Chapter 32 Part II Tasin-13

consider next steps When I got back into the hall, I was a little out of breath.Which is not surprising since I ran almost a half marathon down the endless corridors and I was desperate to get out of here.I finally descended the last flight of stairs (can't risk the elevator, in case that group of Finns suddenly appeared), and stopped to catch my breath.I straightened my clothes, shifted my briefcase from one sweaty hand to the other, and prepared to walk calmly down the hall to the door; as if I had just concluded a very ordinary, very ordinary meeting.I didn't look away, and I didn't think about the fact that I had just completely ruined my chances of becoming a high-class banker.I just want to go to that glass door and get out without letting anyone...

"Rebecca!" came a voice behind me, and I was petrified.Damn, they're after me! "Haallo!" I stammered, turning around. "Haallo...oh...haallo!" It's Luke Brandon. Standing in front of me was Luke Brandon.He looked down at me with his usual strange eyes. "I didn't expect to meet you in a place like this," he said. "You're looking for a hot job, aren't you?" Why not? Does he think I'm not smart enough? "Actually," I replied haughtily, "I'm considering a job change. Maybe a foreign bank, or a futures brokerage."

"Really?" he said. "That's a shame." Shame? What does that mean? Why is it shame? When I looked up at him and met his black eyes, it made me feel dizzy, and deep down, somehow, Claire's words came to me in mind.Luke Brandon asked me if I had a boyfriend. "You..." I cleared my throat, "Why are you here?" "Oh, I hire from here a lot," he said. "They're very efficient. Impersonal, but efficient." He shrugged, then glanced at my shiny briefcase. "Did they find any work for you?" "I've...had a lot of opportunities," I said, "and I'm thinking about my next move."

And in fact, my next step was to just walk out the door. "I see," he said after a pause, "are you here on a day off?" "Yes," I said, "of course I'm on leave." What did he think? Think I just slipped out for two or three hours and said I was at a press conference? Actually, it's not such a bad idea.I might try it next time. "So... what are you going to do now?" he asked. Can't say "nothing"; never say "nothing". "Well, I've got some errands to do," I said. "A few phone calls, meeting people. It's always like that."

"Aha," he said and nodded, "yes, then I won't hold you back." He looked around the hall, "I wish you all the best and find your dream job." "Thank you." I smiled hurriedly at him. Then he walked towards the door, and I stood there with my heavy briefcase, feeling a bit lost.I waited for him to disappear before I walked slowly out the gate and into the street.I stand on the street.To be honest, I really don't know what to do next.I had planned to call each of my friends today and tell them I had a great new job as a futures broker.But I didn't expect... Anyway, forget it, don't think about it.

But I can't stand on the sidewalk outside the "William Green" company all the time.Otherwise, passers-by would think I was a work of art or something.So I ended up walking down the street, thinking I'd be able to decide what I was going to do when I got to the subway station.I came to a corner and waited for the green light to turn green when a taxi pulled up beside me and stopped. "I know you're very busy, and you still have a lot to do." Luke Brandon's voice came, and I raised my head in surprise.There he was, poking his head out of the cab, staring straight at me with black eyes and a slight smile on his face. "But if you have half an hour to spare, you might like to go shopping, how?"

This day is so unreal.Totally, utterly untrue! I got into the cab, put down my bulky briefcase, and gave Luke a nervous look as I sat down.I already kind of regret it.What if he asked me a question about interest rates? What if he wanted to talk about Bundesbank or the prospects for U.S. economic growth? But all he said to the driver was, "Harrods, please. — Annotation." After the car started, I couldn't help but smile on my face.This is so cool.I thought I'd have to go home, sad alone; now, I'm on my way to Harrods, and someone else is paying.It doesn't get any better than this!

All the way forward, I looked out the car window, and the streets were bustling with people.Even though it's March, there are still some discounted signs hanging in the store windows, and it's a clearance campaign that's been going on since January.I found myself looking at the windows and wondering if I had missed some great bargains on sale.The car was temporarily parked at the door of a branch of Lloyds Bank. I looked out casually and saw a line of people inside. Then I heard myself say: "You know what? The bank should hold a cheap event in January, and other The same should be true for the industry.”

There was a moment of silence, and I looked up to see Luke Brandon with an amused look on his face. "A bank?" he said. "Why not?" I argued, "They could lower their rates for a month or something, and the building society could do the same. Put up big posters in the windows 'jump prices'..." I thought for a moment, "Or, they could Hold bargain sales in April post-tax. Investors can do the same and get 50% off a range of funds.” "A discounted sale of an investment trust," said Luke Brandon slowly. "First raise the price, then lower it."

"Exactly," I said. "Everyone loves a discount, even rich people." The taxi continued to drive forward, and I saw a woman outside the car in a gorgeous white coat. I don't know where she bought that dress.Maybe it was Harrods.Maybe I should get a white coat too.In addition to white, other colors are not worn throughout the winter.Snow-white coat, snow-white plush hat.People will call me "the girl in the white coat". When I turned around, Luke was writing something in a little notebook.He looked up, looked me in the eye for a moment, and then said, "Rebecca, do you really want to leave journalism?"

"Oh," I replied vaguely.To be honest, I've forgotten all about leaving journalism. "I don't know, maybe." "Do you really think banking is a better fit for you?" "Who knew?" I was a little disgusted by his tone.For him, everything went well.He doesn't need to worry about his future - he has a multi-million pound company.And I, with a multimillion-pound bank overdraft! "Ellie Granger is leaving Investor Weekly," I continued, "and going to Wesby as a treasury manager." "I've heard," he said, "but you're not like Ellie Granger." Really? That's an interesting statement.If I'm not Ellie, who am I? Maybe Kristin Scott Thomas Kristin Scott Thomas, a British actor who starred in Four Weddings and a Funeral, The English Patient and more. ——Someone who is as cool as the translation notes. "You have an imagination," Luke went on, "and she doesn't." Wow! Now I'm literally flabbergasted! Luke? Brandon thinks I have an imagination? Whoops! That's great, isn't it? That really works. "You're imaginative." Well, yes, I like that statement, unless... Wait! Isn’t that some kind of euphemism for him to think I’m stupid? Or is it a lie? Like “creative representation”? Perhaps, he meant to say that none of my articles are factual. Oh my! I don't know if I'm supposed to smile. To hide my embarrassment, I looked out the window.We stopped at a red light and a fat woman in a pink velvet tracksuit was crossing the street.She carried several shopping bags in her hand, and she also had a pug on a leash.Her hands seemed to be overwhelmed, carrying this and dropping that.It was so demoralizing that I wanted to jump out of the car and help her.Suddenly, a bag slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.The mouth opened—three huge buckets of ice cream fell out and rolled on the road. Don't laugh, I told myself.You have to look mature.Don't laugh! I squeezed my lips tightly, but finally couldn't restrain myself, and giggled twice. I look at Luke, and his mouth is also tight. Then the woman started chasing after her ice cream, also on a leash with her pug.I couldn't help giggling.When the pug got to the ice cream before the woman, it started trying to lift the lid with its teeth.I was dying laughing! I looked at Luke, unbelievable, and he too was laughing so hard that he was wiping his eyes with his hands.God, I thought Luke Brandon wouldn't laugh like that! "Oh my God," I finally managed to calm down, "I know people shouldn't laugh at people. But it's just..." "That dog!" Luke Brandon laughed again. "That bloody dog!" "And that suit!" When the car started to start again and passed the woman in pink, I couldn't help shivering.She was bending over to pick up the ice cream, her big pink buttocks stuck in midair. "Sorry, but pink velvet tracksuits should be banned on this planet." "I totally agree," Luke said, nodding solemnly. "Pink velvet tracksuits are banned here, plus old-fashioned bow ties." "And men's briefs." I blurted out, but my face turned red.How could I mention men's briefs in front of Luke Brandon? "And toffee popcorn," I added hastily. "That's right," Luke said, "so we'll ban pink velvet tracksuits, old-fashioned bow ties, men's briefs, and toffee-flavored popcorn..." "There are passengers who haven't brought change." The driver's voice came from the front. "Well said," Luke shrugged slightly, "passengers without change." "And the passengers who vomited in the car, they were the worst!" "agree……" "And passengers who don't know where the hell they're going." Luke and I exchanged glances, and I started laughing again. "And passengers who don't speak the local language, they're going to drive you crazy!" "Yes," said Luke, "so...in fact, most of the passengers..." "Don't get me wrong," the taxi driver said, "I don't exclude foreigners..." He stopped the car at the gate of Harrods, "Here we are! Are you going to go shopping?" "That's right." Luke pulled out his wallet. "So, what are you buying?" I looked at Luke expectantly.He still hasn't told me what to buy here.Clothes? After-shave lotion? Well, I'll have to keep smelling his cheeks (which I honestly don't mind doing).Or furniture? Or something boring like a new desk? "It's a suitcase." He handed ten pounds to the driver, "There's no need to look for it."