"I understand. Please wait a moment while I confirm your appointment." The receptionist was very welcoming with a warm smile, her voice very pleasant to the ears.
She picked up the phone and spoke with someone on the other end of the line for a few seconds. Then she frowned, but quickly smoothed out her face back to her usual welcoming expression. After hanging up the phone, she turned back to the Alarm Girls and their manager, looking apologetic.
"I regret to inform our honourable guests that Mr. Chen is currently in an emergency meeting, so your appointment will have to be delayed. We don't know how long this meeting will take, so I suggest that the honourable guests wait in the waiting area. The meeting might end in a few minutes or a few hours, but it's best that you're ready to be called upstairs anytime."
"I understand―," the manager was about to say but…
"What?! We came so early and even called ahead to confirm our appointment but we still end up having to wait? This is so unprofessional!" Wanwan didn't hide her displeasure.
The receptionist's warm smile immediately froze and her expression turned cold. However, she was still a professional. Her tone didn't change, but her words were biting. "We apologize for the inconvenience, honourable guests. Mr. Chen holds an important position in the company and he has many responsibilities. Emergency meetings are normal occurrences in our company, especially for a key officer like Mr. Chen. If you are unhappy with the current situation, rest assured that I will convey your complaints to Mr. Chen once he's finished with his meeting."
"No no no! This is just a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding!" The manager laughed unnaturally. "Miss Receptionist, there is no need to bother Mr. Chen with such trifle matters. We will wait! Please don't concern yourself too much with us."
Wanwan glared at him, unsatisfied by his behaviour. Why must he lower himself to such a degree in front of a mere receptionist? She opened her mouth and was about to say something again but was stopped by Feifei.
Feifei was also disgruntled at the situation, but she was coolheaded enough to remember how important this endorsement deal was to their career. It was better to maintain a good impression while the contract wasn't signed yet. They needed to make sure that the deal was 100% theirs before acting reckless.
Wanwan calmed down after Feifei gave her a meaningful look. Right, they just had to wait and endure for a few hours at most. When they signed the contract, they would automatically be treated as VIPs by this unprofessional company. Then they would be the ones to get the last laugh.
He gave a fawning smile to the receptionist before leading the three girls to the waiting area at the lobby.
The couches were big and soft, very comfortable. Latest issues of magazines and newspapers were available for reading on the tables. After a few minutes, a different receptionist served them hot tea and some biscuits.
"Hmph. At least they know how to serve refreshments," Wanwan muttered as she sipped tea.
Mimi immediately attacked the biscuits.
Feifei pretended not to see. She was on diet.
They read some of the fashion and entertainment magazines, looking at the clock every now and then.
After more than an hour of waiting, the three girls couldn't take it anymore.
Mimi: "What's taking so long? How long do we still have to wait?"
Wanwan: "This company is so unprofessional!"
The manager smiled bitterly. He spent almost a year trying to obtain this endorsement deal for them, but these girls couldn't even wait for an hour.
However, he too wondered what was taking so long. He was starting to feel uneasy.
He stood up and headed to the reception desk to inquire. He was told that Mr. Chen was still at the meeting and was unavailable to be contacted, so please be patient and wait until further notice.
The three girls were clearly unhappy that they still had to wait for who knew how long, but they still had the presence of mind to know that this endorsement was important to their career. They had to endure this humiliation until the contract was signed.
After another hour passed with no word from Mr. Chen, the three girls lost their patience.
They marched to the reception desk and demanded to see Mr. Chen as soon as possible. They ganged up on the receptionist until the receptionist could no longer maintain her welcoming countenance.
Their manager was in the washroom, so he wasn't able to stop them.
"Honourable guests, please calm yourselves," the receptionist told them coldly. "I already informed you that Mr. Chen is still at the meeting. If you are unsatisfied with the current situation, please feel free to leave and I will be more than happy to inform Mr. Chen that you, honourable guests, are too busy to wait for him."
"What did you say, you b*tch?" Wanwan finally lost her temper. "You're just a mere receptionist! How dare you speak to us this way? Where's your manager? You deserve to be fired! So unprofessional!"
"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience," the receptionist robotically repeated. "I have no way of contacting Mr. Chen until he comes out of the meeting. The honourable guests have two options: wait patiently until Mr. Chen is ready to see you or leave."
"B*tch, say that again!" Wanwan almost climbed over the reception desk to slap the receptionist.
Feifei pulled Wanwan and tried to calm her down. "Leader, let's just wait for now, alright? It's only been two hours. I heard that some business meetings take the whole day. Hopefully, we don't have to wait that long."
Wanwan glared at Feifei.
"I think Sis Feifei is right, leader. We can't lose this endorsement deal," Mimi interjected.
Wanwan finally got a hold of herself. She took several deep breaths. Giving a vicious glare at the receptionist, she stomped back to the waiting area. Feifei and Mimi followed after their leader.