I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

"My name is Li Qiang. I worked at the chemical plant for five years," the man began, his voice trembling. "I know some things they don't want the outside world to know."

Zhang Wanqing opened her notebook, her eyes fixed on Li Qiang, afraid of missing any details. Fu Siyuan sat quietly beside her, his eyes sharp, as if assessing Li Qiang's credibility.

"The chemical plant has been secretly discharging toxic wastewater, and they've used bribes and threats to keep it quiet," Li Qiang said, his voice filled with anger and helplessness. "I know it's dangerous, but I can't put my family in danger."

Zhang Wanqing's heart sank as she realized this case was much more complicated than she had imagined. She glanced at Fu Siyuan, whose expression remained calm, but a hint of determination lingered in his eyes.

"Do you have any evidence?" Fu Siyuan's voice was calm, but every word was full of power.

Li Qiang pulled a USB drive from his pocket and handed it to Fu Siyuan. "There are some videos and files I secretly filmed in it. You can take a look."

Fu Siyuan took the USB drive, his eyes becoming sharper. "We will carefully review the information. Thank you for your courage."

Li Qiang nodded, a look of relief on his face. "I just hope my family is safe, and that those innocent people get justice."

After leaving Li Qiang's apartment, Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan did not return directly to the newspaper office, but instead went to a quiet cafe. They needed a safe place to review the information.

Soft music played in the cafe, and the air was filled with the aroma of coffee. Fu Siyuan opened his laptop, inserted a USB drive, and tapped away at the keyboard.

The video footage was blurry, but one could see black wastewater being discharged from the chemical plant's sewage pipes. The data and records in the documents were even more shocking, confirming Li Qiang's accusations.

Zhang Wanqing felt a surge of anger and powerlessness. She knew the evidence was enough to shock the entire society. "We must expose this scandal," she said firmly, tears welling in her eyes.

Fu Siyuan nodded, a hint of anger in his eyes. "Yes, but we can't act rashly. This information must be carefully verified and analyzed. Journalists must be rigorous in their reporting and not simply believe what the parties say. We must, like the police, unravel the truth and verify every word and every piece of evidence they provide."

For the first time, Zhang Wanqing realized that journalists, like police officers, had to prove the authenticity of every word spoken by the parties and every piece of physical evidence they provided, rather than simply believing whatever the parties said. This was something she had never understood before.

She knew Fu Siyuan was right, but she was still filled with urgency. "So what should we do next?"

Fu Siyuan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "We need to find more witnesses to prove the authenticity of this video, and at the same time, contact environmental organizations and legal experts. We can't rush this; we have to take it step by step. Furthermore, we can't leak any information to anyone until all the work is completed. We must ensure that every step is taken steadily."

"Why can't you tell anyone?" Zhang Wanqing asked.

Fu Siyuan explained, "Because you don't know, those people will come out to prevent the truth from being revealed, just like when the police solve a case, they don't know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Before the case is solved, anyone could be a suspect, and anyone could be the one to reveal the truth."

Zhang Wanqing didn't quite understand Fu Siyuan's cautious nature, but she nodded anyway. She knew it was a long process, but she was ready. She and Fu Siyuan worked out a detailed plan, from finding witnesses to contacting experts. Fu Siyuan was very careful and cautious about every step of the planning.

Zhang Wanqing's footsteps echoed in the dim street. She tightened her coat, trying to ward off the biting wind. The night was as dark as ink, with only a few streetlights emitting a faint glow. Her shadow stretched long across the ground. Her heart was filled with unease, but even more so with a longing for the secret that was about to be revealed.

Fu Siyuan walked ahead of her, his figure remarkably determined in the night. They were heading to a secret meeting point where a former chemical plant employee was willing to provide more information. This employee, a former colleague of Li Qiang's, might have the crucial evidence they needed.

They walked through a narrow alley, which ended in a dilapidated warehouse. The door was ajar, and a faint light shone from inside. Zhang Wanqing's heartbeat quickened. She knew this meeting might be fraught with danger.

Fu Siyuan turned around, his eyes serious. "Remember, Wanqing, we're only here to listen to what he says. We can only record it. Don't act rashly." His voice was low and contained a hint of warning.

Zhang Wanqing nodded, her hands clenching the notebook and pen in her hands. She knew that this meeting might change everything.

They pushed open the door and walked into the warehouse. A musty smell filled the air, and corners were filled with abandoned boxes and rusted machinery. A man in a black hoodie stood in the center, his figure looking particularly gloomy in the dim light.

"You're finally here." The man's voice was hoarse and his eyes were wary.

Fu Siyuan stepped forward, his voice calm but powerful. "We're here to hear your story. Is there anything you want to tell us?"

The man pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Fu Siyuan. "This contains all the evidence I've collected, including photos and documents showing the chemical plant's illegal discharge of pollutants." His voice trembled slightly, and he was clearly nervous.

Zhang Wanqing nervously wrote down everything the man said in her notebook, while Fu Siyuan stood quietly by the side, his eyes sharp, as if assessing the man's credibility.

"Why did you decide to stand up?" Zhang Wanqing asked, with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

The man took a deep breath, his eyes dimming. "I have a daughter, and I don't want her to live in a polluted environment." His voice was low, filled with deep helplessness.

Zhang Wanqing's heart was touched. She knew that this man was trying to protect the one they loved. She glanced at Fu Siyuan. His expression remained calm. He was just listening to the man speak without revealing any personal emotions, but there was a hint of determination in his eyes.

"Don't worry, we will handle these evidences carefully." Fu Siyuan's voice was calm, but every word was full of power.

The man nodded, a look of relief on his face. "I just want my family to be safe, and for those innocent people to get justice."

After leaving the warehouse, Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan went to a quiet cafe as before. For Fu Siyuan, the only safe thing he had was his laptop until he figured out what was going on.

Soft music continued to play in the cafe, and the air was filled with the aroma of coffee. Fu Siyuan turned on his computer and inserted a USB drive. The photos were clear, and the data and records in the files were even more shocking, confirming the man's accusation.

Zhang Wanqing's eyes seemed to be filled with tears. Fu Siyuan said calmly, "Wanqing, as a reporter, you cannot have any subjective personal feelings. You must report the facts calmly and objectively. Even if you sympathize with or are moved by the parties involved in the incident, you must control your emotions. We must be bystanders of the incident, not participants. Do you understand?"

Zhang Wanqing nodded. She knew Fu Siyuan was right. She was too sentimental. In life, she was often moved to tears by the smallest things. Even watching a movie would move her to tears. Her father had once told her that this kind of personality shouldn't be brought to work. She understood, but she couldn't do it.

Fu Siyuan pondered for a moment, then said, "It's okay, Wanqing, take your time. No one can maintain a normal attitude towards work from the beginning. It's not that easy to separate your personalities in life from your personalities at work. How should I put it, it's almost like split personality, haha."

Fu Siyuan's words made Zhang Wanqing laugh. He was very serious at work, but in life he was humorous and approachable.

As night fell, the lights in the cafe dimmed. Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan sat by the window, their shadows cast on the glass, and outside was the bustling night scene of the city. They knew that this battle had just begun, but they were ready.