woman wearing irish linen shirt

After the whole concert, Miss Pender acted like nothing happened.

Of course she's fine, so proficient in maki-e crafts, I'm afraid Miss Pande has seen through my deception from the very beginning.And she even came to talk to me because of my well-designed "physical evidence", the homework paper-like a predator playing with its prey.

Since I joined the work, it was the first time that I made such a big work mistake.

I was sitting on pins and needles from beginning to end, sitting in the best seat of the concert hall, but there was only humming in my ears.Even Mahler himself conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker to play the Second Symphony would not help at the moment, because all I had to do was wait.

In the midst of anti-Semitism, Mahler waited for his time; I waited for my judgment.

The beast is still fighting, I wait for my turn.

The 10-minute ordeal was finally over. The performers repeatedly called the curtain, and I merged into the crowd and applauded fiercely.Miss Pan De listened very attentively, and her applause made me feel mixed.During those few minutes of the curtain call, my thoughts changed a lot.Am I careless?Or from the very beginning, I was just a turtle in the urn, and I had already fallen into her trap without knowing it?

Miss Pender got up, her velvet showed a condescending brilliance, and said: "I don't think you are in a hurry to go home."

"Of course." I also stood up, holding the bag in both hands and sticking it in front of my body.

"There will be a reception next." She pushed her hair behind her ears, "but I don't think you want to attend. Let me say hello, okay? You can find a place to wait for me."

Can I say "no"?My sweat is like a poisonous snake's letter running down my back, and I catch it with my backhand, but I get nothing: the temperature here is moderate, where does the sweat come from?It's just my instinct that is sending out the final warning, so that I will not be eaten up by the maze of steel and concrete without knowing it.

Miss Pender came back after a while.Seeing me hanging the shawl on my bag, she was a little surprised and said, "Aren't you cold?"

I shook my head and shook the bag in my hand: "Do you want it?"

"Thank you." Miss Pender smiled. "If you don't mind, I hope to take a walk here."

Wearing such high heels?

Of course, this is what I want.I made a deliberate appearance of throwing away my armor, with my back exposed so defenselessly, and limping, she wouldn't be vigilant against me all the time, would she?

Miss Pan De is really gentle, she didn't even go around with me, and said directly: "Your gift is very beautiful. Of course, it is also very expensive."

"I don't know if you like it or not? After using it for the past few days, I think your experience should be richer." I meant something.Since she knew that the nature of this pen was not pure, she didn't choose to hand it over to the company. She was very bold and thought that there must be a countermeasure for this kind of thing.

Miss Pan De looked at me: "Is this from you?"

"Yes."

"Very extravagant consumption."

"I have other plans."

"What kind of attempt?" She paused. "You lied to me, but you haven't apologized yet."

I laughed out loud: "You used me."

She seemed puzzled: "What did I do with you?"

I confess: "I don't know."

"You've been refusing to answer my questions. No," she added, "you've been evading questions that you don't want to answer."

"You said it wasn't my job to be frank with you."

"So you mean, this is part of the job?" Seeing my silence, Miss Pan De still maintained her gentleness, "Look, Yao, you are avoiding it again."

She turned to face me, stared into my eyes, and reconfirmed: "Is this sent by you?"

How could I tell the truth, calmly said: "Yes."

"I guess someone else is paying for it."

"Conjecture is not the same as fact." I smiled. "Sonia, what do you want?"

"Look, if I tell your boss about this matter," she avoided my gaze and looked towards the side of the road, "no matter what he thinks in his heart, just to be prudent, the investigation procedure should go through."

I laughed even harder and said, "I can do the same with BCG Singapore."

She laughed as if she got the expected answer, her eyelashes drooped, looking very slender.Even at this time, I can't think she is hateful. Beautiful things can sometimes surpass right and wrong and morality.Miss Pender blinked and said, "You know why I'm so sure? I just bought the pen about you."

I said nothing.

Of course I want to know, but it would be too cowardly to ask.Naturally, instead of offending Miss Pan De, I simply gave her a searching look.

"I bought the exact same one, just last Sunday." She tilted her head and looked at me, as if testing the results of the prank, "It's lying at HR's place now."

I fell silent.

After a few seconds, I realized that I might have lost completely.Miss Pan De made such a big investment, there must be a follow-up waiting for me here.Not to mention making decisions before making moves, it is very difficult for me to dismantle the moves even if I see the tricks. The situation is stronger than others, and maintaining confrontation may not necessarily be rewarding.When I spoke again, my resistance seemed to be hidden in some corner, and I couldn't find anything after looking at it: "What can I do for you?"

"You're very clever." Miss Pender laughed. "I like that."

Carrying her bag casually with one hand, she was next to me again.At this time, Miss Pender really seemed to be taking a walk, but every word she said made my feet feel heavier.Obviously wearing shackles, she walked more and more lightly, but I was like stepping on the tip of a knife.

I only heard her high-heeled shoes pierced into my ears step by step while the car roared, and she said: "You must have guessed why we came here and what goal we hope to achieve in the end. My goals for the project are multiple. Among them, my most important task is to find a CEO of a new company. This position can also be held by COO, of course, he or she must have sufficient ability, and this must be a candidate that everyone is satisfied with.”

everyone?I thought to myself, is this an explicit indication that my group is involved?

"As for the quality of the candidate, maybe I can provide some references." Ms. Pan De looked at me, "He or she should have rich front-line work experience, participate in project decision-making, be bold in thinking, meticulous in work, and have a strong business philosophy. Highly aligned with the board—and, well, flexible.”

I felt her gaze and couldn't help but look over.There was no emotion in Miss Pender's eyes, she just asked, "Do you think you fit?"

I did not speak for a long time.She didn't seem to expect anything from me, and continued, "We're moving slowly. People don't seem to realize that it's a change that improves efficiency, and simply resist the change itself. I'm confused. If in these people Among them, we can get a helper, do you think everything will go much smoother?"

CEO.

I struggled to control my breathing.If I change jobs now, some start-up companies should be able to give me a D prefix. If the rank is a little low, or the business field is really deep and narrow, maybe I can really get the C prefix.But the CEO of the subsidiary that was spun off from the crab shell... Backed by a super giant like the group, we are in the limelight. It is not impossible for the company to rank among the top three in the industry in the next ten years.

If the CEO position of this subsidiary company is really in front of me, I don't have the strength to refuse.

I raised my eyebrows and looked at her: "Why did you pick me?"

"I haven't decided yet. You know, it's just the beginning." Miss Pender said, "Rudra is high enough to work for Li Song when the company was founded. It's hard to convince him; Kevin is possible, But his work experience in this industry is limited, I don't think he will be the best choice in everyone's mind. Going down one level, Xiuwen is good—" She paused before saying, "Well, but he and Rude It's pretty much the same. Sanjay isn't on our radar. So..."

"Only two people," I said, "Kevin or me."

"indeed so."

"How is our COO?" I asked.

"That's right, that's also a good candidate." She looked at me with interest. "But, look, I need someone to help. Although he can help me, he can also hinder our progress."

I was silent for a moment and said, "Thank you for being so open, Sonya. Can I get any kind of written commitment?"

This is of course impossible, I just want to tell her that I am not stupid, and I will not be led by the nose just to root a mirage carrot.

"I'm afraid not, dear." She tilted her head. "The only person you can trust is me."

I shrugged: "At least you chose to give me this opportunity. I believe that if the news is released privately, you will get many new candidates. It is my luck to be able to take a step forward."

"With your ability, it's not difficult to be a director in a new company—anyway, I expect you to perform better." After she finished speaking, she asked with concern as if she had just noticed my discomfort, "You Are you okay? Do you want to go over there to rest?"

"Thanks." I shook my head and wiggled my toes a little.

"It's cool tonight." She reached out her hand, asked me with her eyes, then took the shawl hanging from the bag, and put her hands over my head.I was a little surprised and didn't dodge.She patiently shook off my shawl and put it over my shoulders.I thanked you in a low voice, and folded both ends in my arms.

Miss Pande carefully tidied up the places I couldn't see, and suddenly approached and said, "Will you help me?"

I froze there, not daring to move, and said, "I wish I could take a moment to think."

"Of course." She hasn't left yet.

From a distance, we must have been hugging.We are only a few feet away, and Miss Pender's warm skin occasionally brushes against mine, and my arms are as cold as my heart.I can feel her breath, her eyes, her body temperature, and her curves... To her, I'm afraid it's also each other.My bag was clinging to my body as before, and what controlled it was my outstretched arms, as if silently refusing, or as a gesture of welcome.

What are her hands doing?Miss Pan De, can you also feel the undercurrent?

"Don't play tricks with me." Her breath lightly sprayed on my earlobe, "I don't take this trick."