Bored out of his mind, Song Tianyao bought a few books at the nearby Government Printing Department bookstore to pass the time.
An hour and a half later, Song Tianyao returned to the Dulles Hotel with three boxes of printed business cards in his hand.
When he returned, he ran into Chu Xiaoxin, who was about to go back to his room to change clothes before going to see the singer. Chu Xiaoxin, unusually curious, pulled Song Tianyao back to his room and specifically asked him about Chu Xiaozhong's sudden change in attitude towards him.
"If my older brother isn't planning to frame me, then he's possessed by a ghost." Chu Xiaoxin said to Song Tianyao while tying his tie in front of the mirror, "He used to make me uncomfortable with just a word he said, but now he's all smiles and pleasantries towards me. Wow, you must have seen it with your own eyes, or you'd be absolutely stunned."
"Don't worry about Young Master Zhong, he won't have any designs on you for now," Song Tianyao said, leaning against the wall and looking at Chu Xiaoxin in the mirror with a cigarette in his mouth.
Chu Xiaoxin looked at Song Tianyao in the mirror. "Why? Just because he agreed to let you dismiss those people from Likang?"
"Of course not. Young Master Zhong is a smart man. If it were before, he probably would have said that, but not anymore, because you're different now." Song Tianyao took a drag of his cigarette and smiled at Chu Xiaoxin, saying, "Now you have a secretary full of schemes to help you guard against him."
"Who would admit to having a head full of schemes and plots? Hey, wanna go to Lichi Garden tonight?" Chu Xiaoxin smirked at Song Tianyao's arrogant tone, put on his suit jacket, and said to Song Tianyao, "I heard some Songstress have arrived."
"I'm not going. I'll wait for news from the Industry and Commerce and Industry Department at the coffee shop tonight," Song Tianyao said to Chu Xiaoxin, a cigarette between his fingers. "I found a Foreign Girl lawyer."
"Really? You didn't have to throw away 30,000 yuan to hook her, did you? Is she pretty enough?" Chu Xiaoxin's interest was piqued when he heard the words "Foreign Girl lawyer."
Seeing Chu Xiaoxin's enthusiastic expression, Song Tianyao smiled and said, "She's quite pretty, but she's too smart, which makes her difficult to deal with. Why don't you give it a try?"
"No time. I hate trouble. If you want to see Foreign Girls, you might as well go see those dancing Foreign Girls at Lichi Garden. It's the easiest way to solve the problem with money. Even you think it's troublesome and want to push it onto me? I'm not falling for that." Chu Xiaoxin hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he didn't nod.
Song Tianyao nodded understandingly. "Then in a couple of days, we'll have dinner with officials from the Commerce and Industry Department and recruit them outside the Administrative Division of the Secretariat. Would you like to go, Young Master Shun?"
"Does it really have to be me? If you can handle it yourself, then you decide. If you absolutely need to involve me, then I'll step in." Chu Xiaoxin patted Song Tianyao on the shoulder. "My Dad and my older brother both say you're my lucky star, and they told me to treat you well."
"I'm not a woman, do you have to be so mushy? Do you have enough pocket money?" Song Tianyao exaggeratedly shivered and shook off Chu Xiaoxin's hand.
However, he was slightly moved. His boss had said that he was a flag bearer and let Song Tianyao make the decision himself. The trust between host and guest was probably more than enough. Chu Xiaoxin knew that he was not capable enough. His most valuable asset was the flag of the Young Master of the Chu Family. He could say this to Song Tianyao frankly, which showed that he clearly understood himself and Song Tianyao.
"Wow, you've become a millionaire overnight, and you're even qualified to ask me if I have enough pocket money?" Chu Xiaoxin asked Song Tianyao curiously.
Song Tianyao winked at him. "Someone accidentally gave me some money last night. It might not be much, but I think it should be around fifty or sixty thousand. If you need money, I can lend it to you."
"Is it really necessary to be so dramatic? I just praised you as a lucky star, and you're already saying you have money coming in. But I'm your boss. If word got out that I borrowed money from my own secretary, would I even be able to show my face? You can keep that for yourself to flirt with that Foreign Girl lawyer." Chu Xiaoxin laughed heartily, "My Dad gave me five thousand last night, enough for a few drinks and some music."
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Shek Chi-yik
After Chu Xiaoxin left, Song Tianyao went to a coffee shop and ordered a Western-style pastry for dinner. While drinking his coffee, he began to look through the books he had bought from the Government Printing Department that afternoon. In his hands was an original English version of "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword." This book was originally a research report conducted by United States anthropologist Ruth Benedict at the behest of the United States government to analyze and study Japan society and the Japan national character. It aimed to guide the United States on how to govern Japan after its defeat in World War II. After its publication in 1946, it caused a great sensation, and many countries have used this book to understand the distorted and contradictory social character of Japan.
In his previous life, Song Tianyao had read part of the Chinese version in his spare time, and in this life, he just happened to be passing the time with the English version.
Just as Song Tianyao was feeling a pang of fear at the boastful words of Japan militarists in the book. "We will use our training to counter the enemy's numerical superiority, and our flesh and blood to counter the enemy's steel," Angie Perlis had already sat down in the seat opposite him.
Song Tianyao placed the book face down on the table and looked at Angie Perlis. Sometimes, smart people really don't need much advice from others. For example, Angie Perlis had changed into a white silk dress with pink trim, a straight, low-waisted design, and wore sheer stockings and low-heeled vintage sandals. Perhaps because she had drunk alcohol at dinner, a faint blush was visible on Angie Perlis's fair neck.
The woman sitting opposite him was refined, cultured, and subtly sexy yet old-fashioned. Song Tianyao didn't know if Britain men all liked this kind of unintentional charm in women, but to be honest, this kind of subtly seductive sexiness should be enough to make Chu Xiaoxin regret not coming here to see this Foreign Girl lawyer because of the trouble.
"A new Patrick director has arrived at the Industrial and Commercial Administration Office. Mason's forty years old, and his Chinese name is Shek Chi-yik. He previously served as the Director of Municipal Affairs. The original director of the Industrial and Commercial Administration Office returned to London last month to report for duty, but neither London nor the Secretariat has appointed a new director. I heard that this Deputy Director Shek Chi-yik will be promoted to a higher rank next month," Angie Perlis said, resting her chin on her hand and turning her head slightly to look at Song Tianyao.
This was the information she received from a male lawyer during her dinner tonight, or rather, the information she sifted through a pile of messages and deemed suitable for Song Tianyao's requirements.