**Chapter 16: Song Yunxiao’s Mouth Must Be Blessed…**
Cheng Yixiu felt like he was seeing ghosts in the middle of the night.
Normally, the internet speed in the early hours is much faster than during the day. Not many people use it at this time, especially since he had double-checked the speed before downloading a crucial file package.
But of course, lightning strikes without warning.
Faced with this unexpected situation, Cheng Yixiu, fueled by the same fighting spirit he uses in the stock market, spent over an hour rowing on his machine in the living room at lightning speed.
Great, today’s exercise quota was already maxed out by midnight. His partner spirit of meticulous calculation and seizing every second was fully displayed.
After calming down, Cheng Yixiu waited for the sweat to dry before taking a warm shower in the en-suite bathroom. He then made himself an espresso with the automatic coffee machine in the kitchen, ready to return to the study for more work.
Yesterday’s scattered tasks had wasted too much time, leaving him with a pile of unfinished work.
Fortunately, the internet speed returned to normal, and Cheng Yixiu seized the opportunity to work, finally wrapping things up by 4 AM.
At exactly 10 AM the next morning, the alarm clock on the bedside table rang, and Cheng Yixiu reflexively got up from bed.
He remembered to call the broadband customer service early to arrange for a technician to check the network issue, only to be told that due to a busy schedule, the technician wouldn’t be available until around 7 PM.
The customer service registered Cheng Yixiu’s broadband address and contact information, reminding him to keep his phone on so they could reach him when the technician arrived.
Cheng Yixiu assured them, “I’ll be home all day today, please arrange for a technician to come as soon as possible, thank you!”
Being home alone on the weekend, Cheng Yixiu found waiting for delivery too tedious, so he dug out a pack of frozen crystal shrimp dumplings his sister Cheng Yijia had brought over last time.
Even though he couldn’t cook, he could manage basic boiling. He cooked most of the pack to make do for brunch, then threw himself back into work with enthusiasm.
The afternoon flew by, and through the window, he could see the sunset gradually spreading across the sky.
At 6 PM, Cheng Yixiu received a call from the broadband technician.
“Hello, is this Mr. Cheng Yixiu? I’m near your neighborhood now, and I’ll be there in about five minutes. Are you home?”
“Yes, I’m home. I’ve been waiting for your call all day. Please register at the security room when you arrive, and I’ll inform them to let you in. I’ll come down to meet you; the elevator requires a card to access.”
“Alright, I’ll be right over.”
Coincidentally, on their way back, they ran into Lin Siyi, who had been out shopping with Song Yunxiao.
“Mr. Cheng, what a coincidence.”
“Mm.”
So, the three of them entered the elevator together, with Cheng Yixiu swiping the card.
Lin Siyi was about to chat with her boss when she noticed the technician’s uniform and felt guilty. “Mr. Cheng, is there something wrong with your broadband? Calling a technician this late?”
But she thought it couldn’t be that bad. When she left in the morning, she was using the neighbor’s WiFi to browse Weibo, and the speed was fine.
Cheng Yixiu, unaware of Lin Siyi’s inner turmoil, told her frankly, “I’ve noticed the network speed at home has been strange lately, so I called someone to check it out.”
Worried the technician might find something, Lin Siyi suggested, “Can I come with you to take a look?”
“Suit yourself.”
Lin Siyi quickly retreated to the back of the elevator, leaning against the wall, and sent a message to Song Yunxiao on WeChat, “Emergency call, emergency call, my boss has called a broadband technician to check. What should I do if I’m found out? Should I admit it or deny it?”
But Song Yunxiao was probably still driving and hadn’t replied yet.
Lin Siyi remembered when she first moved in, she accidentally discovered the neighbor’s WiFi had no password and was super fast. After using it for a few days, she realized she could save money by not installing her own broadband.
She was relieved she hadn’t hacked the WiFi password. She hadn’t done it on purpose, just got a bit too comfortable later on.
Since she was with Cheng Yixiu now and had no devices using WiFi at home, she hoped it wouldn’t be discovered.
Once Cheng Yixiu unlocked his door, the three of them changed into slippers and entered.
Cheng Yixiu promptly showed the technician where the router and modem were installed.
After a thorough check, the technician said, “There’s nothing wrong with your equipment, but I noticed your wireless network doesn’t have a password. It’s possible a nearby resident has been using your network.”
Cheng Yixiu then remembered he hadn’t set a password when he moved in, thinking no one else had moved in yet. It seemed this was the cause.
“That’s a simple fix, just set a password.”
“Could you help me set one up?”
“You’ll need to enter the password yourself.”
Lin Siyi watched helplessly as the technician cut off the WiFi she’d been using for months. They’d been together for months, after all, and she’d grown attached, even if the broadband fee was paid by the big boss, Cheng Yixiu.
She was at a loss for words.
Oh, no, she really didn’t want to say anything.
Lin Siyi sighed internally, “Song Yunxiao’s mouth must be blessed! So accurate, why not become a fortune teller?”
She had already prepared herself mentally after Song Yunxiao’s reminder last night, planning to get broadband installed after her first paycheck.
Now she had no choice but to find time to go to the service center tomorrow, hoping work wouldn’t be too busy.
If she suggested splitting the broadband fee with Cheng Yixiu, it might reveal she’d been using his free WiFi all along, leaving a bad impression on her boss.
After all, she’d been using it before she even met Cheng Yixiu.
Lin Siyi dejectedly bid farewell to her boss, too dispirited to even shower, and collapsed onto her bed.
Not long after, her phone rang.
Half-asleep, Lin Siyi fumbled for her phone and answered, “Hey, Song Song.”
“Sorry, I was driving earlier. I just saw your message after getting out of the car. So what are you going to do now, get broadband installed overnight?”
“Oh, I remember, broadband installation requires an appointment, and they don’t come immediately. You’re not home all the time, which is inconvenient. Don’t bring work home for now, finish it at the office so you don’t end up with nothing to work with at home.”
Lin Siyi complained to her friend, “In the adult world, not only can you not be without money, but you also can’t be without WiFi!”
“Did your boss find out you were using his network?”
“I don’t think so. The technician just asked him to set a password. I guess I can’t connect with my phone now.”
“Hahaha… You, a rich person, taking advantage of others, and now you’ve slipped up!”
“If it’s inconvenient, you can stay at my place this week until your broadband is installed, then move back.”
Lin Siyi was about to agree but remembered Cheng Yixiu had just said she’d be carpooling with him to work soon, to avoid suspicion.
After some thought, she reluctantly declined Song Yunxiao’s offer, “I’ll hold on a bit longer. If I have time tomorrow, I’ll go to the service center to register. I just realized I can’t let my boss find out…”
Song Yunxiao teased her, “What if he finds out? Will he fire you? Hahaha…”
“I might as well confess to him, maybe he’ll be lenient. He’s rich and not stingy!”
“You still have time to speak well of him. Why not think about your own situation? Imagine, when you’re up late watching dramas or playing games, your boss next door is burning the midnight oil to make money.”
“He called a technician today, so the internet speed must have been affected. Your actions indirectly affect his earnings. You’re saving a bit on broadband, but for your boss, it’s lost time and potential earnings. Does that logic make sense?”
Lin Siyi felt utterly defeated, deciding to just give up, “Nothing makes sense right now, okay? If it comes to it, I’ll just quit. If this place doesn’t want me, another will.”
Song Yunxiao laughed, “Oh, you’re looking for a new job while still on this one, but how do you know the next one won’t be worse? Remember the dark times when you were unemployed after quitting without a backup? Do you want to deliver food again? And with the current competitive job market, decent jobs aren’t easy to find.”
Lin Siyi: “…”