An Eye for News Chapter 6

                Hai Dong closed his memo pad with much frustration, “With such laziness, how is our program going to fulfill its goal of bouncing our news up to the province and central stations? We’re approaching November and completion of this year’s goal is still nowhere in sight. You people are going make me lose the bonus that I need to find a wife. No woman is going to take me without a house.”

                Although Hai Dong was joking, it was undeniable that there was such a goal.

                Hai Dong’s was given orders by the County Publicity Department to at least bounce 50 of its own news to the province station and 2 news to the central station every year.

                The goal had been reached easily for the past few years because their county was near the ocean. Whenever there was a tornado, their station’s disaster relief reports would get on both province and central news.

                This was why Hai Dong always commented jokingly that the survival of their program depended on the heavens. And heavens weren’t smiling on them that year. There was not one tornado.

                As the end of year drew nearer, the station people got increasingly pressured and agitated.

                Everyone cracked up hearing Director Bai’s complaint. Huang Xi even chided him, “Director Bai, if you cut back on the beer money, you would have both a house and a wife by now.”

                Cigarettes and alcohol were Director Bai’s Achilles’ heels and those were the 2 things his subordinates usually teased him about.

                “Shut it. Quickly get to work, the earlier you finish, the earlier you can leave!”

                Director Bai scolded half-seriously. The morning meeting thus drew to a close.

                Half an hour later, the newsroom was empty again. All the reporters were out hunting their own news, only Se Cai sat in the room facing his computer.

                “This damn computer, it’s giving me a blue screen again. It’s the second time this has happened today!”

                Se Cai screamed in agony as he slammed his fingers on the keyboard.

                Most equipment in County S Tv Station was as old as the building itself. Even if they bought new equipment, they were reserved for current politics programs like .

                After all, had daily recordings and often invited important figures to their shows. It was only natural that shows like these needed a sense of grandeur that befitted its guests.

                was on the other hand, a program on society and lifestyle. Their focus and guests were the general public. Naturally, they got the hand-me-down equipment.

                Along with the show set, they were also still using old tape recorders that often got stuck.

                “Hmm… Since Zhang Xin Yu is still not here, I’m sure she doesn’t mind me borrowing her personal computer.”

                Se Cai sucked in a breath and peered into the dubbing studio that was beside him.

                The studio was Zhang Xin Yu’s domain, it was her office. Since she usually stayed at the station until 7 or 8 pm to record her voice over, she would come in late every morning at 10.

                The computer inside the dubbing studio was built for recording and not typing work so it was much faster.

                It would finish rendering a 3 minute newsreel in 20 seconds while Se Cai’s old computer would take 5 to 6 minutes. It was the best computer in the whole Tv Station.

                A piece of device so impressive was understandably guarded. The directors wouldn’t even let the reporters get close to it, fearful that it would be ‘tainted’.

                “I’m sure no one would mind me using it for a while… No one will be hurt by things that they didn’t know.”

                Se Cai convinced himself as he tip-toed into the studio.

                For its purpose, the room was heavily padded. Once Se Cai was in the room, the noise of the outside world immediately fell away.

                County S Tv Station that was famously stingy wasted no resource to build this dubbing and broadcast study to keep Zhang Xin Yu. The studio was draped with the best sound-proofing material. It was so quiet that it freaked Se Cai out. He wondered how the woman could survive in the room for so long day in and day out.

Then, he remembered he was on a mission. He planted himself firmly on the leather cushion and switched on the expensive device.

      “Let’s get this over with quick and get out of here… Hmm, what’s this?”

      Se Cai could feel something sharp poking his lower back. He sprang up from the seat and realized he was sitting on a paper bag. The bag had the logo of a famous cosmetic shop.

      “This should be Zhang Xin Yu’s. Crap! I hope I didn’t break anything inside…”

　　      Se Cai laughed without mirth. His butt had completely dented the bag.

                Se Cai opened the bag to inspect the damage he had done. To his surprise, the bag not only contained some make-up kits but it also contained a beige-colored suit!

                “F*ck, I’ve crushed her powder pad!”

                Se Cai was dumbfounded to see powder from the broken pad spilling on to the suit.

                Then, he remembered Director Bai telling him Zhang Xin Yu had that suit tailored made because she believed the color beige made her looked more photogenic.

                The suit was custom-made and she only had one. She refused to go on set without it.

                 “What now?!”

                Se Cai broke out in cold sweat. He laid the suit down on the table and patted the powdered spot repeatedly. The powder started to fall off until there was only a hint of color difference left. No one would notice until they paid special attention.

                “Thank God it wasn’t something like a lipstick or blush.”

                Se Cai sighed in relief as he pulled the suit upright to inspect it once more. Suddenly, a pink object fell to the floor with a tap.

                “What’s that?”

                Se Cai followed the sound and spotted a pink-colored bra, most likely snuck into the suit by Zhang Xin Yu after finishing a day of work.

                Se Cai started to blush in spite of himself.

                He was mortified to know Zhang Xin Yu was modern enough to do things like leave her bra behind at the office!

                “This is so wrong…”

                Silencing his wayward thoughts, Se Cai bowed down to pick up the bra to stuff it back into the bag.

                However, he couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the article of clothing. The bra had polka dots and lace fringes. It even had a cute bow at the front. The thing was excessively cute and it ran opposite to the cold front that Zhang Xin Yu normally portrayed!

Chapter end