Joann turned around with her eyebrow raised as if asking, 'What do you mean it is for me?'
Xu Jing flashed a smile that he believed was his most dashing and offered, "Will you please join me? It is my treat." He looked at the two bowls of Dou Hua before asking, "Which do you prefer? The one with brown sugar or white sugar?"
Joann narrowed her eyes at him as if seriously considering his offer. Then, she opened her lips to say, "I am not allowed to fraternize with customer during working hours."
She then turned and walked up.
Xu Jing called after her and tried to get her attention again but Joann treated him like air.
He eventually gave up, finished the bowl of Tong Sui and left with his shoulders slumped despondently.
However, Xu Jing did not give up. He arrived the next day and repeated the same thing. Unfortunately, he got the same result.
Xu Jing repeated this for the whole week, ordering two bowls of Tong Sui but always finishing and paying for only one.
While he failed to grab Joann's attention, he did manage to garner the attention of the humble shop's proprietor, Auntie Xiao. At the end of the week, after he paid for his food, he realized Auntie Xiao only charged him for one bowl of Tong Sui.
Noticing the curious expression on Xu Jing's face, the middle-aged lady explained, "Since you only finish one bowl every time, I am charging you for the price of one."
"It is alright, Auntie Xiao. Consider the other one a treat for Joann," Xu Jing admitted shyly.
Looking at the young man who escaped without taking his change, Auntie Xiao shook her head with disappointment. Initially, her plan was to stay her hands and watch from the sideline as this young love blossomed but Xu Jing's lame tactics disappointed Auntie Xiao greatly. She thought the two make quite a wholesome pair but the lack of progress on Xu Jing's part worried her. Therefore, she took it upon herself to give the young man a necessary shove in the right direction.
The next day Xu Jing came back, took his usual table and ordered the same thing. Joann served him his order and was about to walk away like she usually did when Auntie Xiao intercepted her and said, "Joann, go sit with that young man. Don't make him waste his money like this."
Joann was surprised but after she recovered, she tried to protest, "But, Auntie Xiao…"
"No buts, remember, in our line of work, the customer is always right and we have to do everything within our power to please them. He is only asking him to join him for desserts. It is nothing out of line. Just humour him. Don't worry about the shop, I can handle everything just fine," Auntie Xiao said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Joann tried to argue but the serious expression that settled on Auntie Xiao's face told her that no matter what, she was not going to win this argument.
Therefore, she sighed, turned around and sat down unwillingly in the empty seat across from Xu Jing.
Xu Jing was shocked but also beyond excited. He stole a look at Auntie Xiao and when the middle-aged woman caught his eyes, she winked at him as if saying, 'Now, I have done everything I can for you, do not let me down, son.'
Xu Jing smiled at the lady and turned back to his sudden date. His order that day was two bowls of Red Bean Soup so there was no question of preference.
Before Xu Jing could say anything, Joann reached over and nudged one of the bowls closer to her. She grabbed the spoon and started eating silently. The red bean soup was smooth as it slid down her throat. The red beans were cooked to such a tender state that they melted the moment they hit the tongue. Every bite filled her mouth with the sweet bouquet of red bean. Joann could not help but be impressed by Auntie Xiao's cooking skill.
Xu Jing tried to initiate a conversation but Joann was so focused on eating that he found no opening. A bystander would think the young woman had been starved for days already from the veracity with which she inhaled her food.
Xu Jing had a feeling that if it did not affect her image, the young woman before him might just pick up the straw and started sucking from the bowl directly to speed up the ingestion process.
Xu Jing failed to initiate any conversation when Joann put down the spoon in the empty bowl. She stood up, cleared her own utensils away and told Xu Jing, "Thank you for your treat," before she wandered away.
Xu Jing was too dumbfounded by what had happened that he could only manage a confused "You're welcome". When he came to, Joann had left and returned to her work.
However, Xu Jing did not feel that defeated because at least some progress had been made. Even though she was coerced into it, she was willing enough to sit down for a meal with him. After all, she could have walked out the door. Auntie Xiao was kind and understanding enough to forgive her should she decide to do that. If anything, if Joann drew the line so clearly, Auntie Xiao probably would have jumped to her side and deterred Xu Jing from having further contact with her part-time worker whom she saw and cherished as a child of her own.
Xu Jing saw this as an opportune beginning. As the Chinese say, even the longest journey begins with the very first step.
Xu Jing patience did pay off eventually. Joann's attitude towards him softened and soon, even without the push from Auntie Xiao, she would accept his invitation to dine with him when asked.
She stopped being so averse to his presence and sooner and later, they started to talk over desserts.