Chapter 78
Qin Qianrou offered some comforting words, repeatedly assuring her she would be extra careful, which eased Shen Yiqiu’s worries slightly. However, the toast in her hand became difficult to swallow, her heart heavy with a nameless dread, but she didn’t want to burden Qin Qianrou further.
Qin Qianrou had been staying home most of the time these past two days, Li Wan occasionally visiting, and they would chat for a while. Shen Yiqiu could sense that Jiejie wasn’t as calm as she appeared.
She must be worried about Lin Shuangzhi. Ever since their weekend visit, the tension in Qin Qianrou’s expression hadn’t eased. Thinking this, Shen Yiqiu’s movements slowed down, and she was fifteen minutes later than usual finishing her morning routine.
Qin Qianrou brought her bag from her room. “I’ll drive you to school today.”
“I can take the bus, I don’t have class first period, I usually go to the library anyway.”
“The weather is bad today, it’ll be cold waiting for the bus.”
Shen Yiqiu smiled, took her bag from Qin Qianrou, and glanced out the window. The gloomy sky confirmed it wasn’t a good day to be outside.
“Aren’t you meeting Sister Li Wan today, to gather information? Get some more rest, I don’t want you to overwork yourself.” With that, Shen Yiqiu quickly kissed Qin Qianrou’s cheek.
She grabbed her bag, went to the door, put on her coat, changed her shoes, then turned to look at Qin Qianrou.
“Then I’ll pick you up after school.”
“Okay, I’ll be waiting.”
Shen Yiqiu glanced at the time, realizing she was late, gave Qin Qianrou another quick kiss, and hurried out. Qin Qianrou stood by the door, watching until she entered the elevator, before returning to the apartment.
The apartment was still warm, but without Shen Yiqiu, it felt strangely empty, as if half the air had been sucked out.
**
Qin Qianrou met Li Wan at a nondescript but cozy café. Taking off her sunglasses, she walked over to where Li Wan, knowing her preferences, had already ordered their drinks.
“Have a drink first, it’s not time yet.”
Qin Qianrou sat down opposite her. The small table brought them close together.
“How is the team leader doing?”
Li Wan sighed softly. “She’s okay for now, but she hasn’t met with the relevant officials yet.”
Qin Qianrou nodded; at this stage, a day or two wouldn’t make a difference. Provincial officials were always busy, and as long as they weren’t deliberately avoiding her, a few more days, a few more trips, were perfectly normal.
Qin Qianrou’s coffee arrived, and she stirred it gently, taking a sip. “Is the information reliable?”
“It’s from an anonymous source, but it seems promising.”
Li Wan had received an anonymous call yesterday, offering “incriminating evidence” against some of the television station’s executives but stating they only trusted the Special Projects Team. The caller had specifically requested to meet with the team leader, but since Lin Shuangzhi wasn’t available, Li Wan had taken on the task.
“We still have to be cautious, with so many things happening at the same time, it’s hard to say what might happen.”
Li Wan looked at Qin Qianrou, slightly surprised. In their years of working together, chasing news stories, encountering all sorts of strange characters, and often facing danger, she had never seen Qin Qianrou so cautious.
“Now that you have a family, you’re finally learning to be careful?”
Li Wan’s teasing words were laced with a hint of envy. Having someone to care about, that was nice.
“Shen Yiqiu told me she had a premonition today.”
“A premonition? That we’re in danger?” Li Wan wasn’t very familiar with Shen Yiqiu’s ability, but having experienced it once or twice, she didn’t completely dismiss it either.
Qin Qianrou’s expression turned serious, her brow slightly furrowed. “She said it’s related to me.”
She paused, then, after a moment of hesitation, glancing at Li Wan, said, “Perhaps I should go alone today.”
Li Wan immediately understood her intention and felt a surge of anger, her voice rising slightly. “Qianrou, that’s not fair, we agreed to face this together, and now you want to go alone? Regardless of the potential danger, even if it’s your safety at risk, how can I just stand by and watch?”
Although Li Wan had a fiery temper, she wasn’t unreasonable. She hadn’t spoken so passionately in a long time; she was truly worried.
“Xiao Wan, don’t be upset, I just don’t want both of us to be in danger, at least this way, there’s still a backup.”
Li Wan still refused, “I don’t agree, I won’t let you go alone.”
Qin Qianrou knew she couldn’t dissuade her, so she sighed. She would have made the same choice if their roles were reversed.
After finishing their coffee and a small cake, it was almost time for their meeting.
Li Wan thought for a moment, then said, “Let’s take my car.”
Qin Qianrou had parked her car in the underground parking lot of a nearby mall, not far from Meng Da. She considered it and agreed.
After driving for about twenty minutes, Li Wan parked by the roadside, waiting for the caller’s instructions. According to their agreement yesterday, the person should appear in five minutes.
However, no one showed up, then Li Wan’s phone rang.
“I’ve sent you a new address, come here.”
Li Wan, however, said, “We agreed to meet here, changing the location at the last minute, do you not trust us, or do you not trust yourself?”
The caller didn’t offer any explanations, their voice calm and flat. “I need to ensure my own safety, I won’t reveal any information unless my safety is guaranteed.”
Li Wan was both angry and helpless.
This wasn’t the first time they had encountered such a situation. Many whistleblowers had complex psychological states; they often didn’t have concrete evidence, but they did possess relevant materials, and they were all reluctant to contact the authorities directly, afraid of being exposed or implicated.
“What, another change of location?” Qin Qianrou was no stranger to this.
Li Wan showed her the address; it was quite far from their current location.
“Let’s go, what other choice do we have?”
Li Wan started typing on her phone, and Qin Qianrou knew this was their standard procedure. They would set up a timed email, to be automatically sent to a designated contact if anything happened to them.
Such emails usually contained details of their itinerary, who they were meeting, the location, etc. However, they wouldn’t send these emails unless absolutely necessary.
After all, reporters relied on their reputation for discretion, if they weren’t trustworthy, many wouldn’t choose to contact them.
Qin Qianrou watched as Li Wan copied the email and set up another one under Qin Qianrou’s name, then, after a moment of thought, decided to message Shen Yiqiu.
[Xiao Wan and I are on an assignment, meeting an informant. The location is quite far from Meng Da, if I can’t pick you up after school, don’t wait for me, go straight home.]
Shen Yiqiu should be in class now, there was no immediate reply.
Li Wan started the car, her expression more serious than before.
“What, reporting to your family now?”
“I promised to pick her up after school, I’m afraid we’ll be back late, and she’ll be waiting outside for too long.”
Li Wan, picturing Shen Yiqiu waiting patiently in the cold, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Your little one, with her stubbornness, would definitely wait there for you.”
Qin Qianrou glanced at her, and Li Wan’s laughter subsided.
“Being stubborn isn’t a bad thing, at least she’s devoted to you, her feelings won’t change easily.”
Qin Qianrou was perfect in every way, except in matters of the heart, she was incredibly stubborn. Either she didn’t love, or she loved completely. Li Wan knew her well, although she appeared calm and indifferent, as if it was just an ordinary relationship,
She cared deeply about Shen Yiqiu, so tolerant and accommodating, willing to put aside all her reservations and accept her feelings, such courage could only stem from deep love.
As they approached their destination, Shen Yiqiu’s reply finally arrived.
[I was in class just now. Are you going somewhere far? Just the two of you? Be careful, call me anytime.]
[We’re almost there, don’t worry.]
After sending the message, Qin Qianrou and Li Wan got out of the car.
It was an abandoned factory, a former branch of the steel mill on the outskirts of the city. After years of restructuring, the land had reportedly been auctioned off several times but remained vacant.
“It’s been a while since we last came here, it’s even more desolate now.”
Li Wan and Qin Qianrou had been here before, shortly after graduating, accompanying their senior colleagues on an assignment. The laid-off steelworkers had been demanding solutions to their unemployment, their pleas ignored, and a group of them had gathered here, first staging a hunger strike, then resorting to self-harm.
More importantly, they had publicized their actions beforehand, and many onlookers, including some foreign media with dubious intentions, had been present. The situation had escalated, and the scene had been chaotic and dangerous. As interns, they hadn’t been allowed near the main action, only assisting their seniors from the sidelines.
But this experience had been a powerful lesson, and after returning to the station, as they worked on the related program, learning more about the situation, they discovered that during the restructuring process, the steel mill management, to quickly meet the government-mandated targets, had used deceptive and oppressive tactics against the workers.
On the one hand, urging them to complete the procedures quickly, on the other hand, reducing their compensation by claiming they had voluntarily resigned. As a result, the workers, who had dedicated years of their lives to the steel mill, were left with meager compensation, their lives thrown into turmoil.
This incident had left a deep impression on them, if they had discovered the problem earlier, exposed the injustice during the restructuring process, perhaps the tragedy could have been avoided. This strengthened their resolve to uncover the truth, to bring it to light as soon as possible, to prevent further tragedies.
The phone rang, and following the caller’s instructions, Li Wan entered the factory.
The air inside was damp and filled with strange, unpleasant odors, but it was relatively bright. They stopped, and footsteps approached from the distance.
The caller had been a man, but the person walking towards them now was a woman.
As the footsteps drew closer, Li Wan squinted, finally recognizing the person.
Both she and Qin Qianrou were stunned, they knew this person.
“Director Jian?”
Li Wan was still in shock, she had just greeted this person in the elevator a few days ago, she had said she was taking a long vacation, going to Australia to visit her son and daughter-in-law.
“Surprised to see me here?”
Although Qin Qianrou didn’t speak, her surprise was evident.
Jian Shan was the deputy director of the finance department, her seniority similar to Director Yu from the advertising department, they had joined the station around the same time. It was said they were even university classmates, although their interactions at the station had been limited.
“Why are you…?”
Jian Shan smiled faintly, then said frankly, “I can’t stand Director Yu being promoted, and I certainly can’t let Deputy Director Ding become the station director.”
Li Wan and Qin Qianrou exchanged glances, understanding dawned, it seemed someone was dissatisfied with the personnel changes, someone whose own interests had been overlooked.
“You think I’m jealous, trying to sabotage them?”
Their silence was a tacit agreement.
Jian Shan didn’t seem offended, shaking her head, “If I truly wanted a leadership position, I wouldn’t still be a deputy director after all these years. I just want to do my job properly, then retire and go live with my son abroad.”
This was indeed Director Jian’s wish, she had always been unassuming, meticulously managing the station’s finances, the financial data under her supervision reportedly never having any errors. During casual conversations with colleagues, her greatest aspiration had always been a peaceful retirement.
“Director Yu and Deputy Director Ding have been accepting bribes from Dongsheng Group, small favors before, but this time, with the restructuring, Dongsheng offered a substantial sum, and naturally, they had to reciprocate.”
So it was true, the team leader’s suspicions hadn’t been unfounded.
Their hearts sank, this was why they had to stop these promotions.
Jian Shan stepped closer to them, “I’ve always kept my distance from them, they used to try to get me to approve their questionable expenses, but I’m strict and uncompromising, so they could only go to the director. But with the restructuring, and the director about to retire, there’s no one else in the finance department besides me, so they targeted me.”
The finance department was different from other departments, it was difficult to find a qualified replacement from outside the station in a short time, Jian Shan was the best candidate, but she had refused to cooperate with them.
“As a financial professional, I know the severity of turning illegal invoices and expenses into legal income. I don’t want to be implicated, I don’t want to become that kind of person, so this is my only option.”
Jian Shan’s words eased their suspicions slightly, it seemed that even a financial director, after years at the television station, had learned the art of veiled communication.
“I have some evidence of the bribes Director Yu and Deputy Director Ding have accepted over the years, they initially approached me to sign off on them, I refused, but I kept copies.”
Hearing this, both Qin Qianrou and Li Wan were naturally delighted.
“However, there’s something strange about Dongsheng’s recent large advertising investment, they didn’t follow the usual procedures, but changed their payment method. I’ve seen the revised contract, I have to say, Dongsheng’s financial capabilities have improved.”
“How so?”
Jian Shan recalled, “Dongsheng’s advertising fees are now divided into three installments, gradually increasing, and each installment has a performance target. These targets aren’t difficult to achieve, but their approach to expense reimbursement is different. I think they must have a new financial team, this method is quite common overseas, not only for tax evasion, but also for laundering money.”
Li Wan immediately thought of Zhuo Cheng.
He was talented, often praised by his professors for his unique insights during his university years, and Li Wan had always encouraged him, believing he had a bright future.
She hadn’t been wrong, Zhuo Cheng was capable, but his character was flawed, and he was using his abilities for the wrong purposes.
“But no matter how sophisticated their methods, they’re still outsiders. I’ve worked at this station for decades, who knows the situation better than I do?”
Jian Shan was a cautious and level-headed person, always maintaining a professional distance, not one for office politics, focused solely on her work, but that didn’t mean she was oblivious to the station’s internal dynamics, she knew who the truly capable and upright people were.
That was why she had chosen the Special Projects Team. She had intended to meet Lin Shuangzhi, but since it was Li Wan and Qin Qianrou who had come, she wasn’t disappointed.
These two were also known for their integrity, unmoved by money or power.
“My request is simple, keep my involvement confidential. The information I’m providing is just to point you in the right direction, you have to investigate the rest yourselves. I’m about to retire; I don’t want any trouble at this stage.”
Jian Shan, after all, was just an ordinary person. She adhered to her professional ethics, unwilling to be complicit in Director Yu and Deputy Director Ding’s corruption, but she didn’t have the same ideals and ambitions as Li Wan and Qin Qianrou.
She just wanted a peaceful and ordinary life.
**
On their way back, the atmosphere in the car was heavy, no one spoke for over ten minutes.
Li Wan finally broke the silence. “I didn’t expect such complex relationships within the station.”
Qin Qianrou, staring out the window, seemed lost in thought.
The recent series of events, besides angering her, also filled her with disappointment.
“Xiao Wan, don’t you think we’ve been blinded by a facade all along?”
Li Wan sighed, how could she not?
Qin Qianrou looked at the gloomy sky outside, her mood sinking. “We’ve been striving to uncover the truth, but the environment we’re in is a lie itself.”
How ironic. A bitter, self-deprecating smile touched Qin Qianrou’s lips.
“It’s disgusting, but at least there’s still a glimmer of hope, at least we’re still trustworthy.”
Hearing the anger in Li Wan’s voice, Qin Qianrou smiled faintly.
Good friends, always on the same wavelength, understanding each other’s thoughts, such a connection was precious.
Glancing at the time, there was still time before school ended, Qin Qianrou decided to go back to the apartment, get her car, and then pick Shen Yiqiu up.
She messaged Shen Yiqiu that she was on her way back, then quickly discussed their next steps with Li Wan. Time was of the essence, and with Lin Shuangzhi unavailable, this task fell on them.
“Let’s have a video conference tonight, we need to plan this carefully.” Qin Qianrou made arrangements before getting out of the car.
Li Wan, following Jian Shan’s leads, returned to the station to look for evidence. Thankfully, she had said she had some urgent matters to attend to when she took leave, so her sudden return to the station wasn’t too unusual.
Shen Yiqiu had been waiting outside the university gate for ten minutes, but Qin Qianrou’s car hadn’t appeared yet. She had messaged twenty minutes ago, saying she was on her way, and it shouldn’t have taken this long.
Shen Yiqiu clutched her phone, afraid of calling and distracting Qin Qianrou while she was driving, Jiejie always focused intently on the road.
Zhang Meng, returning from an internship, saw Shen Yiqiu stamping her feet and rubbing her hands together, trying to stay warm, and chuckled.
“Waiting for someone? You seem very eager.”
“Senior, what a coincidence!”
“Not a coincidence, I saw you and came over to say hello.” Zhang Meng glanced around. “Waiting for Reporter Qin?”
She had heard from Shen Yiqiu that Reporter Qin was in Hai City for a training program and wouldn’t be back for a while.
“Yes, she’s back temporarily for some errands, just for a few days.”
Shen Yiqiu was about to continue when a sharp pain, even through her thick winter coat, shot through her chest.
Jiejie…
Without hesitation, Shen Yiqiu slung her backpack over her shoulder, strode to the roadside, and practically snatched a taxi from someone else.
“Leting Hotel, please!”
Shen Yiqiu called Li Wan, “Sister Li Wan, go to Leting Hotel immediately.”
Li Wan sensed the urgency in her voice and didn’t wait for an explanation, immediately setting off.
“Did something happen to Qianrou?”
“I had a premonition, we need to get to Leting Hotel as soon as possible!”
The traffic crawled along, and Shen Yiqiu was frantic. Leting Hotel was in the city center, and as soon as they exited the highway, they were stuck in endless congestion.
Shen Yiqiu paid the driver and got out of the taxi midway, running with all her might, oblivious to the stares of passersby. She just wanted her Jiejie to be safe, she just wanted to reach Qin Qianrou as quickly as possible.
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