每天读一篇英语小故事：It’s Just Business

英语自学网

　　May was hoping to broker cigarette lighters in America. Her friend said
that Mr. Wang was a big manufacturer in China. She gave May Mr. Wang’s phone
number. May called Mr. Wang, and invited him to Los Angeles. She arranged
several meetings between Mr. Wang and some US wholesalers. Because he did not
speak English, she was the interpreter at the meetings. Mr. Wang promised to
give May a commission for whatever business deal was made and for all future
orders.
        　　The first three meetings were unproductive. The last meeting was with a
Chinese wholesaler. He spoke Chinese, so there was no need for May to interpret
his remarks. She sat there throughout the meeting and listened. The two men
discovered that they both had grown up in Guiyang, a large city in southwest
China. At meeting’s end, no deal was made. Everyone shook hands.
        　　May and Mr. Wang walked out to her car. Then Mr. Wang said that he had
forgotten something. He excused himself and walked back to the office. May
waited a moment. Then, suspicious, she snuck back to the office and heard the
two men making a deal behind her back. Mr. Wang was cutting her out of her
commission.
        　　May went back out to her car and waited. Mr. Wang was whistling as he
returned to the car. He apologized for making her wait. She said it was no
problem. Then she drove Mr. Wang back to his hotel. He thanked her for her help,
and said he was returning to China the next day. She didn’t say anything about
what she had overheard. She went home and tried not to cry about what had just
happened—she must be strong.