Reasons, Feminism, and Ambition
"Is this... Neo?"
When Vera heard Lin Qi say that Neo was behind this, she was momentarily stunned.
For a long time, she, a semi-housewife, always revolved around Gepu, who would often talk about interesting things at Gepu Listoan Group, as well as some anecdotes about President Neo and the Board of Directors.
These things can also be considered a kind of Enterprise Culture; people like to talk about senior management as if their opinions can be heard and taken seriously by senior management.
In Vera's mind, Neo is not just a simple symbol; the name represents the ultimate aspiration that Gepu has strived for for a long time.
It's an aspiration, not a goal. Gepu knows he can't achieve it, but that doesn't stop him from striving towards it.
Lin Qi sat to the side, the television was on, but there was no sound coming out.
The people inside continued their performance calmly, like a pantomime.
He asked with some curiosity, "Do you know Neo?"
Coming to her senses, Vera, picked up a glass of wine from the coffee table, and took a small sip. "Yes, I attended one of Listoan's management celebrations, which helped their stock reach new highs."
"I saw him from afar at that party. He was like one of those big shots on TV, with a very dignified air."
In fact, Vera was unaware that the "sense of authority" she felt towards Neo actually stemmed from an unconscious or subconscious indoctrination that Gepu had instilled in her on a daily basis.
When a person always hears from someone they trust about what amazing things someone did today, how they chatted and laughed with the mayor, what they're going to do tomorrow, and how they'll have dinner with the governor.
Gepu told so many legendary stories about Neo that he had created a very charismatic image in Vera's mind. When she first saw Neo, she immediately associated him with that image, which increased her sense of identification with him.
If she hadn't heard so many descriptions beforehand, she might not have found Neo so imposing; perhaps he was just approachable.
Lin Qi nodded noncommittally. "Mr. Gepu works for Listoan and Neo, but now that Neo has the police withdrawn, has Mr. Gepu been involved in some important and confidential work?"
As he spoke, he leaned back, widening the distance between them. Creating a sense of space can give an anxious person a greater sense of security, especially when asking potentially sensitive questions.
"I have no intention of prying into any secrets, but this concerns Neo's reasons for doing this. We need to find out the reasons in order to deal with it. None of us know whether he did this for Gepu's good or because he wanted to..."
Lin Qi didn't continue, leaving a small opening that Vera would eventually fill in with her own deepest fears.
A short while later, in just a few seconds, her expression changed. She picked up the wine glass on the coffee table again, gripped the bottom of the glass tightly with both hands, and took a sip.
The slightly irritating liquid slid down her throat, followed by a faint warmth that seemed to be gathering strength, making her feel a little better.
She shook her head. "I don't know."
She didn't tell Lin Qi the truth; she wasn't sure if she could tell Lin Qi.
Although Vera was heartbroken after being "betrayed" by Gepu to some extent, she did not intend to end the marriage just like that.
This is a relatively conservative world. Although the Feminism Movement is in full swing and "New Woman" are marching around with flags and shirtless in various places, conservative women still make up the majority.
Conservative women learn during their upbringing to maintain at least a superficial harmony in their families. No one tells them that when they are dissatisfied, they can propose ending the relationship and marriage earlier than their husbands.
Vera is also a relatively conservative, but open-minded Middle Class woman. Women in this class actually share the same attitude as Vera.
On the one hand, they can make people clearly feel their conservatism at times, but on the other hand, they can also show their boldness.
Lin Qi didn't force her; he simply patted the back of her hand and had the maid take her to the guest room.
He already knew roughly what the problem was. Gepu was an accountant, and supposedly a manager as well. A problem related to an accounting manager was definitely a problem with the books.
The police are looking for him, Neo is looking for him, he's in big trouble!
However, these things didn't concern Lin Qi much; he wasn't focused on them.
For several days, there was no news from Gepu, and even strangers began to appear around Lin Qi's house. To ensure the safety of the place, Lin Qi had Sergeant lead men to guard the house, which made those who were spying on him more restrained.
Anyone who sees a group of clearly veterans patrolling the yard with highly lethal weapons would not want to risk their life to test their marksmanship.
About a week later, at a newly built temporary Rugby Ball Field on the outskirts of Sabine City, some people witnessed what could be called the world's first women's Rugby match, a match that will surely go down in history.
Perhaps to ensure the smooth running of the competition, the weather was quite nice that day. Although it was a bit cold, the girls probably didn't feel it once they got moving.
Lin Qi personally greeted President Irene in the temporary parking lot. The Old Woman was dressed in very simple clothes, and if it weren't for her hair being styled, it would have been difficult to spot her in the crowd.
"I'm so glad you could come to watch the game in person. I thought maybe someone else would be here!" Lin Qi changed his mature hairstyle and attire, making himself look younger.
He was a very handsome young man, and time had not left any marks on his face. He could look like he was only seventeen or eighteen years old simply by changing into some clothes that young people would choose.
Young, clean-cut, and sunny, coupled with his respectful attitude and his irresistible sweet talk, President Irene maintained a smile on her face from the moment she met him.
She glanced at the other members of her entourage, touched her hair to make sure her hairstyle wasn't messed up, and said, "Lin Qi, this match is actually much more important than you think. We'll have to wait here a little longer..."
Seeing the obvious confusion on Lin Qi's face, President Irene explained briefly, "The people from the State Office will also be here today. Let's greet him together." Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Oh my goodness, do you have something else urgent to attend to?"
It might have been possible or it might not have been, but at this moment it is absolutely not.
The State Office of Women's Rights Protection Association is the highest administrative office of the Women's Rights Protection Association in the region. It may seem a bit low-key, but the people in it are actually very capable.
They can easily change the social conditions of a region, and few people even know what they have done.
"Of course there is nothing more important than this, Chairman."
"What a good boy!" President Irene's gaze lingered on Lin Qi's face for a moment before shifting away. She took a step ahead, and Lin Qi quickly followed, which made her even more satisfied.
This little thing next to me seems to be able to read people's minds, making me feel comfortable and relaxed.
After the two of them moved a little further away from the crowd, President Irene said, "The association headquarters pays great attention to the presence of women in professional sports. You may not know this, but discrimination against women by men has never been eliminated in the past few hundred years."
"Through our work, we have reduced these forms of discrimination and enabled women to have roughly the same rights and obligations as men."
"But on more traditional issues, there has been no breakthrough so far, such as professional sports and politics."
"Those people at the United Sports Association are very resistant to the professionalization of women's sports, so after the headquarters learned about your idea, they attached great importance to your competition. If you do well, it is possible that we will form our own ' United Sports Association '."
President Irene's face held a meaningful smile; there was no doubt that this woman from Middle Class family was not as ordinary as she appeared.
In reality, President Irene is not very satisfied with her current job. As a feminist president in a small city, she has neither power nor money, and all she has left is a reputation that is not highly regarded in Upper Class.
These things cannot be effectively converted into wealth or power, so she wants to make some changes.
If the Federal Women's Rights can establish its own Women's United Sports Association, that would be a great prospect. She has a good relationship with Lin Qi, and if she actively participates in the process of establishing the Women's United Sports Association, she may be able to secure an important position.
Look at the power and wealth of the United Sports Association now. They have practically monopolized the broadcasting rights for all sporting events in the Federal, and at the same time, they hold the power of life and death over athletes and clubs.
The amount of money flowing through their hands every year is in the hundreds of millions. Even if they can only access a small portion of it, that would be a huge step forward.
Lin Qi offered words of encouragement, but inwardly he was unconvinced. The United Sports Association had developed into a vast network, encompassing everything related to sports within the entire Federal.
Do you think they'll just sit idly by and hold another United Sports Association to fleece them?
If they can stir up a wave of resistance, if Television Station refuse to buy the broadcasting rights for women's sports competitions, or even refuse to broadcast these competitions, it would be enough to directly kill the Women's United Sports Association.
Lin Qi never considered going solo from the beginning. He just wanted to take advantage of some loopholes in the United Sports Association to get some benefits from them. He didn't even have the idea or motivation to fight against this behemoth.
No one can defeat it until it collapses on its own!
Of course, a longing look appeared on his face, as if he too was looking forward to the day when women could stand up on the professional stage! =① In this special era, women, more than men, crave respect and are exceptionally sensitive. Therefore, when Lin Qi used honorifics, he immediately won over President Irene.