Chapter 99: The Grand Finale, Part Two (2)

Yao Jia found herself pinned on the sofa by Meng Xingzhe, wrapped in a tender and lingering kiss.

Ling Xiaoxin had recently been sent on an assignment outside the city, a fact that had already reached Yao Bingkun and Gan Yu through parental gossip. This meant Yao Jia could no longer use the excuse of staying at Ling Xiaoxin’s place to be out all night.

So, in the midst of the sweet kisses with Meng Xingzhe, she desperately summoned her rationality. To prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, she pushed him away.

“Let’s just chat for a bit!”

She said breathlessly to Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Xingzhe’s eyes still held an unquenched passion, but he restrained himself and, also a bit breathless, asked, “What should we talk about?”

Once they forced themselves into a conversation mode, neither knew what to talk about.

Suddenly, an idea struck Yao Jia, and she suggested, “How about we play a couple of racing games?”

Ever since Yao Jia was promoted to Little General Manager Yao and took over management duties, she had been busy every day, dedicating her scant free time entirely to Meng Xingzhe. Sometimes even when they were together, they were each busy with their own work.

Meng Xingzhe no longer indulged himself as he used to, leaving everything to Bei Luonan. Since his stint at Kunyu Electric, he had grown increasingly responsible and involved with his own business.

Both of them were driven by their careers, and apart from the occasional “overnight at Ling Xiaoxin’s,” their leisure time had been significantly reduced.

It was only then they realized how long it had been since they last played that racing game together—the game that had brought them together in the first place.

They logged into the game and raced a few rounds. Meng Xingzhe deliberately let Yao Jia win each time.

After another race, Yao Jia put away her phone and teased Meng Xingzhe, “You’ve finally learned to be less of a straight guy and let me win!”

Meng Xingzhe took the opportunity to boast, “But you might not realize how much effort it takes for a master like me to lose on purpose! I hope you appreciate my gesture.”

Yao Jia playfully smacked him, “Speak properly and stop showing off!”

After that, they found themselves reminiscing about how they had met in the game.

Yao Jia asked Meng Xingzhe, “Before we met in the game, how long had you been playing it?”

Meng Xingzhe answered earnestly, “That was my first time playing.”

“???” Yao Jia was incredulous, “Your first time and you were already so good at driving and crashing into others?!”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow at her, “I’m not lying. If you don’t believe me, you can ask my dad.” He paused, explaining the backstory of his gaming experience, “That day, my dad suddenly sent me a game link, telling me this racing game was really fun and asked me to download it to play with him.”

“Oh, by the way,” Meng Xingzhe told Yao Jia, “the racing room we were in that day was created by my dad. It was such a coincidence that you joined. And then you started challenging me. Yao Xiaojia, what do you think about our fate?”

“???”

Yao Jia’s eyes widened.

She tried to recall the events of that day—back then, she was somewhat addicted to KartRider, finding it a great stress reliever. During that period, she would log in almost every night to play for a while.

On the night she met Xinghen, she logged into the game and accepted an invitation from a local friend to join a racing room they had created.

—A local game friend!

Yao Jia immediately picked up her phone, opened the game, found that local friend, and showed it to Meng Xingzhe.

Looking at the avatar, Meng Xingzhe said, “Oh, that’s my dad.”

“…”

Yao Jia stared at Meng Xingzhe, her mouth agape, demonstrating what it meant to be utterly dumbfounded.

Meng Xingzhe chuckled and tapped her nose, “Why do you look so silly?”

But in the next second, he mirrored her dumbfounded expression.

“Wait! You’re friends with my dad in the game??”

Yao Jia nodded, “Not only that, but it was your dad who invited me to that racing room that day!”

Immediately, confusion clouded her eyes, “I remember after one race, the host—your dad—said we’d have a king’s race next. He even told you, a bronze player using a trial car, ‘Buddy, you’ll have to sit this one out.’ How did he call you buddy???”

Meng Xingzhe chuckled, “Doesn’t it seem like the kind of cheeky thing my dad would do?”

Yao Jia was out of words. Being buddy-buddy with his own son was indeed something Meng Yutang would do.

“But,” it was Meng Xingzhe’s turn to be puzzled, “how did you become friends with my dad in the game?”

Yao Jia recalled, “One day, I received a friend request with just one line: ‘Though miles apart, we are close at heart.’ It’s my dad’s favorite poem. Even though I was at odds with my dad at the time, I accepted the request because of that line.”

Meng Xingzhe paused for a couple of seconds, then started grinding his teeth, “I have a bold theory. Your dad actually knew you were playing games and was worried you’d get too absorbed, so he wanted to know your gaming habits. But he didn’t know how to play, and since my dad is always up for anything, he got my dad to add you as a friend, using your dad’s favorite line to lower your guard. That way, he could keep tabs on your gaming and report back to your dad.”

Yao Jia’s eyes widened even more.

“Later, my dad and Bei Luonan schemed to send me to Kunyu’s Customer Service Department for training. He probably thought since we’d meet in real life anyway, it would be more fun if we met in the game first. So that day, he dragged me into the game!” Meng Xingzhe said through gritted teeth, “And you know what? The day after I started playing, Bei Luonan tricked me into a bet that landed me in Kunyu’s Customer Service Department! Old Meng, that guy, did it all on purpose—dragged me into the game, deprived me of sleep, and then took advantage of my exhaustion to challenge me with Bei Luonan!”

He fumed and asked Yao Jia, “Do you think I might have been adopted?”

Yao Jia burst out laughing.

Then she gave Meng Xingzhe a thumbs-up, “Make sure to pass on my admiration to your dad! In terms of being a crafty old fox, your dad is top-notch!”

It turned out their meeting in the game wasn’t just a coincidence. Even this part of their connection had been orchestrated by their parents. No wonder their encounters seemed so serendipitous, intertwined in both real life and the game.

It was all part of their parents’ plan.

Yao Jia was almost in awe of their parents’ cunning.

After a couple more busy days, Yao Jia remembered she should communicate with Yue Xuran.

But before she could call Yue Xuran, he called her first.

For a moment, Yao Jia almost believed she had developed the ability to make things happen just by thinking about them.

Yue Xuran informed Yao Jia over the phone, “Someone wants to acquire Four Dot Technology.”

Yao Jia knew Yue Xuran well enough to know that was impossible for him.

Yue Xuran said, “I didn’t agree. Then they proposed to invest, and I said I’d have to discuss it with my investors, and it would require their approval.”

Hearing this, Yao Jia sensed that Yue Xuran was open to receiving some investment funds; otherwise, he wouldn’t have called to seek her opinion and would have directly refused.

“What do you think about the investment proposal?” Yao Jia asked Yue Xuran.

Yue Xuran replied, “I’m not against it, actually, because if Four Dot Technology wants to expand and diversify its business, we do need to bring in new capital and resources.”

Yao Jia replied, “I think so too.”

After a pause, Yue Xuran added, “But deciding who gets to invest still requires your approval as the investor.”

“?” Yao Jia was a bit surprised. It seemed that those interested in investing weren’t just Wen Zhihe’s group.

“Who has expressed interest in investing in Four Dot Technology so far?” she asked Yue Xuran.

The first name Yue Xuran mentioned took Yao Jia by surprise.

“Jiangfeng Electric was the first to contact me and Tao Lie.”

“Jiangfeng Electric?” Yao Jia’s voice rose in pitch, revealing her surprise.

She hadn’t expected the first to show interest in Four Dot Technology would be Jiangfeng, not Wen Zhihe. However, thinking it over, it made sense. Jiangfeng Electric was planning to expand into the smart home industry, and investing in Four Dot Technology for resource integration would indeed benefit their future business. After all, if Kunyu could envision a closed-loop smart home ecosystem, Jiangfeng Electric certainly could too.

“And who else?” Yao Jia asked.

“Wen Zhihe also expressed interest in acquiring Four Dot Technology, but Tao Lie and I politely but clearly declined. So, he proposed investing instead.”

Yao Jia was already aware of Wen Zhihe’s interest, so she wasn’t particularly surprised this time.

“Besides these two, is there anyone else interested in investing?” Yao Jia asked casually, thinking there couldn’t be more.

But Yue Xuran told her, “Yes.” After a pause, he added, “Xingbei Technology also contacted me.”

Yao Jia started coughing immediately.

Yue Xuran quickly asked if she was okay, and Yao Jia, still coughing, assured him she was fine.

She asked again, “Is there anyone else?”

This time, she thought there truly wouldn’t be any more.

Yet Yue Xuran said, “Kunyu Electric also reached out to us.”

Yao Jia choked again.

—How could both her father and her partner be getting involved? And it seemed like they were on separate teams, not working together.

She was genuinely surprised.

Just a few days ago, when discussing Wen Zhihe’s interest in investing in Four Dot Technology, Meng Xingzhe had been dismissive and a bit sour at the mention of Yue Xuran. Yet now, he was seeking collaboration with them?

Her curiosity piqued, she asked Yue Xuran, “How did Xingbei Technology contact you?”

Yue Xuran patiently replied, “A founder named Bei Luonan reached out to me, expressing great interest in our product layout and wanting to discuss strategic cooperation. He also mentioned that if we could meet, he would bring another founder along for the discussion.”

Yao Jia thought, so that’s how it was.

She recalled that Meng Xingzhe’s shares in Xingbei Technology were held by a proxy, and he had only recently started the process of transferring them due to acquisition matters. He had always avoided interviews, and when media presence was required, he would push Bei Luonan forward. So, outsiders like Yue Xuran didn’t know that the real boss of Xingbei Technology was the former Kunyu customer service rep, Meng Xingzhe.

She also realized that she and Meng Xingzhe shared a similar quirk regarding shareholding. Her shares in Four Dot Technology were also held by a proxy, and that proxy was Yue Xuran. Thus, her identity as the mysterious investor was not visible in public records.

She pondered for a moment and then asked Yue Xuran, “How did Kunyu Electric contact you?”

Yue Xuran replied, “The big boss, Yao Bingkun, contacted me directly, saying he wanted to meet and chat.” After a pause, he added, “But it didn’t sound like President Yao was particularly eager to invest in Four Dot Technology. It seemed more like he just wanted to learn more about the company.”

When Yue Xuran mentioned “President Yao,” Yao Jia realized she had never told him about her true identity. So he didn’t know that “President Yao” was actually her father.

Over the phone, Yue Xuran told Yao Jia, “I informed the bosses of these companies that Four Dot Technology isn’t just owned by Tao Lie and me. We have a very important angel investor, and any major decisions require their approval. They all suggested that we bring the investor to meet and discuss together.” Then Yue Xuran asked Yao Jia, “Are you available to meet with them?”

Yao Jia replied, “No problem.”

Yue Xuran considered her convenience, “To save you from making four separate trips, I’ll arrange for all four companies to meet at Four Dot Technology on the same day. This saves time and effort, and you won’t have to make four trips. Honestly, if we had to meet them individually, Tao and I wouldn’t be able to handle it; it’s too exhausting.”

Yao Jia laughed. This was truly the mindset of an engineer—practical and straightforward, without scheming or flattery.

“Alright, as long as they’re willing to meet on the same day,” Yao Jia said with a smile.

Yue Xuran laughed too, “If any of them refuse, then they’re out of the game. After all, we’re the ones with the upper hand now, aren’t we?”

Yao Jia thought he was right. In this world, the one with the ability and the one being pursued is naturally the one in control.

Later that day, Yue Xuran sent Yao Jia a message.

He asked if she would be available to meet with the four companies tomorrow, with the meeting to be held in the conference room of Four Dot Technology.

Yao Jia replied, [No problem.]

After work in the evening, Yao Jia had dinner with Meng Xingzhe. Surprisingly, after dinner, Meng Xingzhe didn’t linger as usual. He said he needed to go home to review some materials.

Yao Jia asked what materials he was reviewing. Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow, masking his emotions as he said, “That fool Bei Luonan found something for me to do. He insists I meet with… some tech company boss and their investor tomorrow, hoping we can discuss some cooperation. I need to go back and study the company’s details so that tomorrow I can outshine that boss.”

Yao Jia stifled a laugh. The emotion Meng Xingzhe was trying so hard to hide was clearly jealousy. Dragged by Bei Luonan to meet with Yue Xuran for business, he was probably feeling both sour and indignant, embarrassed enough that he wouldn’t admit it even to her.

Yao Jia didn’t point it out. After all, they would all be gathering in the conference room tomorrow, so there was no rush.

After parting ways with Meng Xingzhe, Yao Jia specifically went to the study to check on her father.

Her father was surprisingly calm and hadn’t mentioned the meeting at Four Dot Technology the next morning.

Yao Jia thought that since her father didn’t bring it up, she wouldn’t either. They could have a family reunion at the Four Dot Technology conference room the next day.

That night, Yao Jia went to bed early. The next morning, she got up, washed up, applied makeup carefully, and chose her outfit with care.

She waited until she heard Yao Bingkun’s car engine start outside before putting on her coat and preparing to leave.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she checked her reflection again. The woman inside, with her slightly raised chin, looked confident and sharp.

Yao Jia was very satisfied with herself today.

Early in the morning, Meng Xingzhe was whisked away by Bei Luonan to Four Dot Technology.

When Yue Xuran saw him, he was visibly surprised. “I never expected the other boss of Xingbei Technology to be you, Brother Meng!”

Yue Xuran’s astonishment lifted Meng Xingzhe’s previously awkward mood considerably. He felt a strange sense of satisfaction—did Yue Xuran think he was just an ordinary person? Wrong! He was the prodigy Yue Xuran had underestimated. Shocked, aren’t you?

He worked hard to suppress this delightful feeling inside.

Yue Xuran, unable to contain his curiosity, asked him why he was working in the Customer Service Department at Kunyu Electric when they first met. With his mood improved, Meng Xingzhe generously shared the simple backstory with Yue Xuran.

Yue Xuran listened with wide-eyed amazement, as if Meng Xingzhe’s story had opened up a whole new world to him.

He and Bei Luonan chatted with Yue Xuran for a while longer until others began entering the meeting room.

Bei Luonan had mentioned yesterday that when Yue Xuran contacted them, he had clarified that other company executives would also be present at the meeting. So, Meng Xingzhe wasn’t surprised by more arrivals. What did surprise him was that the next person to enter was Yao Bingkun.

Meng Xingzhe immediately greeted him. Although he addressed him as “President Yao,” his tone was as eager and affectionate as if he were calling him “Dad.”

Beside him, Bei Luonan was almost embarrassed enough to flee the room.

Yao Bingkun, upon seeing Meng Xingzhe, also smiled in surprise. “You’re here too,” he said.

Yue Xuran, standing nearby, caught on to the intriguing connection. “Oh, right. Kunyu Electric is advancing its acquisition of Xingbei Technology, so it makes sense that you’re familiar with each other. But you both contacted us separately,” he said with a smile.

His words carried a hint of, “Are you really going to become one company?”

Yao Bingkun chuckled lightly, somewhat coming to Meng Xingzhe’s rescue. “Actually, it’s up to Xingzhe and his team to discuss matters with you. I’m just an old man interested in new technologies and wanted to join in for the fun.”

As they spoke, someone else entered the meeting room.

This time, it was Wu Jiangfeng, the owner of Jiangfeng Electric. His slicked-back hair was dyed jet black, making him look youthful, but the wrinkles on his face betrayed his age, revealing that he and Yao Bingkun were contemporaries.

Upon entering, he immediately approached Yao Bingkun, and the two shook hands and chatted for a long time.

The atmosphere was harmonious, like a reunion of old friends with endless happy stories to share.

Meng Xingzhe watched from the side, admiring the life skills of these seasoned veterans. In the business world, they might be fierce competitors, but face-to-face, they could create such a pleasant and harmonious atmosphere, as if their previous open and covert struggles were nonexistent, as if those underhanded competitive tactics were just misunderstandings.

The two appliance industry giants exchanged warm greetings before taking seats opposite each other near the head of the table. Meng Xingzhe and Bei Luonan sat down next to Yao Bingkun.

Just as they settled in, the meeting room door opened again.

This time, Wen Zhihe entered.

Tall and handsome, with a refined and elegant demeanor, he greeted everyone with a slight smile. He seemed like a serene and gentle person, yet in the business world, no one was as adept at wielding ruthless tactics as he was.

Once seated, Wen Zhihe looked up and asked Yue Xuran, who was sitting at the head of the table, “Are all the potential partners for Four Dot Technology here? When will President Yue’s investor arrive?”

Yue Xuran glanced at his watch. There were still fifteen minutes until the meeting was scheduled to start. These executives were certainly giving Four Dot Technology a lot of respect by arriving early.

He lowered his arm and addressed Wen Zhihe and the others, “According to the time, my investor should be arriving any moment now.”

Wu Jiangfeng laughed, “I checked Four Dot Technology’s business registration. It shows that the shareholders are just President Yue and your partner, President Tao. I didn’t see any other shareholders.”

Yue Xuran smiled and explained, “My investor prefers to remain low-key, so her shares are actually held by me on her behalf. We will later transfer the shares back to her.”

Bei Luonan leaned close to Meng Xingzhe and whispered, “This investor sounds just like you, investing in something but not wanting anyone to know about it!”

Meng Xingzhe raised an eyebrow, exuding a bit of arrogance. “Don’t compare just anyone to me. Are they worthy?”

As they spoke, the sound of high heels echoed in the hallway.

The sharp, decisive clicks of heels on the floor approached the meeting room door.

Yue Xuran’s eyes lit up as he stood from his chair. “My investor is here!”

At his words, Meng Xingzhe and Bei Luonan exchanged a quick glance. The investor for Four Dot Technology was a woman.

The next moment, Yue Xuran opened the door, and a figure walked in with confident steps.

Everyone turned to look at the door.

Meng Xingzhe ended his silent communication with Bei Luonan and casually glanced toward the meeting room entrance.

But what he saw left him stunned.

The person walking in with a bright smile was none other than Yao Jia.

Meng Xingzhe stared at Yao Jia, not blinking.

He watched her stride in confidently, smiling serenely. He saw her stand there, greeting everyone in the room with poise and grace.

She was dazzling and spirited, like a young queen, leaving him both shocked and captivated, unable to look away.

His gaze was intense, his heart inexplicably filled with excitement and pride.

This radiant young queen was the investor behind Four Dot Technology!

And this radiant young queen, when she took off her crown, was his girl.

Suddenly, Bei Luonan’s surprised voice echoed in his ear, “Wow! Yao Xiaojia?! Yao Xiaojia is actually the mysterious investor behind Four Dot Technology?!”

The astonishment in his voice hadn’t faded when he added, rubbing salt in the wound, “Buddy, think about what you said—don’t compare just anyone to me. Are they worthy?”

“…”

In that moment, Meng Xingzhe heard the sound of his own words coming back to bite him. And he felt an urge to strangle Bei Luonan.

She is worthy! He is the one who isn’t!

Her vision and courage in investing in Four Dot Technology were a hundred times cooler than his investment in Fang Jin’s film.

It wasn’t just Meng Xingzhe who was stunned. The others in the meeting room also showed surprise when they saw Yao Jia walk in.

Who would have thought that the angel investor behind the rapidly growing Four Dot Technology was such a young and beautiful woman?

Wen Zhihe was the first to recover, glancing between Yao Jia and Yao Bingkun, raising an eyebrow with a faint smile. “President Yao, so the investor for Four Dot Technology is your daughter.”

Yao Bingkun returned the smile. “I just confirmed it myself. She had mentioned investing in a mobile phone company before, and it turns out it was Four Dot Technology.”

He turned to look at Yao Jia, his eyes filled with undisguised pride and a hint of apology. “When you said you invested your money in a mobile phone team, I got angry and said you were throwing money away. Now it seems I was the one being conservative, unable to keep up with you young people’s boldness and innovation.” He smiled at Yao Jia. “You’re impressive, with great foresight, much stronger than this old man.” He glanced at Meng Xingzhe and added, “The future belongs to young people like you, who have courage and ideas.”

Yao Jia paused at his words.

Her father was willing to acknowledge her in front of so many people, even at the cost of denying himself.

In that instant, she felt a rush of exhilaration, as if she had finally triumphed after enduring countless hardships. Her worth was being recognized in a way she had never experienced before, filling her with an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and joy.

Yue Xuran looked at Yao Jia with surprise, then suddenly smiled. “Of course, I should have realized it sooner. You share the same surname, Yao.”

Wu Jiangfeng stood by, momentarily stunned, before he finally caught on.

“So, all this talk about Xingbei Technology and Four Dot Technology boils down to a family affair within the Yao family? It seems like Wen Zong and I are just outsiders trying to force our way into your family drama.” He laughed, a sharp edge in his eyes.

He deliberately dragged Wen Zhihe into the conversation, attempting to rally him into the camp of the disgruntled.

However, Wen Zhihe remained impassive, his emotions unreadable, leaving Wu Jiangfeng without an ally.

Seeing no point in staying, Wu Jiangfeng got up and excused himself, claiming he had other matters to attend to.

Bei Luonan whispered to Meng Xingzhe, “Well, Jiangfeng Electric must really despise Kunyu Electric now!”

Wen Zhihe, however, did not rush to leave. He sat down and continued to chat with the others for a while.

Even though he knew he might not have a chance to join in, he didn’t give up easily, maintaining a calm and engaging demeanor. Yao Jia admired this about Wen Zhihe, thinking perhaps his success came from never letting any opportunity slip away.

After some time, Wen Zhihe once again expressed his desire to collaborate with everyone.

“Since Four Dot Technology was invested in by Little General Manager Yao, and Kunyu Electric is acquiring Xingbei Technology, if we add my Heyi.com into the mix, we could integrate resources and become unstoppable in the future.” Wen Zhihe spoke with measured confidence, as if oblivious to the presence of the two Xingbei Technology bosses he had previously ceased cooperation with, showing no sign of embarrassment.

Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe exchanged a glance, deeply aware that the prowess of a capital giant was beyond ordinary people.

The meeting concluded in a friendly and unawkward atmosphere. As Wen Zhihe stood to leave, he suddenly turned to Yao Jia.

He smiled at her. “Speaking of which, Little General Manager Yao truly is a winner in life. I used to think I was invincible, but today, in front of you, my invincibility seems to have faltered. I set my sights on Xingbei, only for it to be acquired by your father, making you all family in the future. I was interested in Four Dot Technology, not realizing it was your investment from the start. It’s not that I was too late; it’s that you were too early. How could I possibly win?”

Wen Zhihe shook his head and laughed.

Yao Jia responded modestly, “Wen Zong, you’re too kind. I can’t always be this lucky.”

She was merely being polite, but her words provided Wen Zhihe with an opportunity to regain his composure. He continued, “But I’m not entirely without my victories. Lin Qian, a key member of your Customer Service Department, has joined me now.”

Yao Jia was taken aback.

After Li Wangli was dismissed, she had consulted Yao Bingkun and appointed Lin Qian as the acting Manager to oversee the Customer Service Department. If all went well, Lin Qian was set to be promoted to the official Manager position.

Yet, just a few days ago, Lin Qian submitted her resignation, insisting she had no choice but to leave, despite Yao Jia’s attempts to persuade her to stay.

Now it became clear that she had joined Wen Zhihe.

Yao Jia smiled graciously and said, “When I was a customer service representative, Lin Qian was my Team Leader. She’s an exceptional person, Wen Zong. You must treat Team Leader Lin well, or I’ll spare no expense to bring her back!”

Wen Zhihe chuckled at her words, a cryptic smile lingering on his lips as he bid farewell to everyone.

After he left, those remaining were all considered allies in Yao Jia’s eyes. She casually asked, “What do you think Wen Zhihe means by all this? Will he just let it go?”

Meng Xingzhe replied, “Probably not. Ambitious people never easily give up on things they desire.”

Yao Jia thought, regardless of what Wen Zhihe intended, they would deal with it as it came. There was no need to be intimidated by him.

That evening, Meng Xingzhe coaxed Yao Jia into coming to his place, refusing to let her leave easily.

He sat on the sofa with Yao Jia on his lap, holding her tightly as he playfully nibbled on her ear.

Yao Jia found his behavior unusual but couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

Until Meng Xingzhe asked while nibbling her ear, “Who’s more handsome, me or Yue Xuran?”

Only then did Yao Jia realize he was feeling jealous over nothing.

Before she could answer, he confidently supplied his own response, “Of course, I’m the most handsome. I’m the most handsome man in the universe, Meng Xingzhe!”

“…” Yao Jia thought, this man is something else. Holding her like this, nibbling and sucking, he managed to fill the air with a colorful aura, yet he still found time to boast.

Meng Xingzhe released her ear and moved to her lips, asking again, “If you didn’t know me, would you fall for Yue Xuran?”

“…” Yao Jia thought, how did this man become so love-struck? Even asking hypothetical questions like this.

Doesn’t he know there’s no ‘what if’ in life???

But before she could answer, Meng Xingzhe once again answered for her, “Of course, you wouldn’t like him. Even if you didn’t know me, you’d find a way to meet me, because I’m so handsome and charming!”

“…” Yao Jia struggled to get off this boastful man’s lap.

She feared that staying on his lap too long would make her just as boastful.

But Meng Xingzhe refused to let her go.

Yao Jia squirmed on Meng Xingzhe’s lap. As she moved, she noticed something unusual.

Her face turned crimson.

Having been intimate with him, she knew exactly what his change meant.

“If you keep moving, you won’t be going home tonight!” Meng Xingzhe warned her in a husky voice.

Yao Jia dared not move anymore, sitting obediently, worried she might end up spending the night there, which would reveal their shameless adult relationship to her parents.

Meng Xingzhe buried his head in her neck, breathing heavily.

Yao Jia, curious, asked him softly with a flushed face, “When was the first time you reacted to me?”

Meng Xingzhe inhaled her faint fragrance, his eyes slightly dazed.

“In the dorm. One day you ran out of your room.”

His voice was low and murmuring, carrying a mysterious allure, like a demon tempting a maiden.

“You were wearing a strapless dress, showing your shoulders, collarbone, and back.” He traced her collarbone with his lips.

“You had beautiful makeup, running to the entrance. I sat on the living room sofa, watching you. Your chest was full, waist so slender, legs so long, and so white they seemed to glow.”

His breath grew heavy.

“You bent to try on shoes, then stood and asked me, ‘Not ugly, right?'”

“In that moment, I reacted.”

Meng Xingzhe whispered softly in Yao Jia’s ear.

Yao Jia felt bewitched, her heart pounding.

His words were almost sinful, his voice alone like an aphrodisiac, stirring her more than him.

He buried his face in her neck, muttering, “Actually, when you walked into the meeting room today, I was already like this.”

Yao Jia took a moment to understand what he meant.

She couldn’t help but raise her hand to punch him lightly. “You’re such a rogue! I’m fully dressed, and you still react?”

Meng Xingzhe sniffed her neck. “You don’t understand. Whether a man reacts has nothing to do with how much you’re wearing.” He told her in a husky voice, “When you walked in wearing those high heels, looking so striking and beautiful, I thought to myself, after this meeting, I must bring you home, either to conquer you or be conquered by you!”

With that, he leaned in to kiss Yao Jia’s lips. Yao Jia met his passionate, fiery kiss, her world spinning around her. The atmosphere in the room turned sultry and steamy.

That night, before Yao Jia left, Meng Xingzhe managed to have his way at least once.

— Translator’s Notes —

• Though miles apart, we are close at heart: This line is from the famous Tang dynasty poem ‘Sending Off Du Shaofu to His Post in Shu Prefecture’ (送杜少府之任蜀州) by Wang Bo (王勃), which conveys that true friends or kindred spirits remain close regardless of physical distance: ‘Where there are bosom friends, a thousand li are like neighbors’ (海内存知己，天涯若比邻).