Chapter 40: My Cousin's Debt Collectors Come Knocking
Chapter 40: My Cousin's Debt Collectors Come Knocking
Mingjing recently launched a new column that visits grassroots communities and interviews ordinary stock investors about their feelings regarding recent economic policies and stock market volatility.
The target audience is very broad, ranging from retired seniors in their seventies and eighties to bright college students.
After a series of investigations and screenings, sixty-three households were finally identified, and each reporter in the program team was assigned a task.
Director Wang stood at the conference table, spitting as he spoke, "Everyone must complete all interviews before the end of the month!"
He pulled up the Excel spreadsheet and said, "The information about the tasks you've been assigned to is all here. Everyone, remember your assigned locations and report in the group chat which households you're going to interview each day."
Wen Jin also looked at her form, which was a third longer than others', and pursed her lips.
Would Fatty Wang dare to be any more blatant in making things difficult for her?
Especially compared to Lin Zhiying's few households, the number seemed much larger.
Wen Jin also raised an objection on the spot, "Director Wang, isn't the allocation of resources far too unbalanced?"
Director Wang glanced at her, as if he had expected Wen Jin to be dissatisfied, and said unhurriedly, "Isn't this a case of the capable doing more? Everyone has witnessed Reporter Wen's professional abilities, and I'm just being biased towards you. How come no one else has raised any objections, but you, the beneficiary, are dissatisfied?"
Xiao Yin couldn't stand this ability to turn the tables on him.
She pointed to the contents of the table above, "And the places assigned to Sister Jinye are all so remote. Which one wouldn't take at least forty minutes or an hour to commute? Look at this neighborhood, it's almost in the next city."
Fatty Wang clicked his tongue in annoyance and tapped the table. "What business is it of yours? You always have to meddle in everything."
Xiao Yin said confidently, "I am Jin Ye's stylist and photographer. Protecting Jin Ye's interests is also protecting my interests."
Wen Jin was also afraid that Xiao Yin's temper would get out of control again, so she quickly picked up the thread, "Besides, the Hanjiang Street area is so dilapidated and remote, I guess there are some places where cars can't even drive into the alleys, but this area has been allocated to me."
On the other hand, the area that Fatty Wang assigned to Lin Zhiying was as if he was afraid that Lin Zhiying wouldn't be able to get back to his bed within fifteen minutes after the interview.
Her tone was calm and neither humble nor arrogant, but the atmosphere inexplicably became stiff.
"Isn't it already ready for development?" Director Wang retorted, "As financial journalists, how can your sense of smell be so dull? Is this your professional competence?"
Wen Jin wasn't swayed by his manipulative tactics and retorted, "Is development something that can be accomplished in the blink of an eye?"
Seeing that she showed no sign of yielding, Director Wang lost face. "Are you questioning my decision-making and allocation? Why don't you take over as director?"
Wen Jin remained calm and composed, unfazed by honor or disgrace. "Really? I didn't know there was such a good thing."
Director Wang instantly flew into a rage, "Wen Jinye! Don't you dare be so ungrateful! I hold the power, I can distribute it to you however I want! If you don't want to do it, there are plenty of others who will! So what if it's unfair? So what if I make things difficult for you?"
"Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have Tang Man backing you up!"
Wen Jin nodded in agreement, then slowly took out his phone. "I've recorded it."
Those three words instantly turned Director Wang into a firecracker that had gone silent, his face turning a deep purplish-red.
He gritted his teeth. "Fine! You don't need to worry about that area of Guang'an Street anymore, okay?"
*
The area around Hanjiang Street was originally the first place in Jiangbei City to be developed, but due to the shift in urban development strategy and the overall center of gravity shifting northward, over the years, development in this area has gradually lagged behind and the economy has declined.
It has become a marginal area of Jiangbei City.
Peeling paint, congested alleys, and a damp, dilapidated feel – these were Xiao Yin's first impressions of the area.
She's not a local; she came to Jiangbei to study at university and stayed there after graduation.
It took an hour and twenty minutes to drive from the city center to the Hanjiang Street area. In the middle of summer, the air conditioning was on in the taxi, making the air stuffy. The smell of cigarette smoke mixed with the smell of feet from the driver filled the car.
After getting off the bus, Xiaoyin couldn't tell if she was carsick or poisoned by inhaling too much odorous gas. In any case, she squatted by the roadside and vomited uncontrollably.
Wen Jin went to the supermarket next door to buy a bottle of mineral water, and walked over, asking, "Are you alright?"
Xiao Yin's eyes were blurry with tears from vomiting, but she smiled palely and said, "I feel much better after vomiting."
She took the water, rinsed her mouth, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and complained, "Sister Jinye, how can there be such a remote place in Jiangbei? The driver kept turning and turning, I thought we had entered a slum."
"I'm going to visit a neighboring city with my friends tonight, but I don't know if I'll be able to catch the high-speed train."
"Don't talk nonsense." Wen Jin patted her back. "This area just has a slower pace of life."
Wen Jin also looked around. Fortunately, there weren't many people around, and no one noticed Xiao Yin's remarks.
She poked Xiaoyin's cheek. "You, you never hesitate to say anything."
Xiao Yin stuck out her tongue, recovered, put on her equipment, and took Wen Jinye's hand, "Jinye, let's go."
Their interviewee this time was an elderly man in his late eighties who lived alone and had been trading stocks for decades, getting used to the ups and downs.
The home is simply furnished, showing the marks of time, yet it is very clean.
The old man was hunched over, but in good spirits, and answered Wen Jinye's questions calmly and patiently.
An old-fashioned clock hangs on the wall, its pendulum swinging and making a dull sound.
As the interview drew to a close, the old man seemed reluctant to leave. He grasped Wen Jinye's hand and said, "Young reporter Wen, if you're not busy, why don't you stay for dinner? It's been a long time since we've had any guests. My son and daughter aren't around; one is abroad, and the other is in Macau. I don't usually have anyone to talk to."
Her cloudy eyes were full of kindness, with a hint of tears glistening in them. "I'm so glad you've come."
The old man had been lonely for too long.
Wen Jin and Xiao Yin exchanged a silent glance, both somewhat moved.
But Xiaoyin checked the time; she still had to catch the high-speed train.
But faced with the old man's earnest gaze, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Wen Jin noticed Xiao Yin's predicament and turned to her in a low voice, "You go catch the high-speed train first, I can stay and talk to Grandma."
Anyway, this is the last interview target for today.
Xiao Yin nodded, politely said goodbye to her grandmother, and left.
Grandma held Wen Jinye's hand and sat down beside her, talking to her about her past, her early-deceased husband, and the hardships she faced raising her children alone for many years.
Wen Jin listened attentively, occasionally wiping away her grandmother's tears.
I ate a simple yet heartwarming dinner made by my grandma.
As evening approached, Wen Jin said goodbye to her grandmother. Only when she was leaving did she realize that she had been so engrossed in chatting with her grandmother that she hadn't seen the message from Xiao Yin.
[Sister Jinye, I'm speechless. I had just gone downstairs and walked a short distance when I saw a few sleazy men at the wonton stall whistling at me.]
What's the difference between this and stepping in poop?
Wen Jin walked along, glancing around, when she faintly heard a cacophony of footsteps behind her.
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