CJLTNS Chapter 5

“We’re here!”

Yu Xin pulled up the handbrake and saw Xu Yuanyuan intently staring at her phone. “Yuanyuan, what are you looking at?”

Xu Yuanyuan handed the phone to Yu Xin. “Shifu, I’m looking at my idol—Reporter Carrier Pigeon! He just infiltrated a Brazilian drug cartel again and filmed them making drugs. He even talked with them! He’s incredible!”

“Really? How stupid, going to such a dangerous place.”

Normally, Xu Yuanyuan would never talk back to Yu Xin, but this involved her idol. For the first time, she argued, “Shifu, Carrier Pigeon is amazing! Four years ago, he covered the Iraq War. Three years ago, it was the war in Gaza. Last year, he reported on a gang war in Colombia and human trafficking in Ukraine. This year, it’s Brazilian drug lords. These are all global headline stories! He’s the idol of every journalist! But he always uses the alias ‘Carrier Pigeon’—no one’s ever seen him, and no one knows what he looks like!”

Xu Yuanyuan became more and more animated, almost ready to ditch Yu Xin and become Carrier Pigeon’s disciple instead. But Yu Xin wasn’t worried about her running off—after all, someone like Carrier Pigeon probably wouldn’t have the patience to train such a slow student.

Xu Yuanyuan had just finished being excited when she realized they weren’t anywhere near the KTV: “Shifu, aren’t we tailing someone today?”

Yu Xin parked the car in the underground garage of Binjiang Tiancheng, took a final sip of soy milk from his thermos, and replied while unbuckling his seatbelt, “Yuanyuan, it’s only four in the afternoon. Who does shady things at this hour?”

Yuanyuan’s face lit up with sudden realization. She nodded seriously, “Shifu, you’re so smart!”

Yu Xin gladly accepted the flattery, opened the trunk, and grabbed a video camera. “Today, Shifu is taking you to earn a little side money!”

Yu Xin slung the camera over her shoulder, and Yuanyuan followed behind her with a microphone in hand. The two of them entered the mall, one after the other.

It wasn’t yet the end of the workday, so the mall wasn’t very crowded at 4 p.m. A stage had been set up in the central atrium, with staff adjusting the sound system, and a small crowd was already gathering around.

Yu Xin stood next to the stage for a while when a clean-cut young man in his twenties, wearing a shirt, walked up to her.

“You’re Mr. Luo’s assistant, right?”

Yu Xin reached out to shake his hand. The man nodded, “Yes, I’m Li Bo, Mr. Luo’s assistant. Mr. Zhou is backstage. Please wait here a moment, the event will start in about twenty minutes.”

Yu Xin set up the camera, tested the framing and lighting — everything was good. he picked up his phone and sent a message to Yuanyuan: “Yuanyuan, today we’re here to interview a newly debuted celebrity. I’ve sent you the questions — you’ll do the interview, I’ll do the filming!”

Yuanyuan’s eyes widened in shock, and she pointed to herself, “Me? Shifu, I’ve never done this. I’m not cut out for it!”

Yuanyuan had studied journalism for four years and had been working for almost a year, but she’d only ever done filming and miscellaneous tasks. Every time she was around a crowd, she got really nervous, so she’d never actually conducted an interview.

Yu Xin sighed, clearly frustrated, “Yuanyuan, you can’t keep hiding behind me forever. Today, it’s your turn.”

Yuanyuan lowered her head, nervously fiddling with the microphone cord, frowning and shaking her head, “Master, I really can’t…”

“My mouth’s full of ulcers, it hurts to say every single word. Are you really going to make your master suffer like this?”

Yuanyuan felt torn. Yu Xin was the only one who had never looked down on her for being slow. From field assignments to photography, Yu Xin had taught her everything step-by-step. And now that her Master wasn’t feeling well, how could she let him continue working while sick?

Yuanyuan took a deep breath and steeled herself, nodding firmly, “Alright… I’ll do it!”

With over ten minutes still to go before the event began, Yuanyuan stood off to the side with her phone, practicing the questions. There were only three, but she repeated them over and over, terrified she’d forget them once she got nervous.

The music started playing, signaling the beginning of the event. A crowd had gathered around the stage. Yu Xin secured a prime spot in the center. There were three or four other reporters around as well. After the host finished warming up the crowd, a female celebrity walked out from backstage.

This event was a fan meeting with a celebrity. After saying a few soft, sweet words, the actress began to sing. Yu Xin kept his eyes on the camera, ensuring the quality of the footage.

After the song ended, it was time for the interview. Xu Yuanyuan stood frozen in place with the microphone. Yu Xin gave her a strong push, signaling her to start.

Xu Yuanyuan turned around to glance at Yu Xin, who gave her a small, encouraging nod. She turned back, swallowed hard, and asked the question she had rehearsed hundreds of times, though her voice trembled.

Xu Yuanyuan felt sweat soaking her palms, her legs weakening, and her head burning from the heat. In this sweltering May weather, she was drenched in sweat and had no idea what she was even saying.

After the ten-minute interview, Xu Yuanyuan felt completely drained, her body limp and her steps unsteady. She walked over to Yu Xin and said, “Shifu, did I do badly?”

Although Xu Yuanyuan was nervous and her voice shaky, she managed to say everything she was supposed to. By Yu Xin’s standards, it definitely wasn’t up to par—but for Xu Yuanyuan, it was already a big step forward.

Yu Xin patted her on the shoulder. “No, you did great.”

Xu Yuanyuan looked up at him with wide, round eyes, reminding Yu Xin of a little puppy he had raised when he was young.

“Really, Shifu?”

Yu Xin nodded. Xu Yuanyuan bounced happily on the spot, then took the camera from him. “Shifu, you’re not feeling well—take a rest. I’ll pack up.”

Reinvigorated like someone on a sugar rush, Xu Yuanyuan was suddenly full of energy. Yu Xin couldn’t help but laugh as he watched her pack up the gear.

Ding!

His phone chimed. Yu Xin saw that the 1,000 yuan payment had arrived. Today’s gig was to help promote a newly debuted third-tier actress. The crowd and reporters had all been paid to be there, creating the illusion of popularity—just like buying trending topics or fake followers.

Yu Xin figured since he had nothing else to do, he might as well make a quick buck and give Yuanyuan a chance to practice. He immediately transferred the entire amount to Xu Yuanyuan. “Yuanyuan, take this side gig money.”

Xu Yuanyuan picked up her phone and stared wide-eyed at the 1,000 yuan transfer. “Shifu, this is way too much. My previous mentors never gave me a cent—they even said I was stupid.”

She paused, then said hesitantly, “Shifu… you’re not trying to take advantage of me, are you?”

Yu Xin had never been more speechless. He looked her up and down. “Yuanyuan, it’s great to have confidence, but you also need self-awareness. You’re not a celebrity. Who would take advantage of you?”

Xu Yuanyuan looked down at herself. She was 163 cm tall, weighed 120 pounds, a little chubby, with most of the weight clinging stubbornly to her belly and thighs. Yeah… not exactly someone you’d imagine being taken advantage of.

In contrast, Yu Xin was far better looking—standing 180 cm tall, which wasn’t short even by entertainment industry standards. He had the youthful face of a college student, and despite being 29, he didn’t look it at all. He was a bit thin and had heavy dark circles under his eyes, making him look more like a sleep-deprived gamer than an adult man.

When it came to celebrities, Xu Yuanyuan secretly scooted closer to Yu Xin and whispered, “Shifu, I heard that female celebrity earlier has a sugar daddy behind her!”

Yu Xin tapped Xu Yuanyuan on the head. “Yuanyuan, do you remember the most important rule I taught you about being an entertainment reporter?”

“I remember. An entertainment reporter needs photo evidence—no proof, no story.”

“Exactly. Without evidence, a rumor is just a rumor. You can’t go around talking nonsense.”

Xu Yuanyuan nodded, packed up her things, and followed behind Yu Xin. The two of them started discussing what tasty food they should eat next.

As they walked down the stairs, Yu Xin suddenly crouched down. Xu Yuanyuan didn’t know what was happening, but she immediately followed suit and crouched as well.

Yu Xin crept behind a car, stuck his head out, and spotted a man and a woman kissing.

“See that? That’s the truth. That’s solid evidence.” Yu Xin pointed at the couple in the distance and said to Xu Yuanyuan.

Xu Yuanyuan peeked out from her crouch and saw that the female celebrity from the earlier mall event was being embraced by a man. The man was turned slightly, so only half of his face was visible, but his attire clearly screamed wealth.

Just as Xu Yuanyuan was about to pull out the camera, Yu Xin stopped her. “Use your phone. The camera makes noise, and if the flash accidentally goes off, we’ll spook them.”

Xu Yuanyuan’s admiration for Yu Xin rose another level. Her master truly thought of everything.

After snapping a few photos, Xu Yuanyuan handed her phone to Yu Xin. The pictures showed the actress’s full face and half of the man’s face—more than enough.

Who knew how close those two were? They kept holding and kissing each other for ages, and Yu Xin and Xu Yuanyuan crouched so long that their legs went numb before the couple finally left.

It was already past six, and Yu Xin, feeling hungry, got ready to drive off for dinner.

“Brother Xiao Yu, is that really you?”

Yu Xin’s arm was suddenly grabbed. He instinctively tried to push the person away, then turned and saw a girl about seventeen or eighteen. She wore a dress, stood around 165 cm tall, her slightly wavy hair cascading down her back. She held a designer bag, and in that one second, Yu Xin could immediately tell—from head to toe, this girl was decked out in luxury.

The girl looked familiar. After a moment, Yu Xin recognized her—it was Jiang Ran, Jiang Chong’s younger sister.

Without changing his expression, Yu Xin gently withdrew his arm and nodded at her. “Ah Ran.”

“Brother Xiao Yu, where have you been all these years? You never contacted me.”

Back when Yu Xin was with Jiang Chong, Jiang Ran was still a kid. They broke up when she was only eleven. And besides, Yu Xin had no desire to have anything to do with the Jiang family anymore.

He opened the car door and got in while saying, “I’m going to eat. You go ahead and hang out at the mall.”

“I’m hungry too! Brother Xiao Yu, treat me to dinner!” Jiang Ran said as she pulled open the back door and hopped in like she totally belonged there.

“Ah Ran, I’ve got something to do. I’ll take you to dinner another time.”

Jiang Ran leaned forward, resting against Yu Xin’s seat and poking his arm with her finger. “Brother Xiao Yu, I’m really hungry! Treat me to a meal, please!”

Xu Yuanyuan stood on the other side of the car, unsure whether she should get in. The girl was young and beautiful, and seemed quite familiar with Yu Xin. From the looks of it, she was clinging to him persistently. Within seconds, Xu Yuanyuan’s mind had already started drafting a love story about a girl chasing after a guy.

Yu Xin turned his head and saw Jiang Ran’s sweet, flattering smile. Her eyes curved like crescent moons, just like when she was a child. For a moment, Yu Xin couldn’t bring himself to say the words to turn her down.

He rolled down the front passenger window and said to Xu Yuanyuan outside the car, “Yuanyuan, I’m going to eat with her. You go find something on your own. Let’s meet at the usual spot tonight.”

Xu Yuanyuan was overjoyed—her mentor was finally getting into a relationship. Ah, I’m going to have a shimu (teacher’s wife)!

She waved her hand. “Shifu, no rush, no rush. I can eat alone. You go enjoy your meal.”

Originally, Yu Xin had just planned to grab something casual with Xu Yuanyuan. But now that he was dining with Jiang Ran—the pampered daughter of a wealthy family—he couldn’t exactly take her to a small eatery.

Yu Xin got out of the car and brought Jiang Ran to a private room in a Cantonese restaurant in the mall. He handed her the menu. “You can order.”

Jiang Ran opened the menu and said while flipping through it, “Brother Xiao Yu, I remember you used to love sweet and sour pork with pineapple. Let’s get that!”

Yu Xin saw the expectant look in her eyes and smiled faintly. “Sure.”

In truth, Yu Xin never liked that dish. He had always preferred spicy food. But when they were kids, he used to tease Jiang Ran by fighting with her over that dish, which led her to believe it was his favorite.

Yu Xin’s mother, Xin Qian, her older sister Xin Rou, and Jiang Chong’s mother, Zhang Hui, had once danced together in a military arts troupe. After they were discharged, Xin Qian and Zhang Hui got married and started families, while Xin Rou went abroad to study and start her own business.

A few years later, Jiang Chong and Yu Xin were born a year apart. Twelve years after that, Jiang Ran was born. Being the only girl in both families, she was doted on by everyone—including Yu Xin, who treated her like a real younger sister.

While waiting for the food, Yu Xin lowered his head to look at his phone, and Jiang Ran sipped water from her glass as she quietly observed him.

Six years ago, when Jiang Chong and Yu Xin broke up, Jiang Ran had been staying at their grandparents’ house. By the time she returned, she only heard that Yu Xin’s father, Yu Huai, had died in a car accident and that Yu Xin and Jiang Chong had also broken up. After that, she heard nothing more about Yu Xin.

Jiang Ran didn’t understand it. Yu Xin and her brother Jiang Chong had been so close—best friends in high school, lovers in university. How could everything fall apart in just one month while she was away at her grandparents’?

Jiang Ran had asked her mother, Zhang Hui, about it before, but her mother wouldn’t say a word and even told Jiang Ran not to bring up anything related to Yu Xin again. Jiang Ran had wanted to ask her brother Jiang Chong, but every time she mentioned Yu Xin, his expression would darken so much that she didn’t dare say another word.

This question had been on Jiang Ran’s mind for six years. Nervously, she asked, “Xiao Yu ge, can I ask you something?”

Yu Xin put down his phone and looked up at her. “Go ahead.”

Jiang Ran took a sip of water, gathered her courage, and asked, “Brother Xiao Yu, you… you and my brother… Why did you two break up back then?”

The private room was completely silent. Yu Xin lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes casting a shadow that made it hard to read his expression.

Jiang Ran could feel the air grow heavy. She swallowed uneasily, afraid Yu Xin might walk out on her, already preparing herself to apologize.

After a few seconds, Yu Xin looked up and gave a faint smile. “You’re still a kid. Grown-up stuff isn’t for you to worry about.”

Jiang Ran was only seventeen, still in her second year of high school. She stiffened her face in a show of bravado. “I’m already seventeen. I’m not a kid anymore.”

Yu Xin lightly tapped the strap of his watch with his right hand and chuckled softly. “It’s normal for adults to break up and get back together. We were in love once, and then… we weren’t.”