Chapter 78: Lynch's Relaxing Moment

As undercover agent Wood anticipated the new day, Lynch drove to an upscale middle-class community. After a wait of about fifteen minutes, a mature woman with light makeup and a stylish handbag emerged from the community gate. Lynch promptly gestured to her, offering a smile and even opening the back door of the car for her.

This was a very courteous gesture. Although the front passenger seat could potentially be more intimate, such spontaneous actions may not be appreciated by everyone. It was advisable to avoid creating awkward situations between individuals of different genders without absolute certainty, especially in a relatively confined space.

"Thank you," Vera, now seated in the car, smiled at Lynch.

In the afternoon, Lynch had called her, inviting her for lunch and discussing work matters. Vera, in a cold war with her husband recently, felt the need to break free and even applied makeup, something she had rarely done.

Makeup for women only became popular in the past few years, whereas in the past, women in the federation and around the world generally did not wear makeup. Only those sex workers would use heavy makeup to conceal their true appearance, and only they would use perfume to mask the dissipating scent of the hormones emanating from their bodies.

However, with the significant successes of the feminist movement in recent years, the act of using cosmetics had been completely liberated from prejudice. Of course, some sociologists argue that this liberation was a conspiracy orchestrated by sex workers.

In the past, people could easily deduce a woman's profession by looking at her face or smelling the strong perfume she wore. Such individuals were naturally subjected to societal discrimination.

Now, people couldn't distinguish who was who; they had successfully concealed themselves. However, feminist organizations argued that this viewpoint was a sensationalist act. Beauty and the pursuit of beauty were everyone's freedom, but men always considered women's behavior as abnormal, which in itself was discrimination against women.

In recent years, the success of the feminist movement had indeed changed many things. Even some men were starting to experiment with makeup, and another notable change was the widespread incorporation of perfumes into people's lives.

The federation was a carnivorous society; from morning to night, most people consumed primarily meat. Some individuals might eat a small amount of vegetables, but overall, meat consumption was predominant.

This led some people in the federation to develop a noticeable body odor. In the past, apart from regular bathing, people didn't have many options. However, now everyone had started using perfumes.

Although societal norms were changing, upper-middle-class and especially elite women were not very proactive in wearing makeup. Many older women, even today, continued to uphold traditional values, refraining from using makeup or perfume.

At times and in certain situations, people would even associate cosmetics, especially lipstick, with adult products.

The fact that Vera applied light makeup was a breakthrough, considering many women only did so at home to enhance marital relationships and rarely wore makeup when going out. Lynch nodded in acknowledgment, having received gratitude from Vera. After returning to the driver's seat, he started the car and drove towards the restaurant he had booked.

The restaurant he booked was not far from where Vera resides. Residential and commercial areas always complement each other, and it was highly unlikely that someone would invest in building a superstore selling top-tier luxury goods in the slums of a third-tier city. Similarly, no one would operate a one-buck store outside an upscale community.

After a journey of about ten minutes, the car slowly came to a stop outside a restaurant. As the doorman was about to greet Vera and open the car door for her, Lynch smiled and asked from inside the car, "Mind if I take the honors this time?"

Vera was slightly surprised but also pleasantly so when Lynch expressed his desire to open the car door for her. The doorman smiled and stepped aside.

Lynch stepped out of the car, walked to the rear door, and opened it. With one hand holding the top of the car door frame, his other hand, palm facing down, formed a platform by extending his fist, providing a place for Vera to hold onto.

Vera expressed her gratitude once again for Lynch's courtesy and gentlemanly behavior. Lynch, in turn, had his right arm casually bent and was looking at her.

Lynch was slightly younger than Vera. Women could be foolish at times, yet other times remarkably clever. What was more frightening was that when they were clever, if necessary, they could deceive themselves. Therefore, in this situation, Vera perceived Lynch's behavior as nothing more than a playful joke from a younger brother.

Taking Lynch's arm, Vera engaged in a somewhat intimate gesture, reciprocating his gentlemanly act.

As they entered the restaurant, Lynch provided his name, and the manager led them to their reserved table. In the process, Lynch whispered something in Vera's ear. His voice was low, and the warm breath that escaped his lips had a peculiar effect, momentarily enveloping her thoughts in a viscous state.

"I heard an interesting joke outside. Would you be interested to hear?" he inquired.

Seeing Vera nodding her head, Lynch continued with a mischievous smile, "Do you know why I stand on your left side?"

She tilted her head in thought, then shook it.

"Because this way, I'm closer to your heart," he explained, unable to contain his laughter. It turned what could have been a cheesy or romantic remark into a light-hearted, playful moment.

It wasn't abrupt, nor stiff; instead, it relaxed the atmosphere, yet without compromising the particular feeling conveyed by these words.

Vera joined in the laughter, finding the exchange not uncomfortable or awkward but rather enjoyable. She even countered, "The person who told you this joke must not be a good person."

"I couldn't agree more."

As they reached their table, Lynch pulled out the chair for Vera. After she once again thanked him and took her seat, the conversation shifted to less "awkward" topics.

"I recently established a new company and have sent a letter to your firm. This might disturb your holiday," Lynch said. 

Auction houses also required accountants, and despite the tax exemptions provided by the city hall due to Lynch's commitment to job creation, he remained diligent about tax reporting.

Since the economic downturn in Sabin City, the city hall had been encouraging entrepreneurship and urging business owners to take on more social responsibility by creating job opportunities. 

However, such practices proved to be of little use. Originally, funds that should have been utilized in the real economy were diverted into the financial markets, causing a further contraction of the tangible economy. Maintaining existing job positions became an arduous task, let alone creating new ones.

In this scenario, the fact that Lynch was willing to establish a service-oriented company primarily focusing on the trading and auctioning of second-hand goods, pledging to immediately provide no fewer than twenty job positions and with a commitment to creating no less than one hundred in the future, deeply moved the personnel in the social service sector.

Impressed by Lynch's sense of social responsibility and passionate commitment, the officials proactively assisted him in filling out paperwork and securing a favorable policy. For the next two years, his auction company would benefit from a half-tax policy, and for the subsequent two years, as long as the annual profits did not exceed the second-tier tax bracket, he could still enjoy tax exemptions.

While it was good to have a favorable policy, Lynch recognized the importance of maintaining comprehensive financial records. Right from the beginning, he harbored no illusions that the tax authorities would overlook him, even if he had a good relationship with Director Johnson. Taking each step carefully was crucial for him at present, and he had no interest in the minimal gains from tax evasion, let alone taking on greater risks.

Keeping meticulous records and fulfilling tax obligations were not about proving invincibility but about denying his adversaries any opportunity. To be invincible in the world, one must first empower themselves!