Ch. 921..930
Chapter 921: A Call From Fourth Uncle?
_1 “You must be tired after such a long day, only now being able to return home.
Rest well,” Lyke Zhekova remarked.
“Thankfully, tomorrow is Sunday, no need to work.” Lyke grinned.
That way, Peggy Lewis could rest more, even if she got up a bit later, it wasn’t a big deal.
It was almost 10 o’clock already.
...
Time was indeed getting late.
Peggy thanked Lyke and turned to enter the building.
Lyke however, stayed by the car until he saw a light turn on in the building.
Lyke counted, it was on the 8th floor.
Quietly noting this, he then went back to his car.
Lyke was supposed to go back to his own home.
Suddenly remembering something, he made a call.
Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke had also just arrived home.
The little one was in his bedroom, changing clothes.
Adrian and Cindy initially went back to their own bedroom, they didn’t change into home clothes but directly into their pajamas.
Anyway, it was late, even if they couldn’t sleep now, they would soon.
“I have a movie I want to watch, a mind-bending thriller.
It has a high rating on The Polo Net,” Cindy remarked, “They say it’s very challenging, with a lot of details.
To really understand it, you have to watch it over and over.”
Adrian nodded, and said, “Later we can turn on the projector and watch it in bed.”
Even though they had a home cinema, at this late hour, it was much more comfortable to watch the movie snuggled up in bed.
Therefore, Adrian had also installed a projector screen on the wall facing their bed in their bedroom.
To ensure higher image quality.
“Want some red wine?” asked Adrian again.
Watching a movie while sipping red wine.
The thought itself was extremely appealing.
Cindy quickly nodded her head: “Yes, yes, yes.”
So, Adrian went to get the red wine.
But as soon as he left the room, he saw the youngster coming out of his room in his clean clothes.
“What are you doing up so late?” Adrian asked him when he saw him.
“I just came out to see if you guys were asleep yet.” The young boy asked, “Are you going to bed yet?”
User: “We’re going to watch a movie and have a bit of wine before going to sleep,” Adrian replied.
Adrian didn’t lie to the little one.
This was a principle Adrian always abided by.
Unless it was something he absolutely had to keep from him, Adrian wouldn’t deceive the little boy.
Even though he knew that once the little boy heard, he would definitely want to join in.
Still, Adrian told him the truth.
As expected.
The little boy eagerly said, “I want to watch!
I want to watch too!”
How wonderful it would be to watch a movie snuggled up with Adrian and Cindy!
Adrian said, “Alright, you can watch.
However, you might not like the movie we’re watching.
You might even fall asleep while watching it.”
Without a second thought, the little boy nodded: “No problem!
If I fall asleep, I fall asleep.”
Adrian nodded, “Alright, then wait for us in our room.”
The little boy agreed and asked, “Where are you going dad?”
Wasn’t it settled that they would watch the movie together?
“I’m going to get some red wine.
We’re planning to sip it while watching the movie,” Adrian explained.
The little boy thought to himself how adults really know how to enjoy life.
He had never tasted red wine before.
Before the little boy could speak, Adrian said, “You can’t drink red wine.”
Recognizing this, the little boy asked disappointedly, “Alright, I won’t drink it.
But what should I drink then?”
“Wanting to drink something else?” Adrian asked, “Just drink milk.”
What else could he want?
The little boy: “…..”
“Go inside, I’ll get you some milk,” Adrian said.
“Alright then.” Saying this, the little boy headed towards the bedroom.
The little boy knocked twice on the door: “Cindy.”
Cindy, having just finished tidying up, came to open the door for the little boy: “What is it?”
“Dad said you’re going to watch a movie, I want to watch too,” the little boy replied.
Cindy then smiled and said, “Alright, come in.”
“What movie are you planning to watch?” the little boy asked, “Dad said it’s quite challenging.”
“This one,” Cindy replied, “But it’s in English, with Chinese subtitles.”
The little boy’s knowledge of Chinese characters is not quite comprehensive, and although he is learning English and speaks it quite well,
she wasn’t sure if he could understand everything.
Cindy thought he probably wouldn’t be able to.
The little boy cared not about understanding the movie but just wanted to watch it with Adrian and Cindy.
Even if he didn’t understand, it didn’t matter.
“Alright.” Cindy nodded with a smile.
Without Cindy speaking, the little boy had already climbed onto the bed.
The little boy even showed his little foot to Cindy, “Look Cindy, I am all clean.
My feet are super clean too.” His little feet were white and delicate, very clean.
Cindy brought several more cushions so that the little boy could lean more comfortably.
The little boy snuggled into the middle portion of the bed.
Cindy then turned on the projector.
There was a fixed projector in the home theater.
Every time they turned it on, it would project onto the screen just fine.
No further adjustment of the image was needed.
The same was the case in the bedroom.
It was installed on the wall corner of the ceiling and set to display the right size image on the screen.
Every time they turned it on, they wouldn’t have to readjust again.
After turning it on, Cindy activated the screen projection function.
She took out her iPad, found the movie she wanted to watch, and projected it onto the screen.
Cindy pressed pause, not letting the movie play.
She decided to wait until Adrian returned.
After Cindy adjusted everything, Adrian had also returned.
He was holding a tray in his hands.
On the tray was a bottle of red wine, two glasses of red wine,
Also a box of milk, and a glass.
And a box of nuts.
“Aww, thank you, honey.
You’re working so hard!” Seeing Adrian bring so many things, Cindy was quick to help him.
Adrian loved to hear Cindy call him that.
For the sweet word “honey”, Cindy could ask him to do anything, any amount, and he would agree.
“Remember to brush your teeth after eating,” Adrian reminded the little boy.
“I remember.” The little boy suddenly thought and asked, “What if I fall asleep while watching the movie?”
“Then I’ll wake you up to brush your teeth,” Adrian answered.
“Alright.” Hearing this, the little boy was reassured.
Adrian removed everything from the tray and slid his hand under the tray.
He pulled something.
Then, a stand appeared under the tray.
Turns out, when folded, it was a tray, but when the stand was pulled out, it transformed into a small bed table.
It fit perfectly on the bed.
After Adrian had poured the wine and milk, Cindy opened the box of nuts.
They were all placed on the small table.
Just as Cindy was about to start the movie, Adrian’s phone rang again.
Adrian picked up his phone and looked, “It’s a call from Fourth Uncle.”
Cindy immediately turned her attention to him.
“Fourth Uncle’s call?
Could it be about Peggy?” Cindy asked.
Chapter 922: Must Come Over Once_1 “Possibly.” Adrian Zhekova guessed.
“By now, Fourth Uncle should have sent Peggy home already, based on time,” Cindy Clarke checked the time.
Unless Lyke Zhekova had another new plan for Peggy on the way?
“We’d know if we just answer the phone.” Adrian Zhekova said.
Cindy was excitedly waiting on the side.
Then she saw Adrian Zhekova answer his phone: “Fourth Uncle?”
“Adrian, ah.” Lyke Zhekova asked, “Are you guys asleep yet?”
Before Adrian Zhekova could answer, Lyke Zhekova said: “It’s only a little past 10, you guys must still be awake.”
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
What does he mean by it’s only a little after 10?
Shouldn’t it be already past 10?
...
“We’re both snuggled up in bed, ready to watch a movie and have some red wine before we sleep.” Simultaneously being suggestive of ‘if there’s anything, tell us tomorrow.’
Adrian Zhekova always got the feeling that Lyke Zhekova’s purpose of asking this was definitely not what he wanted to hear.
“You guys are indeed awake.” Lyke Zhekova caught onto the key information he wanted and was distinctly in high spirits.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Would you please listen to the first part?
“Wouldn’t it not bother you if I come over now?” Lyke Zhekova said with hopefulness.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“It’s a bit late now.” Adrian Zhekova answered with difficulty, you really shouldn’t come.
“But you guys are still awake.” Lyke Zhekova insisted.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
“Hold on a second.” Adrian Zhekova covered his mobile phone and quietly said to Cindy, “Fourth Uncle is insisting on coming over for some reason.”
“Are you sleepy?
If he comes over, it’ll probably take him half an hour to nearly an hour.” Adrian Zhekova said, “I’ll ask him to come tomorrow.”
“It’s fine.” Cindy grabbed Adrian Zhekova’s wrist, “I want to ask him how he got on with Peggy.
Let Fourth Uncle come.”
The little one suddenly also felt spirited: “I’m not sleepy anymore.
Let Fourth Grandfather come!
Seeing that Cindy and the little one were eagerly expecting, Adrian Zhekova was out of breath.
He answered his mobile phone and said to Lyke Zhekova: “Alright, you can come.”
Lyke Zhekova was waiting just for these words.
In reality, he was already on his way.
“Alright, I’ll be there soon.” Lyke Zhekova said.
He hung up the call.
Adrian Zhekova looked at the wine and snacks already set out in front of him, feeling warm.
But thinking about Lyke Zhekova coming over, the warmth just couldn’t hold up.
“Since Fourth Uncle is coming over, and it’ll be a while, why don’t we watch something in the meantime?” Adrian Zhekova suggested.
Since everything had already been prepared, Cindy nodded: “Sure.”
Adrian Zhekova poured red wine for himself and Cindy, and milk for the little one.
But just 20 minutes into their movie, the doorbell rang.
Cindy dumbfoundedly looked at Adrian Zhekova: “Already?”
Cindy knew very well where Peggy lived.
When Lyke Zhekova called, it was a bit past 10, not too late.
The nightlife in Belfard was just starting.
The streets were still busy with cars.
The roads were still congested.
Even without traffic, under normal circumstances, the drive over would take at least 40 minutes.
Not to mention adding more time due to traffic.
And Lyke Zhekova got here in 20 minutes?
That’s not realistic.
“I’ll go get the door.” Adrian Zhekova sighed and said.
Cindy paused the film, tidied up the wine and snacks, brought them into the living room with the little one.
Just in time to see Lyke Zhekova walk in.
He heard Adrian Zhekova ask: “How did you get here so fast?”
“Oh, I was already on the road when I called you, to be honest.
I was almost here when I made the call.” Lyke Zhekova said.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Just stubbornly convinced they would let him come.
“Come in and sit down.” Adrian Zhekova invited.
Lyke Zhekova even pretended to be polite for a moment: “Apologies for interrupting your rest.”
Adrian Zhekova nodded: “It really did interrupt.
Otherwise, the three of us would still be watching a film.”
Listening to him chat?
This beautiful night was ruined by Lyke Zhekova.
“No problem, I won’t stay long, you guys can continue afterward.” Lyke Zhekova assured.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
Ha.
Ha.
“Fourth Uncle, what is it exactly?” Adrian Zhekova asked.
Lyke Zhekova had already made himself comfortable in the living room, and the little one obediently called out: “Fourth Grandfather.”
As soon as Lyke Zhekova heard the little one’s form of address, he remembered what happened back in the family mansion.
Suddenly, he didn’t feel so good.
Yet, he cannot not let the little one call him that.
If not this, then what should he be called?
The little one felt frustrated.
“Morgan ah.” Lyke Zhekova tried to negotiate with the little one, “The next time you call your Godmother, don’t call me Fourth Grandfather.
And when you call me Fourth Grandfather, don’t call your Godmother.”
“Why?
If not this, then how should I call?” the little one asked purposefully.
Of course, he knew what Lyke Zhekova meant.
But he didn’t say it.
Lyke Zhekova said: “I’m not asking you to change what you call me.
Just don’t call me anything.
Choose to either call one of us.”
The little one shook his head, indicating he didn’t understand.
Cindy knew the little one was just pretending, so she asked Lyke Zhekova: “Fourth Uncle, you and Peggy…”
“That little girl is quite interesting.” Lyke Zhekova said.
Cindy blinked, what did this mean?
“Quite interesting?
That’s it?” Adrian Zhekova said, “I’ve never seen you find any girl quite interesting before, and I’ve never seen you take any girl home on your own.”
“During today’s competition, she was making a ruckus from the stands, but you didn’t seem to find her annoying.” Adrian Zhekova reminded.
Lyke Zhekova nodded without denying a word: “That’s true, I also found it strange.”
Cindy slightly furrowed her brow, and said seriously: “Fourth Uncle, so you got close to Peggy just because you found it odd?”
“I wouldn’t consider it getting close, but natural interaction.” Lyke Zhekova paused for a while before saying, “I wanted to familiarize myself with her and clear up what I was thinking.”
After calming herself down a little, Cindy then said solemnly: “Fourth Uncle, I would suggest you find out about your thoughts before familiarizing with her.”
“What’s different?” Lyke Zhekova asked, perplexed.
“Fourth Uncle, you should know that you’re quite popular, right?” Cindy asked.
Lyke Zhekova fell silent.
He didn’t deny that.
But neither did he dare to admit it, as it seemed like he had no shame.
After all, he wasn’t Adrian Zhekova.
“I guess so.” Lyke Zhekova said, vaguely, “At least previously when families introduced girls to me, they seemed quite satisfied and none were dissatisfied.”
Also, when he was in school, he got love letters from girls and was confessed to a few times by girls.
“Although you’re a little older, Fourth Uncle.” Cindy hinted.
Chapter 923: There is always a scumbag man who flirts with everyone_1 Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Can we skip that line?
He’s still in his early thirties, not forty yet!
“But speaking realistically, you’re handsome.” Cindy Clarke counts on her fingers.
After all, he comes from the Zhekova Family, blessed with good genes.
Lyke Zhekova’s appearance is also top-notch.
“And very rich, the CEO of a company.” Cindy says, “Still single, no marriage history, no love history.”
“Do you really have none?” Cindy checks with Lyke Zhekova again.
“…” Lyke Zhekova is somewhat ashamed to admit, “Indeed none.”
“Your private life is exceptionally upright and healthy, without any messy romantic entanglements.” Cindy says, “In this aspect, you’re very clean.”
“Handsome, wealthy, a clean personal life, and no emotional history.” Cindy raises four fingers, “For these four reasons alone, you are already a perfect male lead of an idol drama.”
“The requirements for the male lead of an idol drama are not as excellent as yours.” Cindy says, “The way you are, is very appealing to girls and can draw their attention.”
“Even with the slight increase in age.” Cindy says.
...
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
He feels that, tonight, he is being continuously pricked by the issue of age.
“But you are handsome, and looking at you, your actual age is not obvious.
You look just like someone in their early thirties, just a few years older than Adrian Zhekova.” Cindy says.
“Not to mention you, even now, male celebrities around forty still have many young girls who like them.
Isn’t it because they still look very young, do not look their age, and are especially handsome?” Cindy says.
“So, age, in your case, isn’t really a weakness.” Cindy says realistically.
“If, like you, the conditions are so good, so outstanding, a man who seems to have walked out of an idol drama, out of a girl’s daydream, deliberately approaches her, is gentle and a gentleman, careful and considerate.”
“He doesn’t flirt with anyone else, he’s only nice to her.
He’s very accommodating.
Can any girl resist?
Even if they really don’t like your type, they will at least misunderstand that you like them.”
“The signals you give out are misleading and make the other person think you are interested in them.” Cindy says.
She turns her head and asks Adrian Zhekova, “Do you think a man, without any intentions of liking a girl, would behave so well?”
“A decent man wouldn’t.
If he doesn’t like her, he won’t deliberately get close or make irrevocable gestures.” Adrian Zhekova says in agreement.
“Of course, this excludes scumbag men.
There are always those scumbag men who flirt with everyone.” Adrian Zhekova adds.
“But as Cindy said, you don’t flirt with others, only good to that one person.
Unless this man has a twisted mentality and deliberately does this to make someone misunderstand, otherwise, it can be inferred that he likes her.” Adrian Zhekova says.
“If you don’t like her, don’t get close.” Cindy concludes, “Otherwise, your behavior will indeed make the lady misunderstand.”
“If she doesn’t like you, she’ll be worried about how to reject you.
After all, you have never explicitly verbalized your intentions.
All she can do is keep her distance.” Cindy says.
“But if she likes you, your mistake will be even more severe.
It’s your actions that have misled her.
When she finds out that you don’t have such intentions, how awkward will it be for the girl?”
Chapter 924: A Smile so Loving it Makes the Little One’s Hair Stand on End_1 “Fourth Uncle, if you have no affection for Peggy beyond the friendship, even just a little that draws you close to her.
But it is sheer curiosity, then don’t approach her just to satisfy your curiosity,”
Cindy Clarke said seriously, “Because eventually when your curiosity gets satisfied, and you leave without a care, what happens if Peggy has developed feelings for you?
You may not care, but what about her?”
Peggy Lewis, it turns out, is a strong woman in the workplace.
At such a young age, she already has the capability to compete for the head of department.
She manages things skilfully and has a fair amount of connections that come in handy in many situations.
For instance, when she was pregnant with Morgan, it was Peggy who helped her.
Otherwise, getting Morgan registered would have been tricky.
...
Not to mention how hard it is to register in Belfard.
Many who tried and worked hard to settle down and buy a home in Belfard did not necessarily get registered.
But Peggy always found a way.
Isn’t that strength?
While she is strong in her work, when it comes to emotions, Peggy is truly a blank slate.
From an early age, she has always been attracted to fine looks.
As a child, she was into anime, always liked paper toys.
Later as she outgrew her love for animation, she started admiring real-life celebrities.
But her fondness lay with those possessing high aesthetic appeal.
Though she is not deeply involved in fandoms, she buys whatever is endorsed by her favourite celebrities.
She also follows her celebrity crush’s various updates, live streams, new dramas, and movies.
In addition to spending time with Cindy and Morgan.
All these fill up what little leisure time is left for Peggy, who works long hours.
Peggy finds her life fulfilling, and has absolutely no intention to start a romantic relationship.
In this regard, Peggy is actually a total newbie in love.
If Lyke Zhekova really messes around with Peggy, who may be astute in other matters, but would certainly not know how to handle emotions.
Lyke Zhekova was left speechless.
His head hung low, his brows furrowed as he pondered over Cindy’s words for quite some time.
It was clear just how seriously he was taking her words.
Eventually, he raised his gaze to Cindy, “But how would I know if I like her or not, if I don’t get closer to her, spend time with her and get to know her?”
“All my life, at this age, I have never liked anyone.
I don’t even know what it feels like to like someone,” Lyke Zhekova said.
Hearing that, Cindy immediately retorted, “So, if you don’t know what it’s like to like someone, how do you know if you like her or not?
You get close to Peggy and mistake your feelings for liking or not liking.”
“No matter the outcome, you aren’t certain, either will hurt her,” Cindy stated.
“Maybe, I’m expecting too much.
I must stand on Peggy’s side,” Cindy said, “I have to consider for her.”
“If you feel fond of her, even if it’s not love, merely fondness, wanting to get to know her better, I won’t interfere,” Cindy continued.
“Because, as far as I’m concerned, love-at-first-sight isn’t reliable.
To state love before getting committed, only to realise discrepancies afterwards.
Discrepancies such as interests, viewpoints, living habits and so on, all that may cause a breakup,”
“Developing affection and getting to know each other better is a more reliable process,” Cindy said.
“But the premise is fondness, not curiosity,” Cindy emphasized.
If the intensions are different, the outcomes will be too.
“I can’t intervene in Peggy’s life.
If it’s fondness bringing you closer and you realise it’s unsuitable, she’s hurt when you return to your own sphere, I won’t say anything.”
“Because you approached her with sincerity.
Who can guarantee that a relationship will always last, and won’t break up?”
“I can’t stop you because I’m afraid of a probable hurt due to uncertainty,” Cindy stated.
“But if you get near her merely out of curiosity and leave her satisfied with your curiosity, you, Fourth Uncle, might think I’m meddling, or disrespecting my elders, I have to stop it,” said Cindy.
Indeed, Lyke Zhekova didn’t quite get the hang of romantic relationships, so he turned to Adrian Zhekova and asked, “When you first met Cindy, did you feel anything for her?”
Cindy also turned to Adrian Zhekova.
Adrian Zhekova: “…”
He had a feeling that Lyke Zhekova was trying to put him in a tight spot!
“I knew it,” Adrian Zhekova asserted.
Facing Lyke Zhekova’s puzzled gaze, Adrian Zhekova reaffirmed, “When I saw Cindy back then, I was just pretending to be aloof.”
“The first time I saw her, she was at the Company, and I thought, how is this young woman so appealing?” Adrian Zhekova said with a light laugh.
Cindy blushed a little.
She wasn’t sure if Adrian Zhekova’s statement is made up just to flatter her.
“At that time, I didn’t know that Morgan was my son.
I only knew she was a single mother, but Morgan liked to stick with me,” Adrian Zhekova said.
The little one looked at Adrian Zhekova skeptically.
Really?
Did he really like to stick to Adrian Zhekova?
Adrian Zhekova looked meaningfully at the little one, “You forgot, didn’t you?
The moment you first saw me, you hugged my leg and called me dad?
Back then, you didn’t even know I was really your dad.”
The little one: “…”
Wasn’t he just trying to wangle a bowl of ravioli!
“That time back at the Company, it was my first meeting with Cindy, but my second with you.
As soon as you saw me, didn’t you hug my leg again?
You wouldn’t stop until I lifted you,” Adrian Zhekova tousled the little one’s hair; his affectionate smile made his hairs stand up.
“You were really clingy.”
The little one: “…”
“At that time, in my mind, Cindy was just a single mother.
But even so, I couldn’t help being attracted to her.
Wanted to know more about her.
I wasn’t thinking much, all I wanted was to get closer to her.
Even though she had a kid, that was not a problem to me.”
“That time, when I saw her giving beef strips to Sheldon Rowland, I couldn’t help but get upset.
I wondered why she was giving it to Sheldon, and not me.”
“When she gave the same snack to Sheldon and me, I thought, so in her eyes, Sheldon and I are alike.
That’s not enough, I must stand out from Sheldon, I must become someone special to Cindy.
I couldn’t help but compete with anyone who appeared before Cindy.”
Chapter 925: Invited out of the House by Adrian Zhekova_1 “Back then, I didn’t know about my past with Cindy nor that Morgan was my son.
But even then, I wanted to be a special person in Cindy’s heart,” Adrian Zhekova said.
“I never said it out loud, but I knew in my heart that my feelings for Cindy were different.
I wanted to be closer to her, to be intimate with her, and I wanted her to let down her guard around me.”
“I wanted her to relax around me, to smile at me more.
I wanted her to cook delicious meals just for me,” Adrian confessed.
Suddenly, the little one became anxious, protesting, “No way!”
If Cindy cooked only for Adrian, what would he do?
Adrian assured him, “Of course, also for you.”
The little one silently thanked his luck for being Adrian’s biological son.
...
Otherwise, he would become a third wheel.
“During that time, even Morgan supported me being with Cindy and was willing for me to be his stepfather,” Adrian continued.
“Of course, it proved later that Morgan was my biological son,” Adrian mentioned, “All this nonsense about being a stepfather doesn’t exist.”
“But what I want to say is, even before I knew Morgan’s identity, I already liked Cindy.
I kept drawing close to her, wanting to understand her more, because I recognized my feelings for her.”
Adrian spoke with a sense of pride, “And the more I understood her, the more I liked her.”
“Cindy was right.
From the beginning, I approached her with deep affection, trying to understand her,” Adrian admitted.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
So, what does that feeling really mean?
Adrian said, “Fourth Uncle, how do you feel about Peggy Lewis right now?”
Because of Cindy’s relationship with Peggy.
Since Cindy was protecting Peggy, he naturally sided with Cindy.
As for Fourth Uncle, he could only be considered later.
“Feeling?” Lyke thought for a while, saying, “I just feel that this girl is quite interesting.”
“Although she talks a lot, even to the point of being a chatterbox, I don’t find it annoying.
In fact, I quite enjoy listening to her.
If she suddenly stops talking, I would try to get her to speak.”
“Also, I want to know more about her.
There are countless things I want to understand about her, so I couldn’t help but ask her many questions along the way.”
“During the competition, when she was shouting out of indignation for Cindy, not caring about her image if it were anyone else, I would definitely think they were lacking manners.”
“But with her, I actually find it cute and genuine.
She’s not pretentious,” Lyke confessed.
Adrian glanced at Cindy, thinking that if this wasn’t attraction, what was?
“So…” Cindy caught on to the hint, “Do you have…
the desire to get close to Peggy?”
“I mean it in the literal sense, like wanting to touch her, hug her or something like that?” Cindy asked.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Talking about this with Peggy’s best friend might not be appropriate.
Adrian also cleared his throat, saying: “Fourth Uncle, you should be truthful so we can help you analyze it, right?”
He really didn’t mean to embarrass Lyke.
Of course, this was all because Lyke was not aware of his feelings.
If he was aware, wouldn’t he be able to avoid revealing his thoughts to them?
Lyke tugged at his collar, noticing that the little one was still around, and said, “Ahem!
Shouldn’t Morgan be hearing this?”
Cindy opened her eyes wide in surprise, “Fourth Uncle, what dirty thoughts are you having about Peggy that even Morgan can’t hear?”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Lyke couldn’t help but look at Adrian.
What is wrong with your wife!
Can’t you control her!
The little one also leaned in, shaking his head and quivering, “Are there any impure thoughts you can’t let me hear?”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Adrian, are you sure you don’t want your son to go to sleep?
However, Adrian didn’t react at all.
Lyke could only sigh resignedly, saying, “It’s not that I can’t talk about it.
It’s just…
it’s just indeed…”
Lyke recalled a moment in the car.
“I really wanted to hold her,” he confessed politely.
At that time, he actually wanted to embrace her and give her a little squeeze!
Cindy also looked at Adrian.
After exchanging a glance with Cindy, Adrian said, “Fourth Uncle, you only separated from Peggy not long ago, so it’s hard to say.”
“Why don’t you go home first and see if you happen to think of her from time to time?” Adrian suggested.
“Occasionally?
Quite often?” Lyke asked, still confused.
He had never thought about any girl before.
“Quite often,” Adrian nodded, “For instance, while eating, you might recall a certain moment when you two were together.
While you’re doing stuff, you suddenly start daydreaming uncontrollably, and she comes into your mind.”
“You will want to contact her when you don’t see her.
You will want to hear her voice, and you would be interested in what she’s up to at this moment.”
“You would want to know, whom she has been in contact with, whom she usually hangs out with, and what she’s up to.
You might want to call her and ask about her whereabouts, what she’s been doing, what she’s doing right now.”
“In short, you will be full of curiosity about her, wanting to know everything about her,” Adrian added.
“Fourth Uncle, you should go home first and refrain from contacting Peggy for the time being.
Just watch your own reactions.
If you show these symptoms, congratulations, you have feelings for her, you are smitten with her.”
“But before that, don’t overthink, confirm your feelings first,” Adrian advised.
Lyke felt as if he had been re-educated.
He was a little dazed as he nodded.
Before he could figure out what was happening, he was escorted out of the house by Adrian.
When he came to his senses, Adrian’s front door had just closed in front of him.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Despite his seniority, what use is it?
Adrian didn’t respect his elders at all!
Lyke didn’t ring Adrian’s doorbell again.
He actually didn’t know what specific questions he wanted to ask when he came over.
But he felt that, since Cindy was Peggy’s best friend, he wanted to drop by tonight.
To learn more about Peggy from Cindy.
Although he was not able to learn about Peggy from Cindy, he did gain quite a bit of strange knowledge from her.
So, Lyke was satisfied with this visit.
Thus, he happily returned to his car.
However, halfway back, Lyke suddenly realized that something had been bothering him.
hapter 926: What Did We Gain After All?_1 At that time, he did feel that something was wrong, but he never figured out what was amiss.
Now, halfway along his journey, he finally pieced it together.
As his mind clicked, it was as if he got a small electric shock.
He finally remembered that Adrian Zhekova asked him not to contact Peggy Lewis.
However, even if he wanted to contact her, he wouldn’t be able to as he did not have Peggy Lewis’s contact details!
Whether it was her phone number or Whatsapp information, he had forgotten to ask Peggy Lewis for them!
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
So, with all the time he spent alone with Peggy Lewis, what had he gained?
...
Lyke Zhekova suddenly felt like his IQ had plummeted.
It seemed like he didn’t gain anything at all.
***
As for Adrian Zhekova, he just kicked Lyke Zhekova out of the house.
Once Adrian Zhekova returned, he let out a sigh of relief, “Finally, he is gone.
Let’s get back to our movie.”
Cindy Clarke: “…”
Cindy Clarke twitched her mouth.
So, Adrian Zhekova hurried Lyke Zhekova away?
“Actually, it wasn’t a trick,” said Adrian Zhekova, “I was truthful.
Telling him to go home and think is also true.”
“I just took advantage of his confusion and persuaded him to leave,” Adrian Zhekova explained, “Otherwise, who knows how long he would have stayed in our house.”
Cindy Clarke thought, is this persuasion?
This is taking advantage of someone’s confusion and pushing them out.
However, Cindy Clarke didn’t feel sorry for Lyke Zhekova.
It’s already so late, it’s better for Lyke Zhekova to leave early.
But, Cindy Clarke didn’t feel like watching a movie anymore.
The little one wasn’t sleepy anymore thanks to Lyke Zhekova.
The child followed Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke back to their bedroom.
Because of Lyke Zhekova’s presence earlier, neither Adrian Zhekova nor Cindy Clarke had any alcohol.
They only poured juice for Lyke Zhekova.
Lyke Zhekova was driving, so he obviously couldn’t drink alcohol.
So now, the red wine they had poured earlier remained untouched.
Cindy Clarke and Adrian Zhekova took the red wine and nuts back to the bedroom, and placed them neatly on the bedside table.
However, Cindy Clarke didn’t play the movie.
Instead, she asked Adrian Zhekova, “What do you think Fourth Uncle is pondering?”
“Pondering about what?” Adrian Zhekova didn’t catch on.
“About Peggy!” Cindy Clarke poked him.
What was he lost in thought about at this moment?
Adrian Zhekova looked down to see not only Cindy Clarke, with her sparkling eyes, was looking at him.
Even the little one looked at him with bright, shiny eyes.
Clearly, even the little one was deeply concerned about Peggy Lewis’s happiness.
As for Lyke Zhegova, he definitely wasn’t included in the child’s sphere of concern.
After all, they were not familiar with Lyke Zhekova.
But for Peggy Lewis, their feelings ran deep and true for many years.
“Judging from Fourth Uncle’s reaction just now, there’s no doubt,” Adrian Zhekova laughed, “Fourth Uncle surely likes Peggy Lewis.
He just doesn’t realise it yet.”
“Let him ponder for a couple of days, he will figure it out on his own,” Adrian Zhekova said.
“All the signs we discussed earlier, he surely showed them,” Adrian Zhekova stated.
“How do you know?
Did you hear Fourth Uncle’s thoughts?” Cindy Clarke asked.
“No,” Adrian Zhekova said, “Unless necessary, I don’t actively listen to people’s thoughts.
It’s disrespectful.”
Especially towards family members.
Listening to each other’s thoughts while they are unsuspecting, that’s just not acceptable.
Chapter 927: I’ll Watch With You_1 “But Fourth Uncle didn’t argue against the points we made,” said Adrian Zhekova.
“He just looked surprised, but he didn’t argue.”
“That suggests he was caught by surprise by our accuracy,” Adrian Zhekova added.
“But since he just got called out, he must be shocked, probably too confused to think straight right now.”
“He’ll be okay once he’s had some time to think,” Adrian said.
The little one still nestled between them, full of anticipation, asked, “So! will Godmother end up with Fourth Grandfather?”
“Who can tell?” Adrian replied.
“Nobody can perfectly predict the future.
All we can do is observe what’s happening right now.”
“However, you can rest assured that your Fourth Grandfather is a good man,” Adrian assured.
“If Godmother ends up with him, she won’t be treated unfairly.”
Cindy Clarke was mulling over how she could delicately probe Peggy Lewis for her view on Lyke Zhekova.
...
Despite being inexperienced in love, Peggy isn’t foolish.
Quite the contrary—she’s pretty sharp.
Even if Cindy were to share the smallest hint with utmost care, Peggy would be able to smell a rat.
That could raise Peggy’s suspicions and make her overthink.
If Lyke reconsiders and backs down without further action!
And her words end up making Peggy worry prematurely…
That would unfairly implicate Peggy, wouldn’t it?
So Cindy finds herself wanting to gather information but dares not probe.
The conflict within her is strong.
“Let’s watch the movie,” Adrian suggested with a smile.
“You’ve been wanting to see it for a while.”
“Peggy isn’t dull; she’s a fully grown adult, capable of her own judgment,” Adrian reminded.
“Besides, who hasn’t been hurt in love?” Adrian added.
“We all go through it once, maybe even several times.”
“I haven’t,” Cindy countered.
“You were my first love.”
The only love she had known was the one she committed to before knowing what it would truly entail.
“Did I ever hurt you?” Cindy, probing, asked Adrian.
Adrian: “…”
“Does leaving you alone with Morgan for five years and living through hardship count?” Adrian, always regretful about this, said.
It’s something he’ll regret for life.
He let Cindy struggle on her own for five years after losing her trace.
If only he’d found Cindy earlier.
He even felt regret for ever misapprehending her actions and intentions.
For five years, they lived in the same city.
Yet he found Cindy so late.
Thinking about Cindy’s hardships while pregnant with Morgan, with only Peggy beside her, is gut-wrenching for him.
Moreover, had Peggy not been there, how would Cindy possibly have managed the series of issues concerning Morgan’s birth and upbringing?
Just dealing with the legal paperwork and registration would have been enough trouble.
Back then, Cindy must’ve felt that the road ahead was pitch dark.
Whenever Adrian thinks about this, he can’t help but feel heavy-hearted.
“I don’t consider it that way,” Cindy stated.
“It’s not an emotional wound.”
“You didn’t even know about me back then,” Cindy pointed out.
“Have you ever hurt me since we met?
No, you’ve never upset me.”
“From the moment I met you, it’s as if I have embarked on a new life.
The life I live now is happier than at any point before,” Cindy said.
“As for our relationship, you’ve never hurt me.
So, I have never been emotionally hurt.”
Though Adrian felt frustrated for having missed those five years, hearing Cindy say such reassuring things still made him happy, sporting a grin he couldn’t suppress.
Yet, his happiness only lasted a few seconds before Cindy asked him, “So, have you ever been hurt emotionally?”
Adrian: “…”
How did that even come back around to him?
“No, of course not,” Adrian quickly replied.
“I’ve never been in a relationship before you, let alone had any other romantic history.
It was only you, once, separated by five years and then encountered again.
You’ve never hurt me, so I obviously haven’t been emotionally hurt.”
Cindy: “…”
This guy talks as if he’s all experienced in love.
“Who hasn’t been emotionally hurt?” indeed.
“Well then, since neither of us has been hurt, I hope Peggy can have the same experience,” Cindy said.
“However, I’m not imposing anything.
If she gets involved with somebody we don’t know, there’s no way for us to inquire or intervene, we can only let it be.”
All she could do is hope for the best for Peggy.
But if something undesirable happens, she’d step in and be a formidable support system for Peggy.
“But now, isn’t Fourth Uncle one of us?
He’s right in front of us, and we understand him.
If we can potentially avoid anything unpleasant, I say we should try our best to do so,” Cindy said.
Adrian knew that Cindy genuinely cared about Peggy.
Peggy mattered heavily to her.
Before he came along, Peggy was more like family to her.
Now, Cindy sees Peggy more like her sister.
She has a bond with her that’s stronger than kinship.
“Don’t worry.
Once Fourth Uncle figures things out, we’ll understand from his following actions,” Adrian reassured.
“I’ll keep an eye, too.”
Cindy nodded.
Now she could finally watch the movie in peace.
But just as the two of them had settled down to watch the movie, they started hearing soft, intermittent snoring.
Looking down, Cindy saw their little guy, sound asleep between her and Adrian, his mouth agape, revealing his tiny white teeth.
He was sound asleep and even had bubbles coming out of his mouth.
Adrian: “…”
“I was wondering why he’d been so quiet,” Adrian said.
Engaged in their conversation, they had lost track of the little one’s voice.
Even though Adrian spoke as if he had overlooked their son, he had, in fact, lowered his voice while talking.
While lowering his voice, he even got the remote control and reduced the volume of the projector.
Little Morgan slept so soundly, flipping and curling next to Cindy in one moment and snuggling against Adrian the next.
Both of them didn’t dare to move while watching the movie, afraid they might awaken the little one.
Once the movie finished and they had turned off the projector,
Adrian was about to carry the little guy back to his room, but Cindy stopped him.
She said softly, “Let’s let him sleep here since he fell asleep here.”
It had been a while since she had slept with the little guy cuddled up to her.
For now, he’s little and it’s still appropriate to sleep together.
But once he starts grade school and grows older, that wouldn’t be suitable anymore.
Adrian: “…”
The thought of not being able to embrace Cindy at night, with this little guy in between them, daunted him.
Chapter 928: Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other_1 Adrian Zhekova’s mood wasn’t as beautiful.
But, looking down, the little guy’s defenseless, sweet sleep softens his heart.
And Cindy is staring at him expectantly.
Adrian reluctantly agrees.
Then, with a content smile, Cindy lies down and gently kisses the little one’s milky face.
Adrian turns off the light and also lies down.
Besides the sweet scent of Cindy, his breath is filled with the milky scent of the little one.
...
It surprisingly aids in a peaceful sleep.
***
Because the next day was Sunday, all three fell asleep contentedly, not worried about being late for anything.
The little one, in a drowsy state, notices the hug isn’t as soft as Cindy.
But, it’s been a while since he slept with Cindy.
And it’s not the first time sleeping with Adrian.
So, after being momentarily confused, he quickly realizes who’s holding him.
Looking up, he sees Adrian still asleep.
The little one is contemplating if he should pretend to sleep some more?
Before he comes to a conclusion, Adrian wakes up.
Adrian, in his half-awake state, smells a clear milky scent.
Upon opening his eyes, he sees the little one in his arms.
Looking behind the little one, he notices Cindy is no longer present.
Presumably, she’s already up.
Adrian seldom gets to lie around with his little one.
Surprisingly, he finds sleeping with the little one in his arms very comforting.
A child’s bones are so soft; the little one’s body is just like a soft squishy ball, just like hugging a soft, fluffy bun.
Adrian can’t resist, squeezes the little one a bit more in his arms.
The little one: “…”
“Sleeping with you is quite comfortable.” Adrian comments.
The little one thinks that since Adrian praised him, he should also return the favor, right?
Therefore, the little one also says, “Dad, your embrace is very secure and comforting!”
Hence, Adrian and the little one’s day begins with mutual praises.
“Can we sleep more?” Adrian asks.
The little one shakes his head, “Cindy is up, I won’t sleep any more.”
“Alright.” Adrian also rises.
The little one heads to the restroom in his room to freshen up.
Adrian tidies up on his end and heads to the living room.
“You all are awake?” Cindy upon seeing them both come out together, says, “I’ve already prepared the ingredients for breakfast; it’s simple and will be ready in ten minutes.”
Adrian, Cindy, and their little one make for a harmonious family unit.
Breakfast is calm and full of bliss.
In no time, the aroma of toasted bread, sizzling bacon, and ham wafts in from the kitchen.
All of this is quite simple yet serene.
On the contrary, Jenny Kirk’s life isn’t as blissful.
Due to the time difference, she receives an international call from the International Culinary Competition organizers at four in the morning.
It turns out netizens had sent emails to the organizers overnight.
And employees at Pingla had been working overtime too.
Their actions were more professional than the netizens.
A designated person drafted an official document, detailed with arguments and complaints, that extremely professional, both in language and focus.
It even included comparisons between other judges and contestants’ reviews of Cindy’s cuisine and Jenny’s critique.
Not only was the video evidence submitted.
All their conversation was also summarized in written form and available in both Chinese and English.
Thanks to the overtime work by the Pingla staff, they managed to send all of this at the earliest to the email of the Secretary General of the International Culinary Competition.
The email of the Secretary General is naturally different from the publicly available email of the International Culinary Competition.
Setting up a private communication email service ensured that the Secretary General would see it immediately after starting work.
Therefore, when the Secretary General scanned his email in the morning, he saw the complain letter from Pingla and immediately forwarded it to Lucas, the head of the International Culinary Competition.
Lucas calculated the time difference and found that the Hearth Nation was not yet at work.
So he had someone contact Jenny first.
By this time, the severity of the matter hadn’t sink into Lucas.
Therefore, he did not contact Jenny personally, but assigned an employee who had been working with Jenny.
Even the Secretary General didn’t think of making a personal call.
Lucas considers the seriousness of the matter, as he knew about it first thing in the morning and contacted Jenny immediately.
It was a sufficient show of urgency.
Upon receiving the call, Jenny breathes a sigh of relief.
Although somewhat tense, at least it confirms that, up until now, the organizers of the International Culinary Competition have no intentions against her.
Listening to her colleague, it’s quite probable that the organizers will acknowledge their oversight on the issue.
And with Jenny’s apology, this should conclude it.
Jenny, feeling assured, replies, “I’ll be more careful in the future.”
“Lucas is not happy.” the colleague says, “You’ve jeopardized the reputation and authority of the International Culinary Competition.”
“It was my mishandling.
I should not have been that blunt in front of so many people.” Jenny explains, “But I really didn’t intentionally make it difficult for her.
Personally, I found that dish to be quite ordinary.”
“I guess I’ve been spoiled by the cuisine of every top chef, which raised my expectations.
I judged Cindy and the other contestants with the standards of these top chefs.” Jenny says.
“In a nutshell, although Cindy is not a student of the Pingla Academy, she’s still at a student’s skill.
She cannot compare to top chefs.”
“The judges feel the need to encourage young chefs, so their high ratings are understandable.
I just kept it strict.”
“So, naturally, they scored a lot higher than me.” Jenny deftly avoids any mention of unfairly scoring Cindy low.
The colleague who knows her better, isn’t going to advocate for Cindy who they have no ties with.
But he still reminds her, “I think, what upset Lucas is that even the contestants competing on the same platform appreciate Cindy’s culinary skills.
Their opinions differ greatly from yours.”
“This point is very disadvantageous for you.” His colleague advises.
Jenny chuckles and says, “This can be easily explained.
Those contestants are students who are still learning, at the same level as Cindy.”
Chapter 929: Punishment_1 “They find Cindy Clarke’s cuisine delicious because they have limited culinary skills,” said Jenny Kirk, “My low grades were not targeted at her, I just misjudged their culinary skills.”
“I judged based on our standards.
Who knew this would be the point they’d him use against me,” Jenny sighed as if she had been greatly aggrieved.
“Just share these thoughts with me,” a colleague said, “Lucas won’t listen.”
“I know,” said Jenny, “Lucas wants me to apologize to Pingla, he even wants me to apologize to Cindy Clarke.”
“I will accept that,” she declared, “I will actively cooperate with the organizer.”
“This time, due to not being familiar with the ability range of the Pingla Competition, my scores created a large gap compared to the others.
This caused a misunderstanding, which technically stems from my negligence and lack of due diligence,” Jenny admitted regretfully.
Jenny’s attitude was remarkably good, and her apologies seemed sincere.
Her colleagues, having heard her, believed that she had not intentionally created this situation.
It was just that the real capability of the Pingla Competition was nowhere close to how it was advertised.
...
Jenny readily admitting her mistake was commendable.
“Alright,” her colleague said, “however, the company is currently investigating the complaint.”
“We need to verify the authenticity of the complaints from Pingla.
If there is exaggeration, it would provide our company with a defense.
If the investigation aligns with Pingla’s claims, you will need to cooperate with the company,” the colleague added.
However, the organizers must investigate no matter what.
It’s more or less a process.
This gives the impression that they take it quite seriously.
Apologizing before conducting an investigation might make it look like they are scared, which would seem unprofessional.
An immediate investigation upon finding out about the complaint,
demonstrates that they take the matter seriously.
Additionally, if any wrongdoing was discovered during the investigation, it would reinforce the organizer’s position.
As for the complaints sent by netizens through the organizers public channels,
it will take some time to compile and process them.
So neither Lucas, the Secretary General, nor the colleagues and Jenny Kirk were aware of the significant backlash from the public.
“I will report your attitude to the senior management.
Our PR department will provide you with an apology statement.
At 9 am in Hearth Nation, you can apologize through your public platform,” the colleague said.
Jenny felt indignant.
This issue eventually ends with her apologizing.
By doing so, doesn’t it mean that she has lost to Cindy Clarke?
However, Jenny had no choice but to apologize.
Otherwise, she might lose her position at the International Culinary Competition as well as her job at the International Chefs Association.
Jenny didn’t care whether she could keep the job or not.
Even if she didn’t work, it wouldn’t matter to her.
If she wanted to work rather than idling away her time, she could work at the Kirk Family’s company.
She valued this job because it overlapped with Adrian Zhekova’s work.
She could interact with Adrian at work.
Just as she had mentioned when she went to find Adrian previously,
through this job, she could lend assistance to Adrian.
And as a judge in the Pingla Culinary Competition, she could freely award low scores to Cindy Clarke.
Not only due to her personal resentment and not wishing to see Cindy do well,
but she also wanted to embarrass Cindy in front of a crowd.
Moreover, she wanted Adrian to see her power.
She wanted to make it clear to Adrian that she was capable of manipulating the competition.
She wanted Adrian to realize that, as she had said previously, she had significant influence within the International Culinary Competition and the International Chefs Association.
She wanted to display her power to Adrian.
To tell Adrian that not only in the Pingla Culinary Competition, but in the International Culinary Competition as well,
she could decide who would win and who would lose.
She had the ability to manipulate the results of the competition.
Who could have guessed that in the end, she would be the one to be humiliated?
Whether Adrian saw her contribution and influence in the company or not, she didn’t know.
She only knew that Adrian truly allowed Pingla to step forward and hold her accountable.
Did Adrian never consider that in the following International Culinary Competition, it would be beneficial for Pingla if there was someone “from their side” to help out?
Thinking about this, Jenny heard her colleague say, “Moreover, there might be some changes to your position.”
“Because Pingla has questioned the fairness and authority of the International Culinary Competition, even though you initially would not have served as a judge or have any decision-making role in the International Competition.
However, due to this incident, an apology alone might not be enough to show our sincerity and impartiality,” her colleague added.
“Therefore, your role might be adjusted,” the colleague further explained.
Jenny’s face changed slightly; she obtained her current position through her own hard work.
It was not given to her without any effort.
It was a powerful position.
She was the representative of the Hearth District.
All matters pertaining to the Hearth District were led by her.
Although the jurisdiction seems limited, considering the Hearth Nation is known for its culinary scene, this restored power to the equivalent of a continent elsewhere.
If she could also be in charge of the Asia-Pacific region, that would essentially mean a promotion.
In other words, within the Hearth Nation, she had nearly absolute control.
Even if she were to return to headquarters, her words would still carry weight.
However, if she were to be transferred from her current role, she would likely end up with an idle position.
Least of all, she would not be given a role with actual power.
“Don’t worry, the transfer is only temporary.
With your vast experience and good relations with various factions, replacing you with someone else would mean starting from scratch, they can’t replace your foundation,” her colleague reassured her.
Moreover, there were things that the colleague could not tell Jenny directly due to his position.
Everyone chose to keep silent instead.
Within the company, many people had been eyeing Jenny’s position.
This time, Jenny had indeed not been careful enough.
Surprisingly, she had exposed a significant weakness.
However, despite many individuals eyeing Jenny’s position,
Jenny still possessed inherited advantages.
That was the influence of her family within the Hearth Nation.
She had many connections.
This also benefited the company’s expansion in the Hearth Nation.
Moreover, since Jenny had held this position for a long time, she had established a solid team and had her own connections.
Even if someone else replaced her, for the time being, they would not be able to accomplish much in their position.
They would essentially be viewed as a figurehead.
Everyone under her followed her orders.
If a new leader made decisions, Jenny’s subordinates could choose not to listen, and they would have no recourse.
After all, Jenny had cultivated a network and established good relationships.
Chapter 930: Resistance _1 “Most of them had formed close relationships with the Kirk Family.”
Such connections could not be easily swayed by others.”
Scripts for the person who would take over Jenny Kirk’s role involved dealing with a boatload of issues and they certainly wouldn’t be able to control their subordinates in a short amount of time.”
If they were permanently replacing Jenny Kirk, it wouldn’t be so bad.”
But if it was only a temporary assignment.”
No one would want to take on such a thankless task.”
That’s why, from any angle you look at it, the Company wouldn’t keep Jenny Kirk idle for too long.”
She would inevitably be reassigned to her original position.”
When the Company promoted Jenny Kirk, they were not only looking at her individual capacity.”
What mattered more was that Jenny Kirk had the backing of the Kirk Family and connections in the Hearth Nation.”
And with the Company’s engagements in the Hearth Nation in regard to the International Culinary Competition, things would be more convenient.”
If not for this, considering the mistakes Jenny Kirk had made.”
Even if they didn’t know about the backlash and boycott from users of The Hearth Nation’s internet, the Company wouldn’t have been so lenient on Jenny Kirk.”
The Company is not a charity and they had been very tolerant of Jenny Kirk’s mistakes.”
Although Jenny Kirk was unhappy about the news from her colleague, she knew, this was already a lenient punishment for her.”
Jenny Kirk ended the call with her colleague frustration.
Little did she know, things were far from over.”
The employees of the Company hosting the event opened their emails and were shocked to find their mailboxes completely full overnight!”
The Company’s mail server had a large bandwidth.”
How many emails flooded in to fill it up?”
It was perfectly fine on Friday when they left work.”
When they opened their emails, they were all complaints.”
The first one on the list was sent by a user in the Hearth Nation.”
It was a clip from the Pingla Culinary Competition, a segment primarily featuring Jenny Kirk, and even provided subtitles for convenience.”
Looking at the overflowing inbox, the employee was overwhelmed.”
They had to go through them one by one.”
Many emails were actually the same.”
The users copied and pasted templates and terms.”
But despite this, the emails needed to be read.”
And amidst the heap, there were certainly unique messages.”
They could ignore the duplicates.”
This sped up the process a bit.”
So, they managed to get through dozens of emails in no time.”
Later on, they skipped over emails with similar titles first, and focused on those with different headings.
This strategy proved to be more efficient.”
Once the mailbox was full, other work related emails can’t come in.”
It really delayed a lot of work.”
The employee quickly sorted out these emails and reported to the Secretary General.”
“Internet users in the Hearth Nation are all saying that if we don’t sanction Jenny Kirk, they will boycott our competition.” The employee reported.”
The Secretary General’s expression turned solemn: “Send all inboxes to me, and I will discuss with Lucas Johnson.”
“Yes, Sir.”
After receiving the emails, the Secretary General went to meet Lucas Johnson.”
Lucas was perplexed, wondering what on earth was happening today.
It had only been an hour and the Secretary General had already visited him twice.”
“What happened?” Lucas asked.”
“It’s about Jenny again.” The Secretary General replied.”
Jenny, which was the name Jenny Kirk was called in the Company.”
The Company has employees from all over the world.”
Because it is an international organization.”
So, people of all races and nationalities are represented.”
To present the fairness of the hosts of International Culinary Competition, they do not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race or ethnicity.”
But most of the people spoke English as their native language.”
Even if someone is of the Hearth Nation, most were born here or immigrated when they were young.”
They may not understand Chinese well.”
Of course, there are also those from the Hearth Nation who studied here and chose to stay instead of going back.”
But because the main language in the Company is English.”
Even if an employee is from the Hearth Nation and has a Chinese name, they would still need to have an English name to facilitate communication.”
“Not only did the Pingla Company lodge a complaint against us, but users from the Hearth Nation also wrote us complaint emails about boycotting us.” The Secretary General said.”
“Is it just some internet users, and it’s worth of your solemn?” Lucas didn’t realize the severity of the situation.”
“It’s more than just some users, the amount of complaint emails we received today, has completely jammed our Company’s external email server.
New emails can’t get in anymore.” The Secretary General said, “You should know, how many people wrote emails!”
“if the mailbox can only receive this amount of emails.
Then how many users sent emails, but they couldn’t get through because the mailbox was already full?”
“This figure only accounts for strong-willed users who went and lodged a complaint.
...
How many users decided to silently boycott us, because they find filing a complaint too troublesome and didn’t email us?”
“There are a huge number of internet users in the Hearth Nation.
It’s an incredibly large market.
If these users decide to boycott us, the losses we would incur are immeasurable!”
“For years, our Cooking Competition has valued the Hearth Nation’s market greatly.
The population size is large there, and the market is vast.
The demand for our derivative products is robust and the digestion is quick.
In terms of fan base, nowhere could beat the Hearth Nation.”
“Not to mention the entertainment industry, actors, TV series, if they failed in their own country, as long as they made it in the Hearth Nation, they could continue filming sequels and the actors could continue earning money.”
It showed how important the vast market of Hearth Nation was to them.”
“For our Cooking Competition, the majority of our sponsors, including headlights, have been from the Hearth Nation.”
A struggle is needed to become a headline sponsor.”
Sponsors will only appear at certain times during the competition.”
This can be through commentary from the host or embedded advertising, plus occasionally appearing logos on the screen.”
But headline sponsorships are different.”
They would appear constantly throughout the Competition.”
From the beginning till the end, it has a strong presence.”
And so naturally, this is the most effective form of advertising.”
Of course, it also requires the advertisers to invest the most.”
“For an entry into the international market, companies from Hearth Nation are willing to spend money.” The Secretary General said.”
They also care about the international reputation, not just satisfied with the domestic market.”
Even sometimes, they overestimate the international market.”
They believe worldwide fame equates to prestige, reputation, and money.”
Little did they know, the Hearth Nation’s market is what we value the most.”
“But if a large-scale boycott by internet users occurs, causing a boycott towards our sponsors, making our International Cooking Competition a high-risk brand.
This will make the sponsors cautious when investing in us.”