30 "Will you accept me as your boyfriend?"
It was almost ten o'clock when I got back from the hospital.
Huang Zheng had asked in advance to have dinner heated up by the time they both arrived home. As the combination lock clicked, the last dish was served.
"Come and eat." Huang Zheng took off her apron and returned to the kitchen to serve rice to the two of them.
Tao Wanji was too tired to speak. He saw He Yu pull out a chair for him and sit down first. He took the bowl and started eating, like a robot that was forced to input commands and only knew how to replenish energy.
Huang Zheng saw that both of them looked tired and didn't say anything else. After pouring the juice, she sat quietly across from them at the table.
"Where's Shengsheng?"
After finishing a bowl of rice, Tao Wanjia looked at Huang Zheng and asked, "She went to bed so early?"
"I was so tired from taking her to the playground today that she fell asleep on the way there."
Huang Zheng met her gaze after she finished speaking, "How is it going? Are all the things settled?"
She felt very sorry after learning about Mai Xiang's situation, and it was precisely because of that one chance encounter that she felt even more that life is impermanent.
Tao Wanjia nodded, the day's events still vivid in her mind. She recalled the group chats and messages on the matchmaker's phone, and belatedly realized that this kind of thing might be widespread. They'd dealt with one person, but the underlying phenomenon remained intact.
This industry chain has become a gray area, with interests of all parties intertwined. Those who seek to profit from it will certainly not give up easily.
At the moment of distraction, something was slowly emerging in my mind.
Tao Wanji got up and left, and after taking a shower, he went straight back to the bedroom.
She wanted to do something, not just for the sake of wheat fragrance, but also because this bad habit that had existed in the dark for thousands of years should be curbed.
Despite being exhausted, I opened the computer document, set up the framework, and started writing an investigative report on the matter.
It has been stagnant for a few months, but some skills will not disappear just because of stagnation.
I was so focused that I didn't hear the knock on the door. I only answered when I heard someone calling my name.
"The door is unlocked, come in."
Tao Wanjia finally reacted after she finished speaking, and she quickly closed her computer. But he came in too quickly, and she bumped into He Yu just as she stood up from the table.
He glanced at her.
Tao Wanjia didn't want to listen to him nagging her, so she asked before he could open his mouth: "Why haven't you slept yet?"
She paused, "It's almost eleven o'clock."
He Yu knew exactly what she was doing, but didn't expose her. "It's still early."
He looked across the computer and put down the ointment. Seeing her half-wet hair, he frowned and asked, "Why don't you blow-dry it?"
After saying that, he turned around without waiting for her to answer, took out the hair dryer from the bathroom, walked over and took the initiative to blow her hair.
The room was quiet for a while before returning to normal. He Yu ran his fingertips through the ends of her already dry hair. "Were you writing something just now?"
Tao Wanjia nodded and told him truthfully that he was going to write an investigation into the incident.
He Yu didn't ask further, "The doctor said you can't sit for long periods of time."
She really didn't take care of her body. He Yu could imagine how much she had sacrificed for her work over the years. But life couldn't just be about work, and what she needed most right now was a good rest.
Their eyes met, He Yu put the hair dryer aside and stared at her, "Do you have to write it today?"
"Not really, but I want to hurry up and finish it sooner so I can send it out sooner."
Tao Wanjia answered him, but she actually didn't know whether she could publish it. Although her current status was awkward, she should be able to ask colleagues from other newspapers for help. If all else failed, she could still think of other ways. In short, she had to write this.
It wasn't just about life and death; it was about the dignity of these deceased girls. She thought of Mai Xiang's face, and her heart ached. She wanted to do something for her, something for them.
He Yu couldn't resist her and offered to help her type. Tao Wanjia stared at his dark eyes and smiled as she pushed him away. "Just go and have a rest. If you stop talking so much, you'll be doing me a favor."
"That means I can't leave at all." He Yu raised the corners of his lips when he heard that, and pulled over a chair and sat down.
The room she lived in was a suite, spacious, with a desk placed on the bay window and bookshelves on either side. It had been empty year-round, so it was empty. But after Tao Wanjia moved in, he placed a few of his own books there, and the once quiet room suddenly felt more lively. This was something he had never felt before.
"If you don't want to leave, then help me type."
Tao Wanjia stood behind him and orally narrated to him the ideas he had just sorted out.
She remembered how, when she first started researching, Lao Pei often told her she was too emotional and lacked rationality. He taught her that the most important thing in journalism was objectivity. The most important characteristics of journalism were timeliness, truthfulness, and objectivity. When writing reports, she also emphasized the importance of using neutral language and avoiding emotional input.
But she knows in her heart that what supports her in completing one report after another is the compassion in her bones. It is not just about suppressing violence and helping the weak, but also the firm belief that all injustices in the world should be taken seriously and all pain should be resolved.
Doing things for others is doing things for yourself.
"We must establish and maintain a strict and tight line of defense. This line is not defined between life and death, but between morality and respect for life."
It was quiet late at night, and a cold white chandelier was on under the window.
As Tao Wanjia said this, he paced along the wall, his profile hidden in the light and shadow, but his pupils remained bright.
He Yu was stunned for a moment. She thought she hadn't expressed herself clearly, so she looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"No, I just think this sentence is very good."
He looked up at her, his eyes filled with love and undisguised admiration.
During the years he'd been searching for her, He Yu had more than once imagined what university she'd attended and what kind of job she was doing. He'd considered countless possibilities, but the only one he hadn't considered was this one.
He used to feel distressed and didn't understand her choice. But at this moment, he felt that this was what Tao Wanjia would do. Although it was difficult, it was also meaningful.
Tao Wanjia leaned over to inspect. The general framework was already set up, and she only needed to make some minor adjustments. Her eyes were dry and she was exhausted to the extreme, but a vague sense of satisfaction still rose in her heart.
He Yu flexed his stiff wrist, staring at her serious profile, and asked curiously, "Did you do this when you were covering news with Zhao Kuo before? One person relaying the story while the other recorded it."
"Of course not. We both wrote the manuscripts independently."
Tao Wanjia yawned. "Sometimes I squeeze in time to write while I'm on the road. I can write three or four manuscripts on a business trip, which basically completes a month's worth of work."
The workload back then was much more intense than it is now.
The corners of He Yu's lips curled up, he nodded, and looked at the time. It was already one o'clock in the morning.
He had a meeting early the next morning, so he told her to get some rest before heading out. As he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something and turned back. He grabbed her wrist, and when she wasn't paying attention, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "There's a question that's been lingering in my mind these days."
Tao Wanjia was stunned for a moment, "What?"
He Yu looked down at her, and after tucking her hair, he gently stroked her earlobe with his fingertips. "Will you accept me as your boyfriend?"
He was seeking a status, a status that she had abruptly cut off for only one day more than a year ago.
He'd been feeling uneasy lately. Even though he knew she was right beside him, his thoughts were still running wild. He Yu couldn't understand why he was still so nervous, not even seventeen. It seemed like only by getting her answer, hearing her promise in person, would he be truly certain.
Make sure she is really in front of him, not a thread that is so close yet so far that it may slip away from his hands at any time.
Tao Wanji was stunned for a moment, a little surprised that he asked at this moment. She thought she had already acquiesced since the moment she saw him take out the handmade ring he made that day, or even earlier.
During these years of separation, she missed him as much as he missed her, and perhaps she still had some concerns, but those were unimportant compared to He Yu.
Seeing his nervous expression, Tao Wanjia deliberately teased him, "So your help is secondary. What I actually wanted to ask is this, right?"
He Yu was about to explain himself when she suddenly stopped and leaned closer.
Tao Wanji rubbed her lips against his twice, then looked at him with clear eyes after keeping a distance.
"Since someone just helped me, I'll reluctantly accept this offer."
He Yu reacted and grabbed her hand. Tao Wanji thought he was going to continue, but he just held her waist and hugged her.
The distinct auras of the two intertwined, and he whispered in her ear.
"Jiao Jiao, I'm very happy."
She was actually in his arms, not just a shadow in his dreams.
Tao Wanjia's heart skipped a beat. She tilted her head back and kissed him on the cheek. "Good night."
The next day, Tao Wanjia tried to contact other colleagues who were still at the newspaper.
Over the years, they have gotten along well. Although they are not in the same department, they help each other with anything. The other party was also very happy to hear her news. After some communication, they responded that this report might not be published.
Even if she sent it in someone else's name, she couldn't send it out.
Tao Wanjia had her expectations and asked other colleagues about it. At the beginning of the month, everyone was basically busy interviewing people for topics to be reported, so even if there was space and space, they would become vague when they heard her topic.
There is no way. What the journalists write and publish is not their own decision.
She had experienced this kind of thing countless times before, so she would not be discouraged. She adjusted her mindset and quickly thought of other solutions.
He was so focused on his work until the evening that he didn't even notice He Yu coming back early.
He brought a plate of washed blueberries into her room and tapped the table with his fingers. "If you keep looking at this, you're going to go blind."
"My eyes are fine." Tao Wanji pinched a blueberry and put it in his mouth, finished the last bit on his hand, and looked at the time when he turned off the computer.
"It's already half past four? I have to pick up my child from kindergarten."
Before leaving that morning, Huang Zheng specifically told her that the store had a lot of work to do over the next two days, and Tao Wanjia also took the initiative to take the job of picking up Huang Shengsheng from school. She stood up impatiently to leave, but He Yu grabbed her hand and said, "By the time you remember, the kindergarten will be closed."
He asked her to sit down, "I've already picked it up and returned."
As soon as he finished speaking, Huang Shengsheng came running in.
"Aunt! I'll tell you a secret."
The girl's watery eyes flickered between the two of them. Finally, she covered her mouth and whispered to Tao Wanji, "Uncle He moved all your paintings from the study to his room. There are so many of them."
"Is this true?"
Tao Wanjia bent down. Huang Shengsheng's eyes were very similar to Huang Zheng's, round and sparkling when she spoke. She couldn't help but touch her head.
"Of course it's true. If you don't believe me, I'll show you."
Not only her eyes, Huang Shengsheng also inherited the same temperament as her mother, she is anxious and decisive.
After she finished speaking, she pulled Tao Wanjia's hand and went to the next room to take a look.
He Yu's bedroom is bigger, and the sunset outside the window shines in, casting a bright golden hue on the room.
Tao Wanjia saw the easel on the balcony at a glance. Huang Shengsheng walked over and stood on tiptoe, preparing to take down the stack of neatly stacked drawing papers.
He Yu followed them, took two quick steps to stop her, and squatted down with a smile, "Uncle bought you some playhouse toys and asked Auntie to put them in the storage room. Can you go and see if it's what you want?"
Children are quick to react and their attention is quickly diverted. Huang Shengsheng exclaimed, "Is it a mini kitchen?"
She skipped out, "I want to see!"
The room returned to silence. Tao Wanjia walked over, stood behind He Yu and coughed lightly.
"Where's the painting?"
He Yu leaned his hands on the corner of the table, holding her in his arms, and pretended to be stupid with her, "What painting?"
"Don't pretend." Tao Wanjia stretched out his hand, "Let me see."
He Yu lowered his eyes to look at her. In the afterglow of the setting sun, her expression was lively and lovely. "That's the fruit of my labor. Can you give it to me just like that?"
"The prototype of your labor is me."
"Shh." He Yu pulled the painting with one hand, held her neck with the other, and leaned over to kiss her. "You can give it to me, but I want to collect some payment first."
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