Chapter 2 — Language is Wings

Logically, this matter should be assigned to the Spanish team, but today Truong Hao is on leave, Tran Vu Phi conveniently threw it to me.

"Lin Dao, didn't you say you learned some Spanish in college? Please translate."

I really said "study a little". But actually, I lived in Madrid for two years. Spanish is my “fourth native language.” I took fifteen minutes to complete the translation. Intentionally leave two small errors that do not affect the overall look, so that it looks correct... "learn a little". I sent the translation to Tran Vu Phi. He only replied with two words: "Okay." That's enough. In the afternoon, To Uyen Tinh passed by me. She "popped" a stack of documents onto the table.

"Lam Dao, help me organize these English documents. I need to prepare for the Dong Thinh project next week."

I glanced over. This is a background document of Dong Thinh Group, all in English, about fifty pages.

“This is not mine…”

"Isn't that right? You're from the translation room, I'm the team leader, is there any problem if I give you the job?"

She was just promoted last month, taking charge of both the English and German teams. I received the documents. To Uyen Tinh turned around and walked two steps then stopped.

"Oh right, tomorrow our room will have a small meeting to discuss the connection plan for the Dong Thinh project. You don't need to participate."

"I know."

“I only do basic editing work. This big project is not yet my turn.”

"I know."

This time, she refused to leave. The phone vibrated, Tieu Manh sent a series of angry emojis.

"I just heard it all in the tea room!! Why did she say that to you!!"

“I'm used to it.”

“Can't you turn it back on?”

"Turned it back on? She's the team leader."

“If you reveal everything you know, what is she?”

“I don't want to.”

“What are you afraid of, Lam Dao?”

I don't answer. Afraid of something? Perhaps afraid of being noticed. Afraid that people will dig up the past. Afraid of the pitying eyes when they say: "Ah, you are the daughter of the two people who had an accident that year." Or maybe… just lazy. When I got home that night, the cat "Nian Cao" was waiting in front of the door. I picked it up and it yawned lazily.

"Nian Cao, today I corrected To Uyen Tinh forty-seven mistakes. She doesn't know."

It looked at me, then jumped down to eat the seeds. I opened the refrigerator. Inside were only two eggs and half a cabbage. Salary is five or eighty thousand, in this city, excluding rent, electricity, water, and cat food, there's not much left each month. I cooked a bowl of egg soup and sat by the window to eat. The phone rang again.

“Hello, may I ask, are you Ms. Lam Dao?”

"I'm lawyer Chu from Van Hoa Law Office. Regarding the liquidation of overseas assets left by your parents, there are some papers that need you to sign."

“I said, I don't need those things, just donate them all.”

“Miss Lam, in your parents' Zurich account there is an amount—”

"I don't need it. Thank you, lawyer Chu, don't call again."

I hung up. Nien Cao jumped up on the table again and tilted his head to look at me.

“It's nothing important.”

I turned off the phone. Monday morning, the interpretation room meets. I was not notified to participate, but my seat was right next to the meeting room, just a layer of glass, so I could hear everything they said. To Uyen Tinh stood in front of the whiteboard, writing a series of information about Dong Thinh.

"Co Shenzhou himself is fluent in German and English, and his assistant team also has French and Japanese interpreters. This time we are negotiating the Middle East market supply chain, the part related to Arabic will be in charge of the partner side, we just need to ensure a good connection in German and English."

Tran Vu Phi nodded.

“Are you sure?”

"Of course. I studied in Germany for three years, this type of trade negotiation is not a problem."

I bowed my head and edited the document in my hand. To Uyen Tinh's German is not bad, her daily communication is fine. But I've seen her translation before. She has a very dangerous habit of using business German. Likes to translate every word literally, but doesn't pay attention to the level of honorifics in business documents. Normally it's okay. But if the other person is the type of person who pays extremely close attention to details... It has nothing to do with me. The meeting ended, To Uyen Tinh walked out. When she passed my desk, she saw a stack of Dong Thinh documents.

“Are you done yet?”

"Done."

I gave her a twenty-page summary, sorted by project category, collaboration history, and key people. She flipped through two pages.

“For now.”

Then take it. At four o'clock in the afternoon, Trinh Hao Nam suddenly went down to the translation room. He rarely comes down here himself.

"Uyen Tinh, Dong Thinh moved the schedule up early. Co Than Chau has arrived tomorrow afternoon, are you ready?"

To Uyen Tinh stood up.

"Moved early? I've seen all the documents, no problem."

"Okay. Tomorrow, I'll bring another person with me to assist with on-site translation."

To Uyen Tinh rolled her eyes around.

"Then I'll take Truong Hao, his German is also good."

“Truong Hao is still on leave.”

She frowned slightly and scanned again.