Chapter Thirty-Six: Rumors Cease with the Wise

  The person who caused a disturbance at the Huayu Department Store that day and had lunch with Ma Pei was Wang Yang, a reporter for China Business Magazine and Consumer Guide in G City.

  Wang Yang smiled, sat down without being invited, and Chong Ma raised the wine glass in his hand, took a sip, and tilted his head mischievously: "If you can come, why can't I? But today I'm not here representing consumers, but representing China Finance. Such a grand occasion, how could it not be reported on China Finance? You're not going to stop me, are you, Ma Zong? Ah, and this is..."

  Before Ma Pei could speak, Li Yuqing slightly bowed and smiled calmly: "I don't dare to trouble Mr. Ma for an introduction, my surname is Li, Li Yuqing, I was recently hired by the Jiang Real Estate Company. As a newcomer to this place, please take care of me in the future."

  "Hmm? Mr. Jiang?" Wang Yang's eyes lit up, "I knew this wine would have big news to dig up! Two major competitors sitting together and chatting intimately, haha, got it! Did you two know each other before?"

  Ma Pei and Li Yuqing exchanged a glance, Ma Pei's face was full of helplessness, while Li Yuqing's face was full of inquiry.

  Ma Pei smiled wryly and introduced to Li Yuqing: "This is Wang Yang, a special correspondent of China Financial Magazine and also a reporter for Consumer Guide Daily in this city. He's the number one reporter in G City, a man who fears that the world is not chaotic enough."

  He turned his head and said to Wang Yang, "Wang Ji, I've known Deputy Director Li for less than two minutes, and you're already here. Calculating it out, it's far shorter than the time you and I have known each other."

  Wang Yang jokingly shouted: "What is a person who fears the world will not be chaotic? Am I that kind of person? Ah, I know, you're holding a grudge, right? You still remember how I made a big scene at your Hua Yu Mall, don't you? General Ma, you have no style!"

  Ma Pei couldn't help but laugh: "I see, in your eyes, I'm just a petty-minded man?"

  "Then why did you say that to me?" Wang Yang continued to shout, "Ah, I understand, you're blaming me for interrupting you and Deputy Director Li, right? You just said that you've known Deputy Director Li for less than two minutes before I came over. You think I'm a bother, that I came over to be the third wheel, right? You also said that we've known each other for a longer time, so why didn't you have a heart-to-heart talk with me? Tell me, why?"

  Ma Pei and Li Yuqing were both amused by Wang Yang's performance, which was as good as a vinegar-soaked woman.

  Li Wanqing smiled and said, "Director Ma, can I believe what you're saying? Can I believe that the person sitting in front of us is really the number one journalist in G City as you claimed? Why do I get the feeling that she's just a lovely little girl who's infatuated with you?"

  Ma Pei also laughed: "To be honest, Miss Li, I'm a bit skeptical about the credibility of my words now. Alas, I said to this beauty, are you sure you're Wang Yang? Could it be Wang Yang's twin sister?"

  Wang Yang smiled: "So, President Ma also knows what humor is? Alright, I won't bother you two today. Let's just chat like friends and not do an interview. The air in there really isn't to my liking."

  Ma Pei and Li Yuqing almost simultaneously said a sentence: "Welcome!" After finishing speaking, the two looked at each other and smiled.

  Wang Yang sneered, "Hmph, you two are really in sync. With this kind of chemistry, I don't believe you've just met for less than two minutes. Be honest, how long have you known each other? What's your relationship with each other? Confess and get a lighter punishment, speak up quickly."

  Three people chatted and laughed like old friends who had been separated for many years, and time always passed especially quickly in this friendly atmosphere.

  A middle-aged man hastily walked over to them, saw Ma Pei sitting there, and was taken aback for a moment. He politely greeted him: "Good evening, Director Ma. You're also here? Sorry to disturb everyone."

  Ma Pei looked up and saw that he was somewhat familiar, but couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He just smiled and nodded in response.

  That person immediately leaned down and whispered a few words in Li Yuqing's ear. Suddenly, Li Yuqing's face changed color and she stood up somewhat flustered. Ma Pei and Wang Yang were taken aback.

  Li Yuqing forced a smile and said to the two of them: "Sorry, I have something at home, I need to leave first. Nice meeting you both, hope we can sit together like this again in the future."

  The two also stood up, and Ma Pei smiled and said: "It's my honor to meet Miss Li, I hope we won't become enemies due to business competition."

  Wang Yang also smiled and said: "What General Ma means is what I mean too. I also hope to become friends with Miss Li."

  Li Yuqing nodded at the two of them and turned around to follow the newcomer, her footsteps slightly hurried.

  Here, the two sat down again. Wang Yang looked serious and said to Ma Pei: "Director Ma, can I ask you something as a friend rather than as a reporter?"

  Ma Pei looked at her suddenly serious face, and probably guessed what she wanted to say in his heart. He replied calmly: "Of course, I've long considered you a friend. If there's anything on your mind, feel free to ask."

  Wang Yang looked at Ma Pei's expression and carefully opened his mouth: "In the past few days, I heard a rumor related to General Manager Ma, to be precise, it is related to Huayu and Jiangshi. General Manager Ma should have also heard about it, right?"

  "Oh, you're referring to that matter," Ma Pei said lightly, "Rumors spread at the speed of light, how could I not know? Moreover, it's related to me personally."

  "Do you know?" Wang Yang asked with a hint of surprise, "Then why didn't you come out to clarify the matter? Do you know how much damage this will do to your image?"

  Ma Pei smiled and said, "Hehe, thank you for your concern, Wang Ji. There's an old saying that goes, 'Rumors stop at the wise.' Like you, Wang Ji, I don't need to clarify things with you, but you also believe that I didn't do it, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking me why I didn't come out to clarify this issue.

  "As for the harm to me, hehe, to be honest, I've always thought that rumors can only cause harm because the person involved takes it seriously. If they don't take it seriously, then the rumor loses its significance, right? In that case, why bother with it?"

  "Moreover, justice is in the hearts of people. Those who believe in me don't need me to explain, they will naturally believe. Those who don't believe in me, no matter how much I explain, it's useless. And as for rumors, when it's time for them to disappear, they will naturally disappear, won't they?"

  Ma Pei's chatter came to an abrupt halt when he met Wang Yang's slightly injured eyes, and it was only then that he realized that under Wang Yang's thick European-style eye shadow were a pair of familiar eyes; and in those familiar eyes, at this moment, flowed out the familiar gaze he often saw in his dreams!

  Ma Pei stared blankly at Wang Yang, suddenly losing the ability to speak, and only frantically shouting in his heart: "Xiao Yu Dian! Is it you? Have I finally seen you? Have you finally come back to me? Or is this another illusion of mine? Or am I dreaming again? Tell me Xiao Yu Dian, tell me that all of this is real, quickly tell me, Xiao Yu Dian!"