Chapter 3 — I Have A Boss Who Works Overtime

He took off his business suit and replaced it with a simple gray home outfit. His whole body lost some of its coldness and added some of its warmth and normality.

“Are you still working?”

“The late general.”

I immediately stood up.

“Sit down.”

He pulled out the chair next to me and sat down, his eyes falling on my computer screen.

“Show me the plan.”

I hesitated a bit, then turned the computer screen towards him. He looked at it very quickly, his fingers slid across the touch screen, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“Here, the logic doesn't work.”

“As for this paragraph, it lacks supporting data and is too general.”

He spoke straight to the heart, pointed out a few core problems in my plan, his attitude was still as strict as before, but every sentence was extremely accurate. I'm a little embarrassed. I also feel these problems, I just haven't thought of a better way to handle them. He didn't say more, but directly took my computer.

“You see, if you combine this part with the previous one, rebuilding a consumption landscape…”

His fingers typed on the keyboard very quickly. On the screen, his initially confusing thoughts were rearranged, becoming clear, coherent and convincing. Late at night, there were only two of us left in the office. I looked at him seriously working, his nose high and straight, his eyelashes under the light casting a pale shadow on his face. For the first time, I discovered that this cold capitalist man also had such a focused and enchanting side. My heart, uncontrollably, skipped a beat. I don't know how long it took, but he finally stopped.

“As for the rest, you probably know what to do.”

He returned the computer to me, and the overall planning framework was now completely transformed.

“Thank you, Mr. Co.”

I sincerely say thank you. He stood up and glanced at his watch.

"It's late, I'll take you home."

I don't dare refuse. Inside the car, the atmosphere was strangely quiet, the radio was playing a gentle, melodious song. I sneaked a look at him, he was concentrating on driving, the profile of his face under the streetlights became even clearer. The car stopped downstairs from my house. I unfastened my seat belt, prepared to say thank you and then got out of the car.

“Trinh Tu.”

He suddenly opened his mouth.

“Hmm?”

I turned my head to look at him. His eyes in the darkness became even deeper, as if containing an emotion that I couldn't read.

“Don't be bullied.”

He paused for a moment, then added:

“If there's something wrong, tell me.”

03

The weekend is coming very quickly. Uncle Co — also Co Canh Tham's father, Mr. Co Minh Thanh — was preparing to hold a small family party at home, officially introducing me and my mother to relatives in the Co family. As soon as I hung up, my mother pulled me straight into the shopping center.

"Tieu Tu, this is the first time you officially meet the elders of the Co family, you must dress well and be presentable."

She was even more nervous than me, looking dizzy between a row of dresses. Finally, she chose a light blue one-piece dress for me, with a simple yet elegant design, very suitable for my temperament. Saturday afternoon, I followed my mother once more into that luxurious villa. There were quite a few people in the living room, dressed luxuriously, talking and laughing happily, each gesture exuding the nobility of the upper class. I follow behind my mother, I felt like an ugly duckling lost in a swan lake, my whole body felt unnatural. Co Minh Thanh enthusiastically introduced to everyone:

"This is my wife, To Uyen. This is her daughter, Trinh Tu."

Every look of scrutiny turned toward me, some curious, some polite, and also a bit of fleeting disdain. A middle-aged woman dressed delicately and wearing sparkling jewelry opened her mouth. She was the person I had seen in photos — Co Canh Tham's aunt, Co Minh Chau.

"Minh Thanh, you also acted quickly, we didn't know anything yet. This is your sister-in-law, you look so young."

Her words sounded like praise, but her scrutinizing eyes made the smile on my mother's face stiffen.

"This is Tieu Tu, right? She looks so elegant."

Co Minh Chau's eyes turned to me, evaluating from top to bottom, feeling like he was appraising an item.

“Where do you work? What school did you graduate from?”

I clenched my palms, feeling like I was going through a public interview, and the judge was extremely pragmatic and formal.

“I work at—”

Just as I was about to answer, she continued:

"Nowadays, the most important thing for children is to be self-motivated. Although our Canh Tham family comes from a good background, we still rely on our own abilities to build the company that it is today. Girls, they don't need to be too talented, but at least they have to be independent, they can't always think about relying on others."

Her words, every word and every sentence, seemed to imply that my mother and I only knew how to target the Co family's money, and were vines clinging to power. The atmosphere in the living room immediately became awkward. On the faces of the relatives, everyone looked like they were waiting to see a funny show. My face turned red, all the blood seemed to rush to my head, a thick feeling of humiliation wrapped around me without leaving a gap. My mother held my hand tightly, her palm cold as ice. Just when I didn't know how to face it, a cold voice rang out:

“Miss.”

Co Canh Tham didn't know when he walked over. He naturally stood next to me, one hand lightly on my shoulder. The heat transmitted from that palm seemed to give me a little strength to resist.

"My sister graduated from A Dai - one of the top design schools in the country."

His voice was calm but decisive, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

"Currently, she is the backbone of my company. The cultural resort project in the west of the city is entirely in charge of her. I understand her abilities very well."

He's... on my side?