Emma looked at her, surprised and unexpectedly.
But after a moment, she coldly gazed at Wēn Táng and lightly mocked, "Your real job shouldn't be a reporter; you'd be better suited as a scriptwriter."
Her ability to fabricate stories on the spot was much stronger than those prime-time TV drama scriptwriters.
Wēn Táng, of course, caught the sarcasm in her words, grinding her teeth in place and actually losing her composure to mutter a curse under her breath.
"Damn it..."
Emma, who had already taken a few steps away, suddenly turned around. The food box in her hand clattered to the ground as she swiftly turned, stepped back, grabbed Wēn Táng's shoulders with both hands, and forcefully pinned her against the wall.
Wēn Táng had been at the newspaper office for a long time, involved in countless intrigues, even causing some to be pushed out of the company. But those were all covert tactics; on the surface, everyone remained cordial and didn't easily break face.
As for why Wēn Táng had just insulted out loud, it was because she never considered Emma a rival, thinking she was just a young girl who had been with the company for a year, and the idea of surpassing her was nothing but a pipe dream.
In her anger, she subconsciously blurted out the curse word in her heart.
She never expected Emma to be such an unconventional character, someone who would act rather than just talk, a type she had never encountered in her scheming at the newspaper office.
Wēn Táng tried to struggle, but as soon as she moved, Emma held her down firmly. Emma's eyes, as if coated with ice, stared at her, "Your parents never taught you not to casually bring up other people's mothers when you speak?"
Emma's words were emphasized heavily as she stared her down, and Wēn Táng was truly intimidated, leaning against the wall and not daring to resist.
After saying this, Emma released her grip on Wēn Táng, turned, and left. However, after taking just a few steps, she stopped.
Wēn Táng was about to speak again but froze on the spot as she saw Emma turn back.
When Emma's gaze fell on her, she suddenly smiled, full of sarcasm, "As a junior, I'll also give you a word of advice."
"Jason, you won't be interviewing him."
Emma sat at her desk, continuing to revise her manuscript, when Huàzhēng rushed over from the direction of the restroom, nearly colliding with her chair.
Seeing this, Huàzhēng instinctively said, "Jǐngxī, are you alright?"
This question made Emma slightly stunned, and she countered, "What's the matter?"
Huàzhēng glanced behind Emma and then looked around before saying, "I just heard in the restroom that Wēn Táng was causing you trouble?"
It was quite a coincidence. As soon as Huàzhēng entered the restroom stall, two other women came in.
They weren't there to use the facilities but to freshen up after lunch. One of them, holding a YSL lipstick, was about to apply it when she turned to the woman washing her hands next to her and asked, "Did I see Wēn Táng go to find Emma just now?"
The woman in the pink dress, Wú Mèngnì, was a close colleague of Wēn Táng's at the newspaper office.
The woman with the lipstick, driven by gossipy curiosity, casually inquired.
As soon as she finished asking, Wú Mèngnì, flicking her hair nonchalantly, said, "Some young girls, relying on their looks instead of taking the right path, try to step on their seniors to get ahead."
Relying on looks...
Stepping on seniors to get ahead...
The woman with the lipstick immediately perked up. There was no shortage of gossip in the office, but such thrilling rumors were a rare treat.
She asked, "What's going on, what's going on, spill the beans."
Wú Mèngnì sneered, "Don't be fooled by Emma's quiet demeanor; the barking dogs are the ones you need to watch out for. She's been trying to use our team leader Wēn as a stepping stone. Didn't Wēn want to interview the CEO of Hengya Group..."
"But that didn't happen, did it?" the lipstick woman interjected eagerly.
This incident was well-known throughout the newspaper office. Wēn Táng's attempt to interview the VIP had been rejected, causing her to lose face with the editor-in-chief. After all, she had made a bold promise to do this feature, and in the end, she failed.
Wēn Táng, with her always arrogant and high-profile demeanor, naturally attracted some colleagues' disapproval.
When she was riding high, no one would say anything, but when she stumbled, of course, there were those who enjoyed her misfortune, providing the office's tea break gossip with plenty of material for discussion.
Wú Mèngnì glanced at the woman with the lipstick and said in a low, mysterious voice, "You probably don't know this, but the interview was almost a done deal. Then, out of nowhere, the other party backed out."
The woman with the lipstick was taken aback. This didn't match the gossip circulating in the office, which said that Wēn Táng had been flatly rejected, with no consideration given to her interview request.
"Today, when I was downstairs with Team Leader Wēn, we saw Emma with that Jason's assistant. Tell me, what are the odds of that happening? Team Leader Wēn's interview gets canceled, and next thing you know, Emma is hanging out with the assistant. If she didn't have a hand in this, I'll eat my hat," Wú Mèngnì scoffed.
She added with a sneer, "That's why I say these young girls who just joined the company may seem innocent, but they have plenty of tricks up their sleeves. How does a girl with no connections or background get so chummy with a big CEO's assistant, huh?"
That "huh" was loaded with insinuation.
Huàzhēng, who had been squatting in the restroom stall with a stomachache, was so infuriated by what she heard that she wanted to burst out and confront these gossiping old women immediately.
But by the time she pulled up her pants, the two women had already left.
So she rushed back to see if Emma had been troubled. She asked in a low voice, "Did Wēn Táng just come to you?"
Emma: "How did you know?"
Huàzhēng's face was full of shock, realizing it was true. She angrily recounted the gossip she had overheard in the restroom. Huàzhēng spoke without pausing for breath, ending with a firm, "Wēn Táng really hates you."
Emma was amused by her tone and reassured her, "It's not that serious."
Seeing Emma's calm demeanor, clearly not taking it to heart, Huàzhēng grew more anxious, worried that Emma might suffer. They had joined the newspaper together, but their personalities were poles apart. Huàzhēng was lively and playful, while Emma was serious and methodical, never involving herself in office gossip or flattery.
Emma had a cool, detached aura about her.
Huàzhēng looked around cautiously and whispered, "Don't underestimate it. Wēn Táng really hates you. I can tell."
Emma didn't respond.
Huàzhēng continued, "Think about it. When you first joined the newspaper, it caused quite a stir. People say that just as scholars can be envious, beautiful women can be too. You're so good-looking, do you think Wēn Táng can stand you?"
Huàzhēng wasn't exaggerating. When Emma first joined the newspaper, it indeed caused a sensation.
Emma had a distinctive beauty.
Her face was truly palm-sized, with bright, almond-shaped eyes, and her skin was exceptionally fair and delicate. Huàzhēng genuinely admired Emma's beauty.
Not only was she beautiful, but Emma was also genuine, cool, and ethereal.
Emma finally looked up at her, speechless. Huàzhēng, seeing her expression, blinked and asked, "Am I wrong?"
After a long pause, Emma said expressionlessly, "You should write TV dramas too."
This newspaper was full of drama queens.
*
A few days later, Emma had to admit that she might owe Huàzhēng an apology for her earlier dismissal. Because over the next few days, she realized that Wēn Táng indeed harbored a grudge against her.
After Emma had pinned Wēn Táng against the wall and warned her that day, the usually smooth-sailing Wēn Táng, who had never had to look at anyone's face, certainly didn't plan to let it go.
Emma was now assigned to the economics section, the same team as Wēn Táng.
Although Wēn Táng was only a deputy team leader, she often had more influence than the actual team leader, who was an old hand at the newspaper, coasting through his days after realizing he wouldn't climb any higher.
As a result, Wēn Táng, despite being the deputy, often had more say in the team than the actual leader.
These past couple of days, Emma had been running around, following orders to interview in either the suburbs or with difficult characters.
At lunchtime, Wú Mèngnì came over and tossed something onto Emma's desk. "Go pick up some materials from this place this afternoon."
Emma glanced down at the paper but said nothing.
At that moment, colleagues nearby looked over, and as soon as Emma raised her head, they scattered like birds.
Emma couldn't help but chuckle. Had she really become a pariah?
She looked at the address; it was quite a distance, about two hours by subway. Oh, there might not even be a subway there, and she would probably have to transfer.
Emma didn't plan to eat; she decided to head out directly.
Huàzhēng quickly caught up from behind and asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Emma replied, "I’ll grab something on the way after I pick up the materials."
Huàzhēng's expression darkened, and she said angrily, "They're deliberately targeting you."
The atmosphere in the group had been obvious to anyone; Wēn Táng, as the leader, could easily make things difficult for Emma.
When they reached the ground floor, Emma noticed Huàzhēng was still following her and said lightly, "Go have lunch; I can handle this myself."
Seeing that Huàzhēng still didn't want to leave, Emma added, "It's better to keep your distance from me. I'm a pariah right now; being around me won't do you any good."
"What are you talking about? I've known you since I joined the newspaper. No matter what, I’ll stand by you," Huàzhēng nearly jumped up. As a loyal friend, she was itching to confront Wēn Táng and her crew.
But since they were being sneaky about it, Huàzhēng felt helpless to help.
She stomped her foot and said, "But I heard Wēn Táng's dad is also an old hand in the news industry. No wonder the editors and chief editors at our newspaper give her so much face."
Huàzhēng was genuinely worried for Emma. Disliking Wēn Táng was one thing; offending her was another.
Seeing Huàzhēng's worried expression, Emma managed a small smile and said, "Go eat lunch; don't worry. I’m not bothered by this."
It was just a matter of running around a bit more; Emma truly didn't mind.
She wasn't the type to endure silently. If it came down to it, she wouldn't hesitate to let Wēn Táng and her crew know that they didn't get to call the shots.
However, things didn't go as planned. When Emma arrived at the location, the person she was supposed to meet was not there.
She waited for a full hour before finally getting the materials. Just as she was about to head back to the office, it suddenly started to rain again.
The place felt isolated, with no subway access, only buses available.
Emma stood at the bus stop, and on top of the rain, the wind was blowing. The chiffon shirt she wore quickly got soaked, clinging to her skin and revealing her figure.
Seeing that the bus was taking too long to arrive, Emma took out her phone to call a ride.
Just as she pulled out her phone, it rang. She looked at the screen and saw Jason's name, momentarily surprised. It was rare for him to call at this time.
Emma answered, and just as she said "hello," she sneezed.
At the end of September in Shanghai, wearing a shirt and long pants was usually fine, especially with the office's strong air conditioning. But now, caught in this heavy rain, her clothes were damp, and with the wind, she felt a chill that made her teeth chatter.
Jason squinted slightly and asked, "Are you catching a cold?"
Emma replied, "No."
He looked out at the pouring rain, "Are you outside?"
Emma glanced around and said softly, "Yeah, I’m out running news stories. I can't just sit in the office every day."
"Did you bring an umbrella? It's raining now," Jason asked, his voice serious.
Emma bit her teeth together to prevent the chattering from coming through the phone. The sudden downpour had dropped the temperature around her by at least ten degrees.
Once she got over the chill, she said, "I’ll take a taxi back to the office soon."
After saying this, there was a brief pause on both ends. Neither of them was particularly good at small talk. But since he had called, Emma took the initiative to ask, "What are you up to now?"
"Heading back to the office."
Oh, so he was on his way back.
Emma looked up at the street submerged by the heavy rain, the misty water vapor severely obstructing her view. She couldn't help but scoff at herself when she realized she was fantasizing about his sudden appearance.
Then she gently said, "Why don't you go ahead and get busy, I'll call a car to head back to the office."
After ending the call, Emma tried to call a car, but due to the heavy rain, even the ride-hailing app showed a queue of twenty minutes.
Feeling increasingly cold, she stamped her foot and looked down at her phone, contemplating whether to offer more money for a quicker ride.
It was then that she noticed a car pulling up at the bus stop. She looked up, stunned.
A sleek black sedan had just pulled up beside the platform, and the rear door was immediately pushed open. The platform happened to be right above the worst puddle, and the moment the shiny black leather shoe stepped out, it was instantly splashed with mud and water.
Jason, wearing a white striped shirt with an unbuttoned black suit jacket open, stepped out of the car.
The driver, Old Xu, got out of the car, opened an umbrella, and was about to hold it for him, but Jason took it from him and strode onto the platform, quickly reaching Emma.
As Emma opened her mouth, the suit jacket, still carrying his body heat, was draped over her.
He really had appeared out of nowhere.
Then, she was guided by Jason into the car, and they drove off, leaving the onlookers at the platform in a daze.
That was a Bentley that just pulled up, wasn't it?
"How did you know I was here?" Emma asked after a while, still in shock once they were in the car.
Seeing her so amusingly surprised was rare, Jason said in a low voice, "You forgot about the app you installed for me?"
Emma was taken aback again, an app?
It dawned on her that it was the couples' app that Huàzhēng had recommended to her, supposedly developed by a friend of hers as an entrepreneurial project, which allowed real-time sharing of their locations.
When Huàzhēng had recommended the app to Emma, she had even asked if it wasn't more of a breakup app, as sharing one's location at any time required absolute loyalty to one's partner. Emma had downloaded it for Jason more as a joke than anything else.
She had almost completely forgotten about the app, yet he was actually using it?
Emma opened her phone and saw the two little dots representing them closely together, amusedly saying, "It really works; they're so close together."
After she spoke, she suddenly felt her left hand being lifted, and then Jason's slender fingers interlaced with hers.
Their fingers locked tightly.
She looked at him, and heard him say with a slight smile, "This is what tight means."
For Jason to casually glance at the app and then realize that they were less than two kilometers apart, Emma felt that even the word 'fate' couldn't explain such a coincidence.
She was wrapped in his suit, previously frozen stiff from standing at the platform. Now, in the car, her body gradually warmed up, and she felt much more comfortable.
Jason looked at her and asked, "Why didn't you bring an extra layer of clothing when you went out?"
Emma: "I didn't expect it to rain suddenly, so I forgot to bring one."
Her hair was also a bit wet from the rain; there was no shelter at the platform, and the wind blew the raindrops directly onto her body.
Jason frowned at her, "I'll take you home first, so you can take a shower and change your clothes."
"There's no need to go through so much trouble," Emma didn't think it was a big deal; she was just cold for a while, and now that she had warmed up, she felt fine.
She said directly, "If it's not too much trouble, just take me to the office."
If it's not too much trouble... Such polite words made Jason's eyebrows furrow even more. He was always a person who rarely showed his emotions, with a bland personality. But when she was around, a few words could stir up a myriad of emotions within him.
Jason's deep voice finally broke the silence, "Xingxing, you don't need to be like this with me."
Emma was taken aback and turned to look at him, her face full of surprise. Had she said something wrong?
His voice continued, "You can ask me to take you directly to the office, even if it's not convenient."
Emma didn't expect him to be so particular about her choice of words, to care about what she had said. It was she who was momentarily stunned by his reminder. It wasn't that she was being polite to Jason; she had long been accustomed to being independent and strong, not allowing herself to rely on anyone.
Even the man who had become her husband.
Emma looked at him, thought for a moment, and said, "I'm sorry." She was just too used to bearing everything on her own.
Jason's fingers slightly squeezed hers, and her originally cold palm gradually warmed up in his grasp. He said, "It's my fault, I haven't taken good care of you."
Emma smiled and replied, "No, you've done enough."
"Enough to make my own wife forget my face?" His tone was full of self-mockery.
Emma: "..."
*
In the end, Jason still dropped Emma off at the foot of her office building, ignoring her request to stop a bit further away. When getting out of the car, had it not been for Emma's firm refusal, he would have almost personally escorted her.
Just as Emma entered the lobby and took a few steps, someone pounced on her from behind.
"My dear Emma," a voice with a drawn-out tone but clearly very cheerful rang out.
Emma slightly tilted her cheek and saw Tang Mi's face resting on her shoulder, "When did you get back?"
Tang Mi had been on a business trip to Beijing for a month and had just returned to Shanghai. The two worked in the same building, and Tang Mi had planned to call Emma in the evening to invite her out for dinner. Unexpectedly, while buying a coffee at the Starbucks downstairs, Tang Mi happened to see Emma getting out of a Bentley.
Tang Mi said slyly, "That car was your CEO Jason's, right? Not working but going out on a date?"
Tang Mi had not only seen the car but had also ridden in it. After all, she and Emma had been friends for over a decade, classmates since junior high school, and then the same high school. It was just that after the college entrance examination, Emma, as the district's top scholar, went to University A, while Tang Mi stayed in Shanghai for college.
Tang Mi knew about Emma's marriage to Jason.
Originally, Emma had kept it a secret from everyone, but Tang Mi knew her home address. Once, without calling Emma, she visited her home directly, and it just so happened that Jason was there that day.
Tang Mi looked in shock at the man who opened the door, feeling that he was excessively familiar.
Until a name flashed through her mind, and her brain buzzed as if it had exploded.
Of course, her first reaction was to think she must have gone crazy. The CEO of Hengy Group, with no lack of luxurious mansions, how could he possibly live in a small house in a Shanghai alley?
It was only after she was pulled into the house by Emma and introduced to Jason that Tang Mi believed it.
Then, while Jason was out, Tang Mi forced Emma to show her their marriage certificate. Upon seeing the two bright red booklets, which were indeed officially issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Tang Mi was floored.
Only then did she truly believe that Emma had married into a wealthy family.
She remembered this girl from high school, who was so beautiful, recognized as the school's belle, and even known by those at vocational schools. Thus, some people came to the school gate to wait for her, but Emma didn't care at all.
She always acted as if she didn't see those boys and ignored them until someone couldn't hold back and directly blocked her way.
Tang Mi had personally witnessed this girl sneer coldly, looking at the boy holding her bicycle handlebar, and said indifferently, "Get lost."
That aura was truly intimidating.
Tang Mi had always thought that Emma was destined for great things.
When she found out that she had married Jason, Tang Mi's heart echoed with three words: As expected.
Seeing the mischievous smile on her face, Emma directly poured a bucket of cold water: "He just happened to drop me off at the office, nothing else."
"What else? Whatever you do as a couple is legal and proper; I'm not thinking anything wrong."
Although Tang Mi said this, the teasing that was about to overflow from her face couldn't be hidden.
Emma simply remained silent.
As the two walked towards the elevator, a display screen on the wall was playing a jewelry advertisement. A woman with long, curly black hair dressed in a red silk evening gown had a truly beautiful figure. When the camera focused on her face, her willow-like eyebrows and oval face with an elegant temperament made her look incredibly stunning under the lens. She was so beautiful that she seemed otherworldly.
Tang Mi couldn't help but glance and remarked, "Su Yiheng's innocent lotus face is really, truly beautiful."
The advertisement playing on the screen was none other than the jewelry commercial featuring the most popular actress in the entertainment industry at the moment, Su Yiheng. Su, with her naturally gentle and soft face, was not the typical sharp beauty often found in the entertainment circle.
Moreover, in the past two years, she had become a box office talisman, with several of her starring films performing well.
Since they were the only ones waiting for the elevator, Tang Mi spoke quite openly.
She laughed and casually said, "Honestly, I heard quite a few pieces of gossip in Beijing this time."
Tang Mi and Emma were colleagues in a sense, both being journalists. However, Tang Mi was an entertainment reporter, usually conducting exclusive interviews with actors and writing sharp film reviews. Although she was a bit snarky, her reviews were well-received and had earned her a million followers on Weibo.
So much so, that before the release of movies, they would invite her to preview screenings. Even if she was a bit harsh, as long as she drew attention, it was fine.
Emma wasn't particularly interested in entertainment gossip, but she was happy to listen if Tang Mi wanted to talk.
The elevator was a bit slow today, stuck on the twenty-fifth floor and not coming down.
Tang Mi glanced at her and, after some consideration, said, "Anyway, it's all the gossip from the entertainment circle, but the funniest thing is that someone actually said the person who is promoting Su Yiheng is your CEO, Jason. You say these two people are poles apart, and yet some people really believe it."
Actually, Tang Mi, being used to the entertainment industry, knew that some things really do start with a grain of truth.
Of course, she didn't think Jason had any extramarital affairs, but she just wanted to remind Emma that a man like Jason, even if he doesn't cheat, will have women lining up to sleep with him.
If this was really a romantic affair Jason got into before marriage, Emma should at least know about it.
After speaking, Tang Mi laughed out loud.
But Emma glanced at her and said calmly, "Promoting her is not necessary, after all, she has her own background."
Tang Mi was really stunned, staring at Emma for a while before cautiously asking, "Do they really know each other?"
After all, they are not from the same circle, and who would usually associate them together? So when she first heard this rumor, Tang Mi's heart skipped a beat.
There's a saying, "There's no smoke without fire."
Such stories between female celebrities and the wealthy have been seen too many times over the years.
"Childhood sweethearts."
Emma's tone was light, but that doesn't mean what she said wasn't shocking. Tang Mi's eyes widened as she stared at her.
It was as shocking as a bolt from the blue.
So much so that when Tang Mi spoke, she stammered, "You mean they are... childhood sweethearts?"
This news was too astonishing, as no one knew, not even Tang Mi had heard Emma mention it before.
Tang Mi clicked her tongue and couldn't help but ask, "Then do they..."
It's not that she was being nosy, after all, Su Yiheng is so beautiful and now a shining big star. With such a beautiful childhood sweetheart around, could Jason not have any thoughts about her?
Emma turned her head: "If he had thoughts about Su Yiheng, would he marry me?"
Jason and Su Yiheng are indeed childhood sweethearts. The Jason family and the Su family are old family friends, and they grew up in the same circle since they were children. There's one thing Emma didn't say, though, and that is, although Jason doesn't have thoughts about Su Yiheng, it doesn't mean Su Yiheng doesn't have thoughts about Jason.
When she first attended their close circle of friends' gathering as Jason's wife, she understood when she saw the way Su Yiheng looked at Jason.
She loves Jason.
Unfortunately, love is the most unreasonable thing in the world. Even if you are the one who comes first, as long as you are not the right one, there is no advantage.
Tang Mi nodded, she believed this.
Although she had little contact with Jason, a man who can do great things is not the kind of character who is muddle-headed.
Then her eyes brightened, and she was excited: "So you are the one who beats the childhood sweetheart from the sky?"
Emma: "..."
Tang Mi suddenly learned such an astonishing piece of gossip, reached out and nudged Emma's arm, and said with a smile, "Seriously, what does it feel like to have a big star as a defeated opponent?"
Emma looked at her and finally said coldly, "You are really boring."
*
Although Tang Mi wanted to drag Emma to chat for three days and nights, Emma still had a manuscript to write and, of course, would not pay attention to her. In the evening, when it was time to get off work, everyone left one after another.
Emma's manuscript was not finished, and Jason had entertainment tonight, so she simply stayed in the company to finish her work first.
At around seven o'clock, her mobile phone suddenly rang.
In the quiet office, the sudden ring of the phone startled Emma. When she saw who was calling, a sense of helplessness suddenly hit her.
After she answered, she said first, "Hello."
The polite and polite greeting really stunned the other side.
When the other side reacted, she immediately said, "Where are you?"
Emma: "Working overtime at the company."
Zhong Lan said, "You come home right now."