I Deserve A Second Chance

Once her elevator landed on the ground lobby area, she hastily walked out to the exit to join the queue line for taxi. Shao Yan had to wait for a while. After all it was after office hours, and traffic would be busy.

She kept looking left and right anxiously, waiting for one to show up. A hungry and irritated woman was a different person, and she was always scared of this Feifei.

About ten minutes, a taxi finally arrived. She quickly got inside. After she had settled down on her seat, instead of sending him a text, Shao Yan decided to just give Li Xiqing a quick call.

.....

"Are you still in the office?" she said after she heard the call was picked up on the first ring.

Over the phone, she could hear clatters of bowl and spoon being put down on the table. "No, I was already at home since six o'clock. I just made an oatmeal for dinner and eating it now."

He knew she would start nagging on his choice for dinner, so he quickly added, "I need to have a conference call in ten minutes with Karl and Martin so I just fixed something really quick. We have a problem with Japan office."

Shao Yan could hear his fingers danced skilfully over the keyboard plastic keys from her phone. It seemed that he was really busy. She pursed her lips. She had furrowed her eyebrows and was about to start nagging him. But she decided to hold herself back.

.....

After the call from Yan Yan in the afternoon, Li Xiqing swiftly settled all of his other tasks for the day and came back home earlier than usual.

He was sitting down in the living room, still in his office attire from this morning: light blue shirt and dark blue striped pants, minus his yellow and blue striped tie. His dark navy blue jacket was laying on the side. He was trying to get some work done while waiting for his Yan Yan.

He was working on his emails when she called again to let him know that she was on the way to the restaurant. He picked up the Bluetooth wireless earbud and immediately picked up her call, while slowly leaning back on the sofa.

He lifted his left hand to glance at the time, "Did you just leave the office now? Are you not late for the dinner?" He straightened up and reached out to the bowl that he just placed on the coffee table. He picked up the spoon, and scooped a spoonful of oatmeal.

Shao Yan heard him chewing and she smiled, finally she could not hold herself back anymore, "Why are you only eating oatmeal? Don't we still have the pork ribs in the fridge?"

She looked at her watch, "And you only eat now, when you are already home since six o'clock? Are you not hungry?"

Li Xiqing smiled at her rapid questions and lightly shook his head helplessly, "I was on another call and just finished. And I wanted to eat the pork ribs with you," with pursed lips, he told her, "It's fine, if I get hungry again tonight, let's eat some midnight snacks after I pick you up, alright?"

Shao Yan nodded lightly and answered with a simple "En" and then she quickly added, "Alright, I will let you know when I am done."

She lifted up her head and started to look around the area, "I am almost there now. It's the D restaurant by the second junction."

Li Xiqing put down the spoon and stood up to bring the bowl to the kitchen sink, "Alright I know. Remember what I said. Don't drink alcohol."

Shao Yan smiled and they talked casually for a little while before she hung up because she needed to pay the taxi fare.

.....

When Shao Yan arrived at the restaurant, she saw that they had started to grill the meat.

She walked briskly to their table,"Sorry sorry, I'm late," she quickly lifted the seat cover and put her purse inside her chair and sat down.

This BBQ restaurant had a storage for purse and jacket underneath the chair, so customers would not have to worry about their belongings while they eat. Their purses or jackets would be stored inside securely and away from the smell of smokes.

They also provided bib and gloves in case the customer needed them.

Shao Yan saw plates of food displayed in front of her. Three plates of beef brisket bulgogi, two plates of chicken bulgogi, two plates of pork belly, two plates of beef short ribs, spicy seafood soup, grilled yellow fish, kimchi pancake, seafood pancake and Korean army soup. Plus, there were still some varieties of kimchi from cabbage, soybean sprout and radish.

Shao Yan turned to Feifei, her round eyes were staring at the woman sitting next to her with a surprise, "Did all of you not eat lunch just now? This is so much food!"

Lu Feifei scoffed, "Don't worry, Xiao Yan" she patted Shao Yan's shoulder, "We will finish all of them. Let's start to eat now." She picked up some cooked BBQ beef and put them on Shao Yan's plate.

Shao Yan absentmindedly picked up her chopsticks and scooped some brown rice and started to eat.

.....

The four of them ate with gusto. Feifei, who was in a really good mood, called the waiter over and ordered some Soju.

The waiter came back, with a bottle of Soju and four cups. Shao Yan had just finished chewing her meat before she said, "I'm sorry, I have to pass" she put her palm on top of her cup when Feifei wanted to pour some Soju for her.

"Xiao Yan~ why do you have to be a party pooper. Just drink a little."

Shao Yan still refused and did not budge her hand, "I really can't. You know that I am not good with alcohol, so I don't drink alcohol anymore." She quickly picked up her cup of brown rice tea, "In exchange, I will drink this to represent my apology, alright?" and then she clinked her cup with everyone.

Zhong Yu just looked at her quietly, but did not say anything.