Chapter Text
Mei Chang checked her wristwatch.
6:50 pm.
One last appointment and then she can go home, scarf down a salad, chug a can of beer, and continue this madness from the comfort of her own home.
She rose from her desk, wincing as her joints popped. She needed to resume her classes in the Dojo as soon as possible, at this rate she’d be in a wheelchair by sixty. Her heels clacked against the tiled floor as she made the short walk to her boss’s office door. As she approached to knock on said door, her nose twitched at the subtle but obvious aroma of spice coming from the office. Mei groaned. Not again. She rapped her knuckles thrice on the heavy wooden door and without waiting for a reply, she never does, she entered the office, a hard scowl already in place.
“Mmf, hi Mei, whatsshup?" A revolving leather chair spun around to reveal a 26 year-old man chowing down on his third bowl of instant ramen, soup dribbling down his chin. With a flourish, he raised his black loafers and propped them on the edge of his desk, uncaring of the paper memos being crushed beneath them. His normally stoic face was softened into an expression of perpetual bliss. Mei crossed her arms disapprovingly when he gave a particularly loud slurp. She leaned against the door and groaned again. On days like today, it was hard to believe that this cheeky slob was none other than her half-brother, Ling Yao.
The Ling Yao. Future CEO of REDGRID, their nation’s, nay the world’s, leading innovator in Artificial Intelligence. As his PA, she coordinated his every move to the satisfaction of Ling Yao Sr, who all those years ago, said it was “an honourable position befitting her dedication to their family”. What a load of crap. She didn’t have a choice but to suck up to the bastard after Mother died, leaving her with nothing. She felt more like Ling’s glorified babysitter, but she and Father both knew she was the only one who could watch over Ling. And at the end of the day, money is money.
She marched up to his desk and pried the ramen cup from his hands, ignoring the fresh stains on her blazer. Ling blinked as he slurped up the remaining noodles twirled in his chopsticks. “Whash wrong?” With a practiced hand, Mei threw the cup into the trashcan, slotting perfectly amongst apple cores, gum wrappers and expired nicotine patches. “Will you please swallow,” she replied, still scowling. Ling lifted an eyebrow and made an exaggerated swallow, finishing with a satisfied gulp.
“Sir, your last appointment for the day is with Master Fu. It is unbefitting to greet him in this manner. Wipe up that mess, and for the last time, get your shoes off the table! Do you have any idea how many times I’ve had to call in the janitor, your office is a pigsty -”
“Ok, ok! Jesus, consider this memo read and understood.” Ling yawned and crossed his arms behind his head, feigning indifference at Mei’s harsh tone. Feeling bitter, she threw the tissue box from the neatly decorated coffee table at him. Ling caught it easily and stuck out his tongue. “What are you, five?” Mei said sarcastically. He pulled out a tissue, wiped his face and lowered his loafers and placed them on the carpeted floor. “Better?,” he asked with a sigh. Mei scoffed and pointed at the orange soup droplets decorating the front of his white collared shirt. Ling looked down and gave her a sheepish grin.
“Oops.”
“You do realise that I have to add ‘going to the dry cleaners’ to my already infernal to-do list? It’s the third time this week you’ve spilled ramen on your shirt.”
“Come on Mei, you know how much I love the spicy-chili flavour!”
Mei felt a migraine coming on. She didn’t have time for this. “As of today, I’m not buying you anymore ramen, or else you can find someone else who handle cleaning up after a pig like you.”
Ling placed a hand over his heart and cried out in mock distress “You wound me, calling me a pig of all things! What has happened to my sweet Mei-chan?”
Mei-chan.
She swallowed back the bile in her throat. No one, no one, calls her Mei-chan.
Not anymore.
Ling noticed Mei’s hands had curled into fists and held his own up in surrender, but his eyes shone with mischief. “My apologies, dear sister. I forgot that Alphonse is the only one who can call you that. Tell me, how is dating our company’s finest software engineer going for you?” Mei felt her face flush and tried to ignore how her heart still insisted on skipping a beat at the mention of that name.
It was too soon, still too soon.
“From the memos I’ve been reading and spot checks, his performance has never been better! Why, just last month Mr Elric successfully de-bugged the latest prototype for REDGRID’s operating system. Truly a genius, you’re lucky to have him.”
“Yes, and last month, Mr Elric broke up with me.”
Ling gasped, eyes wide. “What -”
“Please,” Mei closed her eyes. “Just … shut up”. She took a calming breath. She had a job to do, one that would need to continue late into the evening at this rate. There was no way she was going to cry over Alphonse again, not in front of Ling.
What a tragedy, that punching the future of this company wasn’t in her job description.
“Mei, I’m sorry, I had no idea -”
“I will bring in Master Fu now, is there anything you need?”
Ling’s eyes were full of regret and his face was scrunched into an expression of remorse. But it was short lived because like Mei, he also had a job to do. She felt a pang of sadness as his face reverted to an expression she could draw in her sleep:
Stoic. Collected. Empty.
His mask.
Ling shook his head. “No, that will be all, Miss Chang.” Mei nodded and walked out of the office, shutting the door behind her. Less than a minute later, the door re-opened to reveal an elderly man, no older than fifty, dressed in a black tank top and sweatpants. A thick, white rope was tied around his forehead, securing his silver-grey locks. A small moustache covered his upper lip, bushy eyebrows rested above piercing black eyes, the trademark of the Fu clan.
Ling gave him a polite smile. “Master Fu, welcome. How may I help you?”
Master Fu bowed in greeting and replied in his gravelly voice, “Mr Yao, I require no assistance. I am here to bring information regarding your training at the dojo.”
Finally, something worth my time. Ling kept an air of composure, “Ah, I see, very well then.” Ling motioned to the two chairs around the coffee table. “Please take a seat. Would you care for a beverage, Miss Chang can fetch something for you to eat as well.” Master Fu sat down and turned his attention to Mei.
“What is your name, my lady?” Mei suddenly felt shy in the presence of this man, her heartache making her chest feel heavy. “Mei Chang, sir.”
“You have the same eyes … but kinder. Tell me, are you a relative of Mr Yao?”
She blinked. How perceptive. “Yes sir, I am Mr Yao’s half sister, Mr Yao Sr is our Father.”
“Hmm.” His piercing gaze took in her flushed face and rigid posture. Master Fu sighed and turned around to Ling. “That will not be necessary, I am your last appointment aren’t I? I ask you instead to relieve Miss Chang from her duties for today. Your sister would benefit from some rest.”
Mei’s face reddened, embarrassed that she couldn’t hide her emotions but touched by the man’s concern all the same. She bowed deeply and turned to face Ling, waiting for his response.
I messed up. Ling’s stomach writhed with guilt, no longer feeling any amusement from teasing her. The way she was looking at him now, as a subordinate to one’s leader. Not a look between siblings. Not a look between friends.
She’s always looking out for me. Father needs to give her another raise.
Ling nodded solemnly. “Miss Chang, thank you for your service today. Get some rest, I will see you tomorrow.” Mei bowed again. Her voice was polite, but devoid of any emotion. “Thank you sir. I wish you a pleasant council with Master Fu.”
She left the office, closing the door behind her. The two men sat in silence, listening to the sound of Mei’s clacking heels dimming and then fading away. Ling groaned and rubbed at his temples, feeling his mask slip off.
I’m such an idiot.
“Well then.” Master Fu clasped his hands together and Ling knew, from the playful gleam in those dark eyes, he was in for a lecture. “You’re truly hopeless with women, aren’t you?”