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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Unfortunate Editor-in-Chief
In the city, within the Youth Daily News Agency, the Editor-in-Chief was smiling as he stared at the newspaper in his hands, the large black headline particularly striking. He wasn't clear about Liu Fangfei's background, but he could sense the immense power behind her.
As soon as Liu Fangfei was arrested, more than one person approached him, bringing pressure from the group and news from the political arena. Someone who received such attention was certainly not an ordinary intern.
The Editor-in-Chief already knew about Liu Fangfei's release and had prepared three days of leave for her. What a clever man he was; he could vaguely feel that this was an opportunity for him. No matter what, if he helped Liu Fangfei now, wouldn't she be grateful to him in the future?
When Liu Fangfei returned to work, excitedly holding the newspaper, she rushed into the Editor-in-Chief's office to thank him. After giving him a hug, with tears in her eyes, she said, "Editor-in-Chief, thank you! I will definitely appreciate your care for me in the future."
Just as the Editor-in-Chief was basking in his bright future, someone pushed open the office door. Who was it? They didn't even knock. How rude! Disrupted from his daydreams, the Editor-in-Chief said irritably, "What do you want..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his face turned from flushed to a deep shade of purple. A man dressed in a jacket and dress pants strode in confidently and sat down opposite the Editor-in-Chief without any courtesy.
The newcomer glanced at the Youth Daily on the Editor-in-Chief's desk and sneered, "I am Zhou Guanghai from the Beilan County Public Security Bureau. I want to have a chat with you. Let's go."
A chill ran down the Editor-in-Chief's spine as his mind immediately thought of Liu Fangfei. He never expected that they would dare to come after him at such a sensitive time.
"Don't be afraid; I'm not here to arrest you. I just want to talk," Zhou Guanghai said with a smile. "My people are not coming up; they're waiting downstairs in the car. If you cooperate..."
"What do you want?" The Editor-in-Chief's voice trembled slightly. Zhou Guanghai's smile did nothing to ease his anxiety; instead, it made him even more worried.
"I just want to tell you to do your job well. There are plenty of good people and good deeds in society waiting for you to report on; don't always think about making a big news story," Zhou Guanghai said slowly and deliberately. Having worked long-term in law enforcement and being a bureau chief's secretary, every move he made carried an air of authority.
"Okay, I understand." The Editor-in-Chief's mind raced; given his current situation, he had no choice but to agree. He never imagined that after what happened with Liu Fangfei, they would dare to use the same tactics again—truly terrifying.
"Do you know what to do now?" Zhou Guanghai asked with a smile as he looked at the Editor-in-Chief.
The Editor-in-Chief immediately replied, "Take the online version of the newspaper offline, stop the delivery of the printed copies that haven't been sent out, and try to recall those that have already been delivered."
The Editor-in-Chief certainly wouldn't make a similar mistake again. This time, the reason for his report was entirely due to Liu Fangfei, as he sought recognition from influential figures.
However, what the Editor-in-Chief never expected was that the person prompting him to report the news was not Liu Fangfei's family but rather one of her interview subjects—Zhang Qiu—nothing more.
Seeing that the Editor-in-Chief understood, Zhou Guanghai nodded in satisfaction and said, "Then I won't disturb your work any longer."
After Zhou Guanghai finished speaking, he stood up to leave. He did not intend to handle this matter like he did with Liu Fangfei, where he simply apprehended someone. The news had just reported on a journalist being detained; there were undoubtedly many eyes in society watching this situation. It would be foolish to arrest the Editor-in-Chief again.
Zhou Guanghai had a better way to handle it. Before coming to the News Agency, he had made a special trip to the Municipal Propaganda Department. A friend there clearly informed him that this report was purely an act of the News Agency and that the leaders in the propaganda department were quite upset about such negatively impactful reporting.
After Zhou Guanghai left, the Editor-in-Chief let out a long sigh of relief. Due to his anxiety, he had broken out in a cold sweat, and his shirt was sticking to him.
Not long after Zhou Guanghai left, the Editor-in-Chief suddenly received a phone call from a leader in the group. The leader from the Municipal Propaganda Department ordered the Youth Daily to cease publication for rectification. The leader then earnestly advised the Editor-in-Chief, "There have been too many complicated issues lately; you should take a break."
After hanging up, the Editor-in-Chief slumped into his chair like a wilted eggplant. He never imagined that his intentions would not lead to a bright future but instead push him into a deep abyss of darkness.
This was also one reason why Zhou Guanghai chose not to apprehend anyone; the newspaper's rectification and the Editor-in-Chief's dismissal were enough to deter those who were eager to act.
The Editor-in-Chief had not yet given up hope. He hurriedly found the employee registry and greedily searched through each name. Soon, Liu Fangfei's elegant handwriting caught his eye.
He dialed Liu Fangfei's number.
"Hello, Editor-in-Chief, is there something you need?" Liu Fangfei was on vacation, with her parents at home keeping her company. She didn't want to deal with anything right now. However, if there was indeed a matter that required her to conduct an interview, she would agree without hesitation. Liu Fangfei had already started to think about how to please her parents.
The Editor-in-Chief replied weakly, "Liu, no, I mean Liu Journalist, you have to help me."
"Editor-in-Chief, I didn't quite catch that. What do you mean?" Liu Fangfei was confused.
The Editor-in-Chief explained, "After they took you away, I sent someone to Beilan County. Today's newspaper features an in-depth report specifically for you. But as a result, they came looking for me again."
"You were taken by them?" Liu Fangfei exclaimed in shock. Her voice startled her father, who was watching the news in the living room. Liu Father walked over and stood beside Liu Fangfei, speaking in an authoritative tone, "Put it on speaker."
Liu Fangfei looked at her father and activated the speakerphone. The Editor-in-Chief's weak voice continued, "They didn't take me, but I have been dismissed from my position. Even our News Agency has to suspend publication for reorganization."
Liu Fangfei was taken aback; she hadn't expected such a significant event to occur at the News Agency, and it was all related to her. She wanted to report but was stopped by her father; the Editor-in-Chief reported it anyway. It seemed like fate had a hand in this. However, with the Editor-in-Chief's dismissal, Liu Fangfei felt a deep sense of guilt and looked at her father for help.
Liu Father took the phone and said, "I am Liu Fangfei's father."
The Editor-in-Chief sounded like someone adrift in a vast ocean who suddenly spotted a ship in the distance; his spirits lifted as he earnestly pleaded, "Hello, I am the Editor-in-Chief of New Youth newspaper. We did our utmost to report on your daughter's situation, but it has brought heavy disaster to the News Agency. I know you are capable; could you please help me and our News Agency?"
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