Chapter 13

"Ruochu and I are supposed to follow a lead in the afternoon. There are many others who have more time on their hands, so why can't you assign them to this instead?" Song Anyi piped up, her eyes flashing with anger. "I've already assigned them to other duties. As for the news that both of you were supposed to be covering, I only need one of you to see this through. The engagement of the young master of the Ji Group to Gu Ruoruo is where all the action is right now, and this is the news that will attract the most views. We have to seize this opportunity no matter what," Lu Xiaolin said haughtily with her arms crossed. "Let me go instead!" Song Anyi volunteered. "Song Anyi, what do you mean by that? Do you have a problem with this arrangement?" Lu Xiaolin said sharply when she saw how stubborn Song Anyi was being. Song Anyi's expression darkened and she was about to make a sharp retort when Tang Ruochu, who had remained silent during the exchange, suddenly said, "Fine, I'll go!" "Ruochu!" Song Anyi exclaimed as she looked at Tang Ruochu in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind?" "I'll be fine, Anyi. It's just an interview, right? I can do this," Tang Ruochu said with a smile, but her eyes were cold as she looked at Lu Xiaolin. She knew that Lu Xiaolin was on very good terms with Gu Ruoruo and that they had enjoyed a close friendship for many years. Lu Xiaolin had bullied Tang Ruochu relentlessly at work over the past two years and Tang Ruochu wouldn't be where she was today if it hadn't been for her own hard work. She didn't expect Lu Xiaolin to be involved in Gu Ruoruo's plot as well. She was sure that Gu Ruoruo had definitely instigated Lu Xiaolin to make things difficult for her. "Hmph, at least you're talking sense." Lu Xiaolin smiled smugly after Tang Ruochu agreed to take on the assignment. Then, she walked away without a second glance, wearing a victory smile on her face. "That bitch! This was definitely a deliberate move on her part!" Song Anyi was so angry that she longed to tear Lu Xiaolin apart. "Forget it, Anyi," Tang Ruochu quickly said softly. Lu Xiaolin had always acted brazenly because of her high rank in the office. "But... are you really going to go? She's clearly up to no good. I'm afraid that they will try to humiliate you if you go!" Song Anyi said worriedly. Tang Ruochu agreed with her assessment. However, since Lu Xiaolin had asked to go on the pretext of work, she couldn't turn her down. "Don't worry, I'll be able to handle it," she said. Tang Ruochu made her way to the hotel where Ji Yinfeng and Gu Ruoruo were holding their engagement party that night. She called Lu Shijin before she set off and let him know where she was going to be headed. She arrived at the venue at 8 p.m. The Ji family had extended invitations to approximately eight news stations to cover this event. The ballroom looked very grand and splendid, and the fashionable and well-heeled guests milled around the hall. The guests all belonged to high society, so there were many people from wealthy families and with powerful political backgrounds. The event was very grand indeed. Tang Ruochu took in this scene with a conflicted look in her eyes and scoffed derisively to herself when she saw the large wedding poster. Everything had changed in a matter of days. This was supposed to be her wedding day but it was now Gu Ruoruo's engagement party. Tang Ruochu felt extremely humiliated! "Remember this, Tang Ruochu, you're here on business. Don't create any trouble for me here," Lu Xiaolin warned her as she walked up to Tang Ruochu in her low-cut gown. She was afraid that Tang Ruochu would cause a scene. "Don't worry, I will do my job well, and I can guarantee that the photographs that accompany the headlines tomorrow will be so beautiful that none of our competitors will be able to match it," Tang Ruochu said calmly, sounding very cheerful. Lu Xiaolin looked at her in confusion and tried to look for traces of anguish on her face. To her disappointment, she wasn't able to find any traces of disappointment on Tang Ruochu's face. "Hmph, that better be the case," Lu Xiaolin said before she flounced off. Tang Ruochu's face immediately darkened and she scoffed to herself after Lu Xiaolin walked away. Lu Xiaolin had dropped such obvious hints, so did she really think that she could deceive her? Were they waiting for her to make a fool out of herself? They'd have to go through her first! She looked away and chose a spot that wasn't very close to the stage but was well-placed in the middle, then started to take photographs. She caught sight of Ji Yinfeng's parents, Tang Song, and Zhao Xiaowan as they welcomed the guests warmly. Everyone had forgotten about her! Tang Ruochu clenched her jaw and tried her best to tamp down her anger. The emcee walked up to the stage, addressed the crowd, and announced that the event had officially begun. "Now, let's put our hands together to welcome the stars of the night, Mr. Ji Yinfeng and Miss Gu Ruoruo..." the emcee said excitedly. The guests rose to their feet and clapped loudly as Gu Ruoruo and Ji Yinfeng finally entered the ballroom with the emcee's exciting announcement. Gu Ruoruo was dressed in a white gown with a low-cut, deep-v neckline and her skirt was full of embroidery and studded with sparkly crystals. She looked even more beautiful after her face was powdered. She even seemed almost like a wealthy socialite who mingled among high society. Ji Yinfeng looked extremely handsome. His white suit, chiseled features and his gentlemanly air added to his charm. He looked just like a noble young master. Gu Ruoruo's arm was linked through his as they made their grand entrance. They looked exactly like a match made in heaven. Tang Ruochu took a deep breath. She forced herself to calm down by telling herself that they were nothing but a wretched couple who weren't worth her time at all. Despite that, she still couldn't help feeling upset when she saw Ji Yinfeng look tenderly at Gu Ruoruo. He was acting like he was completely in love with her! His acting was so good that he could have won an award for it.