186 Accept full responsibility

"Umm, as informed earlier, Mr. Ying will not be taking any questions today. I would now like to welcome…" Eric started to speak.

But the persistent journalist interrupted him again.

"You are a person from Chinese origin and you have just signed an all-important trade contract with your Chinese counterparts. Yet, your COO is an American. So I will ask again, where do your company's loyalties lay?" the journalist's controversial question was getting a visible reaction from everyone.

Eric could see the corporate executives shifting uncomfortably in their seats. He was amazed at the pettiness of the question but he couldn't answer the question on Hui's behalf without sounding guiltily defensive. On the other end, Hui looked like a deer caught in the full blast of headlights. Never the one with any sort of political leanings, under normal circumstances, it would have been hilarious to have him answer such a question. But right now, Eric had no choice but to wait and see how would Hui react to this.

Suddenly, he was politely shoved aside by a near breathless Jia Li. She had apparently run all the way from the back of the room.

"Good morning. I apologise for the delay in answering the question. I had informed most of the media correspondents that any question regarding Earthly Matters Ltd. would be answered by me on behalf of the company, post the conference was over. I guess you didn't get that memo," she addressed the journalist with a slight smile.

Polite laughter could be heard in the room.

"And who might you be?" the peeved journalist asked, challenge clear in his voice.

Actually, he had been well aware that the company head was not going to engage in a Q&A session today. But he had an old score to settle with the man. During his rookie days, this man, Hui had been rude and condescending to him when he had asked him a harmless question about his company's performance.

Three years ago, Hui had been one of the many young CEOs who had spilled out of a conference, being held for the best performing start-ups. Hui had scowled at him and asked him to remove the microphone away from his face. He had said some unkind words after that, which the journalist had found unfair. He had only been doing his job. So what if he had been a little pushy. He had been taught that this was the only way that people responded to the questions.

After being humiliated by the man, he had vowed that he would get even with him one day. But the man, Ying Hui was a total recluse. Till date, he hadn't stepped in the media limelight and there had been no opportunity to fulfil his vow. He was enjoying the uncomfortable, frozen expression on Ying Hui's face up until that woman started to speak.

Jia Li's words had brought him back to the present.

"I am the newly appointed spokesperson of the company and I hope you would let me earn my salary by replying to your question or questions," she answered back.

Jia Li dared not look at her boss. She was hoping that he wouldn't come up and suddenly announce that she was merely an assistant, not the company's representative. When she had heard the question being addressed to Mr. Ying, her heart had started to palpitate in nervousness. She knew that Eric would be in an awkward place to answer it and Mr. Ying clearly had no idea how to reply back to this snide query.

"Earthly Matters is a British company. Our company is working towards the betterment of humans, nationality notwithstanding. Having said that, in today's world of constantly changing equations between various countries' political leaderships, it is near impossible to align oneself with any of them. We, as a company believe in hiring people based on their credentials and experience rather than their country of origin. In this day and age, where boundary lines don't exist anywhere except on political maps, I think your question is nearly redundant. Lastly, corporate houses know how to operate businesses, not countries. I hope I have managed to answer your question. I would be happy to take more of these, post the speech from our counterparts," she finished politely but firmly.

She gestured to the Chinese corporate executive to come up to the podium and start speaking.

Eric didn't want to react too much in front of so many prying eyes. So he surreptitiously typed a message and sent it to Jia Li.

"Well played, Madam Spokeswoman," it said.

Jia Li's phone chimed, indicating the arrival of a message but she didn't reach for it, lest someone saw her trembling hands. She didn't know whether she did a good job or will there be repercussions for her impulsive act. But she had acted instinctively and would accept full responsibility for it.