Chapter 86: Respect Without Frivolity

After listening to his father’s explanation, Meng Xingzhe felt a whirlwind of emotions surge within him.

No wonder he always felt a bit manipulated by Bei Luonan when he explained to Yao Bingkun why he was undercover at Kunyu Electric. It turned out he wasn’t being manipulated by Bei Luonan; it was a joint effort by his own father and Yao Jia’s father!

At the time, Yao Bingkun knew his true identity and remained composed, even asking if he had manipulated his daughter…

Meng Xingzhe thought the older generation was truly terrifying; those who had experienced more in life were indeed formidable.

While his emotions were in turmoil, Yao Jia’s emotions were also in a frenzy.

No wonder Meng Xingzhe mentioned that Assistant Hou saw him at the Industry Summit—Yao Bingkun knew he attended the summit. Yet, Yao Bingkun didn’t find it odd that a customer service representative skipped work to attend such an event.

Because her father, Yao Bingkun, had known all along who Meng Xingzhe really was!

And that day when Qiu Lishi came to reveal Meng Xingzhe’s true identity to her and Yao Bingkun, intending to have the legal department sue him, her father stopped Qiu Lishi with a seemingly legitimate reason.

Looking back now, it was her father, who knew the truth, silently watching Qiu Lishi’s performance and quietly protecting Meng Xingzhe.

Yao Jia thought the older generation’s acting skills were truly impressive, leaving no room for the younger generation to shine.

In an afternoon, the secrets between the two generations were unveiled one by one in the room.

The older generation remained calm and composed, while the younger generation experienced waves of shock and surprise, occasionally touched by emotion.

That afternoon, Meng Xingzhe’s living room was filled with the rollercoaster emotions of him and Yao Jia.

As evening approached, Meng Xingzhe called in a housekeeper to help with grocery shopping and cooking.

At dinner time, the housekeeper laid out a large spread. Two elders and three younger ones gathered around the dining table for a momentous dinner.

Meng Xingzhe opened a bottle of mild wine and poured a glass for everyone.

Meng Yutang, sitting at the table, asked Meng Xingzhe, “Is this the first time your dining table is serving its purpose since you moved in?”

Meng Xingzhe, not pleased, replied, “Did Yao Jia and I eat lunch on the floor?”

Meng Yutang teased, “Did you and little Yao Jia have lunch at home?”

He teased further, “Did you make lunch yourself?”

Meng Xingzhe’s ears turned red with embarrassment. “I didn’t cook.”

Yao Jia exposed him, “He made scrambled eggs with tomatoes. It was salty enough to be pickles.”

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Yao Bingkun’s face.

Bei Luonan almost dropped his chopsticks. “Wow, you actually cooked yourself?” His face showed that his earlier suggestion was just a casual remark.

Meng Yutang laughed heartily.

“Son, your cooking skills must be inherited from your mom, always thinking of saving ingredients.”

Yao Jia found it amusing how Uncle Meng beautified the saltiness of the dish.

Meng Xingzhe was almost driven to anger by his father’s laughter.

With a dark face and furrowed brows, he took a moment to calm his rising irritation.

Then he stood up and offered a toast to Yao Bingkun.

Yao Bingkun gestured for him to sit down.

Meng Xingzhe refused, standing with his glass raised. “Uncle Yao, I toast to you. Please be straightforward with me! You knew all along I wasn’t a commercial spy, and that my going to your company was planned by my dad and you!”

Yao Bingkun nodded gently as he listened.

“Then, when I apologized for hiding my identity and infiltrating Kunyu Electric, why didn’t you tell me you knew who I was?”

He felt guilty, fearing Yao Jia wouldn’t forgive him, racking his brains to make amends, losing hair in the process.

Thinking of this, his voice carried a hint of grievance and a touch of pitifulness.

Yao Bingkun first drank the toast, then set down his glass, looking at Meng Xingzhe with a calm, deep voice. “Oh, I remember when I wanted to introduce my daughter to you, and you refused.”

Yao Jia and Bei Luonan nearly choked.

Meng Yutang’s eyes widened, as if hearing something amusing, and laughed heartily.

He enjoyed watching his son in a bind, more entertained than watching a comedy show.

“Son, you deserved this!”

Yao Jia turned to glare at Meng Xingzhe, her eyes filled with annoyance.

Meng Xingzhe wished he could slap himself.

He tried to explain, “But I really didn’t know your daughter was Yao Jia at the time!” He turned to Yao Jia, “I really didn’t know the legendary daughter was you!”

A smile appeared on Yao Bingkun’s face again. He said, “If I had told you everything, you could easily resolve the misunderstanding with my help. But by staying silent, you solved it on your own and earned Jia’s forgiveness. Looking back, which outcome do you prefer?”

Meng Xingzhe’s lingering resentment subsided, and he sat back down.

Yao Bingkun was right. Solving a problem on your own makes it more meaningful and profound.

As dinner progressed, Meng Xingzhe suddenly thought of the previous issue with the small appliance promotion and the coupon setup error.

He and his father had discussed this while smoking behind the old tree.

So he asked Yao Bingkun if there had been any developments with the coupon issue and if it was related to Qiu Lishi.

Yao Bingkun replied, “We’ve mostly figured it out. It wasn’t related to Qiu Lishi; it was the responsibility of the event manager.” He paused, “But it’s not the right time to uncover this. The priority now is to address the refurbished machines. We didn’t rush this before to avoid alerting Qiu Lishi and prevent him from destroying evidence of other matters. But now is the time to act. We need to quickly collect evidence of the refurbished machines in rural areas and replace them with genuine new ones for the villagers.”

Yao Jia looked at her father with admiration. She was proud that he was a man of courage and responsibility.

Yao Bingkun turned to her, sighed softly, and said, “You’ve grown up. It’s time for you to try handling things independently. I can’t act on matters related to Qiu Lishi, so I’ll leave it to you.”

He paused and told Yao Jia, “So, the task of gathering evidence on the refurbished machines is yours.”

Yao Jia straightened up and accepted the task, feeling her blood boiling with excitement.

Suddenly, Meng Yutang said, “Let Meng Xingzhe go to the countryside with you. He hasn’t been there before and should experience a life completely opposite to luxury.” He turned to Meng Xingzhe, “This will definitely help cure your spoiled and indulgent habits!”

“……”

“Son, my expectations for you aren’t high. I hope you can at least last half a day without running back to the city.” Meng Yutang continued to tease.

“……”

Meng Xingzhe wanted to say, don’t even hope for half a day; I won’t go to such a chaotic and dusty place.

But Meng Yutang had him in a bind. “Son, I’ll bet my grandfather’s jade back scratcher that you won’t last half a day!”

Yao Jia was taken aback by the sound. She wondered if the Meng family had always been so unique since her grandfather’s generation. They even used white jade to make back scratchers!

Meng Xingzhe, as if triggered by a bet, immediately slapped the table and declared, “You’re joking! If I can’t last half a day, I’ll call you my grandchild!”

Yao Jia almost dropped her chopsticks.

—Are you just promoting yourself to senior status without consulting your father?

After dinner, Yao Bingkun specifically asked Yao Jia to go home with him.

Bei Luonan said he would join them.

Meng Xingzhe felt a bit reluctant to part and wanted to suggest that Yao Jia stay a little longer so he could personally escort her home later.

However, before he could speak, Meng Yutang called him out, “Son, see your uncle and his family off, and come back quickly. I have some fatherly love to share with you.”

“…”

Meng Xingzhe had no choice but to abandon his plan.

Before Yao Jia left, she went to the restroom, and he waited outside the door.

As soon as Yao Jia came out, he grabbed her hand and gave it a quick, gentle squeeze.

With the elders still waiting in the living room, they couldn’t linger, so Meng Xingzhe released her hand.

Yao Jia returned to the living room, gathered her things, and glanced at Meng Xingzhe.

That single look seemed to convey a thousand unspoken words, leaving Meng Xingzhe entranced. He followed her and her father to the elevator, almost wishing he could accompany them all the way home.

Throughout this, he completely ignored a certain “Bei Luonan,” who was so annoyed that he vowed to be Meng Yutang’s buddy from now on and disown the nephew who prioritized romance over friendship.

When Meng Xingzhe returned home after seeing them off, Meng Yutang was already seated on the single sofa.

Seeing Meng Xingzhe return, he pointed to the spot where Yao Jia had been sitting, “Son, come, sit here. Let’s have a chat.”

Meng Xingzhe thought his father was going to engage in some light-hearted banter.

But when he looked up and saw Meng Yutang’s serious expression and heard his solemn tone, he realized his father had something important to discuss.

“Son, do you know why I suddenly came over today?” Meng Yutang asked.

“…Retirement home, spring cleaning?” Meng Xingzhe recalled his father mentioning this.

Meng Yutang shook his head, “How coincidental that the retirement home would have a spring cleaning on the very day you brought Yao Jia home alone?”

Meng Xingzhe’s heart skipped a beat.

“To be honest, I won’t hide it from you. For the past six months, I’ve been checking in with Bei Luonan weekly about you. This morning, he told me he suggested you cook for Yao Jia at home over the weekend. He suspected you might have already brought her home.”

Meng Yutang paused, looking at Meng Xingzhe, “As soon as I heard you and Yao Jia might be home alone, I decided to come over immediately.”

Hearing this, Meng Xingzhe’s ears burned uncontrollably.

“Do you think I would do something to Yao Jia at home?” He tried to sound as if he wouldn’t do anything inappropriate, but his heart wasn’t in it.

…If Meng Yutang hadn’t shown up in time, he might not have been able to restrain himself.

Meng Yutang leaned forward, his back slightly hunched, getting closer to Meng Xingzhe, “Son, you’re used to living for your own pleasure. Although you’re changing, old habits don’t disappear overnight. You might say you’ve changed, that you’re no longer selfish and can help others. But words alone aren’t enough. Only when you face challenges will you know if you’ve truly changed. You and Yao Jia are getting along well now, but it’s in smooth times that problems remain hidden. Only time and trials will reveal if you’re truly right for each other.”

Meng Xingzhe listened attentively to his father’s words.

“You’re used to being self-centered. Now, you’re being asked to share your world and accept someone else. Are you truly ready? Right now, you can’t get enough of each other, but the initial excitement will fade. Will you still be patient when your world includes another person?”

Meng Xingzhe pondered his father’s questions seriously.

“Yao Jia is still young. Although you’re a few years older, you may not be much more mature. How long have you been together? Just a few months. Have you planned your future? Do you truly understand each other? Do you know each other’s pasts and presents? Are you officially in a relationship? Have you aligned your values?”

Meng Xingzhe felt as if his father’s questions echoed through the room, resonating in his heart.

“If not, I hope you won’t act impulsively, driven by hormones, when your feelings are at their peak.”

Meng Yutang looked at Meng Xingzhe, “You know what I mean by acting impulsively. Ultimately, you and Yao Jia aren’t just two ordinary people dating. You both have families and businesses behind you, so you can’t be reckless or impulsive. Think things through before you act.”

Meng Xingzhe quietly absorbed his father’s advice.

“To be honest, I rushed over today because I was worried you might lose control and do something reckless. I even brought Yao Jia’s father because of my friendship with Yao Bingkun. You must handle your relationship with Yao Jia carefully. If you ever wrong her, I wouldn’t be able to face my old friend.”

Meng Yutang’s voice was calm but firm, “Son, if you haven’t thought through the questions I asked, don’t let your hormones take over. Remember, be respectful and don’t act impulsively without certainty about the future. That’s what it means to be a responsible man.”

Meng Xingzhe took his father’s advice to heart.

He even reflected on his previous eagerness with Yao Jia, wondering if his actions—like those passionate kisses, post-dinner teeth brushing, and sofa escapades—were too rash.

After that revealing dinner, Yao Jia noticed a change in Meng Xingzhe when they were alone.

He no longer impulsively pulled her into passionate kisses. His demeanor remained confident, yet he was more gentlemanly and composed.

Though the lack of heart-pounding kisses was noticeable, Yao Jia surprisingly found this gradual approach more comfortable and reassuring.

Three days later, she quietly prepared for a trip to investigate a refurbishment project in the countryside. During the day, she only mentioned at work that she was going on a business trip, avoiding any unnecessary attention.

Planning to stay in the countryside for a few days, she began packing her luggage that evening.

While packing, she put Meng Xingzhe on speakerphone and confirmed with him, “Are you sure you want to go to the countryside with me?”

Meng Xingzhe’s voice rose, “Why not?”

Yao Jia brought her phone closer and warned, “There will be lots of ants and dogs in the countryside.”

The line went silent, and Yao Jia almost thought the call had dropped.

After a while, she heard Meng Xingzhe speak again.

Through his voice, which he tried hard to keep steady, Yao Jia could almost picture his pale face.

“I’m going!” he declared with the determination of a warrior.

After a pause, catching his breath, he added, “If there are lots of ants and dogs, remember to protect me.”

Imagining a confident man saying, “Remember to protect me,” nearly made Yao Jia burst into laughter.

Her maternal instincts were overflowing, and she held back a laugh, saying, “Oh.”