Chapter 159: Resilience Amidst Fragility

1998 was a year of both profound disaster and immense greatness.

The indomitable Chinese nation, united as one, overcame an unprecedented catastrophic flood, allowing the cold-gazing world to witness once again the resilience, tenacity, and unbreakable cohesion of this ancient Oriental civilization.

Two reporting vans from the provincial television station sped along the Nanliu Expressway. This three-day reporting trip had yielded almost nothing; in the two trading markets of Luzhai County, not even a hill partridge was to be seen, let alone the various rare animals mentioned in the tips, such as venomous snakes, masked palm civets, and pangolins.

The team members knew that this undercover investigation had leaked long ago, and since they could acquire no valuable news leads, they had no choice but to return dejected. Consequently, everyone in the van was listless, either sleeping or blankly gazing at the scenery outside the window.

Preoccupied with heavy thoughts, Liu Yiqing sat in the back row of the van. Once again, she took out her phone and opened the pending text message:

"Spring is as of old, the person grows lean and frail, tear stains redden and soak through the shark-skin gauze. Peach blossoms fall, idle pond and pavilion. Though the vows of the mountains remain, it is hard to send brocades letters; do not, do not, do not..."

This "Chaitou Feng" by Lu You left a mark deep in her soul. It filled Liu Yiqing—who had never sent this text message—with utter puzzlement. The receiver displayed on the screen was none other than the mobile number previously used by Kang Ning, the lover she thought of day and night. The timestamp was 2:43:21 AM on November 10, 1998. Liu Yiqing remembered that this was precisely the time she had been fast asleep. Could it be that she, a teetotaler, had suddenly developed somnambulism? Yet if she hadn't sent this message, who else could have? It certainly couldn't have appeared on her phone out of nowhere!

With an apologetic look, Liu Yiqing asked the delicate girl beside her, "Lan Xin, was this really not your doing? No joking!"

"Oh, Sister Yiqing, please spare me! You've asked me at least a dozen times over the past two days. In the middle of the night, who has the energy to mess with your phone? I've already told you, why don't you just call that receiving number and find out? Honestly, I'm exhausted and want to sleep for a bit. Don't you dare wake me up again!"

Having finished her complaint, Lan Xin leaned against Liu Yiqing's shoulder and closed her eyes.

Looking at the frail Lan Xin, Liu Yiqing sighed softly, closed her flip phone, and sank into deep contemplation.

She would never forget the morning of July 15, 1997. Depressed due to the flight of her boyfriend Kang Ning, Liu Yiqing had been summoned to the editor-in-chief's office, where an official transfer order brought tears to the eyes of the immensely talented young woman. Without any prior discussion or even the slightest whisper of a hint, she was transferred to the soon-to-be-dissolved municipal *Construction Workers Daily*.

She could not remember how she had walked out of the editor-in-chief's office that day. She only remembered the coldness emanating from behind the editor's glasses frames, the deliberate avoidance of friends and colleagues who used to greet her with smiles as she walked down the open-office corridor, and the gloating expressions and pointing gestures of several well-dressed middle-aged female colleagues.

Back in her dormitory, Liu Yiqing hugged her pillow and wept silently. Her roommate and close friend Shen Yu returned and offered words of comfort one after another. Although Shen Yu was ordinary in appearance, casual in lifestyle, and possessed a carefree personality, Liu Yiqing deeply appreciated her warm heart and loyalty. That very night, Shen Yu dragged Liu Yiqing to a nightclub to clear her mind and, upon the invitation of a respected senior leader, brought her into a private box to sing at the top of her lungs.

Three days later, the mediocre Shen Yu returned to the dorm all smiles and told Liu Yiqing that she had been promoted—specifically, taking over Liu Yiqing's social news beat. Seeing Liu Yiqing's depressed expression, Shen Yu hurriedly offered comfort and finally, with a loyal flourish, came up with an idea. She told Liu Yiqing that she might as well seek out the senior leader they had met that night. That leader was a veteran comrade and sworn brother of the top boss at the provincial television station. The leader had always been approachable, kind, and deeply humane to those of talent. If he were willing to help, with Liu Yiqing's qualifications, competing for an announcer position would be an absolute breeze.

Right in the trough of her career and emotional loss, Liu Yiqing shook her head and refused. However, after reporting to the municipal *Construction Workers Daily*—the municipal party committee's official organ turned workers' paper—and seeing the dilapidated environment, dust-covered desks, and cracks in the walls, her resolve wavered. When she saw her new leader's cold attitude and her new colleagues' panicked faces, Liu Yiqing considered it for a day and a night before finally summoning the courage to ask Shen Yu for help.

The fashionable and open-minded Shen Yu readily agreed. The next evening, she brought Liu Yiqing to the luxurious nightclub VIP room where they had met the senior leader the previous night, and vividly recounted to him the grievances Liu Yiqing had suffered along with the situation regarding her boyfriend Kang Ning.

Amidst the senior leader's ambiguous attitude accompanied by frequent sighs, Shen Yu—who had just finished a slow-three dance with him—came over to sit by Liu Yiqing. Taking advantage of the leader's trip to the restroom, she leaned into Liu Yiqing's ear to offer a strategy, encouraging her to invite the leader to dance later and boldly plead her case. Thus, with a fluttering heart, Liu Yiqing mustered her courage and invited the senior leader, stuttering out a request for help with her transfer while matching his dignified dance steps.

The senior leader led Liu Yiqing back to the sofa, gravely analyzed her current environment and the pressure she faced, explicitly told her that she would never have a chance to turn things around, and asserted that once her boyfriend Kang Ning was brought to justice, there was no hope he would survive.

Seeing Liu Yiqing's tear-stained face and utter despair, Shen Yu and the senior leader joined forces to comfort and counsel her. Finally, the tender-hearted senior leader sighed and resolved to help Liu Yiqing, telling her that the provincial television station was recruiting program hosts from all over Guangxi for the very first time, and asked if she would be willing to go there.

After pondering for a long time, Liu Yiqing finally nodded gratefully to the senior leader.

Stepping out of the restroom after drinking two glasses of slightly strange-tasting red wine, Liu Yiqing was horrified to find herself lightheaded and running a fever all over. Her pounding heart unexpectedly stirred a shy impulse she had only ever felt in the presence of her deeply loved Kang Ning.

Liu Yiqing instantly realized she had fallen into a trap. She hurriedly stood up, rushed into the restroom of the inner suite, and bolted the door firmly behind her. Lowering her head, she turned on the faucet above the porcelain basin and drank her fill of cold water, then thrust her slender index finger down her throat and vomited violently. After three consecutive rounds of drinking water and vomiting, drenched in sweat and utterly drained of strength, Liu Yiqing slumped onto the toilet lid and wept bitterly.

An hour later, clenching her teeth, Liu Yiqing struggled out of the washroom. With a blank expression, she thanked the astonished senior leader and the slightly irritated yet ashamed Shen Yu. Then, she picked up her handbag and wobbled out of the private room. Making her way with difficulty to the entrance of the nightclub, she immediately hailed a taxi and asked the driver to take her to the affiliated hospital of the medical college.

Having spent a night and half a day lying on a bed in the emergency room, Liu Yiqing was discharged that afternoon. The very first thing she did upon returning to the dormitory was pack her luggage and move away from this heartbreaking place.

The next day, Liu Yiqing applied for a one-month personal leave at her new workplace. The office director, busy securing his own future, approved it without a moment's hesitation. Liu Yiqing rushed to the provincial television station to inquire carefully about the host recruitment details. After registering, she bought relevant books from a bookstore and began studying behind closed doors, bitterly practicing her oral delivery. Half a month later, full of ambition, Liu Yiqing indeed stood out among more than five hundred applicants, becoming one of the final twelve candidates entering the third round of interviews.

Yet, the cruel reality struck down the hopeful Liu Yiqing once more.

Ranked first in both the written examination and the oral test, Liu Yiqing was ultimately eliminated, placing seventh on the final public roster. Seeing the talented and beautiful Liu Yiqing heartbroken, a sympathetic veteran judge secretly told her: not a single one of the top six chosen could compare to her; the judges simply had to bow to pressure from above...

Repeatedly thwarted, Liu Yiqing fought back her tears as she walked down the broadcasting building, stepped into the first-floor restroom, and wept bitterly. She knew that because of her lover Kang Ning, she would never have another chance in the journalism industry. What awaited her were only two paths: the disbandment of the newspaper office or resignation. Facing an unknown fate and omnipresent harassment, she felt so helpless and alone.

A kind voice sounded behind her: "Child, what has made you so sad?"

Enduring her sorrow, Liu Yiqing cupped a handful of water to wash the tears from her face, turned around, and politely thanked the older woman behind her: "It's nothing, I'll be fine in a moment. Thank you, auntie!"

Noticing Liu Yiqing's red-rimmed eyes, the woman found her somewhat familiar. She took out a tissue, handed it to her, and asked gently, "Child, was it the final list? Did you not get selected?"

Liu Yiqing nodded. "Yes."

"Your qualifications are quite good! Can you tell me your name?" The older woman warmly took Liu Yiqing's hand and led her out of the washroom, asking softly as they walked.

Embarrassed, Liu Yiqing replied, "My name is Liu Yiqing. I passed the first two rounds, and the five judges' evaluations during the interview were quite good. I just don't know why I dropped to seventh when the list was posted. I did my best; it doesn't matter if I wasn't chosen. If I can't be a host, I can do something else. Thank you, auntie, I feel much better now!"

"Wait!"

The dignified and poised woman stared at Liu Yiqing for a good long while before nodding in sudden realization. "I remember now! You're Xiao Kang's girlfriend, aren't you? I was actually the one overseeing your second-round oral test. No wonder I felt like we'd met somewhere before."

Liu Yiqing stopped in the corridor, gazing in astonishment at the still-charming woman before her: "Auntie, you are..."

"Last May Day, I saw you on the street. You and Xiao Kang were holding hands while shopping. I suppose you two were so wrapped up in each other that you completely forgot about this old woman! Later I thought, if my daughter hadn't already gotten married, I would have wanted her to compete with you for Xiao Kang, haha! Come along, child, let's talk in my office!"

The older woman warmly pulled the bewildered Liu Yiqing through the corridor, into the elevator, and up to a spacious office on the eleventh floor. Along the way, everyone they met greeted the woman warmly with titles like "Hello, Auntie Tong," "Deputy Station Director," "Secretary Tong," and "Sister Tong," finally letting the dazed Liu Yiqing realize that the kind aunt holding her arm was none other than Tong Lin, the Party Secretary and Deputy Station Director of the provincial station.

Auntie Tong led Liu Yiqing to sit on the sofa in the reception room. A female secretary immediately poured a cup of water for Liu Yiqing and brought over Auntie Tong's personal large-mug tea.

Auntie Tong kindly instructed the secretary to close the door, immediately asked Liu Yiqing about the ins and outs of the matter, interjected with questions at critical moments, and occasionally sighed in grief at the sorrowful parts.

After more than half an hour, right in front of Liu Yiqing, Auntie Tong made phone calls one by one to the station director and the head of the personnel department. Her tone was concise, sharp, calm, and solemn, and she quickly uncovered the truth behind Liu Yiqing's elimination. Hanging up the phone, Auntie Tong did not express her stance immediately. Instead, she walked over to the window, overlooked the city skyline, and thought deeply. After a long while, she returned to the sofa and smiled at the nearly despairing Liu Yiqing.

"Child, have you been to Xiao Kang's home over the past year?"

Embarrassed, Liu Yiqing shook her head. "I went a few times, but I turned back at the gates of the courtyard... I didn't know how to face his parents."

"What a silly girl! Wait for me a moment..."

Auntie Tong smiled, picked up the telephone, and pressed a string of digits: "Ah, is that Elder Sister Nie? It's Xiao Tong... Haha, who says I'm unwilling to visit your place? Recently, my old Ye went to the border defense military command to inspect work; once he comes back, we'll both come over to freeload a meal at your place... Elder Sister, there's something I have to ask you. Your boy just dumped his poor girlfriend and washed his hands of her? Do you have any idea how hard Xiao Liu has had it? What kind of suffering she endured because of your boy's affairs... Oh, you don't understand, let me tell you..."

Originally from Hebei province, Auntie Tong spoke with crystal-clear articulation and standard pronunciation. In one breath, she laid out how Liu Yiqing had been implicated by Kang Ning's case, leading to ostracization and suppression, and finally asked with indignant reproach: "...Xiao Liu is such an exceptional talent, how could your boy have the heart to abandon her? And another thing, when I have the time to visit your home, I'm definitely going to chew out your old man in person. He only has this one son and completely refuses to care, what era is this and he's still acting all high and mighty? Honestly... Right... Exactly, don't you worry, Elder Sister. I still have this much authority; I will never let the girl suffer an injustice... Mhm, alright, I'm hanging up now. Once old Ye is back, we'll come over to bother you together, goodbye!"

Hanging up the phone, the amiable Auntie Tong said to Liu Yiqing, "Child, your qualifications are wonderful. You're pretty, bright, and talented, and your major is a match. What's rare is that you have a few years of news reporting experience, which is precisely the talent we urgently need. Besides, you still hold an official post and won't take up the quota allocated from above this time. How about I have you transferred over?"

"Auntie Tong, I... how can I ever thank you enough..."

"Don't talk silly. This is also the result of your own hard work. If you didn't have this capability, I wouldn't be able to help you even if I wanted to!"

Just like that, under Auntie Tong's powerful maneuvering, Liu Yiqing was smoothly transferred to the television station in merely a week. Before she had even fully adapted to this dreamlike, magical experience and her superior new environment, a notice landed on her desk, sending her onto a plane bound for Beijing.

After three months of intense training in a training class at an institution affiliated with the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, Liu Yiqing returned to Nanning and finally ascended the anchor's throne. Following this came envy and jealousy from others; all sorts of rumors ran rampant, and the fly-like harassment from playboys only fueled wild speculations. During this period, Auntie Tong frequently called Liu Yiqing in for heart-to-hearts, always showering her with care and encouragement. Consequently, many clever people who figured it out whispered privately that Liu Yiqing was the goddaughter of the respected Secretary Tong and not to be messed with. Combined with Liu Yiqing's own diligent efforts, her hosting work grew more and more outstanding, making her a host deeply beloved by the audience.

A year later, Liu Yiqing moved into the military district courtyard just like Tong Lin's own daughter. Through her rigorous and positive work style and graceful, appropriate speech and demeanor, she finally caused many doubters and jealous detractors to drop their prejudices and offer heartfelt praise. Yet precisely because of this, the suitors trailing behind her grew more numerous, and all sorts of fabricated, baseless scandals spread in secret...

The reporting van sped along the wide, flat highway. Beside her, Lan Xin leaned against her shoulder and fell into a deep sleep. Filled with a myriad of conflicting emotions, Liu Yiqing took out her phone once more and gazed at it intently, suddenly feeling as though Kang Ning—from whom she had heard nothing for over a year—was right beside her at this very moment.