Lily sat quietly for a while, staring into space. Her hands were loosely folded while her elbows leaned on the arms of her chair. Sitting leisurely, Sofia's words repeatedly floated in her mind.
As much as she wished to help her, she didn't want to associate herself with Tian Yuo. Their previous interaction annoyed her to the point she wanted to throw slaps across his face. How could she agree to sign a two-month contract? And why did he choose her? This was something she couldn't understand. With his resources, he could've chosen the most popular model, but he set his eyes on her instead.
Sunk deeply in thought, she didn't notice when Lin Que arrived in her office. He stood by the door with his arms crossed. After a while, he knocked lightly on her door.
"What are you thinking about? You look very conflicted that wrinkles are showing on your forehead." He jokingly teased, walking over to her desk.
"Huh? When did you get here? I was just thinking about a favor my previous manager, Sofia asked of me. Ah, it is already this late. Sorry to keep you waiting, I'll pack my bag now." She quickly turned off her iMac and gathered her belongings.
"I came around ten minutes ago. You were thinking about something seriously, so I didn't interrupt you. Take your time. No rush." He leaned against her desk, noticing her absentminded behavior. The milk tea in her mug was barely touched. "If you have something troubling you, you could talk to me about it. I could give you some suggestions or might even solve it for you."
"Mm... Okay. Then let's talk about this during dinner. I think you should hear me out on this as well. It sounds very weird." Lily also wanted to talk to him about his two-month contract.
After taking everything she needed, she took Lin Que's hand and revealed a sweet smile. "Shall we go?"
"Mm. Let's go." He tightened the grip on her hand as they walked to the elevator. In a matter of minutes, the couple reached the parking lot where Lin Que's car was located.
Within half an hour, the couple arrived at their destination. Upon their arrival, the manager of the restaurant walked out to welcome them. After settling down and ordering a few dishes, the staff left them alone.
"So, what is bothering you?" Lin Que heard her sigh several times on their way to the restaurant.
"Sofia asked me to do her a favor and accept a two-month contract with Tian Corps. Actually, I'm not interested in signing the contract, but Tian Yuo insists on using me. If they don't get me to sign that contract, he would terminate business with the company. Sofia has a family to take care of and I don't want her to lose her job. With the company threatening her, I can't leave her alone." She sighed once again, stirring the lemon water with a straw.
"What kind of contract is it?" Although he disliked attending socialite parties, he knew who Tian Yuo was. He never cared enough to pay attention to gossips, but this man was quite famous.
"I have no idea. I only know that it is a two-month contract. I haven't been able to read the full contract yet. Also, I feel like things aren't as simple. I am worried that he is using this chance to play tricks on me." Other than this reason, she couldn't think of any explanation for why she was chosen.
"That is true. You've talked to me about him before. You two aren't even considered acquaintances. However, he specified to work only with you. How about this? Ask Sofia to come out and show you the contract. I'll go with you to make sure there aren't any loopholes in the contract. If the conditions listed place you at a disadvantage position, then you can discuss the changes you want." With him there, nobody could manipulate her into doing anything she didn't want.
"Alright, I'll text her right now." Lily nodded in agreement. A few minutes later, Sofia replied to her message and agreed to meet up in two hours.
Approximately two hours later, Lily and Lin Que walked into a dessert spot. When they walked in, they immediately spotted Sofia sitting at one of the tables.
"Sofia.." Lily released Lin Que's arm to give Sofia a greeting hug.
"Lily! Thank you for coming out to see me." Sofia reciprocated the hug and gave Lin Que a nod.
"Ah, right. This is Lin Que, my fiancé. Lin Que, this is Sofia, my previous manager. She took good care of me when I was under her care." Lily quickly introduced them.
After a brief introduction, all of them sat down and ordered drinks. While waiting for their order, Sofia mentioned the difficulties of obtaining a copy of the contract from Tian Corps. However, she managed to get the contract in the end.
Skimming through the entire contract, Lily's expression stiffened. She looked at the man sitting next to her, trying to read his thoughts. If she thought these conditions were unbelievable, he would definitely destroy it.
Surprisingly, Lin Que's straight face remained the same after reading the terms. Using the pen in his hand, he started crossing out some parts and adding more words to the contract. It took him twenty minutes to write and review everything before handing it to Lily.
"This..." Lily read the contract again. Her eyes widened when she finished looking through the contract. He took out many unnecessary requirements.
Putting the contract down on the table, Lily smiled. "Sofia, take a look at the changes we just made. If you could have Tian Yuo to agree with these terms, then I'll sign the contract. If not, then it will put me at a disadvantage and I will not accept the job."