Volume 1, Chapter 22: Confiding from the Heart

"Dr. Wang, you're back so soon?" Susan asked, startled.

She tilted her head toward Jiang Ming and mouthed silently, "Didn't you say he had a huge appetite?"

Jiang Ming coughed lightly and said indifferently, "He likes to bring his meals back to eat."

Susan turned to face Wang Ran, her face full of smiles. "I wouldn't dare question you, Dr. Wang! But 'Liniment Sun's' medicinal oil is said to be truly miraculous. He's also from Jiangzhou, but he has a very eccentric temper."

"Mhm, I've heard as much—and 'eccentric' doesn't even begin to cover it. I know this oil is top-tier stuff, but it's not just expensive; you can't buy it with money alone. Apparently, the man only agrees to sell it if he's presented with his favorite high-end white tea. Isn't that bizarre?"

"Oh..." Susan nodded, lost in thought.

"Are you not leaving yet, Reporter Su? I need to give Jiang Ming his shockwave therapy. If you're here, I'm afraid he won't be able to scream to his heart's content..." Wang Ran teased, ignoring Jiang Ming's helpless, cold glare. After all, most athletes in his care ended up howling in pain sooner or later.

"Right, you two carry on. I'll make myself scarce..."

Susan slipped away, moving so quietly it was as if she had never been there at all. However, her departing silhouette was caught by a pair of sinister eyes lurking around the corner.

Lin Tingyuan had remained uneasy. After parting ways with Yan Lai, he had circled back. If he hadn't bumped into Wang Ran returning, he might have charged in for a direct confrontation.

"Susan? A sports reporter? Was that the woman from that night? Jiang Ming... what role are you playing in all this?" Lin Tingyuan pondered to himself.

Although the incident that night hadn't escalated, it remained a festering concern. He felt he needed to carefully review everything.

...

In the afternoon, there was strength training; in the evening, aerobic exercises. A day in the sports team was never idle. As Susan became more accustomed to the environment, she began conducting interviews independently, and Jiang Ming focused more intently on his training.

In this way, everyone coexisted peacefully, though the intensity of the work was significant.

It was nearly midnight when Susan finally dragged her exhausted body home. As soon as she entered, she collapsed onto the sofa.

Suddenly, Xiao Rui burst out of the bedroom and pulled her into a sitting position. "Susan, you're finally back! Tell me, how was your day?"

Susan was taken aback. It wasn't unusual for Xiao Rui to stay over, but at that moment, her eyelids were heavy. As she quickly retraced the day, she felt a wave of dizziness, and her face flushed and paled in turns. She simply flopped back down and closed her eyes, playing dead.

"Rui, I'm exhausted. That day felt like a year."

Xiao Rui watched Susan's awkward demeanor and knew something was up. It wasn't that she didn't feel for her friend; she just didn't want her to bottle up her fatigue. Releasing the day's stress immediately was the best way to relax.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy. I even stood up my boyfriend tonight just to sleep over with you. Come on, spill!"

With that, Xiao Rui hauled Susan up and shoved her into the bathtub. As they soaked, Susan gave her report—a vivid, dramatic retelling of the day.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Jiang Ming, oh Jiang Ming, you’ve really impressed me! He’s like your fated Mr. Right, always showing up exactly when you need him. It’s like a scene straight out of a CEO romance novel."

After hearing Susan's account, Xiao Rui’s eyes filled with dreamy, pink bubbles. She loved these "stoic versus soft-hearted" intellectual romances. She even overlooked the crucial parts of Susan's story: Lin Tingyuan's suspicion toward her and his potential connection to the Su Group.

"Please, Jiang Ming isn't the point!" Susan emerged from the water, but before she could steady herself, Xiao Rui pushed her back down.

"Nonsense, handsome men are always the core, especially those who keep coming to your rescue."

"Hey, what I'm trying to say is that Lin Tingyuan might be linked to the Su Group."

Susan tried to climb out again, agitated, but Xiao Rui pressed her back down.

"Lin Tingyuan is a scumbag; he's not important. His true colors will be revealed sooner or later. Right now, your happiness is what matters!"

Susan knew that if she didn't reveal something about her feelings, Xiao Rui, currently blinded by her romantic obsession, wouldn't let her go. She raised her hands in surrender.

"I admit, Jiang Ming fits my aesthetic perfectly, and he has helped me multiple times. There have been moments where I’ve blushed or my heart has raced for no reason. But he is a flower on a high cliff, and he carries the heavy burden of the upcoming World Swimming Championships—he’s for looking at, not for touching. And I can't afford to get distracted; I have the dual pressure of reporting and investigation. Even if there were some spark between us, it wouldn't ignite right now. Is that answer satisfactory?"

Xiao Rui squinted, nodding slowly. While Xiao Rui was deep in thought, Susan scrambled out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel to escape. Any longer and her skin would turn to mush.

By the time Xiao Rui snapped back to reality, Susan was already far away, hurriedly drying off, putting on pajamas, and leaning against the headboard to open her laptop.

"Why are you running so fast?" Xiao Rui grumbled, tossing a quick-dry hair towel onto Susan's head.

"I'm racing against time to finish my draft. I'm not here on vacation or to chase men; the editor-in-chief is waiting for my report. You need to look into Lin Tingyuan's background more closely; the Su Group might be a lead," Susan said, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

"What, are you worried he'll become your brother-in-law? If that really happens, I'll wish that pair of scoundrels a lifetime of misery. A match made in hell, isn't that a lovely story?"

Even though Susan was the one with the sharp pen, in daily life, Xiao Rui was the true master of insults.

Susan frowned slightly. She didn't have a good relationship with her stepsister, but deep down, she didn't want a scandal to rock her family. She said with a sullen face, "Don't curse my family. Even if the 'true mistress' is from the group, it might not be her. There are plenty of female executives at the Su Group."

"Fine, fine. I know you're the purest, kindest, and most soft-hearted person. Even if you don't keep in touch with home, you still genuinely want the family to do well. Sigh, no wonder your dad was hoodwinked by your vixen of a stepmother for so many years but still refuses to budge on the inheritance—he still wants to leave it to you."

"I'm not interested."

Susan's expression darkened, and she had no heart left to discuss family matters. Seeing her lack of interest and her continued work, Xiao Rui didn't want to disturb her further and crawled into bed first.

"I'll start looking into Lin Tingyuan and the Su Group tomorrow... Susan, get some rest soon... I'm going to sleep first!"

"Right! Oh, and Rui, please help me find a box of Baihao Yinzhen tea as soon as you can. The older, the better."

"Why? Giving up your corporate-slave coffee for tea? And such high-end stuff, at that?" Xiao Rui asked, confused, forcing her heavy eyelids open.

"I don't have that kind of leisure. I need it to buy medicine from 'Liniment Sun'," Susan said, adjusting her blue-light glasses and staring at the screen.

"Medicine? Are you hurt? Where?" Xiao Rui sat up abruptly, grabbing Susan's shoulders and pulling at her, trying to inspect her.

"It's not me. It's Jiang Ming."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Rui froze for three seconds. She squinted, staring at Susan until she felt goosebumps.

"Something's wrong. Very wrong. When did this all start?"

"What start?"

"When you started falling so deep! Giving gifts of tea! Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"It's repaying a favor."

Susan averted her eyes. Though she spoke the truth, she felt a bit guilty.

"Then why is his jacket still hanging in the most prominent spot in your room, and you haven't returned it yet?"

"I haven't had the right opportunity."

"Stubborn. Not telling the truth, are you? Fine, go get the tea yourself. Your dad has plenty. When it comes to food and drink, no one in Jiangzhou can source the top-tier stuff like your family."

As a best friend, she knew exactly how to push her buttons.