Chapter 129: Going Public with Their Relationship

Liao Tong was a unique presence among her colleagues in the news department and indeed the entire television center. Poised, steady, and professional, she had countless admirers, yet she had never been involved in a single scandal. It was no exaggeration to say she was the most reputable and capable woman in the entire station.

No one understood why someone with such high standards remained single at thirty, having never even been seen with a boyfriend. As time passed, those accustomed to her presence came to view Liao Tong as a pure, noble, and ethereal goddess. To the male staff in particular, she was a peak that could never be reached.

Yet today, the woman they idolized had been kissed by a man, and there was not a trace of displeasure on her face—only a happy, sweet smile. At that moment, everyone’s brains seemed to short-circuit; they stood there foolishly like scarecrows in a field.

Seeing their reaction, Wang Zheng leaned in intimately to Liao Tong’s ear and whispered, "The goddess of their hearts has been conquered by me. Do you think they’ll try to bite me?"

Liao Tong laughed softly, turned her head, and playfully nibbled on Wang Zheng’s earlobe before replying, "You’ve made me lose face in front of my colleagues; I want to bite you even more than they do."

It was all over—the world had gone mad!

Seeing Liao Tong whispering and flirting with a man in public, ignoring everyone else, the onlookers—especially the men—were stunned. Was this really the pure, noble, and ethereal goddess they knew?

So, even a goddess had human desires!

The group swallowed hard. It was the first time they had seen her look so radiant and charming; she was breathtaking. While they were losing their minds, they were also filled with confusion. Why was the goddess being so intimate with Su Xue’s brother? Every time they had crossed paths before, they had been perfectly polite and distant. Now... had Su Xue played matchmaker?

Was Su Xue keeping the "good meat" within her own household? The group began to let their imaginations run wild. After all, the news department had just produced a story far more significant than anything scheduled for broadcast today. Its authenticity, suddenness, freshness, and importance had surpassed the event itself, escalating to an entirely different level.

Wang Zheng hadn't consulted Liao Tong beforehand; the public display of affection had been just as sudden for her. But for Wang Zheng, it was necessary. No woman liked to have a clandestine relationship, feeling like a mistress in the shadows. Publicly declaring their relationship was a responsible attitude toward her. Moreover, now that Liao Tong had turned a new leaf, she deserved to enjoy everything a woman should have, including the most important thing of all: love.

Wasn't that right? Her lack of objection—and indeed, her sheer joy—made that clear.

As the news hour began, Wang Zheng left the department to head to the canteen. Having lost his appetite earlier because of Bai Bing, he now found it returned, thanks to Liao Tong.

When the news concluded, Wang Zheng returned to the department right on time. As soon as he stepped in, the previously chatty studio fell silent. All eyes were fixed on him. Su Xue and Chu Jun, who had just walked out of the broadcast booth, stared at him as if they had seen an alien, looking at him as if he were a complete stranger.

***

Wang Zheng could roughly understand the reactions of Su Xue and Chu Jun. With the news over, the workday had ended, and their nerves had relaxed. Naturally, they wouldn't miss the topic of Wang Zheng and Liao Tong. They would have surely questioned Su Xue and Chu Jun, asking if they were the matchmakers. Since Su Xue and Chu Jun knew nothing, hearing the detailed accounts of Wang Zheng and Liao Tong’s public kiss was, for them—who lived with Wang Zheng and had been completely oblivious—a genuine shock.

Su Xue looked at the man who had just entered, suddenly walked over, punched him hard in the chest, and leaned in to demand in a low voice, "Tell me, what is going on? It seems I’m the only one who didn't know!"

"Just wish your brother well," Wang Zheng said with a smile. He then gestured for Liao Tong to come over. Liao Tong obeyed, walking to his side. Wang Zheng gently put an arm around her waist and kissed her lightly on the cheek right in front of Su Xue. Everything became clear; no further explanation was needed.

A single, gentle kiss had said it all.

Su Xue’s eyes widened like searchlights. She had no objection to Wang Zheng and Liao Tong being together, but how did they end up together? How did it happen? The process made her both curious and astonished. Su Xue knew what kind of person Liao Tong was. Wang Zheng had been at the station for less than a month, and they both had their own work, only seeing each other for a short time in the evenings. Could a spark of love really ignite in such a short window? This relationship was developing far too quickly.

If she hadn't heard it from her colleagues and seen it with her own eyes, she never would have believed it.

"I'll settle the score with you when we get home!" Clearly, Su Xue was annoyed that Wang Zheng hadn't told her. As his sister, being the last to know about her own brother’s girlfriend was enough to make her angry.

Su Xue didn't embarrass him further; she glared at him once and left the news department. Wang Zheng smiled at the scene, whispered something in Liao Tong’s ear, and then followed her out.

Su Xue sat in the backseat with a cold face, her expression masking both anger and a sense of grievance. Wang Zheng looked at Chu Jun, who was also quiet, and signaled for her to comfort Su Xue. Whether Chu Jun understood his intent remained unclear, as she simply sat there in silence.

"Actually, I came today to tell you about my relationship with Liao Tong. We only confirmed our feelings today. You were in the studio when I arrived, so... there was no intention to hide it from you," Wang Zheng said to Su Xue in the back as he started the car.

Su Xue glanced at him, clearly still skeptical.

"How did you two hook up? There wasn't even a trace or a hint of it! I was there every time you met, so how did I not see it?" Su Xue peppered him with questions, treating him like a bottomless well of curiosities.

"Great minds think alike! I just wanted to prove that love at first sight still exists in this world," Wang Zheng said with a smile. He wasn't afraid of Su Xue speaking up; he was only worried if she kept it bottled up. Since she was talking, it meant the problem was already half-solved.

Su Xue thought carefully. She had worked with Liao Tong for three years and had never seen her be so close to any man—let alone her brother. After much consideration, there seemed to be no other reason for Liao Tong to fall for a man other than love at first sight.

Although Su Xue was still a bit disgruntled and felt awkward, Wang Zheng had been honest. Besides, when love strikes, who can stop it? And if it was love at first sight... fine, let it be!

***

"Huh? Why haven't I seen Bai Bing today?" Su Xue suddenly asked.

"I don't know where she went to cause trouble," Wang Zheng said indifferently, leaving it at that.

When they returned home, Bai Bing was still nowhere to be found. There wasn't even a trace that she had been there. Wang Zheng checked her room; it looked exactly as it had when he left in the morning.

It was strange. Where could she have gone?

Wang Zheng suddenly frowned. A thought struck him. He remembered that earlier at the company, Bai Bing had mentioned she had seen the footage of him leaving home in the middle of the night and tearing through the streets with Liao Tong. If Bai Bing were investigating the spy matter, would she approach Liao Tong for questioning? Given her style—never stopping until she got to the bottom of things—Wang Zheng didn't doubt for a second that she would.

This was bad! Wang Zheng quickly grabbed his phone and called Liao Tong.

Power off? Why would it be off now? He clearly remembered telling Liao Tong to wait for his call before he left.

It had only been about fifteen minutes since he left the station. Could something have actually happened?

Bai Bing was a woman who could be incredibly sweet when she wanted to be—the breakfast she made was delicious—but when she was difficult, she was truly maddening, enough to make one’s brain collapse and limbs go weak. Furthermore, she was the type of person who would never turn back once she set her mind on something. Now that both Bai Bing and Liao Tong’s phones were unreachable and they were nowhere to be found, no one could say what had happened. What should he do?

Wang Zheng looked at Su Xue and Chu Jun, who had just finished changing, then looked at the darkening sky outside. He couldn't wait any longer.

"Xiao Xue, Chu Chu, stay home and be safe. I have an urgent matter and must leave! If Bai Bing comes back, call me immediately, understand?" Wang Zheng said, looking at them with a grave, serious expression.

"Brother, what happened? What’s making you so nervous?" Su Xue asked, puzzled.

"The wind is about to change."