Seeing Jiang Cheng gently holding his phone with his long, slender fingers, his deep eyes were fixed intently on the screen.
Zhou Ying inadvertently glanced up and saw that the screen clearly displayed a deeply affectionate voice message she had previously sent him.
Instantly, a flush, like the sunset glow in the sky, rapidly spread from her fair cheeks, burning all the way to her earlobes.
She subconsciously reached out and gently covered the phone screen.
At the same time, she parted her rosy lips and said sweetly, "Oh, don't look, I'm embarrassed."
Her voice was like the melodious song of an oriole in spring, carrying a hint of reproach mixed with endless shyness, so soft and sweet it could melt a person's heart.
Jiang Cheng's gaze shifted from the phone and landed on Zhou Ying's face.
Seeing her delicate, slightly flushed appearance around her earlobes, a mischievous feeling arose in his heart.
He deliberately pulled the hand holding the phone back, preventing Zhou Ying from easily turning off the screen.
Immediately afterward, his lips curled up, forming a slightly mischievous smirk.
He raised his arm high, lifting the phone to a place Zhou Ying couldn't reach.
He even deliberately shook it, saying smugly, "What are you shy about? I recall this is the first time you've ever told me you love me."
His tone was full of teasing, yet concealed a hint of subtle delight.
Hearing this, Zhou Ying felt the heat on her face intensify, as if she were being roasted by fire.
Even her neck was tinged with a faint pink color.
She lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly, revealing her inner panic.
The surrounding air seemed to be filled with a faint, sweet aroma.
In fact, the process of her and Jiang Cheng getting together was smooth and natural, like a clear mountain stream—it was a matter of course.
No one deliberately confessed their feelings, nor was there a meticulously planned, knee-dropping, formal proposal.
Jiang Cheng never explicitly asked her to be his girlfriend.
Everything just happened naturally when the mood was right.
Although the number of times they had been intimately close was countless.
However, this was indeed the first time she had told Jiang Cheng, "I love you."
While feeling shy, she suddenly realized that all this time, Jiang Cheng had never said affectionate words like "I love you" to her.
He hadn't even uttered a more straightforward phrase like "I like you."
Thinking of this, Zhou Ying's lips involuntarily moved slightly, as if many words were swirling on her tongue, and she seemed about to ask something.
Just in this warm yet slightly shy atmosphere, an abrupt phone ring suddenly shattered the peace.
Jiang Cheng frowned slightly, looked down, and saw the large characters "Chen Ping" standing out prominently on the screen.
He raised his hand, picked up the phone, pressed the answer button with his slender finger, and then quickly tapped the speakerphone icon.
Soon, Chen Ping's familiar and respectful voice came through from the other end of the line.
"Young Master Jiang, are you alright?"
Jiang Cheng leaned back against the sofa, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, and replied directly, "What could be wrong with me? I wasn't on a plane."
Hearing this, Chen Ping fell silent for a brief moment on the other end of the phone, then let out a dry laugh, trying to diffuse the slight awkwardness.
"You are right. The Aviation Bureau just called. The incident causing the runway incursion was due to calculation negligence by the Control Tower staff."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng's previously relaxed posture instantly became rigid. A flash of anger crossed his deep eyes, and an anonymous fire flared up inside him again.
He sat up straight, and his tone became cold and harsh.
"I heard from people at the airport that a similar incident happened two years ago. Although it wasn't at the same airport, the same thing occurred, meaning it wasn't unprecedented and could have been used as a lesson learned. So why is the Control Tower the problem again today?"
His words were like a rapid-fire cannon, filled with anger and condemnation for the Control Tower's dereliction of duty; every word was forceful and resonant.
"Yes, you are right. Given such a major accident, everyone involved on the Control Tower side will be dismissed." Chen Ping quickly agreed, his voice conveying a sense of helpless compliance.
Clearly, he also took this accident very seriously.
At this moment, the faces of the passengers who had frantically rushed off the plane appeared in Jiang Cheng's mind.
Although the system had now rewarded him with a Boeing aircraft and two exclusive pilots to reduce the dangers of his own travel.
For ordinary passengers taking flights, however, this danger still existed.
Just one oversight by the staff could mean the instantaneous fragmentation and suffering of hundreds of families.
Furthermore, such accidents would cause deep concern and doubt among the public towards Huaxia Aviation, making countless people lose faith in flight safety.
Looking at it this way, dismissing the negligent personnel was already a very light punishment.
Jiang Cheng clicked his tongue and then said, "Dismissal is necessary, but that's not the point. Isn't it baffling? Occurring twice indicates that the system and management at the Control Tower itself are flawed..."
Seeing Jiang Cheng direct his anger towards him, Chen Ping not only didn't feel the slightest displeasure but instead felt a surge of anticipation and respect internally.
In his view, a member of the Huaxia Third Generation who possessed correct values and treated matters rigorously...
...was always better than those mediocre, lazy people who only knew how to indulge in pleasure and leisure.
After all, they were the backbone of society, capable of stepping forward at critical moments to serve the welfare of the masses.
Chen Ping replied with a serious expression, "I will relay your words. Thankfully, because of you today, we narrowly prevented a tragedy. The Aviation Department watched the video from the Emergency Command Room; you were the one who directed the two planes to separate."
Seeing that Jiang Cheng remained silent, Chen Ping continued.
"Young Master Jiang, although I know some things may not be appropriate for me to say given my position, what you did was quite risky. It's fortunate the planes were successfully saved, but if there had been an accident..."
His voice trembled slightly, as if he dared not imagine the terrible consequences.
Chen Ping then tactfully continued: "Although the root cause of this incident was the operational error of the Control Tower, you were the one who ultimately directed the two aircraft. Others might try to push the responsibility onto you..."
Jiang Cheng nodded slightly. He was perfectly clear in his mind and naturally knew that Chen Ping's words were entirely borne of good intentions.
Chen Ping, though usually cautious and strictly adhering to his duties...
...could always discard the complexities of officialdom and interpersonal relations at critical moments, genuinely considering his well-being.
If it were someone like Zhao Qiming, who cared only about his personal future and spent all day flattering and fawning...
...at a time like this, they would most likely just follow Jiang Cheng's lead and say some meaningless pleasantries.
How could they, like Chen Ping, painstakingly remind him of the hidden dangers behind this tricky situation, even risking his displeasure?