Chapter 64: Ambition, Conscience

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Now look at this mess, posted directly online and subjected to massive attacks. Although the insults are directed at Zhou Yifan, what kind of good reputation could Xu Meiqi possibly have as the "other woman"?

Thank goodness her assistant found the complete surveillance footage; otherwise, even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she wouldn't be able to wash herself clean.

A new message suddenly popped up on WeChat, and Lin Ke's mood seemed to improve slightly, beyond her control.

He had taken the initiative to ask her out again! Did this mean their last meeting had been quite pleasant after all?

"I'm not sure if I'm free this weekend yet. The company has been rather busy lately, especially with such a massive trending topic online."

Liang Feng replied quickly: "Then I'll wait for your news. Are you busy lately because of the trending topic? It doesn't matter, the internet has a three-minute memory, and by the weekend, the hype will have long since faded."

"Mm, I hope so!"

If it had nothing to do with her, she could naturally think that the trending topic would fade sooner or later, and she wouldn't have anything special to do by the weekend. However, her best friend was deeply involved, yet her company wanted her to piggyback on the hype at a time like this. How could she not be torn?

She was ambitious; she wanted traffic, she wanted attention, and she wanted to become popular. But she also had her bottom line!

She could not build her ambition upon the scars of her best friend.

However, she was powerless to control her own circumstances.

Xu Meiqi was right beside her, sleeping soundly. Even after such a huge ordeal—one that was sufficient to completely shatter both her career and her emotional life—she had drunk herself into a blackout and called to question Lin Ke.

Yet, when Lin Ke arrived at her doorstep, Xu Meiqi still opened the door for her.

To put it bluntly, when Lin Ke claimed she hadn't seen the trending topic, although it was the truth, it was hard for anyone to believe! Weren't they people navigating the internet circle? How could anyone be completely oblivious to such a heaven-shaking scandal?

Yet when Lin Ke offered that explanation, Xu Meiqi trusted her wholeheartedly, wanting only to pour out her grievances and share the injustice she felt in her heart, without ever putting up any defense.

Once the things she said were exposed online by Lin Ke, not only Xu Meiqi, but even Zhou Yifan would be utterly ruined!

Yet Xu Meiqi trusted her just like that, even though Lin Ke had clearly just capitalized on the hype of this very incident.

Lin Ke sent a less-than-enthusiastic sticker. Liang Feng seemed to sense her low spirits: "Are there any other difficulties? You seem to be in a rather bad mood. If it's inconvenient, it doesn't matter, you don't have to tell me."

His sense of boundaries made Lin Ke feel very comfortable, and she couldn't help but lower her guard: "My mood really isn't very good. I'm struggling with a few things. I have some ideas that my leadership probably won't support, but if I just leave things as they are and do nothing, my conscience won't let me rest."

Conscience?

What kind of matter was serious enough to warrant such words?

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Liang Feng's mind was filled with question marks. Without a doubt, this matter must be related to the trending topic operations carried out by Breaking Cocoon all night. Was she unwilling to do something to piggyback on the traffic? Or was Breaking Cocoon planning to do far more than just that?

However, Liang Feng knew very well that such a sensitive topic was not suitable for discussion across a mobile phone screen, so he very naturally skipped past the deep probing:

"I suddenly thought of something. Back when I was still in school, I went on a trip to Xi'an and made a ton of travel guides. The internet said the most famous things there were the Terracotta Army, historical treasures of majestic grandeur.

"But the more I looked, the more I found people saying the Terracotta Army was far away, expensive, and not worth visiting—that it took hours of driving and standing in terribly long lines, only to end up looking at a bunch of stones, and everyone who went regretted it.

"After thinking it over and struggling with the decision back and forth, I ultimately didn't go.

"As a result, many, many times later, I regretted not going back then. What a pity not to see the magnificent ruins left behind by our ancestors. But I had long since left Xi'an, and over the years, I've never had the chance to go back.

"Ever since then, I've told myself that if there's ever something where doing it would bring regret, and not doing it would also bring regret, then I must do it. Because only by doing everything within my power will I not constantly dwell on it and wish for a second chance."

Liang Feng went to great lengths to tell such a long story, and Lin Ke suddenly laughed.

"I understand. You don't have to be so tactful; I'm not that fragile."

If you want to do it, just do it. That's well said. Doing it might bring regret, but not doing it definitely will.

Then why not take a gamble?

Perhaps she was used to recording short video clips for the company, but Lin Ke felt that her way of speaking lately had become more and more concise, cutting straight to the point.

It meant if you want to go, just go! There's nothing to evade.

Liang Feng felt a bit awkward and could only send a sticker of a hand scratching its head.

He indeed just wanted to encourage Lin Ke to do it, but after all, the two of them weren't that close yet, which was why he had come up with a tactful story.

As a result, with her seeing right through him like this, it made him look quite useless.

The conversation stalled momentarily. While Liang Feng frantically thought about how to diffuse the awkwardness, Lin Ke suddenly sent a new message.

"Thank you."

Lin Ke felt that she suddenly wasn't struggling anymore.

In her heart, Liang Feng was a mature and steady workplace elite, unlike her, who blundered through everything and made a mess of things.

However, Liang Feng showing a bit of youthful bashfulness and helplessness today made her feel much closer to him instead.

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It felt as though an immortal from a traditional ink wash painting had stepped into reality.

"When I get back to the office tomorrow, I plan to give it a try! Regardless of whether it succeeds or fails, I'll only know after trying. Thank you so much for clearing up the confusion in my heart. See you this weekend!"

She was going to push back against the company.

She could participate in this matter, but under the absolute condition that Xu Meiqi must not be dragged into it. Since Zhou Yifan and Ai Lian had already exposed their marriage, let everything revolve around the two of them.

No matter what, Xu Meiqi must not become the target of exploitation.

If the company stubbornly refused, she would state the whole truth directly during her livestream.

Seeing Xu Meiqi's reply, Liang Feng deleted the many explanatory sentences he had typed out.

Talking to a clever person really saved so much worry.

Talking to a straightforward young girl without a shred of scheming made one feel even happier.

Over the past few years, Liang Feng had met all sorts of people.

Wanting to be a self-media creator and acquire more information, he had been forced to communicate and play games with all kinds of characters.

He was accustomed to so-called "friends" who only spoke three-tenths of their true thoughts, requiring him to constantly ponder the multiple layers of meaning behind their words during almost every conversation, and to carefully consider whether every sentence he uttered needed to be tactful and obscure.

This was his professional habit, as well as his method of self-protection.

However, Lin Ke was different.

A simple and clean young girl, completely without machinations and full of sincere devotion, she had never doubted whether he was approaching her with calculated motives, nor had she ever put up defenses against him.

Just now, he had spent ages trying to figure out how to tactfully tell her that he wanted to encourage her to act bravely, but this girl—she didn't need him to be tactful at all.

Truly, it felt so relaxing.

Liang Feng slowly curved his lips into a smile.

"Alright, see you this weekend."

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