Chapter 124: The Interview

Young Master Feng spoke with what seemed to be a tone of regret, yet his eyes flickered with a sharp, piercing light. Tang Shiya, standing beside him, maintained a constant smile, appearing as nothing more than a foil—a decorative prop. Even though she was radiant, her presence was entirely eclipsed by the man’s overbearing dominance and strength.

"That is the fate of women, isn't it?" Liu Jingye suddenly remarked with a sigh. "No matter how beautiful a woman is, she can never escape the destiny of being pressed by men—whether it’s being suppressed or being pinned down!"

"I don't see it that way," Chen Yuxin countered. "I believe that even a man with overwhelming power who holds the lives of others in his hands must eventually kneel between a woman's legs. No matter what they do, in the end, they still have to kneel."

"And they’ll wear out their knees while they're at it!" Liu Jingye added with a cynical sneer.

"Stop with the nonsense and record the event. I have a feeling this Mr. Tan is up to no good. The man who spoke earlier was Boss Hong of Jinzhu Real Estate—he’s a man of great influence, too. It seems they’ve locked horns." Chen Yuxin’s sharp intuition had already sniffed out a headline.

Liu Jingye shouldered his camera as if it were a grenade launcher. If it really were, he would have loved to fire a shot and be done with it; that would certainly save some trouble.

Young Master Feng clearly had no desire to waste words with the man. His demeanor was that of a supreme emperor looking down upon an ant; they were simply not on the same level.

The other man stood with his neck stiffened, wearing a sneer. In truth, Young Master Feng had clearly come to steal business, perhaps even to take the bread right out of their mouths. Calling them all together in such a high-profile manner was a blatant slap in the face. Yet, the man remained firm in his belief that with official permits in hand, Young Master Feng could do nothing to him.

Just then, a group of people hurried toward the entrance, with others clearing the path ahead. Behind them walked two middle-aged men, both possessing an extraordinary air and a steady, confident gait.

One wore glasses, while the other was slightly plump. As the plump man approached, he suddenly quickened his pace. Climbing onto the stage, he reached out his hand and said, "Mr. Tan, my apologies, I’m late."

Young Master Feng’s expression remained unchanged as he extended his hand. "Not at all, not at all. Minister Wu, I know you’re busy with official duties; your presence alone is an honor. Your arrival truly brings light to our humble gathering."

The moment this man appeared, the room erupted in a buzz of conversation. Right beside Liu Jingye, two executives whispered to each other: "Old Zhang, you can't possibly not know who that is, right?"

"How could I not? Just a short while ago, just to get an audience with him, I went to an auction and bought a Qing Dynasty snuff bottle worth..."

"Hey, there are reporters here!" the other executive warned. The man immediately shut his mouth and changed his tune: "I actually have no idea who that is."

Chen Yuxin gave a cold snort and took the initiative to introduce them to Liu Jingye: "That man is Wu Jie, the Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. The one with the glasses is Zhang Zhiliang, the Municipal Party Secretary of this city."

"Oh, so two big shots have arrived at once," Liu Jingye realized.

"Did you notice Wu Jie’s gesture earlier?" Chen Yuxin prompted. "He reached out his hand before he even got on stage. That is a very rare move for a department-level official, especially since he oversees real estate and the other party is just a developer. The fact that he was so proactive is quite intriguing!"

"It only goes to show that this developer is even more powerful than him, and he has to be the one to curry favor," Liu Jingye said coldly.

It wasn't just them; everyone present was a seasoned player and naturally noticed this small detail. Especially Boss Hong, who had been arguing with Young Master Feng earlier—he was now breaking out in a cold sweat.

"I heard this Minister Wu has already been transferred; he’s set to become a Standing Committee member in this city and is the top candidate to be the next Party Secretary. However, Secretary Zhang’s term still has two years left, so Wu Jie will likely hold a nominal position for the time being," Chen Yuxin explained.

Liu Jingye was surprised. "Oh? So they’re rivals? But isn't moving from a provincial department to the city a demotion?"

Chen Yuxin shot him a sidelong glance. "Can you use some common sense? At the provincial level, he was only a deputy department-level official, but here, the position of Party Secretary is a full department-level role. You don't even know that? Where have you been working all this time?"

"I’m from Beiyuan Village. I only know that the village secretary can boss around the village chief, and the village chief can boss around me," Liu Jingye said, playing dumb. "If you marry into our family in the future, the director of the Women’s Federation can boss you around, too."

"If we have another child, the family planning director can boss me around as well," Chen Yuxin replied sharply.

"Smart!" Liu Jingye praised.

At this moment, Secretary Zhang and Minister Wu, responding to Young Master Feng’s sincere invitation, began their brief speeches: "Everyone here is a leader in the industry. Currently, our nation’s real estate sector is flourishing. Despite occasional adjustments, the future remains bright. I hope everyone will engage in healthy competition and strictly uphold quality standards..."

The stream of official jargon made Liu Jingye drowsy, while Chen Yuxin began scouting for an opportunity to ask questions. However, this gathering was not a press conference; although reporters were allowed to attend, no Q&A session had been scheduled.

But once the two leaders finished speaking, the banquet officially began, and reporters were free to conduct interviews.

Chen Yuxin’s assignment was to interview the celebrity Tang Shiya, but she had keenly observed the undercurrents of the event—the abnormal relationship between Wu Jie and Tan Yifeng, the city map shown earlier, and Boss Hong’s remarks.

Stringing it all together, it felt like a storm was brewing. She had wanted to ask a few questions face-to-face, but unfortunately, this was social time. Young Master Feng was with Tang Shiya, and while it looked like he was escorting the two big shots, anyone with eyes could see that the two leaders were actually the ones playing the role of the entourage.

As for the others present, even those who didn't care for Young Master Feng were incredibly enthusiastic toward the officials; a bit of hypocrisy was, naturally, unavoidable.

Liu Jingye, along with other reporters, shouldered his camera and tripod, snapping away at the big figures. However, his lens remained focused mostly on the breathtakingly beautiful Tang Shiya.

Finally, after Young Master Feng finished making his rounds with drinks, he vanished quietly from the hall with the two leaders, and no one dared to ask where they had gone.

With them gone, Tang Shiya was the only host left. Yet, she seemed as though she had been heartlessly abandoned by the men. She had only ever been a prop to dress up the scene; a man focused on great ambitions would naturally not linger on a mere entertainer.

Though Tang Shiya still wore a smile, her eyes held an indescribable bitterness and helplessness.

Chen Yuxin seized the opportunity and approached her. "Hello, Miss Tang, I’m a reporter from the local television station. Could we chat for a moment?"

Tang Shiya had just picked up a glass of wine. Many men nearby were eager to take the chance to get close to the superstar, and since she was playing the role of a socialite today, she was already weary of it. As it happened, Chen Yuxin approached, and she smiled and agreed, "Certainly, let’s go over there and talk."

She pointed to a seat not far away, never once glancing at Liu Jingye.

Looking through the lens at the two women sitting opposite each other, Liu Jingye felt an inexplicable surge of excitement. Two beauties, each with her own unique charm—one elegant and noble, the other sharp and intellectual. Liu Jingye found himself thinking, "If the lights were off, would they feel the same?"

Then, Chen Yuxin began: "Miss Tang, hello. May I ask what activities you have planned for this visit to our city?"

Tang Shiya was every bit the superstar; she kept a smile on her face and handled the question skillfully. "My primary goal this time is to give back to my enthusiastic fans here. I’ll be holding two fan meetings, and I’m also promoting my new drama."

"And what about today’s event?" Chen Yuxin asked.

"Oh, this real estate project has always been endorsed by me, so attending their commercial event is only natural," Tang Shiya replied.

"By the way, Miss Tang, you arrived in the city the day before yesterday. I was at the airport that day, but there has been no news of you since then—or even yesterday. Some fans say you were sick due to the change in climate, while others say you were playing a game of mystery to build anticipation. Where exactly have you been these past two days?" Chen Yuxin asked sharply.

Tang Shiya smiled faintly, tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and gazed into the distance as if her eyes could pierce through everything. "I had heard long ago that this city has beautiful mountains and clear waters, and a very elegant environment. I simply found a quiet place to get some rest."

"And how do you feel about our city, Miss Tang?"

"It’s very beautiful. The mountains are beautiful, the water is beautiful, and most importantly, the people here are very enthusiastic and quite special."

"Special?" Chen Yuxin caught the subtext and pressed on. "Who exactly did you meet, Miss Tang? Was it a man?"

Tang Shiya admitted it generously: "It was a man. A very special man."

"Is she talking about me?" Liu Jingye thought, watching the strange, indescribable expression on Tang Shiya’s face through the lens, feeling secretly proud. "Being remembered by a superstar is quite an honor. Yuxin, my good friend, keep asking! Ask her what other impressions she has of this special man."

Liu Jingye thought she would follow up, but he underestimated Chen Yuxin. Without warning, she shifted the tone: "Miss Tang, there have been rumors that you are being kept by a wealthy tycoon as a mistress. Is there any truth to this?"

*Damn it...* Liu Jingye was shocked, nearly falling over. He gave a bitter laugh, thinking, *Girl, you don't play by the rules!*

Tang Shiya was also slightly taken aback, giving Chen Yuxin an odd look; this reporter’s train of thought was truly aggressive.

However, Tang Shiya did not lose her temper. She replied with professional poise: "Rumors are just rumors. Even if I say they aren't true, the rumors will persist, so I don't wish to respond to them. However, I would like to ask here: why do people always feel that women are the villains, the despicable ones? Even when it comes to a mistress, I believe she simply fell in love with the wrong person. Why does no one hold the man accountable? Did he hide his own situation and deceive an ignorant woman? Therefore, I think questions about mistresses should be directed at those men—to see if it’s the men who are cheap, or the women who are bad."

Tang Shiya calmly elevated the issue to a moral level, standing firmly on the side of women to defend the role of a mistress. If this got out, the rumors of her being a mistress would only sound more credible, but she didn't seem to care, successfully deflecting Chen Yuxin’s question.

Just then, a waiter carrying a tray of freshly prepared dishes passed by Liu Jingye. He had skipped his last two meals and was starving. Unable to resist, he stopped the waiter and grabbed a fried chicken leg from the tray, biting into it heartily.

Chen Yuxin and Tang Shiya both looked at him. Tang Shiya froze for a moment, her eyes darting around. She gave a faint smile, pointed at Liu Jingye, and said to Chen Yuxin, "Miss Reporter, since you are so interested in the topic of mistresses, why don't we ask this gentleman right now: would he go out and find a mistress after he gets married?"