5. Jasmine Puzzle
Chi Jin got into the car with her nerves tense. She couldn't believe that this old bastard could suddenly turn into an archangel.
She fidgeted like a thief, and the clear, familiar, pungent scent of jasmine wafted into her nostrils.
She instantly understood something. It turned out that the jasmine scent didn't come from "Madam," but from Jin Yaojia, who was sitting next to her with a dazzling smile.
Chen Yisheng started the car, and the engine emitted a low and powerful roar.
Oh my God, what the hell is going on! Jin Yaojia always speaks to everyone in a friendly way, but Chen Yisheng let her get in his car and agreed so readily... Are they really having an affair?
But Chen Yisheng is clearly married!
Chi Jin's mind was in a mess.
"It's still the same address as last time." Jin Yaojia's voice floated over gently.
Oh my god! What about last time, this time, next time, that time? This familiar tone, this indifferent attitude... Chi Jin felt like she was on a pirate ship. Her eyes were restless, she didn't know where to look, she could only smell that damn jasmine scent.
The more I smell it, the more I want to escape.
"Address." Chen Yisheng's response was still calm and without any ripples, as if it was just a routine matter.
Jin Yaojia gave the name of an upscale-sounding residential complex and added considerately, "Thank you so much for the trouble. Is it on your way? If not, just drop me off somewhere where I can get a taxi."
It's raining so hard, and you're saying something like that. It's so hypocritical that it makes your teeth ache. Chi Jin complained in his heart.
"On the way."
Chi Jin hugged his heavy computer bag, wishing he could curl up and disappear into his chair. Sitting here, he looked like a kilowatt-level, obtrusive, and unnecessary light bulb.
The car fell into silence, with only the regular sound of wipers, the low hum of the engine and the sound of rain outside the window.
Only Chi Jin felt that the atmosphere was depressing and suffocating. Jin Yaojia did not feel embarrassed. She leaned back in her seat in a relaxed manner and even took out her mobile phone. The light from the screen illuminated her delicate and flawless profile. Her fingers tapped lightly on the screen, and it was unclear whether she was replying to a message or scrolling through something.
Chi Jin clutched her laptop bag tightly, her gaze fixed on the rain-washed cityscape outside the window. The neon lights shone through the rain, creating a hazy, cold glow, a perfect reflection of her current chaotic and chilly state.
The car came to a steady stop at the entrance of the upscale residential complex where Jin Yaojia's newspaper was published. Jin Yaojia adjusted her clothes gracefully, her smile still gentle and appropriate. "Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Chen, for your trouble. Goodbye, Editor Chi."
She pushed open the car door, opened the umbrella, and her slim figure quickly disappeared in the rain.
There were only two people left in the car. The annoying jasmine scent seemed to fade a little, but it still lingered stubbornly.
Chi Jin felt very uncomfortable and immediately said, "Editor-in-Chief Chen, I'm here too..."
Chen Yisheng ignored her words and spoke through the rain: "Address."
"It's raining so hard...don't you need to go pick up your wife?"
"She's working overtime, so I'll take you there first and then pick her up. Address, we can't stay here for long."
Chi Jin choked and could only report the old and shabby house he rented.
"Then...do you want me to call your wife and explain? Or write a written statement or something? Prove that we're innocent...and I can also write the one about Jin Yaojia just now, so your wife won't misunderstand..."
"No need." Chen Yisheng navigated and started the car.
"Okay then." Chi Jin replied awkwardly, shrugging his shoulders with a casual air. "As long as we are upright, we have nothing to fear! I believe you are definitely a loyal, faithful, and trustworthy husband!"
Chen Yisheng glanced at her in the rearview mirror: "What's wrong with you?"
"No, it's okay."
The car fell silent again, with only the sound of rain and the engine. Just when Chi Jin thought this awkward journey would end in silence, Chen Yisheng's deep voice suddenly rang out, with a hint of explanation:
"Once, Jin Yaojia drank alcohol at a social event, so the designated driver drove her home in my car. I have no obligation, nor any interest, to memorize my subordinates' addresses."
Is he explaining himself?
Chi Jin was slightly startled. This sudden clarification strangely dissipated the inexplicable madness and bitterness in her heart a little.
After thinking for a long time, she finally came up with a topic that would ease her nerves: "How's your cat?"
He focused his gaze on the rain-obscured road ahead, his voice muffled and unclear beneath the patter of the rain: "Still the same as always, treating me like a class enemy."
"Aren't you allergic to cat hair? Why do you still have a cat?"
"It's a long story. This is a stray cat that my...lover picked up."
"Such a fat stray cat."
"It was my negligence," Chen Yisheng said frankly, then got to the point. "I don't know why he's always so anxious around me, but not around others. For example, when you come, he's very well behaved."
Chi Jin thought, who wouldn't get mad around you? But he said, "Hmm... maybe I'm just more attracted to cats? Haha. I think you should discuss it. Maybe you know you're allergic, and subconsciously resist contact. The cat can sense this and naturally stay away. Sometimes, the relationship between cats and humans, like humans, requires a compatible aura."
"What are you discussing?"
"For example...see if it's suitable to continue raising him? Or find a more suitable adopter? I know some reliable pet adoption platforms." Chi Jin said, "What are his living habits like? Does he destroy the house? Is his eating habits okay?"
"He really enjoyed the cat food you brought last time, and he's not interested in other brands."
"Really? It seems like it's quite discerning and knows which ones offer the best value for money."
As soon as she said this, she bit her lower lip in annoyance - mentioning cost-effectiveness again!
Chen Yisheng didn't take it seriously. Instead, he continued the conversation by asking, "Aren't you allergic to cat hair too? You sound like an expert."
"I worked part-time at a dog cafe before, and a colleague of mine had passed the pet trainer exam, so I learned a little bit about it."
"Did you often work part-time while you were studying?"
"Well, I've done a lot of things. Like subway security, odd jobs at a flower shop, cruise ship guide, and tutoring, to name a few."
"I didn't realize you were born to have a side job," he teased.
Chi Jin took a breath: "The main reason is that it's cheap and easy to use for college students..."
The rain showed no sign of letting up, but instead intensified. Dense raindrops pounded frantically against the roof and windshield, creating a deafening roar. Visibility ahead was extremely low, and traffic was moving at a snail's pace.
Chen Yisheng wasn't in a hurry, but continued the conversation. "There are indeed many part-time job opportunities in the university town. I also worked part-time for a few years when I was at Jingda University. I was an assistant counselor on campus, a tutor off campus, handed out flyers, and worked as a waiter."
If Chi Jin hadn't mentioned university, she'd almost forgotten she and Chen Yisheng were classmates. She'd always assumed Chen Yisheng was the pampered type, but she hadn't expected him to have lived through hard times.
"I'm sorry, Editor-in-Chief Chen..." Chi Jin lowered his voice, with a hint of belated apology and complexity, "I contradicted you before... I know I shouldn't complain before I've tried my best."
"I've been through something like yours, so I understand." Chen Yisheng thought she was still worried about being fired, so he softened his tone. "Even if the editorial department wants to restructure its staff, it won't be your turn for now."
"I will be prepared for danger."
Outside the car window, the rain poured down in a hazy chaos. Inside the car, there was only the low whine of the engine and the futile whining of the wipers.
"I saw you brought your computer home."
"Yeah. I want to prepare for the topic selection meeting."
"If you have any ideas, you can talk to me."
This can be regarded as a true special treatment. Chi Jin's eyes widened: "Is it true?"
"Do you have any ideas?"
Chi Jin nodded. "I have a manuscript for the Sports Face column. I've also prepared the manuscripts for the three seeded horse racers. I'll finalize it once the champion is announced."
"The National Horse Racing Championship, huh?"
Chi Jin nodded: "Yeah. Do you follow horse racing too?"
"There's a mixed-race horse racer who's been going viral recently on short videos. A competitor wrote about him when he won the rookie championship last time."
"Yes, his name is Cyberk. He has excellent appearance. I only noticed him because of the short video."
Chen Yisheng paused for a moment before saying, "Horse racing in China is far from reaching the level of widespread public attention it deserves. Focusing on the champion is indeed the key to traffic. However, precisely because of this, competition from similar content will be fierce. If the content lacks depth and perspective, it can easily become generic and lack the recognition that 'Faces' deserves."
"That being said, if I write about losing players, I don't think many people will read it. With that in mind, the editors probably won't recommend me for the column."
"So the content must be outstanding and differentiated. I don't know how well you've done your background checks, but during the rookie competition, an editor wanted to report him, but I stopped him. He has a poor reputation off the court, a chaotic private life, and frequent conflicts with the coaching staff. These are all potential risks."
"In competitive sports, being bad is a sin; performance is paramount. As long as one can bring glory to the country and doesn't involve major issues of principle, public opinion will be relatively tolerant. Sebok's talent is indeed outstanding."
Chen Yisheng nodded. "You've done background checks, so your judgment is certainly based on evidence. I'm just suggesting you also keep an eye on last year's runner-up, Yue Kairu. If he can make up for his disappointment this year, the story and buzz might not be any less. Besides, 'Faces' isn't just about the winner."
Chi Jin immediately opened the memo on his phone: "Okay. I'll make up for it this weekend. Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Chen."
"You're welcome." Chen Yisheng said, "It seems that what happened in Luocheng today scared you quite a bit."
Chi Jin sighed: "I'm not as calm as Sister Huanhuan, nor as outspoken as Qin Xiancheng. I'm afraid he'll come over and ask me if you got angry and fired him because I told tales."
"If your level of behavior is considered snitching, half the people in this office would be sentenced to death." Chen Yisheng's voice was rarely soothing. "Even if you didn't come to the office, today is his last day at Face. Lack of ability can be cultivated, but if character is flawed and refuses to change after repeated admonitions, keeping him here is a waste of resources."
These words stirred Chi Jin's heart. Chen Yisheng had mentioned wanting to "optimize" her before, and he had indeed received the warning. If one day it were her turn... would he also say the same thing about her to others?
Chi Jin lowered his head and picked at his fingers while saying, "Of course you are right to fire him. We have disliked him for a long time."
"You think my way of handling the matter is heartless?"
"That's not what I meant."
“But you have this concern.”
Seeing Chi Jin's tacit agreement, the corners of his lips curled up in a very faint, slightly cold arc: "You are wondering, if one day you leave, will I say the same thing about you, or even worse. Instead of wasting time worrying about it, it is better to win the topic in front of you first and gain a firm foothold with your strength."
"I know I'm in danger, but I'll try my best not to be the next one to be eliminated."
“You have to be someone who will never be eliminated.”
As she spoke, her gaze swept across the sleek dashboard, stopping just in front of the central armrest. A small, minimalist, black square device blended seamlessly into the interior. There were several tiny air holes on the surface, from which the irritating, cold scent of jasmine emanated.
Car aromatherapy?!
It wasn't Jin Yaojia! Not from the beginning to the end! It turns out the source of everything was the aromatherapy in his car!
Chen Yisheng waved his hand in front of her eyes, breaking her petrified state: "...Don't you like the taste?"
Chi Jin quickly shook his head: "Of course not."
As the night deepened, the water droplets condensed on the car windows, winding down like silent tear marks.
The car finally approached the old residential complex where Chi Jin lived. The dim streetlights cast a hazy yellow haze in the rain, illuminating the potholed and flooded road.
"It's this apartment building." Chi Jin said, "Please stop here."
Chi Jin got out of the car swiftly, walked into the corridor and suddenly turned back. She trotted back to the driver's window, bent down slightly and put her face close to the window glass.
Chen Yisheng obviously didn't expect her to turn back. He was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously turned his head and looked at the somewhat blurred face outside the car window through the hazy water vapor and mottled rain marks.
"Editor-in-Chief Chen!"
Chi Jin raised her voice and gently tapped on the car window. Rainwater slid down her cheeks, and a few strands of wet hair stuck to her forehead, but her eyes seemed unusually bright in the dim light.
"I forgot to mention it, thank you!"
The rain hit the car window, leaving mottled marks that blurred the boundaries.
Chen Yisheng lowered the car window and saw through the gap that her eyes were misty, clear and bright, just like they were back then.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
