Ruan Yu had thought that news of Yun Shen’s engagement would cause Teng Hao to fall into depression for a while, but fortunately, he didn’t show any signs of it. He still came to work on time every day, chatting and laughing with everyone. Apart from that one drunken night, he never lost his composure again. Perhaps this is what growing up means – not that one’s ability to endure pain has increased, but that one has learned to conceal wounds with casual indifference.
After two days of consideration, Ruan Yu decided to resign.
When she joined TG, she had signed a five-year contract with them. Though there was still more than a year left until the contract expired, she didn’t want to stay at TG anymore. It wasn’t because she was too sensitive to endure minor grievances, nor was it to prove anything to anyone. She simply felt that this incident hadn’t been resolved perfectly despite her concessions.
Afterward, Ying Wen was very dissatisfied with Shan An Xin’s betrayal, while Shan An Xin went around crying that Ying Wen had corrupted her. The two became mortal enemies, reaching a point where they could hardly coexist. If this continued, their overt and covert fighting would only intensify. As one of the parties involved in this incident, Ruan Yu could neither get along harmoniously with them nor stay uninvolved.
If she continued to stay at TG, she would inevitably be dragged into their conflicts again and again. When that happened, the Deputy Station Director would only side with his people, while the Station Director would only try to save face and smooth things over. Wouldn’t that drive her crazy?
After Ruan Yu submitted her resignation, the Station Director tried repeatedly to persuade her to stay.
“Xiao Ruan, if you feel I didn’t handle the previous matter well, you can bring it up. We can discuss everything. How can you just resign like this?”
“What’s past is past. I have my reasons for resigning, and it’s not entirely because of that incident.”
“What are your considerations? Tell me.”
“…”
“Speak boldly!” the Station Director encouraged.
“Then I’ll say it. I believe that no matter what industry a person works in, professional capability should always come first. As a host and a public figure, one should especially cherish their reputation. Although I’ve been in this industry for several years, I still have much to learn. I don’t want to spend my days getting caught up in these schemes and gossip, which not only tarnishes my reputation but also wastes my time.”
When a train derails and hits a child, and the child survives, they will surely have some realizations.
Like not playing in dangerous places anymore, or not playing with dangerous people anymore.
If even children can understand this principle, she should certainly understand it better.
“Xiao Ruan, you’ll face competition wherever you go.”
“I’m not afraid of healthy competition. Healthy competition promotes growth.”
The Station Director remained silent for a long while. After some thought, he smiled at Ruan Yu.
“It seems TG really can’t keep you. During your time here, you’ve contributed a lot to TG. I wish you better development in the future. TG will always be your home, come back to visit sometimes.”
“Thank you, Director.”
As Ruan Yu left the Station Director’s office, she ran into Ying Wen.
After the incident came to light, Ying Wen sent Ruan Yu an apologetic message, but Ruan Yu didn’t know how to respond and didn’t reply. Running into each other now, both felt awkward.
“Xiao Ruan, I heard you’re resigning?”
Ruan Yu nodded.
“About what happened before, I’m very sorry, I…” Ying Wen sighed, “After losing my child and family, I felt very insecure… I’m sorry. You know, all these years, you’ve been the person I admired most.”
But that admiration both made and broke things.
After Ying Wen returned to TG following her miscarriage, she found everyone praising Ruan Yu’s hosting abilities, everyone thinking Ruan Yu was better than her. She became jealous and afraid. Combined with Shan An Xin’s repeated instigation, she developed the misconception that if she didn’t do something, Ruan Yu would overshadow her. That’s why she resorted to such an underhanded method of hurting someone behind their back. What’s scary was that this incident forced someone as typically kind as Ruan Yu to leave TG, leaving Ying Wen surrounded only by malicious people. In the future, she would have to use underhanded methods to counter underhanded methods. Just thinking about such a life felt oppressive and uncomfortable.
Karma, it was all karma.
“Sister Ying Wen, regardless of everything, I’m still very grateful for your care and support back then. About this incident, I don’t blame you, but from now on, I don’t owe you anything either. We’re all in the same industry, we’ll meet again in the future. I hope next time we meet, we can both be more upright and honest.”
–_–
Although Ruan Yu had submitted her resignation, she still needed to handle the handover and wrap up her current work.
The station planned to hand “TG News Live” over to Ying Wen and return the second season of “Poetry and Distance” to Shan An Xin. To give viewers a transition, the Deputy Station Director proposed having Ruan Yu and Shan An Xin co-host the final episode of “Poetry and Distance” season one.
Ruan Yu had no choice but to travel with the program team and Shan An Xin to Xian City to record the show.
Xian City was a city of mountains and waters. To capture good scenery, the “Poetry and Distance” program team all stayed in the mountains. In late spring and early summer, the mountains were full of insects.
On her first day there, Ruan Yu’s legs were covered in mosquito bites. For the sake of work and maintaining final appearances, she could endure and make do, but Shan An Xin’s delicate constitution couldn’t bear it at all.
She threw tantrums and cried, demanding to change accommodation, almost driving the program team staff to exhaustion.
The director of “Poetry and Distance” was so angry he couldn’t even eat his dinner.
He told Ruan Yu: “Xiao Ruan, you’re fine, you can just leave, but how am I supposed to get by in the future? The Deputy Station Director is killing me. This troublesome person I tried so hard to get rid of, he’s sent right back to me. Ah, I think ‘Poetry and Distance’ should just end after one season!”
Hearing the director’s complaints, Ruan Yu felt somewhat guilty.
That night when chatting with Teng Yi, she mentioned this matter. She was just venting casually, but unexpectedly, Teng Yi came to Xian City the next day.
He was dressed impeccably, and as soon as he got out of his car, he caught the attention of all the young women in the program team, though his poor Mercedes was covered in mud from the journey.
“Isn’t that Mr. Teng?” Assistant Xiu Xiu winked at Ruan Yu.
Ruan Yu turned around to see Teng Yi shaking hands with the program director.
He must have said something that made the director beam with joy, and they walked together to the car’s trunk. The spacious trunk of the Mercedes was filled with food, drinks, and boxes of mosquito repellent, cooling oil, and universal cooling balm.
At this, the entire program team excitedly gathered around the Mercedes.
Ruan Yu stood watching in amazement as Teng Yi, standing among the crowd, turned back to flash her a smile.
Her heart instantly felt like it was coated in honey, sweetness spreading through it.
Beside her, Shan An Xin was burning with envy.
“Oh, now I see why Sister Ruan could bear to give up her cushy job at TG Station. Turns out she’s found herself a rich handsome guy,” she said sourly.
“An Xin, you think too highly of me. But speaking of which, even if I had found myself a rich handsome guy, when it’s time to work, I absolutely wouldn’t slack off. I would work hard and not create trouble for others.”