Chapter 120 - Sofia's Views About Success

"Sof!" Joey exclaimed as his body involuntarily trembled. He felt anxious after he heard how Sofia responded to the man. All his sleepiness and fatigue were gone in a blink of an eye and it was replaced by the feeling of fear that the man would do something at them. 

"Sof, here me out. Given the fact that this man was heavily guarded, he should be someone that we must not offend! Sof, we will get in trouble!" Joey added when Sofia did not respond to him. He obliged himself to remind Sofia about the three bodyguards that had accompanied the man.

There were only few reason that a person would be heavily guarded. One was a criminal. The other was those who held political power and authority. 

Joey could not recognize the man but he could tell that he had a resemblance of Stephen's face. So, he wished that Sofia would not pursue the man's rudeness earlier.

At the same time, Mr. Greg quietly emerged few feet away from the man. His timing was perfect to hear Sofia's startling response.

'This girl is really bold! I thought that she was just confident. But now, she actually dares to use a superior tone with this man!' he secretly thought after he heard Sofia replying to the man rather in an unusual.

'This must be an interesting thing to watch!' he decided to rest on the corner and halted his movements to observe the two at the sideline.

"Audacious! Did I hear it correctly? Did you just command me to watch my tone? Hmmph! You are just a nobody! Do you know who I am, young girl?" the man questioned while his eyes glowered at Sofia. 

No one has ever rebuked him as Sofia did. Their initial encounter escalated quickly to hostility. 

The man was feared by the other associates that he had. All employees on his company must bow to his presence. Yet, it appeared that the teenager did not get a hint of how terrifying his background is!

"Sof," Joey whispered again. He slightly pulled the hem of Sofia's dress to get her attention. However, Sofia's eyes were glued only at the man.

"Tell me about yourself! Don't expect me to know you," Sofia said. No, her tone was actually demanding for the man to speak of his identity. 'If you think you can intimidate me by using your overbearing attitude, then you have picked the wrong target!' she thought while looking at the man. 

Their encounter was too sudden and she had completely forgotten her current identity. All she knew was that she disliked how the man talked to her. 

Even before her last life, she loathed overbearing people that used their power to make others feared them. 'If you are my employee in the past, I would have fired you by now!' she gritted her teeth as she looked at the man's face full of disdain.

The man should be aware that she was a companion of Stephen. It was not clear what the man's connection with their teammate. 

But, he was actually treating her and Joey as though they were insignificant. And Sofia refused to yield by the direct contempt from the man.

"Base on what background do you think you have for you to talk back like this to me, young girl?" the man raised a brow and crossed his arms on his chest. 

He emitted a murderous aura upon reflecting Sofia's unyielding attitude. Tell me about yourself! Isn't this question normally used for applicants on an initial job interview? 

"The fact is right here in front of us. If you failed to notice it then let me tell you that it is base on the fact that you asked me rudely, sir!" Sofia directly replied. 

They were both strangers and had no enmity with each other. But for some reason, the man was already hostile as he initially asked Sofia. How could Sofia allow someone to lay prejudices in her?

"Hehe, I see. Your arrogance has enlightened me. A commoner can actually talk back like this! The people in district 7 is really unique!" the man muttered with a tone full of mockery as he took notice of Sofia's appearance. It was easy to tell that the young girl does not have a special background at all!

"Arrogance? No, it is not arrogance. For your information, I was standing here silently... You were the first to approach me with an unreasonable tone. Between us, you should know who is the rightful arrogant," Sofia reasoned maintaining a small smile on her face. Although they were exchanging their arguments, the lady remained calm, collected, and composed. 

In her mind, she merely reminded the man to watch his tone. Yet, he was actually offended. If there was someone who would be offended, it should be her!

"You have no respect for the elder! Is this how your parents raised you?" the man snapped in fury. The lady had actually refuted him instead of apologizing and admit her faults.

He expected that the lady was now apologizing. 

But, Sofia just stood there with her head held high. 

Even the gaze from the lady slightly terrified him. 'How can this girl talk back easily at me when my bodyguards would even stutter when they speak to me!'

"Respect...? Hahaha, you are this old... if you don't know how respect works, that is really a pity!" Sofia paused and examined the man's suit. 

She could tell the brand of the clothing just by looking at the buttons. Her gaze swift easily to the entire outfit of the man. "You have a great set of expensive fashion sense. I could have respected you if you did not open your mouth," Sofia added.

To say, the man looked fully respectable with his appearance. But, the moment he sought Sofia rudely, the lady instantly decided that the man was not worthy of her respect.

At that point, the man was utterly humiliated. For someone who was in his caliber, he should not be easily provoked by the mere words of a teenager. But, there was something about Sofia's tone that made him felt inferior.

"You--- b*tch! You are this young but you don't know how to conduct yourself properly! I will teach you a lesson!" the man pointed his index finger at Sofia.

Mr. Greg looked tensed when he saw that the man raised his arms and was about to hit the lady. His action was too ungentlemanly and unprofessional. 

Fortunately, Joey was quick to move Sofia's body. She successfully dodged the hand of the man.

"Joey, you don't need to get involved. This man is targeting me," Sofia told her companion easily. She had sensed from the start that the man's anger was direct to her after Stephen left.

"An old man hitting a mere commoner? You are not worthy of my respect," Sofia stated.

"Hahaha, I wonder where you get this confidence, young girl! I am the founder of Ching Summit Estates, the most successful figure in district 5!" the man introduced hoping that the lady would show some fear in him.

Mr. Greg's eyes sparkled in astonishment as he continued to observe what was about to unfold before him. 

He had never thought in his entire life that the day would come that the most respected founder of CSE would reveal his identity to a gamer!

He stared at Sofia but the lady's expression remained the same. She did not look impressed by the man's revelation.

"The fact that you needed to introduce yourself to a commoner like me only meant one thing. Do you know what it is?" Sofia asked softly.  Her feet slowly move from side to side as if she was some kind of a teacher giving a lecture to her student.

"What is it?" the man complied and asked her back.

"Your success may not have that much impact. If you claim to be the most successful person in whatever district it is, I should be able to know you!" Sofia told the man. 

'How could this youngster talk about impact!' Mr. Greg mentally exclaimed.

"It is your ignorance that you could not recognize me!" the man debated. It was silly that he still continued to prove something about himself. Yet, he felt that he needed to be very defensive around this teenager. 

"I am not ignorant," Sofia corrected. "It might be your false sense of superiority!" she added.

In her eyes, the man was indeed rich. There was no doubt about his money. But how he act and presented himself in front of her was a disappointment to the rich people.

"What do you mean... false sense of security? Do you know how much money I make?" the man stated.

"Being rich does not define success. You can be wealthy but not yet successful,"  Sofia responded.

The depth meaning of her words was clear. Sofia meant to say that success does not only exist within the context of money and power. 

Being successful can exist anywhere. 

"Fulfillment is the true definition of success," Sofia continued after the man was rendered speechless.

And it made Mr. Greg who was just eavesdropping on them and also the man to stop their thoughts for a very long time.