Chapter 4:004

For three consecutive days, Su Xiaomi and Ruan Tian reported to the Social News Department early every morning.

However, there wasn’t much assigned to them.

They were simply asked to review all the news reports the department had produced over the past three years from morning till evening.

Occasionally, when others were too busy, they would be asked to help answer hotline calls.

Everyone was busy, and once the initial excitement of having newcomers wore off, people stopped paying much attention to Su Xiaomi and Ruan Tian.

Even Putao, the editor assigned to guide them, was constantly out on fieldwork from dawn till dusk.

In fact, being a journalist was quite different from an ordinary nine-to-five office job.

As one of Su Xiaomi’s previous mentors used to say, “A journalist is either on-site when there’s news or on the road when there isn’t.”

After years as an entertainment journalist, Su Xiaomi had grown accustomed to busy schedules and overtime.

Now that things had suddenly slowed down, she felt a little out of place.

Although she hadn’t known Putao for long, they had at least bonded over sharing a few “little yellow mangas.”

After being cooped up in the office for two or three days, Su Xiaomi privately approached Putao and asked if she could tag along on field assignments.

After consulting the editor-in-chief, Putao agreed to bring her along the next day.

When Ruan Tian noticed this, she immediately expressed her desire to join as well.

But Putao smiled and said, “It’s just a routine hotline news report. We don’t need three people! How about this: I’ll take Xiaomi today, and I’ll bring you along next time.”

Hearing this, Ruan Tian didn’t insist.

She smiled, returned to her desk, and continued reviewing reports.

On the way to the assignment location, Putao briefly explained their task: “Today we’re heading to a place called Changle Road on the southern outskirts of Songcheng, where the metro’s southern extension line is under construction. Previously, we received hotline complaints about the construction site being chaotic and prone to traffic accidents. We even did a report on it. This morning, another accident occurred—a jeep unexpectedly collided with an electric scooter and then ‘flew’ into a 10-meter-deep pit at the metro construction site. Fortunately, the three passengers in the jeep only suffered minor injuries and were not in any life-threatening danger. However, the accident caused construction to halt for half a day…”

As they chatted, the car arrived at their destination.

The moment they got out, Putao led Su Xiaomi straight to the accident site. To prepare for fieldwork, Putao had worn a bright red tracksuit and flat shoes.

Su Xiaomi, however, was unaware they’d be out in the field today.

She was dressed in an elegant off-white trench coat, with bare legs and black heeled knee-high boots.

She looked stunning, but it wasn’t the most practical outfit for a construction site.

Putao had been slightly worried that Su Xiaomi might slow her down.

But Putao quickly realized her concerns were unnecessary.

Even in heeled boots, Su Xiaomi walked effortlessly across the uneven construction site terrain, as if strolling on flat ground.

Putao even suspected that, if not for matching her pace, Su Xiaomi could have walked faster.

When they arrived, the metro construction site was still on pause.

The 10-meter pit where the jeep had fallen still clearly bore the marks of the impact.

The accident itself wasn’t particularly sensational, as no serious injuries had occurred.

If they simply reported it as a standard traffic incident, it would likely draw limited attention.

Their task was to dig deeper and find an angle that would make the story stand out.

But how?

As a rookie, Su Xiaomi was completely stumped.

The two took some photos around the construction site, interviewed a few witnesses, and then went to the hospital to speak with the three injured passengers.

Coincidentally, the jeep’s driver was a woman.

“Should I write the story from the perspective of a ‘female driver’?” The thought crossed Su Xiaomi’s mind but was quickly dismissed.

During the interview, the driver, her arm in a sling, mentioned a crucial detail: in the moment of collision with the electric scooter, she had panicked. Although she had intended to hit the brakes, she accidentally pressed the accelerator instead, causing the vehicle to plunge into the 10-meter pit.

Hearing this, Su Xiaomi immediately took out her notebook and carefully jotted down the key details.

By the time they finished interviewing the three injured passengers and left the hospital, it was already lunchtime.

Putao suggested they grab lunch first, so the two casually picked a beef noodle restaurant near the hospital.

Official reporters like Putao receive meal and travel allowances when out on assignments, but interns like Su Xiaomi don’t get such privileges—they’re essentially at the bottom of the food chain.

Since they had spent the entire morning covering the traffic accident, their conversation naturally revolved around the incident during lunch.

Putao asked Su Xiaomi, “If you were tasked with writing this accident report, where would you start?”

Su Xiaomi thought for a moment and replied, “In recent years, cities, including Songcheng, have been developing rapidly. Metro and road construction are happening everywhere. Accidents caused by construction are probably not rare. If it were me, I’d reach out to the traffic department for data on similar incidents and compile a special report on the potential risks and inconveniences urban infrastructure projects pose to people’s daily commutes. Also, the driver mentioned earlier that, in a moment of panic, she accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. My driving instructor used to mention this issue frequently during my lessons. I could interview experienced instructors and veteran drivers to understand how such mistakes can be avoided. That insight would add valuable depth to the report.”

Putao’s eyes lit up with interest after hearing Su Xiaomi’s thoughts.

“I thought you’d focus on the fact that the driver was a woman.”

Su Xiaomi calmly picked at the beef on her noodles and replied honestly, “I did consider that angle at first.”

“Then why did you drop it? Were you afraid of backlash from certain feminists?”

Su Xiaomi shook her head.

“No. I just genuinely dislike reducing everything to a gender issue. There are excellent female drivers—like me—and equally terrible male drivers—like my dad. And he’s been driving far longer than I have. In the end, this isn’t about gender at all.”

At that very moment, Su Xiaomi’s father, who had just finished a game of chess in the park with his neighbor Old Wang, felt his ears burning.

He frowned and grumbled, “Wang, did you just curse me because you lost the game again? You lousy chess player…”

Old Wang: “…???”

Su Xiaomi hadn’t put much weight on her casual remarks, but after Putao visited the editor-in-chief’s office, she returned with a grin, patted Su Xiaomi on the shoulder, and said, “The editor says that since you have such a clear vision for this report, you should take the lead on it!”

Su Xiaomi pointed at herself in disbelief. “…Me?”

Putao nodded.

“Yes, you! Don’t panic—there’s a first time for everything. And don’t worry, your draft still has to go through me. I may seem like an aloof fairy who doesn’t care for worldly affairs, but when it comes to work, I’m downright fierce.”

Su Xiaomi’s expression was deadpan.

“Sorry, I don’t see it.”

Putao raised an eyebrow. “You don’t see how fierce I am?”

Su Xiaomi replied calmly, “No, I don’t see the ‘aloof fairy’ part.”

Putao: “…”

Although Su Xiaomi felt nervous, both the editor-in-chief and Putao had shown trust in her, so she was determined to do her best.

She stayed up late organizing her interview outline, and after Putao reviewed and approved it the next morning, she set off with her interview bag and camera to visit driving schools and the traffic police department.

The driving school interviews went smoothly.

The instructors were enthusiastic, and when it came to recounting incidents where drivers mistook the accelerator for the brake, they had plenty of stories and practical advice to share.

However, things took a turn at the traffic police department.

The captain outright refused an interview, and the staff’s responses were inconsistent.

Without higher authorization, they couldn’t release any data related to such accidents to Su Xiaomi.

The interviews hit a deadlock.

For three consecutive days, Su Xiaomi visited the traffic police department, but each time, she left empty-handed.

Ruan Tian had initially been envious of Su Xiaomi for getting field assignments and a chance to write a report within her first week on the job.

But seeing Su Xiaomi repeatedly return in defeat, Ruan Tian couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of satisfaction, despite knowing she shouldn’t.

Putao kept reassuring Su Xiaomi, telling her that setbacks like these were routine for journalists.

Facing rejection, misunderstandings, and even false accusations was just part of the job.

But despite the comforting words, Su Xiaomi still felt a little disheartened.

That said, her disappointment only lasted one meal.

After a hearty lunch, Su Xiaomi bounced back, full of determination.

It’s just one stubborn traffic captain, she thought. If I can’t get past him, then I’m not worthy of my experience as an entertainment reporter.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yi, who was working overtime at his company, received a call from Lu Tu.

The two had known each other since birth and were practically brothers, but every time they met, they couldn’t resist bickering.

Lu Tu worked at the traffic police department, and although they were both busy with their jobs, it had been a while since they’d caught up.

Jiang Yi assumed Lu Tu was calling to arrange a meetup, but instead, Lu Tu let out an exasperated sigh over the phone.

“Jiang Yi, you’re something else…”

Jiang Yi: “…I know I’m capable, but the question is—how do you know that?”

Lu Tu was momentarily stunned by Jiang Yi’s retort before snapping back, exasperated, “I swear, you people at Yihang Media are unbelievable! A mere intern chased me around for an entire week just to get traffic accident data. She practically had me cornered wherever I went—short of camping outside my house! Do you know my wife is starting to suspect I’ve done something unforgivable behind her back? I’m warning you, keep your Yihang Media people away from me, or I’ll file an official complaint against you for obstructing police work!”

Jiang Yi stifled his laughter as he listened, finally piecing together the situation.

After hanging up, his interest was piqued, and he immediately dialed an internal line to summon the Social News Editor.

The editor walked into Jiang Yi’s office nervously, expecting a scolding.

But to his surprise, Jiang Yi showered him with praise, specifically highlighting one of his interns for outstanding performance.

After a moment’s thought, the editor quickly deduced that Su Xiaomi must have done something to catch Jiang Yi’s attention.

In truth, he hadn’t been particularly optimistic about her from the start.

Typically, when hiring, the company favored either fresh graduates with no work experience—blank slates who would obediently follow instructions—or seasoned professionals who could hit the ground running.

But Su Xiaomi was an awkward in-between.

She had a few years of work experience, but it wasn’t directly applicable to her current role.

She wasn’t entirely a rookie, yet she couldn’t immediately be treated as a seasoned hand either.

When he first heard about her being hired into the Social News Department, he couldn’t help but wonder, Will this girl actually work out?

But now, after just one week of fieldwork—and her report isn’t even published yet!—she had already managed to impress Jiang Yi.

That was enough to erase all the editor’s doubts.

Leaving Jiang Yi’s office in high spirits, the editor, usually serious and stern, actually wore a rare smile on his face.

Seeing that smile, Su Xiaomi’s heart skipped a beat in alarm. Before she could even ask, the editor patted her shoulder with an uncharacteristically warm expression and said, “Well done. You’ve successfully caught Jiang Yi’s attention. Keep up the good work!”

Su Xiaomi felt as if she’d been struck by lightning.

In her mind, an overly dramatic image of Jiang Yi crossed his arms, exuding an air of dominance, and said, “Well done, woman. You’ve successfully caught my attention.”