Back at the newspaper office, it took him just over an hour to produce a news report of more than 1,200 words. In it, he eloquently listed the many drawbacks of the overpass: for example, vendors complaining about the lack of customers, or shop owners lamenting, “Next to the overpass, we never see sunlight all day, and the car exhaust makes us afraid to open our windows…” He also included a series of shocking statistics obtained from the transportation bureau, such as the number of traffic accidents, fatalities, and economic losses that had occurred on the overpass in recent years.

In short, he portrayed the overpass as a “calamity for the nation and the people,” and argued that demolishing it was the will of the people and would surely promote economic development, and so on.

Looking at the printed manuscript, Andrew Brooks was very satisfied. He felt that his final paragraph was truly the finishing touch.

“The damage caused by the overpass to the city’s landscape is also drawing increasing attention. In the era of large-scale economic development, people have prioritized speed and efficiency in urban construction, neglecting the natural and human environment, ‘treating the head when the head hurts, and the foot when the foot hurts.’ Every congested intersection is seen as something to be solved with an overpass. As a result, the overall layout of the city is fragmented, and the overpasses that fill the city are like huge ‘gray monsters,’ severely undermining the city’s harmony and beauty, lowering the quality of the living environment for residents, and causing ‘invisible damage and loss’ that is hard to estimate. Better late than never…”

……

……

This was an in-depth report personally overseen by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Kevin Lewis, so there was no need for the news department leadership to review it. If he were truly a naive, fresh-out-of-college graduate, he might have taken it straight to Kevin Lewis. But how could Andrew Brooks do that? He took the finished manuscript and, smiling, delivered it to the business deputy director, Michael Bolton.

A glimmer of appreciation flashed in Michael Bolton’s eyes, but he said nothing, only nodded. “Xiao An, just leave it here. You’ve had a busy day—go take a break. I’ll read it and send it to Deputy Lewis after I’m done.”

Andrew Brooks turned to leave, a strange smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

He understood that Michael Bolton might not actually read it, but Michael Bolton would definitely sneak it over to Zachary Howard. Others might not know, but he did: Michael Bolton was Zachary Howard’s man, and for a report personally instructed by the municipal party secretary, Zachary Howard would certainly pay attention.

Originally, he could have delivered it directly to Zachary Howard, since Zachary Howard was not only his mentor and benefactor, but also his guide in officialdom. He felt deep gratitude toward Zachary Howard, both in his previous life and this one. But doing so would surely make Kevin Lewis unhappy, so it was better to pass it along through Michael Bolton.

Although he wasn’t afraid of Kevin Lewis, it wasn’t worth making such a powerful enemy right after joining the newspaper, even though he really disliked Kevin Lewis’s character.

Sure enough, out of the corner of his eye, Andrew Brooks saw Michael Bolton hurriedly take the manuscript up to the sixth floor. The smile on Andrew Brooks’s lips deepened. He let out a long breath, left the main office of the news department, and, feeling bored, took the elevator to the newspaper’s library on the 10th floor.

He was fully confident in his article and believed it would pass on the first try. After browsing some magazines in the library for a while, he figured it was about time for dinner, so he left the library, entered the elevator, and prepared to go downstairs to grab something to eat at a street stall.

When the elevator reached the 9th floor, the doors opened and a woman entered. She was a tall, young woman wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses—probably an editor. Although she didn’t have the stunning beauty of Emily Summers, she looked delicate and capable, dressed simply, with long black hair tied back, giving her a unique charm.

At first glance, Andrew Brooks immediately thought of a Chinese idiom: “a modest and refined young lady.” That’s right—she was exactly the type who gave off the impression of being a gentle, virtuous wife and mother.

Who was she? Andrew Brooks wore a smile, but was wondering to himself. In his memory, there was no such person at Binhai Morning Post—whether editor, reporter, or support staff, he didn’t recall seeing such an unfamiliar face.

What was going on? Had he simply not noticed her in his previous life?

Chapter 009: Elevator

Andrew Brooks hadn’t had time to think further when the woman smiled politely at him and extended her hand. “You must be the new colleague, right? Hello, my name is Isabella Lynn, from the editorial center. I’m the editor-in-chief of the Urban Women’s section.”

“Hello, I’m Andrew Brooks. I haven’t been at the newspaper long—I’m an intern reporter in the news department.” Andrew Brooks hesitated slightly, but still replied calmly, reaching out to gently shake her hand.

Isabella Lynn nodded, still smiling warmly, and quickly withdrew her hand.

There was a calm aura about Isabella Lynn that made her seem easy to approach and communicate with. In this respect, she was actually quite similar to the current Andrew Brooks. After this simple, polite greeting, Andrew Brooks felt as if the distance between them had shrunk considerably.

The elevator continued its smooth descent. Isabella Lynn’s serene gaze swept over Benjamin Harris and then shifted to the elevator’s floor buttons.