Chapter 69 - The Recording

Tang Huaijin took his sister home, and she remained silent throughout the journey, sitting quietly on the back seat of the electric scooter without holding onto him.

Once they arrived home, Tang Huaijin helped his sister onto the sofa and poured her a glass of water before sitting down beside her.

As soon as Tang Huaijin sat down and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, Tang Yaoyao trembled slightly, instinctively trying to pull away. But realizing they were at home, she relaxed again.

Seeing his sister in such a state, Tang Huaijin felt a mix of emotions-mostly a deep sympathy for her lost and forlorn demeanor, but also a pang of sadness. It hurt him to think that she felt the need to distance herself from him when faced with others’ judgment. Was being with him really something to be ashamed of? He even began to question himself.

The root of all this turmoil was that fat woman. Tang Huaijin gently embraced his sister, softly reassuring her, “Sis, this won’t be the end of it. Do you know why I didn’t turn her into a real pig right there and then?”

“Why?” Tang Yaoyao asked, her gaze still unfocused as she looked at the cup in her hands. She raised her head to look at her brother, confusion evident in her expression. Tang Huaijin wasn’t known for being hot-tempered, but he certainly wasn’t the most patient either.

Especially when it came to those who crossed the people he cared about, Tang Huaijin was never one to let it slide.

Tang Yaoyao remembered back in middle school when Tang Huaijin first got into a fight-it was for Lin Ruoxi. A senior girl had bullied Lin Ruoxi, and Tang Huaijin, armed with a stick, waited at the school gate. When he saw her, he chased after the girl and her boyfriend, forcing her to apologize to Lin Ruoxi without a hint of mercy.

Earlier, Tang Yaoyao had mentally prepared herself to hold Tang Huaijin back, but she was surprised by his calm demeanor this time.

Tang Huaijin took out his phone and played an audio recording for his sister.

“Justice? Let me tell you, in the Editorial Department, I am the justice.”

It was the arrogant voice of the fat woman.

“I led her right into saying that, and she fell for it, pig-headed and all,” Tang Huaijin sneered. In this age of big data, releasing this audio would surely lead to Zhu Meiyu being publicly condemned, and the company would have no choice but to fire her, no matter how strong her backing.

His sister’s eyes lit up briefly but then dimmed again as she bit her lip, remaining silent.

Tang Huaijin asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong, Sis? If I post this online, Zhu Meiyu will be finished. It’s much more satisfying than just beating her up.”

“Jin… please don’t post the recording online, okay?” Tang Yaoyao said, her head lowered, her voice filled with sadness.

“Why…” Tang Huaijin paused, seeing his sister’s somber expression, the rest of his words stuck in his throat.

Of course, posting something like this online would have a huge impact, but it also meant that their situation could be exposed by those with ulterior motives. Knowing Tang Yaoyao’s personality, she would never want such a thing to happen.

After a moment of silence, Tang Huaijin sighed, put his phone away, and looked at his sister. He hugged her gently, comforting her softly, “It’s okay, Sis. Don’t be sad. It’ll be alright.”

Tang Yaoyao nestled quietly in his embrace, gently rubbing against him. Listening to Tang Huaijin’s soothing voice, she felt a lump in her throat, and tears silently streamed down, soaking his shirt.

Tang Huaijin lowered his head and kissed her hair softly, whispering, “Don’t worry. If one door closes, another opens. Didn’t you say my writing is good? There’s more than one publishing house out there. I’ll just find another one, right? Don’t blame me for being impulsive and causing you to lose your job.” Given the circumstances, Tang Yaoyao couldn’t continue working at the company, and Tang Huaijin wouldn’t allow it either.

Tang Yaoyao, buried in his arms and crying, shook her head vigorously, her voice tinged with a nasal tone as she choked out, “It’s all my fault…”

She would never blame her Jin; she only blamed herself, feeling she wasn’t a good sister.

In her heart, besides feeling wronged, there was guilt for causing her brother’s book to be rejected, and fear from Supervisor Zhu’s threats. These emotions intertwined, leaving her exhausted, and coupled with sleepless nights, she soon fell asleep under Tang Huaijin’s comforting presence.

Tang Huaijin quietly carried her to the bed, standing for a moment to gaze at his sleeping sister. He sighed inwardly, casting a complicated glance at the small drawer of her desk, then left her room.

He thought about sneaking a peek at her diary sometime; otherwise, with her reserved nature, she would never discuss these matters with him.

To let his sister sleep a bit longer, Tang Huaijin prepared dinner late, pulling the sleepy Tang Yaoyao from bed, insisting she get up to eat.

After a nap, she felt slightly better, though she had been playfully resisting getting out of bed. However, during dinner, she often drifted into thought.

Seeing her staring blankly with a spoon in her mouth, Tang Huaijin pinched her nose lightly in frustration, saying, “Eat, sis. What are you thinking about?”

Tang Yaoyao rubbed her nose, giving him a slightly aggrieved look, and replied, “I’m thinking about what to do in the coming days. I need Han Yaoyao to help me retrieve my things from Changhe Publishing House; I don’t want to go back there.”

“And I need to find a job, right? Otherwise, who will earn money? Your book hasn’t been published yet, and we can’t just live off our savings.”

She pouted, casting a playful glare at Tang Huaijin, grumbling, “You little ingrate, living off me and bullying me.”

Tang Huaijin chuckled, saying, “Don’t rush to find a job yet. There might be a turn of events.”

“What kind of turn?” Tang Yaoyao blinked, looking at him curiously.

“She’s playing the power game, but there’s always someone with more influence.” Tang Huaijin grinned, “Remember Xia Xinya? Her family is quite powerful, and Mrs. Xia might do me a favor.”

He had just thought of this plan; if he couldn’t seek justice himself, he could call in reinforcements!

After all, he had been a good friend to Xinya for so long; surely she wouldn’t stand by while he was bullied, right?

Tang Yaoyao had dinner with Xia Xinya once and knew that the big restaurant in the commercial center belonged to her family. She had some understanding of her family background, so she nodded vaguely but said nothing, silently continuing to eat.

Tang Huaijin glanced at his sister curiously and asked, “Sis, what’s wrong? Are you worried that Mrs. Xia won’t help me?”

“No,” Yaoyao shook her head, not wanting to elaborate, and continued to eat quietly.

Though not related by blood, the siblings were alike in some ways, such as being stubborn about things they didn’t want to discuss.

Tang Huaijin fell silent as well. After finishing their meal, Yaoyao suddenly looked up at him, her lips moving slightly before she finally spoke, “Jin… do you really not like Xia Xinya?”

Tang Huaijin was taken aback and replied helplessly, “I don’t…”

Before he could finish, Yaoyao interrupted, “I actually think you two are quite suitable…” As she spoke, her nose tingled, and her eyes reddened slightly, though she pretended to be calm, “If you like her, you can go ahead and talk to her. You don’t have to worry about me…”

Her awkward demeanor made Tang Huaijin a bit annoyed. He said softly, “I’ve told you, I don’t like that girl. Even if I did, do you think I would abandon you? Do I really make you feel insecure? You’re always so contradictory. If I actually started dating someone, wouldn’t you be devastated?”

“Who’s going to be devastated?” Yaoyao sniffed twice, looking at her brother who was seriously lecturing her, feeling a bit happy inside. She muttered, “It’s not about security; it’s about me not being able to get over my own hurdle.”

After saying that, she looked at Tang Huaijin again and asked softly, “Jin, if I can never get over this hurdle, what will you do?”

“What will I do? Find a wife, of course.” Tang Huaijin snorted, seeing his sister’s suddenly aggrieved expression, he quickly added, “I won’t, I won’t. I’m just teasing you. If you can’t get over that hurdle, I’ll just stay single.”

He shook his head in exasperation, his face showing a pained expression, “You say you don’t want me to find someone, yet you can’t get over this hurdle. Isn’t that like wanting the horse to run without feeding it? Is there anyone as accommodating as me in the world?”

Yaoyao couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics, and finally burst into laughter at his last sentence, saying with a grin, “You’re not a man; you’re my brother.”

“I’m not a man?” Tang Huaijin wasn’t offended by such slander; instead, he chuckled and mimicked in a playful tone, “Jin… you’re touching me.”

“You, you’re terrible!” Such suggestive talk was something Yaoyao couldn’t bear. Her delicate face instantly flushed red with embarrassment and anger, and she glared at Tang Huaijin before fleeing to her bedroom.

“Don’t lie down right after eating. Sit at your desk for a while, or you’ll get fat,” Tang Huaijin called out cheerfully as he watched his sister’s retreating figure.

“You’re so annoying, shut up.”