Granting You A Second Life

Shopping Center

Li Xiuying was currently strolling through the shopping center. Li Xiuying didn't expect it to be so busy on a Tuesday afternoon. There were people everywhere.

Li Xiuying thought it would be more time efficient to hire a personal shopper to help. She looked at the map and saw there were private suites on the 1st floor for those who hired personal shoppers.

She navigated her way through the throngs of people and eventually made it to first floor.

She followed the signs to the suite area. There were two security guards sitting either side of a large set of black varnish double doors. One had a clip board in his hand.

Both the security guards stood up on seeing Li Xiuying approach them.

Security guard with the clipboard and pen: "Hello Miss, can I have your name please?"

Li Xiuying: "Personal shopper?"

Clipboard Security guard: "Would you like to hire one?"

Li Xiuying nodded.

Clipboard security guard: "I see. Could you please wait here while my colleague goes in and inquires if anyone is free?"

Li Xiuying nodded again.

The other security guard entered through the double doors.

2 minutes later an immaculately dressed middle aged woman stepped through the doors followed by the security guard.

Middle aged woman: "Good afternoon. My name is Pan Lanfen. I am the manager of this area. I've been informed that you would like to hire a private suite and a personal shopper?"

Li Xiuying "Yes."

Pan Lanfen quickly assessed the young expressionless woman before her. She then calmly said: "Please follow me. There happens to be a suite available."

Li Xiuying followed Pan Lanfen through the double doors. They entered into a long corridor with doors either side of the hallway. The floor was white marble. The ceiling and walls were also white. Each door had a gold sign with the suite number. The actually doors to the suites were painted with different motifs. Some were floral, some were painted in block colour, others were abstract there was even one with drinking straws.

Pan Lanfen led Li Xiuying to suite 12. The door was decorated with daffodils.

Pan Lanfen: "Daffodils symbolize new beginnings."

Li Xiuying smiled a little at Pan Lanfen, before returning to being expressionless.

When Pan Lanfen saw Li Xiuying's fleeting smile; she knew that her customer was happy with her choice.

Pan Lanfen was a perceptive woman. She had worked her way up from cleaning the restrooms of the shopping center to becoming the manager of the highly successful luxury personal shopping department.

Pan Lanfen's years of experience working in customer services allowed her to develop a sixth sense about people. She became more adept at reading people and what they wanted. With just a glance Pan Lanfen could tell that Li Xiuying was an important person.

Li Xiuying walked in and was greeted by two female assistants.

The assistants: "Welcome Miss, Manager Pan."

Pan Lanfen: "I'll be taking charge of Suite 12 today."

The assistants maintained professional smiles but inside they were shocked that Manager Pan would personally want to assist a customer. Pan Lanfen was very selective about who she would assist.

Pan Lanfen: "Please come in and take a seat."

Once Pan Lanfen saw Li Xiuying sit she asked: "May I ask your name please?" The reason she waited so long before asking, was for two reasons: a. to respect the customers privacy and b. she didn't want the customer to feel like her background was being assessed.

Li Xiuying: "Li Xiuying."

Pan Lanfen: "Miss. Li would you like any refreshments?"

Li Xiuying hadn't eaten lunch yet: "Water, Dim sum, strawberry gateau."

Pan Lanfen: "We will have everything you ordered within a few minutes." Pan Lanfen indicated to one of the assistants to go and put in the order.

Pan Lanfen: "Miss Li. Did you have anything in particular that you would like to acquire today?"

Li Xiuying: "Make up and wigs."

Pan Lanfen took a small notepad and mini pen from her blazer pocket. She then wrote something before handing it to the remaining assistant. The assistant read the note and left the room.

10 minutes later both assistants had returned. There were also two makeup artists currently setting up their makeup on a table.

Li Xiuying was eating dim sum while she waited.

....

Golden Cherry Blossom - restaurant

Meanwhile in another part of town there was someone who wasn't as leisurely as Li Xiuying.

Huang Teng was currently waiting in a private room at the Golden Cherry Blossom. He was still recovering from his conversation with Qin Song earlier in the day.

Huang Teng gripped the glass in his hand tightly. He not only lost millions in the space of 2 minutes, but he had insulted World Bank's biggest corporate shareholder and to top it all off he made himself look like a complete and utter fool.

Huang Teng had only gone to meet with Qin Song because Chen Meng and Li Wang repeated told him Li Xiuying was just a surgical machine to Unity Hospital. Normally Huang Teng would always do his research before going to a meeting; this time he had stupidly chosen to believe the words of his friend. Huang Teng thought to himself: If Li Xiuying was a mere employee would Qin Song have had such a reaction?

Huang Teng then began to think about the situation more deeply. Why would Li Xiuying be willing to perform the operation at Emerald Hospital after breaking off her engagement with Chen Wei?

Li Wang was also evasive on Sunday whenever he asked to talk to Li Xiuying directly.

Chen Meng and Li Wang had clearly used him! They used him to make contact with Li Xiuying and to try and force her to return to Emerald hospital.

Huang Teng was enraged that he was sacrificed for the sake of Wang Li and Chen Meng's selfish interests. He had trusted them. Chen Meng had been his friend for over a decade and this is how he treated him?

The door to the private room opened breaking Huang Teng's thought. Chen Meng and Li Wang strolled in with large smiles on their faces. They took the remaining seats at the table.

Li Wang glanced at the glass in Huang Teng's hand he said teasingly: "Teng. You started celebrating without us?"

Li Wang ordered drinks for Chen Meng and himself.

Li Wang perused the menu: "Everything on the menu is completely different since the last time I was here."

Chen Meng: "Just order anything. It all tastes good"

Huang Teng interrupted their idle chatter: "When was the last time either of you spoke to Li Xiuying?"

Chen Meng and Li Wang froze for a moment.

Chen Meng tried to play off the question as irrelevant: "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

Wang Li: "She's been really busy lately. You know that Unity hospital is using her like a surgical machine."

A flicker of disgust appeared in Huang Teng's eyes.

Chen Meng noticed that something was off about Huang Teng: "Teng how did the meeting go? What time should we expect Xiuying to be at Emerald on Friday?"

Huang Teng maintained a cool expression: "Fuhua's operation will now be taking place at Unity Hospital."

Wang Li and Chen Meng both shouted: "What?!" at the same time.

Huang Teng: "Qin Song and I came to a new arrangement. I want Li Xiuying to operate on Fuhua and that can only happen at Unity hospital."

Chen Meng: "Teng! Do you even know what you're saying right now? Yang Zian is just as skilled as Li Xiuying if not more. We have a brilliant team prepared at Emerald. We were even paying for all the surgical costs. Is Li Xiuying worth more?!"

Huang Teng: "How long will you continue to take me as a fool? Can you look me in the eye and guarantee that Yang Zian is truly skilled?" He looked directly at Chen Meng.

Chen Meng looked into Huang Teng's eyes: "Teng I can absolutely assure you that Yang Zian and the team we prepared are truly very skilled."

Huang Teng felt his heart turn to ice. He now knew that Chen Meng viewed him as a tool. He had never felt so stupid.

Huang Teng: "During my meeting with Qin Song I mentioned Yang Zian. Qin Song was kind enough to have his men investigate Dr. Yang's background. The report revealed that his skills are mediocre at best. He takes the credit for other people's surgery by sabotaging them and then stepping in at the last moment to play the hero.. He's done this to three surgeons already."

Li Wang voice filled with sincerity: "Teng that's not the case at all. Yang Zian is truly skilled. Why would we lie to you?"

Huang Teng didn't bother to conceal his anger any longer. He slammed his hands on the table.

Huang Teng's voice contained rage: "You dare to risk the life of my grandson?!"

Huang Teng stormed to the door and yanked it open. When he was half way out the door he coldly said over his shoulder: "I am only being merciful because of our history. However, form today we no longer have any ties to each other."

Huang Teng then left the room. Leaving a stunned Chen Meng and Li Wang.