The phone rang when Chen Ziming was on the balcony, lost in thought while looking at the trending topics.
These kids.
Their eyes are truly sharp.
He pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear, remaining silent.
"We're trending again," the girl's anxious voice came through.
"Mhm, I saw it," he replied.
"Are you okay?"
"The department leadership has spoken, what could be wrong with me."
Su Yue was speechless and could only let out a muffled "Oh."
Silence fell into the air.
A few seconds later, it was Director Chen who broke the quiet with a low voice, "You sound quite down."
He didn't sound very happy.
Su Yue knew he had misunderstood, sighed, and explained her thoughts to him.
Another few seconds of silence.
"Can you say something?" she complained.
"I've said everything I can say before, you just don't remember and then you blame me."
"What did you say..." Su Yue felt confused, but then suddenly understood.
He was referring to what he had said countless times: "With me here, my dear, you don't have to fear anything."
"Remember now?" the nonchalant voice asked.
"Mhm," she replied with firm conviction, and a sweet smile bloomed on her face.
She paused, then became serious again, "But you won't even let me sleep now. If something really happens, will you cover for me?"
Chen Ziming: ...
"Stop trying to find opportunities to sleep with me here," he replied calmly.
Without giving Su Yue a chance to retort, he continued, "You also need to have confidence in yourself. If your professional ability wasn't up to par, what would be trending would be words of criticism against you."
"Fame and fortune are double-edged swords. You need to use this opportunity well, and also believe that you deserve this recognition."
"Also," he thought for a moment, his voice lowering, "What you need to pay attention to now is to guard against those around you, especially colleagues with whom you have a competitive relationship."
"But you don't need to be overly nervous. If anything truly happens, I'll be there."
I'll be there.
These three words, which had reassured Su Yue countless times, once again echoed in her ears.
He was her fallback, her last and most reliable move when she was at a loss.
He was the final retreat heaven had left her when she was cornered.
Su Yue hummed, her eyes slightly reddening.
"Crying?"
"Not yet, it's just at the stage where tears are welling up," Su Yue replied in a muffled voice.
Chen Ziming rubbed his forehead with a slight headache, just about to say something to tease her and distract her when she spoke first:
"Do you want to come over and see me? I think I look my best right now, especially fragile, really able to evoke a protective instinct."
Chen Ziming: ...
"If I wore the clothes in the photos you sent, you absolutely would..."
No need for her to describe.
He had already imagined that scene before that.
Taking a deep breath, he interrupted her, "Who did you learn this from, to be so improper? I'm not going, stop wasting your breath."
Su Yue feigned surprise, "Who else would I learn it from but you?"
These words made Director Chen chuckle, though he tried hard to hide it, the girl on the other end heard it.
"Tsundere," she summarized precisely.
***
The trending topic quietly disappeared on the third day, and everything returned to normal.
Su Yue was busy participating in interview activities arranged by Bai Liqing, while also preparing for the third exclusive interview as per the station's arrangements.
The subject of the third interview was a current military unit from the National Defense University.
They were currently conducting drills in the capital, and the liaison officer had been chosen.
In the afternoon, as Su Yue was conceptualizing the format for the third interview, the deputy director's secretary arrived.
"Yueyue, Director Guo wants to see you."
The other people in the office were out on assignments, and Bai Liqing was also absent. Su Yue had no one to ask, so she got up and went with the secretary to the deputy director's office.
"Sit down, Yueyue," the deputy director said with a warm smile.
"Mhm, okay," Su Yue quickly sat down, a little confused, "What do you need me for?"
"Are you free tonight? Come with me to a meeting!"