Chapter 24: Gone After the Night

Jiang Ciyou smiled brightly. “Director, it makes no difference who does the interview.”

“How could it be the same? Your achievement is yours alone. Now even President Bo insists it must be you. Hurry over.”

Yet Jiang Ciyou remained seated, her smile gentle. “Since Xia Ling has already gone, I won’t go. I trust she’s capable. We all work for the station, I won’t fuss over such things.”

Director Tang knew well that Jiang Ciyou was never someone to be trifled with. She claimed not to mind, but in truth, she cared very much. He’d already mentioned the young master wanted her specifically, and still she was unmoved. Clearly, she wanted her grievance acknowledged before she would go.

“How about this, I’ll have Xia Ling return and apologize to you,” Director Tang ventured, watching Jiang Ciyou for a reaction.

She said nothing, but Director Tang sensed hope. He immediately called Xia Ling, instructing her to come back to the station and invite Jiang Ciyou over.

Xia Ling understood perfectly what this “invite” meant. Yet she had no other option now. She had miscalculated. She never expected Bo Jin Xiu to be so particular.

Xia Ling soon returned to the station. Director Tang, in a reproachful tone, said, “Xia Ling, what happened? The young master clearly agreed to an interview with Jiang, so why did you claim it was you?”

“Director, I’m sorry. Yesterday morning I spoke with President Bo for a long time. He didn't explicitly refuse me, so I assumed he tacitly agreed. It was my misunderstanding.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears, innocent and pitiable, making it hard to scold her.

Director Tang said, “Go apologize to Jiang.”

She bit her lip and walked over to Jiang Ciyou’s desk.

“Ciyou, I’m sorry, it was all a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean to take your interview. Please go to BJ, everyone’s waiting for you.”

Jiang Ciyou looked up, half-smiling, half-not. “Xia Ling, can everything be resolved with ‘it was a misunderstanding’?”

When she had tangled with Yan Feng at summer camp, her explanation upon return was also ‘a misunderstanding.’ When she became pregnant with Yan Feng’s child, again, ‘a misunderstanding.’ Now, once more, ‘a misunderstanding.’

Xia Ling’s eyes filled with tears, her large eyes innocent and aggrieved. “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it.”

It was those innocent eyes that had deceived her before. Jiang Ciyou had once given her heart to Xia Ling, fought for her, shielded her from harm—her shoulder still bore a half-foot scar from a knife wound. The more one gave, the more bitter the betrayal.

But now, Jiang Ciyou had something she needed to confirm.

She stood up. “Xia Ling, come with me.”

Jiang Ciyou walked into an empty conference room, with Xia Ling following behind. She shut the door firmly, blocking out prying eyes.

Inside, Xia Ling immediately knelt, grasping Jiang Ciyou’s hand. “Ciyou, forgive me this once. If the station loses this exclusive because of me, I won’t be able to stay here.”

The station manager had already boasted to the Beijing branch. If they failed to interview Bo Jin Xiu, it wouldn’t just be Xia Ling’s reputation at stake, but the station manager’s as well.

Jiang Ciyou pulled her hand away.

“Xia Ling, I need to ask you something. Tell me the truth.”

Xia Ling looked at her with the same innocent eyes.

“That incident during our first-year summer break—did you tell Yan Feng about it?”

Xia Ling’s gaze flickered.

From everything she recalled, Jiang Ciyou was certain Xia Ling had told Yan Feng, sowing discord between them. But whether Xia Ling had orchestrated the whole thing, she couldn’t be absolutely sure.

Xia Ling had known since yesterday that Jiang Ciyou would seize a chance to ask her and had prepared her response.

Xia Ling didn’t deny it. “Yes... it was me, but I let it slip by accident. I didn’t mean to. Ciyou, please forgive me.”

Jiang Ciyou wasn’t surprised, only let out a cold laugh. “Xia Ling, stop pretending, will you?”

Xia Ling said nothing, tears streaming down her face, so pitiful as to elicit sympathy.

She remained kneeling. “Ciyou, I don’t expect you to forgive me. Believe it or not, all these years I’ve lived in remorse. If you blame me, hit me. If you do, maybe I’ll feel better.”

She grabbed Jiang Ciyou’s hand, trying to slap herself with it.

Jiang Ciyou withdrew her hand, so Xia Ling slapped herself instead. Once, twice—her face soon bore clear finger marks.

Seeing this, Jiang Ciyou felt a surge of irritation.

She seized Xia Ling’s wrist. “Xia Ling, did you set me up? Was that your doing?”

Fear flashed in Xia Ling’s eyes. “No, it wasn’t. Yes, I let it slip to Yan Feng, but the incident wasn’t my doing, I swear.”

“How did you find out?”

“You talked in your sleep. You were sleep-talking a lot back then.”

Jiang Ciyou stared intently at Xia Ling, who showed no sign of guilt, appearing wholly sincere.

Jiang Ciyou curled her lips. “Xia Ling, I will find out the truth. If I learn you were behind it, I won’t let you off.”

Jiang Ciyou rose and left the conference room.

When she opened the door, a crowd of gossips was gathered outside. They saw Xia Ling kneeling inside, her face visibly marked by slaps.

Vivian couldn’t stand Jiang Ciyou’s arrogance. “Jiang Ciyou, you’ve gone too far, hitting someone!”

Xia Ling quickly ran over. “No, Ciyou didn’t hit me, I did it myself.”

“How could you hit yourself and leave finger marks? Jiang Ciyou, Xia Ling just accidentally took your interview, and you beat her like this.”

Vivian encouraged Xia Ling, “Xia Ling, you can sue her for intentional harm.”

Jiang Ciyou raised an eyebrow, speaking coolly. “I didn’t hit her. She slapped herself to apologize to me—I couldn’t even stop her.”

“Jiang Ciyou, who would believe you? You’re a venomous woman. Who knows how you got the young master’s interview? At least Xia Ling is clean.”

Jiang Ciyou didn’t bother arguing further. She picked up her phone and snapped a photo of Vivian.

Then she quickly found someone in her contacts and sent it off.

“What are you doing?” Vivian demanded.

Jiang Ciyou flashed her a dazzling smile. “I’m letting Mrs. Li know if the single-eyed girl she’s been searching for is you.”

Vivian was instantly petrified.

Jiang Ciyou strode off without another word. Letting you off once, and you still dare to act out—you really think I’m easy to bully.

Director Tang, coaxing and persuading, finally managed to bring Jiang Ciyou to BJ Tower.

Gao Cen greeted her at the door. “Miss Jiang, the president asks you to go to his office first.”

Jiang Ciyou followed Gao Cen via the private elevator to the BJ president’s office.

When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out directly into a room resembling a bedroom.

At last, Jiang Ciyou understood what lay behind the two tightly closed doors she’d seen during her previous visit. It was Bo Jin Xiu’s private lounge, no different from a home bedroom.

At this moment, Bo Jin Xiu sat on the “bedroom” sofa.

“After sleeping with me, you just run off. How irresponsible can you be?”