10. White Ring Without Trace
Duan Xingche returned just in time for the interview. Upon seeing Professor Liu Min, he immediately transformed into a fan, his excitement evident. He first expressed his admiration for Professor Liu's academic achievements, then proceeded to discuss his insights into the new book.
Chi Jin coldly looked at Chen Yisheng, who wore a gentle smile, and could no longer suppress the rage of being fooled. She thrust the recorder into the still-excited Xiao Duan's hand, her gaze fixed on the "culprit" like a knife. Her voice was low but clear, "Editor-in-Chief Chen, please come out for a moment."
Chi Jin then remembered the occasion, forced a professional smile, and turned to Liu Min: "Teacher Liu, I'm sorry, my senior and I have some urgent work matters that need to be discussed immediately. I will be back soon."
Chen Yisheng seemed to have anticipated this storm. He stood up calmly, his perfect smile intact. "Teacher Liu, we have an urgent matter at the company. We have to excuse ourselves for a moment."
"Okay." Professor Liu nodded understandingly.
At the window at the end of the corridor, Chi Jin leaned against the cool frame, his arms folded tightly across his chest. In the small garden outside, the September rainstorm had already destroyed the last crop of gardenias, leaving only pale petals scattered across the ground.
For the first time, she addressed him by his name, coldly, without any prefix or suffix: "Chen Yisheng, do you know the meaning of the gardenia?"
Chen Yisheng looked at her tense profile and slightly trembling shoulders, knowing that she was angry and had no intention of fighting back.
"Cheat!" She stepped forward, grabbed his left hand without a word, and raised it to her face. The strong midday sun streamed through the window, mercilessly illuminating the clear, indelible, pale ring mark at the base of his ring finger.
"You are either lying to me or to Teacher Liu."
Chen Yisheng's brow furrowed slightly, and with a flick of his wrist, he easily pulled his hand back and slid it into his trouser pocket. His expression was calm, even a hint of scrutiny, as he casually asked, "Chi Jin, what does my marriage have to do with you? When did your boss's marital status become a key factor affecting your work efficiency?"
"You..." Chi Jin was choked by his self-righteous question. The momentary stupor aroused her shame and anger. She immediately changed the subject and raised her voice, "Several times! When I mentioned your wife, your madam, your lover, you acquiesced! You didn't lie actively, but you were deliberately concealing it!"
Chen Yisheng's brows furrowed even tighter, his tone clearly disapproving: "Chi Jin, I'm just wearing a ring. As for the label of 'married', you guys put it on me and spread it without a doubt."
"At your age, how could you not know what it means to wear a ring on your ring finger?"
"Is it so important to you whether I am married or not?"
Not sure if he was right or if he was just pissed off, but Chi Jin's attack speed increased as he spoke: "How interesting. Who do you think you are? A male boss in his thirties who talks a lot and works ruthlessly has a boyfriend or a girlfriend, even if he has a child, what does it have to do with me! You're not going to tell me that you wear a ring to avoid any female colleagues or subordinates coveting you, are you? Chen Yisheng, do you think you're some hot bachelor?"
Chen Yisheng was silent for a few seconds: "...I didn't say anything, right?"
The implication is that he didn't say anything, but she reacted so strongly.
He sighed slightly, his expression returning to his usual rationality, as if he were analyzing a work case: "Chi Jin, I never meant to hide anything from you. If you had asked me directly, 'Editor Chen, are you married?' I would definitely answer you truthfully, 'No.' But if you didn't ask, and I took the initiative to run up to you and solemnly explained, 'Everyone's rumors about me being married are fake, I'm actually single,' what would you think? Would you think I was even more weird? More... had ulterior motives?" "..."
Not to mention the situation that Chen Yisheng had assumed, even now, when she learned the truth, the chaotic thoughts in her mind were enough to make her think about it for eight hundred more rounds.
"As you suspected, part of the reason I initially started wearing the ring was to avoid unnecessary trouble and temptation, to draw a clear line between work and private life. But I've never felt, nor imagined, that any of my colleagues in the editorial department would harbor any thoughts about me beyond work." Chen Yisheng's voice was deep and clear, with an unquestionable candor. "I respect the company and the professionalism of every colleague. I believe everyone has normal social judgment and respects each other's private sphere. I don't think I fall into the 'former category,' which requires special precautions."
"You mean colleagues are colleagues? There are clear boundaries?"
"Yes, the boundaries are clear. Regarding your side job, let me explain again. I didn't know it was you before you came the first time, and the second time... it was indeed a sting operation. However, I never had any intention of using this as a handle, and I didn't take any action against you. If you feel offended, I apologize."
The corridor fell into a brief silence, with only the rustling of fallen leaves outside the window. Under his clear and logical explanation, Chi Jin's childish anger quickly deflated like a popped balloon, replaced by a huge sense of embarrassment and self-doubt.
She lowered her eyelashes, staring at the tip of her shoe on the ground. Her voice lowered, carrying a hint of barely perceptible regret and fatigue: "...Okay. I'm sorry, I was too emotional just now. Whether you get married or not is of course none of my business. It's my own fault that I was kept in the dark the whole time, like a fool..."
"...You're not angry anymore?"
Chi Jin shook his head.
"Are you really not angry anymore?"
Chi Jin didn't catch the subtle emotion in his tone at all and shook his head vigorously: "Angry at your boss? Then do you still want to do this job? No way!"
Everything seemed to have the most reasonable, safest explanation. It turned out that her speculations about her "married male boss's ulterior motives," those vague feelings of ambiguity, were all over-interpretations. His extra care was simply the support of a senior to a new junior; his harsh reprimands were just another example of the "easy target" mentality—brothers should settle accounts clearly, and work should be business.
After figuring this out, Chi Jin felt relieved. Seeing that Chen Yisheng's tense face seemed to have relaxed a little, she immediately seized the opportunity and struck while the iron was hot. She added sincerely, "There's one more thing, Editor-in-Chief Chen. Yesterday at the company... I had a very bad attitude and contradicted you. I apologize..."
Before she could finish, Chen Yisheng's face immediately turned stern: "Company matters should be discussed at the company. This is two different matters."
He stopped looking at her, turned around, and pushed open the office door without any reluctance, and put on the gentle and decent smile he used when facing his mentor again.
On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was even more subtle and complex than when they'd arrived. Chen Yisheng seemed to have finally let go of a burden, while Chi Jin was overwhelmed by regret and fear. Oh my god, she had actually contradicted Chen Yisheng like that! Twice! Once in the office, once during an interview! How could she keep her job if she was so unprofessional? Her mind raced, scheming how to apologize.
Caught between the two, Xiao Duan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He'd stumbled upon a shocking secret—Editor-in-Chief Chen's ring was a cover-up. He cautiously glanced at the silent faces to his left and right, daring not to breathe. Finally, unable to bear the suffocating pressure, he mustered his courage and pleaded, "Um... Editor-in-Chief Chen, Sister Chi Jin, how about... we listen to the radio for a while?"
The radio station was, however, passionately broadcasting a replay of yesterday's horse racing, and the host mentioned Sebok's name repeatedly. Almost as soon as the name appeared, Chen Yisheng reached out expressionlessly and, with a rude "click," switched the channel to a music station playing soft background music.
Xiao Duan: “…”
Chi Jin: "..."
As the car drove into the city, the sky gradually darkened and the lights came on.
"It's time to get off work. I'll take you home." Chen Yisheng said, "Xiao Duan, send me your address. I'll take Chi Jin home first, then you."
He must have been avoiding suspicion by choosing to go the longer route and escort Duan Xingche, who wasn't going the same way. Chi Jin couldn't quite place his emotions. Angry? His expression didn't seem so grumpy. Happy, that was a far-fetched idea.
The car didn't drive into the community, but stopped at the gate. Chi Jin thanked him, got out of the car, and walked in quickly.
No, we can't wait until tomorrow!
She carefully considered each word, editing two long messages, repeatedly checking whether the wording was sincere, humble, and repentant enough, before gritting her teeth and pressing the send button.
"I'm sorry, Editor-in-Chief Chen. Yesterday, I acted impulsively and with impulsiveness. I deeply recognize my mistake. This behavior was not only disrespectful to my superiors, but also seriously damaged the working atmosphere and team harmony of the editorial department. I promise that this will never happen again! From now on, I will correct my attitude, control my emotions, do my job conscientiously, and consciously maintain the team atmosphere. I sincerely ask that you be magnanimous and give me a chance to correct my mistakes!"
[Also, regarding the Sports Faces column... Although the results weren't entirely satisfactory, I'm truly grateful for the valuable advice and opportunity you gave me. It's precisely because of your support and guidance that I'm striving to achieve perfection and live up to your trust. The ultimate shortfall is due to my own shortcomings, and I will reflect deeply and redouble my efforts. Thank you again for your guidance!]
She locked the door, her mind heavy, and mechanically showered and changed. The warm water washed over her body, but it couldn't dispel the uneasiness in her heart. The minutes ticked by, and her phone remained silent, the screen pitch black, with no response.
It was impossible for him not to have seen the message at this point. His delay in replying was a clear statement in itself—he was angry, and very angry.
Chi Jin's heart sank. She haphazardly dried her damp hair, collapsed onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling. It seemed she couldn't escape the in-person self-criticism tomorrow at the office, a profound, almost soul-crushing self-criticism. She silently rehearsed the wording of her apology in her mind, each word needing to be more humble and heartbreaking than the text message.
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