"I'll take you to lunch, then we'll get a room at the Dulles Hotel for a longer stay. What do you think? You can't exactly tell those officials' wives you're living in a shabby church dormitory." Song Tianyao withdrew his gaze and said to the woman, who seemed incredibly remorseful for what appeared to be a blasphemy against her faith, "Don't feel guilty. Just think of it as God helping you when you're down on your luck. If you're really embarrassed, I can donate this money to Caritas Savior Church in your name."
"No, I'll do it myself." Upon hearing Song Tianyao's last sentence, Angie Perlis immediately looked up and decisively rejected his suggestion. "I'll leave the old clothes for those who need help, but it's better if I distribute the money myself."
Seeing the woman walk out from behind the desk without hesitation, pick up her handbag and sun hat, and prepare to go out with him, Song Tianyao's lips curled up slightly:
"You didn't even ask my name, or what business I do, Attorney Perlis."
After putting the sun hat on her head, Angie Perlis gave Song Tianyao a smile, "Does that matter, sir?"
Song Tianyao and the woman walked out of the office together, took the elevator downstairs, and exited the building. Seeing Song Tianyao casually flag down two rickshaws, Angie Perlis's lips curled into a smile, "Looks like some people are actually just like me, only pretending. The difference is, I use my office, while some people use the money in their pockets."
"Wrong. If I wanted to put on an act, I would actually drive out in a car. On the contrary, I don't need to spend that money on you. You don't need to. But you're right about one thing: I'm actually the same as you. We both just want to make more money. Driver, please. Dulles Hotel." Song Tianyao leaned comfortably against the car, took out a cigarette, lit it, and smiled as he looked at Angie Perlis in the car next to him.
Chapter Sixty-Seven: Knowing When to Retreat
Song Tianyao took Angie Perlis back to the Dulles Hotel, booked her a deluxe room, and then accompanied her to the hotel restaurant for a sumptuous Western meal. After the woman had eaten for a while and he was sure that she no longer had the same appetite as before, Song Tianyao spoke:
"Likang Trading Company, Chu Xiaoxin, pharmaceutical business."
Angie Lopez swallowed the diced turkey in the chestnut soup, gently wiped her lips, and then stopped eating. "This is the best meal I've had since I came to Hong Kong. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Chu."
"Wrong, I'm not Mr. Chu. I'm Song Tianyao, a secretary. Mr. Chu is my boss." Song Tianyao said to Angie Perlis, "Do you know why I specifically brought you back to book a room and treat you to a sumptuous Western meal?"
"I guess you also prepared some money for me, so I won't be too embarrassed when I go to dinner with the male lawyer tonight." After Angie Perlis finished speaking, her deep blue eyes looked at Song Tianyao, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a slightly charming smile.
A hint of defeat and disappointment was evident in Song Tianyao's eyes. He tossed the cigarette pack onto the table, took out three thousand Hong Kong dollars from his suit pocket, placed it on the table, and then pushed it in front of the woman. "With your quick wit, you've actually managed to make it this far in Hong Kong. That's quite an achievement."
"No matter how capable you are, you still need the right opportunity. For example, right now, I should thank you for the opportunity you gave me." Angie Perlis picked up the three thousand Hong Kong dollars and put them into her handbag.
Song Tianyao lit a cigarette and shook his head. "I don't agree with that statement. I think it's because you lack the ability. If you really have enough ability and wisdom, you can create opportunities for yourself."
"For example?" Angie Perlis asked Song Tianyao, then waved to a waiter in the distance, "Could you please get me a pack of Life Buoy women's cigarettes, menthol flavor?"
"Like me now, I'm going to use you to create opportunities with the officials from the Industry and Commerce and Industry Department," Song Tianyao said, handing the woman a match.
Angie Perlis shook her head. "Then you should thank Mr. Chu for giving you enough money to cover this matter."
"I'll introduce you to him sometime. Once you meet him, I think you can make a lot more money quickly, although it might be in a different way than you're thinking of," Song Tianyao said, winking at Angie Perlis.
Angie Perlis took the cigarette from the waiter, unpacked it, and lit one. Most Britain women smoke this kind of menthol-flavored cigarette to freshen their breath after a meal.
"Lewd? Oh, I hate men who leer at women the most." Angie Perlis took a drag of her menthol cigarette, shook her head, and said, "If I wanted to make money like that, I wouldn't have been eating sandwiches for so long, without even a bowl of corn chowder."
"But you don't seem to mind seducing those male lawyers," Song Tianyao said, looking at Angie Perlis with curiosity.
Angie Perlis shook her head slightly again. "Mr. Song, the word 'seduction' is inaccurate. I was merely gathering information for my employer through normal interpersonal interactions; I didn't sell anything of myself."
"For the Queen's health." Song Tianyao raised his wine glass, but didn't continue.
Angie Perlis's eyes flashed with curiosity towards Song Tianyao, and she raised her glass with Song Tianyao: "Thank you for your hospitality, for the Queen's health."
If it weren't for Song Tianyao's black hair and yellow skin, and the fact that his English sounded more like a United States accent, Angie Perlis would have thought that Mr. Song was a typical Britain man: wise, gentlemanly, composed, and most importantly, exuding a strong sense of self-confidence.
As a colonized person living in Britain- controlled colony, even among the elite Chinese lawyers, she had never seen such confidence in the Britain, even though she herself was a poor Britain person.
He seemed completely unconcerned about running away with the money, or rather, he wasn't worried at all about colluding with lawyers or officials to extract more money from him.
This is not normal. As Angie Perlis looked at Song Tianyao, she made a judgment in her mind. She was a top student who had graduated from law school and was an elite person who should have become a lawyer. She was good at finding loopholes in other people's words or conversations.