We took a taxi. It doesn't really look right for us to walk together with his shopping bags. We got back just in time for the opening hour.
"What's with all these shopping?" granny asked.
"Oh, it was my honor that your granddaughter has agreed to work as my assistant temporarily so I bought her all the necessary dressup to be comfortable going around with my team starting tomorrow," Steven hold out the bags to me.
My jaw drop at that. When did I agree to something like that? But when he said I'll be working with him,it a huge temptation. I might not be able to graduate to get the opportunity to work in the real world, to see what else is out there. We talk about this at Auntie Fifi cafe, I didn't realised this man is going to do something like this.
I pulled him to the back of the shop into the courtyard,"When did I agree on working with you?"
"You said you wanted to know how it was to work in the corporate world. You also said you are interested in architecture. Last but not least, I pay well and I really do need someone who is familiar with this area. I think it got potential," Steven explained.
"You are the solution to my problem and me, yours. I scratch your back and you scratch mine?" he continued.
"OK, so what do you need me to do?"I asked.
"You become my assistant consultant. We need to refurbished Emperor Mall but it won't do with the surrounding crumpling around it. There is a huge potential here. It's going to be a huge project but it's your home so you will appreciate a positive development instead of the whole are being scraped and turn into something else right?"Steven proposed.
Seeing YaoYao just nod her head, he go on,"I need you to be with me at all time while we are in the brain storming and development phase for the next three months and your input will be required as long as the project is valid. If my estimation is right, it will take about three years. Think about it but these clothes are for you nevertheless, it won't fit me hahahaha..."
YaoYao took the clothes, they fit her perfectly anyway and it cost a bomb. She started helping out in the noodle stall and prepare for delivery while Steven sat in the courtyard with his laptop and a few documents.
She take a peek from time to time. He is always on the phone, she noticed. She has imagined herself hundred of times wearing a suit doing the same thing but she haven't got the chance yet. Looking at her current situation, she is not sure she will get another opportunity in her life. She need to give it a go, at least to have a feel of it. It is only three solid months, they might not need her that much after even if the project is going to run for three years.
Night fall. Again she came out to Steven who was ready to take a shower. She went up to him quickly and told him she would be happy to work with him but she need some time to arrange or at least find help for her grandparents to mend the noodle shop.
"Don't worry, I'll organised help starting tomorrow. We will come back everyday to check. It will be more convenient to stay with the management team during the first phase,"Steven said.
Steven purposely waited for YaoYao to finish her shower before going out of his room. He need to verify something. His reaction towards her was swifter than last night after knowing her perfect figure from the shopping trip today. He has never been with a virgin before therefore he is a bit lost on how to go about it. All he knows is he need to have her soon otherwise he will get a pneumonia from cold shower or insomnia from sleepless nights, worst some sexual illness which will render him impotent. For the moment, he got her where he wanted her, close. He needs to strategize this.
His team has arrived and check into a nearby hotel. He make a call this late afternoon to change his booking from a standard room to a two bedroom suite instead.
..........
I introduced their new helper; who is in fact one of my bodyguards, instructed to go undercover to assist and protect. On the surface, Tommy is hired by me to fill in for YaoYao temporarily for the duration of three months as part of her employment package. Lodging and meal will be provided by the family to be fair. Her grandparents let her go easier than I thought after the introduction.
YaoYao spent a good two hours filling Tommy on the do and don't inclusive of all the tasks she normally help out at the stall. We pack up our luggage and promised to return daily to check on them. Our hotel is at the end of the shopping junction about thirty minutes away so we have to walk to the main road before hopping into taxi. We can walk back to the old quarters easily without luggages later on.
Upon arrival we check into the two bedrooms suite and I explained it might be easier for her to adapt if she stayed with me. I will be able to guide her on corporate ethics and conduct just in case she wanted to fit in better.
I was not joking when I told her I want her to be my consultant for the redevelopment of the area though. She knows it like the lines in the palm and her interest in old architecture is the key to success with what I have in my mind.
We met with the team who flew in yesterday. My briefing starts with a green light to keep the pioneer mall in place but not in the same manner. I layout the potential to developed the area into a hutong tourist attraction. The entire area is about 3 km radius from the Emperor Empire Mall except for the developed shopping junction which is a kilometer away. After a simple scouting, the takeover of the area is not difficult with fifty percent of the area within empty damaged residences but a huge investment will be needed. We need to put together a concrete plan and business proposal to work with the Lee Group.