Chapter 25: Office Excursion

After her first meeting with the Aces, Yan Qing Shan settled the matters with regards to her move in the Ace Villa. It only took her a day to transfer all her things from her previous dorm. Which led her to having a free day before she met the other Aces for the big test.

Having nothing better to do, she decided to surprise Zi Jue with a visit to his office. It was her way of pacifying him. Yan Qing Shan couldn't forget his forlorn, puppy dog look when she left for school. She was also thankful he didn't insist on keeping her at Ying Yue Garden.

"I might as well cook some lunch so we could eat together."

Yan Qing Shan thought. Then she paused. A sudden realization dawning on her. Was it okay for her to be like this? It all felt so strange. She shouldn't really care about whether he had eaten or not. Or should she? And what was she going to do at his office anyway? Besides, was she even doing this right?

"Qing Shan, you said you'd try. This is considered trying. Alright?"

After her self-assuring pep talk, Yan Qing Shan proceeded to the Villa's kitchen and cooked some of Zi Jue's favorites. She packed it in a lunchbox along a with a flask of chrysanthemum tea. There were leftovers from her cooking, so she set it in the middle of the dining table with a note that anyone could eat it.

Yan Qing Shan dressed herself up in a crisp trousers paired with a coral button-down blouse. She slipped on her favorite penny loafers. Yan Qing Shan dabbed on a light coral shade lipstick and also put on some tint to give color to her absurdly fair face.

'Hmm, I really should do something about this limp hair.'

Yan Qing Shan checked her watch. It was only half-past 10. She still had time to go to a salon and have her hair fixed. With that in mind, she left the Ace Villa in anticipation.

However, as she boarded the taxi Yan Qing Shan realized one crucial problem. She didn't know a good salon. She had never really tried having a make over or anything of the sort. She was used to cutting her hair herself using ordinary scissors. It was easy and economic.

'Really, Qing Shan! How much of an introvert could you get? You don't go out. You have no friends. And now, you don't even know where to find a salon! Aiyah. You're a hermit. A hermit!"

She berated herself. Yan Qing Shan then took out her phone and whipped up trusty ol' google. 15 minutes later she arrived at Hair Goddess Salon. It was the first one that popped up at her searches. And Yan Qing Shan was too lazy to even bother searching for another.

When she entered the premises, she saw a familiar, friendly face.

"Ah! Yan Qing Shan? You're here as well?"

Jia Yi Lan greeted her enthusiastically. Yan Qing Sham was secretly happy. She didn't know much of the girly stuff. Even putting on light makeup, if lipstick and cheektint are considered as such, was something she learned through video tutorials. She gave up watching those halfway because it was too complicated for her. The women in the videos were speaking in a language alien to her. It was fortunate enough that she had a passable fashion sense. So, she wasn't that tragic.

"Just call me Qing Shan. I wanted to get my hair done. It's too limp and dull." She replied to the girl with a smile.

Jia Yi Lan was momentarily dazed by her smile. Added to the fact the person seemed to be unaware of how charming she is, so it took Jia Yi Lan a few heartbeats to answer.

"Then call me Yi Lan, as well. Let's drop the formalities. I could help you if that's okay?"

Yan Qing Shan gave her a full-blown smile. What can she do? Relief overtook her to the point she couldn't keep her cold face.

"That would be great. You're a lifesaver. I don't know what I'm going to do with it, anyway."

The poor Jia Yi Lan who was shot with her megawatt smile just nodded a long. After recovering herself, she called for her trusted stylist and asked her to do Yan Qing Shan's hair.

Before Yan Qing Shan braved the torture that is having her hair done, she sent a text to Housekeeper Liu Ying. She informed him that she was going to Zi Jue's office and that if possible he could fetch her at the lobby.

She haven't been to Zi Jue's company before and thus, she feared that she might be barred from going there without prior appointment. Yan Qing Shan also repeatedly cautioned him to keep her visit from Zi Jue since it was a surprise.

She put down her phone, afterwards. Then asked the stylist to proceed with the torture... erm... the styling.