050: Qi Lin! Where Did My Black Silk Stockings Go?
The police and ambulance arrived quickly at the scene but, thanks to Qi Lin's timely rescue, the children were unharmed. The ambulance left as quickly as it came, with no injuries to treat.
Qi Lin, though exhausted, gradually regained his strength, aided by Xia Jian's full-body massage.
The police recorded the incident, and one officer approached Qi Lin with a smile. "Young man, your actions were admirable. We'll be recommending you for the title of 'Brave Citizen.' Please leave your phone number and contact address."
Qi Lin, accustomed to the rewards that came with his heroic acts, readily agreed. He signed his name and details in the officer's notebook before the police left.
Next, the two mothers of the rescued children approached him, overflowing with gratitude. They promised to visit him later with a more formal expression of thanks and left with their children in tow.
Qi Lin didn't save people to gain recognition—his focus was on securing the turning point in Xia Jian's career. After a few polite exchanges, he let the mothers go.
Once everyone had dispersed, Xia Jian turned to him with a grin. "So, how does it feel to be a hero? Pretty great, huh?"
Qi Lin shrugged nonchalantly. "It's alright. Not my first time being a hero. Honestly, the feeling doesn't compare to your full-body massage."
Xia Jian giggled, unable to resist smiling at his playful tone. "You and that silver tongue of yours."
Qi Lin raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, how's your footage? Think you'll finally get that full-time position now?"
Xia Jian's eyes sparkled as she pulled out a small memory card. "Don't worry, I got it all on camera. You looked brave and handsome, and my footage is solid. This should be enough to secure my spot at the newspaper."
She sighed after a moment. "It's funny, really. I've spent three months running all over the city, trying to find a good story. Nothing. Then today, all it took was you dragging me out for a swim, and bam! I've got my big break."
Qi Lin grinned, suppressing a laugh. "So I'm your lucky star, huh?"
She playfully patted him on the head. "Yes, yes, you're my lucky star. I've decided to bring you along on all my future assignments."
Qi Lin chuckled, gently pushing her hand away. "I'd love to, but I've got to find a girlfriend. Can't spend all my time being your sidekick."
Xia Jian rolled her eyes, but then stood up. "Alright, I need to get changed and head back to the office. Watch my stuff for me, will you?"
She handed her camera equipment to Qi Lin and disappeared into the changing room with her clothes.
A moment later, her voice rang out, filled with indignation.
"Qi Lin! Where did my black stockings go?"
Qi Lin put on an innocent expression. "What stockings?"
"Don't play dumb! I gave them to you with my suit skirt earlier!"
Feigning confusion, Qi Lin replied, "All I saw was a set of clothes. No stockings."
Xia Jian, still behind the door, blushed as she realized her mistake. She hadn't told Qi Lin that her stockings were tucked into the folds of her skirt.
"These were the stockings I wore…" she muttered, her face now crimson.
Her thoughts raced. "This kid is getting more and more mischievous. I need to find him a girlfriend fast before he becomes a complete rascal."
She could easily confront him about the stockings, but she owed him too much—especially after he had helped her secure the perfect footage for her story. So, despite knowing Qi Lin had taken them, she let it slide, shooting him an annoyed glare when she finally emerged.
Half an hour later, Qi Lin dropped Xia Jian off at her office. "I won't be joining you. I've got some plans this afternoon."
Qi Lin had something important to do—Chen Dongxi and Wang Yunzhi were heading to Mulan Mountain to camp, and Qi Lin needed to ensure Chen Dongxi didn't make it there.
"Don't drive too fast," Xia Jian warned. "Come home early tonight. I'll cook dinner."
Her tone was becoming more and more like an older sister's, filled with casual care. They parted ways, and Xia Jian headed inside the company.
Coincidentally, a summary meeting was taking place at the office as Xia Jian walked in. The editor-in-chief, Chen Yu, stood at the front, addressing the group of interns with an expressionless face.
"Our Aoki News Agency hasn't reported any significant news for over a month," Chen Yu announced coldly. "We are not a charity. Today, we will be following company policy."
She paused for emphasis. "Any interns who haven't secured at least B-level news can collect their pay from the finance department and leave."
Chen Yu explained the ranking system for news:
A-level news: Major incidents involving multiple casualties or rescues.B-level news: Fires, missing children, etc.C-level news: Street fights, scandals.D-level news: Minor events like rescuing pets or reporting on community activities.
As Xia Jian entered the room, Chen Yu's eyes glinted with a smug satisfaction. She clearly expected Xia Jian had failed to bring in any newsworthy material.
"Xia Jian," Chen Yu said with a sneer. "In three months, you haven't even managed a C-level story. At noon, I gave you one last chance, but you chose to associate with questionable people. I don't need to say more, do I?"
She didn't even wait for Xia Jian to sit before publicly criticizing her, trying to embarrass her in front of everyone.
The other interns turned to watch Xia Jian, waiting to see her reaction.
But Xia Jian wasn't fazed. She quietly returned the camera equipment and took her seat, her face calm.
In the center of the office was a large projector, typically used to display news footage for review.
A sly smile tugged at Xia Jian's lips. She pulled out the memory card containing the footage of Qi Lin's heroic rescue and inserted it into the projector.
With a press of a button, the video began to play.