15. It’s my fault

"Are you still working overtime so late?" he spoke first.

"Aren't you here too?"

He didn't answer her question. His eyes fell on the folder interface on her screen that hadn't been closed yet. His voice was emotionless. "Are you really planning to leave after the last day?"

Chi Jin's face was cold, and he tapped the screen heavily with his fingertips: "Yeah! Didn't you see I was clearing out the computer? I'll try to pack everything up and take it away today, so I don't have to come tomorrow."

She then deliberately opened a few documents that were organized by time. "Look, I've even exported the stuff from when I first became a full-time employee. I won't leave any benefits for the next person. The company shouldn't try to exploit my remaining energy anymore."

Chen Yisheng was silent for a few seconds. Chi Jin could feel his gaze on the side of her face. Then, surprisingly, he didn't refute her. Instead, he pulled out Ouyang Yuan's (now Duan Xingche's) chair and sat down, silently moving it closer to her. He folded his arms over his chest, leaning forward slightly. His voice deepened, with an unprecedented softness: "You really want to leave?"

"Of course. Don't hang around."

Chen Yisheng slid closer, leaving less than half an arm's length between them. The delicate scent of jasmine wafted through him. He looked at her slightly reddened eyes and her forced stubbornness. His Adam's apple rolled, and his voice softened, with a touch of helpless doting: "You've been treating me like a punching bag, scolding me profusely, and you didn't even say you were leaving. And you, the one taking your anger out, are leaving first. Tell me, where should I vent my anger?"

Chi Jin was startled by his attitude, but he still insisted and kicked away the chair he was approaching: "Aren't you the best at scolding people? Find a few more editors to scold."

Chen Yisheng wasn't angry either. He crossed his arms over his chest and slid closer: "I find it's easiest to scold you."

"Are you sick?"

"Just kidding."

"I'm not in the mood for jokes this late."

He then said, "Yeah, it's so late and you haven't eaten yet. Come on, I'll treat you to dinner."

Chi Jin thought he had misheard: "You're treating me to a meal? A farewell dinner or a Hongmen Feast?"

Chen Yisheng followed her steps, his tone light and teasing, "Well. Just think of it as a farewell dinner. After all, you're leaving, and I'm both your boss and your senior. It's only right that I treat you to a meal to say farewell."

Chi Jin muttered "crazy" under his breath, turned his face away, and refocused his eyes on the screen. His fingers unconsciously slid the mouse wheel, as if punishing himself to come up with a new topic tonight.

"Open your email and take a look." He stood up and moved to her side, his tall figure looming over her again. He leaned over slightly, one hand on the edge of her desk, the other over her shoulder, pointing at the screen. "I value this column just as much as you do. It was replaced because its quality was inferior to yours."

Although he was unhappy, Chi Jin still opened his email. He had just sent Jin Yaojia's final draft.

"We discussed the core ideas during the topic selection meeting." Chen Yisheng's voice had returned to its calm and rational tone at work, yet still retained that intimate warmth. "During Teacher's Day, the Faces of Education column needs to resonate with readers as much as possible. Teachers in compulsory education, rooted in the grassroots, with a spirit of dedication and who are newsworthy are top choices. This article by Jin Yaojia focuses on a teacher who, after completing her teaching term in a challenging mountainous area, voluntarily gave up the opportunity to return to the city and settled down in a local high school. This teacher's story has been featured in special reports by the Ministry of Education's official media and has been featured on CCTV. Her social influence and communication foundation are very solid."

"Professor Liu Min is my mentor, and personally, I'm naturally inclined towards her. But considering the positioning of Face magazine, the effectiveness of this column, and the news value and social significance of the article itself..." He tilted his head slightly, looking at Chi Jin's profile close at hand, his voice low and clear, "Editor Chi, putting aside personal feelings, tell me, from a professional perspective, which article better meets the needs of the column and is more likely to impress a wider readership? Hmm?"

The last "hmm" had a slightly rising tone, and was low and gentle, as if coaxing a naughty child.

Chi Jin's eyes quickly scanned the text on the screen. Jin Yaojia's article was truly ingenious—it didn't simply glorify dedication, but instead used everyday details to showcase the difficulty and warmth of perseverance. The writing was delicate and moving, and the interview questions avoided clichés, unearthing many genuine and touching details. Chi Jin had to admit that this article was superior in terms of newsworthiness, storytelling, and emotional resonance.

"...Yes." Chi Jin lowered his eyes, his fingers unconsciously scratching the palm of his other hand, leaving a faint crescent mark. "Or my content is not good enough. This one is indeed...more brilliant and more memorable. If I were a reader, I would like this one more."

Chen Yisheng's gaze fell on the red mark on her palm, and his brow furrowed. Silently, he reached out and placed his hand over hers, which was holding the mouse. With a gentle click, he closed the document. He remained bent over her, enveloping her in his presence. Looking down at her figure, cradled in his arms, his heart softened like a marshmallow punctured by a needle.

The prepared analysis and encouragement, when they reached his lips, turned into an almost inaudible sigh and an extremely gentle soothing: "No one can deny your efforts, Chi Jin. We... have seen every bit of it."

Chi Jin was struck by the warmth from his palm and the affirmation that reached her heart. Her nose suddenly felt sore, and the grievance she had been suppressing almost burst out again. She sniffed lightly, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible determination, "Editor-in-Chief Chen, what do you think of me as an editor?"

When he spoke, his voice was unprecedentedly solemn, carrying the rigor of an editor-in-chief, yet it couldn't conceal the tenderness he only showed to her. "I can honestly say that you are an editor with great potential. You have a keen sense for topic selection and your approach is captivating. As an editor, you have a natural reverence for words and a passion for crafting them. That persistence is the foundation of great content."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Chi Jin, you are sincere, and that's very precious." His voice was low and firm. "'Turning to pieces', 'lying flat'... these words are not good, I won't use them anymore."

Chi Jin sniffed, and although he was clearly deeply moved, he still jokingly mocked himself: "Then I really believe what Editor-in-Chief Chen said."

"One more thing. Transferring Ouyang Yuan to another magazine is in line with her work style and professional capabilities, and it was the result of a consultation with her." Chen Yisheng said softly, "Knowing that you were in a bad mood, I deliberately added fuel to the fire and provoked you. It's my fault."

Did I hear that correctly? Chen Yisheng was actually apologizing to me?

Chi Jin lowered his head, enveloped by his warm breath and deep voice, like a small animal that, after being soothed by its fur, finally retracted its spikes and revealed its soft belly. He muttered in a low voice, "You can speak properly, too..."

"You were so angry during the day, you wouldn't listen even if I explained all this to you. You'd just think I was making excuses," he said softly. "How much more do I feel about the death of my column than you do? But blaming yourself is useless. What's important is to admit your shortcomings, and then... do your best to make up for them, to surpass them."

Chi Jin was instantly inspired: "Right! How can you keep losing after working so hard? Regroup and try again next time!"

She suddenly looked up, shortening the distance between them. Chen Yisheng seemed caught off guard, leaning back slightly. Looking at her face, which had instantly regained its spirits, a hint of a helpless smile crossed his eyes, and the corners of his lips curled slightly: "Just shouting slogans is not enough."

Chi Jin was so focused on pumping himself up that he didn't notice Chen Yisheng's evasive gesture. He said, "Even if you're tired of shouting slogans, you still have to eat. You're a gentleman, and your word is as good as gold. You weren't just trying to trick me by saying you'd treat me to a meal, were you?"

Chen Yisheng chuckled: "Of course it's true."

Chi Jin couldn't believe it, but she felt that too many things had happened recently, and no matter what, she should treat Chen Yisheng to a meal: "Editor Chen, how about I treat you to a meal?"

Chen Yisheng actually agreed readily: "Okay."

Okay? He even knew he was both his superior and his senior, so he should be polite... He really wasn't polite at all.

"There's a delicious barbecue restaurant downstairs. A few of us editors have mentioned several times that we want to try it."

"Let me choose the place."

Chi Jin grumbled to himself, secretly thinking about how to decline if he chose a place he couldn't afford.

Unexpectedly, Chen Yisheng took her into a small noodle restaurant in an alley behind the office building.

He pushed open the steamy glass door with familiarity, and without any hesitation towards the smell of fireworks, he walked to the seat at the innermost wall and sat down.

He had no petty-bourgeois airs at all: "This knife-cut noodles is delicious."

"This handsome man hasn't been here for a while." The aproned owner came over with a small notebook. "You can scan the code or tell me. What would you like to eat?"

Chen Yisheng raised his eyes and looked at Chi Jin: "The guest should follow the host's wishes."

"Two ounces of flat noodles, three ounces of shaved noodles. Two braised eggs, and one serving of cold dishes."

"Okay! The cold dishes are over there, help yourself!"

Chi Jin stood up and swiftly got two bowls of free Tremella soup, then nimbly picked up a large plate of salad - cucumbers, bean curd sheets, peanuts, vermicelli, and lettuce piled like a small mountain.

When she returned to her seat, Chen Yisheng had already boiled their dishes and carefully untied the disposable chopsticks before handing them to her. "I remember their kelp shreds were delicious. Are they out of it today?"

"Oh." Chi Jin stood up again, "I don't eat kelp. I'll go get you some."

Chen Yisheng immediately waved his hand: "No, this is already a lot."

She thought he said he ate a lot, Chi Jin scratched his head: "I thought we were both hungry, so I served more."

"It looks like you've been here too."

"Well... when I was doing my internship, Sister Yuan always brought me here to eat, saying it was better than the cafeteria."

Chen Yisheng paused and said, "Are you still blaming me for Ouyang Yuan's transfer?"

Chi Jin shook his head and stuffed a piece of crisp cucumber into his mouth: "The person involved is happily rushing to the new battlefield, why should I worry about it."

"It's just a new editorial department. You can still meet me if you want."

"Yeah. She also said that Autumn Letters was her first choice and she's been reading it since she was a kid. When I was in junior high school and I was just beginning to fall in love, I also loved reading the romance novels in it."

Chi Jin was embarrassed to say that, in fact, the romance novel "Autumn Letters", which seems a bit brainless now, was something she read every issue of when she was an undergraduate.