Chapter 203
"It's okay. You just play the absentee boss. I can handle things on my end," Lucy replied.
I rubbed her nose. "I'm not just an absentee boss."
Then I told her about what I had been up to these past few days. Lucy's expression was wonderful, and she exclaimed excitedly, "You mean, Ms. Hill is going to be associated with us here?"
"That's right!"
"Oh my god! You have quite the influence!"
It was the first time I had seen such a surprised expression on Lucy's face.
I asked, "Are you really that excited?"
"Of course? If you don't dance, you won't know how amazing Ms. Hill is!" Lucy said, "Ms. Hill is the top figure in the dance scene in Sevan City. She is renowned both domestically and internationally and has won numerous awards internationally. With her name associated with us, we'll definitely attract a lot of attention."
She add, "And she's my idol!"
"Then you should be able to see your idol often in the future."
Lucy looked at me admiringly. "John Cena, you really surprised me. I never thought you could convince Ms.Hill."
"Of course. you know who you're dealing with here!" I said arrogantly.
She rolled her eyes at me. "You're quite something."
I chuckled. "Soon, our place will be a member unit of the Sevan City Dance Association. Besides Ms. Hill, we should be able to invite other dance masters. I'll donate some money, and we can even hang a plaque as a cooperative unit of the Sevan City Art Academy. This way, we won't have to worry about student enrollment."
Lucy said, "Not just student enrollment. I'm afraid our place is too small! If I knew you were this capable, I'd have suggested renting a bigger place ages ago."
"No rush for that. Once we’re stable, we can consider opening a branch,” I suggested.
"That sounds great," Lucy replied with a smile. "I used to worry, but now I'm not worried at all."
"Just now, someone said I was just an absentee boss," I teased.
"Can't I admit when I'm wrong?" Lucy retorted.
"Wow, just like that? Do you know how much that hurt me?” I exaggerated, clutching my chest. “I feel like my heart is breaking!"
She asked, "What do you want me to do?"
"What do you think?"
Her face turned red, and then she quickly kissed me on one cheek. "Is that enough?"
"Almost," I replied.
Then she kissed me on the other cheek. "How about now?"
"Alright, let's go," I said.
"Where to?" She inquired.
"To your place! To see your brother and mother!" I suggested.
"But I still need to..." She began.
"It's fine with Ms.Carter here." I dragged her away without waiting for her response. When I opened the passenger door of the Bentley, Lucy looked a bit skeptical. "I thought you drove a Mercedes. Is it yours, or your friend's?"
"It's mine."
I smiled. "But it was a gift from a friend!"
"What kind of friend is so generous to give away a million-dollar car?"
I didn't explain but just showed her the registration certificate with my name on it. At that moment, she became a bit reserved.
"So that's how it is," she said with a smile, but her smile seemed a bit forced.
"What's wrong?" I held her hand. "Are you thinking of something unpleasant again?"
"No, just a bit awkward," she admitted. "I always feel like I'm being kept by you!"
"What do you mean by ‘being kept’? That sounds harsh. We are partners, remember?" I said, somewhat displeased.
She looked at me. "John Cena, the first time I saw you, I knew you might be wealthy, but I could sense that your wealth didn't reach the level I admire. So when you invited me to start a dance training class, I agreed."
She continued, "The last time you came, I felt you were different again. You exuded confidence and aura, completely different from before. I recognized that as the demeanor of someone in power, full of confidence in every move. But I still thought you were just rich! Until this time, you are completely different. You are dressed in Armani worth tens of thousands, wearing a Rolex worth hundreds of thousands, driving a luxury car worth millions, even persuading Mis.Hill. Even the previous me might not have been able to do."
Her eyes were filled with complexity. "You are truly a mysterious man. Every time I see you, I feel a gap between us. Just now, I suddenly realized that now I need to look up to you."
I scratched my head. "Is it that serious? I'm still the same me as before. Nothing has changed."
"For you, maybe not. But for me, the current you brings more pressure to me. I'm scared. I even feel like I've become a canary you're keeping," she confessed, her eyes reflecting confusion and panic.
Looking at her confused and flustered expression, I suddenly understood something.
The truth was, I had changed, despite my own denial.
There's a saying that when you are at the same level as someone else, they will treat you as a friend.
When you surpass them, they might still treat you as a friend but unconsciously use honorifics in their speech.
When you reach a level that others need to look up to, being friends with you might make them feel uneasy and surreal.
I was speechless. ‘How did I end up needing her admiration?’
I placed my hand on her shoulder, looking at her seriously. "Lucy, from the beginning until now, I never thought of you as a canary. I won't deny that I have some intentions toward you, but it stems from my obsession with college. You may not know, but when I saw you at the Dynasty, I was so surprised and excited. I thought I would never have any intersection with you in my life. I felt meeting you was fate."
"You didn’t look down on me?" Lucy asked.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Everyone has their low points. I was lucky to have met a benefactor who helped me. That's why I am here today."
I continued, "When I invited you to join me, I did have the thought of helping you, but more importantly, it was for myself. I may have some capital now, but who knows, the me today might not be the you of the future. Don't forget, you are my major shareholder. I give you money not as a form of keeping you, nor as a charity. It's an investment, or to put it bluntly, it's a way for me to win you over, to gain not just your assets but your heart!"
As I finished speaking, Lucy lowered her head, her face suddenly blushing. "Do I really deserve it now?"
I said, "Don’t you know in your heart? So, do I now have the right to pursue you?"
Lucy didn't dare to look at me. "After all that, what do you think?"
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