Chapter 16

"Feeling" is a very strange thing.

Some people will never leave any impression on you no matter how long you have known them, while others are hard to forget after just meeting them once.

Just like Jiang Zhuoyan.

Although they had only met once, Chen Fengni had a very good impression of her, as if they were friends who had known each other for a long time, close and natural.

So when Jiang Zhuoyan offered to send her off, she didn't refuse. She didn't like to trouble others, but in her subconscious, Jiang Zhuoyan didn't seem to belong to the category of "others".

The car was spacious enough for two people to sit side by side in the back seat without feeling cramped. The heater was on full blast, and the air was filled with the delicate aroma of the car's perfume, making for a comfortable and relaxing experience.

The person next to her had her eyes slightly lowered, a few strands of long, dark hair falling past her ears, obscuring half of her pretty face. She was focused, her fingertips typing rapidly on her phone, probably replying to a work message.

As the president of the company, Jiang Zhuoyan should have a lot of things to do every day.

So Shen Fengni chose to remain quiet and not disturb the other party.

"Have you had lunch yet?"

In the corner of her eye, Jiang Zhuoyan put away his phone and looked at her sideways.

Shen Fengni was slightly startled, "Not yet."

Sheng Xinyan's accident happened around nine in the morning. Since then, she has been trying to contact the other party and browsing various related information, and she has not even had time for lunch.

The light and shadow in front of her eyes flickered slightly, and something was handed to her hand.

"Eat it."

Shen Fengni lowered her head.

It was a heavy sandwich, wrapped in light-colored wax paper. It must have been made not long ago, as it was still warm in my hand.

It is obviously inappropriate to return something that has already been delivered to you.

Moreover, when Jiang Zhuoyan said that, she realized that she was really hungry.

"Thanks."

Shen Fengni thanked him, unwrapped the paper and took a big bite.

The sandwich was incredibly rich. The cheese was sweet and tangy, the steak was freshly fried, tender and juicy, the egg was cooked to perfection, and the crisp vegetables and rich black pepper sauce made it an amazing experience.

Chen Fengni originally just wanted to fill her stomach, but unexpectedly she enjoyed an unexpectedly delicious meal.

"It's delicious." She opened the bottle of water and took a sip, then asked the people around her, "Which shop is this sandwich from? I'll buy it there next time."

Jiang Zhuoyan was replying to a message and looked up at her when he heard this.

In the dim light inside the car, a smile seemed to flash across her eyes.

"I did it myself."

Chen Fengni's eyes showed surprise, "Did you make it yourself?"

She couldn't imagine why someone as busy as Jiang Zhuoyan would make a sandwich for herself at noon on a weekday. Unless...

"Isn't this your own lunch?"

Shen Fengni suddenly felt sorry. Perhaps Jiang Zhuoyan was just chatting with her, and after learning that she hadn't eaten, he gave her lunch.

"No." Jiang Zhuoyan curled the corners of his lips, his smile becoming more and more obvious. "It's for you... I accidentally did too much."

Chen Fengni also laughed, "Then I'm lucky, I just happened to pick up a bargain."

"Why did you go to 'Stargazing'? Was it because of Sheng Xinyan's matter?"

Jiang Zhuoyan suddenly asked.

Stargazing Media was Sheng Xinyan's contracted company and one of the leaders in the livestreaming industry. Its headquarters was not far from Shen Fengni's home, about ten kilometers away.

Shen Fengni admitted: "Yes."

She sighed in her heart.

The farce that happened this morning had probably spread throughout the industry, and Jiang Zhuoyan would naturally have heard about it, so she easily guessed the answer.

The public opinion environment has a huge impact on the host's mentality. Things have developed to such a point that people don't know how it will end or how long it will take to calm down.

Jiang Zhuoyan's eyes flickered. "You don't know the reason either?"

Shen Fengni and Sheng Xinyan often interacted via live broadcast, and it was clear that they had a good relationship. But looking at Shen Fengni's current state, she seemed to be just as confused as she was.

Shen Fengni smiled bitterly, "I don't know."

While we were chatting, the car had already arrived downstairs of Guanxing Media's company.

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang. I'll get off first."

Shen Fengni politely thanked the other party and prepared to get out of the car. However, the car did not stop at the company gate as she expected, but drove directly into the company's internal parking lot.

She was confused, "Mr. Xiao Jiang, what's going on here to stargaze?"

"Well, I'm working with Miss Sheng. Come to understand the situation."

Jiang Zhuoyan answered calmly.

Today she wore a black woolen coat and matching stiletto boots. Shrouded in the cold white light of the underground parking lot, she looked even more lonely and unapproachable.

But when they walked side by side, Chen Fengni felt very at ease.

When the rhythm of life is suddenly disrupted, it is always better to have someone to share the burden with than to face it alone.

Jiang Zhuoyan had a high priority at work and was warmly received as soon as he stepped into the company's door. After a brief greeting, he was taken directly to the office of a senior executive by the secretary for contact.

"Mr. Jiang, Miss Shen."

The executive in front of him was named Luo Ye, dressed in a suit and tie, with a kind smile. He was obviously a little confused about why Shen Fengni and Jiang Zhuoyan came together, but he didn't ask too much.

Luo Ye politely poured tea and sat down on the sofa opposite. "Are you two here because of Xinyan's matter?"

"Yes, I want to know the details." Jiang Zhuoyan nodded, "Where is Miss Sheng now?"

The team that Sheng Xinyan is in is led by Luo Ye, who is her superior. All situations will be reported to Luo Ye in a timely manner, so asking him is the fastest and most convenient channel.

"Xinyan's mood is still unstable, so her family has taken her home to rest. I know you two are very anxious, but it's best not to disturb her too much for now."

Luo Ye sighed, as if he was about to say something, "Actually, I'm not particularly surprised by this incident. Xinyan...she hasn't been in a good state."

Shen Fengni's heart tightened, "What do you mean?"

“Ms. Shen, you are also an anchor, you should understand the difficulties of this industry.”

Luo Ye looked at her and explained gently, "Being an anchor may seem glamorous, but it's not easy. The hardest part of the job is constantly providing emotional value. The longer you do it, the more mental exhaustion you'll experience. Although Xinyan usually looks heartless, she's actually been to a psychologist several times..."

Luo Ye talked a lot, and the content was nothing more than that Sheng Xinyan was under great pressure from the company and fans, which accumulated over a long period of time and led to an emotional breakdown.

Shen Fengni listened carefully, but still found it difficult to accept such an explanation.

Luo Ye's narrative had no logical problems, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of dissonance. This dissonance was difficult to describe in words, but if I had to, it would be "it doesn't make sense."

The Sheng Xinyan she knew and understood seemed to be different from the person Luo Ye mentioned.

In Shen Fengni's impression, Sheng Xinyan is strong and decisive, generous but also lovely, like a warm sunflower, actively growing towards the sun.

How come in Luo Ye's description, she becomes an emotional and fragile Xiaohua who can't handle the pressure of work?

Besides, Sheng Xinyan has a straightforward personality. If he was really troubled by this matter for a long time, how could he have never complained to her once?

"Mr. Jiang, we are really sorry that this happened."

Unconsciously, Luo Ye had entered the stage of closing statement, "If you choose to terminate the cooperation with Xinyan, we will fully cooperate and strive to minimize the impact on you."

Jiang Zhuoyan remained noncommittal, "I'll consider it."

Her tone was flat and without any ups and downs, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking.

The conversation ended during rush hour. The high-rise buildings, shrouded in dusk, were ablaze with lights, and weary office workers filed out of the main entrance, merging into the crowds on the street.

Everyone is in a hurry, as if they each have a preset track, always rushing to the next stop, day after day.

While waiting for the elevator, Shen Fengni turned on his cell phone.

Sheng Xinyan still did not make any movement, and the message he sent out fell on deaf ears.

Shen Fengni sighed softly and turned to browse the news.

The hot search about Sheng Xinyan has not lost its popularity and is still at the top of the list.

Some people just wanted to watch the fun and enjoy the situation, while others took the opportunity to stir up trouble and fish in troubled waters. Malicious pointers and comments came pouring in, and even jokes from previous live broadcasts were picked out and scrutinized repeatedly as evidence of the person's violent temper.

Sometimes the Internet is like this, malice spreads freely, without reason or cost.

"Don't worry." Jiang Zhuoyan's voice sounded beside him, "He said he would take public relations measures soon. Let's wait and see."

The "he" in Jiang Zhuoyan's words refers to Luo Ye.

Shen Fengni responded softly, but she was still unsure.

The current situation is not optimistic. She doesn't know Luo Ye well and doesn't know whether he can turn the tide.

“There will be no PR.”

A tired voice suddenly came from behind.

Shen Fengni was slightly startled and immediately turned around to look at the source of the voice.

She was a young girl with short hair, wearing a casual jacket and jeans, and looked somewhat familiar.

Shen Fengni quickly recalled the answer in her mind, "Xiaoli?"

Zhou Xiaoli was Sheng Xinyan's assistant, a cheerful and lively woman who usually distributed red envelopes to maintain the public screen during the livestream and occasionally appeared on camera. However, the person before her was completely different from the talkative and cheerful girl she used to be. She was slightly hunched over, and her face was extremely haggard.

"It's me." Zhou Xiaoli nodded and forced a smile.

In her arms was a cardboard box filled with office supplies and sundries, piled up in a messy and disorganized manner.

It's like being kicked out of the job halfway through, caught off guard and feeling extremely embarrassed.

Thinking about what Zhou Xiaoli had just said, Shen Fengni suddenly had an ominous premonition in her heart, "What's wrong with you?"

"I..." Zhou Xiaoli stammered, seemingly struggling, "I, I resigned."

The elevator arrived at this time, and people waiting for the elevator around entered one after another. Her voice was drowned out by the noisy footsteps and was almost inaudible.

As if by some tacit understanding, none of the three people got on the elevator.

The elevator door slowly closed. The new group of people had not yet gathered, and the surroundings seemed a little empty.

In the quiet air, Jiang Zhuoyan's voice seemed particularly clear, "Do you know something?"