Determined Chris

April called her informers but none picked up her phone calls. Crap... he must have done something to them. She knew she had screwed up all her chances and she had no choice but to return home. She thought she had a good plan. Her aim was to worm her way into his life through Master Lu. She even bought a nourishing soup and packed it in a thermos, wanted to pass it off as her cooking. Damn those guards. She could not even make it pass them. She had to admit it was a misstep on her part.

She decided not to linger in this city any longer. She took the earliest flight available. Feeling dejected and low, she boarded the plane. Once arrived home, she locked herself in the room, for two days and two nights. Madam Lu was worried for her only daughter since she only consider April as her daughter and not Jade. She begged April to come out and tell her what exactly happened that made her sad. She could hear April sobbing about humiliation, Derek, humiliation and Jade. Madam Lu felt her blood pressure shooting sky high when she heard that Jade was somehow involved.

Oblivious to the anger and hatred directed to her, Jade was in her office and had to face Master Lu who demanded that she give Chris a position in the company and to skip all the process. Chris was about to enter her office to salvage the situation stopped in his track when he heard Jade asked, "Have you no confident that Chris can make it himself without my interference?" "Don't you twist my intention and put this all on me" Master Lu snarled in anger. "I have told Chris he have to fight fair and square and I won't interfere. Isn't it a good thing he gets in this way, with this he shall gain respects he deserves. I have seen his CV and his portfolio, I must say he is pretty impressive. Master Lu, have you seen his CV and portfolio yourself?"

"I am warning you, not to play any tricks here. Why would you want him to succeed? If he succeeded, won't your position be compromised?" "Why would I worry, I have confident in my abilities and my people. Plus in order for the company to thrive and grow, we need people with skills and abilities. If the people in the company all relied on connections to get a position then I have to work more than is required of me especially if the person that occupy that position is useless. In the end, due to cronyism, this company is just an empty shell. Don't you agree with my words, Master Lu?"

Chris was stunned by Jade's good judgement. Every words she said made sense and was right. Her people? Once, he is in he'd be her people? It sounds nice, he felt, a sense of belonging. Now he is even more determined to get the position with his own efforts. He left, headed back home to study and aimed to graduate at the top of his class. He decided to move out of the toxic home environment. Everyday, it's either someone wailing, shouting, crying or its the sound of things getting smashed or thrown. Chris went home to packed and moved into the hostel that were provided. His roommates were surprised by his presence and even more astonished when they sensed that his behaviour had become tolerable and not stifling. Chris would be lying if he don't feel disappointed in his father that did not view him highly. He directed all the negativity into achieving his goal.

Back to the situation in Jade's Office.

"You and Chris!!!! Looking down on your father. May God punish the both of you. Despicable!!!! Just because you are at the top now, you act all high mighty, just you wait for retribution." He left in anger and slammed the door on his way out. Jade was surprised that she and Chris were mentioned in the same sentence. She deducted that Chris had told him that he wanted to earn his own merits. Good for Chris! She had asked people to keep an eye on Chris just in case he decided to use underhand methods. She was stunned with the recent report about him moving into the campus hostel. Looks like he is serious in competing fairly. If he is for real, then she doesn't mind to train him and handover the business to him. For now, she will just wait and see. She will only reveal her plans once she felt he is deserving because lifes of nearly half a million employees would be in his hands and she had to ensure that he will govern the company fairly and competently.

Master Lu's manor.

"Something is up with Chris, he came home, mumbled some stuff and left with his clothes. What has gotten into him?" Madam Lu complained the moment her husband entered the house. "Shut your trap woman! Don't talk to me about that boy, don't know what is good for him, now he thinks he is greater than his father. I say, I say, I better have a bunch of pigs than useless, unfilial children. I am going out later, don't bother with dinner! Home is where one should be able to rest and be at peace. What has this place turned into? mental institute?" he shouted as the sound of April wailing got louder and louder, trying to invoke sympathy with her pitiful acts, unfortunately, it works only on her mother and she successfully drove out the men of the house. Madam Lu was stunned silly that she continued to stand at the same spot as if rooted there with mouth agape, her husband? he asked her to shut up??!

So many years have passed since their marriage and Master Lu rarely ate out or stayed out. She had a bad feeling about tonight but she was unable to do much because once he made up his mind, there is no use in trying to change anything. Why is everyone so abnormal today? She felt injustice when her husband shouted, but she swallowed her grevience in silent when she saw him reappeared looking all dressed up ready to hit some local bar.