Lu Mingfei pushed open the door and entered the conference room. The vast space was empty, with only two people seated at the long table that could accommodate dozens.
At one end sat a young man with the sharply defined features of mixed Chinese and Russian heritage. His black trench coat emphasized his tall, straight figure. His deep-set eyes brought to mind a moonless night sky, and he radiated a coldness that kept strangers at bay, as if he had just returned from an assassination scene.
At the other end sat a sweet-smiling girl wearing the same uniform as Ye Sheng, except with a skirt suit and a rose-red lace scarf tied at her collar.
The conference hall was enormous. Farther back, two more people were seated. An elderly man of German descent with graying hair was excitedly trying to rise, but the young woman beside him, wearing a white baseball cap and sporting wine-red hair, firmly held him down... She looked exactly like a psychiatrist restraining a patient in the middle of an episode.
Several gazes fell squarely on Lu Mingfei, making him instantly feel like a rabbit that had wandered into a wolf den. Even his breathing grew lighter.
The sweet-smiling girl at the conference table stood and gave Lu Mingfei a typical Japanese bow.
"Hello, my name is Jude Aki. I'm also one of the examiners for this interview."
"Ohayo." Without thinking, Lu Mingfei bent at the waist and returned the bow.
After being a shut-in for so many years, playing countless PS2 games, and watching more Japanese anime than he could count, Lu Mingfei did know some commonly used Japanese phrases, such as "ohayo," "konnichiwa," "yamete," and "dame"...
Jude Aki covered her mouth and laughed softly. There was a sisterly warmth to her smile, which eased