Shao Lin spent the early morning watering her plants.
Her garden had picket fences wrapped in ivy, and she separated the flowers from her vegetables. She grew tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers, and made them into delicious meals when they were ready. Her flowers ranged from peonies to daffodils and roses.
She had gardeners that would routinely help her since she's not always home to take care of them and it required a lot of work to maintain it.
She picked up a few fresh flowers before going to work, wanting to place them in her vase. When she arrived, her assistant had come to her side and said, "There's a client that wants to see you."
Shao Lin furrowed her brows. "Can't one of my representatives take care of it?"
"Yes, but she specifically requested you, and I don't think she's an ordinary client," her assistant said warily.
Shao Lin set her flowers aside before approaching the woman waiting in the front display, running her fingers over the front hood of a Rolls-Royce Dawn in fascination. The woman turned her head and Shao Lin's breath caught in her throat. It was the beautiful silver-blonde woman from the other night. Why was she here?
The blonde woman removed her sunglasses and Shao Lin noticed her eyes were winter-blue, but not the type of blue that froze over, instead, there was some warmth hidden beneath them like silver flames and thawed ice. The woman smiled at her knowingly.
"Hello, I'm Shao Lin, can I help you with anything today miss?" she asked.
The woman took a step further, staring at her from head to toe, almost as if she was observing her. Shao Lin blushed, unsure why she was being inspected under her gaze.
"Please call me Xia. All my friends do," the woman replied with a honeyed voice.
They had just met, and Xia had already requested her to address her informally. Shao Lin smiled sweetly. "Well, Miss Xia, are there any services you are looking for specifically?"
The woman shook her head and sighed. "I came here for one reason and now that I've seen it, I feel like that is all."
Shao Lin looked back at her in surprise, until Xia said, "I'm buying the Rolls-Royce, as I've been wanting to buy a new car for some time now."
Shao Lin nodded and smiled. She then told a sales representative to prepare it for Xia, but what the woman said earlier seemed like a different implication than simply purchasing a car.
The woman put her sunglasses back on as the sales representative opened the long see-through garage and gave Xia the keys to the car.
Xia went around the car to the driver's side. She looked at Shao Lin with a gentle grin on her face. "I look forward to seeing you around Miss Shao," she turned on the engine. "It's about time things get a little more interesting," Xia added, but Shao Lin did not hear the last part as she drove away.
Shao Lin watched the woman drive away until she was on the road and out of view. Puzzled by that interaction, Shao Lin could not help but think of what she said: I look forward to seeing you around.
She behaved as she knew her; as if they were familiar; as if they'd see each other again. Shao Lin could not help but feel unsettled. Any acquaintance of Long Yat-sen was not good for her. But she could not shake the feeling that the woman was kind, and that if given different circumstances, they could even be friends and she might have liked that.
...
Later that day, Shao Lin found herself going to her dressing appointment to pick up her dress for Yi Xiu's wedding. It was a blush pink dress with faux flowers on the straps and on her neckline. She glanced at the mirror and found it complimentary to her light brown hair and the curves of her hips. She smiled at her reflection before she stepped down from the platform and went to change.
Just right when she was closing the door of her dressing room door, she saw someone enter. A man. Raven hair. Dangerous glint. Shao Lin's eyes widened as she peaked through the small space of her dressing room door.
What was Long Yat-sen doing in a dress shop?
He went straight to the counter and picked up a zippered garment bag.
Shao Lin carefully observed. She wasn't able to get the best view of him from the club, but beneath store lighting, he was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscled beneath his tight-fitted suit. It was as she suspected. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen and she still never got to see a close view of his face yet.
Yet? She thought. No never, she reminded herself.
But Shao Lin could not help but wonder what colour his eyes were. Were they as dark as his soul or as coloured as the woman she'd seen earlier? She then remembered that Xia was the most beautiful woman she's ever met, and perhaps Long Yat-sen was here for her picking up that dress.
His phone rang and he moved closer to where she was staring from, as he stepped away from the counter, the dress draped over his shoulder.
"I picked up the dress," he sounded irritated. "But I still don't see why you made me come here?"
The caller spoke. He listened.
"Fine. I'm coming over to drop it off now," he finished. He then ended the call, pocketing his phone.
Long Yat-sen appeared annoyed but she could not make out his feelings when his expression was so cold and aloof.
His head then snapped to her direction suddenly. Shao Lin closed the door so fast, she felt like she'd break it. She slumped behind it, heart-pounding erratically.
She took a few moments before changing back into her normal clothes and by the time she stepped back out, he was gone.
Shao Lin exhaled a breath. She went to the counter to finish her purchase and went home, preparing for the next day.