Chapter 138 - 138: Meeting the Reporter Again
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
MO Shu subconsciously glanced at Xia Xin, who was still standing there, lost in thought. She didn’t seem to pay attention to what the director was saying.
Although the earlier moment was just part of the act, Xia Xin’s instinctive avoidance stung MO Shu. He knew she was avoiding him.
Xia Xin was awash with conflicting emotions. As an actress, she knew she shouldn’t harbor such feelings of repulsion, but she felt deceived and even a little angry. They had agreed MO Shu wouldn’t actually kiss her.
That evening, after returning to her hotel room, Xia Xin received another message from the reporter.
Reporter: [Miss Xia, I wonder if you have some time to meet.]
Xia Xin was taken aback. She hadn’t expected the reporter to seek her out after failing to get money from Jing Mo.
Besides, Xia Xin was even more intrigued by Jing Mo’s mysterious influence. She wondered, ‘How could he make a reporter back down so easily after gaining leverage over him?’
Before Xia Xin could reply, the reporter sent her another message.
Reporter: [Besides the compromising photos, I believe you’d be quite interested in Jing MO as a person.]
Even without that additional line, Xia Xin was already planning to meet the reporter. She wanted to resolve the issue her own way, rather than bothering ling Mo.
The reporter seemed rather anxious. Upon receiving Xia Xin’s agreed reply, he immediately responded, [I’ll be waiting for you at the pub in the center of the hotel’s commercial street. If you don’t show up within half an hour, I will reveal everything I know.]
Xia Xin raised an eyebrow. She thought, ‘How dare he threaten me? He’s asking for trouble.
Disguised with a baseball cap and a mask, Xia Xin threw on a jacket and hurried out the door.
It was already past 10 p.m., but the bar district was still bustling. The small pub was almost packed, but Xia Xin quickly spotted the reporter in his gray windbreaker, sitting by the window. She took a seat across from him.
The reporter said, “I didn’t expect you to be so punctual, Miss Xia.”
The reporter didn’t seem as relaxed as when he met Jing Mo; he looked visibly tense. The apparent nervousness intrigued Xia Xin.
“I see you’re sweating, ” Xia Xin said, her tone tinged with curiosity. “Everything alright?”
Annoyed, the reporter retorted, “I’m fine; it’s just hot in here. I’ve got some information about Jing Mo; twenty grand and it’s yours.”
Truth be told, the reporter hadn’t unearthed any valuable info. Even if he had, he wouldn’t dare publish it. Desperate for money, he took a chance and approached Xia Xin stealthily, having confirmed that Jing MO wasn’t around.
Xia Xin noticed the reporter’s youthful looks, akin to a college grad with little experience. She decided to tease him a bit.
“Twenty grand for top-tier information about Jing MO?” Xia Xin chuckled.
“Even my lesser scandals are worth fifty grand.” Gulping, the reporter ventured, “So… fifty grand then?”
“That’s kinda less,” Xia Xin said. “Then… sixty grand?” the reporter said.
“Not enough,” Xia Xin waved her finger.
The reporter hesitated, stuttering, “How much do you want to offer?”
With a burst of laughter, Xia Xin replied, “How much do you want?”
Realizing he had been played, the reporter snapped, “Hand over the money, or else I’ll expose everything tonight and ruin Jing MO!”
Remaining calm, Xia Xin responded, “You’re quite the drama queen. But if you were actually willing to expose it, you wouldn’t come to me; you’d go directly to Jing Mo. Coming to me means you’re scared of him.”
Caught in his own trap, the reporter became flustered. “Fine, then gamble to see if this information is worth it!”
Xia Xin was enjoying this far more than she had expected. This naive, freshly graduated reporter was much more entertaining than those seasoned in the field.
Wiping away a tear that had trickled down from laughing so hard, Xia Xin finally said, “I won’t be giving you any money. I came to see what you could possibly come up with, and trust me, you didn’t disappoint.”
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