The Alchemists

The day's work was finally finished. Finland received an SMS from Caspar at exactly 6 pm.

[Done working? Want me to pick you up at the office?]

[I'll see you at the bubble tea shop. It's located just between my office and the hospital. I'm leaving now.]

Finland gave the address of her favorite bubble tea shop.

[OK, I'm leaving now too.]

Finland packed her belongings and left. She had not met Caspar for 3 weeks and they had not contacted each other so far. She was somewhat anxious to meet him, but was worried that their meeting would feel awkward.

On her cellphone she listed a few topics to discuss in case they run out of conversation material later.

1. How was your surgery yesterday?

2. What was the case?

3. Where did you study medicine?

4. If you were not a doctor, what would you want to be?

5. What do you do for fun?

Hm... those 5 questions should give her enough time to finish a glass of bubble tea.

Finland put her cellphone in her bag when she entered the Cocoa Bubble Tea shop and saw Caspar already sitting inside.

"Hey... how long have you waited?" she asked, approaching Caspar.

"It's only been ten minutes. My legs are longer, so I arrived faster," Caspar answered casually. "What would you like to order?"

"My treat, so I am asking you, what would you like to order?" replied Finland.

"I will have whatever you are having," Caspar replied calmly.

Finland ordered two tropical bubble tea and brought them to their table.

"Congratulations, you have officially become an employee. Cheers!" Caspar raised his bubble tea and Finland followed. The toast was for Finland's first salary which financed their afternoon tea.

"When I asked you to treat me for tea, I was actually referring to real infused tea..." Caspar teased, smiling. "This is bubble tea."

"I like bubble tea. For me this is a luxury item. It is more expensive than tea, you know. If you want to drink real tea, just come to my place. I can make tea for you; it's cheaper than going to a cafe," answered Finland.

"That sounds good. When?" Caspar asked quickly. Immediately Finland realized her mistake. She accidentally invited Caspar for tea at her home.

Ugh... this bubble tea should have been her last meeting with Caspar, but now she just invited him to her home.

"Um... I'll tell you when. I'm pretty busy right now," she replied hastily. She hoped that Caspar would forget about it and let it pass. "I am very busy in the office. We are preparing an event for a new product launch of a French watch brand."

"Really? Sounds interesting. When?"

"Next month. Everyone is now busy looking for a replacement venue because Starlight Hotel, the hotel we usually use for such activities, was booked for a celebrity wedding. Similar or better hotels, such as the Continental Hotel, has a very long waiting list." Finland then pursed her lips with an irritated face, "Do you remember my mean high school friend? Well after our dinner she deliberately embarrassed me in the office by saying that I am the mistress of a bigwig of the Continental Hotel and I should be able to get the venue using my sugar daddy connection!"

Caspar's brows twitched. He didn't like to hear Finland being treated in such a way.

"She works in the same company as you?"

"Yeah. Haven't I told you? Meilin works in the same company and, as if that was not bad enough, same department as me. Now I am just waiting for my three-month probation to be over so I can look for another job."

"I see."

"Yeah. I don't like the way they looked at me when I told everyone that I didn't have any connections at the Continental Hotel. They thought that I intentionally didn't want to help the company so I can maintain a good reputation of not being a mistress. Between you and me, if I had the connection to Continental Hotel, I'd most definitely use it. I'm not stupid. My manager offered me a bonus of 800 dollars if I succeeded. I don't care about reputation if I can get extra money out of it; it's already ruined anyway." Finland replied angrily, "This is like getting two losses for me, I don't get the bonus, and at the same time my reputation is tarnished."

Caspar stared at Finland with widened eyes.

"Huh? You seriously don't care if people think of you as an Continental Hotel bigwig's mistress as long as you can get the venue?" He asked, fixating his gaze on the pair of angry eyes in front of him to make sure he heard correctly. "Are you normal or not?Reputation is very important for normal people, you know."

"I don't care. No matter what I do, those people won't change their bad impression of me. I have no friends who defend me whenever there are bad rumors circulating about me. So why should I care about my non-existent reputation? I can better focus on making money."

"So you choose money?" Caspar asked later, "over your reputation?"

"Reputation cannot be used to pay rent," Finland answered with a laugh.

"So, if I told you that I can help you get the venue at Continental Hotel, you will accept it?" Caspar asked earnestly. "Even if it will convince your office mates that you are someone's mistress?"

"You help me get the venue at the Continental Hotel? Ahahaha... don't joke around so lightly with me. I'm serious when it comes to an 800-dollar bonus," Finland replied with a laugh.

"I'm serious. I can get the venue for you. Are you not ashamed to be called a Continental Hotel owner's mistress?"

"I'm not ashamed," Finland answered firmly. "I know the truth. Let other people think of me whatever they want; I know that I am not a mistress. I work hard and I make honest money with my own effort."

"Okay, then. When do you need the venue?"

"The 10th of next month."

"OK." Caspar typed something on his cellphone and sent the short email. "Done."

"What is that?"

"I have ordered my secretary to clear the schedule of the Continental Hotel's main ballroom on the 10th of next month."

Finland laughed again, she was amused, "You're so funny."

"So, since I've helped you receive an 800-dollar bonus, you need to treat me again," Caspar said, finishing his bubble tea. "Hmm... 800 dollars is a lot of money. I will give two options for our next date for you to choose from: Universal Studios or dinner at a Michelin starred Restaurant."

"Hahaha..." Finland still burst out laughing, "You can't be serious."

Caspar was still acting as if he owned the Continental Hotel.

"Why are you laughing? I'm serious. The Continental Hotel is mine, and I just helped you get the venue you need. If you really receive that 800-dollar bonus, I hope you will treat me to dinner as a thank you."

Finland still had that crazy smile on her face. Caspar shook his head in disbelief. He needed her to know that he was telling the truth.

"After this let's go the Continental Hotel. I will make you believe that I am really the owner. I promise you, you will get your bonus."

Caspar grabbed Finland's hand and took her to his black Maybach car that was waiting in front of the bubble tea shop and helped her in.

"We go back to the hotel," Caspar told the driver.

After hearing those words, Finland's smile slowly faded...

What if.. this man was telling the truth?

She turned to look at the handsome man sitting next to her; he who claimed to be a famous surgeon and now the owner of the Continental Hotel. Caspar's face looked serious and not playful. It seems like he couldn't joke about something like this.

The car arrived at the Continental Hotel 10 minutes later. The driver opened the door and they got out of the car. When the on-duty manager saw the black Maybach enter the lobby, he immediately came to greet him with respect.

"Good evening, Sir. You're home."

"This is Miss Finland, from LTX. They will hold an event in our hotel next month, I am bringing her to check the location," Caspar said.

"Do you need me to accompany you, sir?"

"No need."

Finland gasped when she heard the conversation between Caspar and the on-duty manager. Caspar wasn't joking! He... was he really the owner of this hotel?

After the on-duty manager left, Caspar grabbed Finland's hand and pulled her into the hotel. "Let me show my house. I now live in this hotel."

Finland allowed Caspar to hold her hand because her mind suddenly went blank. How could it be? He was serious after all...