Yesterday c28

昨天 by 風弄 Chapter 28

Yesterday by Feng Nong.

The following few days, my heart is extremely ill at ease. Not just because of YuJiang's viciously sinister words "one pond of spring water" (I firmly believe it is sinister); it's also because aside from this unease, I also have to deal with my shrewd parents, not letting them make out my uneasiness.

The rumors about GuiDe bank were gradually picked up by the media, and as expected, triggered a frightful period of financial chaos. I only look on coldly, and as expected, it calmed down very quickly, the stock price rising high. Compared to the original price that didn't fall much, it rose considerably. The onlookers only know that the governor of GuiDe pulled strongly against the crazy tide, and made it through the crisis, making him seem even more impressive.

The ones that suffered were the clueless smalltime shareholders, without insider information, selling at the low point and buying at the high point. I am certain that further transactions of considerable profit was made but I already don't want to think any more about it. One look at reports on this matter and I would change the channel impatiently.

The growth of Huang enterprise progressed smoothly with me only a.s.suming the role of a responsible and diligent president. Going about in a hurry, trying in increase profits is a b.u.mpy road. In the past, I never imagined there would come a day when I would go all out at work.

The negotiations with the FeiRuoLin cosmetics company is finally settled and the contract will be officially signed. This is one of the five major projects of Huang enterprise this year. I decide to go to Canada in person.

Once outside the airport, the cold air hits my face. Looks like Vancouver winters are this cold. One big snowstorm and the world is blanketed in white. I don't know why I suddenly think of winter in HongKong. Over there, a winter frost is already a big thing. The thing that appears in front of my eyes, incredibly, is that little bird that only loves to sing outside the Rong mansion. I must really be going crazy. I shake my head. Don't even mention singing birds in winter, I grew up in France, why would I a.s.sociate winter all the way to HongKong? I can't help but curse YuJiang, all this must be his fault, right up to this moment, this day.

The staff from the branch company meets me at the airport. After a casual tour, they drop me off at the chosen hotel. I have not done many inspections. Truthfully speaking, since I have only taken over Huang enterprise for a short time, yet having such impressive achievements, the staff of the branch company probably regard me as a "demonic" president. Therefore, the manner they treat me, if not one of extreme caution, is like silent cicadas in winter . It's like being on guard against a formidable foe. Even though it underscores my importance, this cautious manner leaves me very uncomfortable.

Letting them cl.u.s.ter all around me as we enter the hotel, I suddenly feel very uneasy. This lets me think of the days when I was held captive. The behavior of the staff members at my side is somewhat similar to those superficially smiling bodyguards. While cursing YuJiang, I feel anxious. After that inexplicable phone call, I would think of that person no matter what it is. It's said that the devil's poison, once flowing into a person's heart, can not be treated by any medicine. How can one not be terrified?

"Boss!"

In the middle of my panicked state, a clear melodious sound rescues me. Putting away the crazy thoughts in my mind, I turn around, unable to contain my surprised delight:

"HongBing?" Dressed in a lovely shimmering sweater, hurriedly entering the hotel entrance carrying a traveling case. The concierge quickly steps forward to help carry her luggage.

"Luckily I'm in time." HongBing hands her case over to the concierge and comes up to me grinning: "Such a major event, signing the contract with FeiRuoLin, how can I, a first cla.s.s secretary, not be here?" That's right, although the personnel office a.s.signed a temporary secretary to replace HongBing, we didn't develop a close rapport. Therefore, for this signing, I definitely did not think of bringing the replacement secretary. HongBing's competence and adaptability really can't be matched.

"The two months of vacation is already over?" I add up the days in my head: "Or is it that you miss me, the world's number one boss, cannot bear to see me bruised and battered?" HongBing stands at the reception desk in the lobby, taking care of the check-in process, turns her head and says:

"Who has such a sentimental heart? Those two months, one half was for romance, the other half was to repay my overtime, how can that not be worth it? Times are different, people are more realistic." She is in great spirits, a little like a scene in those j.a.panese idol dramas, shouting towards the heavens 'I will do my best!', before starting work. I find it quite hilarious. I put on a suffering look:

"Overtime pay is three times the regular pay, wouldn't that be too much loss for me?" Seeing HongBing, my emotions take a positive turn, my expression brightens considerably. The staff members from the branch company that were following by my side look at each other in surprise. The president that was pulling a long face all along is suddenly all smiles, like a spring breeze. Meeting up with HongBing, is a pleasant surprise. Truthfully speaking, without her by my side, everything does not go well, becoming too troublesome. I treat this as a good omen for this Vancouver trip. I take advantage of this opportunity and push down the image of YuJiang that was endlessly appearing in my mind.

When we arrived at the hotel, it was already the afternoon, with nightfall approaching quickly. I politely refused the invitations from others and went to hotel restaurant downstairs together with HongBing for dinner. HongBing brings out a multicolored box from her bag, and hands it to me, saying happily and excitedly:

"A present for you, to thank you for the vacation time you gave me." Taking into consideration her regard for me, I happily accepted, jokingly saying:

"This present is worth the heavy price I paid. Almost overworked and straining my back muscles." I open the gift in front of HongBing, it is an exquisite music box of fine workmanship. I open it, the mechanism inside starts to move, *dingding dangdang* metallic sound. After listening attentively for a while, it is actually the tune 'three little pigs'. I thought it would be something like 'Blue Danube'. Really a little girl. I wink at HongBing, laughing at her immaturity. HongBing says:

"This music box, when you're feeling hurt and depressed, it will make you feel better."

"Saying it like that, this is actually a priceless magical box." I tease her, my heart jumping suddenly. Don't tell me she knows about all the things that happened between YuJiang and me, if not, why would she say 'sad and depressed'? Thinking of that, my expression stiffens. HongBing is very astute, immediately sensing it. She was smiling brilliantly but now asks cautiously:

"Boss, why are you not happy? Or is it because you don't like this tune?" Her tone is a little frightened. YuJiang and I are not international figures, who would follow us which such interest? After my face sank, I immediately recover, realizing my mistake, getting suspicious over every little thing. I force a smile and wave my hand:

"What are you talking about? I'm only thinking, in return for one month of vacation, just giving me a music box, it's really not worth it." At this point, we should change the topic, consider the matter all wrapped up, and continue on chatting and laughing merrily. I didn't expect HongBing to heave a long sigh after listening to my words, speaking with a serious face:

"Boss, you're always very unhappy. Why is it?" Her expression is that of a friend who sincerely wants to ease the problem that weighs on my mind. This is a sudden a.s.sault, coming without warning, I'm unable to deflect, sitting wide-eyed on the spot. I'm not happy? Don't tell me in HongBing's eyes, I am a man that is always frowning slightly, filled with anxiety. I can't accept it. All along, the reason that kept me trying my best, was so that I would not be controlled by YuJiang, so that I would not feel completely powerless, so that I would no longer be an incompetent coward. I hoped that, in the eyes of others, I would be like a man standing on a peak, dazzling the people around me.

"HongBing, don't make absurd guesses of what's in the heart of others." I spit out after a long time, my throat completely dry. Probably because my expression is too pained, HongBing lowers her head in embarra.s.sment. She is extremely uneasy:

"I'm sorry. I have overstepped our professional relationship." I sigh, and look at her gently:

"We are friends." But no friend has the right to open the b.l.o.o.d.y wound on my body and probe into it. I pat HongBing's lowered head saying: "Are you done eating? We still have work tomorrow. It's better if we retire early." I wave my hand and settle the bill. In the elevator, HongBing keeps her head down. I know that my reaction hurt the feelings of the young girl that cares for me. The words I just said are probably making it very difficult for her to be at ease. A girl that is immersed in love, would probably want to share the love she is experiencing with others. Such an ordinary act of friendship, no matter how you look at it, is not an intrusive move, why did I lose control to such an extent? I send HongBing to her room, saying: "HongBing, I apologize for what I said, please don't take it to heart."

"I should be the one to apologize." HongBing softly spilled out these words, hanging her head for a moment before quickly raising it up and smiling brilliantly at me: "Really, it's not a big deal. You apologizing, me apologizing, the contract tomorrow is the most important. I still need to prepare the materials. Goodnight boss, see you tomorrow morning." She waves lightheartedly at me and enters her room. If it really wasn't such a big deal, why would there be such a heavy guilty conscience? HongBing's manner is that of a modern city dweller. Ai, I'm of a different cla.s.s. I smile in embarra.s.sment, stroking my nose, and return to my room.

I take a hot bath, and turn up the heat all the way up in the room, all cozy in my pajamas. I flip through the newspaper but nothing catches my eye. I look around and catch sight of the music box on the sofa. Since I have nothing to do, I walk idly over, and open the music box, placing it in the center of the big, soft, and fluffy bed. The tune of the 'three little pigs' flutter lightly in the air. It really is a tune that makes one feel better. HongBing said:

"Open it when you are feeling sad and depressed. It will make you feel better." She also said: "Boss, you're always very unhappy." Don't tell me that on my face is clearly written - I'm not happy - those three words? While going over the official doc.u.ments regarding the expansion of Huang enterprise, I realize after painstaking efforts, that I never achieved my target. I'm still not happy, isn't that right?

I really admire HongBing. She is truly a modern woman. Able to adapt to the cruel changes of society, not agonizing over love, daring to fight, daring to forget. Take tonight for instance, I can't be like her, with one toss of her head, acting as if nothing happened. Don't tell me the people of today are so resilient? Then won't I be considered like the middle Lin sister in the Dream of the Red Chamber, a totally unwelcome a.n.a.logy. After listening to 'three little pigs' a few times over and over, I put a stop to my scattered thoughts, close the music box, and turn over to go to sleep.

My body sinks into the soft as silk mattress and sleep soon takes over. Many fluffy clouds seem to float before my eyes, breathtakingly beautiful. It's as if I'm lying in the middle of a swaying swing, the surroundings constantly changing around me.

"ShengSheng ...... " I vaguely hear a familiar voice by my ear. Magnificently deep, like Satan's temptation, leaving people unable to escape, only wanting to draw nearer, all confused and unsuspecting. In the middle of the daze, I unexpectedly get the feel when YuJiang used to come sit at my bedside late at night. The blissfulness and warmth of before, intoxicates even the heart. The lips behind my ear are suddenly warm, as if someone is patiently licking me over and over. Dream and reality gets too tangled to unravel and I suddenly feel something is wrong. Such a realistic feeling, how can it be a dream? Don't tell me there is someone ..........

I suffer a huge shock, and risk my life to pull myself from the dream world, gritting my teeth and struggling to open my eyes. It takes a while before I begin to regain the function of my five senses. There is not a soul in sight, only a ominous air lingering in the room. The sound of gentle knocking on the door travels in. Especially since I just had such a frightening dream, my heart is startled. I fling the coverlet and shouted in a deep voice:

"Who is it?" The person outside the room seems to hesitate, the knocking stops, it was a few seconds later before someone answers:

"It's me." I heave a sigh, and climb down from the bed. I open the door and HongBing is standing there with her head bowed.

"Don't tell me you're here to apologize again? HongBing, we can't apologize to each other all the way to the next year." I intentionally bring up what happened as a joke. I don't want HongBing to have a knot in her heart later.

"Boss ....... " HongBing raises her head, and timidly opens her mouth. I am very fl.u.s.tered when I see that both her eyes are extremely red and swollen.

"What happened?" After this one question, it's like a dam bursts in HongBing. It's like she can no longer endure, she throws herself into my arms, and starts to sob loudly. It's in the middle of the night, the attendant runs over immediately to see what happened. I apologize in embarra.s.sment, and pull HongBing into the room, and place her on the sofa. "What happened exactly?" HongBing cries for a long time, really difficult to stop, saying between sobs:

"He and I have separated." That 'he', must be HongBing's groom. I sigh sympathetically, I never thought that behind her strong fighting spirit, she has also been hurt so much that she could no longer endure it. What's the point of forcing a look of happiness in front of others, and then breaking down in the middle of the night, crying to such an extent.

"What happened? He didn't treat you well? Or did he do something to hurt you?" It's hard to tell the matters of human life, not long ago I was still thinking that she is definitely perfectly happy, full of enthusiasm, nothing standing in her way. HongBing lowers her head slightly, gritting her teeth. I never thought that HongBing could show this type of damsel in distress look:

"I myself don't know how it came to this." She says between sobs: "I don't have anything to say, just that my heart is full of bitterness." At first, I couldn't help but try to comfort this young girl, but after hearing those words, I'm sh.e.l.l-shocked, my heart starting to twitch.

Don't have anything to say, just that the heart is full of bitterness .........

Looks like it's not just me who suffers from such a heart wrenching bitterness. Right away I empathize with a fellow sufferer, comforting HongBing in a hundred ways. My innate eloquence is supposedly pretty good, but after speaking countless comforting words, I still couldn't change HongBing's sorrowful look, only succeeding in persuading her to go to sleep.

After finally persuading her to sleep, I heave a sigh of relief. This disturbance took up half the night, of course I won't have enough sleep. I acted the part of a gentleman and offered the bed to HongBing, leaving me the sofa.

Even before I got up, my whole body was aching, a pain in my back. HongBing is already up, saying beside my ear:

"Boss, I'm telling you dutifully, you can sleep for another twenty minutes. Any longer and we would probably be late for the contract signing between Huang enterprise and FeiRuoLin." One night later, listening to her manner of speaking, it's as if everything is already fine and dandy. Can it be that a woman's ability to adapt to changes is so incredible? I force my eyes open and catch sight of the two swollen eyes of HongBing, a result of last night's intense crying. I ask:

"HongBing, are you alright?" HongBing's face drops, but she quickly covers with a smile:

"What could be wrong? It's just men, nothing more. Boss, this matter, my family knows nothing about, so ........ " I quickly shake my head:

"I'm not that much of a busybody, going all the way to your family. Last night's matter, is of course a secret." I turn over and get up from the sofa, ma.s.saging my tingling waist, and say earnestly: "As a matter of fact, that you're willing to come find me when you're hurt, really makes me feel touched. In fact, I've always looked upon you as a good friend." HongBing covers her laughter:

"I never thought that I could be so bold as to rush all the way here bawling my eyes out. But at that time, I really thought that boss would definitely be able to help me make peace with what happened."

"O? Why is that?" Don't tell me that I look like an experienced psychiatrist? HongBing laughs saying:

"It's nothing, just an intuition." She says such but I actually know the reason. Because in her eyes, I am definitely someone that has received a lot of suffering, therefore, towards her plight, she could come running over in the middle of the night to ask me to commiserate with her. I couldn't help but return to last evening's topic:

"HongBing, do you really think that I'm not happy?"

"Do you really want an answer?"

"Of course, you may as well speak frankly." After one night, our relationship became even closer. HongBing stops restraining herself:

"Ai, boss. When a person is unhappy, no matter how he tries to cover it up, he is still unhappy. Just like me, smiling brilliantly and yet unable to cover up the wound I received from this cruel knife." She is no longer smiling, pursing her lips with her head lowered. I have nothing to say. Like a person that has fallen into the depths of despair. Was it the acute pain in the pit of her stomach that first made her think of me, who has been equally hurt? Can this be some sort of telepathy? After getting hurt, everything returns to normal. I don't know if we should commend our realistic nature or sigh at our cold-blooded nature, ruthless even to our own hearts. I don't want to waste one more minute on self-pity.

HongBing returns to her room to prepare the necessary materials. I put away the music box that she gave me. Dressed up, the two of us meet again in the corridor. The hotel attendant couldn't help himself from giving us a few looks. This is not unexpected. A man and a woman in a professional relationship, suddenly the woman comes running over in the middle of the night, staying in the room the whole night, anyone would speculate. Luckily the French are an open-minded society, I'm definitely not out of line in this matter, and I'm also not going to explain myself.

At first, everything is normal. Once in the elevator, just when the door was about to close, suddenly a male voice calls out:

"Please wait a minute." A single arm dressed in a branded suit, sticks in between the two sliding doors, forcing its way in. The elevator door stops on contact and opens up again immediately. I size up the man indifferently, big and tall, with a brave spirit. He holds the door open but does not come in, moving aside to stand outside the door, holding down the 'Door Open' b.u.t.ton, as if waiting for someone.

Sure enough, a few men in trim suits are walking over. The men are all big and tall, at the center is the most important one, one with extreme confidence, making him stand out. Although the hotel elevator is not small, this many big and tall men standing inside, the s.p.a.ce is suddenly crowded. HongBing and I are naturally pushed into corners. That most striking man is standing in front of me, simply speaking, completely blocking my way out. HongBing is presumably scared by this underworld-like situation, but I have no reaction.

You could blame my composed reaction up to this point on the fact that the moment this person showed his face, my soul had already flown away, not knowing where my body is. Appearing like the devil, firmly not allowing any denial. I stare blankly at the person in front of me, casting aside HongBing's plight beyond cloud nine.

Two men, eyes locked on each other, standing in the elevator, one cowering, extremely terrified, the other calm and reserved, hiding his thoughts. How comical! Moreover, there are so many onlookers in the elevator. But I can't say a word. My body and my heart are both trembling fiercely, as if one flick of a finger would smash my body into countless pieces, forming a pile of fragments on the ground. My thoughts are drifting about in a daze.

The person in front of me, YuJiang, his eyes have not moved even a fraction once they set on me, as if he knows that just by using the expression in his eyes, he can already cut me to pieces. His gaze soaks through every inch of me. Too many hidden intentions are contained in YuJiang's eyes, just like Solomon's mines. Glittering like crystals, shining like the stars. It's a pity that I'm too terrified, simply in no position to take notice.

"Ding!" The elevator suddenly lets out a pleasant ring. I wake up abruptly, as if coming out of a deep dream. Looks like we've reached the main floor. HongBing that had long ago been pushed to the entrance takes one step and exits, waiting for me nervously by the elevator door. I also want to go out but YuJiang stands in my way. This nemesis of my life, faced with him, how can I find the strength to move? Even my breath starts to get ragged. The men with YuJiang also start to leave in twos and threes. I hope that he too would leave but he insistently stays put, just staring at me. The people wanting to get on the elevator are held back courteously by YuJiang's bodyguards. Heaven knows what they think is happening.

My attention is concentrated on the most dangerous person. YuJiang's dark and bottomless eyes are staring at me all along, he suddenly stretches out his hand behind him to push the b.u.t.ton for the highest floor of the hotel. The elevator doors close back up, suddenly, there are only two of us in this narrow s.p.a.ce. The tension makes one unable to breathe. I hold back the pain in my chest, firmly keeping my mouth shut. YuJiang looks at me, all along not saying a word. He doesn't shift his gaze even one bit, making it hard for me to bear, like being burned by flames.

Caught in a deadlock, the elevator finally reaches the top floor. The elevator doors open up once again. I steal a glance at YuJiang, stealthily, uneasily, terrified that he still has some other trick to torment me. Don't tell me he wants to throw me down from up here? Given his influence, no one would send this famous general to prison for murder.

In the middle of my wild thoughts, YuJiang finally starts to move, coming closer to me. My whole body stiffens.

"You shared the room with your secretary last night?" He stops a hair's breadth away from me, not moving any closer. The implication in his words, rather than jealousy, was more like ridicule.

"So what?" I'm suddenly infuriated. I strike back ruthlessly. "Rong YuJiang, don't think that there would definitely be someone that is dead set on you." Clearly my counter-attack did not succeed. YuJiang's face shows no sign of panic, his provoking look also shows no sign of decreasing.

The elevator doors close once more. The elevator heads downwards. We wage a battle with our eyes, silently confronting each other. YuJiang's familiar scent floats up to the tip of my nose, I suddenly think of something.

"Rong YuJiang, did you secretly slip into my room last night?" The thing I thought I smelled last night is the familiar scent of YuJiang. A sudden terrifying thought comes to mind, don't tell me I have always been in the middle of his palm, just that the cage has become a little bigger, nothing more. If he nods, I will definitely scream my lungs out. As if testing my patience, YuJiang looks at me coldly for a long time, keeping his mouth tightly shut.

I suddenly feel hopelessly stupid, trapped in an elevator under his watch, still lacking any strength to fight back. The unyielding look in my eyes slowly gets stronger.

This time, it's another "ding", one ring, telling us that the elevator is once again at the main floor. The elevator door opens, a worried HongBing and YuJiang's bodyguards are still waiting outside the door. I thought YuJiang would once again press the b.u.t.ton for the top floor and make a complete fool out of me in the elevator. Instead, he actually turns around and walks out. Just before leaving, he leaves an ice-cold response in the narrow elevator:

"ShengSheng, do you think I will always be dead set on you?" Endless ridicule is contained in those words. I remain in a daze in a corner of the elevator, unable to move. Hearing those words, I almost throw up blood on the spot. YuJiang and his entourage leaves with a flourish, only then does HongBing enter the elevator carefully, and drags me, who has lost my soul, out of the elevator.

"Boss? What's the matter?" My soul slowly returns, I turn my gaze onto HongBing:

"It's nothing."

"Is that the CEO of Rong enterprise? First time seeing him in the flesh, he is even manlier than in the papers." HongBing sees how shaken I am, and tactfully neglects to ask why: "The time to sign the contract is almost here, we should hurry up a little." I nod my head and walk out the entrance with HongBing.

The contract with FeiRuoLin has already been discussed and settled, only leaving the signing ceremony as the final step. Luckily that's the case, so even though my heart is not in it, even thought my condition is abnormal, I can still sign the contract smoothly.

After the signing, naturally everyone moves on to the celebratory reception in high spirits. As the president of Huang enterprise, of course I can't refuse. I can only force myself to smile at the reception, standing around for almost half an hour. Soon after I start to feel dizzy. I apologize to my counterpart and give the excuse of being too tired from the flight, furthermore not having enough sleep, finally just like running away from the reception back to the hotel.

This Vancouver trip is a string of disasters. It would be better to return to France as soon as possible. I already have this intention in the elevator. A place where Rong YuJiang is present, would never be nirvana. I hurry towards the room from the elevator, terrified that I would run into YuJiang. The fear I have of him would never disappear as long as I live. I take out the key and open the door, carefully locking it again before turning around.

Thunderstruck, I'm rooted to the spot, once again unable to move. There is an uninvited guest in the room, standing in front of me. His hand is holding my pajamas, looking coldly at me. If what I saw from the corner of my eye when I turned around was right, he was just rubbing his face gently on my pajamas with his eyes closed. My heart races .........

"Aren't you supposed to be at the celebratory reception? You're back early." An even tone, not the least bit ashamed or embarra.s.sed. I roar at him:

"Rong YuJiang! You are a psycho! Put down my pajamas." Every time I see this person, it's like I suddenly lose all my strength. YuJiang says serenely:

"O? This is your pajamas?" Under my indignant gaze, he carelessly flings my pajamas away, laughing: "I thought it belongs to your precious secretary."

"No matter whose it is, your behavior is exactly like that of a psycho." I gnash my teeth: "You should go see a psychiatrist." YuJiang's sinister gaze imprisons me, making me break out in cold sweat. He takes one step towards me and I immediately retreat a few steps.

"ShengSheng, don't drag other people into your degenerate ways." YuJiang slowly comes closer, like a smiling hunter approaching his prey: "The victim will be very miserable." Looking at his cryptic smile, my heart starts to quake.

"YuJiang, entering other people's room without authorization, spying on private property, is against the law."

"The hotel staff simply gave me the wrong key, so I ....... just went to the wrong adjacent room. This can't be a serious crime?" Yet another crafty excuse! It is as if he was born with this talent for deception. I stare at him hatefully, bracing myself against the possibility that I would lose the will to fight at any moment. YuJiang sees how I'm staring at him, and as if deciding that I won't be able to make any move, closes his eyes and inhales deeply a few times. As if trying his best to take in the scent of the air. Just what is he up to? My hair is standing on end. Don't tell me he placed a hypnotic drug in the room, wanting to .........

"There are no scents on your body."

"What?" His mocking smile from earlier this morning returns, YuJiang's lips suddenly curl up, revealing a tender smile:

"ShengSheng, there is no scent of a woman on your body."

A sudden strike of thunder hits me on the head. Piercing through my organs, destroying everything. Where can I find a little will to fight? I take a deep breath, but fail to motivate myself.

My lips heat up, YuJiang is already invading them. Stirring up surging emotions within me, this person suddenly retreats. Immediately I feel completely empty. In despair, I almost shed tears. YuJiang retreats a few steps, staying a distance from me, tenderly gazing at my face. At this moment, I'm still lost in his tenderness, blankly returning his gaze.

"ShengSheng, you're the one that first provoked me. I'm just returning the favor, that's not too much is it?" After saying those words, YuJiang walks leisurely and contentedly towards the door. I stare foolishly as he casually walks out the room. Up until the door closes, it's as if I'm caught in a dream.

Only returning the favor? Is that so. YuJiang, you've come from thousands of miles away, scheming at every turn, don't tell me it's all because of my one phone call, making ripples in your "pond of spring water"? Maybe you're just like me, too deeply poisoned ...........

I heave a huge sigh, picking up the phone, connecting to the front desk.

"I'm the guest in room 1709, please book two air tickets for me on the earliest flight to the Lyon airport in France. One other thing, may I ask, the guest who checked in to the room adjacent to 1709, is it under the Rong surname?"

"You can't tell me? That's fine, thank you."