Chapter 18: It's Because Of A Woman
The room's silence was broken, as if a spell had been unraveled. People's eyes were wide with shock and envy. They began shooting their mouths off, filling the room with the incessant chatter of voices intermingling one another.
Zhi Ruo's face had paled considerably as she debated whether or not to leave. The increasing volume of sound made it hard to bear as she felt her chest tighten with every second.
"Ms. Zhi, are you okay?" Mr. Goh worriedly called out to her when he saw her face turn a ghastly white shade.
Zhi Ruo snapped out of it and breathed deeply. This was no place to have a breakdown, her family's safety would go down the drain if they ever knew her sickness. People would be scrambling to get rid of her.
She smiled weakly and said in a soft voice, "I'm fine, just feeling a little dizzy."
"That's not good. Would you like me to take you outside for a breath of fresh air?"
Zhi Ruo shook her head. It would only draw attention to herself. Besides, she wouldn't want 'him' to notice her.
"I'm fine, Mr. Goh. There's no need to make a mountain out of a molehill."
Mr. Goh didn't push it further and only nodded. It wouldn't be ideal to force the lady and offending her was nowhere near his goal for tonight.
Because the two were quite a ways from the front, Mo Chou hadn't managed to notice them, what with the sheer number of people who attended. He coughed lightly, grabbing their attention.
Maybe because he was young, or capable, some people felt that it was unbelievable that someone as young as him was the leading figure behind Hua Conglomoerate's success. There was just something in his aura that demanded attention, and in a good way.
"Good evening everyone. I suppose I may have shocked you tonight. Not many people would believe in a young man attaining such a respectable position in a matter of four years just after graduating."
The eyes of the people seemed to calm down as they came to terms with the situation. It was to be expected of course. Things were no longer the same as then. Many more of the younger generation were aspiring figures with a great ambition, and along with the economy flourishing, more opportunities become open for them. It wasn't actually a big deal that such a young man was a respectable person.
Mo Chou gripped the edge of the podium. He let out a deep breathe and smiled. "It is an honor to be able to stand here alongside great people. I am but a leader in the face of our company's trials and tribulations. The company wouldn't be standing here right now if it wasn't by the help of such loyal and hard-working individuals.
But I stand here before you not as the CEO of the company, but as a simple man who wants nothing more than a bright future for the coming generations. Once again, thank you for coming to our annual banquet, and enjoy the party." Mo Chou bowed deeply and went off the stage.
Stares that were originally filled with envy and curiosity turned to awe and admiration. The impact of his speech marked the day where people would stand to remember how he was deemed a great leader. His reputation amongst the people were positive.
Men were proud of his attitude towards his employees and firm personality. While woman were gushing over his humbleness despite having achieved success in his 20s. His temperament was a huge hit for the ladies. It was no doubt that women would be rushing to suck up to him. As if that wasn't enough, he was also quite good looking.
Zhi Ruo had excused herself from Mr. Goh's company and went towards the buffet table. Most of the food remained untouched and Zhi Ruo felt an indescribable amount of sadness. All this food was going to waste, while half the world is starving. Our economy still has a long way to go.
She grabbed a cup of water from the far edge and went outside for a breather. Most of the people here had already stood up from their seats and had scattered around the room, seeking to either chat leisurely with friends or build new relations with other people.
Because of the growing heat and suffocation, Zhi Ruo deemed it unnecessary to stay any longer and quietly retreated outside. She lounged on a nearby sofa, resting her head on the wall. The brightly lit chandelier seemed to twinkle from every angle, making Zhi Ruo squint.
The hallway was far less quieter, making Zhi Ruo lower her guard. She heaved a sigh of relief, happy that she didn't get noticed by him. It would've been disastrous.
...
When he stepped off the stage, Mo Chou had quickly retreated to the backroom where his parents and older sister were waiting.
"How did it go?" his older sister was the first to ask.
Mo Chou gave a thumbs up in agreement. His parents let out a sigh of relief. It was good thing that all went well. Besides, there is also the benefit of having more people willing to help their son out if he gets into a serious dilemma.
"So... what do we do now? I noticed there was something missing in your speech," Mo Yan said, mischief in her eyes. I see, revealing my plans, are you dear sister?
Chun Fan frowned and said, "What's missing, I read your speech, everything was said." she narrowed her eyes. "Are you hiding something from us?"
Mo Chou put his hands up in defeat and sighed. "Older sister is indeed not going to go easy on me."
This time, Mo Xuetuo put down the papers i. his hand and took a good look at his son's face. It was perhaps due to his job as a lawyer but he sensed that there was something unusual about this son of his. After a few moments of staring, he nodded.
"It's because of a woman."
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Kalopsia
Kalopsia *unedited*
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