Chapter 27: The Editor-in-Chief's Request |
"Jiang Siyuan suddenly got injured last night and has requested a month's leave. He had several interviews lined up that are now on hold, and I'd like you to take over."
Li Zhiying's clear yet slightly husky voice came through the phone.
If Guan Shan were to describe it, he would say Li Zhiying's voice was like frosted glass: a blend of crispness and ambiguity, very unique.
Guan Shan sat on the sofa, startled by what he heard: "Deputy Editor Jiang suddenly got injured?"
He instinctively added, "It has nothing to do with me, I left work earlier than him yesterday."
Li Zhiying chuckled at his defensive tone, "I'm not accusing you of anything. Why so anxious? Besides, there's no way you could be involved—Jiang Siyuan keeps saying he saw a ghost in the hospital."
"A ghost?"
Guan Shan had been prepared to defend himself in case Jiang Siyuan falsely accused him, but he hadn't expected him to claim he was injured by a ghost.
"Did he hit his head?"
She sounded troubled, "I later asked several editors who were still in the office, and their stories matched."
"So," Guan Shan tried to keep a straight face, "Deputy Editor Jiang went crazy?"
Li Zhiying said, "We're not sure yet, but he did hurt himself pretty badly, even broke his front teeth. He won't be back at work anytime soon."
Jiang Siyuan, who always took great pride in his appearance, wouldn't show his face with a broken tooth. Fate seemed to be playing tricks on him.
Guan Shan chuckled inwardly, unaware that the "fate" was hiding behind his sofa, stifling sobs.
One more person knew... She'd have to face the music again.
The only consolation was that no one could see her or know she was responsible.
However, Lin Shuman had forgotten one crucial detail: the newsroom was the epicenter of gossip.
Guan Shan pondered for a moment, then asked, "There are plenty of reporters available. Why pick me, someone already swamped with work? Are these interviews particularly tricky?"
Li Zhiying laughed, "You're sharp. Jiang Siyuan avoided these pieces because they are difficult."
She sent over three files.
Guan Shan opened them and immediately understood why they were problematic.
"Wow, one is about a stubborn holdout, another about a double homicide, and the third about medical disputes. Who'd want to touch these?"
Even the titles made him cringe.
Stubborn holdouts were notorious for being unyielding, impossible to reason with unless you had an irresistible offer. Reporters had to extract meaningful insights, or what was the point?
The homicide and medical disputes were even more daunting, often posing personal safety risks. Both perpetrators and victims could be volatile, making it dangerous for journalists.
Guan Shan's mouth twitched as he asked tentatively, "What level of detail is required for these reports?"
Were they supposed to just cover the basics or dig deep for exclusive information?
Li Zhiying did not answer directly but instead asked, "You've been handling the electronic version, right?"
"Yes."
"When I took over this newspaper, I knew it was destined to decline because new media is growing too fast. Print media can't keep up."
Li Zhiying sighed, "So, I decided to transform it, integrating new media and the internet. The electronic version is just the first step."
"In a while, I'll establish a dedicated department for this. The most crucial step is to draw the public's attention to the 'Hangzhou Evening News.'"
Guan Shan looked at the files in his hand, "So, we need sensational content?"
"These three pieces are ones we have the most progress on, thanks to Jiang Siyuan's connections."
Li Zhiying continued, "Your job is to keep investigating and provide a satisfactory report."
Guan Shan remembered Peng Fei's words. It seemed Li Zhiying indeed wanted to groom him as her spearhead.
This must be a test.
Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'll do my best... I can't guarantee perfection, but I promise to do all I can."
Li Zhiying seemed pleased with his response, "I'll be looking forward to your good news."
"Take your time with these three tasks, along with the fire safety special. The special needs to be ready before Fire Safety Day, but the others can progress gradually. Don't stress too much."
The call ended.
Guan Shan exhaled deeply, turning to see Shen Dinghua coming downstairs.
She had changed into outdoor clothes.
Her linen sundress flowed ethereally, reaching her ankles, making her petite frame appear even more delicate. With a chiffon cover-up and damp shoulder-length black hair, she looked incredibly cute.
But after so many years, Guan Shan was used to all her looks, remaining unfazed.
"Was that the editor-in-chief?"
Shen Dinghua had overheard from upstairs and walked over curiously.
Guan Shan nodded, showing her the files, "The editor-in-chief just assigned me some tasks. Looks like I'll be busy for a while."
Shen Dinghua glanced at the files, quickly realizing the difficulty, "Isn't this too much?"
Guan Shan shrugged, "Can't be helped. These were Jiang Siyuan's tasks, but he got hospitalized last night."
Shen Dinghua blinked, "Hospitalized?"
She poked Guan Shan's arm, "Xiao Shan, did you put him in the hospital?"
Guan Shan rolled his eyes, "Do I seem like that kind of person? He got spooked."
He explained the situation and then said, "I reviewed the files. Surprisingly, the toughest one might be the easiest to dig into."
Guan Shan opened the homicide file, "The case of the restaurant owner and his wife being murdered."
At that moment, unnoticed by the two, Lin Shuman, elbow propped on the sofa, peeked between them, curiously reading the files.
Seeing the names, she widened her eyes.
"Zhao Hong and Fang Minmin?"