Out-of-control anonymous letters
Ning Zhichu was awakened by the bombardment of vibrations from her phone.
At three in the morning, New York outside the window was still shrouded in darkness. She reached for her phone, and the dense push notifications on the screen instantly woke her up—"Shocking Inside Story! Tingsheng Capital Misappropriates Billions of Yuan, Wei Ting Suspected of Insider Trading" and "Exclusive Scoop: The Capital Game Behind the Financial Crisis, Tingsheng Capital Is About to Go Bankrupt."
The headline was eye-catching, and the content went even further, hitting the nail on the head. The article included several blurry screenshots of fund flows, along with anonymous testimonies from so-called "insiders," every word of which condemned Wei Ting and Tingsheng Capital. Within just half an hour, #WeiTingFinancialFraud# and #TingshengCapitalBankruptcy# had already topped the trending topics list, with the comments section filled with condemnation, instantly amplifying previous doubts about Tingsheng Capital into a massive wave.
Ning Zhichu's heart pounded wildly. In her year or so in the industry, she had seen many public relations crises, but she had never seen such a precise and ruthless revelation—the timing was late at night, a vacuum period when regulatory authorities were off work and corporate public relations were not responding; the evidence seemed detailed, yet it was so vague that it could not be verified immediately, just enough to ignite public anger.
She subconsciously clicked on her previous interview with Wei Ting, only to find the bottom of the page already flooded with negative comments. Some had dug up her statement that "Tingsheng Capital has the ability to withstand risks," accusing her of being a "capital mouthpiece" and "taking money to whitewash her image." But only Ning Zhichu knew that the core quote in that article had been tampered with.
In the initial interview, Wei Ting's complete statement on the "risk hedging plan" clearly mentioned "short-term liquidity pressure, but the long-term new energy projects have entered the return period, sufficient to cover the gap," and her first draft recorded this content verbatim. However, in the final published version, the crucial information about project returns in the second half of the sentence was missing, leaving only the fragment of "short-term liquidity pressure," distorting an objective statement into an implication of potential risks. At the time, she thought it was an editor's attempt to create a buzz and didn't think much of it. Now, combined with this wave of revelations, a chill runs down her spine—it wasn't an editor's unintentional act; someone deliberately altered the interview content, foreshadowing this media storm.
At the same time, in his penthouse apartment in Midtown Manhattan, Wei Ting stared at the screenshot of the interview on his computer screen, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table, producing a dull thud. He remembered clearly that when he was interviewed by Ning Zhichu, he deliberately chose the logic of "short-term pressure + long-term benefits," neither avoiding market concerns nor failing to convey confidence—a key step in his plan to "stabilize public opinion." It was no coincidence that the published version omitted the latter half, which would have been most reassuring to the market.
His opponent acted faster and more covertly than he anticipated, not only aiming to cripple Tingsheng Capital but also preemptively altering his only public communication channel, cutting off any possibility of a mild denial. The young reporter caught in the crossfire likely remains unaware that he has become a pawn on someone else's chessboard, and may even be attacked as his "accomplice."
Wei Ting's brows furrowed into a deep frown. He picked up his phone and scrolled to the number with only one recorded call. He could have let things develop as they were, or even used this incident to further guide public opinion. But when he thought of Ning Zhichu during the last interview, sitting across from him, her fingertips white with nervousness yet her eyes still shining as she relentlessly pursued the truth, his fingers pressed the dial button.
Ning Zhichu looked at the unfamiliar landline number on the screen, hesitated for a moment, and then answered. A familiar, deep voice, tinged with suppressed weariness, came through the receiver: "Ning Zhichu, it's me."
Wei Ting?
Ning Zhichu was stunned. Why would he call her at this time, at this juncture?
"President Wei?" Her voice was still a little hoarse from just waking up. "You..."
“I know you saw the news.” Wei Ting interrupted her, his tone devoid of emotion, but a hint of tension could be felt. “The exposé is fake, the screenshots of fund flows are forged, and the so-called insider is a pawn sent by the enemy.”
Ning Zhichu's fingertips, gripping her phone, turned slightly white. She knew, of course, that there was likely something fishy going on, but as a journalist, her duty was to uncover the truth, not to blindly believe any side's explanation. Yet, for some reason, hearing Wei Ting's weary voice, she felt no excitement at having "dug up a juicy scoop," but rather a strange sense of unease. What worried her even more was that he seemed to have noticed the anomaly in the interview transcript—would he think she had deliberately omitted crucial information?
"I understand." She tried to keep her tone calm. "Is Mr. Wei contacting me now to ask me to help clarify things?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a very soft sigh: "No. I just wanted to tell you to be careful."
"Be careful?" Ning Zhichu was stunned.
“The ‘evidence’ mentioned in the exposé is very pointed, and you are the only reporter who has interviewed me recently.” Wei Ting’s voice lowered, with a hint of seriousness that was barely perceptible. “Since the opponent dares to do this, they won’t just target me. They will likely drag you into it, saying that you are my ‘mouthpiece’ or even an ‘accomplice’, in order to suppress you and shut you up.”
He paused, then added, "And the interview transcript from last time, you probably noticed too—the key information was altered. This isn't a coincidence; it's a scheme they've been planning for a long time. Don't get involved; protect yourself."
Ning Zhichu's heart sank. He knew all along! And instead of blaming her, he warned her of the danger. This instantly dispelled her previous doubts, replaced by more complex emotions—why did he do this? According to his logic, she was just a reporter he could use; even if she were caught up in the scandal, as long as it didn't affect his plans, it seemed insignificant. Yet he not only called specifically, but also meticulously instructed her on what to do, even pointing out problems with the interview draft, his tone filled with undisguised worry.
Could it be... that Su Xiaoran was right? Was his feelings for her really more than just exploitation?
Ning Zhichu quickly shook her head, dismissing the absurd thought. She must be overthinking it. Wei Ting was simply worried that if she got caught up in the scandal, she wouldn't be able to relay information and stabilize the market for him anymore. Besides, the altered interview transcript had also damaged his interests. His reminder was merely to help her understand the situation and better cooperate with his counterattack later. Yes, that must be it. He was just protecting his "tool," nothing more.
But why did her heart clench uncontrollably at the thought of his weary voice? Why was her biggest worry not about whether she would be implicated, but whether he could weather this crisis? She even subconsciously touched the interview recorder on the table—it contained the complete original recording, the only evidence that the interview had been tampered with. Her first thought was, should she give him the recording?
She pinched her arm hard, forcing herself to calm down. She was a journalist; her goal was to dig up news, not to worry about the safety of her interviewees. She should use this opportunity to verify the authenticity of the reports and uncover the truth behind them, not let her mind wander. But when she reopened those negative news articles, she no longer felt the excitement she had before; only a deep sense of frustration and unease remained. She knew that her mindset had unknowingly veered off course.
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