Frumpy Little Bookworm

Changying picked her phone back up and sent a text to Wang, thanking him profusely for the new phone saying she would have gotten one herself in a few days, and he didn't have to go to all the expense. The phone came to life in her hands a moment later, the ring tone set to a familiar tune she couldn't quite place.

Answering it tentatively she recognised Wang's amused reply, "About time you thanked me."

Changying immediately gushed, "I am sorry, I didn't know whether to ring you or not so I went to ask Chen then we started talking and..." her voice trailed off as she heard his laugh, deep and rich making her want to see him, desperately.

"Look I am walking into another meeting, but..." he seemed to hesitate before going on, "I ran into my sister this morning, and she wants to meet you, Jack told her, I was seeing someone. She wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, so we are going to lunch with them okay?"

Changying squeaked, "Today?"

"Yeah, today, I know it's weird meeting the family, but you will know someone there," he sounded unsure of her answer.

"I guess it's not your parents or anything, and it's not like you haven't met mine. Just as well I wore a new dress today, so I don't look all frumpy as usual," she gave a self-effacing giggle.

"I like you frumpy," he murmured softly, "It's like that hot body of yours is my little secret."

"Okay, where and when," she was smiling widely and blushing.

"Jack will pick you up around twelve, send me an email asking for the afternoon off work, I'll approve it and send it through to Chen and HR," he, of course, had everything under his control and she laughed, "What's so funny," he seemed genuinely confused by her laughter.

"I was supposed to see Jack next week anyway, this might save me the trip," she lied. She had seen Jack once a week during the last month for test results and to make sure the things he had prescribed for her were working.

"Again?" Wang growled, "I think he might like your frumpiness too," he teased her eliciting more laughter. "Gotta go see you at lunch," the phone went dead, and she placed it on her desk and sent the email he had wanted, asking for the afternoon off work.

Looking at the clock and seeing that it was already ten, she grabbed the banana from her bag and went to the kitchenette to grab some cold water still smiling happily, she had totally forgotten to pack lunch for today, and it would be nice to go out for lunch, if not a little nerve wracking to meet someone from Wang's family.

Changying left her mug and banana in the kitchen and went down the hall to the bathroom as the nervous excitement got the better of her, catching her reflection in the mirror she saw how pale she looked. "Urg," she groaned, of all days to have woken late and rushed out of the house. She desperately didn't want to disappoint Wang, and she considered whom she could ask for help. She had friends here at work, but the glamorous girls who would have makeup in the handbags were not quite those sort of friends and the ones she liked to hang out with were more her type of mousy quiet girls.

She considered Chen, but she just reminded her of Chunhua at her worst, predatory and not particularly likable. Maybe Chunhua's new found maternal streak would stretch this far, she had always wanted to make her over, Changying shook her head wondering at the change not within Chunhua but within herself that she was even considering this as she called her Mother.

Fort-five minutes later Chunhua stood in her office, looking utterly beautiful as usual. Changying looked at her and with a firm voice spoke bluntly, "I am warning you Chunhua. No pink cheeks or caked on foundation, just eyeliner and mascara, okay?"

Chunhua grinned, "I was near the store when you called," she pulled out a brand new tub of Glow, a soft make up brush, eye liner and mascara and finally placed a small pot of pale lip gloss beside them. "See, I understand now that you just want to be you," the startled look on Changying's face made her smile wider. "Just one little thing," she asked tentatively as she handed Changying a small hand mirror.

Changying's eyes narrowed, she knew it was too good to be true, "Can I do something with your hair, pretty please, I am so tired of that ponytail you must be as well," Chunhua said surprisingly softly.

"Only if you won't get upset when I pull it out because it makes me look even frumpier," Changying smiled lightening her words slightly, but new Chunhua or not, Changying had seen her mother's attempts to do something with her hair before.

Chunhua grinned and pulled out a hairbrush before Changying could change her mind. Pulling the tight pony tail out, Chunhua braided the wavy locks loosely down Changying's back, it was soft around her face and allowed for small tendrils to curl about her ears. Chunhua pushed bobby pins with small white flowers into the braid and smiled. Picking up her phone she took a photo if the back of her hair and showed it to Changying.

Changying pursed her lips as she looked at the photo, then smiled up at Chunhua, "Thanks, it's perfect."

"Tell me all about your lunch when you get home," Chunhua grinned, "I told you, it's love!"

Shaking her head, Changying was about to argue the point when Chen appeared in the doorway. "Chunhua isn't it? I think I met you the day Changying burnt herself."

"Hi," Chunhua said easily, "You are?"

Changying interrupted, "Chunhua, Chen; Chen, Chunhua."

"Seems our frumpy little book worm is getting some glam, she told me that you helped pick out the dress," Chen chatted to Chunhua ignoring Changying's introduction. "Do you do any personal shopping, if so I would like to book in for a few pointers, I mean look at the difference," she waved her hand in Changying's direction without actually looking at her.