Are You Okay? (你还好吗)

Chapter Two

"Mei Ling!" All she could see was a blur of red hair as they ran up beside her on the sidewalk. 

"I heard what happen, that's really unfortunate. Stay strong." A smile sad smile appeared on the pale pink lips of the short man before her. 

"Thanks, He Fan." They continued down the sidewalk together. As they walked in silence they came up to Nanluoguxiang road. 

The hustle and bustle of the busy people in Beijing filled the silence that had occupied them and soon they were both distracted trying to pick a spot to eat. Finally the two settled on a corner stall near the end out of the way. Settling down on two plastic chairs they called out for a variety of barbecued skewers and a couple of beers. 

"Let me." He Fan cracked the top of one of the bottle of beers and poured each of them a drink. 

Mei Ling downed her beer and spoke. "Heard of any openings?"

"Aren't you going to stay at your place right now? Don't you have three jobs already? Are you trying to kill yourself, crazy."

He Fan's rant either dried out his throat or his frustration had become too much as he proceeded to finish the beer in his glass as well. 

"The rent on that place is way too high, I don't need to be so close to the hospital anymore. I can find something the same price for a lot less if I move." Mei Ling explained. 

Just as she was about to continue the food came out. Mei Ling's eyes scanned back and forth at the tray before her before she decided on her skewer of choice and began eating as she continued. 

"As for work, I'm bored of the jobs I'm doing and can do different hours, just wanna get a feel and see if there is anything out there right now. Hopefully something with a higher pay too." She winked at him, hoping he would share something good with her. 

"Pay for this and I'll save whatever good stuff I hear for you." He Fan was a great friend with connections, but he also wasn't stupid, he'd always make sure everything was even. 

Mei Ling proceeded to fill the two glasses and raise hers up to his. Clink. Taking a drink she couldn't help but think she was lucky to have met him all those years ago. 

Gentle was never a word that had been associated with Mei Ling, to be frank most didn't like her and deemed her a trouble maker. Although she worked hard, achieved good grades, etc. no one rarely ever looked past her quick temper and rebellious nature. 

She had only been 16 or 17 at the time she met He Fan, really it was a chance encounter; she wasn't trying to help him, rather she was trying to relieve the frustration and anger that had built up earlier in the day. 

I was all prejudice and misunderstanding, never the less though she had managed to get suspended from school for something she had nothing to do with. 

Living in Tianjain at the time she was walking along the water, kicking rocks and sulking she had run into a couple boys beating He Fan. 

Really there were no heroic thoughts going through her head, rather she new she could take her anger out on them and it not be taken as injustice and get her in trouble. Hence she had run forward, using a combination of her martial arts skills and street smarts as she released her frustrations out on the two boys. 

He Fan had been grateful and couldn't let it go. Now in hindsight this was probably where is need to always be even started. As time went on the two began to get along and form a friendship that would last years, something neither of them had ever experienced prior. 

Mei Ling a poor girl with a bad attitude and no father, He Fan a illegitimate son of a rich man and a poor mother.