BRIGHTER SMILES
Xiao Yo sure has changed, but she s still very much the same friend she had back in Taiwan. Shancai harked back to the days when she and Xiao Yo were working at the bakeshop, or simply taking a walk and window-shopping because they didn t have enough money to spend. She remembered the girl Xiao Yo had once been: awkward, a bit gawky and shy, content to just stand in one corner and watch the world pass her by with observant eyes.
The girl seated right across the table from her is a far cry from that girl.
Xiao Yo called her night to tell her she was in New York for a writing convention and would love to meet her. Not knowing where else to go while A Si met with his father, Shancai agreed to meet Xiao Yo and have coffee with her on one of the roadside cafe.
They met, and Shancai couldn't take her eyes off her friend. Gone was the gawky and awkward girl. In her place was this very striking young lady, simply but fashionably dressed in a black long-sleeved turtleneck and faded jeans. Her dark brown hair now reached down to her waist, stylishly cut to set off her cute face. Who would have thought this was the same girl who wore those standard reds-and-whites at the bakeshop and those long skirts and tank tops back?
Xiao Yo looked up and caught Shancai s stare. "What?" she asked, shy all of a sudden.
Well, at least that hasn't changed, Shancai thought wryly. "You look different," she said. "More beautiful."
Xiao Yo blushed prettily, much to Shancai's delight. Shancai decided to spare her friend from further embarrassment and changed the topic. "What's this writing convention all about?" she asked.
At her question, Xiao Yo visibly perked up. "It's basically a course. Some famous novelists and journalists are going to speak in front of students, and I was lucky enough top be picked to attend."
"Wow," Shancai gushed, as though seeing Xiao Yo for the very first time. "I had no idea you loved to write. I was quite surprised when I found out you were majoring in Journalism."
"I know," Xiao Yo replied, smiling but her eyes still alight with excitement as she talked about her newfound passion. "I didn't expect it at first but it felt so right, you know? The first time I came to Canada I found it difficult to communicate in English so I buried myself in trying to learn the language. I fell in love with words, and here I am."
"One more year and you graduate." Shancai shook her head, sipping her cappucino. "I am so proud of you, Xiao Yo."
"Thank you." Suddenly she remembered something. "How are Uncle and Auntie?"
"Oh, Mama is now running a small restaurant with our friend Shage. You might have heard of him already."
"Oh, yes, Qing He once mentioned him when we talked on the phone. And Uncle?"
"He's still with the car dealership company. He's doing better, or so I am told."
Xiao Yo sighed wistfully. "I miss them both." Her face lit up. "By the way, I might be going back to Taipei later this year. You see, in order to graduate, I have to do an extensive study on any field of interest, and my professor hinted that it would be a great idea if I write something associated with my homeland."
"That's great!" Shancai couldn't be happier. "Dao Ming Si and I already agreed we'd go home to Taipei after this, and we'll stay there for good. You can stay with us. Oh," she paused, "we haven't found our own place yet. But you can still stay with us!"
"That's so sweet of you," Xiao Yo said. "By the way, where's Dao Ming Si? I want to see him so I could congratulate him personally."
Before Shancai could reply, her cell phone rang. It is Dao Ming Si, asking where they were. After telling him the name of the roadside cafe, she hung up. "He's meeting us here so we could all go out for lunch," she told Xiao Yo.
"Oh, good!" A furtive smile crossed Xiao Yo's features. "By the way, do you mind if someone joins us for lunch?"
"Someone?" she echoed, then smiled in realization. "Xiao Yo?"
Her friend's only answer was a secretive smile.
Dao Ming Si blinked once, twice. Could this stunning lady be truly Xiao Yo?
Shancai's elbow digging deep into his side seemed to wake him up and he realized he was staring at Xiao Yo. He apologized instantly. "I'm sorry. It's just nice to see you again, Xiao Yo."
Xiao Yo smiled, and Dao Ming Si couldn't help but blink again, not quite believing what he's seeing. Once again, Shancai elbowed him, harder this time. "Dao Ming Si!" she whispered, much to Xiao Yo's amusement. "It's rude to stare!"
"Sorry, sorry..." A Si smiled sheepishly. After he had left his father's office an hour ago, finally deciding to take his inheritance from his grandparents, he went straight at the cafe to bring the ladies out to lunch. And he was pleasantly surprised when he saw Xiao Yo, reminded of the sweet innocent girl back in Taipei.
"Are you ready to go to lunch?" he asked. "I passed by an Italian resto on my way here. It's just a few blocks down, we could walk."
Xiao Yo said, "Can I just meet you there? There's someone I should meet first."
After giving her the restaurant name, Dao Ming Si and Shancai went ahead while Xiao Yo walked the other way.
The moment they got a table for four and sat down Shancai barraged him with questions.
"What happened? What did you and your Papa talk about? I hope you didn't fight. Did you? Because if you did, that's not very good - "
"Stop!" A Si said, laughing. "You worry too much! No, we didn't get into a fight, and even if we did, I doubt he'd put up much of a fight. We just talked, that s all."
"Oh." But her curiosity cannot be assuaged. "About what?"
"Uhm...It turns out my grandparents set aside some money for me. Papa just handed it."
In the past they have reached an agreement not to talk much about money so Shancai merely shrugged. What really bothered her was the remembrance of Dao Ming Cheng's weird behavior towards her last night, but she masked it before her husband could see it.
"Xiao Yo has changed," A Si observed, picking up the menu. "I didn't recognize her at first."
Shancai shrugged. "Their family's move to Canada did her good. I heard her family is doing very well with their antique shop." Silently she remembered how the future of Xiao Yo and her family was put into jeopardy because of her association with Dao Ming Si. She sighed, thankful they were all past that. "I guess she's what most people would call a 'late-bloomer'."
Dao Ming Si shook his head. "I wonder what Xi Men would say if he sees her now."
Before Shancai could respond, she spotted Xiao Yo come through the door and waved at her. Xiao Yo easily spotted her and began walking towards the table.
Both Dao Ming Si and Shancai noticed she was with a guy, and they were holding hands.
Shancai was dumbstruck; A Si looked completely overwhelmed with surprise. When Xiao Yo and her companion stopped in front of their table, Xiao Yo introduced them.
"This is my best friend Shancai, and her husband Dao Ming Si. They just got married a few weeks ago. Shancai, Dao Ming Si, this is Drew. My boyfriend."
Drew is quite tall, about the same height as Dao Ming Si, and almost of the same build. He is gorgeous, Shancai noticed. His dark brown hair, cut crisp short and naturally wavy, complemented his well-chiseled features. He has a strong jaw, and a cleft chin that emphasizes a dimple on his left cheek, deepening even as he speaks.
His eyes were a shade of dark aquamarine, a shade that mesmerized Shancai as she never thought she'd see blue eyes so dark. And he seemed really warm and friendly as he shook her hand and A Si's.
Both of them were even pleasantly surprised when he greeted them in stilted Mandarin, a fact for which Drew later apologized with a laugh, saying he just started learning the language.
When they have already ordered, A Si made small talk with Drew. "Are you a writer as well?" he asked.
"Oh, no." Drew laughed good-naturedly. "I am not as good with words as Rain is."
"Rain?" Shancai questioned, too late in realizing he was referring to Xiao Yo.
"That's how they called me back at university," Xiao Yo explained, "as some of them found it quite hard to pronounce my name."
Drew continued. "I already graduated last year. Right now I'm a freelance photographer. I work for different publications and newsgroups, and I am also in the process of releasing my own book of photographs. Rain - Xiao Yo - is helping me with it. She's like my personal editor."
A Si grinned at Xiao Yo. "He doesn't seem to have any trouble pronouncing your name," he teased, making Xiao Yo blush. Seeing this, both men laughed and shared a high five.
Surprisingly, Shancai found herself liking Drew more and more as the meal dragged on. He has a genuine smile and his sense of humor matches that of A Si, although he doesn t come across as too strong or too talkative. He has a warm and open face, and even when he isn t smiling, that sense of geniality remains.
When their meal was done, they all agreed for a walk along the breezy streets, and Shancai wasn t surprised when Drew and A Si went ahead, their heads close together as they began talking about basketball which, as they found out, Drew plays quite well.
Shancai and Xiao Yo lagged behind, content just to watch the two men in conversation. "So...it's Rain, huh?" Shancai teased and Xiao Yo smiled.
"Almost everyone out here calls me that, except Drew. He makes use of both," she replied. He calls me Xiao Yo when he's angry or worried or simply bothered."
"Whoa!" Shancai chuckled. "You must know him very well, then. How long have you known each other?"
"Long enough."
"He seems nice," Shancai observed.
"He is," Xiao Yo answered, a thoughtful look crossing her face. She looked at Drew, an unfathomable expression on her face. "I'm really blessed to have him."
Shancai looked at her friend and noted Xiao Yo's sense of well-being. Under other circumstances she would have asked about Xi Men, but this didn't seem the right time. In fact, seeing her friend like this, Shancai doubted if she even needed to mention Xi Men.
The afternoon was spent simply walking and checking out New York City in the afternoon, later lounging around at the park and having a lazy day, simply chatting. When later in the evening they parted ways in front of their hotel, Shancai gave Xiao Yo a tight hug, whispering, "I m glad to see you are doing very well."
Xiao Yo smiled at her friend in gratitude and left with her hand tucked firmly in Drew's. Shancai and A Si watched their departure until they disappeared from view, lost in the rush hour throng of people going home after a long day.
"I feel like a traitor," Dao Ming Si suddenly said as they proceeded to their hotel room, "for liking Drew. I feel like I am doing Xi Men wrong."
She understood how he s feeling. She, too, couldn't help but feel like they were going behind Xi Men's back, but she said, "That was in the past. Both Xi Men and Xiao Yo put a stop to it themselves, right? And I think they are already well on their own way with their own lives."
"I guess you're right." Dao Ming Si nodded as they arrived at their floor and led Shancai out of the elevator. "Drew seems very good for Xiao Yo. It's about time she moves on. Xi Men is my friend, but he has brought Xiao Yo too much pain and suffering. She deserves better."
"Will you tell Xi Men when we get to Taipei?"
He shook his head. "I don't see the need. Besides, I don't want to stir anything up, especially now that they are both doing fine without each other."
Shancai thought so, too, and as they let themselves into their room, she wondered what would happen if Xi Men and Xiao Yo cross paths again. Xiao Yo will soon go back to Taipei. They are bound to bump into each other sooner or later.
Yet why should she worry? Xi Men is doing fine. He doesn't have any serious or steady relationship, seemingly content on casual dates, and if Mei Zuo and Qing He's words were to be trusted, Xi Men had toned down with his playboy ways. He still plays around, but not as much as before, what with the company occupying him.
And Xiao Yo already has Drew, and he's a wonderful man. It will be all right. No reason for her to worry.
(WRITER'S NOTE: Drew and Xiao Yo and Xi Men has a separate story...My Beloved...also on my list of stories.)