In response to Yan Feifan’s question, Zhu Lin admitted candidly, "Mr. Yan, that’s right. I’m here about that man."

She added, "I managed to secure a small charitable donation from a corporation, and I’d like to ask you, Mr. Yan, to perform his plastic surgery. The hope is that it will help him overcome his social withdrawal and low self-esteem, allowing him to rejoin society."

Because of Guo Yiweng, Yan Feifan had a very low opinion of this young freeloader; in fact, he had a rather negative impression of him.

"Zhu Lin, since you’ve secured a donation, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a plastic surgery clinic to take the case. There are plenty of excellent plastic surgeons in Binhai."

"My schedule is very tight lately. I don’t have time."

"I have to go. I need to join my mentor for rounds..."

With that, Yan Feifan walked away quickly, not waiting for Zhu Lin to respond.

"Hey..."

Zhu Lin watched Yan Feifan’s retreating figure, her cheeks puffing out in frustration.

She turned to Xiao Man, who was smiling faintly with pursed lips, and pouted. "Mrs. Man, is this Mr. Yan the same person you told me about? I’m not seeing much of that kindness or compassion you mentioned."

Xiao Man chuckled. "Zhu Lin, many disabled people work hard to support themselves. This guy you want to help is able-bodied, yet he stays home playing video games and freeloading off his parents."

"Are you sure someone like that is worth helping?"

Zhu Lin sighed. "His parents are truly pitiable, it’s quite sad. They’ve come to me begging for help time and time again," she said helplessly.

"As his case worker, I’ve exhausted every other option. At this point, I have no other ideas besides just giving him what he wants."

Xiao Man was beginning to understand. It was possible that Zhu Lin, on her ’grassroots-level’ training assignment to assist this poor family, had been set up.

She advised, "Zhu Lin, you should know this is just a temporary fix, not a real cure. If he doesn’t become stronger on the inside, he’ll just retreat again the next time he faces a problem."

Zhu Lin nodded. "I know. That’s why I was thinking we could arrange for intensive psychotherapy for him at the same time as the plastic surgery."

"Once his plastic surgery is done, I’ll do my best to arrange a suitable job for him and help him reintegrate into society."

At this point, Zhu Lin bit her lip and said quietly, "This whole ordeal will probably take three or four months."

"If he runs into trouble again and reverts to his old ways..."

"Mrs. Man, by then, I’ll have been transferred back to my post at the municipal government."

Xiao Man couldn’t help but shake her head. "Zhu Lin, you’re treating this like a vanity project for your career."

Zhu Lin said with a pitiable expression, "Mrs. Man, I’m really out of ideas."

"I’m just a junior civil servant who’s barely started her career. I’m already giving this everything I’ve got."

"Mrs. Man..."

Seeing Zhu Lin’s pleading look, Xiao Man snorted. "Stop putting on that pitiful act for me."

"Alright, fine. I’ll put in a good word for you with Mr. Yan."

"So, how much did you actually raise in charitable donations?"

Zhu Lin held up three fingers and said sheepishly, "Thirty thousand!"

Xiao Man was stunned. "Zhu Lin, thirty thousand yuan? What is that supposed to cover?" she asked, displeased.

Zhu Lin’s face soured. "I had to beg and plead with everyone I knew just to get that thirty thousand."

She started muttering again, "Mrs. Man, I’m just a junior civil servant who’s barely started her career..."

After ten in the morning, once he had finished his rounds with Mr. Lo, Yan Feifan was pulled aside by Xiao Man to film a segment about the previous night’s mushroom poisoning incident.

Yan Feifan hadn’t wanted to be on camera.

However, when Xiao Man told him the report would focus on poisonous mushrooms as a public service announcement, he changed his mind.

Summer and autumn are the peak seasons for mushroom poisoning.

What’s more, poisonous mushrooms are highly toxic, and there are no specific antidotes. Over twenty percent of mushroom poisoning cases result in death.

Dressed in his white coat and holding a clear photograph of a toxic mushroom, Yan Feifan faced the camera and described the main varieties of poisonous mushrooms found in the country, as well as methods for identifying them.

"In short, you should avoid eating wild mushrooms whenever possible. If you encounter a wild mushroom that you don’t recognize or are unsure about, it’s best to stay away from it entirely."

"It’s not worth risking your life for a fleeting craving."

With that, Yan Feifan exchanged a look with Xiao Man, who was standing beside the cameraman, and concluded the shoot.

"Feifan, you’re getting more and more charismatic on camera."

Xiao Man walked up to Yan Feifan and chuckled. "You could easily be an expert consultant or even a host for a medical or wellness show."

"Any interest in a side gig in a different field?"

Yan Feifan laughed. "Mrs. Man, you’ve got to be kidding. I could never do a job like that."

"Besides, I’m so young. Who would believe I’m an expert?"

Xiao Man smiled, then led Yan Feifan to a corner of the room. With a gossipy look on her face, she said, "Feifan, our station’s producer, Yang Di, and his wife are getting a divorce."

"Did you know about it?"

Yan Feifan hummed in confirmation. "I know."

"I heard they’ve already reached a settlement. All that’s left is to file the official paperwork."

Xiao Man continued eagerly, "I heard it’s related to Yang Di’s recent poisoning incident. The police have even opened an investigation."

"Do you have any inside info?"

Yan Feifan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He hadn’t expected a famous reporter like Xiao Man to be such a gossip.

"The poisoning? Hasn’t that already been figured out?"

"It was because he ate a snake on location that had died from eating a poisoned rat."

"I heard from my sister that Yang Di and Yin Yue are just divorcing over personal issues."

Seeing that Yan Feifan was tight-lipped, Xiao Man knew better than to press him further and changed the subject. "Feifan, Zhu Lin, the woman who was looking for you this morning, is actually my junior from university and she’s from my hometown."

"It’s not easy for a young woman like her, trying to make her way in the Binhai government system all alone, so far from home."

"If you can help her, you should."

In front of Xiao Man, Yan Feifan was candid. "His family is struggling, yet he’s still at home freeloading. That young man has serious problems."

"Of course, that has a lot to do with his parents’ poor upbringing and coddling."

Hearing this, Xiao Man commented with a sigh, "There’s a social phenomenon now where the more a family struggles, the more they spoil and pamper their child, which just leads to a host of other problems."

"Take the ’campus loans’ and ’naked loans’ that have been popular these past few years. Many of the college students who get trapped in them come from families that aren’t well-off."

"The pitiable always have their hateful flaws."

Xiao Man sighed, then said pensively, "Maybe I could do an in-depth report on this young man who’s self-conscious about his looks. I could frame it from the angle of family upbringing."

While Xiao Man was lost in thought, Yan Feifan received a phone call from Qiu Ge.

"Mr. Yan, are you free tonight?"

After Yan Feifan confirmed he was free, Qiu Ge extended an invitation over the phone. "My husband and I are treating everyone to dinner. It’s at the Jinxiu Grand Hotel."

"Mr. Yan, please bring your sister and Dr. Yu along."

"I’ve already notified Mr. Tan and told him to bring his friends, too..."

After ending his call with Dr. Qiu, Yan Feifan heard Xiao Man say excitedly, "Feifan, I’m going to go back to the station and plan this out properly. I’ll ask a few of the veterans for their advice."

"I think this topic could generate some serious social buzz."

After a pause, Xiao Man asked again, "So, Feifan... about that favor for my junior and fellow hometown girl?"

Yan Feifan replied, "Mrs. Man, that guy’s primary issue is psychological. How about this? I know a very good psychologist."

"She once had a patient who also became withdrawn and developed low self-esteem because of their appearance."

"I’ll ask her if she’d be willing to take him on..."