An Eye for News Chapter 35
“How did Sai Wu know to send you
over to the station?”
Se Cai thought Lee Wei’s
appearance at his workplace was just a coincidence but incidentally, there was
something more.
“I’ve made Sai Wu’s acquaintance
before the suicide bomber news. His position at County S was only a political
stepping stone for him to reach a higher executive level. The special I’m doing
on County S is my way of repaying him a favor I’ve owed.”
Lee Wei nodded and continued, “The
political campaign for the county seat is within these few days and the biggest
threat that stands in his way is w.a.n.g Run Fa. As you know, w.a.n.g Run Fa is
already quite senior so this will probably be the last time he joins the
campaign. Therefore, he has pulled out all the stops. That is why even though
he knew blocking the suicide news would step on Sai Wu’s territory, he had to
do it to allow himself a fighting chance.”
Comprehension dawned immediately
for Se Cai.
If the news got on to central
news, the positive portrayal of Sai Wu in it would come as a giant threat to
w.a.n.g Run Fa.
It was a clever political maneuver,
one that could sink w.a.n.g Run Fa’s chance at winning the county seat.
w.a.n.g Run Fa’s plan hit 2 birds
with one stone. By blocking the news, he not only stopped Sai Wu but also
managed to punish Se Cai that crossed him.
Thankfully, Sai Wu had the
foresight to send Lee Wei to County S Tv Station, to undo w.a.n.g Run Fa’s ploys.
“This w.a.n.g Run Fa… The worst
thing I did was getting close to his brother-in-law’s school, is there even a
need for such ruthlessness?”
Se Cai groused.
“You offended his family? No
wonder he was so eager to mark you for death.”
Lee Wei’s interest was piqued,
she continued, “So what exactly did you do?”
Se Cai relayed the events that
had happened to him to Lee Wei.
“He would be so cruel against an
innocent reporter much less the students in his school!”
Se Cai slammed on the steering
wheel angrily, sighing, “My greatest wish now is to expose this school’s evil deeds
and the fact that w.a.n.g Run Fa condones it. Sadly, none of the directors at the
station is crazy enough to allow me to tackle the head of the PR Department.”
This was Se Cai first a.s.signment
given to him by the system. Completing it would get him 200 News Points and a
Rank E Authorization. Other than that, Se Cai himself really wanted to take
w.a.n.g Run Fa down. However, as he said, no one was crazy enough to give him the
green light to do so.
After Se Cai’s explanation, Lee
Wei said excitedly, “You should have told me earlier you have such an
interesting news lead on your hands!”
Se Cai was a little caught off
guard by the gleam that had entered Lee Wei’s eyes.
“Wait, this is too dangerous. I
was sent to the hospital for wandering around the school’s outer perimeter.”
Se Cai warned because he saw
where Lee Wei was going with this. He was worried for her safety.
“Don’t you worry about me. I’m
not a hapless little girl, you know.”
Lee Wei said in a confident
smile, “Don’t forget I’m the lead reporter for
been to underground casino, police shoot-outs and had even crossed paths with
drug dealers! This is just an internet addiction rehabilitation school, what
harm could there be?”
Se Cai realized he has underestimated
Lee Wei. In the world of journalism, the majority was male so there was an
innate protective nature Se Cai had towards Lee Wei. However, he forgot that
she was much more experienced that he was.
Furthermore, Lee Wei looked like
she couldn’t be dissuaded. A report that could take down a county department
head? Now that was the kind of news she lived for!
With a smile, Lee Wei pulled
from her bag a black object that looked like a pack of gum.
“Thankfully I always carry this
with me. This is a knock-off miniature camera, 2, 300 RMB for one. It can only record
for up to an hour but that should be more than enough.”
Se Cai stared transfixed at the
object that Lee Wei twirled in her hand. He was taken aback by her dedication.
The biggest fear a reporter had was the lack of recording equipment when a
newsworthy event happened. No wonder she held the position of a lead reporter.
Lee Wei pulled her ponytail off
and her hair fell into a fashionable bob.
She hid a Bluetooth ear bud in
her ear and behind the curtain of hair, no one could tell she was actually
recording.
Then, she waved the miniature
camera in front of Se Cai challengingly, saying, “Jiang Shao have already
returned to the province station… So, care to join me on a covert investigation?”
“Of course!”
Se Cai couldn’t possibly let her
go alone. Furthermore, this was his news to begin with, he couldn’t let her
finish it for him.
“Great, this’ll be easier
because we can be on the lookout for each other. Now, I have more experience with
covert operation so follow my lead.”
Lee Wei smiled when she saw Se
Cai agreed so easily.
She then removed from her bag a
small make-up kit which opened to reveal a cl.u.s.ter of cosmetic paraphernalia.
“They’ve seen you before, so don’t
move, I’ll apply some make-up on you. When I’m done, I promise even your own
mother wouldn’t be able to recognize you!”
Lee Wei laughed sinfully as she
pressed a tube of something black on Se Cai’s lips.
Before Se Cai could protest, she
took out a can of hair spray and let it ripped on Se Cai’s hair. She moved
through the motions with a practiced air.
Se Cai sat quietly as he let Lee
Wei fussed over him. Lee Wei had sat up in her seat due to their height
difference and Se Cai had to avert his eyes when she leaned in to work on his
disguise.
Se Cai turned his head towards
the window but Lee Wei pulled him back because the head movement was affecting
her work. Se Cai on his part kept as still as possible even though his eyes
kept wandering. Working in that cramped s.p.a.ce, there was an intimacy that Se
Cai didn’t foresee. Her body kept b.u.mping into Se Cai as she worked and the
folds of her dress tickled his skin. His heart was beating fast and prayed
simultaneously that it would be over soon and that it would never end.
“Okay, I’m done. Take a look for
yourself.”
Lee Wei sat back down in her
seat and said satisfactorily.
Se Cai took in a deep breath and
pulled down the mirror sewn into the visor. He was shocked to see his own
reflection.
With a few fake moustaches, a
change of hairstyle and recoloring of skin tone using BB cream, Se Cai looked
completely different. The Se Cai in the mirror was a weary middle-aged man.
“How did you do this… This is
like plastic surgery!”
Se Cai exclaimed as he put his
hands to his face.
Lee Wei wasn’t kidding when she
said his own mother probably won’t be able to recognize him.
“The station doesn’t pair its
reporter with a make-up artist so I’ve been doing my own make-up. Turns out I
have a knack for over the top style of make-up. Couldn’t possibly use it for
the camera but turns out to be quite handy for undercover cases.”
Lee Wei turned to inspect her
work, adding, “Of course you got to have a good canvas to work with. Se Cai,
you have quite pleasing and malleable features, unlike that muscular buffoon
Jiang Shao.”
Se Cai blushed. It was the first
time he had received such direct compliment from a member of his opposite
gender. He was used to melting into the crowd. No one had ever said he had
handsome features before.
Thankfully, his blush was hidden
by Lee Wei’s generous helping of BB cream.
Lee Wei turned serious, “From
now on, your name is Cai and mine is Wei. We’re a married couple with an
8-year-old that’s obsessed with LOL. We’re there to inspect the school to see
whether it would suit our son.”
“A married couple?”
A shocked Se Cai said.
“Of course, it’s more believable
than you being a 20 something teen with internet addiction.”
Lee Wei rolled her eyes but
added teasingly, “Right, honey?”
“Err…”
That certainly didn’t help Se
Cai’s blush and he was at a loss for words. This was the first time he
pretended to be someone’s husband, especially one for such a gorgeous woman,
and he didn’t know what to say.