Chapter 167 What Would a Poor Student Riding an E-Scooter Know

As he passed the nurses’ station, the on-duty nurse smiled and asked, “Dr. Yin, getting off work already? So early today?”

“Mm, something urgent came up.”

Yin Siyao nodded briefly, not slowing his steps.

The moment he stepped into the elevator, Leng Keyan’s reply came: “Do you need help? Should I come over?”

A faint warmth rose in Yin Siyao’s chest. He replied: “No need. I can handle it. Go eat first—don’t stay hungry.”

At 5:40, the car finally pulled over by the roadside.

After paying and getting out, Yin Siyao saw from afar that a crowd had gathered at the entrance of the underground parking lot. Noisy arguing drifted over.

Zhao Jingshu’s hair was slightly disheveled. Her carefully applied makeup had been ruined by tears—her eyeliner smudged into two black streaks down her face.

She was confronting a middle-aged security guard in uniform, her voice trembling with both anger and tears.

“Eight thousand is way too expensive! It’s just a barrier pole. How could it cost that much? You’re clearly trying to scam me…”

“Watch your words—you need evidence for that.”

The guard spoke loudly, almost spraying spit onto her face. “This isn’t an ordinary barrier. It’s a smart lifting barrier.”

“It has a sensor system and motor control. You crashed into it—the motor’s broken. The whole system needs replacing. Eight thousand is already a low estimate!”

“But… but my monthly salary is only ten thousand…”

Zhao Jingshu’s voice broke again. “Eight thousand… that’s almost my entire month’s pay…”

“What does your salary have to do with me?”

The guard waved impatiently. “You broke it, you pay for it. If you can’t afford it, don’t drive.”

“Driving a lousy Volkswagen and coming to a high-end mall like this—who are you trying to impress? Is this even a place for you?”

The words were extremely harsh. Zhao Jingshu trembled with anger, tears streaming down again.

Yin Siyao strode over and stood directly in front of her. “Let’s talk this out properly. No need to shout.”

The guard froze for a moment, then sized him up.

Yin Siyao was dressed simply today—a white shirt with black trousers, topped with a light gray trench coat. He looked refined, but his gaze was cold.

“What are you to her?” the guard asked, still unfriendly.

“A friend.”

Yin Siyao’s tone was calm. “Explain the situation—how the collision happened, how much compensation you’re asking for, and on what basis.”

Seeing him, Zhao Jingshu immediately grabbed his arm, her fingers turning pale from the force. “Siyao… you’re here… I—I just wanted to enter the parking lot…”

“The car in front went in. After the barrier came down, I saw it rise again, so I thought it recognized my car… so I drove forward.”

“Then somehow, I stepped on the gas and crashed into it… I really didn’t mean to.”

Her words came in fragments as tears fell again.

Yin Siyao turned to the guard. “Let me see the damage.”

The guard led them to the broken barrier.

It was indeed deformed—the middle section bent inward. The casing at the hinge connecting to the pillar had cracked, exposing the motor and wiring inside.

“What does the eight thousand include?”

“Seven thousand for materials, one thousand for labor.”

The guard pulled out a wrinkled printed sheet from his pocket, listing a few items. “This is our company’s standard pricing. See for yourself.”

Yin Siyao took the so-called “quote” and scanned it quickly.

It did say “Smart lifting barrier replacement: 8000 yuan,” with small text below stating “includes materials and labor.”

But there was no brand, no model number, no repair company name, no official stamp—not even a signature.

“Do you have an invoice?”

The guard froze. “What invoice? This is internal property management repair—where would an invoice come from?”

“No invoice, no breakdown, no company seal—just a handwritten note, and you’re asking for eight thousand?”

Yin Siyao’s tone remained calm, but the doubt in his words was unmistakable. “How about this—call your property manager.”

“Or have the technician responsible for repairs come assess it on-site. We’ll pay whatever is reasonable, but the price has to make sense.”

“The manager isn’t here.”

The guard grew agitated, raising his voice again. “I’m in charge here—I decide. If you don’t pay, I’ll call the police!”

“Then call them.”

Yin Siyao took out his phone. “I’d also like to ask whether a compensation demand without breakdown, invoice, or proof—just eight thousand outright—counts as extortion.”

“While we’re at it, we can have the pricing bureau check how much this so-called smart barrier actually costs.”

The guard’s expression shifted, his eyes flickering uneasily.

At that moment, Yin Siyao’s phone rang.

It was Leng Keyan.

“Hello?”

“Teacher Yin,”

Leng Keyan’s voice carried a hint of aggrieved concern, “How is it over there? Can you send me the address? I’m still a bit worried…”

He was just being petty—he didn’t like the idea of the two of them being alone together.

Yin Siyao fell silent for two seconds.

He didn’t really want Leng Keyan dragged into this mess, but the voice on the other end made his heart soften.

In the end, he sighed. “I’ll send you the address. Be careful, don’t rush.”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon.”

After hanging up, Yin Siyao returned to the scene.

The guard stood with arms crossed, glancing sideways at Zhao Jingshu, muttering, “Driving a crappy Volkswagen, and now another one shows up in a taxi—what are they trying to act like…”

Zhao Jingshu’s face flushed red. She wanted to retort but couldn’t find the words, biting her lip tightly.

Ignoring the guard’s muttering, Yin Siyao said to her, “Don’t worry. People with poor manners always speak harshly—don’t take it to heart.”

“But… what if they’re all in this together…”

Her eyes reddened again, tears falling rapidly.

Yin Siyao felt a headache coming on from the crying but patiently said, “Crying won’t solve anything.”

“If necessary, we’ll call the police. With them here, he won’t dare mess around.”

Ten minutes later, Leng Keyan parked his e-scooter.

“Teacher Yin!”

He first looked at Yin Siyao, scanning him from head to toe to make sure he was fine, then let out a sigh of relief.

Only then did his gaze shift to Zhao Jingshu behind him and the unfriendly-looking guard.

Zhao Jingshu frowned slightly. “Siyao, why did you call a student over to make things more chaotic…”

Leng Keyan didn’t like that remark, but with Yin Siyao present, he didn’t say anything.

Just as Yin Siyao was about to defend him, Leng Keyan had already stepped forward.

After understanding the situation, he addressed the guard: “Is the damage to this barrier really severe enough to require replacement?”

The guard sized him up—arrived on an e-scooter, dressed plainly, clearly just a poor student.

His tone grew even more dismissive: “What’s the point of telling you? Can you pay for it?”

Ignoring the rudeness, Leng Keyan walked to the damaged barrier.

He crouched down to examine it carefully, touched the broken section, and checked the motor model.

Then he stood up and fiddled with his phone.

A few seconds later, he looked at the guard. “You said this is a smart lifting barrier with a sensor system. The motor is damaged and the whole unit needs replacing, right?”

The guard lifted his chin. “Of course it needs replacing!”

“Alright.”

Leng Keyan nodded. “Wait half an hour.”

With that, he ignored the guard and walked back to Yin Siyao. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

Looking at his bright, confident eyes, the irritation in Yin Siyao’s heart inexplicably eased. Even his tone softened. “How are you going to handle it?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Leng Keyan blinked, smiling a little slyly.

Then he turned and fired a string of professional questions at the guard: “Do you know the exact model of this motor? Which company manufactured it?”

“Is it still under warranty? If it’s repaired by the original manufacturer, there should be a repair record and a quotation.”

“If it’s a third-party repair, there should also be a proper invoice and detailed breakdown.”

The guard was rendered speechless, stammering without a coherent answer.

Without waiting, Leng Keyan said directly, “I just ordered the same model online—four thousand yuan. It’ll arrive shortly.”

The guard froze.

Whispers spread through the crowd:

“He just said eight thousand!”

“That guard is really shady!”

“Exactly—bullying a young woman!”

The guard’s face flushed red and white. After a long pause, he forced himself to say, “Th-then there’s also labor costs! Installation isn’t free!”

“Installation?”

Leng Keyan blinked. “For a simple lifting barrier like this, two people can install it in half an hour.”

“At market rates, a skilled worker earns about a hundred yuan per hour. Two people for half an hour is just one hundred yuan.”

He looked at the guard. “You’re asking for eight thousand right off the bat—isn’t that a bit excessive?”

The guard flushed with embarrassment and anger. “Y-you… what would a poor student riding an e-scooter know?”

“This kind of equipment in a high-end mall—is it the same as the cheap stuff you buy? I’m telling you, without eight thousand, this isn’t over today!”