Unexpected Opportunity
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The next morning, Mei Xing decided to go out instead of idly laying on the bed. She first took her pet dog for a walk in a nearby park, then she went out to get creative.
Mei Xing always preferred a change of environment for her work. Not only that, as an architect, taking notes of various building designs was her favourite thing.
So after heading into town, she took a leisure stroll through a street and stopped by a small coffee shop. Stepping inside, Mei Xing's eyes roamed the shop as she admired the interior.
A simple wooden counter served as the focal point for taking and giving out orders. There were round tables with a black and white theme scattered throughout the big space- each accommodating at least three chairs.
The shop was enveloped by floor-to-ceiling windows, providing a picturesque view of passing cars and pedestrians, for customers inside. The air was comfortably warm and it was filled with the inviting aroma of coffee and the soft chatters of customers' conversations.
This place although unassuming, attracted two categories of people- those dashing in for a quick caffeine fix before returning to their offices or homes, and those who leisurely savoured their coffee while unwinding.
Mei Xing found solace in this cozy environment and it was good for getting some work done in the morning. She decided to make regular visits there.
Soon, it was her turn to place an order. The young man behind the counter smiled warmly at her. "Good morning, Miss. What can I get you?"
"Good morning. I'll be needing a cup of coffee with sugar and please don't forget the extra cream," she replied whilst returning his smile.
"Got it. Please wait beside the line for your order. It'll be here in no time," the young man hit a tiny bell on the side of the counter and another staff came out from the door behind to pick up her order.
"Thank you."
Just as he said, Mei Xing got her order and searched for a table to sit at. Unfortunately, almost all the seats were taken, except one at the far corner of the shop.
It was the only table with two chairs and one of them had an occupant. It was a man dressed in a white button-down shirt with his tie loosed around his collar. His coat was draped behind his chair and a laptop before him owned his attention.
Although he looked like someone who didn't want anyone at the table but Mei Xing couldn't be bothered by that at the moment. Not wanting to miss the order, she increased her strides and stopped by getting to the table.
"Uhm, hi. Good morning. Please can I take this empty seat?" She politely asked, her voice pulling the man's eyes from his laptop.
A soft silent gasp left Mei Xing's lips as her eyes met with foreign light green eyes behind black rimless glasses. She hadn't seen anyone with such distinct eyes before so she couldn't help her daze.
"Sure, no problem." His voice was firm and deep, like the ones she imagines the male leads have in the books she reads. He had a rich American accent laced into his Asian one.
"Oh... Uh, t-thank you," Mei Xing pulled out the chair and sat, after which she gently tucked stray stands of her hair behind her ears.
Mei Xing couldn't resist a moan of satisfaction at the first taste of the coffee, her eyes momentarily closing in bliss.
"This is so good. I wished I had some biscuits to go with it," Mei Xing mumbled, lost in the sweetness of her coffee, unaware of the man's gaze from across their table.
He couldn't help but smile at her genuine expression for coffee- one he hardly ever sees.
As Mei Xing savoured her coffee, she couldn't help but notice the man's subtle smile. Now feeling his gaze locked on her, she looked up and met his eyes once again, this time with a sheepish smile of her own.
"Sorry if I'm being a bit too... expressive about my coffee. I can't help myself when a cup of coffee is this good," she admitted, her cheeks tinted with a faint coat of pink. "I'll try not to disturb your work."
He chuckled softly, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. "No need to apologize. It's refreshing to see someone enjoy their coffee so genuinely."
Mei Xing released a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her shoulders relaxed and she eyed him with curiosity.
"I hope you don't mind me asking but... Are you a regular here?" She asked as she took her laptop from her tote bag and set it on the table.
"I am. There's something different about sipping good coffee while working. This place just does it for me," the man shrugged in answer.
"Really? Then I guess I found a good place to get some work done."
"Is your job flexible?" The man asked.
"You can say that. But I haven't had the chance to delve fully into it."
He noticed the sadness in her voice and expression as she shared the last sentence. "You're always busy?"
"It's a long story," Mei Xing stopped there as she didn't wish to revisit the reason for suspending her passion.
Sensing her slight discomfort with the topic, the man opted for a change. "Can I know what are you working on?"
Mei Xing slowly nodded and turned her laptop for him to see. "I want to create a website to advertise my designs. Now that I've got time, I want to start working."
"You're an architect?" His facial expression showed his astonishment.
"Yes, I am," Mei Xing nodded.
"That's incredible. I bet this is fate cause my office needs remodeling and I haven't had the time to search for an architect yet."
Mei Xing's eyes displayed as she struggled to halt a grin. "Are you serious?"
"I am. Can you help me with my office? State you're price and I'll pay."