17 Please Tell me Everything

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry, come in come in," Changying smiled and blushed, "I was in another world just then."

The courier person laughed, "I wish my work was that engrossing. Just sign here and it's all yours."

"Odd," she mumbled more to herself than anything, "I wasn't expecting anything, I wonder what it is."

"Only one way to find out," the courier quipped as he took his board and left the office.

Changying smiled then tore open the padded envelope, a box holding a new android phone fell out with a hand written note. She read the precise hand writing,

"People in my life have gone missing before, indulge me and use the new phone. It is set up and ready to go with this number, but if you can change it to your current number, either way let me know a.s.a.p. Wang"

Changying sent the next 30 minutes, flicking through the instruction manual and transferring the numbers she wanted to keep in her phone before sending out a group text to alert her friends of the number change. She stepped out of her office concerned that Wang still wasn't at work and went to ask his PA if he would be in soon ostensibly because she had research questions.

Ms. Chen looked up from her desk smiling as Changying interrupted her, "He's in meetings all morning, Changying. I am not sure when he will be back."

"Something far more important than my research, no doubt, I'll just email him instead," Changying smiled back and went to return to her office.

"Wait," Chen called. The leggy redhead stood and walked around her desk toward Changying. "Nice dress, who knew you had a figure under all that frumpiness." Her laugh was haughty sounding and Changying cringed. This was why she had always been happy in her mediocrity she realised, comments just like that made her feel that she would never be quite pretty enough, or tall enough, or one of the in crowd.

Chen linked arms with Changying as she walked back to her office with her, "There's been quite a change in you over the last month," Chen fell into a chair in front of Changying's desk, "So who's the new guy, dish, I'm dying to know."

Changying went wide eyed in surprise. "New guy?" She questioned, "What makes you think that?"

Chen laughed, "I can tell you're getting laid, just look at you all glowing and starry eyed. Now the new clothes; next it will be a change to the hair and make up and the transformation from research dungeon frump to sexy research assistant will be complete."

Changying just sat there startled. This beautiful woman had almost called her sexy albeit in a terribly condescending way. She was at a loss for words.

"Come on," Chen wheedled, "It's not just me who's noticed, give me the gossip. Some of the girl's thought you had a crush on Wang but that ridiculous, he's such a perfectionist I doubt anyone would meet his standards, especially a research frump, like you." She saw Changying's face fall, "No offence sweetie, but you do realise how many gorgeous women have thrown themselves at him, and he hasn't even given them the time of day!"

"Yeah, I can imagine," Changying mumbled, "She didn't know why the barbed comment hurt so much, she should have been used it, she had spent her short adult life firmly in the shadow of Chunhua. In a small show of private rebellion, Changying said, "Whoever is dating Wang must be pretty remarkable. I mean, I imagine it would be hard to live up to those standards day in and day out, it's hard enough working for him."

"You're telling me," Chen rolled her eyes. "Now you, little miss make over, tell me everything. Until I capture the man of my dreams I have to live vicariously through other people's happiness," she leaned forward placing an elbow on the desk and propping up her chin before adding, "Please, Changying."

"Fine," Changying started. She truly did want to tell someone how happy she was, she didn't have to say with whom, "I am seeing someone, and the sex is unbelievable! It's just it's so new and exciting, I don't want to say whom it is just in case it doesn't work out, he's way out of my league."

Chen crowed, "I knew it!" She just about jumped out of her chair but sat back. "Well that dress certainly makes a difference, where did you get it?"

They talked about clothes and shopping for a little while, Changying explaining that Chunhua had an eye for what suited people's body types when they were shopping on a budget. They laughed, and Chen rose gracefully, "I better get back to my desk, I have probably missed a few calls and driven the receptionist insane looking for me." She laughed merrily and walked out of Changying's office.