Chapter 3 Encounter

• One beautiful morning three years later, inside an old apartment in City C.
• Knock knock!
• The knocking on the door woke Zhong Zhen up. Then her friend, Wen He's clear, crisp voice came through the door, “Zhen! Be a sport and open the door!”
• Zhong Zhen's eyes could barely open as her animated little son got down and ran to the door to let Wen He in.
• Zhong Zhen sat up reluctantly and rubbed her eyes. “Why are you here so early?” she asked bluntly.
• Wen He still had her wet hair wrapped in a towel as she folded her arms and pouted her lips, “It's not that early. Hurry up and take the shuttle back to City A! You'll mess up the interview if you turn up late!”
• “Thank you, my dear woman. This lady will now get up and get dressed.” Zhong Zhen smiled as she tried to make her friend laugh.
• “Hey! Don't be so cheeky. Hurry up!” Wen He held the little boy’s hand and ignored Zhong Zhen completely as she said, “Tianyou, my sweetheart. Come with Aunt He, let’s go brushy your teeth and washy your face.”
• Zhong Zhen took off her slippers and walked to the wardrobe to look for something appropriate to wear. Then she overheard her son saying, “Aunt He, our kindergarten teacher told us that parents should not use childish words like ‘brushy your teeth’. I'm all grown up now so you don't have to say it that way anymore.”
• Both Zhong Zhen and Wen He nearly burst out laughing at the same time, but they exchanged a look and held it back.
• “Well you're right, Zhong Tianyou. I'll take note of that next time,” Wen He answered with a straight face.
• Zhong Zhen would have loved to hug both her son and her best friend right now if she didn't have to hurry up to catch the shuttle.
• She was so lucky to have Wen He by her side throughout the roughest patch in her life. Otherwise, she would have gone mad or given up all hope in life.
• As Zhong Zhen came out of the bathroom after her shower, she saw Zhong Tianyou sitting by the coffee table with a straightened back. The boy was practicing his alphabets in the most serious manner that was simply adorable.
• “My darling, stop writing and let's have breakfast together!” Zhong Zhen sat on the couch behind and rubbed her cheek against her son's.
• Zhong Tianyou did not raise his head and his eyebrows even bunched together into a frown, “Zhong Zhen, please be formal and call me by my name, Zhong Tianyou. I’m writing my alphabets now. Don’t interrupt me! Just go and catch the bus.”
• Zhong Zhen felt embarrassed at her son’s mature attitude as it made her out to be the less mature one.
• “Look at this genius son with a silly mom! I think no one will believe that Tianyou is your biological son,” Wen He teased Zhong Zhen.
• “My son is still young, but you have started teaching him math and alphabets. I am warning you now, Wen He, don't push him too hard or he’ll have white hair before he turns four!” Zhong Zhen glared at her best friend.
• “Okay, okay! Just go and catch your bus!” Wen He and Zhong Tianyou said at the same time.
• Zhong Zhen frowned, but Wen He quickly pushed her bag into her arms and sent her to the door, “Enjoy watching the drama ‘Empresses in The Palace’ which I had downloaded for you. Think about how it relates to the modern corporate world! It will also give you some tips on how to avoid falling into traps!”
• Zhong Zhen rolled her eyes as she said, “I watched it a dozen times already. It has got nothing to do with the corporate workplace at all!”
• “You two are too noisy!” Zhong Tianyou pouted and complained.
• Zhong Zhen pulled an innocent face at her son and pouted back at him. “Come on, it’s really time to go. Otherwise you’ll be late!” Wen He reminded her.
• Zhong Zhen checked the time on her watch and cursed, “Damn, I’m really late!” She waved at the two of them and ran toward the elevator.
• Finally, she made it onto the bus bound for City A.
• Two hours later, she took a cab and arrived at the headquarters of Chenxing Group.
• Luckily, she still had plenty of time until the interview at 11 am.
• Zhong Zhen walked to the service counter to get the directions from a female receptionist. Halfway through the conversation, the receptionist became alert and stood up immediately, putting on the most respectful expression on her face.
• Zhong Zhen was surprised by the receptionist’s sudden behavior. She followed her gaze and turned her head around to face the main entrance. A group of men in full business attire was walking into the hall. The man in front with the most striking look somehow seemed really familiar to her.
• “Good morning, Mr. Feng.” The receptionist bowed to him.
• Oh yeah! He is the CEO of Chenxing Group. Zhong Zhen could recognize him and glanced at him once again.
• Feng Beichen greeted his staff in the hall and his gaze swept over Zhong Zhen. Behind him, Xiang Ming had also noticed her. Oh my God, why is she here?
• Feng Beichen regained his composure and continued to walk toward the elevators. After he reached them, he turned and glanced slightly at Xiang Ming, who understood his intention immediately and slipped off to make a call discreetly.
• The VIP elevator opened then. Feng Beichen walked in and Xiang Ming followed closely behind. The rest of the staff bowed to send both of them off.
• When the doors closed, Xiang Ming ended the call and reported, “Mr. Feng, she is here for an interview for the position of junior secretary.”
• Feng Beichen thought about it briefly and commanded, “Let her attend the interview but do not hire her.”
• “Yes, sir.” Without further delay, Xiang Ming made another call to pass on the order.
• Thus, Zhong Zhen attended the interview without any knowledge of all this going on. The interviewer was Zhang Junyan, the executive secretary in the CEO secretary department.
• Zhong Zhen was sharp and knew at once that she stood no chance for the job when Zhang Junyan told her casually to wait for the interview results. Therefore, she bought another copy of newspaper immediately after she left the office, then sat in the nearby park to continue her job hunt and check for apartment rentals as well.
• Three years ago, Zhong Zhen had brought her newborn son and moved in with her best friend Wen He. Since then, Zhong Zhen could only visit her vegetative mom at the hospital in City A twice every month.
• Recently, Wen He had completed her degree of journalism from C University and was hired by one of City A’s TV channels. Zhong Zhen had also graduated from college so it was time for them to move back to City A for good.
• Their main focus now was to look for a place to settle down together and for Zhong Zhen to get a job.
• For the rest of the afternoon, a real estate agent brought Zhong Zhen to view a few properties but the rent was either too expensive or the environment was not conducive. None of them was good enough, so the house hunting did not go well.
• By evening, Zhong Zhen dragged her tired self to another good friend, Fang Xinping’s place to put up the night.
• Fang Xinping was an illegitimate daughter of a rich man who went to the same high school with Zhong Zhen. They were close but not as close as Zhong Zhen’s relationship with Wen He. It was Fang Xinping who suggested that Zhong Zhen should go for that interview.
• After entering the password at the door, Zhong Zhen switched on the large chandelier in the living room. The light was too bright so Zhong Zhen squinted her eyes as she looked around the room. After realizing that Fang Xinping was not at home, she loosened up her shoulders, carried her bag and walked slowly into the guest room.
• Suddenly, her phone rang in her pocket. Zhong Zhen took out the phone and saw that it was a call from Fang Xinping. “Hello, when are you coming home?” she asked.
• “Zhong Zhen, hurry up and come to the front door!” Fang Xinping ended the call.
• Zhong Zhen sensed that it was urgent judging from Fang Xinping’s tone. She ran toward the main entrance hurriedly. But when she opened the door, Fang Xinping was nowhere to be seen. What is going on?