Chapter 81: I Don’t Need Your Pampering

Yao Jia looked into Meng Xingzhe’s eyes, her heart pounding wildly.

She forced herself to look away, glancing up and down and around, just to avoid looking at him.

It was the peak dinner time, and the place was filled with a cacophony of voices and noise, which ironically served as a protective layer for their recent whispered conversation.

She glanced at the empty seat across from her and found it both amusing and frustrating for a moment.

He insisted on abandoning the seats across and squeezed in beside her instead. The guy was dressed more dazzlingly than if he were attending a high-society banquet.

He sat sideways on the bench, blocking her in, leaning his upper body toward her, capturing her gaze as he spoke. His voice was annoyingly pleasant, slipping into her ears like a massage for her eardrums.

Just moments ago, he had used that very voice to ask her in a low, husky tone, “Once I collect all ten cards, can I use them to exchange you to be my girlfriend, alright?”

Her heart raced as she looked down at the ten shimmering golden cards before her, his voice echoing in her ears as he pressed, “Alright?”

She lowered her head, unable to suppress the slight curve of her lips. But she quickly straightened her expression, pressing her lips into a cool demeanor before lifting her chin slightly to say to him, “Then go ahead and act, but I might not be moved.”

Watching Meng Xingzhe’s eyes light up, struggling to contain his joy, she suddenly understood the fun of playing hard to get.

Of course, she knew that the joy of playing hard to get only existed because a man truly cared about a woman. That way, no matter how aloof she acted, it was endearing; otherwise, even the slightest demand would be unreasonable.

So… Yao Jia thought, her heart softening, Meng Xingzhe did care about her.

The next moment, she saw Meng Xingzhe suddenly pick up his phone and transfer money to her right in front of her.

The amount was precise, down to the last cent.

After completing the transfer, Meng Xingzhe put down his phone and looked at Yao Jia.

Yao Jia: “?”

Meng Xingzhe: “This is the money I owed you before, now with interest.”

“…??”

Yao Jia wanted to say, look, we’ve both revealed our true selves, neither of us is short of this money, so… there’s really no need for this, right?

But Meng Xingzhe seemed to read her mind, saying directly, “I need to settle everything I owe you first—apologies I owe, I apologize; explanations I owe, I explain; money I owe, I repay. Only then can I pursue you with a clear conscience and pure heart.”

Yao Jia: “…”

Pure heart…

She tapped on her phone to accept the payment, completing his “purity.”

Just as she put down her phone, another card appeared in front of her.

Yao Jia looked closely and saw it was a genuine bank card this time.

???

What does this mean? Has he gotten addicted to giving out cards?

She picked up the card and looked at Meng Xingzhe, “You’re not going to hand over your house key card, your gas card for the car, and your parking card next, are you?”

Meng Xingzhe’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he raised an eyebrow at her, “Would you take them? If you would, I’d hand them all over right now.”

Yao Jia: “…” She thought she had really given him an opportunity to banter with her.

She threw the card back at him with a stern face.

Meng Xingzhe hurriedly pushed the card back to her, “My company just received a payment, so I have money now.”

“So?” Yao Jia raised an eyebrow.

“So when I swapped rooms with you before, didn’t I write you an IOU for five million? This card has exactly five million.”

“??!”

Yao Jia was stunned, her mouth slightly open.

She scrutinized Meng Xingzhe’s expression and realized he was seriously repaying that five-million IOU.

He wasn’t joking with her!

“I-I forgot where I put that IOU!” she stammered in shock, “I thought you were just joking! You were serious about swapping rooms for five million?!”

Meng Xingzhe looked at her, his gaze deep and intense, “Of course. Every word I’ve said to you has been serious.”

Yao Jia felt her heart start pounding again.

So this is how attractive a man is when he keeps his word…

But she still pushed the card back to Meng Xingzhe, “Keep it, the IOU is long gone.”

Meng Xingzhe pushed the card back to her, raising his chin slightly, looking both handsome and a bit smug as he said, “Once I give something away, be it money or my heart, I never take it back.”

Yao Jia: “…” Why did she feel like he was showing off again??

She couldn’t help but rise to the challenge, “I don’t want anything, be it money or heart, that someone tries to force on me!”

The two of them sat in Pizza Hut, pushing a bank card worth five million back and forth across the table like it was a rag.

Finally, Meng Xingzhe had a bright idea, “I know Kunyu Electric is planning a charity event to build ‘Warm Canteens’ for children in remote, impoverished areas.”

Yao Jia paused. Kunyu was indeed planning this charity event, aiming to provide a clean lunch environment for children in remote, impoverished areas, free from pests and rodents, and to use modern kitchen appliances to cook nutritious meals for them.

But the plan had just started—

“How do you know about this?” Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe.

“Your dad mentioned it in an interview.”

Yao Jia thought, well, he really does keep an eye on Kunyu’s developments. He noticed even that brief mention in a long news article.

…Does he pay so much attention to Kunyu because of her?

“I have a feeling you’ll be leading this charity project in the future,” she heard Meng Xingzhe say to her, “Why not use this money for that project? It fulfills my promise and helps me do a good deed.”

Yao Jia was taken aback, “Why do you think I’ll be leading this?”

Meng Xingzhe couldn’t help but reach out and pat her head, “Because you’re the kindest girl in the world.”

“…”

Yao Jia heard a little girl at the next table exclaim excitedly, “Wow, a head pat! A head pat!”

She thought if that little girl knew Meng Xingzhe called her “silly girl” while patting her head, her dreamy exclamations would shatter completely.

After a moment’s thought, she accepted the card.

“Alright, I’ll donate the money from this card to the ‘Warm Canteen’.”

After finishing their meal, Meng Xingzhe insisted on personally driving Yao Jia home.

Yao Jia had no choice but to get in the car. She gave Meng Xingzhe her home address.

Meng Xingzhe responded with a questioning “Hmm?” and raised an eyebrow.

Yao Jia asked what he meant by “Hmm?”, but Meng Xingzhe just smiled slyly and wouldn’t say.

Yao Jia was so annoyed she called him a “Hmm-hmm weirdo.”

Once he started driving, Yao Jia noticed he seemed utterly clueless about the city’s roads, like a lost tourist. He turned right when he should have gone left, went straight when he should have turned, unnecessarily taking a much longer route.

Yao Jia was speechless. Finally, he managed to get her to her doorstep, and before getting out, Yao Jia couldn’t help but tease him, “With your sense of direction, you should hire a driver to take you home. I’m afraid you’ll get lost all night!”

She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car, her movements swift and efficient.

Meng Xingzhe sat in the driver’s seat, elbow resting on the car door, chin propped on his hand, watching Yao Jia get out with a helpless smile.

“Silly girl.”

Yao Jia was already standing outside the car, and with the words “silly girl,” she slammed the door shut.

She had taken two steps when the words “silly girl” suddenly echoed in her mind. She stopped in her tracks, stunned.

—Of course, he couldn’t be unfamiliar with the city’s roads. He just wanted to drive a little longer, to spend a little more time with her.

Her heart softened suddenly, and she paused.

Then she turned abruptly, walked back to the car, and opened the passenger door.

She bent down, seeing him still in the same position, elbow on the door, chin in hand, eyes and mouth smiling at her. His eyes held obvious delight at her return.

Her heart skipped a beat under his gaze.

“What’s up?” he leaned forward, asking her across the passenger seat.

She rummaged through her bag, found something, tossed it onto the passenger seat, then slammed the door shut and walked away.

Meng Xingzhe picked up a shimmering golden Heartfelt Card from the passenger seat.

He was stunned for two seconds before coming back to his senses. Quickly unbuckling his seatbelt, he got out of the car and called out to Yao Jia, who was walking toward the villa ahead.

“Yao Xiaojia, what’s the deal with this card?” His pleasant voice was tinged with a hoarse excitement.

Yao Jia smiled without turning back or stopping. “This is a Heartfelt Card rewarding you for keeping your word. The kids in the countryside thank you.” She suddenly stopped, her expression turning serious as she looked back. “What? You don’t want it? If not, give it back!”

She playfully reached out her hand toward him.

In the moonlight, Meng Xingzhe stood by his car, tall and graceful, like a jade tree in the wind. The moonlight cast him in a more striking and handsome light, his figure a tempting silhouette in the dim night.

His face held a smile, his eyes brighter than the moon. He looked so charming, as if filtered through a dream.

She almost couldn’t take her eyes off him.

He stood there, smiling at her, holding up the Heartfelt Card, and cheekily suggested, “What if I donate another five million? Will you give me another Heartfelt Card?”

Yao Jia felt the dreamlike filter she had on him vanish instantly.

She turned to leave. “Dream on! Let me tell you, Meng Xingzhe, you can only earn one card with each trick!”

Meng Xingzhe never expected to receive a Heartfelt Card that very night.

He was so excited that he sped all the way home.

As soon as he got home, he video-called Bei Luonan.

While loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, he couldn’t hide his excitement as he said, “Bei Bei, I have to say, you’re quite the strategist!”

Bei Luonan looked exasperated. “How do you manage to sound so annoying? You compliment people in a way that makes me want to hit you!” After a pause, he added, “And stop fiddling with your tie and collar while talking to me. What’s wrong with you?”

He paused again and asked, “How did it go tonight? You look ridiculously happy, so I assume it went well?”

Meng Xingzhe relaxed his collar, leaned back on the sofa, and proudly showed off the Heartfelt Card to Bei Luonan.

“You two actually made this Heartfelt Card thing happen? That’s so childish!” Bei Luonan looked incredulous.

He calmed down and asked, “Did you use everything I taught you? Did you do it right?”

Meng Xingzhe, full of pride like a triumphant schoolboy, replied, “Of course, who do you think I am?”

Last night, he had sought Bei Luonan’s advice, who had given him a tip: “Remember, when you talk to her, look into her eyes. If she blushes, it means she likes you. If you keep holding her gaze, she’ll like you more and more.”

Tonight, he followed Bei Luonan’s advice, capturing Yao Jia’s gaze. He soon became addicted to it, as her blushing cheeks and ears were so charming and adorable under his gaze.

“I did as you said yesterday,” Meng Xingzhe told Bei Luonan, “I didn’t waste time with small talk, apologized sincerely, and didn’t put on airs. I spoke earnestly and looked into her eyes. And you know what? It really worked!”

Bei Luonan, seeing his smug demeanor, shook his head in disbelief. “No, I don’t believe you didn’t put on airs at all! You must have done it without realizing.”

Meng Xingzhe quickly reviewed the evening in his mind and confidently said, “I’m sure I didn’t.” Then, with a frown and a puzzled tone, he added, “Come to think of it, I’m smarter than you, better looking, and have thicker hair, so why are you better at chasing women than I am? Why am I the one asking you for advice? It’s just not logical!”

“See, that’s what I mean by putting on airs,” Bei Luonan insisted, convinced that Meng Xingzhe had done so without realizing it.

“Look at you, getting all worked up over one card. Wait until you have ten cards and a girlfriend before questioning why I’m better at this. Right now, you don’t even have the right to question me, because I have a girlfriend!”

Meng Xingzhe refused to concede. “What’s the use? Your girlfriend doesn’t even pay attention to you. You can’t see or touch her. Today, I held Yao Xiaojia’s hand twice!”

He was so proud that Bei Luonan burst into laughter for a full minute.

With a single sentence, Bei Luonan delivered a crushing blow: “I’ve made up with Little Xinxin. Want to know how? Don’t worry, you ungrateful scoundrel, I won’t teach you! Bragging about holding hands twice? Isn’t that embarrassing? I get to kiss my Little Xinxin twenty times a day!”

Meng Xingzhe cursed and ended the video call.

Meng Xingzhe found that since he got his first Heartfelt Card, his progress in pursuing a girlfriend had been severely hampered—his potential girlfriend was too busy with work, and he couldn’t even schedule a meal or a movie with her.

He felt a vague discomfort, always wanting to ask Yao Jia what she had been so busy with lately. If she didn’t understand something, couldn’t she ask him? How long would she keep working like this on her own?

Yao Jia had been busy with two things simultaneously.

One was quietly investigating the company’s financial and personnel situation. The other was working on the “Warm Canteen” charity project.

Both tasks kept her so busy that she barely had time for romance.

During this period, she saw more of the charity project team than her own father.

She had to arrange personnel to physically build the “Warm Canteen” in remote villages and equip them with kitchen appliances and utensils.

In addition, she was planning a large event to promote this charity project. When the time was right, she hoped to organize a charity walkathon, inviting the entire city to participate.

At that time, those with the heart could contribute their efforts, those with resources could contribute their materials, and those with money could contribute financially. Everyone would work together to do something for children who couldn’t even have a hot lunch.

She felt this was an incredibly meaningful endeavor, so she devoted most of her energy to it.

Besides organizing this charity project event, she also had to find time to thoroughly investigate the company’s financial situation and the personnel situation in each department.

She discovered something suspicious and couldn’t alert anyone, so she had to investigate quietly.

Juggling these two tasks, she even cut down on her sleep.

Finally, one evening, she managed to squeeze out two hours. She gave them to Meng Xingzhe.

Because Meng Xingzhe had said that if she didn’t give him time for a meal, he would go to her house and wait for her. If her father saw him, he said, “I’ll tell your dad you abandoned me.”

She thought that for such a big man, he could be so shameless.

After work, Meng Xingzhe took her to the revolving restaurant on the city’s tallest building for a Western dinner.

The restaurant’s atmosphere was elegant with a hint of romance. The dim lighting relaxed people, and the soothing music made one feel languid from body to soul. It was the perfect place for those on the verge of becoming a couple to deepen their affection and impulsiveness.

In the softly lit private room, with the door closed, listening to the melodious and slightly arousing music, sipping red wine, and gazing at the city’s dazzling night view through the window, it was easy for two individuals to come together, embracing and kissing.

Having sought advice from Bei Luonan beforehand, Meng Xingzhe brushed his teeth thoroughly three times before going out that night. He avoided eating the steak for fear of bad breath, just waiting for the moment to clink glasses with Yao Jia, look into her eyes until she blushed, and then slowly lean in for a kiss.

But tonight, he never got the chance to catch her gaze. She was so busy, constantly taking calls and replying to messages.

One moment it was about the charity project, the next about company finances, and then about personnel issues.

He couldn’t bear to see her so busy, let alone let her be.

So after she finished a call, he couldn’t help but say to her, “You’re a woman, you’ll get married someday, why work so hard?”

Yao Jia put down her phone, startled by Meng Xingzhe’s words.

She looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Wait a minute, what did you mean by that?” She frowned and asked, “Are you saying… you subconsciously think women will eventually get married, stay home, and raise kids? So there’s no need to work so hard while single?”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow and said, “Your interpretation is a bit extreme, but I do think there’s no need for women to work so hard. If a woman is working so hard and is so exhausted, it only shows that the man by her side is incompetent.”

Yao Jia was almost at a loss for words.

“Are you saying that women are meant to showcase a man’s incompetence? Are you really that much of a chauvinist at heart?”

Yao Jia’s eyes widened as if she was seeing Meng Xingzhe in a new light.

Meng Xingzhe defended himself, “Yao Xiaojia, I’m actually concerned about you. I think as a woman, you don’t need to push yourself so hard.”

As a man, he often played the role of a hands-off manager, leaving most of the work to his subordinates or Bei Luonan.

Yao Jia laughed in exasperation, “You’re using your chauvinistic mindset to express concern?” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nearly boiling emotions. “Let me ask you, do you think keeping a wife at home after marriage is the greatest form of love?”

Meng Xingzhe pondered this. It didn’t seem wrong to him. His father had kept his mother at home after they married, not letting her worry about anything.

He nodded slightly, “If I, as a man, can bear all the burdens, why shouldn’t I shield you? Why should you have to face the storms?”

He paused, sincerely expressing his viewpoint, “If it ever comes to the point where you have to face life’s challenges, then it means I’ve failed as a man.”

If it weren’t for the fact that they worked for different companies, he would have gladly taken on her burdens, just so she could enjoy a meal without interruptions or work discussions, just like when they were in the dorms, eating relaxed and happy.

Yao Jia turned to look out the window, taking a deep breath.

Then she turned back to Meng Xingzhe and said, “Meng Xingzhe, I never knew you had such an attitude towards gender issues. You subconsciously believe women should be kept in a greenhouse, like delicate flowers, right? That women are inferior to men, right?”

She put away her phone and picked up her bag. “I think you have a serious case of male chauvinism. Clean up your mindset before you come looking for me again.”

She stood up and walked out, forbidding Meng Xingzhe from standing or following her.

“If you follow me, we’re done for good!”

Meng Xingzhe watched her leave in frustration, confused about what had upset her so much. How did he end up being labeled as a chauvinist?

Back home, he irritably pulled off his tie and called Bei Luonan on video.

Hearing that he had upset Yao Jia again, Bei Luonan nearly threw his phone.

“You really are a piece of work! Just when things were getting better, you start causing trouble again. Xingxing, maybe you should just give up and live alone forever. Save everyone the trouble!”

Meng Xingzhe told him to shut up. Then he recounted the dinner conversation to Bei Luonan.

“Tell me, was there really something wrong with what I said? Don’t girls love hearing ‘I’ll take care of you’? I was worried about her. Why should a girl work so hard and tire herself out? How is that chauvinistic?”

Bei Luonan thought for a moment and said, “Xingxing, ‘Why should a girl work so hard?’—analyze that perspective yourself.”

Meng Xingzhe frowned.

“That’s clearly a man speaking from a superior position, telling a girl she’s the weaker gender, so why struggle?” Bei Luonan explained.

Meng Xingzhe opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words.

He just thought “she” needed to be cared for, cherished, and that the struggles should be left to the men. “She” should just be loved.

So was he subconsciously viewing women as the weaker gender?

“Am I really that kind of person?” Meng Xingzhe asked himself, surprised, holding his phone in frustration. “What should I do? Yao Xiaojia told me to clean up my mindset before finding her again.”

Bei Luonan looked at Meng Xingzhe and sighed.

His childhood friend had many flaws, but after working at Kunyu Electric, he had improved significantly.

He thought everything was getting better, but now it seemed his flaws had evolved, turning into a new issue of believing “women should be kept at home by their loving men.”

Looking at the confused Meng Xingzhe, Bei Luonan said, “From a man’s perspective, I understand your desire to keep her safe at home. When I see Little Xinxin exhausted from work, I want to say, ‘Stop, I’ll take care of you.’ But I can’t say that. Because from Little Xinxin’s perspective, from Yao Jia’s perspective, from everyone’s perspective, who doesn’t want to realize their own value? Being kept at home and pampered ultimately fulfills your value of being able to care for someone. But what about them? You can’t realize your value by depriving someone else of theirs.”

He paused, speaking with conviction, “Yao Jia wants you to clean up your mindset so you can understand that she needs you to recognize her abilities and value, not just your misguided protection.”

Meng Xingzhe realized this was where he had gone wrong.