男孩的声音又回荡在女人的脑海里。
沈若斐越想脸越红。
真是的,叫个姐姐都这样。
让人招架不住。
--
三人吃完早饭,便一起返回房间整理行李。陆则川主动包揽了大部分重活,将Toby的散落在各处的东西放进行李箱,又仔细检查了一遍房间的各个角落,生怕落下任何一件东西。
整理好行李后,陆则川拎着两个大行李箱,沈若斐和Toby跟在后面,一行人前往酒店前台办理退房手续。
将行李稳稳地放进后备箱后,陆则川发动车子,缓缓驶离酒店,启程回家。车子平稳地行驶在宽阔的公路上,窗外的风景缓缓向后倒退,阳光透过车窗洒在车厢里,暖洋洋的。Toby靠在后座,没多久就又睡着了。
车厢里渐渐安静下来,只剩下车子行驶的轻微声响。陆则川看向身边的沈若斐,眼神里带着几分愧疚,轻声开口:“Serena,对不起。”
沈若斐闻言,不解地看向他:“怎么突然说对不起?”
陆则川带些愧疚,目视前方:“昨晚喝多了,今早醒得太晚了。本来我特意定了闹钟,打算早上八点整,做第一个对你说新年快乐的人,结果一觉醒来就都九点了,还打算给你个惊喜呢。”
沈若斐听了,忍不住笑出了声。
“我还以为是什么大事呢,这有什么好道歉的。说起来我还要好好谢谢你呢,这一年来的两次过年都是你陪我的。其实在来这里之前,我看到日期那么巧,就猜到你是特意要陪我过新年了。”
她顿了顿,嘴角的笑意依旧温柔,继续说道:“而且,早上我已经和我妈通过电话了,也告诉她,今年是你陪我过的新年,你准备得特别用心,带我来这么好玩的地方。”
听及此,陆则川的脸颊瞬间红了大半,连耳根都透着粉色,语气也变得有些羞涩:“应该的。”
“虽然过了时间,但我还是想说,姐姐,新年快乐,祝你所有都快乐。”
沈若斐侧过头看向他,他回望,在半空中的视线对视,男孩眼里亮晶晶,弯起的唇是好看的弧度。
“你也是,Ethan。希望你永远快乐,永远自由。”
--
车子开过了6个多小时,停在了USC校园门口。大约十分钟后,沈若斐拿着一个精致的文件夹走了出来,文件夹里整齐地放着十张设计稿。她等下要去公司交定稿,让陆则川把她放到家门口,自己开过去。
抵达小区门口后,陆则川摇醒Toby,让他帮忙拿下Serena的行李,而沈若斐丝滑地坐进自己的甲壳虫,向两人招了招手,驶离了区域。
看着沈若斐的车子远去,Toby也关上了大门,陆则川才转身回到车上,发动车子前往自己家。
--
大约四十分钟,终于抵达了品牌公司所在的大厦。沈若斐将车停在大厦地下停车场,提着文件夹,乘坐电梯前往13楼——Lune Fleur品牌公司的办公区域就在这一层。
走出电梯,映入眼帘的是宽敞明亮的办公区域,员工们都在忙碌地工作着。
沈若斐径直走向前台,脸上带着礼貌的笑容,轻声对前台工作人员说道:“Hello, my name is Serena. I had an appointment with your company's Director Rochefort before. I'm here today to hand over the design draft. Could you please inform him for me?”(你好,我叫Serena,我之前和贵公司的Rochefort总监预约过,今天过来交设计稿,麻烦你帮我通报一下。)
前台工作人员抬起头,脸上带着职业性的微笑:“Miss Serena. Please wait a moment. I'll check your reservation information for you.”(您好,Serena小姐,请稍等一下,我帮您查一下预约信息。)
说完,她便低头在电脑上查询起来,片刻后,她抬起头,语气依旧温和:“Miss Serena, your appointment has been confirmed. But I'm sorry to inform you that Director Rochefort is currently attending an important meeting and cannot see you at the moment. Please wait in the lounge for a while. Once the meeting is over, I will notify you immediately.”(Serena小姐,确实有您的预约。不过很抱歉,Rochefort总监现在正在开一个重要的会议,暂时无法接见您,麻烦您先在休息室等一会儿,等会议结束了,我再第一时间通知您。)
“OK,thank you.”(好的,麻烦你了。)沈若斐笑着点了点头。
前台工作人员领着沈若斐走向办公区域旁边的一间休息室,推开门说道:“Miss Serena, please have a rest here. As soon as the meeting is over, I'll come and call you.”(Serena小姐,您先在这里休息。会议一结束,我就过来叫您。)
“Thank you.”沈若斐道谢后,走进了休息室。
进了休息室,她一开始拿出定稿又重新检查了几番,确认无误,又拿出自己的创意idea,熟悉流程默背。
转眼间,将近一个小时过去了,Rochefort的会议依旧没有结束,前台也没有过来通知她。沈若斐拿出手机看了看时间,眉头微微皱了起来。她原本计划早点交完设计稿早点回家,可现在会议迟迟不结束,她也只能继续耐住性子等待。
就在这时,休息室的门被猛地推开,一个身材高大、穿着西装革履的男人走了进来。这个男人大约三十多岁,留着一头短发,眼神锐利,脸上带着几分傲慢,胸前挂着一个工牌,上面印着他的名字和职位。他径直走到沈若斐面前,居高临下地看着她:“Serena? Give me the design draft in your hand. Rochefort is still in a meeting and doesn't have time to receive you. I'll take the design draft to him.”(你就是Serena?把你手中的设计稿给我,Rochefort还在开会,没时间接见你,我会把设计稿拿给他。)
沈若斐闻言,抬起头,警惕地看着眼前的男人,语气礼貌:“Sorry, may I ask who you are? I have an appointment with Rochefort. Could you please inform him for me? I can wait for a while if it's not urgent.”(您好,请问您是哪位?我和Rochefort预约过,麻烦您告知一下他,我可以再等一会儿,不着急。)
男人闻言,脸上的傲慢更甚,语气也变得更加不耐烦:“Who am I? My name is Draco Coppa. I'm Rochefort's assistant and I'm responsible for assisting him with his daily work, including receiving design drafts. Just give me the design draft when you receive it. Why all this nonsense? I don't know how long Rochefort's meeting will last. You're wasting time here and it's also delaying our work.”(我是谁?我叫Draco Coppa,是Rochefort的助理,负责协助他处理日常工作,包括接收设计稿。让你把设计稿给我,你就给我,哪来那么多废话?Rochefort的会议不知道还要开多久,你在这里浪费时间,也耽误我们的工作。)
沈若斐依旧没有动,语气坚定:“Sorry, Mr. Coppa. I still want to hand it over to Rochefort in person. I have some details that I need to discuss with him face to face. I can wait a little longer.”(抱歉,Coppa先生,我还是想亲自交给Rochefort。我有些细节要和他当面沟通交流,我可以再等一会儿。)
话音落,Draco Coppa的脸色瞬间沉了下来:“How can you be so ungrateful? I was kind enough to pass it on for you, but you don't even appreciate it? I think you're doing this on purpose, don't you think you're very smart? Let me tell you, here, what I say represents Rochefort's opinion. You either give me the design draft or you just keep waiting here until the meeting is over, or even until the end of the workday!”(你这个人怎么这么不识好歹?我好心帮你转交,你还不领情?我看你就是故意的,是不是觉得自己很厉害?我告诉你,在这里,我说的话就代表Rochefort的意思,你要么把设计稿给我,要么就自己在这里一直等,等到会议结束,甚至等到下班都有可能!)
“I'm sorry, but I have to deliver the design draft to Rochefort in person. This is my respect for this job and my design work. Also, I'd like to remind you that you are Rochefort's assistant and should treat every person you deal with professionally.”(抱歉,亲自把设计稿交给Rochefort,这是我对这份工作、对我的设计作品的尊重。另外,我想提醒您,您是Rochefort的助理,应该秉持着专业的态度对待每一个对接的人。)
“Professional attitude? Just you? A Chinese? Chinese designs are completely worthless. They lack any original creativity or ideas, have no understanding of what fashion or design is, and are simply a waste of time.”(专业的态度?就凭你?一个中国人?中国人的设计根本不值一提,没有一点自己的创意和想法,也根本不懂什么叫时尚,什么叫设计,完全就是浪费时间。)
这番话,简直就是一根刺,狠狠扎进了沈若斐的心里。
她可以接受别人对她设计作品的质疑,但绝对不能接受别人以种族为由,贬低她的国家,践踏她的尊严。
她猛地站起身,眼神变得坚定而锐利:“Mr. Coppa, you are engaging in racial discrimination.”(Coppa先生,你这是在种族歧视。)
“How do you claim that Chinese people lack creativity and ideas? Have you studied the design industry in China? How many works by Chinese designers have you seen? Chinese traditional culture and modern fashion elements are unique and highly appreciated by the international market. But how many of your own designs have you created? I can't say that my design drafts are perfect, but they are definitely not the garbage you describe. Every design concept stems from my observation of life and my understanding of fashion, without any imitation. They are all my original works. Race is never a criterion for measuring a person's ability. Don't deny me just because I'm Chinese, and don't use discriminatory language to belittle me. Such behavior is simply ridiculous.” (你凭什么说中国人没有创意和想法?你了解中国的设计行业吗?你看过多少中国设计师的作品?中国传统文化和现代时尚元素独具特色,深受国际市场的认可和喜爱。而你,又有多少自己设计出的作品?我不敢说我的设计稿有多完美,但它绝对不是你口中的垃圾,每一个设计理念都源于我对生活的观察和对时尚的理解,没有一丝一毫的模仿,都是我原创的作品。种族从来都不是衡量一个人能力的标准。不能因为我是中国人,就否定我,更不能用种族歧视的语言来贬低我,这种行为,简直可笑至极。)
Draco Coppa被沈若斐说得哑口无言,脸色一阵青一阵白。他指着沈若斐,语气刻薄地反驳:“I say that Chinese design is just not good enough! I'm telling you, today you either give me the design draft or get out of here and don't interfere with our work here!”(我说中国人的设计不行就是不行!我告诉你,今天你要么把设计稿给我,要么就滚出这里,别在这里影响我们工作!)
沈若斐冷笑:“Impossible! You such racist, don't even think about it! You don't have even a little manners. No way!”(不可能,你这个种族歧视者,想都别想!一点素质都没有,我都不愿意再跟你多说半句话。)
Draco Coppa脖子涨的红粗,只能用尽喉咙里最后一丝声音低吼:“FUCK YOU, you such a bitch!”
两人的争吵越来越激烈,声音也越来越大,甚至惊动了外面办公区域的员工,不少员工都纷纷探头看向休息室。Draco Coppa被沈若斐说得面红耳赤,却又无力反驳,只能站在原地,气得浑身发抖,眼神里满是戾气和不甘。
突然,休息室的门被再次推开,一个穿着干练西装、气质优雅的人走了进来。
他看着面前红通了脸的两人,面色逐渐严肃。