7 The Meeting

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After meticulously preparing numerous slides showcasing her design concepts, Mei Xing found herself in a whirlwind of anticipation, all set for her first business meeting with Aotian.

With a fond farewell to her pet dog, she locked the front door and promptly climbed into the waiting cab just outside her friend, Yi Chunhua's residence.

Minutes away from Mei Xing and Aotian's scheduled meeting, Mei Xing occupied a cozy table at a corner in the coffee shop.

As she had observed on her previous visit, the coffee shop buzzed with hushed conversations, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee permeated the air. It helped to reduce the tension settling in her nerves.

While she waited for Aotian to arrive, she took out a sketchbook from her bag along with a pencil. Mei Xing began to lay out rough sketch of an idea that had surfaced during her ride to the coffee shop.

Fully immersed in a world of her own, Mei Xing failed to hear the jingling of the bell as Aotian entered and located her chosen table.

"May I take this seat, my lady?" Aotian asked, trying to get her attention off her sketch book.

"No. It's been reserved for someone I am expecting. So if you don't mind looking for somewhere else to sit, I would greatly appreciate that," Mei Xing responded with her gaze still fixed on her sketch.

"Ah, that's a shame. I was hoping I could speak with a certain architect about my vision for my office. But it turns out that..." Aotian stalled seeing that Mei Xing's pencil halted in its dance across the book.

Her eyes widen upon seeing him. "Mr Aotian," she stood abruptly. "I'm sorry I didn't know you were the one. I was too engrossed in sketching."

"It's quite alright, Mei Xing," Aotian assured her with a smile, putting an end to her apologies. "And no need for the formality with the standing and honorifics. Please, take a seat."

Mei Xing secretly let out a sigh of relief and settled back into her chair.

"I apologize for my delayed arrival. I hope you didn't have to wait too long," Aotian expressed.

"No worries; I put the extra time to good use," Mei Xing replied, grinning.

"I can see that. What were you sketching?" Aotian inquired, nodding toward the sketchbook that Mei Xing had set aside.

"Oh, it's just an idea that occurred to me on my way here. I was trying to capture it on paper."

"Very well. So, what would you suggest we do first? Shall we order something to eat, or would you prefer to dive straight into business?"

"Let's get down to business right away. I've already prepared some slides. You can start by taking a look at them," Mei Xing responded as she powered up her laptop.

Aotian took a sip of water he had poured for himself before delving into the contents of the slides, initiating their discussion in earnest.

After taking thorough look at the slides, Aotian leaned into his seat and peered at Mei Xing.

Mei Xing tried to rein in her fear under his piercing gaze. "So what do you think about them? I know we did not get the time to talk bout what you may want for your office but I..."

"They are great ideas," Aotian cut in. "I like the fact that my vision for my office connects with your slides in a sense or two."

"I'm... I'm happy to hear that," Mei Xing smiled.

"Hmm."

"To proceed, could you share any specific design preferences or elements that are particularly important to you?"

"Absolutely," Aotian sat straight. "For the outer space of my office floor, I envisioned an open-plan space with flexible workstations to encourage collaboration among my team. I want the space to exude a modern, tech-savvy vibe with some unique design elements that make it stand out. And, of course, it should be functional and promote productivity," he explained.

Mei Xing nodded as she took note of all he said. "That's a great starting point. I believe we can achieve this by including modular furniture and versatile meeting spaces. What do you think of bringing touch of nature indoors and other aesthetics? Colour themes and styles?"

"I am more drawn to minimalist colours but for my team, I can tolerate nature, that's where green can come into play. It's part of the company's themes after all and not everyone will love working in black and white theme."

"I agree with you. We can certainly explore options of minimalist design with a you touch of colour can create a clean and dynamic environment, don't you think?" Mei Xing suggested.

"Alright. But let's add more colour outside and less in my personal space," Aotian agreed.

"Noted. Mr Aotian, would you like to add in sustainable materials to the design?"

Aotian nodded and responded, "That's not had at all. Put it in, if you can."

"Sure."

"What about practical considerations? How do you plan to ensure the space remains functional and efficient for my team's daily operations?" Aotian asked.

Mei Xing ran her tongue over her lips as she thought of a solution before speaking. "Functionality is crucial. We'll consider factors like the placement of individual workstations, access to important amenities, and efficient traffic flow within the office. To maintain flexibility, we can use mobile furniture and partitions that can be easily reconfigured as your needs evolve."

"That's exactly what we will need." Aotian nodded in satisfaction. He liked her thought process. He thought it was smart and confident.

"What about technology integration? We rely heavily on advanced tech. How can we ensure the office can meets our technological needs?"

"Hmm. Since it's almost all about tech, we can work closely with IT specialists to ensure smooth combination of audiovisual systems and smart office features," Mei Xing answered. "Will that do the trick?"

Aotian smiled and said, "Yes. It's clear that you've thought all this through within a short period of time. I commend that and I am confident that with your expertise, we can bring this vision to life."

"Thank you for your kind words."

"That aside, let's move to the aspect, my personal workspace. It needs heavy remodelling."