Ch. 1131..1140
Chapter 1131: Feeling as if an arrow pierced my chest, it hurts _1 It was observed that Cindy Clarke utilized a knife ot cut a few slices from the upper part of the ham.
The sliced meat was as thin as a cicada’s wing, translucent at the exposure of sunlight.
Most of the meat in the upper area was fat, containing minimal lean meat, with some parts consisting of purely fat.
Despite the removal of as much fat as possible during curing, it remained greasy.
Some of the meat was usually used for making soup.
Was Cindy planning to use this particular part to make soup?
This part of the meat was not expensive, and using just a small portion kept the cost low.
...
From the perspective of restaurant pricing, most customers found it acceptable.
Mason Lawson’s expression relaxed somewhat.
He appreciated chefs who considered the diners’ needs.
A chef’s success stems from the acknowledgement of the diners.
Then, Cindy cut off some parts near the ham’s joint using a cleaver.
Not much was cut, only about the size of a fist.
The ends were cut off, but the general shape of the ham was left intact.
Cindy then returned the cleaver and ham to their original positions.
From Cindy’s choice, Mason could perceive her reverence for ingredients.
This aspect met the standard.
Mason Lawson remained expressionless.
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Cindy then fetched a chicken and an old duck from the refrigerator.
Seeing this, Mason contemplated, was she really planning to make soup?
The taste of soup made with ham, chicken, and old duck wouldn’t disappoint.
Just thinking about it allowed Mason to imagine the taste.
If the old duck was prepared well, leaving no strange taste, the soup would have the natural sweetness of chicken.
The smoked and salty aroma of the ham would enhance the soup.
Then to Mason’s surprise, Cindy fetched a pork knuckle.
She halved the chicken and duck, keeping only half.
The other half was returned to the refrigerator, without waste.
Cindy performed a quick boil for the chicken, duck, and pork knuckle to remove some impurities, making sure the soup from the continuous simmering wouldn’t develop a layer of foamy blood, creating a bad taste and murky color.
After the quick boil, she rinsed the components and removed the foam stuck to their surfaces.
Green onions were sliced, ginger was cut, and they were added into the pot with chicken, duck, pork knuckle, plus a few dried scallops.
She started simmering the soup.
While the soup was simmering, she was also delicately removing the foam from the surface.
Throughout the process, the soup was kept clear.
Due to limited time, Cindy could not simmer the soup for several hours.
Thus, when she picked the ingredients such as ham and chicken, she didn’t pick large pieces.
While the soup was simmering, Cindy fetched pork loin, chicken breast, and duck breast.
Mason noticed that Cindy was evidently not making a soup dish.
A dish name faintly formed in his mind.
But he thought, would Cindy make such a major dish on her first day?
The dish seemed uninspiring at a glance but was commonly served at state banquets.
The process was complex.
Mason didn’t interrupt, and saw Cindy mince all the meats.
“Why doesn’t she use a meat grinder?” a student couldn’t help but ask.
So far, apart from not being able to guess what Cindy planned to do, they could not point out any mistakes in her method.
They felt helpless.
Some students felt impatient and tried to find faults with trivial issues.
But Mason had a hunch about what Cindy was intending to prepare.
He responded calmly, “The texture of the meat ground by a grinder isn’t as firm as when manually minced.
Although machines are helpful, some cuisines require artisanal skills.”
Mason glared, and the student retracted their neck, not daring to speak anymore.
“Everyone has been here for almost a year and yet they can say something as simple as that.” Mason shook his head and jotted something down on the form.
The student turned pale.
They all knew what Mason was documenting.
The teachers under Pingla Academy were fond of carrying around grade charts, noting the student’s daily mistakes.
These would be deducted from the final exam scores.
No chances for luck were allowed.
At this point, the classroom was filled with the aroma of the soup.
The sweetness from the chicken and duck, the deep smell from the pork knuckle, and the smoky flavor from the ham quickly pervaded the entire classroom.
Initially, the dog days of summer had dampened their appetites.
Even with the air conditioning, they had no appetite.
But now that they were exposed to the aroma of the soup, some people were already getting hungry.
Cindy opened the pot, and the broth was a beautiful tea color.
Cindy extracted the soup, not using the ingredients within.
She deliberately selected a glass bowl, the clarity of the soup was fully visible, and she then put it in the refrigerator to cool.
In the meantime, Cindy mixed the minced meat with egg whites.
Having cooled the broth, she fetched it back, but the mixed meat into the soup, and slowly increased the heat while stirring the broth continuously.
The minced meat and egg gradually turned white, forming large chunks floating on the surface of the broth.
Cindy delicately skimmed off these meat chunks.
She then filtered the soup again.
The color of the soup was somewhat lighter than after the first simmer, and it was crystal clear.
Afterwards, Cindy took the heart of the cabbage, leveled the stem, preserving only the lower part.
She used a fork to prick several holes in the cabbage, facilitating the absorption of flavors.
The lower part of the cabbage was placed in the broth, steamed until cooked, then cooled in cold water and finally sliced to look like a lotus flower.
At a glance, it resembled a flower bud.
She then put the prepared cabbage into a shallow, white plate.
And carried it to the front of Mason.
Soon followed by a jug of stock.
“It’s ready.” Cindy announced.
This dish would normally consume considerable time.
Although Cindy took some shortcuts, not a single moment was wasted.
The entire process was meticulously managed, making the best use of each minute and second.
In spite of the air conditioning, she was perspiring.
“It really is boiled cabbage.” Mason looked at Cindy with a complicated expression.
“New first-year students usually just need to ensure that their culinary presentations don’t make mistakes and display their creativity and cleverness.
They don’t need to create dishes of such high difficulty.
Simple dishes, such as sweet and sour pork or the Wellington steak, are acceptable.”
Cindy: “…”
“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” Cindy was taken aback, “I thought, given the high standards of Pingla Academy’s students, the requirements would also be lofty.
Ordinary dishes would probably not be appreciated by the teachers and fellow students.”
Lawson: “…”
How dreadful or difficult did she interpret Pingla Academy to be?
Classmates: “…”
They felt a pain in their chests, as if pierced by an arrow.
“Um…” Cindy had indeed regarded Pingla Academy as an institution with high difficulty, “So what did everyone make initially?”
Classmates: “…”
They didn’t want to answer, suddenly feeling somewhat embarrassed.
“Roast chicken, roast duck, steak, and various fried dishes, all common in restaurants.
However, they were enhanced with our own ideas leading to minor changes.” Mason gave an outline.
As these were just small changes, they did not stand out.
Cindy thought about it; even these dishes, with some individual adjustments, were not too difficult.
Chapter 1132: Regret_1 The foundation is there, all changes are rooted on it.
Although Cindy Clarke didn’t say anything else, everyone could see the remorse written all over her face.
Regret.
Deep regret.
Had she known this was going to happen, why did she put in so much effort?
Normally, simmering the soup itself would take 6 hours.
Cindy Clarke, by rushing and changing her cooking method, managed to shorten the soup-making time.
...
But in terms of taste, it definitely couldn’t match the flavor of a six-hour soup.
Everyone, including Mason Lawson, hadn’t expected that Cindy Clarke could make such a complex dish in such a short amount of time.
Look at Cindy Clarke’s regretful expression again.
Even though she didn’t show it, all of them could feel the contempt in her.
But Cindy Clarke wasn’t really showing contempt for anything, nor did she take anything lightly.
Even if she were doing some relatively ordinary cuisine, she’d still put in her full effort and think hard about it.
It was just that, at least in terms of time management, she wouldn’t need to be so tense.
On the contrary, this seemingly ordinary dish, which was actually very complex, was more prone to mistakes due to the pressures of a limited time frame.
Cindy Clarke thought to herself, this is so difficult.
But no matter how hard, she had to continue.
Cindy Clarke put the plate on the table and said, “Mason, I’m going to pour the soup now.”
Mason Lawson nodded, “Do it.”
Both Wesley Gordon and Hunter Clarke had very high opinions of Cindy Clarke.
Today, they even came to the class to show their support for her.
This had piqued his curiosity about Cindy Clarke’s abilities.
Cindy Clarke started pouring the hot soup in a circle from the center of the cabbage.
Due to the warmth and weight of the soup, the cabbage slowly unfolded into the shape of a flower.
Seen like this, it appeared to be a blossoming lotus sitting tranquilly in a lake.
“Done,” said Cindy Clarke.
“Indeed, it’s boiled cabbage,” said Mason Lawson.
“When you were cooking it, I thought it could be this dish.
But I didn’t dare to confirm it, because I didn’t expect you to cook such a difficult dish in class.”
Cindy Clarke didn’t mind flattering Mason Lawson, “You were really spot on.”
Mason Lawson gave a modest smile, then turned his attention to the cuisine.
The soup was clear, in the light tea color where one can see the bottom of the dish.
If it wasn’t for the fact that it was a soup, it seemed as though a white lotus was quietly resting in tea.
It looked quite appealing.
Regardless of how it tasted, even the color alone would be considered beautiful.
Mason Lawson didn’t rush to taste, but let the students come over one by one to take a look.
“Everyone, line up and come over to look at this dish before returning to your seats.”
“This dish, leaving aside the rest, is quite successful in terms of appearance,” Mason Lawson said.
Subsequently, the students lined up in an orderly manner to take a look before returning to their seats.
“What do you think of how this dish looks?” Mason Lawson asked the crowd.
“Indeed, it’s good,” someone responded.
However, judging from everyone’s reactions, although they gave honest feedback, they also seemed somewhat unwilling to admit it.
Mason Lawson then picked up his chopsticks to taste.
The cabbage had been steamed until it was very soft, it could easily be picked up with chopsticks, making it not at all messy to eat.
Because holes had been poked into the cabbage beforehand, allowing the soup to be absorbed thoroughly into it.
Once you took a bite, a burst of delicious soup gushed out from the textures of the cabbage.
But the taste of this, compared to drinking the soup directly, was still different.
Consequently, Mason Lawson picked up a spoon, scooped up some soup, and specifically tasted the delicious flavor of the soup.
After all, this was a soup cooked with a mixture of ham, chicken, and duck, not drinking it would be a waste.
Even though Cindy Clarke chose the fattest part of the ham.
But because of curing, smoking, and grilling, the fat content of the ham was not that much already.
Even if it was the fatty meat, it was clear and transparent.
The soup had been filtered several times, and the oil was long gone.
Now it was so clear that there wasn’t a single oil dot, but once you drank it, the soup was refreshing and full of meaty flavor.
Making this simple-looking dish taste unexpectedly flavorful.
Mason Lawson kept nodding his head.
No wonder Wesley Gordon and Hunter Clarke thought so highly of Cindy Clarke.
“The taste doesn’t seem like it was made in just one hour,” Mason Lawson, shaking his head, admitted.
The cabbage was already swallowed, but the rich aroma and aftertaste still remained in the mouth.
“I wonder how it’d taste if there was enough time.” Mason Lawson said.
“I’ll try to find time to make a complete one and bring it for you and the other teachers to taste,” Cindy Clarke said.
“Good!” Mason Lawson was looking forward to it.
Then, he started to invite the students, “Come, everyone pick up your chopsticks and come taste.”
Everyone seemed to have experience with this.
Without Mason Lawson telling them, the students lined up orderly in groups and came forward.
Because they maintained order, it was actually a very efficient process.
Everyone didn’t eat much, just a small bite.
“What do you think?” Mason Lawson asked.
“The soup is salty and fresh, it combines the fragrance and taste of chicken, duck, and pork.
The taste is complex, if it wasn’t for professional chefs, ordinary diners might not be able to distinguish the ingredients within the soup base,” someone pointed out.
“The cabbage has absorbed the soup fully, the originally bland cabbage has adopted the meat flavor in the soup, and yet still retains its own sweetness.”
“Not bad.” Mason Lawson nodded, then asked Cindy Clarke, “Setting aside the complexity of the dish, there are many other complex dishes as well, why did you choose this boiled cabbage?”
“It’s currently summer, the time when the weather is hot, and Belfard’s summer is exceptionally dry, it’s so dry that it could cause nosebleeds.
In such a climate, people often become unsettled and lose their appetite,” Cindy Clarke explained.
“Meaty dishes or overly hot methods of cooking often feel greasy just from the smell, let alone tasting it.
So I thought of creating a refreshing dish.
But even though it’s refreshing, it couldn’t be tasteless, that’s why I thought of this boiled cabbage,” Cindy Clarke said.
Mason Lawson nodded.
“Throughout the Cooking Competition, I followed along with each round.
What left the deepest impression on me was, you always devised your dishes based on different situations with the core being the need of the diners.
Our cooking, is for serving the diners.
First and foremost, you being able to do this, is truly commendable.
After all, not many chefs today truly do this.”
“Personally speaking, I think a chef must first be able to do this before they are qualified to be a chef.” Mason Lawson stated firmly.
Mason Lawson was full of praise, but no one felt that he was purposefully raising the expectations because of Cindy Clarke’s special status.
After all, everyone tasted Cindy Clarke’s dishes.
Reluctantly, they all had to acknowledge it.
Mason Lawson didn’t mention where Cindy Clarke ranked in class or even the grade, he simply said, “It would have been great if you had applied for Pingla initially.”
Chapter 1133: Adrian Zhekova’s kid, so confident_1 Anyone could hear the regret in Mason Lawson’s words, so tangible it was almost palpable.
Cindy chuckled, not expecting that this stern, serious-looking teacher could be so cute.
Because Cindy’s first victory against Gao Jie was indeed an impressive one.
She showed her strength on the battlefield.
Despite her status as a guest student, and somewhat owing her acceptance to her connection with Adrian Zhekova.
Her capabilities alone prevented other students from treating her like another guest student.
***
Cindy’s side was going smoothly.
...
Meanwhile, Adrian Zhekova brought Morgan to Pingla.
The little guy wasn’t old enough to sit in the front seat.
By regulations, he must sit in the back.
Currently, he was seated in a child safety car seat in the back, his short legs swinging freely off the ground.
The absence of Cindy left a noticeable void in the car.
The little guy was busy munching on the Cheese Milk Bars that Cindy made for him.
The Cheese Milk Bars that Cindy made were very filling and solid.
His baby teeth barely making a dent in them even after chewing for quite some time.
Eventually, he’d get tired of chewing so much and would have to take it slow.
Fortunately, this paced out Morgan’s eating time and provided a distraction.
So he would not be bored nor eat too fast.
If his craving was indulged now, it wouldn’t take long for him to grow into a little plump boy.
Then, a great effort must be taken to lose weight.
Although these milk bars couldn’t offer him the same amount of nutrition as the daily milk, they at least served as a satisfactory supplement.
The little boy looked out the car window and said, “Daddy, this is my first time visiting your company since you married Cindy!”
Morgan had been to the office before, but that was before the marriage of Adrian and Cindy.
Back then, he didn’t even know that he was Adrian’s son!
Now that he thought about it, this indeed was Morgan’s first visit to the company as the rich heir of the Zhekova Family.
The two arrived at the company.
Adrian Zhekova waited for little Morgan’s short legs to clumsily crawl out of the car before holding his hand as they entered the company building.
As it was mentioned during the car ride, even though Morgan had visited before.
But back then, no one really knew Morgan too well, and while his good looks drew glances.
There were few who had actually seen Morgan.
During Morgan’s previous visits, he didn’t attract much attention.
But today was different.
As Adrian Zhekova brought Morgan in hand-in-hand, there were still many staff members walking about even though it wasn’t peak office hours.
All of them saw the pair.
“Hello, CEO, hello, Young Master,” was the greeting given by all who saw them.
Being confident, Morgan responded in his loud voice.
“Hello Uncle, Housekeeper, Grandfather.”
Morgan was still young.
Older colleagues in their forties or fifties who hadn’t retired yet were indeed grandfathers to him.
However, there were no grandmothers.
Forty-something-year-old seniors were greeted respectfully as “Grandfather” by this sweet-mouthed boy.
But women of the same age group were always called Housekeepers, never Grandmothers.
On the other hand, if he met younger-looking women, regardless of whether they were in their twenties or thirties, as long as they looked young, Morgan would address them as “Sister.”
This really delighted all of these “sisters,” and everyone was visibly amused.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Morgan was the young master of Zhekova Family, they would certainly want to hug and kiss this cute little boy.
Adrian watched his son, making small talk with everyone, building quite a fan base.
These fans then spread the word through their respective work groups.
Everyone learned that the little Master of the Zhekova Family had come to work with the scumbag CEO.
And they also learned that despite being the scumbag CEO’s son, the little Master was nothing like his father – courteous, well-mannered, and absolutely adorable.
And so, Adrian and Morgan entered the elevator together.
Although he didn’t mention it, Adrian wanted to introduce his son to everyone in the company.
That’s why they didn’t take the private elevator.
As a result, people entered or exited the elevator at almost every floor.
Eugene, the manager of the Publicity and Planning Department, entered the elevator and immediately recognized Adrian and the little boy.
He had been too busy to check the work group chat.
But just by looking at their similar faces, Manager Eugene was able to identify them: “CEO, is this your son?”
Upon receiving a nod from Adrian, Eugene smiled and added, “He looks just like you.”
Adrian then introduced Morgan to Eugene, “This is Manager Eugene from the Publicity and Planning Department.”
After assessing Manager Eugene’s age, Morgan cheerfully greeted, “Hello, Grandfather.”
Manager Eugene rubbed his face with a sour expression.
He was only in his forties and wasn’t old enough to be a grandparent just yet.
Although his baldness made him seem older, he was still nowhere near that age.
But what else could he do when the young Master of the house was the one addressing him?
However, Manager Eugene couldn’t help but protest, “Actually, I am only 42.”
Morgan blinked his eyes, showing no surprise, and responded, “My Fourth Grandfather is 37.”
He was already addressing Lyke Zhekova as Fourth Grandfather, so him addressing Manager Eugene as “Grandfather” was by no means a disadvantage.
Manager Eugene, “…”
Well then, if he was treated on par with Lyke Zhekova, what could he possibly complain about?
“So, is the CEO bringing the young master to work today?” asked Manager Eugene.
Adrian nodded and replied, “Cindy is off studying at Pingla Academy.
I didn’t have anything planned for today, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to bring him here for a bit of learning.”
In his heart, Manager Eugene couldn’t help but think: What could a child so young possibly learn?
The rich families sure are different, starting the educational process so early!
“The young master is indeed very smart,” Manager Eugene flattered.
Anyone could tell that he was just being courteous.
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After all, just how much could a five-year-old kid learn from the company, even if he was intelligent?
Oddly enough, Morgan took Manager Eugene’s compliment to heart and puffed up his chest, proudly tapping it as he replied, “Grandpa, you have good taste!”
Manager Eugene, “…”
He was only insincerely flattering the boy.
He himself didn’t know where his praised “taste” came from.
The scumbag CEO’s son sure had confidence!
At that moment, Manager Eugene suddenly realized that even though Morgan seemed obedient and adorable, he had indeed inherited Adrian’s strong genes.
No wonder they were father and son!
All along, Adrian introduced Morgan, but it was not the same kind of proud and boastful tone he had used when mentioning Cindy.
Not that he didn’t want to, but Morgan didn’t give him the opportunity.
Because Morgan himself was already showing a lot of pride and arrogance.
Even though Adrian was scumbag, he still managed to retain some conscience.
He felt that since Morgan was already acting this way, if he, too, acted proud and boastful, the employees at Pingla might not be able to handle it.
They were already under a lot of stress from work, not to mention such additional pressure from him.
The people at Pingla didn’t know that their scumbag CEO was such a rare gem, all thanks to little Morgan.
Reaching the top floor, Adrian brought Morgan to his office.
Sheldon Rowland had already learned from the work group chat that Morgan would be there as well.
Even though Morgan hadn’t been to the company for a while, Sheldon often did errands for Adrian and Cindy, so he had plenty of opportunities to meet Morgan.
Chapter 1134: Lonely Seedling, Especially Important_1 Sheldon Rowland was quite familiar with Morgan Zhekova.
“CEO.” Sheldon called out, looking down at the little fellow being led by Adrian Zhekova, and greeted familiarly, “Morgan, I haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Uncle Sheldon, I’ve missed you.” From this little fellow, sweet words seemed to spring out effortlessly.
Of course, Sheldon knew more about the little fellow than others in the Company did.
He was fully aware that despite the little fellow’s young age, he was already displaying scumbag traits, nurtured by the Old Madam.
So when the little fellow spoke, Sheldon would listen in amusement.
As for whether he believed him or not.
Hmph!
...
Who would believe words from scumbag men?
“I’ve missed you, too.” Sheldon promptly flung the scumbag line back at him.
“Go fetch another chair.” Adrian Zhekova instructed.
“That might take a while,” Sheldon responded, “There’s no chair suitable for Morgan in the company.
I can have someone fetch one from a shopping mall nearby.”
“There’s no need for that,” Adrian replied, “just bring a regular chair.”
“Alright.” Sheldon nodded and immediately went to do as asked. Adrian then took the little fellow into his office.
Morgan had been to the office once before, primarily Sheldon’s office.
He was quite unfamiliar with Adrian’s office.
Upon entering, Morgan’s face was filled with curiosity.
“Feel free to look around and get yourself familiar,” Adrian suggested.
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After all, his office wasn’t that big, and he didn’t mind the little fellow exploring it.
With Adrian’s permission, Morgan made himself at home.
Adrian’s office wasn’t packed with stuff, so Morgan had covered it all with one scan.
He then checked out the restroom.
The restroom had a shower.
There were times when he had business lunches, and while he himself didn’t drink much, he couldn’t escape others’ drinking.
Others’ smoking would leave him reeking of nicotine and alcohol.
So under such circumstances, Adrian would typically take a shower and change his clothes, just to get rid of the stench.
Morgan quickly finished exploring.
Just in time, Sheldon returned with a chair.
He brought a standard office swivel chair, fearing that Morgan might not sit securely in it.
Unfortunately, all the chairs in the office were swivel chairs, so Sheldon could only fetch one from the restaurant.
“CEO, where should I place this chair?” Sheldon asked.
Adrian Zhekova pointed next to his own chair: “Just place it by my side.”
Sheldon: “…”
Does the CEO plan on starting Morgan’s training right now?
Sheldon positioned the chair next to Adrian’s and then left the office.
“You can sit here,” Adrian said.
Morgan turned around and looked at the plush couch: “Can’t I sit on the couch?”
“You’re not here to play, you’re here to study,” Adrian explained, “Sit here and watch how I work.”
Morgan: “…”
He suddenly felt the urge to go to the family mansion.
Helplessly, Morgan sauntered over and, grunting, climbed onto the chair.
Adrian didn’t think to assist him.
This was the difference between a father and a mother taking care of a child.
Once Adrian had settled him in, he started attending to his own work.
Sheldon came in again to discuss the day’s schedule.
After Sheldon left, Morgan started fidgeting on the chair.
Being small and lightweight, his movements didn’t make any creaking noise.
Nonetheless, his restlessness did distract Adrian.
“What are you fidgeting for?” Adrian asked, “Can’t sit still, can you?
Lack patience?”
“No, it’s just that the chair is too hard.
It’s really uncomfortable,” Morgan shifted once more, “The hardness is hurting my butt.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Shall I fetch a cushion for you then?” Adrian asked.
“That could work,” Morgan, for the moment, gave his consent.
Adrian’s office didn’t have any cushions.
So Sheldon was sent out to get some.
There was no way they could ask an employee to give up theirs.
Sheldon looked through the Supermarket section of the takeout app, selecting four cushions.
After applying the discount for a full basket, he placed the order.
After half an hour, the delivery guy had arrived with the cushions.
However, he wasn’t allowed to come upstairs, so Sheldon had to bring them up himself.
He delivered them to Adrian’s office, allowing Morgan to lean against one and sit on another.
Not long after, Adrian saw Morgan fidgeting around again.
With the cushion padding, there was always this “puff puff” sound.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“So what’s bothering you now?” Adrian took a glance at the cushion, “Still uncomfortable?”
“It’s not that it’s uncomfortable,” Morgan complained again, “it’s just that the cushion is too slippery.
I don’t dare to move around.
The slightest movement causes the cushion to shift.
But, it’s uncomfortable to sit up straight all the time.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“What exactly do you want then?” He now realized that the boy had his own opinion and thus had been complaining non-stop.
Morgan’s dark eyes slowly turned towards Adrian’s leather chair.
“Dad,” Morgan said, “your chair looks really nice!
It’s made from real leather!
It’s also wide and soft.
It won’t interfere with my learning from you.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Dad, right now, I’m the eldest grandson of our Zhekova Family,” Morgan added.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
The eldest grandson…
“Where did you pick up that term?” Adrian wanted to object but paused.
“Great Grandfather said it!” Morgan replied.
“Great Grandfather said that in my generation, I’m the only successor, especially important.”
What Morgan left out was that Great Grandfather had said this just to make him eat more.
Great Grandfather’s actual words were: “Morgan, you are now our family’s eldest grandson.
In your generation, you’re the only successor.
So, you must eat and drink well to keep your body healthy.
No matter who says you’re fat, you’re not at all.
This is the time for you to grow.
You absolutely can’t diet!”
Adrian didn’t know the full story, so upon hearing Morgan’s words, he couldn’t help but silently criticize his old man.
Seeing Morgan’s expectant look he continued, “Can you bear to let the only successor sit on this stiff chair?”
Adrian sighed, got up and naturally vacated his seat: “Come down, let’s swap.”
Morgan was thrilled.
Using the small friction between the cushion and the chair, he slid down the chair like a slide while sitting on the cushion.
Adrian then moved the chair to his own position, sliding his own leather chair behind Morgan.
The leather chair was a bit higher than the other chair, and it had wheels, so it was not easy for Morgan to climb up.
A little push would cause the chair to slide backward.
To Morgan, it felt very unsafe.
Adrian simply picked him up and placed him onto the chair: “Is that better now?”
“Yes!” Morgan said, looking satisfied.
“…” Adrian said helplessly, “You’ve beaten me before, so no more mischief.
Even if you’re bored, you must behave.
You’ve got to keep your word.”
“I’ll definitely keep my word!” Morgan promised.
Chapter 1135: Don’t Delude Yourselves_1 With the assurance from the little guy, Adrian Zhekova decided to trust him, and didn’t pay any attention to him anymore.
He returned to work.
Just as promised, the youngster was obedient.
Since he couldn’t understand the work, he took out his bluetooth earphones from his backpack, connected it with his mobile phone, and started watching his own cartoons.
Adrian Zhekova didn’t force him either.
After all, he really couldn’t understand it.
After a while, Sheldon Rowland came in, announcing that Manager Liam from the Marketing Department had arrived.
...
“Let him in.” Adrian Zhekova instructed.
But as soon as Manager Liam came in, he saw Adrian Zhekova and Morgan Zhekova sitting side by side behind the office desk.
The pair, one big and one small, looked like a normal-sized version and a chibi version of each other, which was indeed very amusing and made one want to laugh.
However, Manager Liam held back.
But then, an even odder sight came into view.
Adrian Zhekova was actually humbly seated on one of the flimsy chairs from the canteen, working.
However, the little guy was seated on Adrian Zhekova’s ergonomic, comfortable, and extravagant leather chair.
Manager Liam inwardly marveled at how becoming a father had prompted such a change in the scumbag CEO, who was even willing to give up his own chair.
Acting as if nothing had happened, he successfully reported his work to Adrian Zhekova.
Because Morgan Zhekova was present and the sight of Adrian Zhekova with Morgan Zhekova was just too hilarious,
Manager Liam wasn’t even nervous while reporting, and his performance was unprecedentedly good.
So much so that Adrian Zhekova couldn’t resist looking up at him, remarking, “Not bad.”
Adrian Zhekova gave his affirmation.
Manager Liam was all smiles, inwardly thanking Morgan Zhekova.
He hoped that Morgan Zhekova would come more often.
After leaving the office, Manager Liam immediately shared with his fellow department managers how Adrian Zhekova had swapped chairs with Morgan Zhekova and was humbly working on a small chair from the restaurant.
There was also a chat group among the department managers.
Not necessarily because they shared a good relationship.
It’s just that Adrian Zhekova was too much of a scumbag.
They needed to remind each other, exchange information, to prevent themselves from bearing the brunt of it.
Manager Liam: “I tell you, our CEO has changed a lot after getting married and having a kid!
Especially towards his son, such doting!
Manager Liam: “When I went in to report my work, guess what happened?”
Everyone: “…”
Why was he such a tease?
Even more than Manager Zhu from the advertising department.
Even so, they all played along, “What happened?
Just say it.”
Manager Liam: “I saw the CEO and his young son swapped chairs.
His son was seated next to him at the desk.
The CEO was sitting on one of those small chairs from our canteen while his son sat on the CEO’s big leather chair!”
Manager Liam: “I guess the CEO was too concerned about his son and wanted to make him more comfortable, so they intentionally swapped.”
Manager Zhu: “Oh, there is a difference.
Even the scumbag CEO has fatherly love after having a child.”
Manager Hertz: “The scumbag CEO suddenly doesn’t seem like a scumbag anymore, I’m not even used to it yet.”
Mr.
Olsen: “What good are you dreaming of?
The scumbag CEO is only non-scumbag towards his son, he is still a scumbag towards us, so don’t have any illusions.”
Manager Jenkins: “Well, but the young master is really cute.
The scumbag CEO is fortunate.
With his temperament, it’s amazing that the young master doesn’t seem to have his temperament.
So obedient and clever, soft and adorable.
It melts my heart, as a grown man.”
Manager Eugene, who saw through everything: “You all are just looking at the surface.
Do you think the scumbag CEO’s child could be that simple?
Sure, he’s adorable, but his temperament, heh!
Has definitely inherited from the scumbag CEO!”
Everyone was surprised and asked Manager Eugene what had happened.
They wanted to know if he had encountered something they didn’t know about.
Manager Eugene then shared the incident from the elevator in the morning.
Everyone: “…”
Well, they were wrong!
Genes of the scumbag CEO were indeed strong!
Poor managers, they purposely used the word ‘bleep’ to replace ‘scumbag.’
Even though they were all in the same group.
What if there was a traitor who showed the screenshots to the CEO?
For safety’s sake and to express their feelings,
they all used ‘bleep’ instead.
***
Cindy Clarke’s first day of class went very smoothly.
The afternoon session only involved one class and ended at three o’clock.
When Cleave Roland came to pick her up, seeing the ample time they had, he asked, “Mrs., where shall we go now?
Back home or to the company?”
The young master was still in the company after all.
Cindy was kind of worried about the little guy and was wondering how he was doing in the company with Adrian Zhekova.
Whether he was used to it and whether he was being naughty.
“Let’s go to the company.” Cindy thought for a moment and finally said.
So, when Cleave Roland drove Cindy to the company, it was not even 4:30 in the afternoon.
Everyone in the company already knew Cindy.
Adrian Zhekova had even given Cindy a card for entering and leaving the company.
Cindy directly checked in at the entrance.
Since Cindy didn’t tell Adrian Zhekova about it and also told Cleave Roland to keep it under wraps, none of the employees informed Adrian Zhekova either.
Cindy was quite keen on launching a surprise air-raid to see what Adrian Zhekova was like when he was alone with Morgan Zhekova.
However, as soon as Cindy arrived at the top floor and before even reaching Adrian Zhekova’s office, she started hearing female voices.
“Morgan, would you like some chips?”
“Morgan, should I make you some grapefruit tea?”
“Morgan, do you want to eat some cookies?”
“Morgan, what do you usually like to eat?
We’ll keep it in stock for you for the next time you visit.”
Cindy: “…”
What happened to coming here to learn with Adrian Zhekova?
“Mrs.…” Sheldon Rowland saw Cindy and was about to speak when Cindy gestured for him to be quiet.
Sheldon Rowland quickly fell silent.
Cindy followed the voices to the entrance of the secretarial department.
She saw little Morgan being surrounded by the secretaries.
Cindy couldn’t see him, but seeing the secretaries gathered around together, she knew that Morgan would be in the middle.
Cindy: “…”
Cindy’s mouth twitched, asking Sheldon Rowland, “What’s happening?”
“Little Morgan is just too cute.
The female colleagues can’t resist him,” Sheldon Rowland explained, “Who can resist such a cute marshmallow?”
Cindy didn’t go in to interrupt.
If the secretaries had the time to surround Morgan and play with him, she guessed their workload wouldn’t be heavy at the moment.
“Morgan didn’t delay their work, did he?” Cindy asked.
“No, no,” Sheldon Rowland assured, “Today is rare, the workload isn’t that heavy.”
Just as Cindy had thought.
“Then let’s not disturb them.
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Let them play with Morgan,” Cindy smiled.
“Is Adrian Zhekova in the office?” Cindy asked again.
“Yes,” Sheldon Rowland replied, “Currently, only the CEO is in the office.”
After thinking for a while, Sheldon Rowland added, “Because Morgan was here, the CEO’s work efficiency had dropped, so he had to…”
He had to shoo Morgan away.
Cindy instantly understood and entered the office without knocking.
Chapter 1136: Third Uncle is Annoyed with Him_1 Adrian Zhekova was engrossed in his work, it seemed like quite a struggle.
Upon hearing the door, Adrian didn’t have time to look up and asked directly, “What’s up?”
“Did Morgan disturb you?” Cindy Clarke asked with a smile.
When Adrian recognized the voice as Cindy’s, he lifted his head quickly, a surprised look on his face: “You’re home from school so early?”
“Yes, I finished class at three.
Anyway, I had nothing to do, so I came to the company to see how you and Morgan are getting along.” Cindy remembered how she saw Morgan surrounded by people outside and couldn’t help but smile, “Did Morgan disturb you?”
Bringing up Morgan made Adrian’s head ache.
He rubbed his temples and reluctantly said: “That kid really is…”
“He did not cause any trouble, he just complained at first about the chair being uncomfortable, saying it was too hard and sharp.
So I put a cushion there for him.
Then he complained that the cushion was too slippery, so I just traded chairs with him.”
“Trade chairs?” Cindy’s eyes fell on the leather chair Adrian Zhekova was currently sitting in.
...
Adrian noticed Cindy’s gaze, and nodded reluctantly: “He liked this chair, so I traded mine with him.”
Next to the leather chair where Adrian Zhekova was sitting, there was a common wooden chair from a restaurant.
Although it was said to be wooden, it was actually made from compressed sawdust, not solid wood.
Such material is light, cheap, and has low cost.
However, it only has a simple backrest with no armrests.
Sitting in it for a long time would indeed cause discomfort.
“You’ve been working in this small chair?” Cindy asked.
This chair, if you want to be generous, could be called a chair, but if it didn’t have a backrest, it would be just a stool!
Adrian nodded resignedly, “I’ve been sitting so long, my back is starting to ache.”
“Morgan indeed kept his promise, he didn’t run around.
He only moved back and forth in the chair.
And when he stopped moving, he watched cartoons and would even occasionally laugh.” Adrian rubbed his temples.
Parenting was certainly not an easy task.
“With him bustling about next to me, I couldn’t focus on my work,” Adrian sighed, “So, I had to send him away.”
Contrary to what one might expect, Morgan pushed his luck by saying, “Dad, it’s not that I’m not being good, but you asked me to leave!”
Adrian sneered: “Don’t think I don’t see through his tricks.
He was bored sitting next to me and decided to act out, so I would send him away.”
Morgan tested boundaries but wasn’t really causing trouble; mostly, it was just annoying to Adrian.
Morgan also promised, “Dad, even if I go out, I won’t run around.
Don’t worry.”
Adrian, tired to the core, waved his hand, no longer wanting to argue with him.
And so, Morgan left and was immediately caught by the secretaries.
That’s how Cindy found him when she arrived.
It’s a pity that Cindy did not witness the father-son battle.
Surprisingly, Adrian was defeated by Morgan.
Morgan is so clever, and Cindy is very pleased about this.
“How was school today?
Did everything go smoothly?” Adrian asked.
In fact, he had already called Samson Zhekova to ask.
However, he still wanted to hear what Cindy had to say.
No matter what Cindy said, just hearing her voice made him happy.
“It went smoothly,” Cindy said, “The teachers at the school are very qualified, and they do not discriminate in teaching.
Whether we are guest students or regular students, they criticize when needed, and affirm when deserved.”
Cindy recounted her experience at school to Adrian.
“You stop talking and get back to work,” Cindy said after finishing, feeling quite parched.
“I’m almost done with work.” Now that Morgan wasn’t nearby, Adrian’s work efficiency increased significantly.
Plus, with Cindy here now, he was extremely motivated.
Cindy didn’t want to disturb him, so she simply went out to find Morgan.
When the secretaries saw Cindy coming in, they felt awkward continuing to play with Morgan.
Cindy smiled and said, “Did Morgan disturb you?”
“Not at all, we all love having Morgan around.”
Cindy noticed that on the table in front of Morgan there were French fries, cookies, Snowflake Crisp, chocolate, plum candy, and potato chips.
His snack pile was fully stacked – an impressive feast.
At the moment, Morgan was even holding a cup of milk tea, drinking happily.
His visit here was truly a blissful experience.
Seeing Cindy arriving, the secretaries all retreated back to work.
Therefore, only Cindy and Morgan were left in the break room.
Cindy laughed and said, “Didn’t we agree not to bother dad?”
“Sitting next to dad with nothing to do, only watching him work is too boring!
And I don’t understand those tasks.
I’m only five years old, and dad really makes it hard for me.” Morgan expressed his own difficulties.
He’s only five years old; he didn’t understand such complicated work.
“You can’t cause a disturbance, making Dad unable to focus on his work.
He’s accumulated so much work, and there’s still more to do,” Cindy said.
“It’s not entirely my fault,” Morgan felt he had to defend himself, “I didn’t spend that much time sitting next to dad.
Dad always calls my Third Uncle.”
“He calls your third uncle?” Cindy vaguely guessed the reason.
Morgan said: “Yes.
I was sitting there doing nothing, I even counted for dad.
Dad calls Third Uncle every half hour, he made 8 calls total!”
Cindy: “…”
This child really has a lot of free time.
He was even able to count how many calls Adrian made.
Cindy calculated the time.
Wasn’t Adrian calling Samson throughout her class?
She wondered if Samson was overwhelmed.
“Dad keeps asking Third Uncle about your situation at school, if you’re being targeted or not,” Morgan said, “Third Uncle is fed up with him.”
“How do you know?
Could you hear what Third Uncle said during the call?” Cindy asked with a smile.
“I couldn’t at first, but then Third Uncle got so fed up he yelled, and I could hear him clearly.”
Morgan began to vividly recount.
At first, Samson found it reasonable when he received Adrian’s first two calls.
It was understandable that Adrian would worry about Cindy at school.
But after that, Samson realized the pattern; Adrian was calling every half hour.
That was definitely too much.
Samson was about to be driven mad by Adrian: “Brother!
Please give me a break!
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This is too excessive!
Cindy is fine at school, not being singled out; everything is going smoothly.
If you call me every half an hour, how can I work?”
Chapter 1137: So, it’s Lyke Zhekova_1 “Also, don’t you have to work?” Samson Zhekova asked, completely undone.
Adrian Zhekova sighed and said, “You still don’t understand my good intentions.”
Samson Zhekova: “…”
Well, never mind.
He didn’t really want to understand.
“Can’t you have someone keep an eye on things and then call me about exactly what happened in class?
Even if nothing major happened, tell me what we talked about during class, how Cindy behaved, or even if she didn’t say anything, can’t you just tell me all those?” Adrian Zhekova said earnestly.
Samson Zhekova: “…”
He has so many curses in his stomach that he wants Adrian Zhekova to enjoy.
Cindy heard the little guy’s colorful story.
...
Far from finding Adrian Zhekova annoying, she felt an indescribable warmth in her heart.
No one has ever cared about her like Adrian Zhekova.
Always worried about her.
The feeling of being cared about all the time is really great, it makes the heart feel at peace, as if it belongs somewhere.
Although Cindy was not in the Office, Adrian Zhekova knew that Cindy was in the Company, so he was still very motivated.
He finished his work on time and got off work on time.
As soon as Cindy saw Adrian Zhekova, her eyes lit up.
But there were so many people around that Cindy was too embarrassed to show her feelings directly.
However, when Adrian Zhekova approached, she couldn’t help but smile sweetly and held out her hand to hold Adrian Zhekova’s.
Adrian Zhekova was really surprised: “What’s wrong with you?”
Why are you suddenly so proactive?
“What could happen to me?” Cindy laughed.
“So proactive?” Adrian Zhekova whispered.
“What’s being proactive?
It’s just holding hands, why does it sound like it’s turned into something else when you say it?”
“I feel like you suddenly like me so much.” Adrian Zhekova asked, “Did I do something that made you really like me?”
“Morgan told me everything.” Cindy said.
“What did he say?” Adrian Zhekova was confused.
“You obviously already asked Samson about what’s going on at my school, so why are you asking me again?” Cindy said.
“I just want to hear you say because you are the one attending classes there, you definitely know the specific details the best.”
“I just feel that it’s great to have someone like you worrying and caring for me when I’m studying abroad.
It feels really good, very reassuring.
It’s like no matter how far I go, there’s always a harbor, a home behind me.
My heart feels really secure and solid because of this feeling of not being afraid or alone, no matter how far I go.” Cindy said.
Adrian Zhekova held Cindy’s hand, their fingers intertwined tightly: “Let’s go home.”
“Hmm.” Cindy nodded heavily.
Who knew that just as the two of them took a step forward, they were suddenly pulled back by a force from behind.
Both of them turned around and saw the little guy looking at them sadly: “Did you forget about me?”
Did they pick him up from somewhere?
It was just like his dad to treat him this way, but he never thought that Cindy could forget about him one day as well.
He was really heartbroken.
“We didn’t forget, we didn’t forget.” Cindy hurriedly said, “Aren’t we waiting for you?”
Cindy quickly extended her other hand to the little guy.
Morgan knew that Cindy was just trying to coax him!
Cindy’s coaxing skills were just so-so.
Morgan poutingly held Cindy’s hand.
Adrian Zhekova saw that Morgan wasn’t there between him and Cindy.
He proudly told Morgan: “One day, you’ll have to grow up.
When you grow up, you have to be independent and venture out on your own, and you’ll have to leave home.
So, from beginning to end, it’s just Cindy and me, holding hands and supporting each other until we grow old.”
The little guy squeezed Cindy’s hand in anger: “I can do it too!”
“Good.
You can do it too.” Cindy said for the moment.
But in her heart, she agreed with Adrian Zhekova’s words.
Everyone is the same.
Grow up, leave home, and then establish their own small home.
The people who really spend a long time together are still husband and wife.
“I performed so well today, is there a reward for tonight?” Adrian Zhekova asked Cindy mysteriously.
“Yes.” Cindy nodded.
Adrian Zhekova heard this and was extremely excited.
He was really looking forward to it.
Until Cindy cooked him a lavish dinner in the evening: “Here, your reward.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
That’s not what he wanted.
***
For tonight’s dinner, Peggy Lewis was eating alone.
Because Lyke Zhekova had a business engagement.
Lyke Zhekova had specially arranged for the housekeeper to prepare dinner for Peggy Lewis at home.
To be honest, Lyke Zhekova doesn’t have many social engagements.
It’s rare for him to not come home for dinner.
This has made Peggy Lewis feel somewhat unaccustomed.
In fact, at the beginning, Peggy Lewis wasn’t really used to Lyke Zhekova’s being able to manage to be home for dinner every day.
In Peggy Lewis’ conception, a busy person like Lyke Zhekova should be busy every day, and endless social engagements.
But Lyke Zhekova’s schedule is too regular.
He goes to work on time every day, and gets off work on time.
From the time Peggy Lewis moved to Lyke Zhekova’s house, Peggy Lewis hasn’t seen him socializing.
Gradually, Peggy Lewis has also grown accustomed to Lyke Zhekova’s schedule.
But when Lyke Zhekova really went to a social engagement, Peggy Lewis was unaccustomed again.
After dinner, she was sitting in the living room, watching TV while waiting for Lyke Zhekova.
She didn’t know when he would come back.
Peggy Lewis kept glancing at her mobile phone, knowing that Lyke Zhekova would not be able to message her while socializing.
She was just checking the time.
She wanted to ask Lyke Zhekova when he would be back, but it felt strange.
She kept opening Lyke Zhekova’s chat box, and then exiting it.
Just like this, repeating over and over.
Suddenly, the ringing bell of a Whatsapp video call sounded.
Peggy Lewis looked and it was actually Lyke Zhekova.
She hurriedly picked it up: “Lyke.”
Hearing her voice, so close and loving, Lyke Zhekova’s mood improved, and his lips curved up involuntarily.
Amelia Ford came out of her room and saw Lyke Zhekova’s smile.
Amelia Ford was surprised, Lyke Zhekova could have such a gentle smile.
She is the marketing director of Majestic, and this time she attended the dinner with the general manager and Lyke Zhekova.
The reason why the general manager of Majestic, General Manager Webster, and Lyke Zhekova could come together was because this time the client was from the Star Stripe Nation.
Majestic is interested in entering the catering market of the Star Stripe Nation, but it isn’t practical to go in rashly.
They still need to cooperate with the catering groups in the Star Stripe Nation, understand their market, and then slowly operate independently.
This cooperation is very important, so Lyke Zhekova came in person.
Amelia Ford is a 32-year-old single independent woman, mature, capable, much like the independent, upward, and outstandingly capable women in film and television dramas.
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In Amelia’s impression, Lyke Zhekova is particularly serious and reserved.
In the company, everyone is quite afraid of him.
Even if he is just forcing a smile for a social engagement, it is very formal.
Chapter 1138: I Drank a Bit Too Much Tonight_1 She had never seen Lyke Zhekova smile so gently, the smile carried a tenderness that came from deep within him.
Even his eyes were filled with tenderness.
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Pretty Perlas stood stunned, unable to react, rooted to the spot.
On top of that, Lyke Zhekova was on the phone, Pretty Perlas did not want to disrupt him.
She could wait until he finished his call.
“I’ve drunk quite a bit this evening,” Lyke Zhekova’s voice stuttered a bit, the clarity lost, sounding even a bit slurred.
...
Peggy Lewis could tell, even through the phone.
“Why did you drink so much?” She wondered who dared to serve Lyke Zhekova alcohol, that person had some guts.
Lyke Zhekova sighed, sounding a bit worn out, “No choice, today’s client is really important, crucial to the future of Majestic and the City of Pingla.” Peggy Lewis thought it made sense.
No other reason could have forced Lyke Zhekova to drink to this extent.
“Have you finished now?” Peggy Lewis asked casually.
“Not yet, but it’s almost over” Lyke Zhekova replied, sounding a bit uncomfortable, with a hint of endurance, “Can you come and pick me up?”
“Of course!” Peggy Lewis agreed immediately. She hadn’t even considered that Lyke Zhekova would have a driver.
Considering the help he’d given her, what’s the harm in picking him up once?
Wasn’t it her responsibility to pick up Lyke Zhekova?
“I’ll be right over.” Peggy Lewis replied.
“Drive there, It’s late, don’t take a cab alone, it’s not safe.
The keys are at home, you know where they are, take any car you like.” Lyke Zhekova explained.
The smile remained on his face.
The moment Peggy Lewis agreed to pick him up, his smile deepened.
“Okay.” Peggy Lewis didn’t ask any more questions.
Whatever Lyke Zhekova asked her to do, she would do without question.
However, Lyke Zhekova decided to explain on his own accord, “I entertained the client in a hotel nearby our company, so the car’s parked in the company’s parking lot.
It’s a 10-minute walk from the company to our meeting place.” “It’s natural that I bring any clients visiting Belfard to Majestic, have a tour, discuss some matters, and have dinner in the nearby hotel.” Lyke Zhekova explained.
Only then did Peggy Lewis understand why Lyke Zhekova asked her to drive there.
The car was parked at the company.
Though it was nearby, it wasn’t convenient for a drunk Lyke Zhekova to walk back.
Moreover, the company’s gate must have already been closed.
“The hotel near your company, is that Hotel Bertrand York?” Peggy asked.
She remembered that there was only one Bertrand York near Majestic.
It was a five-star hotel, suitable for client entertainment.
Peggy Lewis recalled that Bertrand York was owned by Noah.
What Peggy didn’t know was, regardless of the distance, these people from The Big Eight families loved to entertain guests at Bertrand York.
Whether it was their own gatherings or entertaining clients.
Even when getting married, they would choose Bertrand York.
Although Bertrand York was upscale, there were other places more suitable and romantic for weddings.
For instance, there were holiday villages in the suburbs, quite far but spacious, with lush green grass, ideal for an outdoor wedding.
Located in the city, Bertrand York was upscale, but the environment had its limits.
But because The Big Eight Families trust each other, regardless of the circumstances, they preferred to handle things within their circle.
Going to Bertrand York, whether it was for a gathering, entertaining guests, or for a wedding.
Although the money they spent there was quite insignificant to Bertrand York’s overall earnings.
It was indeed a display of unity among The Big Eight Families.
Therefore, The Big Eight Families never had to publicly say, just how united they were.
But outsiders just knew.
“Yes.” Lyke Zhekova chuckled, “That’s the one.” “Then, I’m coming over right now.” Peggy Lewis responded immediately.
“Don’t rush, be careful on the road.
I’ll wait for you here, no matter how long it takes, I’ll be waiting here.” Lyke Zhekova said.
Hearing his somewhat rambling tone, Peggy Lewis knew Lyke Zhekova was truly drunk.
However, this rambling demeanor was rather amusing, like that of an old man.
“Okay, you wait.” Peggy Lewis replied, like she would to a child, consoling Lyke Zhekova.
“Okay.” Lyke Zhekova readily agreed, nodding his head obediently.
Peggy Lewis hung up and went to get the car keys from the cupboard near the front door.
Lyke Zhekova had been rather careless about his car keys.
At his front door, there was a shoe cabinet that ran from the floor to the ceiling, taking up a huge wall space.
Of course, this wasn’t the only shoe cabinet in the house.
There was an even bigger one in the dressing room.
The dressing room had plenty of space to store clothes and accessories.
Initially, it held Lyke Zhekova’s clothes, ties, tie clips, cufflinks, and watches.
Now it also housed Peggy Lewis’s clothes, bags, and a few accessories.
She didn’t even know when her clothes started increasing in number here.
Initially, she had only brought one suitcase over.
Eventually, her home was almost empty, everything had been moved over here.
Then, there was another room, dedicated to storing shoes.
Naturally, now it had both Lyke Zhekova’s and Peggy Lewis’s shoes.
The shoe cabinet at the front door was for the shoes they would frequently wear during the current season.
Before leaving, they could just open the shoe cupboard at the door to grab a pair, rather than going to the room specifically for shoes.
In the middle of the shoe cabinet was an empty space, designed like a small bar counter.
Above, they put things they would often need when going out, like driver licenses, car keys, etc.
And Lyke Zhekova’s car keys were all piled up in a box.
They looked like they were random items bought from an online store for 20 yuan a piece.
Peggy Lewis rummaged about for a while, finally finding a car that she could drive.
Lyke Zhekova liked big cars.
Whether it was a sedan or an SUV, they were all taller, longer, and bigger.
Peggy Lewis did not feel comfortable driving them.
It was too big, and it affected the sight when driving.
Whether turning or parking, it was more difficult to estimate the distance.
Peggy Lewis was used to her small car and driving Lyke Zhekova’s was quite a change.
However, it seemed Lyke Zhekova wasn’t too fond of sports cars, as he didn’t own any.
But Peggy Lewis didn’t plan to drive a sports car either.
Sports cars were too low, Lyke Zhekova had drunk, was uncomfortable already, cramming his tall build into a low car would certainly be even more uncomfortable.
Helplessly, Peggy Lewis found a Tesla, which she could barely drive from the collection.
Of all the cars, this one was the most suitable for her to drive.
Peggy Lewis grabbed the car keys and head out immediately, starting the car.
As for Lyke Zhekova, he had just ended his call with Peggy Lewis.
After hanging up, he didn’t rush off.
He was caught up in his own thoughts, not noticing that someone had been standing not far from him.
At the moment, Lyke Zhekova was overwhelmed with happiness.
Chapter 1139: Just Being Cute With My Girlfriend_1 Now he too was picked up by leisurely people after arranging the guests.
This assurance filled him happily.
“Mr.
CEO.” Seeing Lyke Zhekova finished the phone call and resting against the wall without attempting to move, Amelia Ford thought he was drunk and immediately called out to him.
Just as she raised her voice, she moved forward, trying to assist Lyke Zhekova.
Unexpectedly, before she could offer assistance, Lyke Zhekova dodged her carefully.
Lyke Zhekova abruptly stood erect, steadying himself without a hint of imbalance.
...
As his gaze turned to Amelia Ford, his expression was chilling and his eyes, exceptionally clear.
He did not look drunk at all.
“What were you trying to do?” Lyke Zhekova’s frosty voice questioned her.
Amelia Ford had recently transferred from Virtuoso to Majestic.
All employees at Majestic knew they should not get too close to him.
Amelia Ford appeared to be the first one daring enough to step forward.
Lyke Zhekova’s expression grew colder.
His demeanor frightened Amelia Ford, and she stammered, “I noticed you drank quite a bit and worried something bad might happen if you stayed here for long.
So, I decided to check on you.”
“So, you saw me here on a call and decided not to keep your distance?” Lyke Zhekova’s chilling voice questioned her.
“I…” Amelia Ford hurriedly explained, “I observed that you had drunk a lot, seemed severely intoxicated and so stayed by your side, not daring to leave.”
Lyke Zhekova sneered, “So, should I thank you for that?”
Amelia Ford nervously shook her head.
Lyke Zhekova then asked, “Who was the star of tonight’s gathering?”
“The clients,” responded Amelia Ford quickly, looking somewhat clueless about why Lyke Zhekova was asking such a question.
“So, instead of focusing on the clients, prying into details about their needs, observing their reactions, evaluating the success rate of our efforts and figuring out areas for improvement,” Lyke Zhekova spoke in a frigid tone, “you chose to focus solely on whether I am drunk or how long I’ve been out?”
“You left Mr.Wu alone with the clients while both hosts were missing,” Lyke Zhekova remarked, “I can afford to step out because I call the shots.
But what about you?
Do you think you have the audacity to abandon the clients?
Can Mr.
Wu do this?”
“Even if I were drunk and lying here in this hallway, Mr.
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Wu would never abandon the clients to look for me.” Lyke Zhekova spoke frigidly again, “Moreover, I wasn’t drunk, I was just cajoling my girlfriend over the phone.”
“Was it proper for you to eavesdrop on my phone call to my girlfriend?” Lyke Zhekova asked in a cold tone.
“I…
I didn’t know…” Amelia Ford explained hurriedly, “Mr.
CEO, I didn’t know you were talking to your girlfriend and that you weren’t drunk.
I was just concerned about my superior as a subordinate.
I admit my negligence towards the client.”
“I…”
“You know your intentions very well,” Lyke Zhekova’s chilly voice responded, “I don’t need a subordinate who cries over me; all I need is a subordinate who does her job well and makes me satisfied.”
“As a subordinate, all you need to focus on is your work.
Don’t overstep your duties,” Lyke Zhekova instructed coldly.
Although Amelia Ford was a recent transfer from Virtuoso,
She had, nonetheless, climbed the corporate ladder step-by-step at Virtuoso.
Regardless of the methods employed.
She had been through all sorts of struggles in her career.
Confronted with Lyke Zhekova’s accusations, she knew that he had seen through her.
This man is really clever, she thought.
She had recently transferred and hadn’t had much interaction with Lyke Zhekova.
Despite this, from her performance tonight alone, he managed to perceive a lot.
Despite her NDA with Lyke Zhekova, Amelia Ford, unlike a young girl who would have burst into tears from his scolding, simply wore a sturdy yet compliant expression of acknowledgment on her slightly reddened face.
“Yes, Mr.
CEO, my performance tonight wasn’t good enough,” Amelia Ford admitted.
“I’ll go in first,” Lyke Zhekova announced, “You may come in after 10 minutes.
Utilize this time to regain your composure.”
“Yes.” Amelia Ford replied.
Without a second glance at her, Lyke Zhekova returned to the dining room,
Leaving Amelia Ford alone in the corridor, recalibrating her emotions.
At present, she was not pondering on Lyke Zhekova’s admonition about dealing with clients,
Instead, she was fixated on his remarks about having a girlfriend,
That he was pretending to be drunk and cajoling her over the phone.
This was completely different from the Lyke Zhekova she knew and had heard of.
Amelia Ford turned her head to watch Lyke Zhekova leave,
Originally, she couldn’t even imagine Lyke Zhekova behaving in such a way.
But just then, she had seen it.
She had seen the tenderness in Lyke Zhekova when he was on the phone with his girlfriend, and how he pretended to be drunk to cajole her.
This was a side of Lyke Zhekova completely distinct from his usual demeanor, unseen by anyone else.
Except his girlfriend…
and her.
No one else had seen it.
When she came here, she was certain Lyke Zhekova was single.
She didn’t know when he got a girlfriend,
And had heard nothing about it.
In the company, despite her colleagues’ affinity for gossip, she had heard none.
Amelia Ford returned to the dining room and apologized to the clients first.
Lyke Zhekova and the client were having a good conversation.
She wasn’t sure if the deal would be successful in the future.
Although Lyke Zhekova had asked her to keep her focus on the client,
Amelia Ford couldn’t resist letting her eyes linger on Lyke Zhekova at times.
Of course, she dared not stare openly, but only sneak a few glances in passing.
She noticed Lyke Zhekova lowering his head from time to time.
She didn’t know what he was looking at,
But Amelia Ford had a feeling, a confident one, that he was looking at his phone,
Probably watching for his girlfriend’s arrival.
A short while ago, Lyke Zhekova had accused her of being not attentive enough.
Yet Lyke Zhekova himself didn’t seem to prioritize the client first.
He obviously prioritized his girlfriend more.
Amelia Ford sneered internally, feeling a bit indignant.
However, her guess was correct; Lyke Zhekova indeed kept checking his phone.
Lyke Zhekova believed that it was about time,
Peggy Lewis should have arrived by now.
But Peggy Lewis hadn’t sent him any message yet.
Feeling a bit anxious, Lyke Zhekova decided to wrap up the dinner.
“You all had a long day, let’s call it a night.
Get some rest in your rooms and we can continue our conversation tomorrow,” Lyke Zhekova proposed as he raised his glass.
Everyone followed suit readily,
They raised their glasses together, ending the dinner party.
The clients were staying at Majestic,
Lyke Zhekova personally escorted them to the elevator, exchanged a few pleasantries before seeing them off into the elevator.
Only then did he head out of the hotel with Mr.
Wu and Amelia Ford,
The moment he stepped outside, he started looking around for Peggy Lewis.
He noticed a familiar looking Tesla parked by the roadside.
Chapter 1140: I don’t believe you_1 He truly owned a lot of cars – Lyke Zhekova faintly remembered he had a Tesla somewhere.
But he struggled to recognize it at that moment.
Besides, it was difficult to discern under the dim light of the evening.
As for the licence plate number…
He had long forgotten it.
At this moment, he overhead General Manager Webster asking, “Mr.
Zhekova, would you like William Logos to pick you up, or should I call a car for you?”
Just then, the door of the Tesla parked at the roadside opened.
...
Lyke saw Peggy Lewis step out from the car.
Lyke, who usually wore an expressionless face, immediately broke into a smile, looking at Peggy.
General Manager Webster had met Peggy Lewis before, but only briefly.
Hindered by the night, his view wasn’t particularly clear.
However, General Manager Webster was quick to react.
Seeing that the person who emerged from the car was a woman, and furthermore, one who made Lyke smile.
There was no doubt it was Peggy Lewis.
General Manager Webster immediately said, “So, Miss Lewis is here to get you.
Miss Lewis is indeed very considerate.”
Lyke Zhekova appeared touched, “Indeed, I told her not to come.
I wouldn’t be comfortable with her going out alone so late at night.
But she insisted, worrying about my safety.”
General Manager Webster: “….”
Ha-ha!
Bullshit!
Who in the company doesn’t know that you’re still single?
If you’re single, that means you haven’t won her over yet.
If it was classic Lyke, he would have unabashedly announced it to the whole company once he’s won her over.
And you sneakily say it now?
You have the guts to say it in front of Peggy once she comes over!
You don’t dare to!
General Manager Webster was certain: he had seen through Lyke a long time ago!
Peggy Lewis intended to wait by the roadside.
She felt shy to come over, as she might have interrupted a serious conversation.
But since Lyke Zhekova and General Manager Webster were both looking in her direction, it would have been rude not to approach them.
She smiled and started walking towards them.
After taking two steps, she noticed another gaze.
It was from the woman standing next to Lyke.
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Just like Lyke and General Manager Webster, she was also looking in Peggy’s direction.
However, Peggy astutely noticed a difference in her stare.
The gazes from Lyke and General Manager Webster were friendly, causing her no discomfort.
But the stare from that woman was filled with intense scrutiny.
It felt as if she was looking down on Peggy and judging her in her mind.
When it came to business talks or meeting clients, Peggy was usually sensitive to these things.
The initial step was always to establish whether the other party was a friend or foe before deciding how to react.
This has nearly become Peggy’s instinct.
She didn’t have to consciously think about it.
She could make a split-second judgment.
Moreover, she has never been wrong so far.
Not to mention, the gaze from Amelia Ford was far too expressive.
Her resentment was clearly and directly expressed in her gaze.
Peggy walked up to Lyke, and he said, “When did you get here?
I was focused on my mobile phone, worried that I might miss your message.
But I didn’t receive any.”
Peggy nodded in acknowledgment to General Manager Webster completely ignored Amelia Ford before answering Lyke’s question, “I didn’t want to interrupt your business meeting, so I decided to wait in the car.
Anyway, I would be able to spot you once you stepped out.”
Spotting the look of disapproval on Lyke’s face…
She had spent quite a bit of time with Lyke.
Now, Peggy could interpret most of Lyke’s thoughts just by looking at his expressions, even without him needing to speak.
Therefore, before Lyke could say anything, Peggy preempted, “Also, I was sitting in the car with the air conditioning on, neither tired nor hungry.
If I had messaged you, would you have abruptly walked out even though the meeting hadn’t concluded yet?”
“Of course,” answered Lyke.
He didn’t hesitate as he was true to his word.
Seeing his decisive and unwavering answer, Peggy was taken aback.
By reading Lyke’s expression, Peggy was convinced he was serious.
Peggy: “….”
How fortunate that she hadn’t texted Lyke.
If she had messaged him, Lyke would have simply interrupted his meeting and left.
In disrupting their gathering, if the disruption resulted in the failure of the business deal.
How could Peggy live with such a guilt?
“I need to head out now,” said Lyke.
“Safe travels,” hurriedly replied General Manager Webster.
Turning to Peggy, he added, “Miss Peggy, please drive safely.”
Upon hearing his respectful tone, Peggy’s felt a chill on her scalp.
Embarrassed, Peggy said, “I will, we’ll be heading out now.”
Afterward, Peggy still ignored Amelia Ford.
As she turned around and began to walk with Lyke, Peggy felt something odd.
Her attention was distracted by Amelia earlier, and she hadn’t given it much thought.
However, the more she thought about it, the more she realised that Lyke was so composed that he didn’t seem drunk at all.
Just when she was pondering over it, she heard Lyke by her side say, “Peggy, please support me a little.”
“Huh?” Peggy turned around, looking curiously at Lyke.
She saw Lyke maintaining his composure, while suddenly drawing closer to her, his arms pressed snug against hers.
Instinctively, Peggy supported him, “Is everything okay?”
Lyke chuckled bitterly, “Didn’t I tell you over the phone that I was drunk?
I’m a little unstable now, afraid that I might stumble as I walk.”
“Oh?
You seemed pretty steady just now, not at all like you were drunk,” said Peggy, surprised.
Inwardly, Lyke was relieved he planned ahead.
As he expected, Peggy was suspicious.
However, if she could see through this, then it couldn’t possibly have been Lyke’s plan, could it?
Lyke replied, “Wasn’t General Manager Webster and his team present?
I had to maintain my image in front of everyone.
I forced myself to stay upright.
I couldn’t stand on my own, I’d have given myself away sooner or later.”
On hearing his explanation, Peggy quickly gripped Lyke’s arm tighter,
“You really are…” said Peggy, in admiration, “You even fooled me just now, I thought you were completely okay.”
“You should hang onto my arm,” said Lyke, “This way, when they look at us, it’ll seem like you’re hanging onto me, and not me being drunk and you needing to support me.”
Peggy wasn’t in the right frame of mind to think of anything else right now.
Upon hearing Lyke say this, she hurriedly did as instructed,
Supporting him while holding his arm wasn’t easy.
So, Peggy decided to wrap her arm around Lyke’s completely.
Lyke could feel her arm around his, the force exerted on his arm.
Lyke smiled, thinking, she was indeed a straightforward person.
At this moment, all kinds of feelings swelled within Lyke, except for guilt over deceiving Peggy.
General Manager Webster, who was standing behind and had been observing Lyke and Peggy’s exit, sighed silently in his heart.