Chapter 89: Mi Fan’s POV (Part 2)
There was a very long and silent pause between the two of us. Finally, my cheesecake came. It dissolve the awkwardness between us.
Suyang stared at the cheesecake and macchiato. “Are you under a lot of stress lately? That’s a lot of sugar intake.”
I was about to take a bite out of my cheesecake, but my hand hovered in mid air.
I tried making sense of what Suyang said. Was it a harmless question? Or was he implying something?
No, that’s not possible. Why would he? These days, I’ve been overly suspicious of everything. I convinced myself that it was just a random question.
“Don’t females like to eat sweet desserts? Although I have to cast aside my gender as a reporter, I will not abandon desserts.”
I was trying to tell a joke as I continued the conversation.
For some reasons, I felt like there was someone watching me from outside. I turned towards the window. I wanted to know where that strange feeling was coming from.
“Don’t look!” Suyang suddenly grabbed my hand. “Don’t look out the window. Be natural and exchange conversation with me.”
“Is there something outside?” His behaviour and tone of voice evoked my curiosity. I tightly my grip on my fork.
“My assistant is hiding behind a bush outside the window. I don’t want her to know that we’ve discovered her. I want her to get more mosquito bites.”
Suyang had a crafty smile on his face.
“Then what do you want to talk about? Don’t you find our atmosphere really awkward?”
“Let’s talk about the case you were responsible for. I’m sure you’re aware that I’m a speculative online author. Usually, I’m very interested in criminal cases. They trigger and inspire my creation.”
“You should be asking the police for this sort of stuff. Why are you asking a small reporter like myself?”
“Small reporter? You’re a reporter that knows more than the cops! Am I right?” Suyang slightly leaned forward as he smiled deeply at me.
“You think too highly of me. I wonder, which case are you interested in?”
“I am….” Suyang’s facial expression suddenly changed as he rushed to pull me out of my seat. Then, I heard the sounds of shattering glass.
“Are you alright?” I could hear Suyang’s voice from above my head.
By the time I snapped out of my daze, I was already in his arms. Everyone else were screaming and the atmosphere had turned very fearful and chaotic.
I was the target of the attack. But why was I the calmest one?
“I’m fine.” I re-adjusted my breathing and stared at the main culprit of this act; Lu Zhengyang. This wasn’t the first time he had tried to attack me. In reality, he had attacked me so many times that I’ve lost count.
Lu Zhengyang still wanted to do something, but he was subdued by Suyang.
Two girls clumsily rushed in. One of them should be Suyang’s assistant? The girl wearing a school uniform looked too young. So most likely, it was the other one…
I observed Suyang lecturing her. Right now, she was the only one in his eyes.
As a reporter, I had a good sense of intuition.
Lu Zhengyang continued to verbally abuse me. I listened to it all over again. After he was done, I pretended not to care as I proudly left the coffee shop.
When I got into my car, I locked the doors and had both my hands gripping on the steering wheel. Every time I see the vengeful Lu Zhengyang, Lu Wenxue’s face would appear in my mind and remain there.
His case was my most serious, exceeding general knowledge, and terrifying case.
It wasn’t because it was naturally vile or that he had committed a terrible crime.
It was because I was the one who created his crimes.
This was the first time I had experienced what it was like to step on someone in order to climb up.
As someone in the media field, I knew how to attract readers’ attention. I knew how to trigger the public. The chairman’s family told me that the Lu Wenxue case was my best case.
Because not only was I able to control the mass, I was also able to control their judgment. It was already beyond the abilities of what an average reporter could do. I was a very capable person.
Exceeded beyond a reporter’s scope of work? What a joke. Reporters were supposed to report real news. What have I turned into?
The Lu Wenxue case was already something I couldn’t reverse. And something I didn’t dare to touch. I was even afraid to show my remorse.
The sinful plant growing inside my heart was constantly torturing me. Whenever I saw Lu Zhengyang, it was at its worse.
I was a normal human being who had a lot of self-interest. I knew the higher I climbed, the harder I’d fall.
A few days later, Suyang personally gave me a call.
I was pleasantly surprised.
But I was still logical. After our date, I hired a private detective to find out more about Suyang. As expected, it wasn’t a waste.
After the investigation, I was certain that Suyang came to me in regards to Lu Wenxue’s case.
Logically, I should’ve told the chairman about Suyang and his little assistant so that he could’ve helped me gotten rid of them. But I never said anything.
When the assistant had tailed me to the hotel, it was practically catching a turtle in a jar. Yet, I still let her off.
When did I become so kind?
Suddenly, I felt as if I was able to poke out my head from the sludge and take a breath.
There was a rope in front of me.
Was it an indication that it will pull me ashore?
It was like a fish bait. But I wasn’t sure if a delicious meal would await me or the pain of a hooked lip.
After hesitating again and again, I decided to hold onto the rope.
So, early on, I already told Suyang everything. That way, he wouldn’t have to pretend or act around me. The man’s charm was my bait.
Actually, Suyang’s appearance was more like my path to redemption. Because of him, I was finally able to express what I have hidden all of last year. By telling him all this, I was basically handing my life to him.
How could I have so much trust in a man I barely knew?
Afterwards, I realized it wasn’t because I trusted Suyang. At that moment, regardless of who had thrown me the rope, I would have taken it. I was fortunate that Suyang pulled me back ashore.
Later on, I understood something else. I wasn’t actually evil beyond cure. It was that no one had ever tried to stop me…
I placed the early photo of me as a reporter next to my mother’s grave. I no longer deserved to keep it. So, I shall allow it to accompany my mother’s side.
Once, the person who hated my guts and wanted to pour sulfuric acid on me had been smiling proudly next to me. Those days were gone forever.
We always tend to reminisce the past….
This is my redemption.