I Deserve A Second Chance

Shao Yan and Feifei talked for a while longer, before she spotted Fan jie, Li Na and uncle Huo walked through the rotating glass door on the first floor. Li Na saw Shao Yan was sitting on the mezzanine floor with a friend by her side; she raised both of her hands and waved enthusiastically in her direction, "Xiao Yan!"

Fan jie and Uncle Huo also looked up upon hearing Li Na, and waved at Shao Yan.

Shao Yan saw the group and smiled back at them, she raised one hand and gestured for them to come up.

Feifei also turned her head around to see who Shao Yan was gesturing to and saw that more Gold Crane Publications employees had started to arrive.

.....

The meeting lasted longer than usual.

By the time they finished, Shao Yan felt so tired; she was drained both mentally and physically. She raised her wrist and glanced at the time.

'Wow! It's already this late?' Shao Yan tilted her head to think, 'It's almost dinner time. I wonder if Mandy is still waiting,' Shao Yan thought to herself and then she took out her mobile phone.

She unlocked the phone and started to search for her contacts, and then Shao Yan realized that she did not have Mandy's phone number.

Shao Yan quickly pressed number one, which connected to Li Xiqing right away.

"Yan Yan?"

Her call was picked up on the second ring, "Is anything wrong? Where are you?"

Unbeknownst to her, Shao Yan had a smile pasted on her face as she heard his concerned voice over the phone.

Shao Yan shook her head lightly, "I'm fine. I am still at the museum. We are just done with all the meetings. I just realized that I don't have your sister's phone number. Do you mind text it to me?"

She could hear his deep chuckles over the phone. Shao Yan was quickly swept in by his joy, and she laughed along with him, "What? What is so funny?"

Li Xiqing chuckled for a while, and then he said, "Just a few minutes ago, Mandy called me and said the same thing. I am guessing her text should arrive on your phone any minute now."

.....

Just as he finished saying that, Shao Yan heard a beep sound in her ear; notifying her that there was an incoming message or call.

She looked at her phone to see that a text message had just come in.

Shao Yan quickly returned to her call, "You're right, I just received a text message. Let me take a look, I'll call you back later, alright?"

"En. She said that she wanted to have dinner with you. Both of you can go together, Axel and I may be working until late so we will have our dinner delivered here," he responded.

Shao Yan nodded along his words, "Alright. Don't worry about us, I'll hang up now," and after saying that, she quickly hung up the call, and opened the text message.

'Yan Yan, this is Mandy. Are we still meeting tonight? What do you say if we go to eat some Spanish food? Call me when you are available!'

Shao Yan quickly saved the number into her contacts and then hit the dial button.

After the fourth ring, the call was picked up.

.....

"This is Mandy speaking."

Shao Yan reflexively smiled onto the phone before she pursed her lips to hold herself from bursting to giggles.

'Even the way she answers the phone was similar to Li Xiqing!' Shao Yan thought to herself.

"Mandy jie, this is Shao Yan. I just saw your text message," she quickly said to her.

"Oh! Yan Yan!" Her cheerful voice echoed in her ears, "Yes, I just sent that, are you done with your meeting now? Did I disturb you?"

Shao Yan shook her head, "No, we are just done, don't worry. Spanish food sounds good, by the way. Where shall we meet? Do you want me to pick you up?"

Shao Yan was sitting in front of the main showroom hall. Her coworkers and some museum employees were still walking around and chatting casually.

When some of them saw Shao Yan, they would stop at their track, and nod a greetings; and Shao Yan will return with her own nod.

"No need, let's meet at Z road. I remember there is a really good Spanish restaurant there. I will text you the address. Does that work for you?"

On the other side of the phone, Shao Yan could hear Mandy walking around. And then suddenly she heard jiggles of keys.

"Okay, that should work. I will meet you there in about twenty to thirty minutes if the traffic is alright," Shao Yan got up from her seat and started to walk to the ground floor.

"Sure, take your time, no need to rush. I'll see you soon!" Mandy said to her before she hung up the call.

.....

The museum was adopting the modern minimalist design throughout the building. A grand spiral staircase was installed in the middle of the ground floor; connecting the mezzanine and the ground level area.

The handrail was made of steel, and the glass wall stretched elegantly along the way. Each step was made of light color bamboo; blended well with the whole concept of the spaces.

As Shao Yan was walking down from the mezzanine, she heard hurried footsteps from behind her; and then two hands patted her  shoulders,; stopping Shao Yan on her tracks.

"Xiao Yan!"

She turned her head around to see Feifei was grinning back at her.

"You're still here?" Shao Yan was surprised to see her again. After the first few meetings in the afternoon, she thought Feifei had left because her session was already over.

Feifei walked to stand beside Shao Yan and nodded; and then she linked her hand around Shao Yan's arm, and walked with her.

"I was waiting for you. It was really difficult to meet you nowadays, and since I'm free today, I decided to spend more time with you," Feifei said as she beamed at Shao Yan.

"Ah!" Shao Yan felt guilty that Feifei had spent hours waiting for her now, "I'm sorry, Feifei, I am actually going to meet Li Xiqing's sister for dinner now."

Shao Yan looked at Feifei's disappointed face, and then she stayed in silence for a while; trying to think of the best solution. She bit her lower lips as she thought of some options.

"Uh.. If you don't mind, why don't you join us then? We are going to eat some Spanish food tonight," Shao Yan patted Feifei's hand that was still linked around her arm.