CHAPTER FOUR - FAMILY & FRIEND

Fast Forward To 9:30am Friday Morning.

There weren't many customers coming in that morning, Chen is standing in counter, while Lian is sitting on a chair by the corner, texting. Then a customer walks in, a woman wearing a blue flay dress with flower patterns, black high heel boot, a summer hat, a pair of mirrored sunglasses, and carrying a black bag. She goes to the counter and Lian stands up almost immediately, Chen gives her a sign that it was okay, he got this one.

Yi Chen "Good morning"

Li Hua takes off her glasses, folds them and puts them in her bag. She folds arms together and stares at Chen "we have to talk, now" and goes to sit down at a table, she looks angry.

Yi Chen "Ooo... kay" confused. He prepares two cups of expresso and takes it to the table; Li Hua is sitting at. He places her coffee in front of her and sits down.

Meanwhile, Lian stood up and has been looking at them.

Li Hua arms are folded, and her legs crossed, she looks very angry.

Yi Chen sips his coffee "what's up...what's wrong with your face"

Li Hua "seriously...dude" picks up her coffee and takes a sip "are we really friends, what if I wasn't acting, that's how you would have lost a very valuable friend"

Yi Chen starring at her

Li Hua "so how was it...my acting"

Yi Chen "why do you think I asked you, what's wrong with your face"

Li Hua "what!"

Yi Chen "it's that bad"

Li Hua "hey! " She hits his arm.

Yi Chen starts to laugh.

Li Hua "that's a lie, my acting is beautiful"

Yi Chen "ok let's believe that"

Li Hua glares at him.

Yi Chen chuckles

Li Hua looks at Lian, who quickly bends her head and continues acting like she is using her phone "when are you going to tell your little crush over there, that I am not your girlfriend"

Yi Chen turns his neck to look at her "I don't know, soon maybe " he chuckles. "So why are you going around testing your acting on people, as far as I'm concerned, you are not done with your degree, you are not an actress yet"

Li Hua "well, our class is creating a web series and I, yours truly have been chosen to be the female lead"

Yi Chen "really, what's her character like"

Li Hua "well, she is supposed to be a rich bratty princess, whose father is punishing her by sending her to a public university. She is always grumpy, looks down on others and the story focuses on how she changes entirely as person, when she meets and is forced to learn from her smart class rep, who is poor and does part time jobs to pay his tuition. And with whom she would eventually fall in love with. It is a campus love story, so everything will be shot on campus"

Yi Chen "wow, can't believe you said all that in one breath...also I asked for her character, not the story line and filming site"

Li Hua shrugged her shoulders.

Yi Chen "but the story is nice, and the fact that most scenes will happen on campus is good too"

Li Hua "right, and we already have spots prepared for like scenes at café or something, and my apartment will be used as the girl's apartment, and the male lead apartment, as the characters apartment...I guess it's what we have to sacrifice as the leads"

Yi Chen "huh...why"

Li Hua "well, apparently, my apartment gives rich girl vibes"

Yi Chen "true, you are a rich girl in real life...so it only makes sense if...." a thought comes to mind "are you sure that's not why you are being cast as the female lead"

Li Hua shrugged her shoulders "I don't know, and I don't care, all I know is that I have my first female lead role and I'm paving way to success.... it's nothing big...but it can be considered an experience... you know, baby steps...so anything outside of that, is not a problem to me"

Yi Chen "wow...actress Li Hua, must be nice" chuckles

Li Hua "you know, if you were still around, you would be the male lead...it's evident"

Yi Chen silent for about 3 seconds. "Would you like something chew"

Li Hua "yes, 2 donuts please"

Yi Chen "coming right up" stands up and goes to bring doughnuts.

Li Hua is Yi Chen's childhood friend and both their families have been friends for a long time. She and Yi Chen were once betrothed to one another, by their grandparents. After their death, their parents cancelled the arrangement, believing that their children should get to decide on such intricate matters of their lives. However, Li Hua has actual feelings for Yi Chen, and she does her best to hide it. And Yi Chen does know of her feelings, and he is ignoring them, therefore they don't exist. Li Hua is the same age as Yi Chen, they were born in the same year, same month, but 3 days apart, Yi Chen is 3 days older than Li Hua. They both got into the university at the age of 17, to study acting. Yi Chen is from a family with a history of having members as masters in various fields of art, whether it be the martial arts, singing, painting, pottery, embroidery, etc. In his family for instance his father is an excellent painter, his mother can make art out of inanimate objects, his eldest sister is an opera singer, and his second sister is a world-famous designer. They all got their thing, things they love and have perfected. But Yi Chen is not like them, since he was young, he has been looking for his field. He tried to paint, but terrible, couldn't make art, meaningful art out of junk, pottery wasn't his thing, he hated singing and couldn't design, because he doesn't know how to draw. Yi Chen's drawing skills are average, but he condemns himself because it is not perfect. He had searched for his talent and had gone through many fields, he tried to become a fencer but that wasn't it as well. He eventually decided to study acting, maybe that would be it, but after two years he realised he did not want that as well. That was what lead him to leave home, he told his father he didn't want to become an actor and that he wanted to keep searching. His father, furious that his son was going to waste his life, searching for and chasing something that wasn't there told him to give up. His father told him that he was going to send him (Yi Chen) abroad to study business management and inherit the family company, YIWEI corp. - A large corporation that has lot of other small companies under it. Most of which are dedicated to arts and entertainment, E.g YIWEI art gallery, DAILI fashion and beauty brand under YIWEI fashion and YIWEI cosmetics, YIWEI supermarket, YIWEI construction company, YIWEI estates, YIWEI foods, the YIWEI airlines etc. Yi Chen was angered by this and left home swearing never to return until he has achieved something big and makes a name for himself. Yi Chen and Li Hua are talking, conversing and laughing, until Li Hua brings up a sensitive topic.

Li Hua "so are you really not coming back, anytime soon?"

Yi Chen silent.

Li Hua "everyone misses you, you know, come back, your family's love for you, it's aching them"

Yi Chen "if they really loved they would have supported me"

Li Hua "try to understand, they are doing this for you"

Yi Chen "they are doing this for you" he repeats what she said "that sentence is in present tense, which means that they haven't changed their stance"

Li Hua holds his hand "come back home, don't worry...you'll get used to it...it'll work out"

Yi Chen takes back his hand "I think we've talked for long enough, you should get going...I need to get back to work" he stands up and picks up the coffee cups. His face has a blank expression on it, but it is obvious that what she said wasn't to his liking and he turns to go.

Li Hua "your sister has given birth...to a girl"

Yi Chen paused.

Li Hua "I have pictures, do you want to see"

Yi Chen continues walking, goes back to the counter and starts washing the cups in the sink, not minding her.

Li Hua stands up "I'll be sure to send you the pictures"

Yi Chen ignoring her.

Li Hua sad, puts on her glasses, leaves the money on the table and exists the café.