Chapter 100: The Interview Guest
Six years later.
--?--
"Ruan Yu? Ruan Yu?"
The groom stood beside Ruan Yu, lowering his voice as he called her name twice.
Ruan Yu still hadn’t snapped out of it. She stood beneath a floral wall adorned with pink tulle and white magnolias, staring blankly at the wide-open doors of the banquet hall.
The guests hesitated, turning their heads to follow her gaze toward the entrance—but the doorway was empty, save for a check-in table. There was nothing there.
"Ruan Yu?" the groom called again.
Ruan Yu seemed not to hear. Suddenly, she lifted the hem of her dress, jumped off the stage, and sprinted down the flower-lined aisle toward the entrance as if possessed. She was wearing a red dress today—a deep, rich red, like the rouge used by women in ancient times to powder their cheeks. It complemented her complexion, subtle yet fitting for the occasion.
The guests erupted in murmurs.
The wedding was nearing its end—why had the host suddenly run off?
By the time Ruan Yu reached the entrance, her assistant, Xiu Xiu, intercepted her.
"Ruan-jie, what’s wrong?"
Xiu Xiu’s hands were cold. When her fingers touched Ruan Yu’s bare arm, Ruan Yu shuddered and abruptly snapped back to reality.
"Ruan-jie, are you okay?" Xiu Xiu stared at Ruan Yu’s reddened eyes.
Ruan Yu shook her head, giving Xiu Xiu a reassuring look before forcing a smile and turning back, swaying her skirt as she did.
"My apologies, everyone. Please forgive a single woman’s momentary lapse after being force-fed so much sweetness today," she said into the microphone, trying to smooth things over naturally. "I don’t know how you all are feeling, but I’m about to be moved to tears—so I wanted to put some distance between myself and the final act. Yes! Now! The groom may kiss the bride to his heart’s content!"
The crowd burst into laughter and applause.
No one paid much attention to Ruan Yu’s earlier odd behavior or her awkward attempt to cover it up. On such a joyous occasion, these trivial details didn’t matter.
On stage, the groom lifted the bride’s veil, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her deeply…
Ruan Yu turned her head away, gazing down the bright, spacious aisle, feeling a faint trace of sorrow amid the sweetness.
After the ceremony came the evening banquet.
During the short break in between, Tian Cheng dragged Ruan Yu into the lounge for a stern "lecture."
"Ruan, the great host," he said, "you’ve held down live broadcasts on TG TV—some of the most demanding gigs out there—for a whole year without a single slip-up. So why does my wedding have to be the exception? Do you think my journey to marriage hasn’t been rocky enough? Are you deliberately trying to sabotage it?"
Yes, today’s groom was none other than Professor Tian Cheng.
At thirty-eight, Tian Cheng was a prime example of a late marriage. His family had spent years pressuring him, to the point where he nearly renounced worldly desires out of sheer frustration. Fortunately, at last year’s campus mixer, he met the bride—also a teacher, and a year older than him. The two fell head over heels, swiftly obtained their marriage certificate, and didn’t waste a single moment.
When planning the wedding, Tian Cheng had immediately suggested Ruan Yu as the host. She agreed without hesitation. Though Ruan Yu was now at the peak of her career, with a packed schedule, nothing mattered more to her than repaying past kindness. She had never forgotten how Professor Tian Cheng had cared for and supported her during her most difficult years in college.
A person must never forget their roots—nor fail to show gratitude.
"My bad, my bad. I just zoned out for a second.""Distracted? That wasn't just distraction. I think you were completely spellbound. Tell me, what exactly did you see just now?"
Ruan Yu pressed her lips together.
Her mind flashed back to the figure outside the banquet hall—black suit, snow-white shirt, tall and striking, more composed than she remembered, yet also colder.
"It... might have been Teng Yi."
--?--
Tian Cheng loosened the tie around his neck. It had been suffocating him all day, but he had endured it—after all, it was his wedding, and the groom couldn’t afford to look sloppy. But now, hearing Ruan Yu’s words, he couldn’t hold back anymore.
"Teng Yi?"
It had been so long since he’d mentioned that name that it felt unfamiliar on his tongue, yet the emotions it stirred were all too familiar.
"Yeah."
"Wasn’t he abroad? Did he come back?"
Ruan Yu shook her head.
She didn’t know.
All these years, she had heard nothing about Teng Yi. Beyond knowing he had gone to Los Angeles initially, she had no idea where he had gone afterward—no one did.
Teng Yi had cut off all contact, completely and utterly. If not for the scattered memories that lingered over the years, she might have doubted whether he had ever truly existed in her life.
"You must have seen wrong. How could someone who’s been missing for six years suddenly show up here—"
"Brother." Tian Cheng’s cousin walked in, interrupting him. "Brother, come quick—someone just delivered this."
Ruan Yu and Tian Cheng turned at the same time to see his cousin holding a square red gift box, its lid tied with a ribbon, still unopened.
"What is it?" Tian Cheng asked as he untied the ribbon.
The moment the box opened, the fragrance of lilies greeted them.
Pure white flowers, carrying the sender’s blessing for a "hundred years of happiness."
Beneath the flowers lay a pair of Breguet couple watches and an unusually thick red envelope.
"Wow! Breguet!" Tian Cheng’s cousin excitedly picked up the watch case and carefully opened it.
Nestled with the couple watches were a pair of cufflinks and a matching pendant, all in rose gold, exquisitely detailed and elegant, embodying the brand’s signature nobility—just like the men’s watch Teng Yi had once worn.
"Such an extravagant gift?" Tian Cheng frowned. "Who sent it?"
"It’s him!" Ruan Yu’s gaze fixed unwaveringly on the watches, her voice strangely certain. "It’s him!"
"Who?"
Ruan Yu didn’t answer. Instead, she grabbed Tian Cheng’s cousin’s arm, her voice frantic. "Did you see the person? Was he wearing a black suit?"
The cousin was startled by Ruan Yu’s intensity and nodded blankly.
"Where is he? Is he still outside?"
"He just left."
"Left?"
Ruan Yu instinctively turned to chase after him, but Tian Cheng grabbed her arm.
"Where are you going?"
"It’s Teng Yi! I wasn’t wrong! Teng Yi is back! I have to find him!"
"But there’s still the evening banquet! If you leave, who’s going to host it?"
"I’ll get someone to cover!" She unlocked her phone with trembling fingers, scrolling through her contacts for her assistant’s number. "I’ll arrange a replacement right away!"
"Ruan Yu!" Tian Cheng snatched her phone away. "How can you be so sure it’s Teng Yi? There are plenty of men in black suits in this hotel...""Wait! Wait!" Tian Cheng's cousin raised her hand. "Hold on! Let me interrupt—it wasn't a man in a black suit, it was a woman."
"A woman?"
"Yes, these things were delivered by a woman wearing a black suit, with an exceptionally refined demeanor. I even wondered if she had the wrong address, since there's also a wedding happening in the banquet hall upstairs. I’ll double-check later."
Ruan Yu felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her head. The intense sensation she had felt moments ago withered away in an instant.
"Ruan Ruan." Tian Cheng patted her shoulder, concerned. "Are you okay?"
Ruan Yu pressed her fingers to her temples and lowered her head slightly. "I'm fine."
"You've worked hard today. You must be exhausted, and seeing all this probably stirred up old memories, making you imagine things."
Ruan Yu forced a faint smile.
Yes, for the past six years, day and night, the "him" she saw when she closed her eyes was nothing more than an illusion.
She had grown accustomed to it—remembering, only to be disappointed again and again.
After the evening banquet, Ruan Yu bid farewell to Tian Cheng and his wife and returned to her residence.
She now lived in Duo Garden, a small row house she had rented. Having moved in just half a month ago, she hadn’t yet settled in—sometimes even walking into the wrong room in a hurry.
After showering, Ruan Yu lay in bed, staring quietly at the ceiling light.
She wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, yet the shadow of that black figure lingered in her mind, unsettling her thoughts.
Her phone on the nightstand vibrated—a message from her assistant, Xiu Xiu, with tomorrow’s schedule. Ruan Yu skimmed it, noting it was much the same as usual, and didn’t bother reading further. She then took two melatonin pills and turned off the light to sleep.
The night was restless, filled with one chaotic dream after another, but the one person who should have appeared in them was conspicuously absent.
The next morning, Ruan Yu got up early to wash up and head to work.
The headquarters of TG Broadcasting Group was located in Liaocheng’s Ludong District, about a fifteen-minute drive from where Ruan Yu lived. As TG’s lead host, aside from major galas, she hosted two regular programs and a literary travel show centered on poetry. The show’s theme was exploring famous landscapes hidden within classical poems, so each episode required on-location filming, which was exhausting. Fortunately, it aired weekly, allowing some flexibility and time to recharge.
When Ruan Yu entered the office, she saw Xiu Xiu slumped in her chair, arm raised, staring at her watch with a look of utter despair.
"What are you doing?" Ruan Yu asked.
Hearing her voice, Xiu Xiu sprang up. "Ruan-jie, you’re finally here!"
"What? Am I late?"
"No, you’re not late, but the deputy director is looking for you! He’s been waiting for ten minutes already!"
"This early?"
"Yeah! Did you check the schedule I sent you yesterday? I specifically highlighted that the deputy director wanted to see you this morning—just in case you missed it."
"Sorry. I was too tired last night and didn’t read it carefully."
"No worries, but you’d better hurry. It seems urgent, and if you delay, the deputy director will blow up again."
"Got it."
Ruan Yu quickly dropped her bag in the office, grabbed her notebook, and jogged to the deputy director’s office.
TG’s deputy director, Huang Ge, was mediocre in professional skills but notorious for his temper. Nicknamed "Bomb Huang," he had a short fuse—once ignited, everything would go up in flames.Ruan Yu had just reached the door of the deputy director's office when she heard a voice inside—half-coaxing, half-complaining.
"What 'TG's top hostess'? More like TG's top bully! Always eyeing others' plates while eating from her own. As a senior, she has no grace at all, just snatching resources from juniors! This program was clearly promised to me! And you didn’t even speak up for me, just watched as others bullied me!" The speaker was Shan Anxin.
Shan Anxin was a newcomer who had joined the station last year, the niece of Deputy Director Huang Ge. Unlike Ruan Yu, who had started with menial tasks, Shan Anxin was given her own show right after joining TG—a program focusing on modern psychological issues, blending entertainment with practicality. It had limitless potential, but Shan Anxin's self-centered personality made her utterly unfit for such a humanistic show. Whenever a guest shed tears on camera, she would panic, unable to empathize, comfort, or even maintain the atmosphere, often leaving the set unbearably awkward. Within a week of airing, the show was axed amid a storm of criticism.
Later, when the station planned another program, Shan Anxin was initially set as the host. But after just one episode, the production team demanded a replacement. Spoiled since childhood, Shan Anxin whined about every outdoor shoot—too hot, too dry—with the entire crew scrambling to cater to her whims, leaving no room for actual progress. In the end, Ruan Yu was pulled in to salvage the situation.
What was meant as a favor, however, Shan Anxin took as Ruan Yu stealing her show and resources. From then on, she held a grudge, superficially addressing Ruan Yu as "Sister Ruan" while badmouthing her behind her back, accusing her of suppressing juniors.
Ruan Yu didn’t care. Her colleagues knew her character—no amount of slander from Shan Anxin would sway them, only making Shan Anxin herself appear petty and ridiculous.
Knock, knock, knock. Ruan Yu raised her hand and rapped on the door.
The complaints inside ceased.
"Come in," Huang Ge called.
Ruan Yu pushed the door open and entered.
"Sorry for being late, Deputy Director," she apologized first.
Uncharacteristically, Huang Ge didn’t scold her. He waved her over, gesturing for her to sit on the sofa.
Shan Anxin glanced at Ruan Yu, her eyes red as if she’d suffered some grave injustice. She couldn’t even feign politeness now, standing up abruptly and brushing past Ruan Yu’s arm on her way out.
"What a rotten temper!" Huang Ge glared at Shan Anxin’s slender retreating figure.
"It’s fine, no big deal." Ruan Yu smiled magnanimously and took a seat. "Deputy Director, what did you need to see me about so early?"
"There’s something I need your help with again." Huang Ge picked up a stack of documents from his desk and walked over. "You’ve heard about Ying Wen’s situation, right?"
Ruan Yu nodded.Ying Wen was another female host at the station. A few days ago, she collapsed from exhaustion during a live broadcast and was rushed to the hospital. It was only after the examination that they discovered she had suffered a miscarriage while pregnant. Ying Wen's husband was furious that she had concealed her pregnancy for work, and the two nearly filed for divorce right there in the hospital... This society is so cruel to career women—moving forward risks losing their jobs, stepping back risks losing their families, with cliffs on both sides. After the miscarriage, Ying Wen had wanted to push through and return to recording the show, but her family stopped her. Now, her family had requested two weeks of sick leave on her behalf, and her interview program had been forced to halt production.
"Ruan Yu, the station has decided to have you temporarily replace Ying Wen as host," Huang Ge said.
"Me?" Ruan Yu was puzzled. "Didn't they announce the day before yesterday that An Xin would be taking over for Sister Ying Wen?"
"That was the original arrangement, but there’s been a change."
"What change?"
"The next guest specifically requested you as the host."
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