Zhan Yahui hurriedly asked, "Guiying, why are you here?"
"Well nobody was coming back with the books. The fans were getting impatient. So, I just told them I needed a break, and they agreed," she shrugged. "What's taking it so long-"
Her gaze fell onto the box with her books in it, all wet with ink and ruined.
"Oh no! What happened here?"
"This is exactly what is taking us so long. I told you, Guiying. We shouldn't invite Zhou Ai here!"
"Huh? What's she have to do with this?" She frowned.
She glanced at the woman with her face all covered up. "...Ai? Is it you?"
"Yes."
As Zhan Yahui quickly told the whole story, Guiying silently listened to it.
Zhan Yahui was exasperated. "We cannot let this go, Guiying. Ai has to take the responsibility! We cannot give these ink smudged books to the fans now. Do you know how this will badly affect your reputation? They are so excited for this event, they have been waiting for so long and then we announce that they cannot get their signed copies? You will be attacked on social media like crazy for such mismanagement."
She glared at Ai. "Seriously, Zhou Ai. If you have grievances about not getting selected for this event, you should have taken it to the committee and sorted this in the company. Why take it out on Guiying's reputation? Guiying deserved this promotion, but you…your jealousy finally came in the way."
Amidst the sharp accusations against her, Ai still maintained her poise. "I am not jealous, and I didn't ruin anything. It was an accident."
Zhan Yahui flared her nostrils. "Guiying, will you not say anything? The situation has become so difficult now. There is no time to print another batch of books. The only thing I can think of now is for Zhou Ai to apologize to the fans."
"No."
It wasn't Ai who denied that.
Guiying stepped forward and critically declared. "Ai will not apologize. If Ai says it's an accident, then it must be an accident. I know her. She is not a scheming woman to pull up this disgusting act."
Guiying's stand on this matter had startled everybody.
"After all this, will you still believe her, Guiying? She is lying. She had no reason to be here in this room. I know she is your friend, but there is a limit to trusting her."
Guiying was firm though. "There is no limit to trusting your friends, Zhan Yahui."
Ai quietly stared at her.
"I will apologize to the fans saying there has been an unfortunate accident with the books. They will understand."
"They won't, Guiying! A few might understand, but the majority will curse you."
"Whatever the reaction will be, I will face it. Plus, it's our fault too. We shouldn't have kept the books with the can of printing ink in the same room. There should have been no liquid substances at all here that would compromise the books. This was our miss too."
Silence.
The assistant slowly nodded. "I-I have called Chief Editor Gu Yating here too. Once he is here, he will come up with some plausible reason to give to the fans."
Zhan Yahui glared at him. "No way! Zhou Ai has to apologize. I am not letting this go! It will take Gu Yating at least twenty minutes to reach here and then we will have to decide on the plan of action. We don't have that liberty because the fans won't give it to us. They are already getting so restless!"
"Enough Zhan Yahui. There is no need to take this matter so far and drag Ai's name in the mud. I won't let it happen," she sharply said.
Guiying then ignored her and firmly held Ai's hands. With sincerity, she expressed, "You don't have to worry, Ai. I trust you. I will talk to Zhan Yahui. She is just stressed out."
Ai said nothing. She pulled back her hand, making Guiying worried. "Ai, don't take her words to heart. I know you must be feeling hurt by her accusations. But I will sort this out, okay?" She reassured her the best she could.
Ai faintly nodded.
Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Sorry, Guiying. But I am not gonna listen to you on this. Ai will have to apologize-"
"The books are here!"
One of the other assistant editors from Dream High just then stepped in carrying a trolley of cardboard boxes.
Zhan Yahui blinked in confusion.
"Additional hundred copies of 'To Capture Your Heart.'"
Naturally, everybody was stunned. Zhan Yahui asked, "Huh? How are there a hundred more copies?"
The assistant editor didn't understand. "What do you mean, Miss Zhan? Chief Editor Gu Yating had ordered so."
Zhan Yahui was taken aback. "Him? When did he order you? Gu Yating and I decided to give a printing order of two hundred copies. We never made it to three hundred."
"Yes, initially you indeed gave an order of two hundred, but then Chief Editor Gu Yating said to have a hundred extra copies in case anything goes wrong. If any extra books remain after the event, he will take care of distributing those to different bookstores to sell them."
"He did this…?" She was utterly confused. "But he didn't inform me about it."
The assistant editor looked just as bewildered. "Oh but he did. He gave me the instructions over the phone."
Guiying brightened and happily exclaimed. "That's great! He was well prepared with the extra copies. Now Ai won't have to apologize, and the event will go smoothly! Let's just focus on ending this event without any hiccups," she sighed in relief. "Thank God. I almost got a heart attack…"
She signaled the assistant editor. "Alright. I will be back after the event is over. I cannot make the readers wait for longer," she nodded and glanced at Ai, "Ai, don't leave, okay?"
The whole time, Ai was patiently standing at her place, not uttering even a single word.
Zhan Yahui shot her with displeased glares.
A while later when the event was finally wrapped up, Guiying came back all tired. "My hand is dead."
Zhan Yahui brought a glass of water. "Have some water and rest."
"The event is successfully completed," Guiying grinned. "Great job everyone!"
"That was only possible because of Gu Yating's insight to order another hundred books. But this doesn't mean that Zhou Ai's guilt could be washed away. She ruined the books and even lied to hide her mistake. I still want the Dream High committee to punish her!"