"My question will be, who is Risa Yamaguchi?"
Martin heard her question, but he did not reply right away. He slowly leaned back to his chair and tilted his head slightly. Shao Yan could see he scrunches his eyebrow, seems like he is trying to think of how to say or what to say.
Slowly, he put one hand to support his chin, while saying, "I have never met her, but her name is very famous in the company. I remember that some of the people that I worked with actually praised her to high heavens."
His hand left his chin and he folded both arms in front of him, "Very capable. Very smart. She worked for a top finance company in Taiwan. She was already a top director there. And then suddenly she quit around 5 years ago and moved to OnScience New York." He s.h.i.+fted in his seat and continued, "However, to be honest with you, I am not surprised if the management decided to replace Helen with Risa. She was a much better Team Lead."
Shao Yan stifled a giggle before asking him, "You have never met her, and yet you praised her this much?" she gently cupped her hands on the mug again and slowly sipped from it.
Martin could not help but also chuckle at her tease. He looked at her while slowly shrugging and pretended to be helpless, "I am weak against women who are both beautiful and actually have brain."
Shao Yan laughed. Both she and Martin casually chatted more for a while. One was sipping coffee and acted as a good host, while the other was happily drinking tea; both people were just enjoying each other"s company.
She slowly glanced at her watch, "Uh, I think I better go now. I have been away from my desk for too long." As she said that, she slowly got up from her chair. Martin, being the usual gentleman that he was, also slowly got up from his chair.
"We are in a battle mode against OnScience anyway," she cheekily stuck out her tongue and then quickly said, "I"m kidding, we are not really competing against each other. I know the acquisition will actually do both companies more good in the future. I"m sure Daniel and yourself have worked hard to see all of us to be more successful," she smiled.
Martin nodded along with her words, and just smiled, "Are you sure you don"t want to wait for a little longer? Daniel should arrive shortly." he said while lifting his wrist to look at the time.
Shao Yan picked up her phone and wallet from the table, and hold them in front of her. "No, it"s okay, I will see him tonight anyway. I will leave now. I"ll see you next time." She gave a little nod to Martin, before she turned around and walked to the direction of elevator lobby.
She entered the floor number to the keypad, and then she turned around to look at where Martin was seated. She saw that he was talking to someone on the phone and just happened to also saw her. He gave her a little wave of hand. Her lips pursed and gave a soft smile and then she turned her face back around; just in time when the elevator chimed in and alerted her of its arrival.
Shao Yan had just stepped in to the elevator, when Li Xiqing walked in to the building lobby area. He quickly spotted Martin who was sitting in the cafe and briskly strode over.
Martin lifted his head and saw Li Xiqing was walking over, and he reflexively turned his head over to the elevator lobby direction again, but he saw Shao Yan was no longer there. He softly chuckled while he shook his head; regretting on their amazingly bad timing. When Li Xiqing sat down opposite him, Martin ended his call.
"What took you so long, man!" Martin greeted her while he put his phone on top of the table, and raised his other hand to call the waiter. Li Xiqing had just sat down, and was about to unb.u.t.ton his suit jacket. His outfit today had been grey striped suit jacket, with crisp white s.h.i.+rt on the inside. He also paired it with dark grey tie and striped grey dress pants.
Li Xiqing looked up at him, and slowly curved his lips, "What? We agreed on 3 PM, and I am actually 10 minutes early, alright?" The waiter had just arrived at their table, and Li Xiqing placed his order for a cup of black coffee with no sugar; before he turned his attention back to this friend of his.
Martin heaved a dramatic sigh at Li Xiqing, "What I"m trying to say is, Mr. Punctual, that your wife was here just now," and then he pointed to the seat opposite him, which Li Xiqing was sitting on, "And she even sat just right there." He then spread out all five fingers in front of him while saying, "If only you were here earlier by five minutes, man! Five minutes!"
Li Xiqing spontaneously looked around and searched for her figure, but all he got was a chuckle from his best friend. He turned around and faced an innocent looking Martin, and saw the latter was pointing at the elevator lobby, "She"s gone. I was like watching a Korean drama just now. She stepped into that elevator door," and then Martin changed his pointing finger to the building lobby direction, "And then you handsomely walked in from that door. Both of you were just barely missing each other."
Martin slowly bent his head down, and chuckled. His deep voice made the arriving waiter blushed, her face slowly turned pink and her hand shook a little when she put the cup of coffee on the table.
She was initially thanking so many G.o.ds for her good luck today. She was able to see two good looking men at the same time. She even promised she would go to the temple to offer a lot of incense.
But she miscalculated herself and their charms. She lamented how could the girl just now be able to sit properly in front of the handsome man while drinking her tea ever so calmly.
The server was thinking, if it were her in that seat, she would have been so nervous even to speak a word, and just kept looking down.