Chapter 448: Country Bumpkins

"I don’t know," the eldest brother said. "But our cousin said the TV station is huge. Any taxi driver will know where it is if you just flag one down. It’ll be easy to find."

Hearing this, Linden’s family felt a renewed sense of hope.

"That’s great. Now that you two are here, a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. So, that’s the plan for now. We’ll go to the TV station tomorrow. Come on, come on. You must be exhausted after such a long ride, and you haven’t eaten, have you? Come to my place for dinner, and we can discuss the details then."

The eldest and second brothers felt a bit awkward.

After all, they were about to ask these people for help getting a house, and their own sister was the one who had put them in this mess.

"The last time we were here, we ate your food, drank your wine, and stayed at your place. To do it again... it doesn’t feel right."

Linden’s mother said pointedly,

"What’s not right about it? Amina aside, we’re all from the same village. What’s wrong with sharing a meal? Amina is vicious these days. We just went to talk to her, and she threw us out. She won’t treat you two any better if you go see her. Come on, don’t bother going over there just to get yelled at."

Remembering how Amina had treated them on their last visit, the two brothers really didn’t want to face her wrath, so they went with Linden’s family.

They all ate and drank together, plotting how to expose the situation. After a night’s sleep, they took a taxi to the entrance of Veridia Television early the next morning.

The television station was enormous and imposing.

The people coming and going all looked so classy and refined.

Looking at those people, then back at themselves, the group felt a surge of inferiority. They began to shove each other forward.

"You go first. You walk in front."

"No, you go."

After much shoving back and forth, they pushed Linden, who was the most presentable of the group, to the front.

Linden had a pack of cigarettes tucked in his pocket. As he reached the entrance, he humbly pulled one out and offered it to the security guard.

"Hello, hello."

The security guard, dressed in a uniform and standing ramrod straight, had spotted their group from a distance.

His face was wooden and expressionless as he raised a hand to block the offered cigarette.

"No smoking in public areas. Please put it away!"

Linden’s smile froze on his face. He quickly put the cigarette away.

"Sorry, I didn’t know the rules here. Well, uh..."

The guard looked at Linden, whose awkward movements radiated a sense of inferiority. He then glanced at the others lurking suspiciously at the bottom of the steps and spoke with a cold expression.

"Can I help you?"

Linden had been wondering how to start a conversation, so when the guard asked, he rushed to speak.

"Yes, yes, we do. It’s like this, we’ve run into some trouble and we were hoping the TV station could help..."

’What year is it? Who still thinks this way? You run into trouble and you come to a TV station for help?’

’In the past, when the station needed material for a show, they’d solicit stories from the public and did help a few people. But those were always highly representative cases, carefully selected stories.’

’And when they’re not looking, it’s not like they’ll listen to just any story, okay?’

’Besides, shows that air people’s petty grievances and sort out their domestic squabbles haven’t been popular for years. Why would they think to come to a TV station now?’

The security guard was speechless for a few seconds. "Do you have an appointment with one of the production teams?"

"A pro... a production team? What’s that? No, we don’t have an appointment."

As he spoke, Linden pulled out the entire pack of cigarettes and tried to shove it into the guard’s hand.

"We just don’t know who to talk to, that’s why... Brother, you work here every day, you must know what’s what. Please, just point us in the right direction."

’There are cameras everywhere. Does he really think he can bribe me with a single pack of cigarettes?’

’And who’s he calling "brother"?’

The young guard immediately took a step back and stood ramrod straight again.

"Do not touch me. We don’t do that sort of thing here! If you have an appointment, call the person you’re meeting and have them come get you. If not, please leave. This is a television station, not a police station. If you’re really in trouble, go to the police!"

Linden was at a complete loss. He couldn’t get through to the incorruptible guard, so he had no choice but to return to the group.

They all swarmed around him.

"What happened? What happened? What did he say?"

Linden repeated what the guard had said.

The group couldn’t help but start cursing the guard.

"He must’ve thought what we offered was too little, that the gift wasn’t good enough! A mere watchdog, acting all high and mighty. It’s disgusting! These days, even the dogs bully newcomers. Ugh!"

"I told you one pack wouldn’t be enough. We needed to get a whole carton, but you wouldn’t listen. He stands at the station entrance all day; who knows how many people ask him for favors. Of course his standards are going to be high."

"A carton, a carton... what kind of carton? A cheap one costs several hundred, and an expensive one is over a thousand. That’s enough for a month’s rent! What if he wants the thousand-yuan kind...? No, forget him. Let’s just wait by the entrance. If we see a reporter come out, we’ll rush up and yell. Isn’t that how it works on TV? Reporters are kind-hearted, not like that guy. As soon as we yell, our problem will be solved."

After a quick discussion, they decided to save the thousand yuan and sat down by the entrance to wait.

But they were practically roasting to death under the sun. They waited the entire day—hot, hungry, and exhausted—but didn’t see a single reporter.

"What’s going on? Doesn’t anyone work at this TV station? How can we wait all day and not see a single reporter come out?"

Little did they know that TV shows are just that—shows, completely detached from reality. Real-life reporters don’t just come rushing out of the building holding microphones.

Besides, the shows they were basing this on were hopelessly outdated. They depicted how TV stations operated in the 90s. More than twenty years had passed; times had changed.

At this rate, they could wait another eight days and still not run into the person they were looking for.

By 5 PM, Linden’s mother was on the verge of collapse from the heat. Everyone else was too hungry to bear it any longer. They had no choice but to take a taxi back.

They were all furious, having accomplished nothing and wasted so much money on taxi fare.

If this doesn’t work, we’ll have to go back to Amina. With so many of us confronting her to demand justice, there’s no way she can still be so defiant.

"She might not give us face, but she has to give some to her own two brothers, right? If that doesn’t work, go beg your grandmother. After all, you two are the boys, the grandsons. If it really comes down to it, I refuse to believe your grandmother wouldn’t take your side!"

The two brothers conferred. For the sake of the house, their only option was to go back and beg their grandmother.

The group arrived once more at the foot of the apartment building where Amina lived.

As they walked, the group discussed what they would say to the grandmother.

Just as they were walking, a fashionable, beautiful woman up ahead suddenly stopped and blocked their path.

The woman was so fair-skinned, so delicate, so beautiful.

Though she was only wearing a simple black dress, she had the air of a goddess and seemed to exude a sweet fragrance.

The eldest and second brothers’ eyes were practically glued to her.

"Wh-why is she looking at us? Do you... do you know her?"

Linden’s family quickly shook their heads. Just as they were wondering what the woman wanted, Faye Fisher crossed her arms and spoke in a clear voice.

"Are you here looking for Amina? Who are you to her?"

"You know Amina? Are you here to see her, too?"

The eldest brother hadn’t expected Amina to know such a beautiful woman. He stammered as he looked at Faye Fisher.

Faye Fisher nodded. "She’s my friend. So, who are you?"

"I’m her oldest brother, and this is her second oldest. These are our neighbors from the village."

Hearing that she was Amina’s friend, the eldest brother instantly felt closer to Faye Fisher and excitedly began making introductions.