Chapter 82: The Second Heartbeat Card

Meng Xingzhe’s words left Yao Jia feeling uncomfortable.

From a young age, Yao Jia had heard far too many sexist remarks.

In the business world, not only do people’s wallets swell, but so do their feudal mindsets. They often feel that the wealth in their family could buy them a throne, and thus they must have a son to inherit it. So when they heard that Yao Bingkun, a businessman, had only daughters, they expressed regret, sympathy, and even pity.

Some would say, “Old Yao, it’s a shame that with such a big family business, you have no one to succeed you.”

Others suggested, “Old Yao, why not try for a son with your wife? If you can’t have one here, go abroad. It’s such a waste if a business this large doesn’t have a son to inherit it.”

Some were even more outrageous, saying, “Honestly, Old Yao, if your wife can’t have more children, maybe you should find someone younger to have a son. With your wealth and status, not having a son is simply unacceptable.”

Of course, those who made such comments were always rebuffed by Yao Bingkun: “Come back and talk to me when your sons are more outstanding than my daughter.”

Naturally, their sons could never surpass Yao Hui! In fact, those who held such views often ended up raising sons who became useless wastrels.

Yao Jia sometimes found it truly baffling. She couldn’t understand where these people’s sense of superiority came from. Was having that particular anatomical feature really so praiseworthy? Did having it, even if one turned out to be a failure, make someone more superior and commendable than an outstanding woman?

Utterly ridiculous!

The more Yao Jia thought about it, the angrier she became. She had thought Meng Xingzhe was different, but she hadn’t expected that, subconsciously, he also believed that women were in a disadvantaged position.

She held onto her frustration.

Well, she would show him just how formidable a competitor a girl could become in the business world when not kept at home!

Meng Xingzhe found himself in a frustrating cycle of being unable to reach Yao Jia.

This time, she hadn’t blocked him or deleted him as a friend; she simply wasn’t responding.

She wouldn’t answer his calls, reply to his messages, and her social media was just a grey line of blocked updates.

It was then that Meng Xingzhe realized that liking a girl was actually the simplest step in the whole process of romance. Figuring out how to interact after developing feelings was the real challenge.

What he didn’t see as a problem turned out to be a huge issue for her. So much so that she didn’t even want to acknowledge him.

He didn’t even have a chance to apologize.

He wondered if all men were in a constant state of apology in relationships. It was quite amusing.

If it was just his personal time being ignored by Yao Jia, Meng Xingzhe wouldn’t have minded too much. But gradually, he realized something was off.

Yao Jia seemed to be directing Kunyu Electric to go head-to-head with Xingbei Technology in the marketplace.

In the days that followed, whenever Xingbei Technology had a promotion, Kunyu Electric would launch one too.

On the day Xingbei Technology released their new cooking robot, Kunyu Electric held a massive sale on their dishwashers and health pots.

When Xingbei Technology targeted tech enthusiasts, Kunyu Electric marketed with the slogan “Easy for Mom and Dad to Use” and aggressively sold small home appliances from the same series.

When Xingbei Technology opened their online store and held online events, Kunyu Electric offered benefits in their physical stores.

The rivalry between the two companies became so apparent that it gradually attracted public attention. The hashtag #KunyuVsXingbei would frequently trend, drawing countless people to check out both companies’ online stores.

Eventually, whenever Xingbei had any new activity, netizens would even form spontaneous tour groups: “I’m going to check out Kunyu Electric; I think Kunyu Electric is about to make a move!”

When Xingbei had event announcements, netizens would leave comments on Kunyu Electric’s public account: “Xingbei Technology is making a big move; Kunyu, wake up and get to work!”

Faced with this situation, Meng Xingzhe was both amused and exasperated.

Now, not only did netizens think Xingbei Technology and Kunyu Electric were arch-enemies, but even his company’s internal staff somehow dug up the news:

“I heard that the person behind these activities against our company is Kunyu Electric’s new heir! It’s Yao Bingkun’s daughter!”

“Wow, why does this Little General Manager Yao hate our Xingbei Technology so much?”

“Well, I heard this Little General Manager Yao personally came to our company to see Manager Meng before. It seems there might be some romantic entanglement between them…”

“That explains it! No wonder Kunyu sees us as arch-enemies! It’s actually this Little General Manager Yao who sees our boss, Manager Meng, as her arch-enemy!”

And so, in everyone’s minds, Meng Xingzhe and Yao Jia became arch-enemies.

Meng Xingzhe found this not only amusing but also frustratingly hard to explain.

Even though Yao Jia still refused to acknowledge him, he couldn’t help but send her messages like a lone player in a single-player game.

Meng Xingzhe: [Yao Xiaojia, aren’t you afraid that by going against me like this, we’ll both end up losing, and Jiangfeng Electric will reap the benefits?]

To his surprise, Yao Jia actually replied this time.

Yao Jia: [Really? I don’t think so.]

Seeing her response, Meng Xingzhe nearly jumped out of his big chair.

Yao Jia: [When the gods fight, what business do the little devils have?]

Meng Xingzhe couldn’t help but laugh as he held his phone.

Indeed, she wasn’t just acting on impulse to oppose him.

At first, he thought Yao Jia was still upset and was deliberately going against him out of spite.

But upon closer reflection, she wasn’t really opposing him.

The products involved in the clashes between Xingbei and Kunyu never truly overlapped. Xingbei sold oil-stained cooking robots, while Kunyu sold oil-removing dishwashers and health pots that cleaned the intestines. When Xingbei targeted the young demographic, Kunyu supplemented the remaining middle-aged and elderly groups. When Xingbei captured online traffic, Kunyu expanded offline.

Xingbei and Kunyu, under the guise of rivalry, attracted public attention and traffic. But in reality, their actions complemented and supported each other.

The public, focused on the so-called battle between Xingbei and Kunyu, eagerly watched how the two companies “fought,” inadvertently overlooking Jiangfeng Electric.

In the marketplace, when the first and second are competing, there’s no room for the third and beyond.

Although Xingbei Technology wasn’t the second yet, its momentum was strong. With a few more rounds of back-and-forth with Kunyu Electric, it seemed Jiangfeng Electric was being sidelined.

Meng Xingzhe thought, Jiangfeng Electric must be quite anxious right now.

He held his phone, smiling, and replied to Yao Jia.

[You’re such a clever little deity; you definitely shouldn’t be hidden away at home.]

He thought Yao Jia might take this opportunity to open up communication with him. But he was wrong.

Yao Jia ignored him again.

Meng Xingzhe was baffled, unable to find a way to break through the stalemate in his relationship with Yao Jia.

As the workday was ending, he barged into Bei Luonan’s office, stubbornly refusing to leave and insisting that Bei Luonan not let him clock out.

Because of this, Bei Luonan had to cancel his date with Ling Xiaoxin.

Frustrated and unsatisfied, Bei Luonan was extremely irritable, roaring at Meng Xingzhe, “What are you here for? Just because your love life is unhappy, you can’t stand to see others happy?”

In the face of his outburst, Meng Xingzhe surprisingly appeared… somewhat humble.

After a complex internal struggle, he finally convinced himself to temporarily set aside his pride and humbly ask Bei Luonan, “So, back when Ling Xiaoxin was mad at you for deceiving her and ignoring you, and you couldn’t catch her even when you waited outside her house, what trick did you use to win her back?”

Bei Luonan realized that Meng Xingzhe was once again seeking his advice.

He cupped his hand to his ear, gesturing, “Come on, say it here, beg me to teach you.”

Meng Xingzhe’s handsome face turned a shade akin to a murky swamp.

“No begging? Fine, I’ll go on a date with Little Xinxin. Remember to lock the door when you leave.”

He pretended to walk away.

Meng Xingzhe tripped him, grabbed his collar to stop him, then yanked his ear, shouting into it with frustration, “Damn it, I beg you!”

Bei Luonan almost went deaf.

“I told you to beg, not to cripple me!”

Bei Luonan ordered Meng Xingzhe to boil water and make tea for him; otherwise, he wouldn’t teach him the art of wooing a girlfriend.

Meng Xingzhe restrained himself, boiled the water, made the tea, and served it to Bei Luonan.

Bei Luonan teased him, “You didn’t spit in the kettle to get back at me, did you?”

Meng Xingzhe shot him a mocking glance, “You think too highly of yourself. Do you think you’re worthy of drinking my spit?”

Bei Luonan wanted to poke out his pretentious eyes.

He deliberately slurped his tea loudly and asked Meng Xingzhe, “Come on, spill your troubles. Let Teacher Bei have a good laugh.”

Meng Xingzhe muttered a curse under his breath.

He slumped on the sofa, asking weakly, “Why do you think Yao Xiaojia keeps ignoring me? Is she losing interest in me?” He paused, shaking his head, “No, that can’t be it. I’m so handsome and talented; she couldn’t possibly lose interest.”

Bei Luonan spat out his tea.

If Meng Xingzhe wasn’t showing off, he wouldn’t be Meng Xingzhe.

“But why is she ignoring me?”

Bei Luonan thought Meng Xingzhe’s troubles were the kind that came from being too full of himself.

“There are two possibilities. First, she’s genuinely busy. She’s been working on things to compete with our Xingbei Technology, trying to prove to you that even as a girl, she’s no less capable than us two men. When girls get serious, we at Xingbei Technology have to scramble to keep up.”

He paused, praising Yao Jia, “Honestly, the battle between Xingbei and Kunyu is a win-win. Yao Xiaojia is amazing!”

Meng Xingzhe immediately felt proud. When someone praised the young lady of his household, he almost wagged his tail with pride—if he had one.

“And the second?” he asked Bei Luonan, his nose in the air.

“The second is that she might be waiting for a sincere apology from you,” Bei Luonan analyzed.

Meng Xingzhe slapped the sofa, “I want to apologize sincerely, but she won’t give me the chance!”

He paused and returned to his earlier question, “You still haven’t told me, when your little bunny was ignoring you, what did you do to get her attention?” He thought if Bei Luonan dodged the question again, he would take drastic measures.

Sitting cross-legged on the side sofa, Bei Luonan sipped his tea with satisfaction, then put down the cup, his face full of indulgence, “Two words: be direct.”

“?” Meng Xingzhe felt like he was listening to a ghost story.

Bei Luonan explained, “First, you have to find an opportunity to confront Yao Jia in person. At this point, face-to-face is more effective than WeChat or phone calls.”

“When you manage to corner her, don’t say a word—just pin her against the wall and kiss her. Even if she likes you, she’ll struggle, but you counter her struggles. After a couple of tries, she’ll give up and soften. Then you keep kissing her until she’s subdued. Once she’s dazed and confused, sincerely apologize and ask for her forgiveness!”

Bei Luonan squinted, his gaze unfocused as he recalled the time he pinned Ling Xiaoxin against the wall to kiss and apologize. The more he remembered, the more his expression turned roguish.

Meng Xingzhe, unable to bear it, kicked him awake.

“Stop fantasizing about inappropriate things in broad daylight!”

He coughed, then seriously asked Bei Luonan, “What if there’s no wall where I corner her?”

“???” Bei Luonan was dumbfounded, “Meng Xingzhe, are you doing this on purpose? Can’t you stop nitpicking! If there’s no wall, find something else! Just pin her down and kiss her, got it? The essence is in the ‘pinning’—understand?” He paused, adding logically, “I Googled it. Apparently, that’s how domineering CEOs capture young women’s hearts. It never fails!”

Before leaving the company, Bei Luonan went to the restroom and had a mushy phone call with Ling Xiaoxin.

Afterward, he came out and said to Meng Xingzhe, “I have a dinner appointment with a supplier later. Want to join?”

Meng Xingzhe asked for the supplier’s name and realized it was an old friend they had collaborated with for a while. Since Yao Jia wasn’t talking to him, he was bored alone, so he figured having dinner with someone might be a nice distraction.

He and Bei Luonan took a car together, driven by their office assistant.

Upon arrival, he found that Bei Luonan had chosen a vegetarian restaurant.

“Xinxin said she and Yao Jia often come here for meals,” Bei Luonan told Meng Xingzhe after getting out of the car.

Inside the restaurant lobby, Bei Luonan asked the server, “Is the private room next to ‘Spring All Year’ available?”

The server checked and confirmed it was empty, leading them there.

Once inside, Meng Xingzhe asked, “What’s ‘Spring All Year’?”

Bei Luonan squinted and smiled, “You’ll find out soon.”

After a while, their supplier friend arrived, and the three of them chatted over dinner. Meng Xingzhe, feeling thirsty but not wanting alcohol, sent the assistant to ask the server for a pot of hot tea.

When the assistant returned, he whispered something to Bei Luonan, who then pointed at Meng Xingzhe, “Go tell Manager Meng.”

Bei Luonan turned back to chat with the supplier.

The assistant quickly moved to Meng Xingzhe’s side, leaned in, and whispered, “Manager Meng, there’s a situation in the next room.”

Meng Xingzhe barely lifted his eyelids, asking indifferently, “What situation?”

The assistant hesitated before explaining, “It’s that Little General Manager Yao from Kunyu Electric, your nemesis, Yao Jia. I saw her in the next room when I stepped out, and it looks like she’s been drinking too much…”

The next second, the assistant found himself staring at an empty space.

When he looked again, Meng Xingzhe had already stormed out like the wind.

Hearing that Yao Jia was next door and being plied with drinks, Meng Xingzhe didn’t think twice and barged into the adjacent private room.

Inside were four people: Yao Jia, her female assistant, and two men—one in his fifties and the other in his forties—both looking quite refined.

His sudden entrance drew everyone’s attention.

Yao Jia was holding a glass, seemingly about to toast. When she turned and saw him, she was utterly shocked.

The older man spoke first, asking, “And you are?”

Yao Jia watched as Meng Xingzhe’s expression changed dramatically, as if he were possessed by a drama king. He walked over, stood beside her, took the glass from her hand, and turned to the other two with a smile, “She’s actually preparing for pregnancy, so she can’t drink much. I’ll take this one for her.” With that, he brought the glass to his lips and downed it in one go.

“……………………” Yao Jia almost knelt on the spot in awe of his audacious performance.

The two men across from them were momentarily stunned, then quickly put on a knowing look, seemingly accepting that she was married and that her husband was indeed this man beside her.

After Meng Xingzhe finished the drink, Yao Jia smiled, apologized, and excused herself, instructing her assistant to take good care of the two doctors.

Then she dragged Meng Xingzhe out of the room.

Standing at the private room’s entrance, she was just about to speak when, unexpectedly, Meng Xingzhe pulled her along.

He held her hand and kept walking until they reached the corner of the hallway before finally letting go.

“???” Yao Jia had no idea what he was up to, but once they stopped, she couldn’t help but start counting on her fingers as she scolded him, “Meng Xingzhe, how many faces do you have? Undercover agent, big liar, drama king, lying about me preparing for pregnancy without fearing getting caught…”

She was about to continue when suddenly he pressed her against the wall.

She stared at him in shock as he lowered his head and kissed her fiercely.

**

The familiar dizzying sensation swept over her again.

Yao Jia was stunned, her mouth sealed tightly by his.

He pressed her against the corner and kissed her forcefully.

It took her a good ten seconds to realize that she was being kissed against the wall.

She struggled hard.

He suppressed her resistance, his tongue invading and sweeping through her.

Gradually, she stopped struggling, following her heart, accepting his kiss.

Her heart pounded wildly.

She thought Ling Xiaoxin was right. Kissing really could be addictive.

At this moment, even though she felt shy, she was willing to admit that ever since he drunkenly kissed her that midnight, she had been longing for their second kiss.

She relaxed, let herself go, allowing him to lead her.

She indulged in the moment. The sound of their passionate, wet kisses filled her ears, making her both shy and excited.

After a long while, a noise from the corner startled Yao Jia. Afraid of being seen in this compromising position, she quickly pushed Meng Xingzhe away.

Meng Xingzhe pulled back from her lips, his eyes slightly unfocused, looking unsatisfied.

He raised a hand, using his fingers to gently wipe away the moisture from her lips left by his kiss, whispering, “The big liar wants to take you home tonight!”

Hearing Meng Xingzhe’s hoarse, seductive voice, Yao Jia took a deep breath and kicked his shin, “You wish, you scoundrel!”

Meng Xingzhe bent down to rub his leg. It didn’t actually hurt, but rubbing it seemed to please her.

Sure enough, his slightly embarrassed look made her laugh.

He laughed along with her.

“Who are the people in the room?” he took the opportunity to ask.

“My sister’s attending doctor from abroad,” Yao Jia replied.

“Oh…” Meng Xingzhe realized he might have overplayed his role.

He had thought she was being forced to drink by suppliers or clients.

“So are you going back now?” he asked uncertainly.

Yao Jia sighed, “I was just about to toast the last glass when you barged in with your performance. I had already arranged for my assistant to take them to the airport.”

Hearing this, Meng Xingzhe grabbed her hand and led her outside.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he felt grateful to Bei Luonan.

This “coincidental” encounter tonight was likely orchestrated by Bei Luonan and Ling Xiaoxin.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you home,” he said, pulling Yao Jia along as they walked out.

Meng Xingzhe called for a driver.

Both he and Yao Jia sat in the back seat.

Throughout the ride, Yao Jia stared out the window in silence.

When they reached her home, Meng Xingzhe dismissed the driver. Yao Jia was about to get out, but the car door was suddenly locked again by Meng Xingzhe.

Yao Jia turned to look at him.

Meng Xingzhe leaned closer to her.

He looked into her eyes and said, “Yao Xiaojia, let’s have a meaningful conversation.”

Yao Jia thought, after ignoring him for so long, it was about time.

She nodded.

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow, “I know you’ve been avoiding me to prove your capabilities, to show that I’m wrong.”

Yao Jia thought, that’s right.

“I’m telling you seriously now, you, Yao Jia, are an amazing and outstanding woman. You’re better and more capable than many men. You shouldn’t be kept at home.”

Yao Jia listened quietly, feeling a stir in her heart.

“Now, Yao Xiaojia, let me ask you, do you really think deep down I look down on women? Isn’t it possible you’re being too sensitive? Have I ever discriminated against women?”

Yao Jia’s heart skipped a beat as she listened to Meng Xingzhe’s questions. She let him continue.

“I’m someone who looks down on everyone equally, regardless of gender.”

“…” Yao Jia thought, oh great, there he goes bragging again!

“Remember when I pressured you to switch rooms with me?”

She suddenly heard Meng Xingzhe mention this significant past event.

“I remember, so what?”

“If I truly believed women were weaker, I wouldn’t have suggested switching rooms with you. I would’ve deferred to you, right?”

Yao Jia’s heart skipped, feeling like he might have a point.

“Also, if I discriminated against you for being a woman, I wouldn’t argue with you at every turn. I should’ve let you have your way because you’re a girl.”

Yao Jia thought, that seems true…

“So, Yao Xiaojia, listen carefully. I only fell for you, which is why I can’t stand seeing you suffer. I want to be someone responsible, someone who protects you. I don’t think that’s wrong. My mistake was only considering my feelings—I felt sorry for you and wanted you to enjoy life at home; but I didn’t consider your feelings—maybe you find joy in hard work; I didn’t realize your happiness might come more from achieving self-worth than from being loved and pampered by a man.”

Yao Jia listened quietly, her heartbeat growing faster and stronger.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Alright, let me give you another example. When you girls were little, you liked dolls, right? You wouldn’t even glance at a doll you didn’t like, would you? But if it was a doll you liked, you’d be so careful with it, afraid it might get damaged. Does that mean you look down on the doll you like, or that you think it’s weaker than other dolls?”

Yao Jia’s heart skipped again.

“No, right? You just love that doll so much, it becomes precious, and you want to take care of it.” He looked into her eyes, speaking softly, “You’re that doll to me. I don’t look down on you; you’re just too precious to me.”

Listening to Meng Xingzhe’s words, Yao Jia’s heart pounded, each beat heavier than the last.

She thought, how does he come up with such good examples?

She saw him suddenly smile, “Actually, I’ve always been a hands-off boss at the company, leaving a lot of work to Bei Luonan. I don’t want to be that tired, just want to enjoy life. I’ve never thought about achieving self-worth, just that being a hands-off boss is fun.” He raised a hand to stroke her head, his palm full of tenderness, “But I think from now on, I should learn from you, not be a hands-off boss. In the future, besides making money, I should also think about how to achieve my personal value.”

Yao Jia was stunned.

Had their relationship reached such a high level of value already???

In a moment of impulse, she lowered her head, rummaged through her bag, pulled out a card, and tossed it to Meng Xingzhe.

Seeing his surprised expression, she told him, “Before I change my mind and take back this card, hurry up and let me out of the car!”

— Translator’s Notes —

• When the gods fight, what business do the little devils have?: A Chinese idiom (神仙打架，小鬼别凑热闹) meaning that when powerful or influential people clash, it’s best for ordinary or less powerful individuals to stay out of the way and avoid getting involved.