Reunion Party

Manager w.a.n.g is about to leave the office, but when he is at the door, he seems to remember something and suddenly stops walking. He turns around and looks embarra.s.sed when he says: “Secretary Xia, I know this is unreasonable, but I really need …… can you give me one of your photos? It’ll be best if is a close up photo.”

“Why do you want my photo?” I am immediately on guard and feel wary: “It can’t be that I’ve offended you, so you want to use my photo for target practice, right?”

Manager w.a.n.g quickly waves his hands: “No, no, of course not.”

What else could it be? I prop up my chin and squint to size up manager w.a.n.g’s fat belly and wrinkles on his face. As well as the fawning expression on his face, I feel numb and think of another possibility. Could it be that this forty something years old elderly cow is interested in me…… the tender gra.s.s?

Manager w.a.n.g is startled by my strange stare, so he quickly explains: “Secretary Xia, don’t misunderstand. Actually it is because my wife heard there are a lot of beautiful female staff in our company. Thus she is curious and asked me to get a picture of a female staff in the company to take home for her to see.”

After hearing his remark, I immediately feel even more prideful! At the same time, I also lower my guard and say a little shyly: “So it is like this, but I don’t have any photo with me now. How about you use your mobile phone to take a photo of me now?”

Manager w.a.n.g is so happy that he smiles non-stop. While he takes out his mobile phone, he says: “Can also!”

I stand upright and smile like Mona Lisa for manager w.a.n.g to use his mobile phone to take a snapshot.

Manager w.a.n.g who is holding his mobile phone, seems very excited: “Secretary Xia, thank you very much for today! You should know how suspicious a woman can be. Moreover, my wife is experiencing menopause now. Since hearing that our company basically is full of beautiful women, every time when I returned home late after working overtime, she’ll give me black face. This time after seeing this photo, she’ll not lose his temper with me again.”

I: “……”

d.a.m.n it, as it turns out, this is how he gonna use it!

After manager w.a.n.g left, I decide to put down the work on hand and stare intensely at the bag of medicine.

What am I thinking? I’ve been thinking that since Big Boss Lu didn’t eat anything last night because of stomach problem and ate half of a scallion pancake on an empty stomach today then fell ill, being repeatedly torment by the same problem, how could a person stand it? By now, he probably has thrown up everything even gastric acid and bile……

The situation this morning was so tragic and I was the cause of it. When the manager comes back from the bathroom, how should I show my deep feelings of guilt and self-blame?

While I am thinking about it, I vaguely hear footsteps outside the door. I quickly stand upright and put both of my hands on the lower abdomen. Then I look down on the floor, my face appearing sorrowful and depressed, with a I know I made a mistake expression.

“Secretary Xia, why are you like this?” Although this voice is familiar, it is definitely not what I expected.

I lift up my head in surprise, and subconsciously on guard: “Manager w.a.n.g ah, why are you back?” Don’t tell me, you did not irritate me enough just now so come back to irritate me again?

Manager w.a.n.g points at the plastic bag on the desk: “Oh, it is like this, general manager isn’t feeling well and has directly gone home. I come here to take the medicine to be sent to him.”

I immediately become restless: “Gone home already? Is it that serious?”

Manager w.a.n.g nods his head and with a puzzled look, says: “Don’t know what general manager has eaten to vomit so badly. He looked so pale when he came out from the bathroom just now.”

I keep quiet and imagine Big Boss Lu looking all weak and frail, making me feel even more guilty! Thus I pick up the medicine bag on the desk: “Manager w.a.n.g, since you’re so busy, let me help you to run this small errand  to send the medicine to general manager!”

Manager w.a.n.g instantly looks at me with a gossipy expression: “You have been to the general manager’s house before?”

I think of those ruthless and jealous female colleagues in the company and quickly shake my head in denial: “Of course, I have not been there before!”

Hence he reaches out to take away the plastic bag with the medicine from me and declines my kind request: “Since you’ve not been there before, it’ll not be easy for you to find it, so it is better that I send it.”

I make an effort to take back the bag with the medicine: “Manager w.a.n.g, you don’t need to be so polite with me. My sense of direction is pretty good, so if you tell me the address, I’ll definitely find it!”

While manager w.a.n.g tugs at the bag, he also makes excuse: “I am not being polite but you don’t have a driver’s license so taking a taxi is such a waste of money! I’ll be driving there so it won’t take much time before I come back. Moreover it is really inappropriate for you to go now.”

I do not understand: “Why?”

“General manager is already very sick, so you better don’t go and irritate him further.”

“……”

Does he mean after seeing me, general manager will vomit even more? Manager w.a.n.g, in the end are you the one who irritate me or am I the one who irritate him!

Ultimately, I cannot find a reason to refute him so I loosen my grip on the bag and manager w.a.n.g takes the bag of medicine out of the office.

Looking at his departing back, I glance at the many files and sigh with disappointment. After all, delivering the medicine to general manager will give me a good reason to goof off. It is also a great opportunity for me to make amends. It could be said to kill two birds with one stone, but such a pity I’ve missed out……

After a busy day, when it is time to get off work, the mobile phone suddenly rings and the call is from Ai Li.

“h.e.l.lo?”

“Xia Ye, are you ready?”

“What?”

“Cla.s.smate reunion! Today, the cla.s.s monitor will pay big bucks to book the whole venue. Meet at 7 o’clock sharp in Ju Yuan Restaurant, don’t be late!”

“Ah?”

“Ah what? I am asking you if you are ready?”

“Initially I was ready, but suddenly I don’t feel I am ready now.”

“What nonsense are you uttering? In short, if I don’t see you in person, you know the consequences!”

“Ai Li, that ……”

“Okay, I am hanging up. Zhi Hai is asking me to go over.”

“Don’t, listen to me first ……”

“Toot toot ……”

After hanging up the phone, I look worriedly at my mobile phone. At first because Lu Jun came back early, I thought I’ve a strong backing, so I am not worried about the cla.s.s reunion. However, Lu Jun is sick and has gone home, so can he still go with me to attend the cla.s.s reunion?

Indeed a case of the plan can’t keep up with the changes!

After hesitating for quite a while, I call Lu Jun. His phone rang for a long time before he picks up. He sounds a little weak: “What’s up?”

I continue as always to kiss up to him: “General manager,  have you forgotten that today is a very special day?”

He answers very succinctly: “No, I’ve not forgotten

I ask in a hopeful tone: “Then, can you arrive at Ju Yuan Restaurant at 7 o’clock?”

He is silent for a moment: “This …… I’m afraid not.”

Knowing his health condition, although I am disappointed, I do not want to force him: “Oh, never mind, you take a good rest.”

Although in the end, I don’t have a male companion, I still need to look good, as after all, I can’t embarra.s.s myself too badly in front of so many ex-cla.s.smates. I go home from the office to change into the skirt Lu Jun gave me. Then I put on my mom’s high heels and take the bus directly to Ju Yuan Restaurant, arriving just in time at 7 o’clock.

When I am coming down from the bus, there is a middle-aged man behind me who seems to be in a rush. He sees that I am wearing high heels and walking slowly, so he impatiently pushes me, causing me to almost fall from the flight of steps. Moreover my mother’s high heels is of poor quality and the left heel almost snap. I cut a sorry figure, swaying slightly before stabilizing myself with some difficulty.

After I stabilize myself, I am furious and want to look for that man to tell him off but that uncle with no manners has already hurriedly walks very far away! I comfort myself by thinking after a person has been bitten by a dog, that person can’t bite back, what’s more a dog which bites and runs!

When a person is lucky, you’ll find happiness everywhere. When a person is unlucky, bad luck will follow you everywhere.

Because I see an ash gray mini-car is being parked on the roadside, not far from me. I am very familiar with this car. Once upon a time, there was a man who gave me hands-on driving lessons in this car. Once upon a time, he drove this car to send me home many times. Once upon a time, I even used a marker pen to write my name on the front pa.s.senger seat, to declare the seat was for my use only.

The driver seat and front pa.s.senger seat’s doors open at the same time. A man and a woman dressed brightly and neatly come out of the car, looking at me staggering from side to side.

Sen Yu Ming’s straight back seems somewhat stiff. Probably because I did not previously attend any of the cla.s.smate reunions, so he does not expect to see me here today.

Linna’s stunning face has a charming smile. She takes the initiative to step forward to greet me: “Xia Ye, really long time no see.”

She is like being given a red packet (gift) by G.o.d, not only being born pretty, she also has a good figure and family background. Even her voice is pleasant to hear.

I am a little embarra.s.sed: “Heehee, yes!”

Linna looks at my shoes, a proud smile on her pretty face but her words seem to sound kind: “Why did you take the bus here? You look like such a sorry figure. If I had known earlier, I’ll ask Yu Ming to give you a lift.”

She was my fellow cla.s.smate who lived in the same dormitory. During those few years in university, Sen Yu Ming always came to look for me, so she knew very well about my relationship with Sen Yu Ming. Her words sounded like: So pitiful of you to take the bus. Your ex-boyfriend is now my driver. Thus if I call him to pick you up, he’ll obediently go and pick you up.

To keep my pride and not to be outdone, I stand up to her. I pretend to act shy and say softly: “No need, if my boyfriend found out, he will be unhappy.”

Sen Yu Ming keeps quiet at the side, frowns and looks at me.

Linna looks a little surprised and in disbelief: “Xia Ye, you have a boyfriend? I was going to introduce one to you. Why didn’t you bring him along today to let us see?”

I casually give an excuse: “He has something on today so he can’t make it.”

Linna seems to be h.e.l.l-bent on exposing my lie: “How can you not bring him since we don’t have gathering often? You should have brought him here to introduce to us.”

She looks confident, that knowing kind that I’ll try to find all kind of excuses but definitely cannot come up with a man!

Without doubt, in reality, this is the case. I look defeated and lower my head down. I am thinking how I ought to say so that I won’t lose face too much. Eventually, I think of a good excuse, so I lift up my head and blurt out something which stuns everyone who is present, including myself:

“He is coming!”

This is because when I looked up, I saw a familiar flashy black car drove up in front of me.

Three of us fix our attention on that car which is slowly approaching and parked at the roadside. With such a comparison, Sen Yu Ming’s gray mini-car immediately loses its splendor. The car door opens, a very handsome and refined man comes out from the car. He looks calmly at me with a smiling face and apologizes: “I’m sorry for arriving late.”

He is wearing a white shirt with the top two b.u.t.tons open, revealing a little of his s.e.xy chest. His soft and shiny hair is a little messy. He looks cultured and refined, yet laid back. He doesn’t appear glamorous, flirtatious or seductive, but I feel he emits a powerful aura of masculinity and I am tempted!

When I see him before my eyes, I feel so surprised to the extent that I can’t speak properly: “You …… Didn’t you say you are not coming?”

He looks at me with his shinning and smiling eyes, raises his eyebrows and asks: “When did I say I am not going?”

I remember clearly so I reply: “I asked you on the phone just now, if you can reach Ju Yuan Restaurant at seven o’clock?  You clearly said you are afraid you can’t make it.”

He holds out his hand to affectionately touch my head and says in a very gentle tone: “At that time, I was in the hospital for a check-up and it’ll finish around 7 o’clock. Of course, I won’t be able to arrive at the restaurant at 7 o’clock.”

Now, I understand when he said, “This …… I’m afraid not.” means “He is afraid he is not able to arrive on time at 7 o’clock.”

Aiya, after so many lessons, why I still have not learned to be cleverer. When talking to this man, I’ve to be a mind reader!