7 THE MEETING WITH THE BROTHER-IN-LAW (1/2)
”Xiao Shuai,” Xuan Tianmei called out from the door of Xuan Tianyi's bedroom.
Xuan Tianyi stretched out carefreely on the small bed, didn't stir.
”Tianyi,” Xuan Tianmei walked up to his bedside and tapped him roughly, trying to wake him up.
Reacting, Xuan Tianyi pushed Xuan Tianmei's hand away and complained, ”Stop disturbing me, you're annoying me.”
”I'm annoying you?” Xuan Tianmei gave a small laugh at the irony. Xuan Tianyi couldn't be a bit more annoyed than she was.
She withdrew her hand, and Xuan Tianyi continued sleeping.
Xuan Tianmei walked to the apartment's open kitchen and placed a glass cup under the tap, filling it with water.
She walked back to Xuan Tianyi's room and without any inhibitions, poured the whole cup of water on his face.
Xuan Tianyi woke up with a start and glaring at her, cursed, ”Fucker!”
She gave him a sweet smile, ”Get up and take a bath, it's time to go.”
Xuan Tianyi looked from his wet foam to his clothes, then to her. He complained, ”Is this how you wake someone up? What happened to you tapping me gently until I wake up, huh? Are you sure your brain still works fine?”
Xuan Tianmei, smiling calmly, obviously pleased with herself, retorted, ”I did tap you, but you forced me to use this method. Get up.”
”For what?” Xuan Tianyi grumbled.
Xuan Tianmei frowned, ”You promised you'll go assist me at work today.”
”Fuck! What time is it?”
”8 o'clock.”
”Fuck!” he cursed again. ”Didn't you say the photo shoot is by ten, why are you waking me up by eight?”
”Because the makeup comes before the photo shoot. If you get ready now, we should get there by nine.”
”I don't want to go anymore,” Xuan Tianyi complained and fell back on the bed.
”Then you can move out, you lazy bum.” Xuan Tianmei started, then walked out of his room.
Xuan Tianyi grumpily got up from the bed and went to take a bath. As much as he wanted to sleep, if Xuan Tianmei was getting stressed because of work, then he had to assist her. If she did pay him for it, well, maybe that'd be okay.
Going with her to the office was a small start, but maybe it could be the beginning of something new — a better future where he could take care of his sister. Perhaps, as much as she had taken care of him in all those years.
After he showered and put on one of the fanciest clothes he had, he went to the living room to find Xuan Tianmei all set to go. ”No breakfast?”
”No time,” she said. ”We'll eat after this morning's photo shoot.”
Although dissatisfied with this idea, Xuan Tianyi nodded anyways. If she could stay without food, then he could as well.
***
Hua Zhendan rang the buzzer on the top of his desk. ”Please come in, Miss Zhang.”
Zhang Lin responded swiftly and was soon standing inside Hua Zhendan's office. ”President Hua?”
”What's my schedule for today like?”
Zhang Lin quickly flipped open a small notebook she seemed to always carry with her. ”By 10 am, there's Bai Lili's photo shoot which you wanted to supervise, But by 10:15 am, you have a meeting with President Wang from Fei's Advertising Company regarding the advertising concept for Coca-Cola.
”By 12 pm, you have a meeting with President Li from THE MEN ISSUE concerning the underwear male model for the middle page of the magazine's monthly issue. By 1:50 pm, you have a meeting with Manager Qin from Shenhua's Production Company, and by 5 pm, there's the meeting with President Shou from Pringles.”
Hua Zhendan looked at the time on his wristwatch and frowned. It was already half past nine. ”Attend the 10 am photo shoot in my stead. If Bai Lili causes any trouble, most especially for Xuan Tianmei, let me know immediately.”
Zhang Lin grinned, apparently delighted for being entrusted with this kind of job. Giving him a curt bow, she said, ”Thank you, President Hua.”