Reborn in the 80s: My Whole Family Secretly Hears My Thoughts and Goes Wild with Success! - Chapter 86

As soon as Cao Yuejin opened his mouth, Tian Man knew he was talking nonsense again.

“Cao Yuejin, that’s a ridiculous thing to say. Should the editor-in-chief come to me for manuscript approval, or should I go to him?”

“Tian Man, you know exactly why you went to see the editor-in-chief!” Cao Yuejin sneered at her.

“Of course I know—I went to submit my draft for review. But what you think I went for, I have no idea.”

Tian Man stared him down. “Cao Yuejin, what exactly do you think I went to see the editor-in-chief for?”

Cao Yuejin faltered. “How would I know why you went?”

“If you don’t know, and I’ve already told you, why are you being so insinuating?”

Then, as if struck by sudden realization, Tian Man widened her eyes. “Oh, I get it now. You’re jealous because my report took up a whole page, aren’t you?”

“Ha! Why would I be jealous? I earn my page space fair and square—unlike some loose woman!”

Tian Man gasped theatrically, covering her mouth in mock shock. “Loose woman? Who? Did your wife cheat on you? Ohhh, Cao Yuejin, no wonder you’ve been so irritable lately! That explains it!”

“Not that I’m surprised. With that rotten personality of yours, your wife leaving you was a brilliant decision! I told you to learn a thing or two from my husband—maybe then you’d understand how a real man behaves.”

Cao Yuejin’s face darkened like the bottom of a burnt pot. Pointing a trembling finger at her, he snarled, “Tian Man, what the hell are you spouting? My wife never cheated on me—I was talking about you!”

SLAP!

Tian Man’s palm struck his face with a sharp crack. Cao Yuejin clutched his cheek, first stunned, then boiling with rage. “Tian Man, you dare hit me?!”

“Cao Yuejin, did you eat shit for breakfast? Every word out of your mouth stinks!”

Before he could react, Tian Man grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at him. Cao Yuejin barely dodged, scrambling away in panic.

“Tian Man, have you lost your mind?! You crazy shrew!”

“You bet I have! And unless you apologize right now, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

She stormed to his desk, sweeping everything onto the floor in one furious motion. Then she snatched up the telephone receiver and began dialing.

As the rotary dial clicked with each turn, she glared at him. “I’m calling my husband—and his superiors. Let’s see how they take to you insulting a military spouse!”

“Stop!”

Seeing she was dead serious, Cao Yuejin lunged to disconnect the call.

“Get your hands off!” When he refused, Tian Man smacked his fingers with the receiver.

“Tian Man, enough! Fine, I—I misspoke!” His tone turned pleading.

“And?”

“I…” His face flushed crimson with humiliation. Through gritted teeth, he spat, “I apologize. There, happy now?”

“Not even close. That was the most insincere apology I’ve ever heard!”

Tian Man’s eyes blazed. “Cao Yuejin, what proof do you have to call me a loose woman? Just because I published two articles, you think you can slander me like that?”

“You earned your page space with skill, but I must’ve slept my way to it, is that it?”

“What, you’re the only talented one in this entire newspaper? The rest of us just schemed our way up? Only you are pure and hardworking?”

“Pfah! You hypocritical worm! You call yourself a man? Your pettiness puts sewing needles to shame!”

“Instead of improving your writing, all you do is scheme—stealing credit from your own team members!”

“You want to know why I bypass you and go straight to the editor-in-chief? Everyone in this office knows why. Don’t you dare drag me into your filth!”

“You throw one bucket of mud at me, and I’ll return a whole vat. Go ahead—try me!”

With every word, Tian Man advanced, forcing Cao Yuejin back until he hit the wall, trapped.

Finally, his shame curdled into fury. “Tian Man, that’s enough! So I said one wrong thing—why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

“One wrong thing? So you knew it was wrong and said it anyway?”

Tian Man saw right through him. “You thought I’d be too ashamed to defend myself, that I’d avoid the editor-in-chief from now on and stop writing, didn’t you?”

“Cao Yuejin, after all these years, you’re still the same slimy coward!”

“Back then, when our mentor praised me more, you spread rumors about me. I always wondered which gossipmonger started it—turns out it was you!”

“You’ve always wondered why I refused to date you? Because even back then, I saw you for what you are—not a real man! You look like one, but you’re pettier than any woman!”

Li Xiaoli, who had been listening, suddenly stormed forward. “Team Leader Cao, was it you who spread those rumors about me too?”

“No!” he denied, face dark.

“Liar! I know it was you!”

Li Xiaoli had been heartbroken over those rumors. Now that she had the culprit, she wasn’t about to let him off.

“You’re disgusting! You badmouthed everyone!”

She turned to the rest of the team, rattling off every nasty thing Cao Yuejin had said behind their backs.

In an instant, Cao Yuejin became public enemy number one.

Even the editor-in-chief was stunned by his true nature. Summoning him to his office, he suspended Cao Yuejin on the spot, ordering him to go home, reflect, and write a self-criticism.

Furious, Cao Yuejin resigned on the spot, convinced his colleagues had turned against him.

The editor-in-chief didn’t stop him, approving his resignation immediately.

As Cao Yuejin packed his things and left the newspaper office, he was dazed. This wasn’t how he’d imagined his departure.

Wasn’t the editor-in-chief supposed to beg him to stay? Weren’t his colleagues supposed to gather, weeping, to see him off?

This was all Tian Man’s fault!

Just wait—what goes around comes around. One day, he’d make her pay.

After dropping his things at home, Cao Yuejin headed straight to Shen Daqiang’s house. He needed more details.

Those two reports Tian Man wrote had to be fake. What kind of parents would treat their daughter like that?

Clearly, the daughter had married into a wealthy family and now wanted to disown her parents, smearing their reputation.

He’d seen the old couple himself—they were pitiful. He’d help them clear their names and expose the daughter—and Tian Man—for who they really were!