373: It's really not necessary.

Lei Jun closed her eyes, carefully feeling the changes.

Previously, she had been completely clueless about English, but now she could suddenly clearly understand various English accents. Whether it was the rhotic sounds of American English or the standard Received Pronunciation of British English, she could accurately distinguish them, even discerning the speaker's emotions and tone.

Her oral muscles had also undergone subtle changes, allowing her to naturally produce standard English pronunciation. Whether it was everyday conversational speech or professional terminology in business negotiations, she could speak fluently and effortlessly, without any hesitation or awkwardness, indistinguishable from a native English speaker.

Lei Jun tried speaking a few sentences in English, starting with simple daily greetings, then a simulated business negotiation script. Her pronunciation was standard, her intonation natural, and her logic clear—even she was somewhat surprised.

She casually picked up the English newspaper on the table, glanced at it, and instantly understood the content. Whether it was complex business reports, obscure academic articles, or humorous column commentaries, she could read them easily, even quickly identifying logical flaws and key information.

If asked to draft an English business contract or academic paper, she could also do it with ease, using precise vocabulary and rigorous logic, fully reaching the level of a PhD in English studies.

She also discovered that she was not only proficient in general English but also mastered the terminology of various professional fields... Whether attending supplier summits or discussing specialized issues with Walmart executives, she could accurately express her thoughts without any gaps in terminology.

Lei Jun was extremely satisfied inwardly. With this ability, her work and life in the USA would be much smoother.

During business negotiations, she could directly express her views, control the pace of negotiations, and avoid misunderstandings due to translation errors.

In daily life, ordering food, shopping, and communicating with hotel staff could all be handled independently, without needing to trouble those around her.

She stood up, stretched her body, her eyes filled with confidence.

Just as she composed herself, a knock came from outside the door. Su Qing entered and reported, "Ms. Lei Jun, Mr. Greg Penner has arrived. He brought a translator along, saying he will accompany you to the headquarters."

Lei Jun nodded faintly, "Let them in."

Greg Penner pushed the door open and entered, followed by a blonde woman in a professional suit, exuding a capable demeanor.

Greg wore a respectful smile and proactively introduced, "Ms. Lei Jun, this is Ms. Leah. I specially found her for you as a bilingual translator. She is very professional, specializing in translation for business settings."

Leah immediately stepped forward, giving a slight bow in greeting, "Ms. Lei Jun, hello. I am your dedicated translator, Leah. It's a pleasure to serve you."

Before Leah could say more, Lei Jun directly refused in fluent English, her tone calm yet firm, "Thank you, but no translator is needed. I speak English."

The smile on Greg's face instantly froze, his eyes filled with confusion. He instinctively glanced at Leah, then turned back to look at Lei Jun, muttering, "You... you speak English?"

He was completely caught off guard. Yesterday, Lei Jun had used Chinese the entire time, not speaking a single word of English. How could she suddenly know it?

Seeing his bewildered expression, Lei Jun repeated herself.

"Yes, I speak it, so there's no need for a translator."

Only then did Greg belatedly process it, feeling extremely awkward.

Yesterday, seeing Lei Jun use Chinese throughout, he had naturally assumed she didn't understand English. Worried about potential issues during today's headquarters visit and meetings with executives, he had specifically found Leah, thinking he was being very considerate.

He never expected that Lei Jun not only spoke English but also with such standard pronunciation and natural tone, completely indistinguishable from a native speaker.

"My sincerest apologies, Ms. Lei. I didn't know you spoke English. Leah is truly professional; she graduated from Harvard, majoring in English Translation and International Business, with ten years of commercial translation experience."

"She has served many Fortune 500 companies; even Apple and Microsoft have hired her as a dedicated translator. Not only American and British English, but she also understands other accents and is familiar with professional terminology across various fields. She can definitely assist with your work."

He pondered internally that even if Lei Jun spoke English, having a professional translator by her side would provide an extra layer of security. In case she encountered obscure terminology, Leah could step in.

Looking at Greg nervously explaining, Lei Jun patiently said, "It's not that I think she's unprofessional. Can't you see? I simply don't need a translator."

She truly hadn't expected that even after directly stating she spoke English, Greg still hadn't grasped the situation.

Greg mulled it over repeatedly... Right, Ms. Lei had just spoken English so fluently; where would she need a translator?

He discreetly observed Lei Jun's expression and, seeing she wasn't angry, slightly relaxed.

Beside them, Leah was also full of surprise inwardly. She hadn't expected this young lady from Dragon Country to have such excellent English.

But she didn't want to lose this job. Not only was the remuneration generous, but it also offered valuable networking opportunities that would greatly benefit her future career.

She immediately stepped forward again, speaking in a sincere tone.

"Ms. Lei, I know you speak English. But I can fluently speak British, Australian, and various other accents, and I'm proficient in professional terminology across fields like technology, healthcare, and business. Perhaps you might need my assistance in some specialized settings."

Leah was calculating internally. She didn't believe a person from Dragon Country could be better at English than her, a Harvard graduate with ten years of professional translation experience.

Even if Lei Jun spoke everyday and business English, she surely couldn't be as proficient as Leah in obscure terminology and niche accents. As long as she could find her own value, she could keep this job.

Hearing this, Greg quickly chimed in, "Yes, Ms. Lei, Leah is truly exceptional in this regard. Having her here can prevent any potential misunderstandings. Please let her stay."

He thought to himself: more people mean more security. If Lei Jun slipped up on any terminology, Leah could remedy it, and it would also make him seem considerate.

Lei Jun shook her head, her tone still firm, "No, really not needed."

Everything Leah could do, she was now proficient in as well. There was no need for this redundancy.

Both Greg and Leah were stunned, their faces filled with incomprehension.

Greg scratched his head. Why was Ms. Lei so adamantly refusing? Was she dissatisfied with Leah? Or were there other concerns?

He truly couldn't understand; having a professional translator by her side should clearly save a lot of trouble.

Leah was also very puzzled inwardly, even feeling somewhat indignant. She thought Lei Jun might be saving face, unwilling to admit she needed help, deliberately putting on a tough front.

Greg hesitated for a moment but couldn't help asking, "Ms. Lei, may I ask why you don't need a translator? With Leah's assistance, your work would be more convenient."

Seeing their puzzled looks, Lei Jun knew they wouldn't believe her without a demonstration of capability.

She said calmly, "Because everything she can do, I can do too. I simply don't need her help."