Chapter 90: Apologize to Mo Jizong at the Dinner Table

“But he really thought your script was good. Even though some in the department opposed it, he strongly supported your work,” Du Jinze explained on Mo Jizong’s behalf. “Last time, it was without his knowledge that someone from his department contacted your editor saying your script didn’t pass.”

“Du Jinze,” Su Jinshi laughed, “Do you all think that just because I don’t work in an office and stay at home writing scripts, I’m easy to fool?”

“How… how could that be?” Du Jinze was taken aback by Su Jinshi’s retort.

Su Jinshi chuckled in disbelief, “Although I’ve been in this industry since graduation without working a regular job, I’m not so naive as to not know that Mo Jizong, as the department manager and project lead, wouldn’t have some ordinary employee bypass him and directly inform the other company of the result without his approval.”

Du Jinze: “…”

Indeed, no one would do that unless they wanted to lose their job.

“This excuse, whether thought up by Mo Jizong or you, is treating me like a fool if you’re using it to brush me off,” Su Jinshi said.

Du Jinze could only say, “Mo Jizong told me this, I’m just relaying his words to you.”

“He wants you not to misunderstand him,” Du Jinze said, his scalp tingling. He also felt that Mo Jizong using this excuse was treating Su Jinshi like a fool, and couldn’t understand what Mo Jizong was thinking.

“So, I was thinking of arranging a gathering where we could all sit down together and clear up any misunderstandings,” Du Jinze said. “From what I gathered from Jizong, it seems… that day you lost your temper with him and were quite impolite?”

Su Jinshi: “…”

Hearing no response from Su Jinshi, Du Jinze continued, “He is, after all, kind of your client, isn’t he the one to approve your script? Jinshi, you’ve never really worked in an office, so you might not understand that there are many things beyond our control in the workplace, and your current situation is similar.”

Su Jinshi: “…”

“We’re all classmates, so there’s no need to worry about losing face. No one else knows about this, I’m just stepping in to mediate, only inviting you and Mo Jizong. If you apologize to Mo Jizong at the dinner table, we can put this matter behind us. Besides, whether you collaborate in the future or not, we’re all classmates, there’s no need to let things get so tense.”

“It would be best if you could collaborate. As classmates, it would certainly be more convenient, and Mo Jizong could help with various matters,” Du Jinze continued on his own. “Even if you don’t collaborate, we’re classmates after all. Are you never going to see each other again? Making things this awkward will just make future encounters uncomfortable and embarrassing!”

“Du Jinze,” Su Jinshi interrupted, “Why should I be the one to apologize? I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.”

“Yes, but Mo Jizong said he was only looking out for your best interests. Maybe you couldn’t accept the way he said it, but he definitely had no ill intentions,” Du Jinze said. “After all, honest advice is often unpleasant to hear! We’re all classmates, if he didn’t have your best interests at heart, why would he even bother, right?”

“Mo Jizong is quite mature in his thinking. What you now see as him meddling, after some time you might realize he actually had a point,” Du Jinze added.

Su Jinshi took a deep breath and asked, “Did Mo Jizong say why he criticized me?”

“He said you’re addicted to gaming,” Du Jinze replied, not asking about which game specifically. “You’re so addicted that you can’t distinguish between reality and the virtual world, and he couldn’t help but say a few words about it.”

“I think what Mo Jizong said isn’t wrong. You love playing games, but you can’t let yourself lose touch with reality because of them,” Du Jinze said. “Let me say something, don’t get angry.”

“I think you might love that game too much, so when someone says something negative about it, you react defensively,” Du Jinze explained. “To the point where your attitude towards Mo Jizong became quite poor.”

Su Jinshi laughed slightly, “You’ve heard only Mo Jizong’s side and you’re telling me all this?”

“Jinshi……”

“Mo Jizong was never my client, and my script isn’t exclusively for sale to him,” Su Jinshi said. “Let me put it this way, I really dislike Mo Jizong commenting on my personal affairs, acting as if he has the right to educate me on what I should or shouldn’t do. People should mind their own business, and I’ll say the same to you.”

“Jinshi, we’ve all been classmates for so many years……”

“Du Jinze, is that all you can say?” Su Jinshi asked. “Just because we were classmates, you’re using it to morally bind me?”

“No, no, it’s not moral binding……” Du Jinze wanted to explain, but found he had no convincing reason.

“I don’t think I’ve said anything wrong about Mo Jizong. The harshest thing I said was that he’s presumptuous,” Su Jinshi scoffed. “Is that considered impolite? I have even more impolite things I could have said. You say I’m being reactive? Mo Jizong, who got angry just because I called him presumptuous, is the one being reactive!”

“This……” Du Jinze was at a loss for words.

Calling Mo Jizong presumptuous wasn’t really incorrect.

And it indeed hadn’t reached the level of being impolite; Su Jinshi had just been rather blunt, not particularly tactful.

“Actually, I’m quite curious,” Su Jinshi inquired. “During the New Year’s gathering, you and Kang Youwen were constantly prodding me, clearly trying to help Mo Jizong find out about my boyfriend. Now you’re stepping in to play peacemaker.”

Su Jinshi laughed mockingly, “Though ‘peacemaker’ isn’t quite right. It’s more like you’re unilaterally trying to persuade me to apologize to Mo Jizong.”

“This really doesn’t concern you, and you don’t need to say anything more—it could easily offend me,” Su Jinshi truly didn’t understand. “You don’t need to get involved in this matter. But you’ve insisted on getting involved. Why?”

“Why are you helping Mo Jizong so much that you’re willing to be the bad guy yourself?” Su Jinshi smiled. “You work in sales, you know how to be smooth-talking, you know what to say and do with different people, and you know what words people won’t like to hear. Yet you’ve said these clearly unpleasant things to me. Du Jinze, I’m very curious, why?”

Du Jinze fell silent.

Su Jinshi then said, “Why don’t you just tell me the truth? If you have your reasons, I can understand.”

Du Jinze knew that if he didn’t tell the truth, Su Jinshi definitely wouldn’t agree to go to this dinner.

So Du Jinze told the truth: “Actually, our company wants to secure business from Mo Jizong’s company. I’m in sales, and if we can close the deal, I could get a significant commission.”

“I hope Mo Jizong can help make some connections for me. He’s considered middle management in their company, which could be quite helpful,” Du Jinze sighed and said, “My girlfriend and I are in a stable relationship, and we’re thinking about getting married in a couple of years.”

…