Forcing a change of topic, Gao Yang played it off pretty well, but this ti, it felt like he had lost sothing precious, and his heart felt empty, leaving him uncomfortable.
Karima bowed her head in silence for a long ti, and finally said softly, "Our finances, ahem."
Karima started to speak, but her voice was extrely hoarse and unpleasant. After clearing her throat twice, she slowly said with a choked voice, "Our finances are very healthy, and now we are already profitable."
Gao Yang turned and walked to the water dispenser. After filling a cup with water, he walked to Karima’s side, not daring to look at her, and lifted the cup, saying, "You should drink so water first."
Karima held the glass with both hands, placed it to her lips but didn’t drink, and tears dripped into the cup, her shoulders trembling slightly all the while.
Gao Yang definitely didn’t dare to reach out; he stepped back a little, grabbed another cup for himself, and took a strong drink of water.
Finally, after taking a deep breath, Karima said in a low voice, "Our company has received a total of four million six hundred thousand US dollars. One million US dollars was donated to a foundation, one million US dollars was paid as political contributions in the na of the company, two hundred thousand US dollars was for rent, with forty-five US dollars spent on renovations. The remaining funds were used for initial employee salaries and the recruitnt of outsourced employees. Now we have two business deals, both long-term collaborations with a one-year contract period, and Rick Perry pays us one hundred and ten thousand US dollars in commission each month, three installnts so far."
After saying a lot all at once, Karima took a sip of water and then said in a low voice, "There are detailed financial reports for the cash flow, you should look at the financial reports."
Gao Yang said in a low voice, "We’re actually making money already, you did well."
Karima smiled self-deprecatingly, "Have you forgotten Mr. Rick Perry? He’s your friend and only cooperates with us because of you. He also said your gunmanship is the most astonishing he’s ever seen. So, this business doesn’t seem to have much to do with ."
How could Gao Yang forget Rick Perry, introduced to him by Morgan, he couldn’t possibly forget.
Torture.
Gao Yang exhaled and said, "Our employees..."
Karima shook her head, quietly saying, "There are detailed docunts for everything, let’s not talk about this now, okay?"
Gao Yang swallowed and said, "Alright, you should rest for a bit."
Karima suddenly said, "Where’s my brother? Hasn’t he co back? He should co to see ."
Not good!
Gao Yang’s heart trembled, his body stiffened, and then he said sadly, "Didn’t he call you?"
"He did, just said he was fine a few days ago. He’s not in trouble, is he? He should co to see ! He’s fine, right?"
Seeing Karima’s panicked look, Gao Yang smiled bitterly, "He’s really fine, he... uh, he’s very well now, didn’t he tell you? He’s co to terms with things; he’s decided to enjoy life."
As he said this, Gao Yang cursed Number Thirteen repeatedly in his mind; that bastard would probably never appear again, yet he wouldn’t tell his sister himself, leaving Gao Yang to convey this.
Number Thirteen is simply a bastard! More of a bastard than a bastard!
In such a crucial mont, Gao Yang had to reveal Number Thirteen’s whereabouts, or else Karima might think her brother was dead.
Sure enough, Karima questioned with skepticism, "You’re lying to ; he would definitely tell himself."
Gao Yang sighed, giving a bitter smile, "Why would I lie to you? Really, he’s co to terms with things; he said he lived a tough life before, but now he wants to start a new life. I think he went to Sweden to find a woman. That bastard, it’s such an important thing, and he didn’t tell you!"
Karima murmured blankly, "Really? That’s good, Offred has finally walked out of the shadows, that’s good, that’s really good..."
Karima suddenly lowered her head, the cup in her hands fell to the ground and shattered, and then she covered her face with her hands, squatting down slowly, murmuring despairingly, "Even Offred doesn’t want anymore, he didn’t even tell himself..."
Gone, completely gone.
Gao Yang hurriedly set down the cup and walked beside Karima, help—no, no help, this was different.
Gao Yang imdiately squatted down, wrapped his arms around Karima, and said urgently, "Don’t be like this; Number Thirteen isn’t like that. It’s just because, just because of his nature, uh, he’s just been a killer for too long; he doesn’t know how to handle sibling relations. He really can’t not want you, you misunderstood!"
Karima didn’t cry, but she was trembling violently. Yet as Gao Yang held her, he found that she gradually stopped trembling.
"I understand now, I know. Thank you, I’m fine now."
Karima’s voice was very calm.
This isn’t right, and it’s not good. Gao Yang now began to panic, cursing Number Thirteen in his mind while urgently saying, "No, no, calm down, it’s really not what you think..."
Karima gently pushed away Gao Yang’s hands, slowly standing up and saying to him, "I’m fine now; I just need to rest a bit. Please go; let calm down for a while, okay? Thank you."
Gao Yang had seen the look in the eyes of many who were about to die.
"To hell with it, whatever happens, I don’t care!"
Resolving himself and blurting out his native language, Gao Yang no longer tried to persuade Karima, instead grabbing hold of her and kissing her forcefully.
Karima seed to break down, her body collapsing, yet she tried to push Gao Yang away, saying, "What are you doing! You don’t want ! None of you want ..."
"Shut up!"
After Gao Yang shouted angrily, he said, "I want you!"
Realizing he was speaking in his native language, Gao Yang quickly added, "I want you, you still have ! I’ll be there for you, always!"
Karima burst into tears, clinging tightly to Gao Yang’s neck.
With his face flushed, Gao Yang felt like he couldn’t breathe. Taking a few deep breaths, he shouted again, "I don’t care anymore!"
Gao Yang tilted Karima’s face, lowered his head, but Karima turned her head, trembling as she said, "I don’t want sympathy, I don’t want pity, I don’t need that, I’ve had enough, enough..."
Gao Yang shouted, "I like you, didn’t you know that? I, what is it, I... I love you too!"
After this final outburst, Gao Yang felt a weight lifted from his heart, firmly deciding and saying, "To the lounge!"
With that, Gao Yang picked up Karima, struggling to open the door to his office, and then opened another door.
There was a bed in the lounge.
No need to say what would happen next.
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