一下電梯,還沒走進辦公室,就聽見Richard 在前台和老闆Kenny Johnson聊天。說的是昨晚溫哥華加人隊和洛杉磯國王隊的冰球賽。聲音渾厚沉穩的是Kenny:“That wasn't a fair game, huh?"
聲音清晰悅耳的是Richard:“No, but the Canucks have been pretty bad this season. 5 to 1 this game! Unbelievable!"
狄婧推門而入,聽見Kenny又說:“They were doing OK in the first period. They scored the first goal. But then it all went downhill." 狄婧走到二人面前,禮貌地對二人打招呼說:“Good morning! Kenny. Good morning,Richard." Kenny 和 Richard 同時客氣地對狄婧點點頭,微笑着說:“Good morning, Jean."
Richard 談論冰球意猶未盡, 轉身又對Kenny 說:“There is no way that they can make to play offs at this rate." 狄婧插了一句:“Well. . . Technically there's a chance. . ."
Kenny和Richard用一種奇異的眼光看着狄婧,狄婧咽下了她那後半截的話語。他們的眼神分明告訴她:“你懂什麼啊!” Richard有些猶豫不定地含糊道:“Uhhh, maybe when pigs fly."
Kenny清了清喉嚨:“Since both of you are here, let's see if we are ready for today's meeting with Mr. Sinclair." Mr Sinclair 是儉慎事務所重量級的客戶,今天下午他要親自過來,聽取Richard報告Sinclair地產公司年終結算的各項數據。
昨天,Richard已經讓狄婧將她所有的報表email到他的帳號,眼下,在Kenny面前,Richard胸有成竹。 "No problem. I am more than ready. Mr Sinclair will be very happy about their bottom lines this year." 溫哥華房價飛漲,地產公司能不贏利嗎?Mr Sinclair 對公司的收益應該是滿意的。
狄婧說:“We also prepared reports on shareholders equity and tax . . ." Richard打斷狄婧,用更加流利優美的英文匯報說他也準備了股東權益,以及稅務分析和預算方面的報告。Kenny滿意地點點頭,又提醒他們留意儉慎事務所的現金收帳問題,應收賬款數目偏大。
回到他們自己的辦公室,Richard交代狄婧在Sinclair地產公司的差異分析報告上再增加一些內容。用詞要更加豐富多彩和生動有趣一些,他要求說。狄婧知道英語詞彙量少是自己的弱點,英文終究是第二語言。她不想為自己辯解,只是點點頭說:"Yes. I will try my best."