Rivalry and Competition

It was Friday. There were just two hours left before Lai would clock out of work.

"Before I forget, there will be a banquet that will be held next week Wednesday," Bai told her, typing an email to a client, "It's a get-together for the businessmen and women of Cedoria. It's used as an event for networking."

"Wow, that sounds exciting. Where will it be held, and what time will it start?" Lai looked up from her laptop.

"Well, we will leave on Tuesday afternoon to drive to the hotel," he answered, "since it will be held in Hengyuan. Hengyuan is very far from here, so it will take a while to get there. The banquet will start at 6PM."

She nodded in understanding.

"Since there is not much work left to do," he smiled at her, "You can leave early."

She blinked in surprise.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's still way too early for me to leave."

"I'm sure. Go home and get some rest. I will see you tomorrow. Can you come to my house around 9 AM? We will leave for the zoo at 12 in the afternoon."

"Okay. No problem, Mr. Ying."

With that, she finished what she was doing and clutched her handbag. She then stood by the door.

"Then," she lightly bowed, "I will see you tomorrow. Have a good night, Mr. Ying."

He smiled, and she waltzed out of the office. When he was alone in the office, the silence felt almost suffocating.

It was evident he had missed her already. To think he would fall so hard for her. He released an exasperated sigh and leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling.

He wished tomorrow would come sooner. He felt like a teenager who had just discovered his first occupied with many thoughts.

Sitting up, he grabbed his phone from the desk and put it to his ear.

"Hello, little Bai," he heard his sister's voice express, "I am so sorry to bother you."

He smiled.

"It's alright. Is something the matter, sister Shufen?"

"It's Sara," his sister sighed, "I know I said I would bring her around 10 PM, but I was wondering if I could bring her a bit earlier?"

He leaned forward in his seat.

"What time are we talking about?"

"Well, let's say 8?" she replied, "I am really sorry. It's just that I didn't think work was gonna get this hectic. Somehow, the workload this time has gotten greater. I'll have to book an early flight. My husband has just left as we speak."

"That's okay with me. I'm almost done with work anyway," he admitted, "So I will be home by then. How is Sara?"

"That's a relief," he heard her sigh in relief, "Sara is watching TV right now. I'm still packing a whole lot of stuff. She looks worn out from playing in kindergarten today."

"She really does love playing," he smiled.

"Tell me about it," she nodded in agreement, "Well, I better finish packing. I will see you later. Bye."

With that, his sister hung up the phone. He placed his phone back on the table.

"I better finish this up quickly," he mumbled.

An hour later, he was done. He stretched his arms and stood up, grabbing his suit jacket and cell phone.

He opened his office door with his bag clutched in his right hand and his suit jacket in the other.

"Na and Lingxin?" he raised his eyebrow upon seeing them, "You guys haven't left yet?"

Na and Lingxin were looking at the figures for the new product Nero Inc. was planning to launch.

"We were just touching up on a few things," Na explained, "I sent the others home cause we were almost done anyway."

"Are you leaving now, Mr. Ying?" Lingxin asked while Na grabbed some documents.

"Yes," he nodded, "And you guys should too. I don't want people thinking I overwork my staff."

"But you overworked me before, remember?" Na pouted, "You used to make me get your favorite coffee every morning. Do you know how tiring that was?"

Bai narrowed his eyes.

"But I paid you extra for that."

Na rolled her eyes.

"Still, it was too much. Why would you make me go there every day?' Na stood before him, "If you want coffee, why not use the office coffee machine? We even have delicious coffee."

He looked at her with unblinking focused amber eyes.

"Because that coffee is the best in the world," he replied.

"You're saying that so proudly," Na 'tsked' and sighed.

She then walked towards him while Lingxin was busy with the documents.

"I think there's more to the 'coffee is the best in the world' statement. What do you think?" she playfully wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"What do you mean?" he inquired with a straight face.

"Aye," she playfully nudged his shoulder, "No need to be shy, Mr. Ying. You always told me to make sure that 'she' was the one who made the coffee."

"And so?" he averted her gaze.

Na softly chuckled.

"It's pretty obvious," she leaned her head forward and smiled knowingly, "You like her, don't you?"

She had whispered the last part so that Lingxin wouldn't hear her. Bai, feeling a little flustered, stepped back.

"Bingo," Na chuckled, feeling triumphant.

"That's absurd," he told her.

"Is it?" she swung her arm around his, "There's nothing wrong with liking her. In fact, most of the guys in the different departments find her attractive. I can see why too."

'Guess I have a lot of rivals,' he pinched his nose and sighed.

"If I didn't have my eyes set on someone else," Na sighed and let go of his arm, "I would probably fall for her too."

That last statement caused Bai to stare at her with wide eyes. She saw his shocked expression and chuckled.

"Relax, Mr. Ying," she gently hit him on the back, "I wouldn't go after her even if I tried. It's obvious that she's straight and might already have someone she likes."

Na began to walk away, leaving him standing by the elevator, mystified. When the elevator door opened, he stepped inside.

'Someone she already likes?' he pondered, feeling uneasy.

Before the elevator doors fully closed, Na and his eyes locked. She smiled at him, waving goodbye.

He leaned his body on the wall of the elevator and sighed.

"I really do have a lot of competition," he acknowledged, "And it doesn't help that she has been rejecting my advances. She also seems hesitant to like me back. It could be because I'm part of the mafia."

He ran his fingers through his black hair.

"But this is a part of me that I can't help being from since I was born to mafia parents. However, I will not give up on making her fall for me. She is my light and treasure, after all."

When he got home, he had a shower. While in the shower, he was in a trance. Lost in thought.

He couldn't stop thinking about what Na had mentioned:

"In fact, most of the guys in the different departments find her attractive."