LWDC Chapter 85

Chapter 85: A Small Idea

Chapter 85: A Small Idea

Chapter 85: A Small Idea

The Spring Festival and winter vacation quickly passed.

Ning Fei had originally expected Tang Huilan to cause more trouble, but her efforts started strong and fizzled out. Throughout the entire winter vacation, she didn’t create any “programs” worth paying attention to. Even when he asked Duan Yunhong, Duan Yunhong said that the Ji family had made some secret concessions to the Tang family, so Tang Huilan had temporarily quieted down. If Duan Yunhong wanted to explain exactly what concessions the Ji family made and how, Ning Fei would simply tune him out.

“‘Business Storms’ is entirely your responsibility, Director Duan,” Ning Fei said, sitting at his desk without even turning around, leaving behind a perfectly justified statement.

“Are you becoming more of a hands-off manager?” Duan Yunhong had been sitting behind him, looking at documents. Switching from the luxurious leather sofa in the large flat to the second-hand sofa in the old, cramped apartment, he seemed just as comfortable. Hearing Ning Fei’s reply, he turned to look at Ning Fei: “Do you want to play the ‘won’t pass it on to subordinates, so I’ll work myself to death’ game with me too?”

“Who would dare to treat you as a subordinate?” Ning Fei still didn’t turn around, casually replying while scribbling on his lesson plans. “It’s not like I’m slacking off after dumping it on you. I still have to work hard in the ‘Campus Youth’ section.”

“‘Campus Youth,’ pfft, is that worth all your effort? Dare to say you didn’t spend most of your winter vacation relaxing, and only rushed your lesson plans when it was almost time for school to start?” Duan Yunhong also turned back to continue looking at the documents, flipping a page with a swish. “If that’s what you say, then I’ll just focus on the ‘Business Storms’ section. Let the ‘Family Power Struggle’ go.”

“Hold on,” Ning Fei finally turned around. “Director Duan, can’t you exercise your subjective initiative? You chose this position, so fully utilize your intelligence, make the most of your environmental conditions, and show off your abilities.”

Duan Yunhong: “I’m a square log; I won’t move unless you kick me.”

This was Ning Fei’s original complaint about him.

Ning Fei was a little amused and annoyed, but on second thought, he realized that he had indeed been unilaterally extracting information from him too much recently. It was probably this somewhat dismissive attitude that had provoked this man with a strong sense of self-respect. So Ning Fei got up and walked behind the sofa, leaning over and resting his arms on the backrest next to Duan Yunhong, smiling. “Then Director Duan, do you know any media in Hong Kong City?”

Duan Yunhong originally wanted to ignore him for a while, but hearing this question, he couldn’t help but ask, “…What do you want to do?”

“Shenzhen is so close to Hong Kong City. The newly arrived ‘new rich’ in Shenzhen should be known in Hong Kong City, right?” Ning Fei replied. “Aren’t Hong Kong’s paparazzi the most fond of celebrity and wealthy family gossip? And sometimes, in order to get publicity, they won’t easily give up on breaking news for money. More importantly, they’re also very sharp-tongued, and their headlines will be sensational…”

Duan Yunhong guessed his idea: “You want me to find someone to leak Ji Zhenwei’s dirt to Hong Kong’s paparazzi?”

“That’s right. It shouldn’t be difficult for you, I don’t believe you didn’t come into contact with people from Hong Kong City after you went to Shenzhen.” Ning Fei smiled. “If they report on Ji Zhenwei being caught, the Ji family should be ‘lively’ again for a while, right?”

Duan Yunhong turned his head to look at him, and a thought couldn’t help but pop up in his mind: What a truly brilliant idea.

Ning Fei was just so good at using all environmental conditions, finding a way to achieve great results with minimal effort from corners that everyone else ignored.

But Duan Yunhong didn’t show any appreciation on his face, and even asked: “Although Hong Kong’s paparazzi like publicity, if the money is in place, they’ll still prefer money more. The Ji family isn’t short of money, your idea is likely to become a ‘dud’.”

“But, Ji Zhenwei hasn’t seen this kind of scene before, right? Domestic media doesn’t have a culture of using reports for blackmail yet, and Ji Zhenwei is used to being a big shot. If only one ‘never-heard-of’ media runs over and says they want to break his news, would he easily compromise?” Ning Fei rested his chin on his hand, looking at him. “Director Duan, this kind of small misunderstanding trap should be easy for you, right?”

Duan Yunhong said, “If he knows that I’m the one interfering, he’ll suspect that I want to engage in fratricide.”

“But you won’t let him know, will you?” Ning Fei winked at him with a smile. “Besides, even if he thinks you want to engage in fratricide, what can he do to you? Aren’t you invincible in the ‘Business Storms’ section?”

Duan Yunhong met his gaze: “You think that if you flatter me a bit, I’ll help you plan exactly how to break the news, implement it, and even help you promote it to the point where everyone sees the report?”

Ning Fei looked into his eyes, suddenly moved closer, and gently kissed him for a while.

“I’m not flattering you, I’m stating facts. Not only is it a fact that you’re capable, but it’s also a fact that you’ll help me complete this wish from start to finish.” Ning Fei’s eyes and eyebrows curved slightly. “Thank you, amazing Director Duan.”

“…” For a moment, Duan Yunhong didn’t know whether to refuse or accept. Just as he was silent for two seconds, Ning Fei, not waiting for his reply, took it as tacit consent, raised his hand, pinched his chin, and turned him back to face the documents. “Okay, the ‘homework’ for the family power struggle has been assigned. I have to go prepare the homework for the middle school students. Director Duan, go look at your multi-million-dollar business.”

After saying that, he got up and left. Even if Duan Yunhong had reacted by this point, he had missed the best time to refuse. Furthermore, it would make Duan Yunhong seem too fussy.

However, this reminded Duan Yunhong of the first world where they met, when Ning Fei would deliberately try to please him in order to get resources for Su Cenxi.

Duan Yunhong’s gaze fell on the document, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised in an arc that he didn’t even notice.

*

Director Duan was in a good mood and fully exerted his subjective initiative.

As a result, Ning Fei’s bad idea exploded in an unexpectedly crazy way.

——Just as the students returned to school, before they had even settled down for a week, Zhu Yueting actually took the initiative to talk to Ji Xingzhe.

Oh right, these two had been in a cold war for a long time, becoming “never speak to each other first” state. So after Ji Xingzhe’s leg finally healed and he was able to come to school after the start of the term, they still hadn’t spoken to each other until today.

And what could make Zhu Yueting put aside her grudges and take the initiative to speak was naturally explosive news——

“Your dad… was detained in Shenzhen during the New Year? And for that kind of thing?!”

Zhu Yueting had deliberately lowered her voice when she said this, but the nearby classmates couldn’t help but become quiet because they were paying attention to their movements, so the closest few classmates still heard it.

The students who heard the explosive news instantly widened their eyes.

“What nonsense are you talking about?!” Ji Xingzhe was also shocked, but he quickly reacted, “My dad was at home during the New Year. A bunch of relatives and friends came to my house, everyone saw him. Don’t spread rumors about my family!”

“But the Hong Kong City newspapers have reported this matter! My friend in Hong Kong City saw the newspaper and called us to tell us!” In order to defend herself from lying, Zhu Yueting raised her tone a little involuntarily. “The newspaper said it, it can’t be fake, right.”

“Newspapers can also be fake, why do you believe everything?!” Ji Xingzhe’s thinking was quite advanced, knowing a bit about the ins and outs of journalism. “Quickly tell your family not to spread rumors!”

“Why are you yelling at me? If the newspaper is talking nonsense, you should go deal with that newspaper.” Zhu Yueting’s friendship with Ji Xingzhe had basically been worn away, and she didn’t restrain her sarcasm much when speaking. “My family can know, can’t other families know? Don’t think that only your family went to Shenzhen and knows people there. The fact that your dad was detained for crackdown on prostitution must have spread long ago. If I didn’t come to ask you, others would come to ask you. Even if they don’t ask you, they’ll laugh at you behind your back. You wait, hmph!”

After saying that, Zhu Yueting didn’t wait for him to reply and turned back to her seat.

Ji Xingzhe’s gaze subconsciously followed her back for a while, and when Zhu Yueting sat down and glared back, Ji Xingzhe retracted his gaze. On the way, he accidentally made eye contact with his deskmate, who immediately turned away first, with a sense of “I didn’t hear anything” self-deception.

Not only his deskmate, but Ji Xingzhe also felt that the attention of the surrounding students was all on him. When they were whispering, Ji Xingzhe felt that they must be talking about Ji Zhenwei’s gossip if he couldn’t hear clearly. Zhu Yueting’s two laughs reached his ears, and Ji Xingzhe also believed that she was definitely telling others about the Ji family’s embarrassing scandal, she definitely wished that the whole school would immediately know this explosive news.

Ji Xingzhe was sitting on pins and needles. He had clearly made up his mind that no matter what happened this semester, he would study hard and not let Lin Shengjia surpass him. But his thoughts were chaotic, and his mind could no longer be at peace. He couldn’t hear a single word the teacher was saying in class.

In English class, Ning Fei asked him to answer a very simple question, and he couldn’t answer it. It wasn’t that he didn’t know the answer, it was that he hadn’t paid attention to what Ning Fei had asked.

When Ning Fei told him to sit down and changed to Lin Shengjia to answer, Lin Shengjia blurted out the answer.

At this moment, Ji Xingzhe suddenly thought: Could it be that Lin Shengjia also knows about this? My uncle and Ning Fei have a good relationship, and Ning Fei and Lin Shengjia have a good relationship, maybe he already knew about my dad’s matter! Will he publicize it to other students? But that’s his own dad, he will definitely regret doing this in the future…

–That’s right, if Dad knows that Lin Shengjia is doing this kind of thing at school, he will definitely dislike him preemptively!

Lin Shengjia actually knew nothing about everything that happened to Ji Zhenwei. Ning Fei didn’t tell him, and the gossip in the class hadn’t had time to reach him yet.

But he still suddenly felt a chill down his back.

–Eek, who is trying to mess with me behind my back again? Luckily my parents still pick me up and drop me off every day! Parents are the best in the world!

*

At noon after school, Ji Xingzhe was also picked up by his family’s car, and he took leave again in the afternoon and didn’t come.

Ji Xingzhe couldn’t stay in school, he felt like countless eyes were staring at him. When it was time to leave school at noon, looking at the crowds of people coming and going on campus, Ji Xingzhe felt as if the whole school was discussing him, discussing his dad.

Ning Fei received the message that Ji Xingzhe was again unsure when he would return to school, and silently smiled.

——Just keep going like this, hate school, be disgusted with school, plummet… Cuckoo bird.