So he’s the manager! Emma smiled shyly, thinking he was just a secretary!
“Hello! I’m Emma, Emma Smith,” she introduced herself confidently, though a bit nervous.
Mr. Johnson merely nodded politely and quickly scanned Emma from head to toe.
“Mr. Smith, this is my niece Emma, who just graduated from college and has no work experience. Please take care of her,” Mr. Smith said with a smile.
“Of course, Mr. Smith,” Mr. Johnson replied.
Mr. Smith was about to say something else when the office phone rang unexpectedly. He paused and answered the call.
“Hello? Yes, I’m at the company! Now? Of course, Mr. Brown, I wouldn’t miss this business opportunity!”
Meanwhile, sitting on the sofa, Emma tried to break the awkward silence. “Ahem, nice to meet you!”
Emma took a sip of her coffee, trying to lighten the mood.
Mr. Johnson, who had been smiling a moment ago, suddenly turned serious and ignored her.
Feeling embarrassed, Emma bit her lip and looked away to avoid the awkwardness. “Seriously, if you’re going to talk to me, you should at least respond out of courtesy!” Emma thought, feeling unhappy.
“Alright, Mr. Brown! I’ll be waiting for you here!” Mr. Smith finally hung up the phone and returned to the sofa with an apologetic smile.
“Emma, a big boss is here to discuss business with me. How about Mr. Johnson takes you to your accommodation and helps you unpack?” Mr. Smith suggested with a smile.
Emma glanced at Mr. Johnson, who had regained his smile, and nodded at Mr. Smith.
“Mr. Johnson, your room is next to hers, Room 303. So please take care of her,” Mr. Smith said, looking at Mr. Johnson with a smile.
Mr. Johnson was taken aback, his eyes wide in disbelief. He looked at Mr. Smith and asked, “Next to me?”
“Yes! I arranged it on purpose! Although there are security guards in the building, it’s still a bit chaotic with all the tenants from nearby offices. Since you live there too, I thought it would be good to have you nearby to help her,” Mr. Smith explained.
“Emma, you wanted a place close to the company, and I checked several apartments nearby. This one is pretty good, and since Mr. Johnson lives there, I trust he can take good care of you!” After speaking to Mr. Johnson, Mr. Smith turned back to Emma and affectionately ruffled her hair.
Hearing Mr. Smith’s words, Emma felt like she was being entrusted to Mr. Johnson. But seeing how serious Mr. Smith was, she could only hold back her laughter.
Emma looked at Mr. Johnson again, who seemed shocked by the news. However, despite his earlier rudeness, Emma was quite pleased with his good looks!
“Alright, Uncle!” Emma replied with a smile.
“Let’s go and check it out. If you need anything else, just buy it with Mr. Johnson,” Mr. Smith said.
“Got it! Let’s go!” Emma said cheerfully.
“Mr. Johnson, I’ll take her to the building now,” Mr. Johnson said.
Mr. Smith nodded with a smile and watched them leave until they turned the corner. Just then, Mr. Brown walked over with his phone.
“Mr. Smith? Why are you waiting at the door?”
“Ha ha ha! Of course! Mr. Brown, please come in!”
Mr. Smith and Mr. Brown laughed and entered the office together.
Meanwhile, Emma followed Mr. Johnson from the elevator to the company door, neither speaking a word. They maintained an awkward yet tacit silence. Of course, Mr. Johnson didn’t feel awkward; he just didn’t want to talk to Emma. Emma, however, felt awkward, walking one after the other without a word. It was strange!
But she couldn’t stand the silence any longer. Regardless of why Mr. Johnson didn’t respond earlier, she decided to speak up again.
“Uh, Mr. Johnson?” Emma asked hesitantly.
“Call me Mr. Johnson,” he replied coldly without turning around.
Emma stuck her tongue out. Why so formal? Using first names is more intimate! But thinking is one thing, and speaking is another. At least he responded, so now they could chat properly.
“Alright, alright! So, Mr. Johnson, how old are you? You look so young, and you’re already a manager! You must be very capable!” Emma trotted up to Mr. Johnson, walking side by side with him, and asked with a smile.
Mr. Johnson, who had been expressionless, suddenly sneered and stopped in his tracks. His face changed, and he stared at Emma, who was startled.
“I got here step by step. Unlike some people who can take shortcuts,” he said coldly, then continued walking without waiting for a response.
Emma ran after him, upset. “What do you mean? Where did I take a shortcut?” she asked angrily.
Mr. Johnson continued walking, ignoring Emma. “Although Mr. Smith is your uncle, I didn’t take any shortcuts. I’m starting from the bottom as a clerk,” Emma said, getting angrier.
Mr. Johnson still didn’t respond, and they entered the building and the elevator together. He pressed the button for the third floor.
“Come on! Say something! You said I took a shortcut, explain yourself!” Emma shouted, feeling wronged.
Mr. Johnson’s face showed impatience, but the elevator had reached the third floor. As soon as the doors opened, he stepped out, and Emma followed quickly. She felt wronged and couldn’t understand why he was being so mean to her.
“You speak!”
Emma blocked Mr. Johnson’s path, angry and upset.
“Move,” Mr. Johnson said in a low voice, looking displeased.
“You need to explain yourself!” Emma wasn’t someone to be easily dismissed, even though Mr. Johnson looked more intimidating at the moment.
“I said move!”
Emma was stunned by Mr. Johnson’s sudden shout. She stared at him, feeling both scared and wronged. She couldn’t speak.
Mr. Johnson didn’t care about Emma and walked past her, heading towards Room 303.
Emma didn’t move, feeling helpless. What was wrong with joining her uncle’s company? He had spoken so harshly, and now he was yelling at her?
It seemed Mr. Johnson realized Emma wasn’t following, so he stopped.
“Don’t think crying will make people pity you,” Mr. Johnson said coldly, looking at Emma, who seemed on the verge of tears.
“I don’t need your pity! I’m not crying! You’re crazy!” Emma shouted back, feeling wronged and angry.
“Let’s go see the room and not waste my time,” Mr. Johnson said, still indifferent, and continued walking.
Emma wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Mr. Johnson, whatever you think, I didn’t take an exaggerated shortcut like you said. You’ve been so rude to me since the beginning. Why?”
“Why would I dare to have an opinion about Mr. Smith’s niece?”
“Mr. Johnson!”
Emma’s anger flared up again, looking at the handsome yet annoying man.
“What do you want? If you can’t say it clearly, I won’t let it go!” Emma shouted at Mr. Johnson, who was expressionless but had annoying eyes.
Mr. Johnson sneered and suddenly approached Emma with a fierce look in his eyes. Scared, Emma backed up until she was cornered with nowhere to go. Mr. Johnson stopped right in front of her, looking down at her.
“This company has many excellent graduates from famous universities who want to join but can’t even get an interview. Yet you, just because of your relationship, can skip the queue and even avoid the probation period. Isn’t that taking a shortcut? Why do you deserve it?” Mr. Johnson said harshly.
Emma fell silent, unable to argue with Mr. Johnson’s words.
Mr. Johnson walked away and stood on the balcony, looking at the sky without saying a word.
Yes, Mr. Johnson was right. Why did she deserve it? Emma looked at his back and suddenly understood why he didn’t like her from the start.
But even if he disliked her now, what could he do? Should she leave?
Emma took a deep breath again.
“Mr. Johnson.”
Mr. Johnson didn’t respond and continued to look at the sky.
“Yes, I admit I’m luckier than many. But now that I’m here, I’ll work even harder. I won’t be lazy. I understand your feelings, but things are what they are... I hope...”
“Yes, you’re Mr. Smith’s niece.”
Emma tried to make peace and clarify the misunderstanding, but Mr. Johnson interrupted her again with his annoying words.
“Mr. Johnson! Can you stop! I’m sincerely trying to get along with you. What more do you want? Do you want me to leave?”
“Then leave.”
Mr. Johnson turned and looked at the wronged Emma coldly.
Looking at Mr. Johnson, Emma wanted to shoot him! But she remembered what Mr. Smith said in the car.
“Remember, don’t cry or back down because of small failures. Everyone grows by learning from mistakes and working hard. I hope you understand.”
Mr. Smith’s voice seemed to ring in Emma’s ears again, and she recalled his words.
Right! Uncle is right. One should be brave in the face of adversity! Why should she back down because of Mr. Johnson!
“Yes! I’m not leaving! Mr. Johnson, whether you’re happy or not has nothing to do with me. I’m happy, and that’s what matters! I know you’re trying to make me leave, but I’m not that weak. I don’t care what you think of me. I’ll work hard here until I decide to leave! Otherwise, don’t even think about me leaving because of you!” Emma’s expression changed quickly from anger and grievance to a defiant look.
Mr. Johnson looked at Emma and sneered again.
“I knew someone like you wouldn’t give up such a good room and a job everyone wants.”
“Well, you’re really prescient, Mr. Johnson!”
“Ha!”
Now Emma seemed energized. Why should she be unhappy because of one person’s gaze?
It’s okay. There’s a long way to go, and she believes that one day, the man in front of her will change his opinion of her!