"Very good, as expected from a top student of Yanda's journalism department. On your very first day, you've brought honor to our newspaper. Not bad, not bad." Kevin Lewis tried to speak in a gentle tone, but still couldn't help but sound a bit condescending. "I've already reported to Director Huang... Work hard on the front lines for a couple of years, and you'll become a key reporter for our paper."

"You're too kind, Director Liu." Andrew Brooks was laughing inside, but deliberately spoke with a hint of respect.

Chapter 007 Investigation

"Xiao An, Director Director Smith from the Municipal Party Committee Office specifically requested you for the follow-up report. I think your news article yesterday was excellent—very thorough, with both depth and perspective. Yes, just keep following this approach... I'll have a word with Director Director Scott in a bit. For the next couple of days, you don't need to do anything else. Immerse yourself, go to the scene for interviews and investigation, and strive to do a great job on this follow-up report. Make it impactful and satisfy the city leaders."

"I understand, Director Liu. If there's nothing else, I'll go prepare now." Andrew Brooks knew the conversation was over, so he got up on his own, ready to leave.

"Mm, do your best, make sure you handle this well—alright, go ahead." Kevin Lewis smiled slightly and waved his hand.

As soon as Andrew Brooks left his office, Kevin Lewis immediately got up to tightly close the office door, then returned to his desk, composed himself, and quickly dialed the office number of Director Ryan Smith from the Municipal Party Committee Office.

"Hello, Director Director Smith, this is Kevin Lewis from the Morning News."

"Oh, Deputy Chief Editor Lewis, hello... Your report today was excellent, Secretary Secretary Duke is very pleased..."

"Please rest assured, leader, I won't do anything else these two days, I'll focus solely on this matter."

"Mm, Deputy Chief Editor Lewis, thank you for your efforts. Secretary Secretary Duke is very concerned about this..."

...

...

Andrew Brooks first called home, reminding his mother not to go out and telling her he'd buy groceries and come home in the evening. These days, he called home several times a day, worried that his mother might go out.

Ashley Brooks answered the phone, scolded him playfully, didn't think much of it, and hung up.

Riding his mother's women's Phoenix bicycle, he slowly made his way along Huaguang Avenue, taking in the scenery on both sides of the newly built landscape boulevard, feeling increasingly at ease.

Less than a hundred meters from the Morning News building, he heard a familiar, light voice calling from under the bus stop by the roadside, "Xiao Tao! Xiao Tao!"

Andrew Brooks gently braked his bike, turned his head, and saw Emily Summers had changed into a sky-blue sports T-shirt and shorts, wearing a pair of white leather sandals, standing on tiptoe and waving at him. Her charming face was full of joy, and she was holding a newspaper in her hand.

Andrew Brooks rode over, smiling as he put his foot on the curb. "Emily, what brings you here?"

"Xiao Tao, congratulations! I went out early this morning with my mom to buy groceries, and by chance bought a copy of the Morning News. When I looked at the front page, it was your article! It was really well written." Emily Summers swung her leg over and sat on the back seat of Andrew Brooks's bike, gently hugging his waist. "Where are you going? I have nothing to do today, can I keep you company?"

"Sure, the paper asked me to go to the area around the overpass for interviews and investigation, to prepare a follow-up in-depth report." Andrew Brooks said with a smile, starting to pedal as he chatted with Emily Summers.

Before long, Andrew Brooks had brought Emily Summers to the area under the overpass. This overpass spanned both the Boyang and Shanhe districts, winding and twisting. In the early 1990s in Binhai, this was considered a massive engineering project. Overpasses of this scale were rare not just in Binhai, but in the entire Dongshan Province.

The two of them sat down at a cold drinks stand under the overpass, ordered two bottles of iced soda, and while drinking, looked up at the overpass. The huge steel structure crisscrossed overhead, stretching all the way to the western edge of the city. Maybe because it wasn't rush hour, Andrew Brooks didn't see much traffic.

"Emily, the existence of this overpass cuts off three neighborhoods. It's only open to vehicles, with no pedestrian walkway, so people have to take a detour. The shops that were planned near the overpass never really got much foot traffic. Look, their business isn't good at all." Andrew Brooks pointed at the overpass, which looked like a giant beast, and laughed.

Emily Summers wasn't really interested in these things, but she still followed Andrew Brooks's lead and said, "Yeah, it would be great if they tore down this bridge. Then Boyang and Shanhe districts could develop together more quickly, and our Binhai city would be even bigger, and the businesses here could thrive. If they built a couple of big cross-shaped pedestrian shopping streets here like the ones near our school, this place could become the golden commercial center of Binhai."

Andrew Brooks's eyes lit up. He grabbed Emily Summers's small, sweaty, slippery hand and teased, "Emily, you're so clever. Just a casual comment from you has given me a new angle for my article... I think you shouldn't have studied liberal arts, you should have gone into business. Who knows, maybe you'll be a powerful businesswoman in the future."

Emily Summers giggled, letting Andrew Brooks hold her hand, and said proudly, "My mom says the same thing. So, my dad is planning to get me a job at the Municipal Economic and Trade Commission."