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.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtisiLzcuap
"Hana, are you... running?"216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuuK3XG9OH
"What a 'smart' question!" She laughed and replied, "Otherwise do you think I am eating right now?"216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaveaCXpN8G
"Oh, right, of course." I stuttered, "Um, were you, you you... okay today?"216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVjVO5ZC1X
"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."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyS3p30W99l
"I'm sorry." I apologised sincerely. "I was way over the top and I didn't actually mean it."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lhcghBYrU
"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."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zkJ8Fqc3x
With that, she took a deep breath and reached out her hand to me.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a5xuCAiuY
"Let's call it even now."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsBgGd5LYy
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I cautiously extended my hand and shook hers to make amends.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbVCk2J5aO
Was it because she had just finished running? Her hand was damp with sweat, yet warm and gentle, giving me a sense of security.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadcTIfatdN
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Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat, and I completely forgot to let go of her hand.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDXZiBfkM8
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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.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqECBDzkSRf
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"Do you..." I tried to break the silence. "Do you live in Shatin too?"216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DKajtqFgt
"Yes, just across the river." Hana pointed to the other side of the Shing Mun River.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT30DsLumSo
"Oh, do you often go running by the river?" I asked.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLwAE7zaQ0
"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."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Upauvk6Fm
"I see." I chuckled. "So, did I interrupt your run just now?"216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMwzOJmsph
"Oh, of course you did!" Hana rolled her eyes. "So let's say goodbye now, okay?"216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGRg7rQDCh
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With that, Hana made a cheeky face and stuck out her tongue mischievously.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYjFMG3ZKU
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.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcpVqlgaLM
"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'."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoTWCKZFSv
"I'm sorry. I was being such an insensitive person." I apologised. "And it must have brought back painful memories for you."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7kdW67wD8
"It's okay. It's been years." Hana replied.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvRgh5GOE9
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Hana's gaze was stubborn and unyielding.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzamYFr5K5
After taking a sip of water, she continued.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oK5Xjb1UA
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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."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QyGa00Z5z
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Thinking about how I often wasted food, I felt very guilty.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwKnW6cu96
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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."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvDWXOCCub
"In those days, that wasn't a mainstream choice anymore." I interrupted.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM5A7ezO8X
"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.'216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJNtzA2m0N
Hana finished speaking and looked at me earnestly. By this point I was well relieved and understood the reasoning behind her 'betrayal'.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Kt4B1joXn
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."216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZWNkyeN9G
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.216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44iJUkDHLY
This time, I remembered to let go.
