Perhaps thinking it was a colleague entering, Zhou Li did not immediately look up. The nib of her pen swished over the paper until she finished the last sentence, then she put down the pen and stretched her wrist.
When she raised her head to speak, she found Li Jing standing at the door. She was momentarily stunned, with a flash of surprise in her eyes, which she quickly concealed.
A gentle smile curved her lips as she stood up and said, "You came so quickly. I thought you might come later."
Saying this, she raised her hand to check her watch; the time was exactly 11:30.
Zhou Li walked to the door to close it, then turned to the corner to the kettle, explaining while pouring tea, "We finish work at noon at 12 sharp, so we'll have to wait for another half hour before we can go out for lunch."
Steam rising, she poured the tea into a white porcelain cup and handed it to Li Jing, reminding him, "Careful, it's hot."
