Age of Legends

Chapter 147 Missing
"Jiang Rong!"

"Hey Jiang Rong, you're back to school today. Are you coming back to take the exam as well?"

In the dormitory of Rongcheng Communication University, someone saw Jiang Rong returning to school and greeted her unexpectedly.

As time approaches June, the summer in Rongcheng is sultry. Jiang Rong, who comes back wearing a white dress, sandals, and simple black hair draped over her shoulders, has already given a completely different image to those who know her.

She still seemed to have good taste in clothes, and looked good in anything she wore. But there were always people talking about her behind her back. Over the years, there were constant jealous words and malicious speculations about her, and Jiang Rong sometimes gave people the impression that she was easy to bully.

How did those people who spread rumors about her first spread the rumors? Most likely, at some events, because her natural beauty was too dazzling, it overshadowed some people's brilliance, so some slander against her occurred.

There were even people who didn't see her on the way to the dormitory building, but were talking about these things nearby. In the end, they noticed her passing by, but she said nothing and just left.

Those who were originally frightened, however, looked at her leaving figure, curled their lips, and wondered why she was so arrogant!
She seemed to have always been like this. Facing these rumors and even the malicious intent behind people's backs, she always avoided them. She didn't want to conflict with others, but the more she did this, the more people thought she was gentle and timid. Even some people who might have originally avoided her sometimes wouldn't even restrain themselves.

Until Jiang Rong was selected for an internship at Rongcheng TV Station, she became the envy of many people at Communication University. For a period of time, people were jealous and envious of Jiang Rong when they mentioned her.

"Jiang Rong works as a handyman at the TV station. You can see her when the Tomorrow's Star program is broadcast. She is on the stage, off-camera, helping to guide the contestants!"

"Have you heard that Jiang Rong was on the campus of the University of Science and Technology and Rong University those days, wearing a cosplay costume, it seems like she was helping to promote an event, and a lot of people saw her!"

Occasionally, news about Jiang Rong would come from the Communication University.

People who follow her and like her will naturally care about the whereabouts and development of this campus beauty of Chuan Da. The whereabouts of some campus beauties in Chuan Da are topics of concern to many people. In the past few years, some went to local TV stations, some were kept by men, and of course some came from wealthy families and were arranged to work in the film crew. Some successfully stayed in school.

In comparison, Jiang Rong only works at Rongcheng TV Station, which is considered average. Some people with resources, background and wealthy family look down on her, but most people think that her major is suitable for her and her development is very good.

So those who were originally jealous of her, some of whom were not doing very well themselves, felt even more unbalanced.

After the Liu Bingrong incident at Rongcheng TV Station, it caused a sensation. Some people thought of Jiang Rong again. She was at Rongcheng TV Station. I wonder if she would be affected?
Afterwards, news about this legendary campus beauty spread like wildfire.

For example, Jiang Rong's mother had actually passed away, her father had started a new family, and she had been living with her grandparents.

Logically speaking, this news is actually quite private, and there doesn’t seem to be any former classmates or acquaintances of Jiang Rong in the Communication University, but somehow it got out.

This caused some people to comment, "It turns out that her usual affluence and wealthy lady-like demeanor is just an act!"

Of course, these comments are biased. Jiang Rong has never disguised herself. She just doesn't want others to spy on her. But it doesn't matter anymore. She is not in school, so it is natural that anyone can make up any story about her.

Today, Liu Miaomiao and a few other girls were talking about Jiang Rong. Unexpectedly, they ran into Jiang Rong returning to school in the afternoon, so they said hello.

"Jiang Rong, why are you back?"

"Oh, I came back to get something." Jiang Rong knew Liu Miaomiao, so she responded.

Liu Miaomiao and the other girls looked at each other. Could the rumors be true? The director of Rongcheng TV station had an incident, and Jiang Rong also lost her job?

"You are doing your internship, right? Is it going...well?" asked a girl named Li Hui from the group.

"Still there." Jiang Rong nodded.

"Still at Rongcheng TV Station?"

"Well... I don't know what will happen next..." Jiang Rong really didn't know, because everyone in the studio was saying that there would be a transfer, and Director Yu might go to the provincial TV station, and they would also follow to produce programs for the provincial TV station.

But all the girls looked at each other, they all understood each other tacitly. They naturally thought that Jiang Rong was embarrassed to explain the situation. The so-called "I don't know what will happen next" meant that the internship was cancelled due to the turmoil in the TV station, and it was even more impossible to get a permanent position. Of course, her future destination after this would be like rootless duckweed.

Some people even said considerately, "Don't ask!"

Jiang Rong usually doesn't have much social interaction. When she meets someone she knows, she just chats with them for a while, but that's it. She won't go into details. She just nods to them and continues to go to the dormitory.

I returned to the dormitory and sorted out my things. My cell phone lit up with a text message from Zhang Chen: "Have you arrived at school?"

Seeing Zhang Chen's message, Jiang Rong's slender fingers began typing on the phone keyboard, "I'm here."

After a while, Zhang Chen's message came again, "Here is the purchase list... If you have any questions, you can pay first and I will give it to you later."

The text message listed a lot of delicious food near Chuan Da, and the most outrageous one was asking him to pack a braised duck and bring it back to him when he returned.

For a moment, Jiang Rong felt like a courier. There was a night market near the Communication University with a lot of delicious food. Every time she went back to the Communication University or sometimes passed by, she would buy steamed buns for Zhang Chen. Later, it was not limited to steamed buns. He asked to pack up the food wherever he went. Jiang Rong seriously suspected that Zhang Chen was taking revenge on her for eating skewers at night when filming the film "A Bite of Rongcheng" by calling him while he was in evening self-study.

What was even more painful was that Zhang Chen used a PHS, and text messages between PHS users cost eight cents each, and text messages to mobile phones also cost eight cents. But as a mobile phone user, whether I received or sent text messages to a PHS, I only had to pay 15 cents each. So a text message to and from Zhang Chen cost me three cents.

Although Jiang Rong earns thousands of yuan a month, plus the performance bonus from the International Digital Culture Festival, she also gets about 10,000 yuan, which is considered a big money! But she earns all her money through hard work. She goes to various universities to promote the cosplay competitions, and she is busy all the time at the cultural festivals. She only sleeps an average of four to five hours a day, and she looks exhausted.

So I deserve all this money! And that's based on the premise of this big event. Once the cultural festival is over, this kind of performance will basically disappear, and I will return to my normal salary of 1,200 yuan a month. Unless there are generous bonuses for future program production.

In order to facilitate her work, she also rented a house. Of course, she received a 200 yuan subsidy for renting a house. She rented a one-bedroom apartment for 500 yuan. She also took into account the inconvenience of sharing a house with others and the fact that she was exhausted after work every day and needed a better rest environment. This also required a fixed rent of 300 yuan.

Adding the transportation fee, various miscellaneous expenses, and the medical treatment for her grandparents, she really doesn't earn much, and she has to face exploitation by the small boss Zhang Chen.

I bought things for him, brought him food, and paid for it myself, but I was too embarrassed to ask him directly for the money. Sometimes, Zhang Chen would only settle the bill when he remembered.

This is also Jiang Rong's personality. Sometimes she just endures silently and will not make any requests. If Zhang Chen asks her to help or do something, she will do it. If there are any difficulties in the process, she will bear them silently.

A text message with Zhang Chen costs 30 cents, sometimes 10 messages can't stop, that's 3 yuan, and the monthly text message fee with Zhang Chen sometimes exceeds 100 yuan. The key is that he often explains in text messages, which is understandable, after all, he is studying. Yude sees that students have to hand in their mobile phones, and typing is more convenient than making calls in school.

But Jiang Rong was miserable, and she didn't dare to offend Zhang Chen, the leader's godson.

"Okay, okay, I know everything. Send all the things you need at once. I won't reply separately. I'll let you know when I buy them!" Jiang Rong sent the last message and put away her phone. Zhang Chen looked at Jiang Rong's response and smiled. He was actually doing it on purpose sometimes. He knew that she felt bad when she sent text messages, so sometimes he would chat with her one by one. He often found it interesting to see her feel bad about the text message fee on her phone, but couldn't get angry and could only respond tactfully.

After putting away her phone, Jiang Rong sorted out some things on her desk and took some supplies from her cabinet.

Several roommates came back and were a little surprised to see Jiang Rong.

I greeted her and asked her if she was there to take the computer test in the afternoon.
Jiang Rong nodded.

Jiang Rong also took part in the computer test in the afternoon. Although interns have privileges and can take an open-book make-up exam to pass even if they fail all the subjects, after all, it is better to pass the school exams in one try to avoid future troubles. After all, you still have to get your diploma.

The news that Jiang Rong returned to school for the exam spread throughout the department.

When counselor Gong Hui saw Jiang Rong, his face turned a little unhappy and he asked, "What is the situation with your internship at the TV station? Are you a contract employee of the TV station?"

Jiang Rong shook her head, "It's the production company that I signed with."

Gong Hui said, "Look... I thought you were interning at a TV station and signed a contract with the TV station, but it turned out to be a production company... You too, a production company is definitely not as good as being directly in the TV station! Last time I asked you to come to dinner, maybe your internship was arranged, and joining the TV station was just a matter of a word... Now the problem is big, right? Something happened in Rongcheng TV Station, and they have to clear a lot of outsourcing!"

Gong Hui also heard about the TV station's affairs. Many problems of Liu Bingrong were exposed, including kickbacks to production companies, subcontracting at various levels, and even his own company being nourished by the station's resources.

This time, Gong Hui called Jiang Rong to ask her about coming back to take the exam, and Jiang Rong agreed immediately. Gong Hui knew that Jiang Rong had encountered some problems.

Because she agreed so readily. If she was really working or had something to do, she would definitely ask about the exam time and then coordinate whether it would conflict with her work. As a result, Gong Hui said one sentence and tried to test whether her work time conflicted, and Jiang Rong always said yes.

That's easy. Gong Hui most likely knew about the TV station's affairs, which had affected Jiang Rong's established work to some extent.

"Does your company also produce programs for Rongcheng TV?" Gong Hui asked.

"Not after this." Jiang Rong shook her head.

It was almost certain. Jiang Rong was probably involved in one of Liu Bingrong's peripheral companies.

Gong Hui sighed deliberately, "You, you, how can I say hello to you... You don't have experience in many things, so you should listen to the opinions of those of us who have experienced it, and get in touch with more seniors in the industry... As a girl working hard outside, you may encounter difficulties that others can solve with just one sentence. You, come with me to attend the Media College event tomorrow, don't be too ambitious. After the event, there will be several guests coming, all from the media industry. I will take you to meet them, and you can also get in touch with these connections and resources."

In fact, Gong Hui has always coveted Jiang Rong. All the people he has come into contact with in the media industry have a few beautiful female students at their disposal. Not to mention, even in the circle of people who eat together and build relationships, you have to have more face.

After observing the new students for a period of time, Gong Hui was very optimistic about Jiang Rong. The main reason was that this girl completely met his requirements. Her appearance could be said to be one of the best in the department, and she was extremely beautiful. During the military training, even though she was wearing a training uniform, her appearance made him spend more time patrolling the military training ground every day.

The file showed that her mother died early, and even the guardian column was signed by her grandmother. It should be easy to control, but I didn't expect that Jiang Rong was not easy to deal with. Whether I hinted at good work-study opportunities for her, introduced her to some connections and resources, or even some "excessive care", Jiang Rong declined.

Over the years, Jiang Rong always kept a distance from him as her counselor, and it was normal for her to refuse his arrangements. She did not have the attitude of some other girls who would rush up to him for something they had mastered.

But it didn't matter. This made Gong Hui more eager to conquer her. Of course, on the surface, he still couldn't tell anything and still looked like he was taking special care of her.

Gong Hui just felt that although she was resistant, vigilant, and even sensed something and deliberately kept a distance from him, it didn't matter. There were plenty of opportunities to discipline her in the end.

But Jiang Rong got the internship at the TV station without saying a word, which made him feel unhappy for the first time that she was out of his control.

So on several occasions at the dinner table, when there were girls from the department drinking with him, he "inadvertently" mentioned some of his concerns about the future fate of Jiang Rong, who lost her mother at a young age. For a while, many rumors about her spread in the department.

This time, Gong Hui felt that Jiang Rong had tasted the bitter fruit of the sinister society. She would probably be much more docile when she returned to school this time. He would give her a warning and he would not worry that she would be disobedient in the future. Sooner or later, she would let him "control" her!
You see, if you don’t have my support, a counselor’s arrangement, or the resources behind me to help you, you will hit a wall if you go out and venture forth!
Jiang Rong went back to school to take the exam honestly, and the news that her job at the TV station had fallen through also spread.

Many people look at Jiang Rong again. They used to think she was high and mighty, an unpredictable rich girl, but now it is different.

Everyone knows that she lost her mother at a young age, her father started another family and didn't take much care of her, and she was raised by her grandparents. All of this combined a lot of information.

Some people who used to think she was as hard to pursue as a glacier, now secretly complained in their hearts, thinking she was a rich girl? Tsk, with this background, even if she looks good, I won’t like her! But it’s not impossible to play with her!

After the exam that day, Jiang Rong ordered a bowl of noodles at the famous beef noodle restaurant in the campus snack street.

She sat there in a fluttering white dress, and to the college students passing by, she was truly a beautiful sight.

Jiang Rong stayed in the dormitory at night, and her three roommates were still a little uncomfortable. But they had a decent relationship before, so although they were not too excited, they were still happy that she could come back to see them, and they also asked about her work situation. However, Jiang Rong did not say too much, because her three roommates were still looking for jobs and running around for internship opportunities.

However, a small welcome party was still held in the dormitory. The common desk was placed horizontally and some melon seeds and peanuts were placed on it. She chatted about girls' topics for a while and told her some things that happened in the school when she was not there.

When the atmosphere became heated, Yin Miaoyin, the usually carefree roommate, said, "Jiang Rong, you haven't been here recently, and people at school are saying all kinds of things about you. The most outrageous thing is that your mother died a long time ago... These people are really talking nonsense!"

Jiang Rong ate some melon seeds and laughed, "This is true."

The three girls were about to continue to dig out who was saying bad things about her behind her back, but they were stunned when they heard what she said.

"I haven't told you, but it's not a big deal... Everyone's life is different. For me, the life without my mother is something I have to accept. Once you accept some things, that's it. Sometimes I still call my mother's old mobile number, just as a tree hole, to talk about my recent situation... Sometimes I feel that she has not left, as if she has always been with me, and I think that my mother has become a star and will always bless me in the sky."

The three roommates did not feel a chill down their spines because of these words. Instead, they were touched. For the first time, they discovered that Jiang Rong had a temperament that could not be called mature, but could be called calm. It was a temperament that was condensed from her understanding of more things and higher vision than her peers.

The sliding door of the balcony was open, and the starry sky was outside.

Jiang Rong looked up at the stars, especially the particularly bright and twinkling star in the north, and she blinked towards it.

Then, the text message came.

"Remember to buy my stuff when you come back from the event tomorrow!"

"Got it!" Jiang Rong replied in a bad tone: "Go to sleep! You're still thinking about food!"

(End of this chapter)