"Heh, this joke isn't funny at all. I should have brought Tapai along; he's better at telling jokes," Sun Jack said as he picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a cherry tomato to pop into his mouth.
Linda Linda put down her knife and fork, her expression turning serious. "What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Keep an eye on the inside of the company for me in the future. If something like this happens again, tell me immediately, or inform my Clones, so we can correct it promptly."
"Okay," Linda Linda nodded and began eating again.
"Besides, I might be too far up there, unable to hear the voices down below. If there's anything happening within the company, remember to tell me first," Sun Jack added while speaking.
One mishap had occurred; if not promptly remedied, there would undoubtedly be a second.
After a moment of thought, Linda Linda spoke up, "Alright, speaking of which, there is actually something. That vixen, she's doing everything with the company's interest in mind, which contradicts your thoughts. She's been negotiating with the company's mainframe lately to extend working hours and reduce commission rates."
"Is that so? I've got it," Sun Jack continued eating without looking up.
"That's it? You're not planning to do anything?"
"Fire her? No, let's not mention that she's a shareholder. I can disregard her suggestions, but we can't have too few people like her in the company."
Linda Linda gave Sun Jack a surprised glance before continuing with her meal. "After we're done eating, are we going to bed?"
"Forget it."
"If you're tired, I can do the work myself."
"Can't we talk about something else? For instance, why did you become a prostitute?" Sun Jack began to inquire about Linda Linda's past.
He knew very little about this woman, aside from her profession and where she lived. Oh, and that she had a good heart.
"What a low-level question. Why did you become a mercenary back then? Of course, it was because I was out of money. Do you think it was because I liked it?" Linda Linda gave him a disdainful look.
Despite her retort, Linda Linda still started to recount her story. "I came out of the Breeding Factory with a man. We were a pair. I became a prostitute to pay off both our loans."
"Life was hard back then, but seeing the loan get smaller actually gave me a lot of hope," she said, a rare slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as if recalling the good old days.
"What happened after that?"
"After that? What after that? If there had been an 'after that,' would I be alone?" Linda Linda speared a meatball and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing with loud crunches.
"You know? Back then, I was like a short, tiny prick, desperately trying everything to keep penetrating her life, and yet she couldn't feel a damn thing." Linda Linda's face showed a trace of irony after saying this.
Hearing these words, Sun Jack frowned. "That's a filthy metaphor."
Whatever the topic, this woman could always steer it into the gutter.
Linda Linda ignored Sun Jack's comment and went on talking about her past. "I learned from that loss. Why should a relationship demand everything from me? It's too fucking profitable. Every love affair is nothing but a scam."
Thinking back on Hilda, Sun Jack instinctively objected, "That's not entirely true. There are genuine feelings out there."
Just then, Linda Linda looked up at Sun Jack very earnestly and said, "I'm serious, I don't believe in any kind of feelings, including ours."
"I know you're all playing at friendships and romances, but don't drag me into it. I'm just doing a job here."
At her words, Sun Jack looked up and reached out suddenly, yanking at her ribbon and pulling her close, threatening from a position of power, "Who's the boss here, you or me? What right do you have to set conditions for me?"
"You may have smoothed things over between me and the Priest, but that doesn't mean you get to tell me how to run things. You have a right to suggest, not to choose, got it?"
"You'd better do everything I tell you to do. I have the right to promote you, and I can also make sure you can't even work as a prostitute!"
Facing Sun Jack's aggressive gaze, Linda Linda averted her eyes and turned her head slightly. "I understand."
Once Sun Jack forcibly pushed Linda Linda back to her seat, she was breathing somewhat rapidly, pressing her hand to her chest to steady her breath. "Thank you, this is the kind of boss I need."
Raising his glass in a toast to Linda Linda, Sun Jack raised his eyebrows at her and emptied it in one gulp.
The two continued with their meal, Linda Linda's demeanor much more respectful than before, but now a barrier seemed to stand between them.
"Boss, did you know about PUS embezzling?"
"I'm aware, don't worry about it. He knows his limits, knows what money to take and what not to. If the company were to fall, he'd lose out the most."
"Okay, got it. Also, about him, there's one more thing to report. He seems to be constantly searching for his mother." Linda Linda then shared the information she had learned with Sun Jack.
"How come you know so much?" Sun Jack was surprised at her capability to gather intelligence.
"Of course, I've slept with him countless times, and I've even slept with his father."
With his arms crossed, Sun Jack said in amazement, "With such gossip, why doesn't the kid ask for my help?"
"Kids like PUS from the streets always care about their image. He would never openly ask his friends to help find his mother. That's too embarrassing for him."
"I suggest we could use some of the company resources to look for her. If we really help PUS find his mother, it would strengthen our bond with him. His loyalty to you could increase, and it might even stop his embezzlement."
"Hah, that won't happen. Even if we find his mother for him, he'll still be dirty," Sun Jack remarked dismissively and then immediately contacted Tapai to have the cybersecurity department start a wide-scale search through the network.
"In the future, tell me about such things right away."
"Of course."
Sun Jack stuffed the last few desserts into his mouth and walked out.
Meanwhile, Linda Linda quietly started to clean up the dishes, watching the drone leave with the plates and sighing.
It's not that she wanted to be this way, but she knew she was too soft-hearted, and being with this kid, it was too easy to fall into his traps.
She really just wanted a decent job, to earn money earnestly. She didn't want to meddle in other people's business at all.
This way of interacting was best; it was comfortable for everyone.