Darkstone Code-Chapter 791 - 0789 Dreams are the end of life

"What a beautiful girl!"

As soon as they met, Ms. Tracey directly praised Catherine’s beauty, and Catherine responded gracefully.

It was evident that the internship at the President’s Mansion over these two months had helped her grow significantly, as she didn’t seem nervous when facing someone like Ms. Tracey.

"Thank you for your compliment. You’re also very beautiful and have an enviable aura."

Lynch timely interjected and led the two ladies into the restaurant.

This was considered a high-end restaurant in Bupen, and it was said that the head chef used to be an unknown painter, the kind from an academic background.

Some of his classmates and friends had more or less started to make a name and reputation for themselves in the field of painting, while he remained obscure.

This wasn’t to say his paintings weren’t good enough; it was just that his style was a bit unpopular, and he lacked the capital to promote himself, so he remained lukewarm and even struggled to fill his stomach.

Upon reaching middle age and having his first child, he started seriously considering what kind of future he wanted.

Ultimately, he gave up on his dream of becoming a famous painter and began trying his hand at cooking instead.

He applied his understanding of color and composition to his dishes, and several of the Federation’s most famous gourmets had dined here, mostly giving highly positive and encouraging reviews.

The flavor might not be the best, but the plating was definitely first-class in the Federation.

Having a unique style and good promotion meant there was business.

Dreaming of being a painter only to become a chef, fate can sometimes be a peculiar thing.

Lynch had reserved a set meal. Chefs with a bit of temperament often have some inexplicable rules, especially once these chefs have solved their basic needs and gained some fame; they believe the market should follow their rules rather than them catering to the market.

Of course, none of that mattered. What mattered was that the environment was nice, and the food was good, and that was enough.

"Catherine, may I call you that?" Ms. Tracey softly asked after they sat down, and Catherine naturally nodded in agreement.

Ms. Tracey glanced at Lynch and then looked at Catherine, "What do you think of my work?"

Before coming, Lynch had told Catherine about Ms. Tracey’s work, and she responded quickly, "Fighting for women’s rights is the best expression of the Federation’s spirit of freedom. As times progress, we should face our rights squarely and not be afraid to speak out in a male-dominated society."

"Your work is admirable. If anyone thinks heroes must be men, they certainly don’t know you, Ms. Tracey!"

The words were beautiful and appropriately flattering, causing Lynch to raise an eyebrow. He swore he didn’t teach Catherine those words; her growth was truly gratifying.

Of course, this was inevitable. Working in the government, one of the biggest lessons you learn is understanding what government officials, mainstream media, and the public want to achieve.

Even if you don’t know how to handle these tasks, just by watching others handle them often enough, you naturally start to understand and grasp it.

In every company’s secretariat in the Federation, there are usually one or two specialists dedicated to handling these documents. They earn more than other secretaries but don’t do much work.

Because their job is to write reports for the government, press releases for the media, and information to be disclosed to the public.

It seems like a simple job, but presenting the same matter with different focal points is not an easy task.

It’s like when the police station eradicates crime, they often tell people how many criminals they have apprehended and how many illegal weapons have been seized, highlighting the police’s role.

When the City Hall presents the issue to the public, they often say they addressed some minor issues, focusing on how much the public security rate has improved and how much the crime rate has decreased.

The media have a slightly different angle; they might highlight the terrifying aspect of these criminals by attacking the government’s incapacity, generating some tension and attention.

It’s clearly the same matter, yet there are many different ways to express it. It may not seem very complicated, but it’s not all that simple either.

To have grown so much in just over two months without anyone guiding her is indeed significant.

Ms. Tracey’s face was suddenly filled with smiles, "You speak so well. I know you’re flattering me, but I really enjoy hearing it."

She didn’t hide her thoughts at all. For influential people, perhaps this is called sincerity.

"Interested in joining us?" Ms. Tracey extended an olive branch to Catherine, "You can have your own job, and when you feel it’s necessary, you can also participate in our activities."

Ms. Tracey lowered her voice a bit, "We don’t charge headfirst into the front lines, so you don’t need to worry about that at all."

She even patted Catherine’s hand, as if to completely reassure her.

Catherine glanced at Lynch, who nodded, and she readily agreed.

The feminist movement is bound to evolve from a "phenomenon" into an inevitable "political movement," much like how history naturally eradicated slavery; in the end, society must confront women’s rights.

For female officials to have a feminist movement identity poses no problem. On the contrary, it provides them with a clear stance and guise, making them appear more authentic in the public’s eyes.

The Federation is a unique country where "authenticity" is a very important factor when evaluating officials.

If you present yourself as too perfect, the public will think it’s all an act, a performance, a mask worn to fool them.

But if you seem like a real person, with shining attributes as well as some normal human flaws, people will believe you are a true "person," not a fraud.

Look at the top politicians in the Federation and even the world; some are unkempt, some like to swear, some enjoy eating in public, and some love playing golf; they all have small flaws.

Catherine agreed to join the feminist organization, making Mrs. Tracy’s smile more genuine, and it would be less difficult for her to ask Lynch for political donations in the future.

"Have you given any thought to what you’ll do after your internship ends?" Mrs. Tracy asked another question during this time before dinner, allowing everyone to chat casually.

Catherine thought for a moment, "I haven’t considered it for now; there’s still a long time. My internship won’t end until next spring break."

When spring break is over, she’ll take the evaluation from her internship unit back to school, receive an appropriate score based on the evaluation, and then graduate from school.

If all goes well, many professors should be willing to write her letters of recommendation.

Whether it works out or not, should Catherine enter politics in the future, these professors can tell future students they wrote her recommendation letters.

Shameless?

No, this is society.

Mrs. Tracy hesitated slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "If you don’t find a suitable place next year, why not come and work with me for a while? I don’t know if Lynch has mentioned this to you..."

She glanced at Lynch. Lynch shook his head slightly. Mrs. Tracy had a certain pride on her face but pretended to be very modest and said, "I plan to integrate some scattered feminist organizations domestically. This involves a lot of work, dealing with various local governments and civil organizations."

"It might not be a comfortable job. You won’t be able to sit in an office most of the time, but it will allow all women in the Federation, all people concerned with issues of equality, to know and understand you."

"Whatever we plan to do in the future, this will be an important qualification for us. What do you think?"

Mrs. Tracy’s invitation was unexpected for Lynch. He hadn’t considered this situation initially, and he didn’t know Mrs. Tracy would suddenly visit him.

In his plans, Catherine could start as an administrative assistant to the mayor, which was easy to arrange. The new mayor of Sabin City gave Lynch significant respect.

The new mayor was the Governor’s person, and Lynch had a good relationship with the Governor. Plus, Adelaide was also on good terms with him, so, naturally, the mayor was one of our own; arranging an administrative assistant was a simple task.

Starting from the most basic place to engage with administration and politics, gradually integrating step by step, then moving on to become a city legislator, city mayor, state legislator, congressional representative, governor, or senator, eventually participating in the presidential election.

It sounds simple, but in practice, it won’t be that easy. For politicians to make a mark is both simple and challenging; the most crucial step is to make people recognize you and acknowledge your political ideas and governance plans.

Mrs. Tracy has now provided a new path, and Lynch suddenly feels it’s a great idea.

Even though, in the long run, Catherine may always be labeled as a "feminist member," which isn’t very popular in Congress.

But it might also be an advantage.

The times are constantly developing; currently, the feminist movement is still in its early stages. By the time it reaches the mid-term and late stages, the awakening of the collective consciousness of women will inevitably lead this country to make the most correct decision!

We need to have a female President to prove the victory of the equality movement and to demonstrate that various political movements initiated for women’s rights are worthwhile.

This might only happen in twenty or thirty years. By then, perhaps everything will be just right.

Lynch nodded slightly, and Catherine immediately agreed, "This is also what I hope for. I wish to do something for my fellow women who are facing unfair treatment, to do something within my capability."

A pleasant conversation!

The chefs pushed the dining cart out from the back hall, and the three of them promptly stopped chatting.

The large dinner plates with covered lids seemed exaggeratedly large, at least a foot in diameter, hiding whatever lay inside.

Once all the plates were properly set, the head chef, also the owner of this restaurant, came over to personally serve Lynch’s table.

It wasn’t because he was very familiar with Lynch; it was all for money and influence!

Art doesn’t fill the belly, but money can!