(QING)
We failed to convince the hotel owners to let us supply their hotel bar with our drinks today. More negotiations need to happen. LiYan and I had to gather more data, survey more people and make new reports.
Our mission here is failing so bad.
"But you still have the time to smile," LiYan said bitterly. "Wang Qing, at this rate...we will be stuck here for three more days until we came up with an agreeable arrangement with this hotel and resort. How can you smile there? We are getting fucked here!"
"Relax," I smiled at LiYan. "Let's make another report today. Tweak the datas a little. I will call the VP for Production again. Maybe even the CEO himself. Everything will be fine..." I assured her.
"You...ugh!" LiYan put a hand at her nape. "You are just in a good mood because Dayu canceled his flight and plans to go back to Beijing!" She snarled at me.
My smile widened and brightened. "He will stay here until Tuesday. If we are lucky, we can be in the same flight with Dayu. How cool is that?"
LiYan was stunned. "Oh...you...stupid fool. What is happening to you? You have never been like this before? What is the deal with this guy that you are acting really strange? You are scaring me!"
"How am I acting strange?" I don't know what she means.
"You are putting your work behind your love life. You never done that before..." LiYan widened her eyes on me. "You always prioritize your work and career over your lovers. What is different this time?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "My work is stable. Even if we fail here in Hainan, there are more hotels and bars where we can sell our products. What's to panic about?"
LiYan thought for s second before nodding. "You are right. There is nothing to worry about. It's not like they will fire you if we fail to bring in this account. But still...I have never seen you focus on a guy this much before. The way you concentrate on Dayu, is unprecendented."
"Maybe," I cannot dispute that claim. "But I don't see anything wrong about that. I am highly interested in Dayu. I want to give efforts for him."
"Is he a challenge?" LiYan asked. "I know you like achieving impossible feats, Qing...but Dayu..."
"Dayu is not a challenge," I shook my head. "If he is that simple, then I won't be scrambling like an idiot after him. No. Dayu is more than a challenge. He may be someone who would finally make sense of my life..."
LiYan's one perfectly drawn eyebrow raised. "Someone to make sense of your life? Why? Is your life not making any sense right now?"
I sighed, "In truth, I don't know." I confessed to LiYan. "Dayu said I am amazing. He thinks I have achieved a lot of things to be proud of. Maybe he is right. I do have a nice life. But right now, I am asking, what is all this for? I have a nice job, my own house, cars, money on the bank, nice clothes, friends, a wonderful family. I have an almost perfect life but I am still asking what am I doing, really...?"
LiYan nodded, "I think I can follow your thoughts. You said you have an almost perfect life. So maybe the question is...what can make your life completely perfect? Do you have an idea about that one.
"I don't know." I smiled at LiYan. "All I know is that ever since I met Dayu, there is a nagging voice in my head that is telling me to stay close to him. While my heart wants different things."
"Different things? What things?" LiYan asked me in a wondering tone.
I winked at her. "Those things...I will tell them to Dayu first. For now, let's work..." I passed a folder to LiYan. "Make a more thorough summary about our findings here. Use the datas we gathered tomorrow and this morning. Let's present this to the people in the Headquarter." I sighed. "I just hope they will stop asking us to gather more datas. If they cannot reach an agreement, they can tell me so we can fly back to Beijing and stop wasting our time here. I have more pressing things to worry about over this stupid deal,"
Those pressing matters revolve around one guy though. Namely, Dayu.
We agreed to meet up for dinner. He will stay here in Hainan after his seminar is over.
I wonder what excuse did he gave to his family for his longer stay here. In truth, the image of Dayu's family in my head now is not that great. Dayu had a hard time because of their strict and exacting rules for him although I can always detect that genuine love in Dayu everytime he will talk about his family.
Maybe that is what we should talk about tonight. Our respective families.
....................
(DAYU)
"It's been too long since I enjoyed a vacation near the sea, Mama. I just want to take this opportunity to enjoy the sea..." I inwardly winced as I lie to my mother over a phone call.
I don't feel comfortable lying too. But what should I say to my family? What reason can I give to validate my desire to stay here in Hainan a bit more?
The truth?
Oh, the truth is something my family will not tolerate to hear much less accept.
I am staying here to spend more time with this guy I am going steady with. We skipped the dating and courting part. We are boyfriends now. Mama, Baba...I have a boyfriend now.
If I don't want my grandfather and parents to die in shock, I should probably keep that information to myself for now. Until things become clearer.
Because to be honest, now, I am living in the moment. Not thinking of the future. Just enjoying my time being with someone who is not telling me what to do or feel. Instead Wang Qing is asking me questions to know me and in the process, I am getting to know myself more as well.
It's a nice feeling. Me familiarizing with myself. But would my family understand? I don't know.
I sighed. "Mama, please let me have this time to myself." I pleaded her.
"But Yu ah..." she sighed on the other line as well. "Okay. How long will you stay there?" She asked.
"Maybe a day or two." I replied simply.
"Okay. A day or two is not bad." She relented. "How is the seminar?"
I winced again. How is the seminar? I don't know. I never focused on it enough to learn anything so...
"Good." I lied yet again. "It was good. We met a lot of people here. Learned a few things. It's all standard, Mama. Nothing extraordinary about it." Please, I hope no one will report this seminar and declare it as the best teacher's seminar ever, or else I will be doomed.
My mother made a tutting sound, "I knew that seminar will be quite like the rest. Ordinary and routine. I shouldn't have sent you there. I feel like you only wasted your time there," she said in a regretful tone.
"Ah no," I disagreed with her. "I like coming to this seminar. I get to see the South Sea again. I am thankful you sent me here, Mama."
"Oh Yu ah." Mama sighed. "I miss you though. And now you will stay there longer. What should I do?"
What she said made me smile. My mother may come as a disciplinarian with high standard, but she can show her caring side every now and then.
"Tell me what kind of seafood you want me to buy for you. They have lots of variety here. And they are fresh. Just tell me and I will buy some for you," I offered as a consolation for her.
My mother told me the items she wanted me to buy and then we said our goodbye. Just simple goodbye. No mushy words of affection or love. She already implied that she misses me. That is sweetness enough.
I sighed as I put my phone back in the pocket of my shorts.
"Tsk tsk tsk..." I look behind me and saw AhnZong standing there. We are at the hotel front. We just saw the two buses holding the delegates on the seminar depart without us. The seminar is over and now...a real vacation by the sea can begin.
"What?" I pouted at AhnZong.
"You already lied. Stop feeling and looking guilty. It's not like you are committing a crime here. You are staying to enjoy the sea. There is no lie in that." My friend pointed out.
I snickered at that, "I am here, not to enjoy the sea, but to spend time with Wang Qing." I pointed back at him.
AhnZong's grin is wide. "Oh! Look at you. So proud of your lover. Wow. You have changed, Yu ah. Iiiiiii..." he poked my waist with a fingertip as he teased me.
My face heated up at his teasing. "Stop it!" I slapped his hand away. Then I turned serious. "AhnZong ah, are you sure you will stay here with me? We have to pay for the hotel now. Are you sure you want to split the cost?" The Academy will stop shouldering our expenses here from now on. The seminar is over, so the support will end too.
AhnZong shrugged, "I can afford a day or two of hotel fee. No need to worry."
"I told you I can pay for the whole fee. We don't have to split it." I really feel grateful for AhnZong's support. Him being here with me is giving me the courage to continue whatever this is I am doing.
"No way!" AhnZong shook his head. "If you really want to thank me for keeping you company here, just treat me to a meal. That will save me some money,"
"Call!" I nodded instantly.
"Good!" AhnZong nodded before he stretched his arms upward. "Ah! This is life. Beach and bikini clad women." He grinned at me again. "Yu ah, do you think I can also meet someone here? You know...romantically?"
I frowned, "I thought you like Miss LiYan?"
"Nah!" AhnZong shook his head. "That woman is too intelligent and too uptight for my taste. She is beautiful, sure, but I think she is high maintenance. And I have no time for demanding women in my life right now."
I cannot believe him. "Demanding? I don't think Miss LiYan is demanding..."
"I think she bosses Wang Qing and not the other way around. That woman is an amazon, Yu ah. No no no..." AhnZong crumpled his face as he shook his head.
He is impossible. A real jerk.
A loyal and trustworthy friend though. I am really thankful to AhnZong.
"We are on the beach but my body is not beach ready," I said as I look down. I know I look fit with my clothes on but naked, you can instantly see my flabs and fats, especially on the waist area.
AhnZong laughed, "Speak for yourself. I am ready," he boasted and proceeded to take his top off. Right there, on the hotel front. "Let's go swim!"
I pretended to be impressed, "Oh!" I poked his sculpted abs. AhnZong has a six pack abs. "It used to be eight packs but...I guess I got complacent. My poor beautiful body," He uttered regretfully as he passed a hand on his chest and belly.
"Ugh!" I made a gagging sound. "You don't sound narcissistic and creepy at all,"
AhnZong laughed some more. I smiled fondly at him. Until I saw Wang Qing standing nearby. My smile widened and I excitedly waved at him.
Wang Qing smiled back. He walked to my side, LiYan behind him. "Should I be jealous? You guys look like you are already having fun and on taking off your clothes stage,"
AhnZong waved a finger on Wang Qing. "Be jealous. He got a crush on me," he sounded proud.
"You had a crush on him?" Wang Qing gave me an incredulous stare. "Why?"
"Right?" I smiled at Wang Qing. "I don't know too. What am I thinking, really? But it's ancient history now. AhnZong looks cool from afar, but once you get to know him..."
"What?! What?!" AhnZong gave me a challenging look. I chuckled at him. "You will know that he is the best guy," I continued.
"I am the best," AhnZong winked at me before donning his shirt again.
I shook my head to Wang Qing and mouthed "You are the best" while pointing at him. Wang Qing laughed loudly. I smiled at him.
"What do you want to do?" Wang Qing asked as we walk away from the hotel.
"I don't know. What can we do here?" I asked him back.
We all look at LiYan. "You can surf," she said. "If you know how."
I shook my head. AhnZong too. "No to surfing then. Wakeboarding?" We again shook our heads. "Beach volleyball. Frisbee..."
"Yu is not athletic," AhnZong provided that bits of fact.
"Hey!" I pouted at him. AhnZong waved his hand at me. "Yu loves music and food. That's it."
"Can you cook?" LiYan and Wang Qing asked me. I nodded, "A little. I can cook decently." I said.
My parents were against that hobby of mine. Anything they deemed too girly, they don't approve for me. No sewing, no cooking, no DIY's, no baking. Candle making...nope. Gardening, not that too. So I was forced to learn in secret.
I like cooking and gardening. I like growing herbs and using them for my dishes. So far, I only took secret cooking lessons during summers and learned gardening by mostly watching documentaries and reading magazine.
I guess, I have been lying to my family for a long time now.
I sighed.
"Then we can visit the local market," LiYan said. "I always wanted to check it out and see what we can buy there. The beach house we rented have a functioning kitchen, Dayu can cook there," she added.
"Really?" I winced, "I am not sure if you will like my cooking though..."
"We won't know unless we try it. Do you want to cook?" Wang Qing asked me.
I nodded. He smiled at me, "Then let's shop in the local market and see what ingredients we can buy for you to cook. Okay?"
"Okay," I nodded. Wang Qing took my hand and pulled me to walk faster. I didn't mind if anyone can see us holding hands.