Ji You stood at the door, listening. The team leader, He, could criticize Xue Xiaocheng bluntly, which was honest.
For an announcer with poor skills and a bad attitude, the team leader was impressed with herself. She said, “You might think stuttering is a small matter, but I want to warn you not to make bigger mistakes. After stuttering, you even disrupted the broadcast rhythm. Isn’t that a serious matter? Two yuan will be deducted from your salary according to regulations. You still need more practice.”
He had not publicly criticized any announcer so openly for a long time. Everyone was watching, which embarrassed Xue Xiaocheng. She had to defend her face and argued stubbornly, “Team leader, are you overreacting? Are you judging me unfairly?”
She had been placed at the station as an announcer because of her relative, a deputy director at the broadcasting bureau. The team leader considered her skills lacking, which was reasonable.
Her colleagues were just envious that she had connections and were hoping for her mistakes to ridicule her.
The team leader was struck speechless. This one person could make the broadcasting team chaotic.
Ji You thought her attitude was improper. If she continued like this, her professional skills would hardly improve. She wanted to compete with Ji You, which was laughable.
The team leader could not respond immediately. Angry, she waved her hand and walked briskly out of the office, leaving a sentence behind, “Think about it carefully.”
At the door, she saw Ji You and seemed to find a savior. Who could understand her frustration with a novice and her admiration for the most skilled announcer? She quickly said, “Zhao Xiaojing said you can broadcast tomorrow morning. No problem, right? I have arranged it for you.”
Ji You nodded, “Team leader, I came to let you know. I can arrive at the post on time at five thirty tomorrow.”
The team leader’s anger subsided by half. Her eyes brightened and she said, “Good. Starting tomorrow morning, you resume work.”
“Okay, team leader,” Ji You said.
The team leader glanced at her and said, “You…”
Ji You understood and replied, “The baby is over five months, all is well.”
The team leader patted her shoulder and said, “Focus on broadcasting. Take maternity leave when the time comes.”
Her male partner, Luo Dongping, heard the voices and came to the door, smiling and greeting, “Ji You, see you tomorrow morning.”
“See you tomorrow,” Ji You replied.
She had only taken a few days off, but Ji You felt the team leader and her partner were treating her much better.
It seemed having someone to highlight her made a difference.
Ji You had only come to confirm her work for tomorrow morning and did not want to stay long. She said, “Team leader, I will return now. I will arrive on time tomorrow.”
The team leader nodded, “Rest well.”
Ji You did not linger and turned toward the hallway to go home and rest.
Xue Xiaocheng, already upset from being scolded, heard Ji You had not terminated her pregnancy and would return to work on time. Her plan to seize the morning news was ruined.
It was a devastating blow.
She was thoroughly disappointed.
But soon she felt hopeful. Ji You would carry her child to term, meaning maternity leave would last one and a half months. During that long period, she could take over the morning news.
This was her opportunity from heaven.
She always aimed high in her ambitions, never thinking about improving her skills, only about getting important broadcasts.
Ji You returned home, spending the day resting and recuperating. When Fang Yi came home and saw her, her complexion was pinkish and even better than yesterday.
As he approached, Ji You smelled smoke on him and frowned, asking, “You smoked again?”
Fang Yi hurriedly denied it, “No, absolutely not. You told me not to, so I didn’t.”
Ji You stepped closer, reached into his work jacket, and pulled out a crumpled cigarette from the right pocket, holding it up and asking, “What is this?”
Since becoming pregnant, her sense of smell was sharper than a dog’s.
Fang Yi was speechless. Ji You had put her hands in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette as if catching a thief.
Embarrassed, he scratched his head. “I haven’t smoked. Quitting is a bit hard. I kept it to smell. Sorry for bothering you.”
Ji You said firmly, “Even smelling is not allowed.”
Fang Yi said quickly, “Okay, I won’t smell it anymore.”
He took the cigarette, saying, “I will throw it away. You smell it on your hands, I’ll mix water for you to wash.”
He did not throw it in the trash but down to the building garbage area. Then he washed his own hands first and prepared water for Ji You. He handed her soap and a towel, being very attentive.
Ji You smelled her hands and said, “You go shower and change clothes.”
Fang Yi immediately agreed, “Okay, I will. I promise you will never smell smoke again.”
But Ji You did not let it go lightly. Persistently, she said, “No next time, but this time there must be punishment.”
Fang Yi felt a chill in his heart. Ji You was cunning. What kind of punishment could it be? Not divorce or abortion, surely.
His throat went dry, slightly hoarse, and he nervously asked, “What punishment?”
When Ji You revealed it, Fang Yi felt his world brighten again. It was just this. What a relief.