After being quietly called in for questioning numerous times and spending three days writing a very detailed report, my resignation was finally approved without any issues.
I also received my visa during this period.
On November 4th, Lin Su and Chen Qing arrived in the USA together.
It was the height of the 1990s' wave of emigration, with countless men and women in China dreaming of going abroad, leading to many absurd situations. Lin Su had friends and family members who shared this dream. When they heard from her mother, who accidentally let it slip, that she was going to the USA and had miraculously obtained a visa in less than ten days, many people came to inquire about it. There wasn't much regret over her giving up a stable job in China. Everyone knew that once abroad, even the lowest-paying jobs could earn several times more than domestic wages when converted to yuan.
In this era that celebrated bravery and initiative, clinging to a secure job was seen as a sign of a lack of ambition.
Lin Su, however, had mixed feelings that she couldn't express.
Her mind often recalled the words of that annoying man: "I'm not just going to bully you; I'm going to bully your whole family."
Her father, at 56, was still just a mid-level official in a marginal department with little room for advancement. Her mother's situation was similar. Over the years, her parents had given up on their own careers and instead pinned their hopes on her and her three siblings.
Back in the day, when China hadn't yet implemented its one-child policy and instead encouraged large families, the Lin family ended up with four children: two boys and two girls. Lin Su was the eldest, followed by her 26-year-old sister Lin Lan, 23-year-old brother Lin Dong, and 19-year-old brother Lin Xing. Thanks to their good family background, the four siblings were seen as quite accomplished by outsiders. Although her second sister didn't pursue a doctorate like she did, she had earned a master's degree from Fudan University and entered government service a year before Lin Su. Her younger brothers were at Peking University and Wuhan University, both with promising futures.
How could she let that detestable man destroy all of this? Although… he probably wouldn't actually do it, she couldn't take that chance.
So, she chose to comply rather than resist.
Her parents didn't strongly oppose her going abroad, especially since it was to work for the world-renowned Westeros Company. Her mother only worried about her getting married, fearing that going abroad would delay that even further.
Her mother clearly didn't know that she was walking into a trap.
Whatever.
No resistance.
I'll sacrifice myself.
As the plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport, Lin Su felt as if she was stepping into a completely foreign world.
Her previous study trip to the UK had been entirely arranged by the state, with many rules to follow and plenty of fellow compatriots around. During that year, she never truly felt like she was in a foreign country.
This time, she was essentially alone.
Although Chen Qing had sincerely told her before departure that they should look out for each other, Lin Su found it hard to see her as a true partner.
The two women dragged their luggage out of the airport and quickly found the people who had come to pick them up.
There were two men and two women.
The men were clearly bodyguards—tall, muscular, and tough-looking. Lin Su wondered if they were armed.
The other woman, a brown-haired Caucasian in her forties wearing glasses, introduced herself as Anna Ulbricht, a lawyer. From the business card Anna handed over, Lin Su saw that she worked for the 'Norman Law Firm.'
However, the leader of the group was a young woman who appeared even younger than Lin Su—Isabelle Dunn.
Judging by the young woman's demeanor, Lin Su couldn't help but speculate about her relationship with Simon Westeros.
Playboy!
Not seeing that man immediately, Lin Su felt it was only natural.
But deep down, was she... disappointed? Why would she be disappointed?
That couldn't be it.
While Lin Su was lost in thought, Chen Qing quickly struck up a conversation with Isabelle and the others. Language wasn't a barrier for them, and Lin Su noticed this, silently encouraging herself not to lose to Chen Qing. However, she couldn't muster much enthusiasm for socializing.
They reached the parking lot and saw two black Mercedes that were clearly more luxurious than the other cars around them.
The bodyguards helped load the luggage into the car and were about to drive when Chen Qing suggested that the four women could ride in one car and chat while the bodyguards drove the other car.
Since Los Angeles wasn't considered a dangerous place, this was agreed upon.
Anna took the wheel, Isabelle sat in the front passenger seat, and Lin Su and Chen Qing sat in the back. As they left the airport, they first talked about driving.
When Isabelle learned that neither Lin Su nor Chen Qing had a driver's license, she laughed and said it was actually a good thing because driving habits differ between the East and the West. People without prior driving experience would find it easier to get a license in the USA, as they wouldn't need to unlearn deeply ingrained habits.
Lin Su politely listened, but she wasn't really interested.
She happened to glance out the window.
She saw a large billboard by the highway: *Catch the Internet or You're Out!* The bold, impactful slogan was set against a gradient light blue background.
There were no other details, but Lin Su found it unforgettable at a glance.
She had a rough idea of what it was about.
In recent years, with the rise of new technology worldwide, China had also issued several important documents to promote the development of the information industry.
To keep up with the times, her family had installed a computer earlier this year. Since they could expense the communication costs, they had even connected it to the internet. However, the internet speed was very slow, and most of the websites were in foreign languages, so Lin Su rarely used it unless it was for work.
Thinking of this, she began to regret not learning more about things here beforehand.
After the first billboard, there was a second, and then a third.
Chen Qing soon noticed these details as well and brought up the topic with the women in the front seats.
It turned out that several American tech companies had simultaneously launched a massive marketing campaign called "The Information Age" earlier this month. The goal was to further promote new technology and the internet across the USA, encouraging the public to actively enter the information age.
Lin Su didn't say much, mostly just listening.
When she heard the campaign's budget numbers, she couldn't help but marvel—$1.5 billion, which was 13 billion yuan. How would they even spend that? And was it worth it?
Realizing that her thoughts might seem petty, Lin Su, of course, didn't voice them.
Then, she heard them mention that the household PC penetration rate in the USA had surpassed 40%. Lin Su thought of China, where it might take many years to reach even a 4% penetration rate. Even when her family installed a computer earlier this year, her always-thrifty mother had been pained by the 8,000-yuan cost. For other ordinary families, a computer was still a distant dream.
While Lin Su maintained a reserved demeanor, Chen Qing candidly asked her questions.
Isabelle smiled as she answered, "Of course it's worth it. The marketing campaign started on Monday, and as of yesterday's close, Cisco's stock alone had risen by 7.1% over the past four trading days, increasing its market value by $6 billion. By yesterday's close, Cisco's market cap had reached $103.5 billion, making it the second American company to reach a market cap of $100 billion. Other companies like AOL, Microsoft, Intel, and Oracle also saw their market values soar due to this campaign, with a combined increase of over $30 billion. Compared to that, what's $1.5 billion?"
"$30 billion, that's incredible. Mr. Westeros must have seen his wealth increase quite a bit."
"Indeed."
"And I didn't realize you could remember so many numbers, Isa."
"Heh, I just happened to see them in the *Los Angeles Times* this morning while preparing the newspaper for the boss. These are all public numbers; everyone's been talking about this lately."
"Oh, by the way, how has Mr. Westeros been lately?"
"He's been doing well. The boss has been staying in Los Angeles since Halloween. As for work, I'm not too sure."
Chen Qing hesitated slightly before asking, "Are we heading straight to Dume Point Manor?"
Isabelle shook her head. "No, the boss instructed me to settle you two at Palisades for now." Noticing Chen Qing's unfamiliarity with Palisades, Isabelle explained, "It's a neighborhood on the western outskirts of Los Angeles, leading to Malibu. The boss bought a property there a few years ago—a very nice house where you can overlook Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean from the hillside."
"Oh, I'm really looking forward to it." Chen Qing responded politely, then straightforwardly asked, "So, when will we get to see Mr. Westeros?"
"That depends on the boss's schedule, but it should be soon. Tomorrow or the day after is the weekend, after all."
As they discussed various topics, the group soon arrived at their destination.
Although both Lin Su and Chen Qing had seen Simon's hilltop villa in Dongling, Yangshuo, they hadn't imagined what it meant to have a property overlooking Los Angeles and the Pacific.
Not until the Mercedes drove into the hillside mansion at Palisades.
After getting out of the car and taking in the Mediterranean-style villa before them, Lin Su could hardly believe it
.
Were they really going to live here?
Isabelle noticed the disbelief on Lin Su and Chen Qing's faces but wasn't surprised. She herself felt a bit envious. Although her boss was always generous to the women around him, it was rare for him to let them stay in such a mansion.
These two women from China were clearly special.
As they got out of the car, four young women in matching black suits came out of the villa to greet them.
Isabelle interrupted the two women's daze and introduced them, "Chen, Lin, this is Catherine Elgar and Pamela Winsor. Both have received professional security training and will be your bodyguards, responsible for your safety and daily outings. And these are Lily Favell and Christina Latham. They'll be your personal assistants, taking care of your daily needs."
Lin Su and Chen Qing shook hands with the four women.
During the introductions, Chen Qing's tone was polite, but her eyes were bright.
Having both bodyguards and assistants was a luxury not just anyone could enjoy. At least, from the conversation she had had with Isabelle Dunn earlier, Chen Qing was sure that, despite working closely with Simon Westeros, Isabelle herself didn't have such a setup.
Lin Su's sense of unreality grew stronger.
She couldn't help but have some inappropriate thoughts.
After the introductions, Isabelle offered, "Chen, Lin, would you like me to show you around?"
She made a gesture of invitation as she spoke.
Lin Su and Chen Qing instinctively followed Isabelle into the villa.
It took them a full twenty minutes to tour the mansion, which occupied an acre of land. Isabelle then led them to a terrace overlooking the scenery below the cliff, where Anna joined them, and the four sat down at the table and chairs to discuss business.
For the rest of the morning, Lin Su and Chen Qing were busy signing a series of documents, including employment agreements and confidentiality contracts, as Anna explained each one.
Lin Su couldn't help but feel that she might have unknowingly sold herself.
There wasn't time to carefully read through the thick stacks of documents. Chen Qing signed them quickly, and not wanting to seem ignorant, Lin Su also signed them without hesitation.
However.
A $200,000 annual salary, which was over 1.7 million yuan, seemed quite worth it.
Maybe even a bit expensive.
Was she really worth that much?
By noon, they had each received a credit card with the ability to advance a year's salary. Lin Su couldn't help but wonder if she could withdraw some of it and send it home.
Her sister Lin Lan was already discussing marriage with her boyfriend, who was also in the government. Given their parents' respective statuses, Lin Su's family might be considered to be marrying up. Perhaps a dowry of a house would give her sister more confidence in the future.
And her two brothers in college—though they were well-off given the family's background, a little extra never hurt. At the very least, she could buy each of them a computer. In the information age, while others might struggle to keep up, she had the means to provide them with the best.
Of course, there were also her parents.
And her grandparents, who had always doted on her.
All in all, Lin Su wasn't expecting much for herself in the future; she just hoped her family could live better, and even better still.
After signing various agreements in the morning and having lunch, they went to a private hospital in Beverly Hills for a medical examination in the afternoon. The two women didn't think anything of it, believing it was a necessary step. Busy with all these tasks, they didn't realize how quickly the day had passed.
By the time they returned to the hillside mansion in Palisades, it was already evening.
After Isabelle Dunn and Anna left, the large mansion was left with only six women.
Though she had a feeling they wouldn't be staying here for long, Chen Qing still toured the villa again after Isabelle left and unceremoniously claimed the master bedroom on the second floor as her own.
Lin Su felt a bit lost.
She didn't know what lay ahead for her.
When Lily asked about dinner, Lin Su simply said to keep it casual, then went to a living room downstairs.
She sat on the sofa and turned on the television.
Not deliberately choosing a channel, she happened to land on NBC during the evening news before prime time. Although Lin Su's English wasn't as proficient as Chen Qing's, it was still far above average, and she had no trouble with everyday communication or writing in English.
The TV was discussing the upcoming 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which would be held next Tuesday.
The two guest commentators were speaking quickly, with both predicting a historic defeat for the Democrats. Lin Su remembered that Simon Westeros was a Democratic supporter and that his tech companies were currently under intense antitrust scrutiny. If the Democrats suffered a crushing defeat in this election, she wondered if he might face some misfortune.
With that thought, Lin Su focused more on listening to the discussion on TV, unsure whether she was hoping for him to encounter some trouble or something else entirely.
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