"Bye Miss Liu, my mom is here. We'll talk later."

"Bye Chairman Duan."

The two exchanged goodbyes as the video chat came to an end.

"Yes Secretary Ou, you can send my mother in."

The secretary had knocked on his door and had to let herself in, only to see he was on a video chat with someone she couldn't recognize. Not surprising, since the company employed so many people from different departments.

"Okay, Chairman Duan."

The woman bowed as she left to open the door to let the mother of the Chairman of Cinopec Group into the office.

"Good morning Mom! What brings you to my office so early in the morning?!"

Duan Chengyu rose up to greet his mother, as the two held each other in an embrace, before finally parting from each other.

"I stopped by the gate of your house and noticed that you had changed the combination, is anything the matter?"

Looking at his mother, one would find it difficult to tell what went on behind the eyes that looked back at her son's.

"It is nothing to be concerned about."

"If that is so, then why did you change it without letting me know? What if I had visited with friend? Do you know how embarra.s.sing it would have been to be locked out of one's own son's home?!"

"I'm sorry mom, I'll make it up to you later."

The shrewd eyes of Director Duan looked at those of her son, as she sought to delve into the reason for her son's unusual behavior. As one of the board of directors of Cinopec Group, even though they were family, Duan Chengyu had to be vigilant when in the presence of his mother. He wouldn't put it past her to use the other directors to make things difficult for him, if she wasn't having her way.

"Instead of later, why not do it now?"

"Do what, mom?"