Before the news of the fire was broadcast, Propaganda Minister Wan Qitian held a meeting and asked all local media to only publish news and not add any comments. Television stations, in particular, should not use aggressive shots.

After a major abridgement by editor Li Yi, only one brief message was broadcast in our column:

In the early hours of this morning, a fire broke out in the Dongzheng Hotel, fire officers and soldiers and armed police soldiers immediately rescued the trapped citizens, the secretary of the municipal party committee Mo Qing and the mayor personally went to the scene to command, the fire was quickly controlled, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

I was feeding the goldfish at home when the news was broadcast on the TV station, and after watching it with righteous indignation, I threw a bag of fish food into the fish tank, and the goldfish glared at me angrily with their bloated stomachs.

I was disappointed by the shrunken news footage. TV news depends on the picture, and the shocking scene can resonate with the audience, and TV reporters are proud of good shots. It's like a fashion designer who struggles to create a magical design, only to be told that the design will be used after landing on Mars.

When I went to work the next day, I didn't wait for me to vent my dissatisfaction, my partner Lu Jiaqi was not calm at first, but the reason why he was not calm was different from mine, Lu Jiaqi was indignant for the news review level. The Department of Information divides each news item of a reporter into four grades: A, B, C, and D, with the fee for a press release being 300 yuan for Class A and only 20 yuan for Class D.

Lu Jiaqi already had two A-level news articles that month, and this news was fully qualified for A-grade, but it was only given D, which greatly disappointed Lu Jiaqi, who has always been wealth-oriented. Lu Jiaqi is hired by the column, the basic salary is not much, and the income is all based on the manuscript fee. He is also "greedy for money", usually eat together, if he eats noodles, it costs a total of more than a dozen yuan, and when he pays for it, he will take out a hundred yuan and say: "Ah! Didn't bring change. If the cost is more than 100 yuan, he will take out 10 yuan from his pocket and pat his head and complain to himself: "Alas, I forgot to bring money again!" ”

In those days, Lu Jiaqi opened the beckoning cat piggy bank on his desk countless times, counted the coins "with a bang", and looked at me suspiciously, as if I had stolen his coins. In fact, the amount of coins in his piggy bank is indeed decreasing, Zhu Ning will take it from the beckoning cat when he has no change to buy cigarettes, take out one yuan and throw it in two cents, more and more coins, but the face value is getting smaller and smaller.

The residual poison and depression of the fire made Lu Jiaqi and I cough one after another across the table, quite tacitly.

Director Wang quickly sensed the emotions of the two of us, and once met me in the corridor of the studio building, I was dejected, looking like the Japanese army surrendered back then. Lu Jiaqi also picked the director to sigh for a long time in the audience, and coughed violently in an attempt to "throw bricks and lead jade" and "point at Sang and scold Huai" to attract attention.

Finally, we were invited to the director's office. For the first time, the director made two cups of coffee with his own hands and brought them over. He first affirmed the touching spirit of us who almost choked to death when we infiltrated the fire. Seeing that we were coughing, he rummaged through the drawers for a long time and handed over a box of anti-inflammatory drugs, saying that his wife had brought them back from abroad, and the effect was good.

Then, he changed his words: "It stands to reason that if you dig out the story behind the fire, you are likely to win the prize." However, the media is the vane of public opinion, and the masses who do not understand the real situation are prone to trust the media, and by the way, they will think wildly, which will cause social instability. So, we can't afford to pour fuel on a society that is already hurting. It was originally a sesame seed, but as soon as the media hyped it, it would swell into a watermelon, or a rotten watermelon, and it would be used by hostile forces. If we all learn from the United States and wantonly hype up the president's red underwear and the black buttocks of congressmen, humanity will gradually disappear, morality will be degraded, and public opinion will become the culprit of disaster to the country and the people, Do you know?" He spat out a sentence in English.

Lu Jiaqi couldn't hold back a "poof" laugh, he quickly covered his mouth, but the laughter caused a violent cough, and saliva sprayed the director's face. Fortunately, the director didn't care, he handed over a few tissues and wiped his face by the way.

The director continued: "It is said that the United States has freedom of speech, you can try to publish an assassination plan, the methods of the Americans to deal with suspected terrorists are really miserable!" Your sister-in-law has been traveling back and forth between China and the United States all year round and knows a lot of inside information. Snowden and the founder of WikiLeaks would have been tortured if they hadn't slipped away quickly. Today's young people, men think about it every day, women know the sugar daddy, and they don't even know who wrote it. Some reporters will exaggerate and fan the flames, and they have no sense of social responsibility at all! ”

Lu Jiaqi laughed again.

"What are you laughing at?" The director looked Lu Jiaqi up and down and said, "Look at yourself, what kind of clothes are you wearing, your pants are like a bird's cage, your crotch hangs on your legs, and you are wearing so yellow on it, and you are not afraid of attracting insects." Are you an acrobatic troupe or a monkey tricker? There is a mirror on every floor of the office building, don't you see the words 'dress properly' on it? Don't think that I don't know anything about living in a simple house, you young people, you know every day that you are bored playing with your mobile phone, taking selfies, and wasting your good youth on your fingers, and in the end you still complain about social pressure, high housing prices, don't work hard, housing prices come down, and you can't afford it! ”

I sneaked a look at Lu Jiaqi, who was wearing a pair of harem pants and a yellow hoodie on his upper body. Hearing the director's criticism, Lu Jiaqi hurriedly lifted the crotch that drooped to the knees with his hand, looking a little funny.

Fortunately, the director did not continue to pursue his clothes, and he changed his words: "When I was a reporter like you, I experienced all this. The director stared out the window, and outside there were fallen leaves and dust, and there were two sparrows fighting. The director was thoughtful and seemed to be talking to himself, falling into memory.

"The media's public opinion guidance is sometimes terrible," he said slowly, "one thing, the media can influence and create 10,000 illusions, and the truth will be buried, distorted, and wronged." In the end, public opinion will be misled and will have to agree with the 10,000 fakes. This influence will also override the Constitution, with how many people who do not deserve death being tried by the media, and public opinion overriding the law, making the verdict unfair. ”

The words of the summary director are: the media manipulates public opinion, public opinion guides the people, and the guidance is wrong, and the results are terrible.

Lu Jiaqi and I returned to the office, and Zhu Ning and Liu Nannan ran over to ask for warmth.

Lu Jiaqi said: "The director said, you elites have a bad conscience. ”

Zhu Ning and Liu Nannan were about to laugh, but turned their heads to find that the director was already standing at the door of the office, and Lu Jiaqi hurriedly pretended to lie at the desk and think deeply.

Liu Nannan coughed dryly: "Director, I'll pour you a glass of water." ”

The director snorted and walked away with his hands behind his back.

After the TV station broadcast the news of the fire, rumors spread on major forums on the Internet and various self-media platforms, some even said that they had seen supernatural creatures at the fire scene, and more people began to spread rumors about the "model second wife culture" behind the fire.

Director Wang is right, public opinion is terrible. Now, whenever a disaster strikes, it can be immediately linked to corruption. If you don't find out a few "corrupt ghosts", you can't be reconciled.

A week later, the city government held a press conference, which was attended by dozens of media inside and outside the province.

"The preliminary judgment was that the fire broke out in the silk exhibition hall of the hotel, and 38 people were killed in the fire." Vice Mayor Qin wiped his tears and said, "The accident is tragic, but the lesson is painful. ”

The city immediately dealt with several parties and began to compensate for the aftermath.

I felt a lingering haze over the city, and the smell of ash lingered in the air, reminding people that some lives had been wiped out in that night fire.

Director Wang presided over a press conference on various channels, announcing that I, Wen Yan, and Lu Jiaqi had been rated as outstanding reporters of the Ministry of Information, and asked the reporters to learn from our spirit of going deep into danger and burning ourselves.

We all stepped onto the podium and received a prize of 1,000 yuan, and the other reporters who appeared on the scene were each rewarded with 500 yuan and delivered an acceptance speech.

I took the stage and delivered my acceptance speech: "Actually, I'm a little ashamed, the main shooting is Wen Yan and Lu Jiaqi, I just became a roast chicken." I also want to thank my classmate Li Jun, who infiltrated the people's police force, otherwise he would not have been able to enter the scene even if he wanted to self-immolate. ”

After the meeting, Wen Liang proposed that he, me, and Lu Jiaqi be the hosts, and the column colleagues would have dinner. Because I made an appointment with Zixuan to have dinner together in the evening, I gave the bonus to Lu Jiaqi and asked him to pay for my meal.

When I went to the studio building for a meeting at noon that day, I met Chu Qing, she and Wen Yan were speaking to the host in the corridor, and when they saw me passing by, they put down the script and waved at me.

She is about to record the show, dressed in the host's costume, her face after makeup is as delicate as a fairy in a painting, and her glittering skin under the light sets off her nobility.

"I've always wanted to thank you in person, but I just got out of the hospital today, and work came." Chu Qing raised the manuscript in his hand and said.

I remembered the last car accident and said, "Don't take it personally, whoever saw the situation at that time would have helped." ”

"Who said it, there were a lot of people watching at the time, and there was really no help."

"That's probably because you're beautiful, everyone thinks you're filming, but you don't take it seriously."

Chu Qing couldn't help laughing, afraid that she would make up for it. The hosts have developed professionalism and laughed.

The choreographer stood in the distance and called out to her, and she said as she walked: "Let's eat together at night, Zixuan will be the east!" ”

After work, Zixuan drove Chu Qing and me to a hotel called "Lost at Sea in 1843 Restaurant" on the riverside water, which specializes in Cantonese cuisine and Hong Kong-style hot pot. The hotel is located in the middle of the river, and you can access it via a pontoon bridge or a small wooden boat with a red lantern oil paper umbrella. Just ring the bronze bell in the pavilion on the shore, and the boat will come to pick up people, and the boat on the river has a special atmosphere.

The hotel is actually a large wooden boat, a total of three floors, the hull is carved with several gilded characters of "Lost at Sea in 1843 Restaurant", and several bronze imitation cannons stand on the deck, and the big boat floats on the riverside water, like an ancient ship lost in the sea.

The whole ship is mainly antique design, and there is a young girl standing in the wind in the bow, playing the violin, and the music is slow and melodious. The carved wooden walls of the corridor are plastered with photographs from around the world, including the French Gulf, the Malaysian rainforest, the Japanese volcano and the Chinese town.

Sitting in the room of the boat, looking into the distance through the wooden window, under the golden sunset, the riverside water is clear and pure, the swimming fish are chasing in the aquatic plants, and a half-moon looms in the sky.

When night falls, the ten-mile promenade on the riverside is brightly lit, and the light and shadow are reflected in the rippling blue water, dancing with the wind.

Zixuan booked a private room called Qingyu Pavilion. When we arrived, the copper pot on the table in the room was steaming, and the room was as warm as spring.

After Zixuan sat down, he actually kissed Chu Qing in front of me, and I was devastated by great envy on the other side.

"Let me introduce you to Chu Qing, a highly talented student of Zhejiang University, and the host of "Everyone's Statement". Of course, you've had a not-so-formal understanding before. Zixuan said.

I smiled at Chu Qing, looked at her and Zixuan, and suddenly felt that something was missing from me.

Chu Qing smiled and stretched out her hand: "Thank you for saving your life!" ”

I held her hand and remembered the scene in the hospital that day, so I said: "That day in the hospital, your eyes opened and closed, and almost scared Liu Nannan to death." ”

Chu Qing covered her mouth and smiled: "I fainted with blood, in fact, the injury was not serious, but I fainted when I saw blood." I heard that you were beaten in the hospital, and the police came to relieve the siege. ”

I said, "The police broke the siege, and the sirens told the criminals to run." ”

As soon as I mentioned the police, I thought of Meng Xing, and looked out the window at the riverbank and was a little stunned.

"Hey, hey!" Chu Qing waved her hand in front of me, "Why are you in a daze?" Let's go on. ”

"Don't worry, he'll be in good spirits right away, as long as he sees the possibility of being a traitor to the food." Zixuan said while taking off his coat.

There are already a few dishes on the table, most of them seafood, including fried razor clams on Temple Street, Hong Kong cuisine with boiled cabbage with afterburner, Cantonese-style Shih Tzu Huansha, and a stewed phoenix feet with scallops and snails.

"In addition to thanking you tonight, Zixuan and I would like to congratulate you on winning the award in Taiwan." Chu Qing said.

I pouted: "The reward is superficial, and I have already been talked about by the director." ”

Zixuan said while wiping his hands with a hot towel: "Tell me to say, you shouldn't go into the fire, what is the news, the news is just to tell the people what happened, as for who set the fire, whether it was love killing or self-immolation, it is a spy war drama, if you dig too deep, it will become a fallacy to confuse the public." ”

"If you don't find the truth, how can you know who the spy is?" I disdainfully said.

"Journalism is just a job, just like the police are only in charge of solving crimes, and as for how to try them, that's the matter of the courts. After a few years in Beijing, I have understood that life is only good if I succeed in my career. You can pretend to be justice, but you must not act as justice. Zixuan drank saliva, the cuffs of his shirt were spotless, and they were as clean as fireworks in the world.

"The beauty of life is mainly reflected in eating, people who can't eat enough will set fires, and people who are full will only think about losing weight." Chu Qing poured three glasses of sake and said with a smile, "The rich meat aroma of the belly chops is combined with the deliciousness of the scallops and conch heads, and the chicken soup blends them just right, fragrant but not thick, fresh but not fishy, when a traitor does not dare to guarantee, he promises not to set fire after eating." ”

I took a glass of sake, looked at her and Zixuan and said, "I said that Zixuan is not willing to give up, so the fire has not appeared, it turns out that he is a lonely person on the surface, and he has been secretly Chencang." ”

"Do you know how to use idioms, what is dark Chen Cang, this is called a talented and beautiful woman." Zixuan looked at Chu Qing and said.

"This cup is a celebration of the two of you getting out of the bitterness of singleness." I raised my glass.

Zixuan clinked glasses with me and didn't forget to serve Chu Qing vegetables.

"I haven't seen Zixuan pick up vegetables for others in college for a few years, and in my memory, there is only one time, he thought the steamed buns in the canteen were too hard and threw them to a poor student, and he also said that he would let the hungry junior eat first, and the senior should be caring, and just after finishing speaking, he ran to eat Scottish boutique steak curry rice." I said to Chu Qing.

"That's called a premium beef rice bowl."

"Anyway, it's made of Scottish cows."

Chu Qing wanted to laugh, but Zixuan grabbed a white sturgeon and stuffed it into her mouth.

After three rounds of drinking, the violin sound on the boat has been replaced by piano music, Zixuan drank until he was slightly drunk, his head leaned on Chu Qing's shoulder, Chu Qing looked at the water outside the boat, and his eyelashes were dyed with a faint fluorescence, just like the person in the painting sitting quietly in the night.

Outside the window, the neon was rising, and there were water droplets on the boat falling into the river, rippling in circles.

On the bank, lovers hold hands and walk leisurely on the riverside, some hide in the woods and kiss, some are reluctant to snuggle, lingering and compassionate, and the whole riverbank is filled with the taste of love and sweetness.

After the meal, the Tang Dynasty 100,000 court music began to be played on the deck, the music was melodious, light singing and dancing, Zixuan and Chu Qing lay on the railing to watch, and finally couldn't bear to see me sighing beside me, waved at me and got off the boat.

Looking at their backs, in the clear music, I have a desire to let time stand still, and there will be no worries from now on, only singing and laughing and a warm life, forever carefree.