Seeing them, Leo recalled his own days just after graduation. If he hadn’t married into the Henley family, he might have been out there handing out resumes and searching for jobs.
Empathy connected Leo to them, making him feel at ease around them.
Before long, the group had chattered away and ordered their dishes.
Manager Becky gave instructions for the kitchen staff to serve the dishes as quickly as possible.
“Boss, you’re really generous and magnanimous,” Jennifer couldn’t help but compliment.
Leo chuckled, “I’m not the boss. Let me introduce myself briefly. I’m Leo Bloomer, a representative from Azure Financial assigned to Herbal Magic Cosmetics Company. This person next to me is Alvin Simpson, the factory manager of Herbal Magic Cosmetics Company and your future leader. He’ll be in charge of the management and operations in the factory.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Bloomer and Mr. Simpson!”
Surprisingly, all ten people stood up simultaneously, then greeted Leo and Alvin in unison.
Leo gestured for them to sit. “You’re too polite. Please, take a seat.”
“Mr. Bloomer, can I ask you a personal question?” a bold girl named Olive Mond spoke up.
“Of course,” Leo nodded. “In fact, I’m only a few years older than you all. You don’t need to call me Mr. Bloomer in the future. Just call me Leo.”
“Alright, Leo. I think I’m speaking on behalf of all the ladies here when I ask, do you have a girlfriend?”
After Olive asked this, all the girls looked at Leo.
Leo smiled in response, “You should be asking how many years I’ve been married.”
Hearing this, the girls at the table quickly understood. Their faces didn’t show much disappointment; rather, they seemed curious.
To them, being able to marry a man like Leo would surely bring immense happiness.
“Leo is so handsome. Mrs. Bloomer must be really beautiful!” Boris added with flattery.
“Leo, I’m on your team no matter what.”
Seeing Leo’s affable nature, everyone began joking with him.
Thanks to Manager Becky’s special attention, the dishes were served quickly.
When all the dishes were laid out, Leo gave the command, “Is everyone hungry? Let’s dig in.”
Excitement showed on everyone’s faces as they eagerly agreed. After Leo picked up his chopsticks and took the first bite, the others followed suit.
“It truly is a five-star restaurant. So delicious.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen crabs this big, and the red wine is definitely top-notch.”
To liven up the atmosphere, Leo had each person do a brief self-introduction, fostering a basic understanding among them.
Seeing everyone enjoying the meal, Leo felt content.
Upon gestures from the three male students, everyone stood up once again, raising their glasses. Jennifer spoke on behalf of the group, “Leo, Mr. Simpson, let’s toast to you for your hospitality.”
Twelve glasses clinked together, and they downed the contents.
Midway through the meal, two girls excused themselves to go to the restroom. However, only Tracy returned. Her once neatly arranged hair was now messy, her expression panicked, and finger marks on her face.
“Leo, Sarah has been cornered by a few guys!” Tracy’s voice quivered with a hint of crying.
Leo’s previously joyful expression turned serious. “What happened?”
“Just after Sarah and I left the restroom, we were bumped into by a heavily intoxicated man in the hallway. He insisted I had bumped into him and demanded an apology. Sarah argued with him, and a few more guys joined in. They want Sarah to drink with them and even resorted to physical violence,” Tracy explained urgently.
Upon hearing this, Boris stood up with anger evident on his face. Seizing an empty bottle nearby, he said, “Tracy, tell us who’s bothering you. We won’t let them get away with it!”
The other two male students also stood up, but they waited for Leo’s instructions rather than acting immediately.
Leo stood up and looked at Tracy, his voice low, “Lead us there.”
Guided by Tracy, the group approached the hallway outside the restroom.
A few men were still harassing Sarah, pulling and tugging at her.
“Hey, cutie, your friend bumped into me. Since she’s run off, you’re responsible. Come drink with us and we’ll let it slide,” one burly man, reeking of alcohol, said crudely.
Sarah’s expression was one of disgust. “Move aside, or I’ll call for others!”
“Oh, look at that, a little fiery one. I like that.”
“If you don’t drink with us, believe us, we’ll make a move on you. You better remember to scream loudly when that happens.”
Five men surrounded Sarah, who looked scared. She finally mustered the courage to threaten, “If you don’t let go, I’ll call the police!”
Sarah was frightened, her face pale, and her hand holding the phone trembling.
One of the men snatched the phone from her hand with a lecherous grin. “How clueless can you be? Brothers, shall we just have some fun with her in the women’s restroom? What do you say?”
The other four men burst into raunchy laughter. The one who had spoken initially grabbed Sarah’s hand and started pulling her towards the restroom.
Sarah screamed in terror.
As there were only a few diners on the third floor and the soundproofing was good, Sarah’s cries didn’t attract much attention. Instead, they fueled the lust of the five men.
The girls who had followed Leo out of the private room were horrified by the scene, their faces displaying fear.
Boris and the other boys were also anxious. They had assumed these were just a bunch of small-time hooligans, but those five men ahead were strongly built, their arms adorned with tattoos that signaled they were not to be trifled with.
“Leo, what do we do now?” Boris was somewhat hesitant, considering they had just entered the workforce.
Leo turned to Boris with a meaningful look and asked, “You’ll be coworkers from now on. What do you think we should do?”
This wasn’t a time to back down. Clenching his teeth, Boris overcame his fear with a sense of justice. “Henry, Richard, let’s take them on together!”
As Boris spoke, he picked up a bottle and prepared to charge forward.
Leo stopped him with a hand on his arm. “You’re not a match for them in a direct fight. Attack from a distance. Use the bottles in your hands to smash their heads.”
Boris thought it made sense and steeled his resolve. With a firm grip, he swung his right hand.
The bottle soared through the air in a graceful arc before descending towards one of the men’s heads.
“Crash!”
Regrettably, Boris misjudged his aim, and the bottle missed the man’s head, shattering on the ground next to him.
The noise startled the lead man, who turned his head abruptly and angrily shouted, “Who the hell threw that bottle!?”
As soon as he said that, he spotted the group standing not far away.
So many pretty girls. His heartbeat quickened.