Chapter 69
There was the last obstacle in Vanessa's promotion.
When Zoie called Vanessa into her office, there were score lists of higher-ups on the table.
Vanessa's comprehensive result was very good, except the paper of the boss was blank.
"Vanessa, come here."
With a pen in her hand, Zoie pursed her lips and didn't know what to say for a long time.
"Go ahead, Zoie."
Instead, Vanessa said first, "I've read the e-mail. At last, Boss didn't agree, right?"
Zoie immediately stood up, propped her hands on the table, and leaned toward her. "Boss didn't deny you, but he thought you were too young and inexperienced."
Vanessa nodded obediently. "I see."
The boss of the magazine was different from the chief editor in the style of being vigorous and resolute. Everyone in the circle knew that he was a person with a phlegmatic temperament. He was always slow in doing everything, and often made his subordinates extremely anxious.
However, he would finish things well before everyone reacted.
"Boss has praised you today, but you didn't report your work to him. He doesn't know much about you." With her hands crossed, Zoie looked at Vanessa sincerely. "It's his own company. He must think more to suddenly promote such a young vice editor-in-chief."
"But he also said that he didn't think anyone better than you. We'll see it at the examination at the end of the year."
The news that Vanessa's promotion was blocked spread all over the company in just twenty minutes.
It was gossip. People were getting off work. There were heated discussions in all the groups.
"Since the chief editor and the editor-in-chief like her so much, I thought it would go smoothly."
"Yes, she has made great achievements in the past two years."
"Boss didn't agree. There aren't ways."
"Isn't her boyfriend Shawn? Why didn't the boss show his respect to Shawn?"
"Bro, we're a well-known media, and we don't rely on Mondred Group to make a living."
"I don't think so. Just a vice editor-in-chief. If the boss promotes Vanessa for the sake of Shawn, it's a matter of great interest."
"Don't you know what kind of person our boss is? He probably just started to know the candidates."
"Maybe Vanessa will go to work at Mondred Group in a fit of pique."
"Don't do that. I'm counting on getting along well with her and asking for her help."
Although Sophia was a special existence in the company, she heard the news.
So before Vanessa came out of Zoie's office, Sophia secretly sent messages to Shawn.
Sophia: Shawn. Shawn. Something SERIOUS.
Shawn: Say.
Sophia: Vanessa DIDN'T get promoted today.
Shawn: ?
Sophia: It's TRUE.
Sophia: I heard that the boss didn't agree.
Sophia: You... Do you want to help her?
Shawn: You're there to work, but you acquired these indecent ways?
Sophia: ...
Kindness had been considered to be an ill intention.
Shawn: I see.
Shawn: You don't have to worry about it.
Sophia: What about you? What are you going to do?
Shawn: Do nothing.
In fact, when Sophia said the four words "the boss didn't agree", Shawn had already guessed the general reason.
Shawn knew Jameson, the boss of Financeweek. Although they weren't close to each other, they would meet each other several times a year.
Jameson was the most thoughtful Shawn had ever known.
Sometimes, someone even joked. Under the low tide of paper media, Financeweek was not closed down, mostly because Jameson was too slow.
So it was unexpected, but it made sense.
As Sophia said, if Shawn "helped" Vanessa, Jameson would agree for Vanessa to be a vice editor-in-chief.
Back then, since Shawn made time for an interview, Jameson hired Sophia.
But Vanessa was in trouble this time.
The first time Shawn saw Vanessa, she had already shown her talents.
In the following days, there were misunderstandings, pain, and anger, but Vanessa had been making achievements in her work little by little.
Now Vanessa was the apple of Shawn's eye.
Shawn didn't want that Vanessa was thought not much capable because of his interference.
...
What was worse than the failure of promotion was that Vanessa had to work overtime after she failed.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Vanessa walked out of the company building alone.
The streets in summer night were much more lively than in winter. The pool lights in the square of the office building were on, and many adults took children to play with water. Nearby, there were vendors selling balloons and colorful lights.
There was also a streetcorner performer hanging guitar, and the familiar music could be heard clearly and sometimes faintly.
Vanessa lowered her head and walked through the crowd slowly.
Although she understood what her boss was doing, she was disappointed.
After all, she had been looking forward to it for so long, but in the end, it was all in vain.
All of a sudden, the streetcorner performer began to sing Rachel's song. Vanessa stopped subconsciously.
She was the only one watching. After the song, Vanessa touched her handbag and found that she didn't have any cash.
"Sir, do you have Whatsapp?"
The performer was suddenly stunned.
But before he could say anything, another familiar voice sounded beside Vanessa.
"Why do you want his Whatsapp?"
As soon as she turned around, she saw Shawn standing behind her.
On the noisy roadside, Shawn leaned against the car door, with his hands clasped loosely in front of his chest, and looked directly at Vanessa.
Vanessa was speechless.
She just wanted to give the performer some money, and didn't want to cheat on Shawn.
But when Vanessa saw Shawn, she became relieved.
Vanessa didn't say a word. She approached Shawn and bumped into his arms.
She reached out her hands to hold Shawn's waist and said after a long time.
"I'm so miserable."
Shawn said, "You still had the mood to ask for Whatsapp. I don't think you're miserable."
Vanessa raised her head and looked at him gloomily.
"Do you know how to coax people?"
Shawn's outline was half-hidden in the neon light, but his eyes were particularly bright.
He looked at Vanessa quietly without saying anything.
Suddenly, he bent over and kissed her.
Vanessa was confused.
This was a commercial center with so many people coming and going. Was Shawn insane?
Then, Shawn held the back of Vanessa's head and continued to kiss her lips.
"What are you doing?"
Vanessa pretended to refuse Shawn and said, "There are so many people watching us."
"Yep."
Shawn's fingers gently stroked her hair. He said, "Don't you like this?"
Vanessa was embarrassed, but she liked it very much.
She put her hands on his front. It was not until the music was over that she said, "I didn't become an editor-in-chief today. The boss didn't agree."
"What?"
Shawn looked at the light of the office building opposite, as if lost in thought. "Then I'll introduce an eye doctor to your boss?"
Vanessa nodded solemnly, "Then hurry up."
When Shawn was about to go to the office building, Vanessa stopped him immediately.
"Are you crazy? Let's go!"
When Shawn got in the car, he asked while fastening the seat belt, "What do you want to eat for dinner?"
Looking out of the window at the heavy traffic, Vanessa said abruptly, "Man-Han Banquet."
Shawn chuckled and fastened the seat belt with a click. He held the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator.
"That's all?"
Irritated by his arrogant tone, Vanessa bent over.
"Then I don't want to have a Man-Han Banquet. I want to have a meal of officials and wealth."
Shawn said, "What?"
Obviously, Vanessa had accurately said what Shawn didn't know.
Vanessa didn't explain. It took him more than ten minutes to drive downtown on the old street by navigation.
It was a deserted place in Lantrie which had been developing rapidly for more than ten years. There were uneven stone roads, unruly stalls, and random electric lines. It seemed like an amusement park outside the rapid pace of life.
But Vanessa hadn't been here for a long time because she had been busy these days.
After a while, Shawn carried three kebabs of roasted meat, two bags of Chinese chestnuts, and a cup of cold shrimps in his hands.
And Vanessa was holding the meal of officials and wealth in her hand.
Vanessa didn't expect that Shawn would be so patient that he spent more than an hour with her in the heavy smoke.
But there was no word "enough" in her dictionary.
When he saw the cartoon headbands on the stall, Shawn finally looked gloomy and said word by word, "Vanessa Green."
Vanessa immediately changed her attitude.
As soon as she heard that Shawn called her full name, she immediately looked pitiful, as if she was about to cry. "I'm so miserable. My promotion is blocked, and my boyfriend is still angry with me. What's the point of living?"
"..."
In fact, Vanessa still had a long speech to finish, but Shawn bowed slightly in front of her. She stopped and smiled.
After Vanessa put a headband on his head, she took out her phone and turned on the camera.
Shawn frowned, "What are you doing again?"
Vanessa quickly turned around against his chest and held up her phone.
"This is special Shawn when Vanessa Green is unhappy. I don't know if I can see you with the headband again in the future. I have to take a photo for memory."
Shawn sighed helplessly. After looking around, he lowered his head and approached her ear.
"Are you still unhappy?"
With a click, the screen froze.
In the photo, Vanessa smiled happily.
She knew that she was very sensitive and emotional. A second ago, she was calm, and the next second, she might be extremely upset.
But she was also easy to be coaxed. As long as Shawn kissed her, all her unhappiness would instantly disappear.
...
The summer this year was very long. The temperature was high, and autumn was distant.
It was not until mid-October that a sudden autumn rain broke the order of the rush hour in the city.
The pedestrians all ran into the building to avoid the rain. Someone sped up his bicycle, and the tires splashed water. The bicycle met the take-out scooter and almost crashed into it. The sound of swearing could be heard continuously. The harsh sound of the car whistles was mixed with the sound of clapping of the report hall on Floor 9 of Lantrie Art center.
Under the spotlight, the host's voice was dignified and clear.
"There were fierce wars on the global digital currency. All the major capital joined it one after another. The legal digital currency became more and more fierce under the guidance of the market innovations."
"While she focused on the bottom of the Pyramid, recording the victory and defeat of the five digital currency citizens. She presented to the audience how the tide of the digital currency influenced the lives of ordinary people."
At this point, everyone present knew who would win the next prize. Their eyes were all focused on the woman in the second row of the auditorium.
"The prize-winning work of the annual industry report of the fifth Financial News Award, At the Time Competition of the Global Digital Currency, How Are the Ordinary People? The award winner is Vanessa Green, a senior reporter for Financeweek. "
The moment Vanessa got up, the cameras around her focused on her, the youngest winner in recent years.
She pressed her collar, turned around, and bowed to the audience in response to the warm applause.
The moment she raised her head, she met Shawn's eyes, like a little peacock who had won the battle. She smiled complacently.
When she went out this morning, Shawn said that her new dress was a little ordinary, but she still remembered it.
The look in her eyes just now seemed to say, "No matter how ordinary the dress is, I'm still the most shining person present today."
But it was true.
Shawn felt proud. Unlike Shawn, Zoie at the auditorium looked at Vanessa and finally felt elated.
In the first half of the year, Zoie was so busy that she didn't pay much attention to her subordinates. It was not until now that she heard some outdated rumors.
For example, during the period of mid-year assessment in June, someone said that Zoie flattered Vanessa mostly because she liked the resources of Vanessa's boyfriend.
It was also said that Zoie had favored Vanessa since Vanessa first came to Financeweek. Zoie probably had expected that Vanessa would bring her great benefits today.
Hearing these rumors, Zoie was so angry that even her eyes were wrinkled.
Yes, Zoie always thought that Vanessa's ex-boyfriend didn't deserve Vanessa. Vanessa deserved better.
But these were just some opinions about Vanessa's private life except for work. Zoie was not the matchmaker. She didn't care so much.
Besides, there were so many beautiful women in the world, and not everyone was Vanessa.
It seemed that Zoie had poached Vanessa to bring resources after Vanessa found a good boyfriend.
If Zoie wanted resources, she would rather directly win over the wives of all the CEOs. With her social ability, she could do it.
But Zoie couldn't scold the people in public, so she could only bear it in her heart.
Until today, Zoie finally felt elated. She immediately sent the award news to the company group.
Zoie: Vanessa won an annual report award with the report on the currency war. Study it more.
Zoie: I've told you before that you should expand the scope of research and focus on the ordinary. Don't be stuck in a small circle.
Zoie: When you choose a topic in the future, you should be innovative. Don't think that only what the people at the top of the Pyramid think is information. Every person related to finance in life is worth our observation and understanding.
The implication was that Vanessa could easily get the top information resources, but she turned the interview object into the ordinary that everyone could get in touch with and could also make achievements. How could they feel jealous?
No matter how many people understood Zoie's subtext, dozens of "clapping" expressions quickly appeared in the group.
...
Some were happy, while some were worried.
The rain didn't stop after the award ceremony.
There was rain hanging from the eaves of the restaurant opposite the department store, which was like a pearl chain, adding to a sense of sadness.
The coffee in front of Sophia remained untouched, but it was already cold.
She didn't say anything. She looked obviously gloomy.
Lonn was sitting opposite her.
Even though Sophia in front of him had been silent for nearly twenty minutes, he did not show any impatience.
Lonn just sat quietly, not spending time on his cell phone or in a daze, waiting for her to release her emotions.
Today was her birthday.
Different from the usual way of holding a big party, Sophia kept a low profile this year. She didn't invite any friends, but sent a message to Lonn: Tomorrow is my birthday. Will you come to my birthday party?
She had made up her mind. At that time, Lonn would ask her why there were only two of them at the party.
Sophia would say: Because you are the only one in my heart.
This was what Vanessa had told Sophia.
Although it was a little obsolete, Vanessa said that Shawn liked it very much.
However, after Lonn came here, he didn't ask anything, but brought a piece of bad news to Sophia.
He was going to Enreo.
Compared with the generous pay given by the company, he was more focused on his studies after trying and decided to continue his unfinished overseas study.
At the twenty-fifth minute while Sophia was silent, the waiter came over with the menu and asked Lonn, "Would you order now?"
Lonn raised his chin to Sophia, waiting for her to order.
She had no appetite at all. She raised her head and made no secret of her bad mood.
"I can't eat. I want to go home."
"OK."
Lonn always respected ladies' opinions. He was a real gentleman. "How about I give you a ride?"
"No, thanks."
Unable to control her emotions, she suddenly picked up her handbag and stood up. "My driver is waiting for me outside."
The two walked to the parking lot one after the other.
The driver got out of the car with an umbrella and opened the door. After getting in the car, she suddenly turned around and looked at Lonn.
"I have a question for you. Answer me honestly."
Lonn agreed.
Sophia asked, "Have you always thought that I'm beautiful without little ability?"
The rain blurred her vision, and she only faintly felt that Lonn smiled.
It seemed that he was looking at an unreasonable child.
"Yes, at the beginning."
Hearing this, she held her breath and waited for him to continue.
Then he said slowly, "But now I think you are lovely."
Sophia was speechless.
No matter how lovely Sophia was, she had little ability.
She got into the car, stuck her head out, and stared at Lonn for a long time, but said nothing.
Just like what happened just now, Lonn didn't leave but let her watch.
After a long while, she said in a low voice, "Wish you a safe journey."
Lonn nodded.
"Wait a minute."
He held the umbrella, went to his parking space, and took a box from the passenger seat.
Sophia asked, "What's this?"
Lonn said, "A birthday gift."
This was the only trace of sunshine in the bad weather today.
With a forced smile, she said, "Thank you."
As soon as the driver drove the car out of the parking lot, she couldn't wait to unwrap the gift.
There was a picture inside.
It was an oil painting of characters imitating Morvan's style, with the signature of Lonn.
Morvan's brushwork had never been realistic, and there was only a vague outline of the character's features. But she faintly felt that the woman in the painting looked like her.
Holding the painting in her hands, she suddenly turned around and saw the tail light of Lonn's car flashing in the rain.
She was too shy to ask Lonn if the person in the painting was her.
She was afraid of leaving the last impression of self-assertion before Lonn left.
But this wishful thinking made her decide to change her life.
...
At seven o'clock in the evening. In the old house of the Yeats family.
Although today was Sophia's birthday, she wanted to celebrate it with her plan. Her family didn't force her. They gathered together to celebrate the prize for Vanessa.
So when Sophia showed up, the whole family was shocked.
"Didn't you celebrate your birthday with your friend?"
Edward asked, "Why are you back?"
When Sophia got out of the car, she was in a hurry. She didn't even take an umbrella. Her hair was wet and stuck to her face. She looked a little embarrassed.
With a box in her hands, she looked at her parents anxiously and said, "Dad, mom, I want to study in Enreo."
Edward pulled out the chair beside him and waved at her, "Have you drunk?"
Sophia was speechless.
She walked over angrily, "I'm not kidding. I really want to study in Enreo!"
After saying that, she took a look at Shawn.
She thought Shawn would be happy to send her to school, but his expression seemed to say, "What do you want to do again?"
Only Vanessa asked Sophia, "Why do you want to continue your study?"
Looking around the room, Sophia wanted to say something but stopped on second thought.
So Vanessa stood up and led her to the balcony.
"Is it because of Lonn?"
Sophia nodded with red eyes.
"Yes, you can say that I'm not reserved or impulsive. I just want to go."
She gritted her teeth, her chest heaving up and down, and her voice was as stubborn as she had never been before. "They don't believe that I really want to go to school, but that's what I think."
"I didn't want to go to school before because I couldn't find motivation. I don't lack money, and my family doesn't need me to earn much money. I didn't think that I should study hard."
"But I have a goal now."
Vanessa asked, "Do you want to stay in the same place with Lonn or do you really want to go to school?"
Sophia was anxious. "Why don't you understand? It's not a problem. I ... I want to go to school because I don't want to be considered with little ability. I want to go to Enreo because he is also there!"
Before Vanessa could answer, Shawn's voice suddenly sounded.
"You can go if you want. Why are you in such a hurry with your aunt?"
After a moment's silence, Sophia came back to her senses.
"Shawn, do you mean you agree to let me go?"
Shawn didn't say anything but looked at Sophia with some disgust.
"I'm going to prepare the visa materials now."
Then Sophia ran upstairs, leaving Vanessa dumbfounded.
"Why does she have a character of acting quickly?"
At the same time, Vanessa pulled Shawn's sleeve and asked, "You agreed so easily?"
Shawn snorted, "Let's make a bet."
Vanessa asked, "Bet on what?"
Shawn asked, "I bet she will not stand it for at most half a year and want to go home."
The sound of Sophia's footsteps came from the stairs.
Looking at Sophia's back, Vanessa said solemnly, "I bet she will insist until she finishes her study."
Then she looked up at Shawn, with his reflection in her eyes.
"You don't know how hard a woman will work to stand at the same height as the man she loves."
...
To catch up with the start of school in January, Sophia left for Enreo in December.
Two positions in the financial group were suddenly empty, which made HR work overtime for several days in a row.
One was the position of Sophia, and the other was the position of Vanessa.
In the afternoon, Vanessa closed the door of her office. After looking at the three words on the door plate for a while, she turned around and went home.
When she opened the door, she found that the light in the living room was on.
When she walked into the kitchen, she saw that Shawn was washing vegetables in front of the worktop.
"What are you doing?"
"Make dinner for editor-in-chief, Miss Green," said Shawn unhurriedly.
The three words "editor-in-chief, Miss Green" really pleased Vanessa.
"If you had been so sweet earlier, our child would have grown up."
Vanessa didn't mean it, but Shawn meant it.
Shawn looked up at her with bright eyes.
But Vanessa said and fled to the cloakroom.
Tomorrow was her first day as the editor-in-chief. She had to prepare the best clothes for her new position and new temperament.
A few minutes later, Shawn heard a scream.
After slowly wiping his hands, Shawn walked in.
In the cloakroom, Vanessa surprisingly stared at a blue velvet ring box on the jewelry cabinet barefoot.
She asked, "What's this?"
Leaning against the door, Shawn said with a smile, "What do you think?"
Vanessa didn't seem to come to her senses. She just stood there in silence.
Shawn slowly stood straight, walked up to her, and took out the ring.
"Miss Green, when do you plan to promote me to you?"
When he was about to lift Vanessa's right hand, she suddenly took two steps back.
"What about your report?"
Shawn was rendered speechless.
Shawn's sudden silence made Vanessa turn around.
"Why are you silent? Then you are done."
After saying that, she ran to the open-air balcony with her slippers.
There was no wind or rain today, and the setting sun was like gold.
Vanessa sat on a rattan chair. She didn't know where to put her hands, so she took out several wintersweet flowers from the vase beside her and held them.
She needed a cold wind to calm herself down.
Shawn didn't come out following Vanessa.
After a while, Vanessa smelled a faint scent of the meal.
The scent of the meal seemed to always affect people's thoughts.
Sometimes, when Vanessa walked to a certain place and smelled the smoke from kitchen chimneys, she would think of the days at her grandparents' home in her childhood.
But the smell at this moment made her think of the picture many years later.
She hoped the days would go on like this year after year.
"Shawn."
When Shawn came over, there were no footsteps. "It's cold outside. Come in and have dinner."
Vanessa didn't open her eyes but smiled.
"Sir, who are you? Don't accost a beautiful woman casually."
"I have a husband."