Chapter 109 Exclusive Report from Jinjiang

Su Ruyi and Wang Huizhen were checking the accounts in the office. After the new storefront building in the provincial capital is completed, Su Ruyi will work here in the provincial capital.

The office is equipped with a full set of office equipment, and two computers have also been purchased.

One machine was used by Su Ruyi herself, and the other was used by Wang Huizhen, the accountant.

Although computers are expensive, have limited functions, and still use the inconvenient DOS system, Su Ruyi, who is used to using computers for office work, still bought two.

Wang Huizhen's computer had better specifications and a higher price, while Su Ruyi's was the cheapest. Together, they cost more than 20,000 yuan, which was about the same as the gaming computer she had in her previous life, but the prices were completely different.

When Wang Huizhen first started using the computer, she was very careful, afraid of breaking it.

The use of computers for financial work is an inevitable trend, and Su Ruyi specifically asked Wang Huizhen to enroll in a training course.

These days, very few people study computers, and many don't even know what they're used for.

Wang Huizhen had only heard of it but didn't know much about it; she only knew it was high-tech.

She never expected to be able to study at public expense, so she took it very seriously. Although she was cautious, she quickly got the hang of it.

Compared to manual calculation, computer calculation is clearer and more convenient.

Su Ruyi now frequently travels between Qing Province and Liulin County. When she is in Liulin County, she rarely has time to work peacefully in the office because there are always various things that require her to go out and handle.

It's much more peaceful in Qing Province; you can sit in the office, drink tea, and eat snacks.

Su Ruyi specially built a small tea station on this floor of the office building, where fruits, tea, snacks and coffee are prepared every day for employees to use free of charge.

Wang Huizhen's first coffee came from here, and she almost spat it out because it was so bitter!

Su Ruyi bought a complete set of hand-grinding coffee equipment, and the coffee beans were also carefully selected. The coffee had a very rich flavor, and the price was not cheap.

But few people can enjoy it; they keep their distance from this foreign gadget, knowing it's expensive but not wanting to take advantage of it.

Even with added sugar and milk, I still can't get used to the bitter taste.

Wang Huiting was puzzled: "Are foreigners' tongues different from ours?"

Her gaze toward Su Ruyi was filled with awe, especially when she saw Su Ruyi enjoying her tea; she was filled with admiration for her.

Wang Huizhen initially thought so too, but after drinking it a few times to stay alert, she gradually fell in love with the taste.

Now that she's started drinking black coffee, Wang Huiting's gaze towards her has become strange. She tried it a few times herself, and each time she drank it until her eyes rolled back in her head.

The office phone rang, and Su Ruyi answered it.

"Hello, I am Wang Rulin, a reporter from the Life Daily. Please help me find Ms. Su Ruyi."

"That's me. What can I do for you?"

Su Ruyi was no stranger to the Life Daily; she and Lu Ting had advertised in it quite a bit.

Wang Rulin quickly explained her purpose: she wanted to conduct an exclusive interview with Su Ruyi and Lu Ting about their heroic act of capturing a criminal.

The case has been going on for a while, but because the perpetrators are involved in many cases, and in order to delay the time, or perhaps to drag others down with them even in their death, they have confessed to all the crimes they committed over the years, implicating a large number of people.

Therefore, the details of the case have never been made public, and Su Ruyi and Lu Ting have not received any specific commendation.

Su Ruyi had almost forgotten about this incident, but she didn't expect that reporters would be interviewing her now. The police station hasn't even responded yet; the reporters are certainly quick.

"I need to discuss this with my partner and get back to you later."

Lu Ting refused the interview offer outright.

"It was just a casual act of saving someone, nothing special."

Su Ruyi originally thought so too. She wasn't one to seek the limelight, but then she thought that a good reputation was still very important these days, especially since they were business people. A good reputation would also benefit their businesses and factories.

"If we give an interview, it will be a great publicity for the companies under our name."

Today, major newspapers and television stations in Qing Province are broadcasting news of the murderer's capture and the crimes he committed.

This criminal was extremely vicious and had committed numerous crimes since the 1970s, taking several lives.

He was also involved in criminal cases such as kidnapping and extortion, managing to evade justice and implicate many people. Now they have all been brought to justice, which is truly gratifying.

The fact that it was not the police who caught such a terrible criminal, but a concerned citizen, only added to the public's interest.

That must have been incredibly dangerous, considering this criminal was a trained martial artist.

Su Ruyi keenly sensed the popularity of this matter; she knew all too well what online buzz meant.

Lu Ting had tasted the benefits of publicity; a good reputation certainly had positive significance in this era.

He has now turned his attention to the development of the land where the match factory was located, and the project has officially started.

He put a lot of effort into this project, and specially hired designers from the port city to design it, determined to create a community with an excellent living experience.

The current housing prices will be very cheap for people decades from now, but will still be extremely expensive for people today.

Many people wait for their work units to allocate housing and never think about buying it themselves. Moreover, migrant workers from rural areas who go to the city to work often take their earnings back to build houses, making it difficult for them to settle down in the city.

Although the demand for private home purchases is increasing, there needs to be a certain level of appeal to get people to open their wallets to buy a home.

Lu Ting's target customers are in the mid-to-high-end market, so he must demonstrate some strength, and early publicity is also essential.

Many real estate projects are now adopting the pre-sale schemes of commercial housing from Gangcheng, selling houses to the public before they are even built.

Lu Ting also adopted this model, which greatly reduced the financial pressure and allowed him to sell earlier with peace of mind.

Lu Ting still has a shortage of funds, and the sooner the funds are returned, the better it will be for him.

Formal pre-sale laws have not yet been promulgated, and the market is still in a state of trial and disorder. To get buyers to spend money, developers must have a good reputation. There have already been cases of unfinished buildings and developers running away with the money, which has made buyers very distrustful of the pre-sale model.

Lu Ting is a newcomer to this industry. Although he has the reputation of a plastics factory to back him up, he would better reveal more of his trump cards if he wanted people to trust him.

Acts of bravery in apprehending murderers are an excellent example of public awareness.

People who are righteous always make others feel safer and more likely to trust their character.

After listening to Su Ruyi's analysis, Lu Ting stopped refusing and arranged an interview time with Wang Rulin.

Even before the scheduled interview time, the provincial television station had already extended an invitation to the two individuals.

Su Ruyi and Lu Ting both agreed, and later, when some newspapers and magazines wanted to interview them, they both declined.

Too much of a good thing is bad. It's enough to have one representative of each approach. While they should make use of this, they shouldn't be too utilitarian.

Before Wang Rulin's interview, Su Ruyi made it clear that:

"We will omit the part about the female victim from the specific details of that day. We don't want to cause the victim a second trauma, and we hope that you will hide this part in your reports."

A few days after the incident, the victim, Zhang Chunrong, found the address on the business card.

She looked extremely haggard, even worse than on the night she was injured.

Upon inquiry, Su Ruyi learned that despite her best efforts to conceal it, news of Xie Chunrong's near-rape had still spread.

Everyone was gossiping about Xie Chunrong, thinking she was immoral and that's why she encountered such a thing.

What decent girl would be out with a man in the middle of the night? And that place was pitch black; who knows what they were doing there.

If she had stayed home obediently at night, this wouldn't have happened.

Xie Chunrong's parents were already ashamed that their daughter had encountered such a thing, and being talked about like this by those around them made them feel even more ashamed and resentful towards Xie Chunrong, constantly verbally attacking her.

That wasn't all; Gao Qiang's parents even went to Xie Chunrong and cursed her as a vixen.

If Xie Chunrong hadn't lured their son out in the middle of the night, he wouldn't have suffered such serious injuries.

Originally, the neighbors had only heard some rumors and had no definite news. But after Gao Qiang's parents made such a fuss, those who had spoken up for Xie Chunrong fell silent.

Xie Chunrong and Gao Qiang could not continue, which caused Xie Chunrong, who was already greatly injured, to collapse. She almost hanged herself in the house.

It was Xie's mother who discovered this and stopped her, scolding her for being unfilial. She said that even if she was going to die, she should first go to Su Ruyi and help her brother get together before she died.

So Xie Chunrong came with a thank-you gift, but she didn't mention the matter. It was Su Ruyi who noticed that she was not in a good mood and asked her a couple of questions. Xie Chunrong broke down in tears on the spot and told her everything in her outburst.

Su Ruyi then realized her predicament, feeling both angry and helpless.

"Life is only once, so let's not punish ourselves for other people's mistakes. Once you leave your original environment, those gossips will no longer be able to harm you in the slightest."

"But where can I go?" Xie Chunrong was extremely distressed.

She couldn't continue her studies after graduating from junior high school and has been doing odd jobs ever since.

There are far more monks than porridge these days, so finding a job isn't easy.

Forget about working in a government-owned factory; I can only work for private bosses.

Self-employed individuals generally do not hire externally; they usually hire relatives and friends they know well.

Lu Ting's plastics factory also targets a specific group of people, and the number of jobs offered to external hires is very small. Su Ruyi is the same; she prioritizes the families of veterans working at the plastics factory and only offers a few positions to others.

There aren't many private factories in the provincial capital. At present, the overall economic development of Qing Province is still relatively backward, unlike the south where private factories are everywhere.

Therefore, it is not easy to get a job in a private factory; the conditions are very strict, and the wages are low while the workload is much heavier.

However, for Su Ruyi, assigning a job to someone is not difficult.

"It depends on where you want to go, whether you want to stay in the local area or go elsewhere."

"Out of town? You mean going to work in the south?"

There are more opportunities in the south than in the provincial capital, so many people go south to work.

Su Ruyi nodded: "Yangcheng."

The selection department frequently travels to Guangzhou to source goods and has partnerships with many garment factories there, where there is a high demand for workers.

If Xie Chunrong goes there, Su Ruyi can introduce her to her.

With her endorsement, getting into the factory is very easy.

Xie Chunrong fell silent. She had thought about going to the south to work before, but her mother wouldn't let her leave, afraid that she would never come back.

There was a girl from their neighborhood who went to work in the south. At first, she would send money back, but then she disappeared.

Her parents couldn't find her because she was so far away.

Mother Xie often said that she had raised this daughter in vain. If Xie Chunrong were like this, she would have preferred to strangle her long ago.

Xie Chunrong was also afraid to go to unfamiliar cities. Although his family was of average means, they were still city people and always had a sense of superiority.

But if you go elsewhere, you won't have that sense of superiority.

She never really had any determination to begin with, but because she couldn't find a job and was always looked down upon as someone who was just freeloading, the idea occasionally popped into her head. But after her mother said that, she completely gave up on the idea.

Things are different now. Xie Chunrong lives in this city and always feels that people are talking about her behind her back. She has developed a longing for other places.

If she goes to another place, can she start over from scratch and no one know what happened here?

Xie Chunrong did not reply at the time, and Su Ruyi did not try to persuade her. She would be willing to lend a hand because she was a woman, but if the other party was unwilling to accept, she would not chase after him.

A few days later, Xie Chunrong arrived and said she wanted to go to Guangzhou.

After Xie Chunrong returned home, she mentioned that she could get a job at the plastics factory. Xie's mother immediately demanded that her younger brother also get a job at the factory, otherwise she would not go.

Xie Chunrong laughed in exasperation. It was as if she were Su Ruyi and Lu Ting's savior. They were already being kind enough to take them in, yet she was making demands on them.

But Xie's mother had her own reasoning: "If you've gone all the way to the Buddha's Pure Land, then you should see it through to the end. They've already helped you, so they should take full responsibility!"

Xie Chunrong immediately realized that she could not stay here. Su Ruyi seemed easy to talk to, but in reality, she had a strong personality and was clear about her likes and dislikes.

She was convinced that if she dared to bring it up, Su Ruyi would definitely kick her out as well.

Xie Chunrong, who was already tempted, wanted to leave this place even more.

“I won’t tell my family that my trip to Guangzhou has anything to do with you. If my family comes looking for me, you don’t need to pay them any attention.”

Seeing that she was a sensible person, Su Ruyi crossed out the factory she had previously chosen and arranged for her to work at the Guangzhou office.

The selection department frequently travels to Guangzhou to purchase goods. There are staff stationed there, so information is more timely, and the goods are closely monitored to prevent any issues from arising when the manufacturer ships them.

If there are any problems, there is someone there who can communicate with you in a timely manner.

With a local person stationed at the office, someone from here also needed to be sent to assist. Su Ruyi had been considering this matter, and Xie Chunrong's appearance was undoubtedly a godsend.

Based on current observations, Xie Chunrong is still trustworthy.

If nothing goes wrong during the probationary period, let her stay at the office.

After Xie Chunrong left, the Xie family did not come looking for her. Whether it was because Xie Chunrong had made arrangements, or because that family was just bullies within their own ranks and people dared not cause them trouble, remains unknown.

Although Xie Chunrong has left, Su Ruyi still doesn't want to bring her up in interviews and keep her in the public eye.

Su Ruyi couldn't control other people's thoughts, so she could only speak less and reduce the attention that fell on her.

Wang Rulin readily agreed, and her impression of Su Ruyi improved even more.

The interview went smoothly. Wang Rulin hadn't prepared any pointed questions, since Su Ruyi and Lu Ting were being reported as heroes, and she certainly wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for them.

Reputable journalists today still have a high level of professional ethics and won't deliberately create controversial headlines just to generate buzz.

Were you afraid when you charged in?

This question was directed at Su Ruyi. Wang Rulin knew that Lu Ting was a retired soldier, so he was not surprised that Lu Ting stepped forward.

But Su Ruyi is just an ordinary person, with a slender and delicate appearance. Seeing Gao Qiang being stabbed, she still rushes over, which creates a greater sense of contrast.

Su Ruyi laughed and said, "I am very strong and I have studied martial arts. My mother won an award in the militia competition before. I did not rush over recklessly, but I was confident in my strength."

Wang Rulin had no idea how strong Su Ruyi was until she saw Su Ruyi pick up a glass of water and shatter it with a gentle squeeze.

"Oh my God!" Wang Rulin exclaimed.

Su Ruyi deliberately showed off to let everyone know that neither she nor Lu Ting were easy to mess with.

Fame comes at a price. Their current wealth would be very conspicuous if reported, so they have to show their strength. They act bravely and righteously based on their abilities, not just on a whim.

As for mentioning Ms. Su Ying, that's Su Ruyi's personal preference; she just loves to show off her mother.

Wang Rulin was indeed very interested in Ms. Su Ying and continued to ask questions.

Su Ruyi then told everyone what Ms. Su Ying was doing, even though she didn't know if it would be reported in the end, she brought it up first.

If it gets reported, I'll make a fortune.

Lu Ting felt a little awkward after the interview.

He used to be a soldier, and protecting his country was his duty. Even after retiring from the military, he never forgot that.

But now that they've only saved two people, using that as a selling point makes me feel uneasy.

Su Ruyi didn't know how to comfort him; to her, this kind of behavior was normal.

In her era, anyone with a bit of online traffic would eventually end up selling goods via live streaming; it was nothing new to everyone.

Su Ruyi said dryly, "As long as we don't change our original intentions, our Dao heart will not be unstable."

Lu Ting laughed. He wasn't being pretentious; he was just being a little awkward.

Wang Rulin was very efficient; the interview was quickly published in the Life Daily, and Su Ruyi and Lu Ting became household names.

"Reporter Wang is being too kind."

Su Ruyi hadn't expected such a lengthy introduction to her and Lu Ting's situation, as if it were a paid advertisement.

"Boss, is this about you?!" Li Guangqian rushed up to Su Ruyi with the newspaper in his hand.

Wang Huiting: "It's all written clearly above, why ask?"

Li Guangqian was both angry and aggrieved: "Boss, you didn't even mention such a big thing to me!"

He's often away from home these days and sees Su Ruyi less often. He feels that Su Ruyi is almost forgetting about him, her number one underling.

Wang Huiting also complained, "Yeah, why didn't they even tell us?"

Su Ruyi waved her hand: "The case was still under investigation before, so it wasn't convenient to talk about it everywhere. Later, I forgot about it."

Li Guangqian remained dissatisfied: "How could I forget you? You just don't treat us like your own people."

"Get lost! Someone as outstanding as me does a ton of good deeds every day. If I had to talk about everything, I'd be exhausted."

Li Guangqian was right, and the frustration in his heart instantly dissipated.

"Then you have to tell me first if anything happens in the future."

Wang Huiting pushed Li Guangqian aside, saying, "My sister and I are the best of friends in the world."

Seeing that the two were about to argue about who was her favorite, Su Ruyi quickly said:

"Lu Ting and I are going to the TV station tomorrow. Which host do you like? If I run into them, I'll get their autographs."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately forgot about their argument.

"Oh, sis, are you going to the TV station?! Can I come with you?"

"Boss, I like Yang Qi, the host of 'The Common People,' could you get me an autograph?"

Yang Qi is a famous host on the provincial television station. She is beautiful and highly capable, and is loved by the audience in Qing Province.

Unlike other columns, "The Common People" mainly reports on all kinds of big and small things of ordinary people, and the copywriting and style are very down-to-earth.

The "Ordinary People" program is very interesting. It shows all aspects of human life. Sometimes it makes you laugh out loud, and sometimes it moves you to tears.

Moreover, the content often takes multiple twists and turns.

Yang Qi plays a crucial role in the program; she can extract a wealth of information from the interviewees' words. She is both gentle and powerful, capable of comforting people like a caring older sister, and also a sharp blade that exposes malicious individuals.

"The Common People" is the flagship program of the provincial TV station, with very high viewership and the highest advertising revenue during that time slot.

Lu Ting had inquired about the properties he was developing.

Su Ruyi also enjoys watching the show, finding it very interesting, and has a very good impression of Yang Qi.

"Of course, we're going to be on the show 'The Common People,' and we'll definitely run into Yang Qi there."

Li Guangqian cheered, wishing he could go see his favorite host with Su Ruyi.

As one of the best-selling newspapers in Qing Province, the Life Daily quickly received a response to Su Ruyi and Lu Ting's interview.

That day, Su Ruyi's shop ushered in a new sales peak, and the factory also received a lot of orders. They all said they came because of the hero, and the plastic factory did the same.

There's been no response from the new housing development yet. After all, buying a house is a major event concerning one's future life, but Lu Ting still felt the buzz.

A few days later, the two received letters from readers praising their courage.

The Life Daily also received quite a few. People nowadays are very enthusiastic and like to express their feelings by writing letters.

The publicity effect of this kind of reporting is more direct and effective than advertising.

On the day of the TV interview, Su Ruyi could clearly sense Lu Ting's nervousness.

"Don't be nervous, just stay calm."

"I'm not nervous," Lu Ting denied, but quickly contradicted himself: "I am a little nervous, I'm afraid I'm being too deliberate."

It doesn't feel quite right to use this opportunity to promote oneself.

"We've already announced that this is just a normal visit, so don't overthink it."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ting breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

Looking at him like that, Su Ruyi felt like he was bullying an honest person.

Lu Ting is very clever and has a forward-thinking vision in other matters, but when it comes to publicity, he is clearly not like her, poisoned by the idea that traffic is king.

Su Ruyi also didn't want Lu Ting to become obsessed with this kind of online traffic, so she would restrain herself and not let the nature of the matter change.

Lu Ting was relaxed with nothing to do. He was no stranger to the provincial TV station, having met with its reporters during a hula hoop competition.

When the two arrived at the TV station, the staff responsible for receiving them were already waiting at the entrance.

"Brother Liu, it's you?" Lu Ting asked in surprise.

Liu Quan works in the advertising department, and Lu Ting had contacted him before.

Although we didn't end up working together, we exchanged phone numbers. We can contact each other again if needed in the future.

Liu Quan smiled obsequiously: "Boss Lu, how's business lately? I'm not in the advertising department anymore, I'm in a new department. After the interview, I'll treat you to a simple meal."

Su Ruyi and Lu Ting exchanged a glance; Liu Quan must have something to discuss with them.

But he's no longer in the advertising department, so what could he possibly need to contact them for?

The two were puzzled, but they both agreed, as having connections at the TV station is always more convenient.