the wound, but when she blew on it, she couldn’t quite control the gentleness, and it came out like a strong breeze.

Meng Xingzhe told her, “It’s your little friend calling.”

Yao Jia didn’t stop applying the medicine, just looked up and said, “Put it on speaker.”

Ling Xiaoxin’s voice came through the phone, soft and slightly anxious, “Jia Jia, where are you?”

“I’m treating Meng Xingzhe’s wound,” Yao Jia replied.

Ling Xiaoxin let out an “oh” and said, “The police are here. I want to take the opportunity to bring those two sisters to the police station to report and make a statement, but your colleague’s sister says they can’t go. You need to ask the resourceful Teacher Meng what to do next.”

Yao Jia looked at Meng Xingzhe and quickly explained that Lu Fangfang was involved in a nude loan, and the lenders threatened to release her photos worldwide if they reported to the police.

Meng Xingzhe frowned, “What nonsense! It’s already like this, and they don’t want to involve the police? What kind of intelligence is that? How did she even get into college?”

Yao Jia, worried he might say something harsher, quickly interjected, “Xiaoxin, tell the sisters that only the police can help them now. If they let the threats stop them from reporting, we won’t be able to help them later. Our goodwill has limits. If they don’t save themselves, we can’t help them, no matter how kind-hearted we are.”

Ling Xiaoxin replied, “Alright, I’ll go with them. After all, I’m a lawyer.”

The call ended. Yao Jia noticed Meng Xingzhe looking at her thoughtfully.

She asked, “What? Do I have ‘beauty like a fairy’ written on my face, making it hard for you to look away?”

Meng Xingzhe chuckled, then turned back to her, “I thought you always liked helping others unconditionally, but now I see you have a decisive bottom line.”

Yao Jia snorted, continuing to apply the medicine, “I’m not a saint, you know.”

After a pause, she looked up, gave him a cheeky smile, and said, “Actually, I used to be a bit of a saint, but didn’t I learn from you, big brother? Everything needs to be measured by its cost.”

Meng Xingzhe felt inexplicably pleased and a bit accomplished hearing this. He realized that not only was he influenced by her, but she was also influenced by him.

He suddenly lifted his chin and asked, “Why aren’t you going with them this time, given how much you love meddling?”

Yao Jia retorted, “With your temperament, if something can be handled by the police, you’d be too lazy to do it yourself, right?”

Meng Xingzhe nodded, “You’re quite the sister, knowing your brother well.”

“So,” Yao Jia said, looking at him, “your hand got injured because that person pushed me, right? You got hurt avenging me, so of course, I have to take care of you first before dealing with others!”

She paused, frowning, “Don’t be ungrateful. I’m only tending to you because you’re injured. Otherwise, I’d be off meddling elsewhere!”

Meng Xingzhe quickly held onto her. He thought his mouth was really asking for trouble, ruining such a good moment. When she was quietly applying medicine, he felt so comfortable and relaxed.

“Continue, your brother’s hand hurts, apply the medicine.”

---

Ling Xiaoxin accompanied Lu Fangfei and her sister to make a statement, and by the time they returned to the dormitory, it was already dark.

Yao Jia had ordered takeout in advance, and everyone quickly filled their stomachs while sharing updates.

Ling Xiaoxin told Yao Jia that Lu Fangfang wasn’t the only victim; many college students had fallen into the trap of campus loans.

Lu Fangfang had kept her head down since entering the room, hiding her face and refusing to eat. She seemed like a sinner, belittling herself before anyone else could. Lu Fangfei was also overwhelmed and exhausted, barely able to care for her.

Yao Jia sighed and advised Lu Fangfang, “Fangfang, you should eat something. You can’t mistreat yourself just because of a setback.”

Lu Fangfang remained motionless and silent, as if Yao Jia’s words fell into a black hole.

Meng Xingzhe couldn’t bear it any longer. He spoke up, “Pull yourself together. It’s not a big deal. Your intentions were good, but you were naive. Most of the blame isn’t yours; you don’t need to feel ashamed. The small part that is your fault is for trusting too easily and making rash decisions, but take it as a lesson. There’s no need to punish yourself by not eating or drinking.”

Yao Jia listened to Meng Xingzhe’s advice to Lu Fangfang. How should she describe this moment’s Meng Xingzhe? He shouldn’t be a mere customer service rep; he exuded the aura of a leader.

Lu Fangfang, after hearing his words, finally lifted her head a little from its lowly position.

Meng Xingzhe said to her, “Tomorrow, you and your sister should try to contact other victims of campus loans like yourselves and encourage them to report to the police. Tell them that the lenders have broken the law; they are guilty of illegal lending, extortion, unlawful detention, and causing trouble. Reporting to the authorities is the only way to bring them to justice.”

After a pause, he continued, “If they, like you, have something the lenders are holding over them, tell them not to worry. Otherwise, they’ll only sink deeper. At this point, only the police and the law can help you. Once you all report, the authorities will investigate, and after a thorough investigation, the case will be handed over to the prosecutor’s office. Only then will the lenders face legal consequences.”

Meng Xingzhe thought for a moment and added, “As for the money you owe, you don’t have to repay it all. The interest rate on loans is protected by law up to a certain limit. According to the law, you only need to repay the part where the agreed interest rate does not exceed 24% annually. The portion between 24% and 36% is optional to repay, and if already paid, the lender isn’t obliged to refund it. However, any interest exceeding 36% is considered usury and is not protected by law. You don’t have to repay the part exceeding 36%, and if you’ve already paid it, you can demand a refund from the lender, which the court will support. For matters regarding repayment, Little Lawyer Ling is the expert. You can consult her.”

With just a few words, he laid out the issue clearly. Lu Fangfei and Lu Fangfang were immensely grateful to him.

Meng Xingzhe quickly said, “No need to thank me. I’m not one to meddle. If Yao Jia hadn’t been keen on helping you, I might not have gotten involved.”

Lu Fangfei promptly thanked Yao Jia, bringing Lu Fangfang along. After thanking Yao Jia, they also expressed gratitude to Ling Xiaoxin and Tian Huasheng. Once they had thanked everyone, they returned to the other side.

Yao Jia sighed deeply, filled with emotion. “Campus loans are truly a trap. Not only do they ensnare the borrowers, but they also drag their families and friends down with them. More people need to know about the harm they cause!”

Meng Xingzhe turned to look at her.

Yao Jia asked, “Did I say something wrong?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow and said, “When will you learn to read the deeper meaning in someone’s eyes? For instance, right now, I’m using my eyes to tell you that I agree with what you’re saying.”

“…” Yao Jia thought, does he really believe his eyes can speak?

That night, Ling Xiaoxin stayed over at Yao Jia’s place.

After the lights were out, the two of them lay in bed chatting.

Ling Xiaoxin said, “By the way, when you said you were going to help Meng Xingzhe with his injury today, I thought it must have been something serious, like a fracture. But it turned out it was just a bandage around his hand.”

After a pause, she added, “Did he force you to come up and bandage it? Bei Luonan was right; he said his childhood friend has always been incredibly delicate, that he doesn’t need others to pity him because he can pity himself to death over a scratch.”

She laughed as she spoke.

Yao Jia laughed too, then said, “He’s always been like that. But this time, I insisted on bandaging him because I was worried about tetanus. Remember that news we saw about a woman abroad who got a paper cut from an A4 sheet and ended up with tetanus and sepsis, leading to amputation?”

Ling Xiaoxin suddenly felt that Yao Jia had saved Meng Xingzhe from losing an arm.

Thinking of the Lu sisters, Ling Xiaoxin sighed deeply, “I always thought I was happy, and that everyone in the world was as happy as I was. I forget that there are many unfortunate people like Lu Fangfei and Lu Fangfang out there.”

She sighed, “Lu Fangfang is actually very talented. Her field is highly competitive, and if she focused on her studies, she could earn a scholarship. But she’s worried about what would happen if she doesn’t get it, so she chose to work part-time, which distracted her from her studies, making it impossible to get the scholarship. When she ran out of money, she had no choice but to take out a campus loan. Isn’t it a tragic contradiction?”

Yao Jia also sighed, “What do you think is the root cause of their tragedy?”

“Their family background,” Ling Xiaoxin replied. “Their parents favor sons over daughters and are financially draining. Even though Lu Fangfang is poor, her family’s situation doesn’t qualify her for financial aid.”

Before falling asleep, Yao Jia wondered how to prevent situations where students who don’t meet the criteria for financial aid end up unable to pay tuition and fall into the trap of campus loans.

---

A few days later, an in-depth report on the dangers of campus loans finally brought the issue to the public’s attention, sparking a huge wave of public opinion.

The problem of campus loans began to gain significant traction.

Yao Jia was surprised to see that the person behind the report was none other than Tang Xin.

In her report, Tang Xin interviewed students directly affected by campus loans, with their identities protected. She exposed the various harmful aspects of campus loans, laying bare their predatory interest rates and violent collection methods, warning everyone to stay away from this life-threatening pitfall.

At the end of her report, Tang Xin issued a stern warning, urging people to be vigilant against illegal lending practices. She also called on anyone facing violent collection or threats to report to the police immediately, not to succumb to fear over any supposed leverage the lenders might have, as that would only lead to deeper entanglement in the mess.

Tang Xin’s report propelled the hashtag #CampusLoanDangers to the top of trending topics.

The internet was abuzz with discussions, with people fervently debating the issue:

“Hopefully, the relevant authorities will properly regulate the financial order and prevent such unethical practices from exploiting loopholes again!”

“College students should be self-disciplined and strong, not be tempted by material desires!”

“For students who truly need money urgently, please research the laws and regulations regarding loans before borrowing. Being ignorant and impulsive will cost you.”

But the most discussed comment was:

“Campus loans are truly harmful! I hope the authorities arrest and prosecute these illegal lenders!”

Under the pressure of such public opinion, the local inspection department publicly announced that they had launched an investigation into the illegal campus loan incidents mentioned in the report. They promised to protect the victims’ privacy and provide updates on any new developments.

Watching the situation unfold, Yao Jia felt a surge of emotion.

What started as a small personal issue around her had grown into a matter of national concern.

And the key player in this was Tang Xin.

She found Tang Xin quite remarkable.

During dinner, she asked Meng Xingzhe, “How do you think Tang Xin found out about the campus loan issue?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow at her, “What do you think?”

That night, when Yao Jia expressed her desire for more people to know about the dangers of campus loans, he immediately thought of Tang Xin.

Back in his room, he impulsively contacted Tang Xin, explained the situation, and asked if she would be willing to report on the campus loan issue.

Tang Xin quickly replied with a clear answer: [Willing.]

He asked her, [How should I thank you?]

Tang Xin replied promptly: [No need to thank me. If the girl you and Yue Xuran like can help others selflessly, why can’t I report this issue to help more people?]

At that moment, he thought it was fascinating how girls could form a competitive relationship even without direct contact.

He also thought that Tang Xin met all his criteria for a partner, and her actions made him feel grateful and impressed. Yet, strangely, he wasn’t moved. When she said there was no need to thank her, all he could think about was the faint fragrance he smelled when he and Yao Jia were close during the bandaging. It was that scent that stirred his heart.

Hearing Meng Xingzhe say, “What do you think?” Yao Jia joked, “It couldn’t have been you who told her, could it?”

After she spoke, she noticed Meng Xingzhe looking at her intently, his gaze clearly conveying a message—she had guessed correctly.

“…Was it really you who told her?” Yao Jia was a bit surprised.

Meng Xingzhe tilted his chin up, his expression saying, “No need to thank me.”

Yao Jia popped a fried bean into her mouth, crunching it with slightly more force than usual. “She’s really nice to you,” she remarked. “She’s helped you twice without hesitation!”

Tian Huasheng chimed in from the side, “Bro, I think Tang Xin is both beautiful and righteous. If she becomes our sister-in-law, I’d be thrilled!” He added with a grin, “Then I can brag that I’m related to a famous host! Right, Jia?”

Yao Jia crunched on her beans and laughed along.

After a pause, she advised, “You should treat her well and stop flirting with other girls.”

Meng Xingzhe glanced at her, took a deep breath, and finally nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll listen to you, okay?”

Yao Jia flashed a toothy grin. Afterward, she felt a vague sense of unease, perhaps from the beans’ odd taste, leaving her slightly uncomfortable.

That night, as she slept, Yao Jia dreamt of the day those debt collectors came to violently demand payment.

In the dream, Meng Xingzhe shielded her completely, making sure she wasn’t touched. Her consciousness seemed to detach, watching a beautiful hero-rescues-damsel movie unfold in her dreams.

Yet upon waking, her mind was weighed down by fragmented memories of the dream, leaving her groggy and unable to recall the movie’s details. All she remembered was her heart racing at some point.

The next day at work, Yao Jia received a call from a difficult customer, whose unreasonable demands left her simmering with frustration. She planned to vent to Meng Xingzhe during her break.

But when break time came, Meng Xingzhe walked out immediately.

She and Tian Huasheng headed to the break room. She poured out her frustration to Tian Huasheng, but strangely, the anger she felt during the call seemed to dissipate, leaving her feeling somewhat indifferent.

Tian Huasheng asked, “Jia, why do you keep glancing around while talking? What are you looking for?”

Only then did she realize her attention had been wandering during their conversation. No wonder she couldn’t fully express her anger.

Suddenly, Tian Huasheng called out behind her, “Bro, done with the bathroom?”

She turned to see Meng Xingzhe entering the break room.

As usual, he wore a white shirt and black trousers, tall and handsome. The shirt collar framed his Adam’s apple with a subtle, restrained allure. He walked with a casual swagger, his expression laid-back and unrestrained, responding to greetings with minimal words.

It was clear he treated her and Tian Huasheng differently, speaking more and showing more expressions with them than with others.

He sat down on the sofa next to her and complained, “Why didn’t you get me a glass of water? What kind of little brother and sister are you?”

Yao Jia suddenly felt energized, retorting spiritedly, “As the big brother, shouldn’t you be taking care of your younger siblings first?”

They bantered back and forth, thoroughly enjoying the exchange.

Afterward, Yao Jia vented about the difficult customer she encountered that morning.

When she finished, Tian Huasheng remarked, “Jia, you need to practice your storytelling if you want to make it interesting. The first time you told me, I was almost bored to sleep. But the second time, it was much more lively!”

Meng Xingzhe laughed at her, “You’re not that old, but you’re already becoming a chatty old lady?”

Yao Jia shot back, “Even an old lady has less of a generation gap than you!”

Meng Xingzhe teased, “Look at you, firing away again. You shouldn’t be called Yao Jia, but Yao Cannonball. I wonder how Yue Xuran puts up with you.”

Yao Jia puffed her cheeks in mock anger, “You shouldn’t be called Meng Xingzhe, but Pizza Hut Casanova!”

The two of them started bickering fiercely again.

Tian Huasheng looked from one to the other, unsure if he should intervene. He was amazed at how their energy levels seemed to skyrocket whenever they encountered each other.