Beauty and the Nerd

It was a beautiful day outside. A day of cloudless skies, crystal blue with a shining yellow sun at its center: noon. The streets weren't incredibly congested yet, since the lunch rush hadn't started yet. It was tranquil. Incredibly tranquil. Of course, this was all outside Chen's proximity. In the back of the Juun estate, which consisted of a large mansion with 7 wings, was a large hanger-like structure of steel grey. It was smoking right now, a hole blown through the west side wall 3 feet wide. Inside the hanger past the rolling column of black smoke was a man. He was covered in soot, from his lab coat to his chocolate hair. His glasses were crooked on his face, one of his hazel eyes staring at the ceiling outside the glasses' rims. He coughed, sending smoke puffs into air as he sat up. He straightened his glasses then looked over to the smoke source. Another fuel cycler destroyed, he thought, what a shame. "What a god damn shame..." he reiterated aloud, taking the cigarette in his breast pocket by the butt. He lit the end on a tiny flame that was on his coat then patted the flame to extinguish it.

He worked off his leather shoes and kicked them under his work table. He'd phone the repairmen later today to fix the wall, while in the meantime Chen could go...do whatever it was he was supposed to outside his own sorted creations. He had quickly extinguished the flame on his prototype creation with the nearby fire extinguisher and left, taking long draws from the Cretan Red smoke, blowing smoke rings as he exhaled. He used the door instead of the gaping hole to return to his mansion, then retrieved the day planner from the close-by nightstand. According to his almost illegibal chicken scratch, he was to have a visitor. A meeting of some sort, Chen had little concern for. His utter state of "not giving a shit" probably caused him to forget its purpose. Oh well.

Chen needed "me" time. He informed the staff of the arrival at once, giving out instructions on the mansion's decor and over all present-ability. He informed the butler, Jeong-Jeong, to inform him when the guest arrived and to invite the person in. He also informed him he'd be in his study.

His study consisted of numerous shelves of books and tomes, manuals and supplies for construction. A large mahogany desk stood in the center with a burgandy leather chair behind it. On the table was a blue print. The plans for his newly failed experiment. He crumpled them up and tossed them aside. He'd have to redesign. He flopped down into the chair, taking another breath of smoke and blowing it out towards the ceiling. This wasn't possibly going to be anything exciting or engaging, like this new project was. Nothing in life rarely compared to his projects. "Keep some optimism, Chen. No need to get pessimistic", he said to himself. Sometimes he needed to remind himself every now and again.

A peace meeting of sorts needed to happen. Truthfully, Rie needed to observe her Xingese friends for their wants and needs. After all, it was her job as the middle ground to make sure her clan leaders were happy. Infighting could ruin Xing pretty quickly and though most hated the emperor, she knew that a decent amount of Nam now didn't. Her eyes closed and she breathed out a sigh before fixing her shoe. Her own 'escort' was her friend Nam Lia Xang who was probably a second cousin? Rie was never good at keeping track of her family.

A knock resonated on the door and Rie was greeted by what she assumed was a butler. Lia stared daggers at both the butler than Rie, but said not a word. Her eyes, though, spoke a thousand death threats and mother hen pouts. She would stay outside while Rie slipped in the door. Silently, she followed Jeong-Jeong's steps up to the study. Inwards she thought of decoration outlays that would work much better, but those thoughts were caged in her mind. When at last they reached the study, she stopped to smile sweetly at Jeong-Jeong and bowed some to him. He gave a crazy eye and walked off.

Left alone, she knocked twice on the door with a gentle 'rap, rap!' "Báiyángzuò Chen Juun?" She asked, waiting for a few seconds, before opening the door. "I am Nam Rie Bao, here to meet with you as planned. I hope you are not busy?" Her kind brown eyes closed a moment, while she stood only half in the room.

What a nice voice, he thought. Nam dialect as well. Hmm...could she be from Nam? Most likely, since they were neighboring territories. But why would she be here? What did she want? Why did they drive on parkways and park on driveways? He had yet to figure these out, but once the correct data was acquired, he'd know. In response to her first question, he simply replied "It's open, ma'am." and he looked at his coat. He dusted off his coat then looked up to his creaking mahogany door. Jeong-Jeong would have to fi- *COUGHCOUGH!* The thought was interrupeted by a sputter of choked smoke as his chest heaved. THIS was who came to see him? She was beautiful and so well ornamented with as much gold she wore.

He looked up, eyes teared from his coughing fit, and smiled weakly. He would speak in her dialect to make her more comfortable. "S-orry about that, I choked on some smoke. Please, sit down." His composure was re-acquired in only a few seconds, going back to his calmed face, lounging back in his chair. He twisted the cigarette into his ashtray and cracked his knuckles. Then came the response to her next question. "As of now, not entirely busy, no. Nice to meet you Ms. Bao. Now, how can I help you" As the subject of work came up, his mind went back to his hangar as he removed his glasses to clean them on his sooty lab coat.

As soon as the man turned, he began to cough and gag. Rie was a bit surprised. She had heard of none ailments that may bother the man, but maybe she was wrong? Her hazel eyes stared at him with a glow of concern, but as soon as her eyes caught his, he was back to what she assumed was himself. "S-orry about that, I choked on some smoke. Please, sit down." She didn't question and nodded with a smile.

As he found a seat, she too found one. Her own was nearby, but facing him, giving the appearance of a real business meeting. As odd as it was, it was also equally fitting. She smiled softly, sweetly at him, after he finished speaking. "Just coming to catch up and see how your clan is holding up. That is my job now, as you might know." Her hands were placed in her lap. One rested over the other and her ankles hooked, giving her a very lady-like posture. Her brown locks laid upon the space in the chair behind her. "I must make sure my people are happy and not quarreling. We are all brothers and sisters under Xing, are we not?"

"My clan is doing fine. A little in fighting against two factions in the southern region, but besides that, everything is calm here. And I heard of your new position, to which I give my congratulations." Chen could barely look at her, her looks alone made him nervous. He stuttered when he was nervous, so he looks over her shoulder out the window. At the billowing cloud of smoke behind her. Once he was quiet, he looked her over, discreetly as he possibly could. She was beautiful, amazing, incredibly smooth skin and features. Then she took her posture and Chen's heart could've stopped. His amazement spoke volumes on his eyes.

Then Jeong-Jeong came in. Chen's head snapped to him, almost...aggravated that his gaze was interrupted. Jeong-Jeong's gruff voice penetrated the room. "Sir, when shall we repair the bunker?" Chen articulated his words very carefully. "As soon as possible, Jeong-Jeong. Please handle it." He left immediately and Chen returned his eyes to Rie. "Sorry about that, we had a little accident here earlier. And yes, quarreling is never good. I can assume you came her to acertain the relation between our two clans?"

"..I can assume you came her to ascertain the relation between our two clans?" She grinned a bit.

"Am I really that easy to see through?" She laughed it off as she had been accused of being some villain. "I hope it's not too much to ask? After all it's always good to make sure we know where our people stand, yes?" She smoothed out her dress, almost shyly. Though she'd been doing the job a while, she was still a bit nervous, after all people were way different. "I just want to make sure we're all on good terms. I'd hate to see something bad happen due to a misunderstanding between clans."

She uncrossed her ankles, shifted her position and then recrossed them. "Is there anything you would like from my clan? Anything you need?" Her eyes caught his, gentle and sincere. He seemed shy, which was weird for a clan leader. However, why he was shy was a foreign reason, but she supposed being in his position, she might have felt the same way. Luckily it was her jobs and no one else had that awkward burden.

" I wouldn't say 'easy', Ms. Bao, just a common concern about territory. A very heart-warming concern for your people, but nothing you have to worry about from mine. Our territory gets along perfectly fine, I hear, so no need to worry. You'll give yourself lines, and a beautiful face like that shouldn't be ruined" He almost cringed at that last sentence, it was rude wasn't it? Too strong, wrong stimuli for this little experiment, but trial and error he repeated. Trial and error.

He looked over to his desk, rearranging things when he saw his waste bin. He saw a napkin, beer can, and plate. Lunch. It made his stomach grumble. Lunch....OF COURSE! He stood up and straightened his lab coat. He looked to her as he adjusted his glasses, smiling very excitedly. " Perhaps, Ms. Bao, we may discuss this over a meal? My treat, the kitchen staff would be happy to accommodate you." No need for her to leave so soon, he could spend this free day with some new company, instead of beating Jeong Jeong at Dance Dance Revolution. Jeong Jeong may be mad about that, but Chen would be no happier than being with this woman. Most people he avoided (because of work) but this one was...something about...fuck it, he just wanted to have lunch with her, a'ight?!

His compliment made her smile and red pool into her cheeks as a soft rosy red. Worry lines? She probably already had them, but it was always good to know people couldn't see them. Rie let off the soft laugh of amusement. A dainty hand covered her lips, as if shielding the laugh from him. After all, he might think she was making fun of him, which she really wasn't. No matter how often or few she heard them, compliments were always flattering and left her feeling young again.

At first he seemed upset by something. Muscles in his face pulled into a grimace. Her smile faded. Was he alright? She opened her lips to speak, but he suddenly smiles as a small child does when they find a present. She was a bit thrown off at first by the change of emotion. A luncheon? Who was she to turn down such a kind offer? Her eyes closed and she stood to her feet. After dusting her lap, she nodded. "Alright, I don't see why not? It is the time to eat, isn't it?" Her body moved, then stopped to look at him. "I'm afraid I have no idea where I am going. Perhaps you should lead?"

Chen's cheeks rose with blush as Rie's did, growing darker as she gave a slight giggle. It reminded him of the few kind girls at Naruo Academy, the ones who's laugh could make you feel all warm inside, accomplished. It meant they were charmed and liked what they heard, so amused with the flattery. Chen though of how much this woman opened him up; she was definitely a great negotiator if she could make someone feel so comfortable, so free. Chen stood as she did, stepping past his desk to her side. She patted her lap softly, dusting it. It was a little dusty in here, upon a cursory glance, Jeong Jeong needed to be sent in sometime today.

She went to move to the door, Chen's eyebrow raising. Did she even know where to go? Then she stopped and his suspicion was correct, she was getting ahead of herself. Chen had seen this before, followed emotion and instinct rather than thinking. Almost impulsive, Chen had seen this before. It counteracted his calculated thinking, which his smile proved as a refreshing change of pace. He opened the door for her and with a sweeping hand motion, would usher her out.

The manor was huge in itself, almost just a labrynth of corridors and stairways, getting lost here was like getting lost in Hogwarts, or in Chen's case, a 3,967 character password. It was magnificent to say the least, elaborate wallpapers and art pieces lined the wall while plush carpet, marble, and rugs covered the floor. Each room it seemed had a very distinct flavor and the room he was leading her to was small with warm colors; a very cozy "drawing room". He had pressed a small device in the lining of his coat sleeve and not two minutes later had a young maid come scurrying through the door. "Hello, Master Juun, may I get you and your guest refreshments before your meal?"

This girl was Ran Mao, the housekeeper and co-head of staff (serving along Jeong Jeong, of course). She was in her early twenties but she bounded and skipped about like a child, which always caused a smile in Chen, reminding himself of his childhood days. As a maid, she was very good, though as a conversationalist, not so much. She tended to be very...blunt and tactless when it came to guests and she often couldn't keep her forethoughts from her mouth, which was appearant when her eyes caught sight of Rie. She gasped, visibly shocked by the woman's presense. Then she spoke, My, Master, she's a beautiful one. Chen's blush didn't stay down.

"Ran Mao...tea, please. Earl Grey will do quite fine" He shooed her away with a hand sweep, her heel's ticking getting softer as she went. Chen sat at the couch, the only thing to sit on, in fact, that was not a table or occupied with various electronic devices, all which seemed to be incomplete. He sat on the far end, waiting for Rie to have a seat as well. "She can be so blunt sometimes, usually can't keep her thoughts in her head...she's a hard worker thought." Chen smiled at her at the latter bit, hard work was something he appreciated. He did it often.

He was so easy to blush for a simple lunch.  There was nothing that special about it, was there?  It felt almost as if she was in a haze where everything remained professional so his red face really didn't make much sense.  Then again, perhaps Chen wasn't used to the company that Rie routinely entertained to keep relations up.  The fog kept her going in the same mundane redundancy, but it was what she was used to.  House to house, to meet people who barely knew her.

She followed him in silence as his servant mentioned how pretty she was and she of course just laughed bashfully.  Really she wasn't too special.  Rie was just a woman spruced up with the money her family insisted on her using, even if it meant wearing clothes that were two dynasties ago.  However the headdress was gorgeous on its own and belonged a long time ago to her grandmother, so she certainly wasn't going to lose it anytime soon.

"She can be so blunt sometimes, usually can't keep her thoughts in her head...she's a hard worker thought." 


Rie laughed softly.  Chen certainly was a hard-working man obsessed with machinery, but he definitely wasn't scary.  That was always a good thing.  With a fragile smile, Rie found herself a seat on the couch, not too close to him.  "I see.  Well it's great to have such enthusiastic people about.  Gives that extra push."  She too gave a light laugh and then hooked her ankles.  "So, Chen is there anything you wish to discuss?"