บท 89: Her Personal Driver

December 4, 20XX (Tuesday)

Studio Near East Park- Downtown

The door with a number sign of 808 opened with a slight creaking sound. Mei Li walked out of her studio unit to immediately encounter two guards waiting for her in front of her door.

The first man, she recognized as the guard she nicknamed 'La,' had black hair, black eyes, broad and muscled body, and a large scar that marred the left side of his face from his forehead, slashing his eyebrows, and ending near the edge of his frowning lips. He was wearing the classic bodyguard suit with the complete earpiece and dark glasses.

The second man had small eyes, wide smile, petite nose, long dark hair tied into a long braid, and wearing a black Changshan instead of a suit. Mei Li was a little curious how the man knew how to braid and was also interested at the length of the hair. It was rare to see a man's hair reaching in length with his waist.

"Good Morning Miss Wu." La greeted her, stoically. The other two men had opened their door immediately and had greeted Mei Li with a chorus of 'Good Morning.' Three of her guards were wearing traditional Changshan; she liked it. They looked more regal with traditional clothing than a tux. Maybe she'll convince La to wear a Changshan too. She nodded to herself and remembering to ask for Yang's permission first since they are technically hired by him.

"Good Morning, " She greeted with a smile after all her thoughts had been settled.

"Are you ready to go?" La asked after eyeing the other three guards with him.

Mei Li immediately nodded while observing the other guards she wasn't as familiar as 'La.' It looks like the scarred La is the leader of her guards as she observed the others deferred to him in everything.

"I would like to tell you that someone will accompany you to Y Building."

This piece of news startled Mei Li. She had thought that the guards would either drive her to the company or they'll take the public transportation together.

"Will you guys come with me to the company too? Is the person accompanying me already here?" the painter asked while locking the door before walking towards the asked while locking the door before walking towards the elevator

"We will be following you in another car or motorcycles and that person is already waiting for you on the parking lot C-15."

Hearing those words, Mei Li hurried. She hated making someone wait for her especially if the person was a stranger and doesn't know her yet. It might lead to misunderstanding and bad first impression.

Arriving at the parking lot and looking at the cars lined in Row C, Mei Li spotted a very familiar car that made her want to go back upstairs and lock herself in her room. Her cheeks flushed when a soft tingling sensation lingered in her lips as the warmth of that stolen kiss on Sunday night remained.

Mei Li forced her embarrassment inside of her and stood in front of the car with her hands on either side of her hips. She stared at the car with awe; the Maybach she always saw Yang drive was black and sleek but this one was dark blue with little glitters shimmering like the stars, it had silver outlining, white hood and the car's wheels looked so futuristic and otherworldly like it came from outer space. This car, in all that she had seen him drive, was the most beautiful she had seen. The car's color reminded her of the sky at night and that was the most important factor.

Yang was surprised when Mei Li had eagerly sat into the only seat beside him. He watched the painter marvel at the white interior that look like a minimal spaceship with glowing lights in blue and white.

"Is this new?" Mei Li turned to Yang.

The CEO shook his head and answered slowly, still in disbelief that she actually likes a car, "I had this parked at my condo. You had only seen the cars that were parked in Zhao Manor."

Mei Li could not help but roll her eyes. Rich and wealthy men always have interest in nice cars. It seems that Zhao Yang is of no exception. How stereotypical of him!

But Zhao Yang was not important right now! Mei Li must know something, "Do you have another car like this?"

Yang's hand gripping the steering wheel loosen in surprise. Was she easily wooed with a car? Had Yang finally found her biggest weakness? Was she also interested in cars?

Filled with hope, Yang answered with confidence, "Of course! I have more in different colors."

The twinkle in her eyes grew and Yang felt his heart beating wildly. Was wooing her with cars the answer he had been looking for? Will it really be easy?

"If you are going to fetch me every time then you must change your cars every day so I can see them..." Mei Li smiled at him and acting cutely by tugging softly the hem of his sleeves on his cuffs.

Yang's heart continued to beat in excitement. He knew that even Mei Li had a weakness to material possessions!

"I need to see their colors, I never knew a car could be painted like this. Do you think the factory will give me the list of percentage of the colors that makes this dark blue." Mei Li began to gush out and her words stunned Yang.

"I have always been trying to perfect a color mixture that could exactly imitate the night sky but never seems to be the same level of perfection as this car. Do you have a car that had the color of the sun's rays as it breaks the dawn?"

Yang touched his nose, helplessly. His previous expectations once again unmeet. Time and time again, Mei Li had proven him how unpredictable she was yet he still did not learn. He needs to teach himself not to expect anything from Mei Li from now on.

He turned the engine on with a heavy heart. Although she looked cute mumbling about colors, it was a subject he did not know nor care. It hurt him a little to be so of little importance to her than colors. She hadn't even greeted him a good morning.

When the car engine revved up, Mei Li's hand on the hem of his sleeve had slipped down. He had expected her hand to return to her person but was once again reminded to never expect anything from her as she took his phone from the dashboard, opened it with his thumb that she had quickly snatched, and played music on the background.

The song 'Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley' played as if she was reminding him of the reason why he was here in the first place.

For Love; that was his reason... For her consent, he'd turn into her personal driver that changes cars every day just so she can examine the colors if she wanted too.

As he drove off, his ears heard Mei Li softly singing along to the song. His once heavy heart of disappointment lightened with hope. He had sung this song to her many times and she had no reaction other than to blush. Now, she was singing the song like it was an everyday occurrence.

Soon, his love for her will be like the song. Soon, she would stop being so embarrassed and afraid of his advances and then get used to it and she'll also play along.

For now, he will be her personal driver as well as a suitor.

'Let her get used to you, Yang.' He told himself.

'Baby Steps, Zhao Yang,' He repeated his motto again and again in his head.

He was too busy concentrating with driving and encouraging himself that he had not realized Mei Li was glancing and staring at his chapped lips again and again while patting the chapstick on her right pocket especially brought for him once in a while as if to remind herself on her mission and plan.

He had not realized that his baby steps were all large strides of a grown man.

Men sometimes forget that little things to them are large matters for women. After all, those little things compiled together that makes everything grand and wonderful.

In fact, Mei Li felt wonderful at being fetched at her house to go to work together. Nobody had ever done this to her.

Nobody had until now, until Zhao Yang.