[2] Annoying Random Woman

The sun sinks into the western horizon. A reddish-orange colour filled the sky. Darkness was falling. Day turns to night. After a long day at work, people will return to their homes and meet their families and loved ones. Night can be a more pleasant time because it is only at night that most people can be themselves.

When they adhere to society's norms throughout the day, sometimes they want to do something more adventurous. Breaking the rules is not entirely bad as long as it is within certain limits. When rules are broken it means that something is wrong with them. Either the enforcement is lacking or everyone thinks the rules are wrong.

No one knows why Fred often thinks of random things like this. Now he was driving his car home. He lived in an penthouse. That meant his house was at the top of a high-rise building. The view was pretty good at night. During the day, the only thing that could be seen was the severe air pollution.

"A university degree doesn't guarantee one's intelligence, why do people still put so much importance on diplomas and social status when applying for a job?" muttered Fred as he smoked a cigarette. He occasionally threw the ash out of the half-open car window. Nobody knows why he felt so tired this afternoon. Maybe it was because there was a small incident between Fred and his secretary this afternoon.

Occasionally she saw a crowd of people on the side of the road. Some were waiting for the city bus, some were taking a walk with their partners, some were still doing their activities even though it was already night. Indeed, the streets can hold millions of stories at the same time. We just need to look a little deeper.

As Fred was pensive while driving his car, his mobile phone suddenly vibrated. At first he missed the first call. But when the second call came in, Fred just realised it. He held the steering wheel with one hand and picked up his mobile phone to answer the call. Sam's name was written on the screen. Maybe it was something important.

"Fred, I found someone who might be a good candidate for you. She's just resigned from another job. We've both worked at the same place in the past. All I know is that she's a smart women and very skilful. You'll definitely be impressed with her. If you want, I'll have her come to your office tomorrow for an interview," Sam said.

"Tell her to see me in the tomorrow morning," Fred replied briefly. He hung up and threw his mobile phone on the seat beside the steering wheel. His head hurt now, why did he choose Jacklien as his secretary in the first place? Even though there were three people who volunteered at that time. He thought maybe a graduate of a famous university had superior skills than the others. But it turned out that his expectation was wrong.

After driving for a while, he arrived at a crossroads. The red light was light brightly. This was one of the busiest intersections in the city. Once stuck at a red light, it was like waiting for an eternity. Fred let out a long breath. He stretched his body a little. Fortunately, he still had a bottle of beer and some snacks in his car.

It wasn't long before a teenager approached his car. The young man looked like a bum. He was carrying a bottle of washing-up liquid and a rag. He started cleaning Fred's windscreen with vigour, hoping to earn a few cents in return for his small service. As the young man did his work, Fred watched in silence. In this day and age, finding a good job is very difficult. Sometimes we get jobs with little pay. Sometimes we get colleagues who act like animals, always testing our patience. Even if a hobby can make money, it's no longer fun when it turns into a job.

When the young man was done with his work, he came to Fred's car door. Fred opened the car door and immediately gave him fifty dollars. The young man looked surprised. It seemed like he had never received such a big reward after doing his job. He looked at Fred questioningly.

"Sorry, sir. I don't have any change," the young man said.

"Take it all, it's for you," Fred said with a small smile.

Knowing that the young man had more money today, he looked very happy. Seeing his happy face made Fred feel a little better. If he didn't feel happy today, at least he could see others happy. There was nothing to lose by giving others happiness, that's what Fred thought.

"Thank you sir, I can finally buy food and medicine for my sick mum," the young man replied.

Hearing the young man's words made Fred feel sorry for him. He decided to give the young man another fifty dollars. "Take it, your mum needs it more," he said in the end.

"Well, thank you, sir. That's very kind of you," the young man replied.

"Even though everyone in the office calls me an iron fist," Fred muttered.

"Once again, thank you. Have a good evening, sir." The young man then stepped off the pavement and into a dark, narrow alleyway.

"I hope so," Fred muttered again.

The light turned green, and the car started moving again. Fred again drove the vehicle quite slowly. For some reason he didn't want to get home quickly. He wanted to enjoy the road a little longer. Clear nights were rare in this rainy season. After all, who wouldn't want to enjoy a beautiful night.

After half an hour of driving, Fred was almost at his house. But a few moments later, a girl suddenly appeared, crossing the road carelessly. The girl crossed without looking at her surroundings. Fred immediately hit the brake pedal and the car came to an abrupt halt.

"Oh, shit! What just happened?"

Fred looked towards the front. The girl had fallen on the ground. Fred hurriedly got out of the car and checked on the girl. The girl looked scared.

"Are you okay, Miss?" asked Fred at last.

"Can you drive well, huh?!" snapped the girl.

***