Driving Miss Yin

Chapter 3

DRIVING MISS YIN

Chapter Three

I decided to wake up and leave the house early. I didn't want to be interrogated by my mother. Last night she ambushed me as soon as I arrived home. Don't get me wrong. I love my mom. It's just that sometimes she can be silly. She's really childish and immature at times. How my father can stand her is beyond me. But my old man loves and adores her. He lets her get her way most of the time. I don't know if you can call that devotion but I think it's his strategy to avoid her non stop pestering.

Anyway, the day started good. Picked up and drove Xiao Qiao. We have a great morning conversation inside my car. I let her talk to me about her life abroad. She seemed to really love it there in America. The freedom, the sights, the food, the culture, and the people. People. You all know what happened between me and Caina-jiejie so I had to ask her.

"Speaking of people, anyone you left behind there?"
"None."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Okay, maybe there is."
"Who?" I asked nonchalantly. Inside, I'm scared to know.
"My friends, of course. My classmates and professors. Them." She replied.
"How about a boyfriend?" There I asked the question.
She glanced at me. "No boyfriend."
"You're beautiful. I refuse to believe you didn't have a lover over there."
"I've had guys asked me out. But I turned them down."
"Picky?"
"Not at all. But I left someone here."

Thankfully, the traffic light had turned red and we stopped because the way I stepped on the brakes we would have hit someone out on the road. Also, thankfully, no one was in front and behind us.

"If you have a lover here, why am I driving you to and from work?" I asked annoyingly.
She smiled shyly. "Unfortunately, he still doesn't know I exist."
"Is he blind?" I blurted out. Because that guy must be blind, right? This woman is a beauty and this is the kind of woman you don't forget or ignore at all. Okay, so I did ignore her during the matchmaking event. But only because I was mad at my mother.
She laughed. "I think he is."

We chatted about other things and then dropped her at her workplace. I went straight to my office.

Mid-afternoon, Lei came into my office with a proposal for a music recital. Since we were going to Ah Si's house that night, he asked if he could hitch a ride with me. He still had no idea that I was driving Xiao Qiao now. I was contemplating whether I should tell him or not.

As we prepared to leave my office, that's when I told him.

"Oh, by the way, you have to sit at the back."
"Why?"
"I'm picking up someone." I told him as we both got inside my car.
"Do you have a date?" He asked from the backseat.
"Car ride date, yes." I've started to maneuver us out of the car park into the street.
"What does that mean?"
"Since yesterday I've been assigned to drive to and from work a certain someone." I explained.
"Why are you talking vaguely to me?"
"No reason."

Lei remained silent the entire ride to Xiao Qiao's workplace.

Once we arrived he recognized at once the building.

"Why are we in Shanghai Music Conservatory?"

Because Lei is passionate about music, his family is one of the patrons of SMC.

"We're here to pick up my car ride date."
He had a confused look on his face. I just smiled.

After five minutes, Xiao Qiao stepped out of the building and walked towards my car. I waved at her and she waved back at me.

Hua Ze Lei watched all this.

She got inside, greeted me, fastened her seat belt. That's when she realized we had another company in the car.

"Oh, I didn't see you there." She directed at Lei. "Hello! I'm Yin Xiao Qiao." She smiled at him.
Lei looked at her then at me.
"Yin Xiao Qiao, allow me to introduce one of my best friends, the very interesting, Hua Ze Lei."
Her mouth formed a big O. "Oh you're Hua Ze Lei?!" She looked excited. "Teng Tang Jing told me so much about you. And so does Mei Zuo."
Lei looked at each of us.
Xiao Qiao eyed me and whispered, "Is he okay?"
I nodded. "He doesn't do well meeting other people."
Xiao Qiao looked at Lei again, bowed her head in apology.
I started to drive us out.

While Xiao Qiao and I carried on a conversation, Lei sat quietly at the back. We were near her house when Lei started to talk.

"Would you like to participate in a benefit music recital?"
"Me?" She turned to look at him.
Lei nodded. "What instrument do you play?"
"Anything, but my favorite is the cello."
"Cello? That's great. We don't have a cello player yet. I'll put your name as one of the participants." He said as a matter of fact.
"Lei, the recital isn't even approved yet. And Xiao Qiao hasn't said yes to it."
"I'd love to!" Xiao Qiao butted in. "Who are the beneficiaries?" She asked.
"Great!" Lei said enthusiastically. "It's for the benefit of children with autism." He added.
"Okay, Hua Ze Lei, you can count me in." She smiled extending her hand for a handshake.
To my utter surprise, Lei smiled sweetly at her, shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you Yin Xiao Qiao."
"Same here." She said back.

Before I could react, we've arrived at her house. She got out thanking me and saying goodbye to Lei.

Lei remained seated at the back as I made our way to Ah Si's.

"I like her." He grinned.
"You what?!"

© Franzz P. Follow on Instagram @onceinalifetimearc2018
Date written: January 18, 2019