Chapter Thirty-Seven: What Does It Have To Do With You Again?

  It seemed as if Wang Yang had sensed what was on Ma Pei's mind, and he spoke up. However, the words that came out of his mouth were not what Ma Pei most wanted to hear: "Director Ma, I've already said it before, I'm concerned about you as a friend, please don't use the official language you use at press conferences to brush me off, okay? I'm really worried about you! To be honest, your understanding of me is probably limited to my identity as a reporter; but before I went to interview you last time, I had already done a lot of detailed research on you. As the 'legendary Ma Pei', Director Ma, I admire you; as the Ma Pei who was hurt by love, I can say that we have resonance. So, Director Ma, I don't dare to hope that I can be friends with you, but please just treat me as someone who genuinely cares about you, okay?"

  At this time, Ma Pei had already woken up and couldn't help but feel moved by Wang Yang's words. In order to ease the atmosphere, he said lightly: "As Director Ma, I can only answer you like this; my friends don't call me Director Ma, they all call me Pei Shao. It's a multiple-choice question, Reporter Wang can decide on the answer himself."

  Wang Yang burst out laughing: "So, Ma... no, Pei Shao really has a great sense of humor. Alright, since I get to decide the answer, I'll definitely call you Pei Shao from now on. Let's formally introduce ourselves - my real name is Mi Yi Xuan, you can call me Xiao Mi or Yi Xuan, but all my friends call me Xuan Xuan; it's a multiple-choice question with three options, and Pei Da Shao Ye can choose his own answer."

  Ma Pei couldn't help but laugh: "Haha, this is exactly what I wanted, Qianqian! Qianqian? Yeah, it sounds great!"

  They chatted endlessly for a while, when Ma Pei's phone suddenly rang. He apologized to Wang Yang with a smile and got up to answer it on the side.

  Wang Yang looked at Ma Pei's receding back, and a somewhat intriguing gaze flowed out of his eyes, with a hint of deep emotion, concern, nostalgia, and a hint of resentment.

  Ma Pei returned after finishing the phone call and sat down beside Wang Yang, his face looking somewhat worried and solemn. Wang Yang looked at him inquiringly, Ma Pei shook his head: "Nothing, just some company matters."

  Wang Yang's face was solemn as he said, "Alright then, Pei Shao, what do you think about this matter? What are you planning to do? Do you need my help?"

  Ma Pei leaned back and said lazily, "Think of nothing, do nothing."

  "What?" Wang Yang was taken aback, "You really plan to do nothing? Just let others frame you like this? You should be able to see that this rumor is absolutely aimed at 'Tang Wan'. It's possible that it was Jiang herself who did it."

  Ma Pei couldn't help but smile: "Qianqian, you're a journalist. While it's true that making up facts is a journalist's instinct, you can't let emotions cloud your judgment. You can't just go around doubting Jiang's integrity or questioning his character. Besides, bringing this whole thing to light won't do any good for either Jiang or his family."

  "Think about it, this rumor, the impact on me is at most an unfair competition, but for Jiang, it may mean losing this case. You also know that Jiang and Huayu are equally determined to win this case. Doing so would harm Huayu much less than Jiang, not to mention that Jiang's own family would have to pay the price."

  "Family?" With a journalist's instinct, Wang Yang keenly picked up on Ma Pei's words. "As far as I know, this matter didn't have much of an impact on the Jiang family, except for Old Master Jiang getting angry and Madame Jiang returning to her natal home. There wasn't anything else that happened. And Old Master Jiang definitely wouldn't let them do something that would harm the family's interests because of this. You should know that their marriage was a union of interests in the first place! Madame Jiang's natal family wouldn't just sit back and do nothing, right? Doesn't Li Wenhong's involvement explain all of this? You must know something else!"

  Ma Pei stared at Wang Yang for a long time, then suddenly burst out laughing: "Reporters are indeed reporters, saying that you're afraid the world isn't chaotic enough is not wronging you at all. Look, the true face of a reporter has appeared again, hasn't it?"

  Wang Yang's face turned red as he said awkwardly, "She was just showing concern for you."

  Ma Pei's heart skipped a beat, and he felt dizzy again: this expression was all too familiar!

  Taking a deep breath, Ma Pei calmed his heart and suddenly felt that this woman was really concerned about him, not as a reporter trying to pry into him.

  Thinking of this, Ma Pei sighed and said: "Do you know why Li Yuankui suddenly left in a hurry? Something happened at President Jiang's home."

  "Oh?" Wang Yang was startled, "What's wrong again?"

  "What's with the 'again'?" Ma Pei smiled wryly and shook his head, "I reckon that by tomorrow, or at the latest the day after, you'll be hearing another piece of news."

  "What news?" Wang Yang's heart suddenly shook, "Related to you again?"

  Ma Pei shook his head: "This time, it should have nothing to do with me. Jiang's 13-year-old son ran away from home. This matter will probably have a greater impact on Jiang, and he invited Li Yuqing over from Singapore at this time, which is truly a wise move!"

  "Who made the call? How did he know that Jiang's son had run away from home?" Wang Yang asked, staring tightly.

  "A friend of mine at the Public Security Bureau reported that Jiang Lao Ye Zi filed a case. Jiang Hao Tian, oh, it's Jiang Zong's son, before he left, he left a letter saying he didn't want to stay in this dirty family anymore, didn't want to see his dirty parents again, said he'd rather not have been born into this world, anyway the words were extremely intense."

  Wang Yang stared at Ma Pei tightly and asked another question: "The son of Director Jiang ran away from home, why did this friend call to tell you?"