I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 104: First Confession

Moonlight streamed across the city streets, and the night breeze carried a hint of coolness. Zhang Wanqing stood at the office window, her gaze traversing the dimly lit streets to the distant skyline. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions: a sense of accomplishment at the major event she had just reported, and a deep longing for Fu Siyuan.

She remembered their first collaboration. Back then, Fu Siyuan was calm, professional, and meticulous in every detail. During those intense and thrilling reports, he always remained calm, protecting her with his gentleness and wisdom. Feelings for him quietly took root in her heart.

Zhang Wanqing took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in her heart. She knew that Fu Siyuan was always gentle and protective of her, but he had never expressed his feelings for her directly.

She turned back to her desk, where scattered documents and photos from their joint reporting efforts were spread. Each photo bore witness to their shared experiences, each word the fruit of their joint efforts. Her fingers gently stroked a photo they had taken together after a particular report. Fu Siyuan's smile was warm and brilliant.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door. Zhang Wanqing looked up quickly and saw Fu Siyuan standing at the door, with a hint of apology in his eyes.

"Wanqing, you haven't left yet?" His voice was gentle and concerned.

A complex emotion surged in Zhang Wanqing's heart. She looked at Fu Siyuan without saying a word.

Fu Siyuan seemed to see her hesitation. He smiled slightly and walked in. "I know you've been waiting for my answer." His voice was low and powerful, "but I have to be honest. I've been avoiding it."

Zhang Wanqing's heart tightened, and she looked at Fu Siyuan with doubts in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" There was a tremor in her voice.

Fu Siyuan took a deep breath. He knew that he had to confess.

"I've been avoiding my feelings for you." There was a hint of pain in his voice. "I know it's not fair to you, but I'm afraid. I'm afraid our relationship will affect our work."

Zhang Wanqing's eyes flashed with tears. She looked at Fu Siyuan, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She knew that she had to make a choice, either continue to hide her feelings or face them bravely.

"I understand your concern," she said, her voice firm. "But we can't let fear control our lives."

"We can try to maintain professional boundaries," Zhang Wanqing said with a hint of determination in her voice. "But outside of work, we can try to understand each other."

Fu Siyuan remained silent and found an excuse to leave, leaving Zhang Wanqing alone in grief.

Zhang Wanqing was a quiet girl. Having never been in a relationship before, she had no idea what true love was like. She couldn't appreciate the sweetness of a relationship that was mutually supportive. She simply felt that her feelings for Fu Siyuan were love. Her intuition also told her that Fu Siyuan liked her, too. So, she decided to bravely confess her feelings.

Finally, Zhang Wanqing plucked up the courage and asked Fu Siyuan to go to the park with her. She was ready to confess her love to Fu Siyuan.

In the park, she stood in front of him, tears in her eyes, her voice trembling as she said, "Siyuan, you know I like you very much, and I also know that you like me, but why do you always avoid me? Why don't you want to respond to me directly?"

Fu Siyuan's face turned pale. He looked at Zhang Wanqing with pain in his eyes. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.

Zhang Wanqing's heart sank. She looked at Fu Siyuan with disappointment in her eyes. "You really don't want to give me a chance?" There was a hint of despair in her voice.

"You know what? I have never been in a relationship and I don't know what love is. But I know that my feelings for you are love. My sixth sense is very accurate and I can feel that you like me too. But why, you never reply to me. My friends say that if you don't reply to me, that's a rejection. But I won't give up. I have been pulling myself apart and wasting my time. I even checked if our zodiac signs are compatible and used tarot cards to tell fortunes to see if we can be together." Zhang Wanqing said with tears in her eyes.

"I pay attention to every circle of friends you post. When I see you say that you are unhappy, I feel sad too. When I see you say that you are sick, I want to care about you. When I see you happy, I feel happy too. I know I am stupid, and maybe I am ridiculous in your eyes too?" Zhang Wanqing continued.

Fu Siyuan's heart was full of struggle. He looked at Zhang Wanqing, but he could not speak. His silence made Zhang Wanqing's heart completely cold.

"I don't want you to find me annoying. If you... you really... no, if you don't want to be with me, I won't say it again. I... you can treat me as transparent. I don't want to cause you any trouble. I, I have something else to do. I... I'm leaving first."

Zhang Wanqing didn't want to let her tears fall, so after she finished speaking, she left quickly, leaving Fu Siyuan alone standing there.

Zhang Wanqing walked and cried. She was sensible enough to know that love isn't always a two-way street. When we bravely express our feelings to someone, they might not be willing to accept them for any number of reasons. Perhaps, only those of us who are naive can believe that love itself is pure, that we can love when we want, without considering so many practical issues.

But Fu Siyuan is different. He is mature, steady, and considers many things. Or perhaps, in his eyes, love is not so pure, and there are many things mixed in it.

This is why some people are willing to go through fire and water for love, being called love-brained. Others, however, strive for victory at every step, treating love as a lifelong transaction. And some, fearing hurt or being harmed by a scumbag, are reluctant to fall in love. This is what many single women in today's society call "staying safe by staying single and having children."

Zhang Wanqing is too emotional. She can think of so much by herself.

But Zhang Wanqing is not a love-brained person. She will only go through fire and water for the man who truly loves her. However, she doesn't know whether Fu Siyuan is the right person for her.

Her steps were heavy and slow. Her heart was filled with pain and disappointment. She didn't know where their relationship would go. But one thing was certain: she wasn't someone who took feelings lightly. Her love for him was genuine. If he liked her back, she was willing to wait.

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the newspaper office, illuminating Zhang Wanqing's desk. She sat in her chair, her fingers tapping gently on the keyboard, her eyes occasionally glancing toward the door. She felt a surge of nervousness, the embarrassing scene from last night replaying in her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to appear calm.

The door opened and Fu Siyuan walked in. His eyes were a little evasive, and there was obvious embarrassment on his face. He walked to his desk and began to organize the documents, but he seemed unable to concentrate.

Zhang Wanqing stood up and walked towards the tea room. She decided to use a cup of coffee to cover up her nervousness. She deliberately slowed down her movements, trying to make herself look calm.

Fu Siyuan noticed Zhang Wanqing's actions, he stood up and walked towards her.

"Wanqing, last night..." Zhang Wanqing interrupted him before he could finish his words.

"What happened last night? Weren't we talking about work?" Her voice sounded relaxed, but her eyes couldn't completely hide her sadness.

Fu Siyuan's expression changed slightly. He looked at Zhang Wanqing, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately chose to remain silent. He nodded and turned back to his desk.

Zhang Wanqing held back the tears that were about to fall and pretended to be fine. She knew she had to persevere. She couldn't let Fu Siyuan see her sadness, nor could she embarrass him.

She returned to her seat and continued working, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, but her mind was elsewhere.