Wearing a white sports cap and dressed in sportswear, Hana was obviously out for a run, her breath coming in short gasps. But I still blurted out the most stupid opening question the world might have ever seen.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7SVEL5dWB
"Hana, are you... running?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8a49xZai5h
"What a 'smart' question!" She laughed and replied, "Otherwise do you think I am eating right now?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7kNF4KhHw
"Oh, right, of course." I stuttered, "Um, were you, you you... okay today?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY76LB2VPwh
"I... I... I... was fine!" She looked displeased. "I got insulted for no reason and was called 'a spoiled child', which made me mad, so I had to go for a run to blow off some steam."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0S2ARnVYF2
"I'm sorry." I apologised sincerely. "I was way over the top and I didn't actually mean it."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQKpfv9jRN
"Oh just forget it." Hana smiled. "I'll think it over. What you said actually makes some sense. Sometimes I'm just too eager for instant results and quick wins."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkLaeGDp8q
With that, she took a deep breath and reached out her hand to me.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwX3dkQnc9
"Let's call it even now."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCwOymfh5r
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I cautiously extended my hand and shook hers to make amends.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQwggUGtrm
Was it because she had just finished running? Her hand was damp with sweat, yet warm and gentle, giving me a sense of security.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RYusk4ldf
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Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat, and I completely forgot to let go of her hand.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQQdbuHkAK
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After a few seconds, she forcefully pulled her hand away. Her cheeks glowed rosy, and she looked shy and unlike her usual self. An awkward silence pervaded the air.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VoA7QRabH
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"Do you..." I tried to break the silence. "Do you live in Shatin too?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoRWdyi0RF
"Yes, just across the river." Hana pointed to the other side of the Shing Mun River.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRUb9dB7iD
"Oh, do you often go running by the river?" I asked.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dxibic5cn
"Yeah you could say that." Hana replied. "Actually, I only started running again a few months ago. Before that, I spent a lot of time studying and didn't have much time for exercise."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUIBhg9aih
"I see." I chuckled. "So, did I interrupt your run just now?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWIyqEDFk8
"Oh, of course you did!" Hana rolled her eyes. "So let's say goodbye now, okay?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5d1s2YGuG
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With that, Hana made a cheeky face and stuck out her tongue mischievously.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLou6wz2Np
We looked at each other and laughed, the spell of awkwardness completely gone. We walked and talked along the river. As I explained the reason for my outburst in the meeting earlier, I also dared to ask her about the reason for her "showing off". And I wondered, why being called "a spoiled child" had such a big impact on her.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm37Q3MkaBF
"When I was very young, my father died in a traffic accident." Hana said. "The driver was drunk. Although he was sentenced to prison and my mother received compensation from the insurance, it couldn't compensate for her emotional pain and the financial impact on us. That's why I resent(?) care so much about being called 'a spoiled child'."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze1LIlrq2s
"I'm sorry. I was being such an insensitive person." I apologised. "And it must have brought back painful memories for you."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4t7KudOxl
"It's okay. It's been years." Hana replied.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4nLlFIWlg
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Hana's gaze was stubborn and unyielding.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtPcTMI4Wl
After taking a sip of water, she continued.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJtiCPBpFA
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"After that, my mother and I depended on each other. We were from a grassroots background, and our living conditions were quite difficult. My mother took care of me while working outside to support our living. I didn't have much entertainment as a child. One of the occasional best moments was going to McDonald's and sharing a filet-o-fish and a cola with my mother. That would made me happy for at least a week."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4LoLgoitP
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Thinking about how I often wasted food, I felt very guilty.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1JXXmWMse
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"Maybe because I was aware of my family's struggling from a young age, I seldom moaned, was very sensible and worked hard at my studies." Hana continued. "But my grades weren't very good. Fortunately, I happened to be good at computers, and programming came naturally to me, so I got accepted as a Computer Science student at a university."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JmmsX3D2h
"In those days, that wasn't a mainstream choice anymore." I interrupted.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6htG37ooB
"Haha, you're right. I think that's why I was accepted." Hana smiled wryly. "I knew it but I didn't mind that at all. What I was most concerned was to repay our debts as soon as possible and make my mother's life better. So after graduating from university, I immediately started working at a software company and earned a decent salary. But good times don't last, and I was laid off after a few months. I don't know the real reason why I was laid off. They just said it was a 'restructuring of the company', but I think it was simply because I didn't work hard enough and thus was surplus to requirements! So when I joined this company, I made a promise to myself that I must be aggressive right from day one, and seize every opportunity that I can to show my values.'199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2XP8uaL7y
Hana finished speaking and looked at me earnestly. By this point I was well relieved and understood the reasoning behind her 'betrayal'.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosPDgGZVnK
I nodded, indicating that I understood her reason for striving.
"I understand," I responded. "Don't worry, I'm well-known as a good supervisor! Especially when you perform well, I'll make sure you get good rewards."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6cEcnnJrO
These words were sincere. In addition to "working together and complementing each other's shortcomings," my other motto was "each person takes one more step forward - all for one, one for all."
Although in practice, there are often situations where I was the only person taking that step forward with everyone else taking one, or even a few steps back, resulting in me being the only one to complete all the work. But somehow, after listening to Hana's sharing, I developed trust in her and felt that it was feasible to apply this motto to her.
"Okay, I believe you," Hana said.
Hana showed her signature mischievous smile and extended her hand to me again.
"Once again, please teach me more and take care of me, Brother Janny!"
I responded with a smile and shook her hand for the second time.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsAY6EuOwn
This time, I remembered to let go.
