Chapter 3: Dreams Vs Reality
Back at Zen Tower, President Liu Ming was becoming restless.
'What was Henry up to?' he thought, and that idiot secretary. He had specifically instructed him to keep his cousin busy at the hotel. Now he had heard that the Xin family's only son was out and about probably scouting out clients and preparing himself for the day he'd steal this chair.
Liu Ming gripped the leather hand rest on the chair he sat in.
After years of building his reputation and running this company, did this little twit think that just because he was named 'XIN' that he could take it?
Pan Yingjie and Henry entered the Zen Tower holding two stacks of large packaged goods. Most of the employees looks a little confused, but no one dared ask about who the handsome young man that accompanied the secretary was.
"Have these paintings delivered to the store room," Pan instructed, "each office should have one painting, and be careful with them."
An office worker carted the paintings away and Henry followed Pan Yingie towards the elevator that took them up what felt like hundreds of floors.
In reality it was only the 24th floor, but it provided an excellent view of the district. Henry stopped to admire the gallery across the street from the wide glass paneled windows. From up here, it looked so small and normal.
The juxtaposition between the small retail stores and restaurants that dotted the street, and this huge tower made Henry understand Maeve's remarks about Zen Tower being a monster that had a reputation for swallowing small businesses.
But such was life; either eat or be eaten.
"Cousin!" came a loud and overly cheerful sound.
Henry turned to find his elder cousin from his paternal aunt coming straight for him with open arms. His cousin was around ten years older and they were never close in the past, so this welcome seemed a little inauthentic but Henry went with it.
"Great to see you!" Henry smiled and reciprocated the hug.
They bowed heads respectfully and Liu Ming took a minute to examine Henry's appearance. "Ha!" Ming laughed, "My little cousin, you really have grown up. I remember when you were a fat little round thing always stuffing your face with rice porridge!"
Henry feigned a smile, "Yeah, and I remember when you were a spotty teen who used to always ask me to write your notes because of your atrocious handwriting!"
Liu Ming raised his eyebrows and laughed rather too loud, "Good times," he choked and gripped Henry's shoulder a little too hard. Henry didn't feel bothered. His cousin was shorter than him and clearly threatened so this attempt at asserting dominance was expected.
"Come have a drink in my office, you must be exhausted from your travels."
Henry looked around at the office once owned by his father. Nothing was the same except from the marble floors, a tall Ming vase standing in the corner of the room and a small decorative indoor garden filled with small pebbles and succulents. Henry remembered as a child stealing those pebbles and dropping them inside the tall vase, he could still remember the ringing sound each stone would make as they dropped to the bottom.
His father's desk had been replaced with a more modern sleek version and the furnishings in the room were all decent except from an obnoxious neon sign that hung on the wall behind the desk and cast an annoying buzzing light.
"That's new," Henry mentioned, pointing to the sign.
"Yes, part of our rebranding," Ming replied. He was now mixing drinks at a small bar in the room. Henry took a seat on the white leather sofa which looked directly out of the large windows. The sky was grayish white, hazy from the heat and traffic but up here it felt quiet. A perfect sanctuary away from the bustling city.
"So you mustn't be happy with the hotel room. I'll make sure secretary Pan upgrades you to a better one," Liu Ming mentioned as he handed Henry his drink.
It was a glass of straight white spirits, on ice.
Henry sniffed the glass. It was a bit early in the day, but he chugged it back with no protest.
"The room is fine," he replied, "I just preferred to see the company. I want you to put me to use," he smiled.
Ming seemed a little surprised, "Oh there's plenty of time for that yet," he laughed, "You're still young. You don't want to be bogged down with contracts and meetings."
"Actually back in Chicago I was the lead manager of my department. We've made a lot of progress. Our most recent project is a software that can identify the profits and losses of a company's expenditure. Many companies use it now; it would make things easier if you'd be willing to adapt to a new system-"
"Ah..." said Liu Ming, cutting him off, "things here are a little more complicated little cousin," he said through a forced smile, "I know you loved playing around in your little computer company but here we deal in the billions if you know what I mean."
Henry's expression changed to that of a cold displacement, "Right," he said staring into his empty glass.
Liu Ming quickly refilled it. "I'll have Pan set up an office for you, but don't worry about taking any accounts right now. I want you to have fun, after all you're practically a foreigner. Consider it a vacation!"
"I'm hardly a foreigner," Henry said, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course!" Ming grinned, "Just a joke. Do Americans not joke?"
Henry felt like the conversation was getting a little passive-aggressive.
"That gallery is nice," he said changing the subject, "Do you deal with them often?"
"Hmm?" Liu Ming averted his gaze to the windows, "Sometimes... the owner is an insufferable woman, but they have a good name and the wealthy like names..." he rolled his eyes, "We have a little function; nothing big. I want the gallery to provide some pieces for bidding. We'll say that the money will go to charity."
"And will it?" Henry asked.
"Of course!" Liu Ming smiled, "During the event, we'll promote our newest business that we've acquired. It's a travel company, they specialize in packaged tours and destination holidays."
"Great, then I'll help," Henry replied, "I can liaison with the gallery and make sure everything goes smoothly."
Liu Ming looked skeptical, "Isn't it a little out of your scope Henry? You don't know our clients. Perhaps you should attend as a guest until you're more accustomed to things here. You can even bring a date," Ming smiled, "We all have dreams when we are young, but it's important to look at reality."
Henry seemed peeved. This conversation was going in circles and Ming was determined to shoot down every idea he had. "Sure," Henry said, appeasing his cousin.
For now.
---
At Gallery 40, it was getting late and things were winding down. Most of the girls had clocked off and Cuifen was busy in the bathroom touching up her make-up.
Maeve went around checking the pieces and covering the sculptures with tarps. She made sure to check the store room before locking it and grabbed her black leather purse.
"Be sure to lock up! and set the alarm!" Madame Qui told Maeve as she made her way out, dragging her fur stole on the polished floors.
"Yes ma'am," Maeve replied.
Maeve watched from the glass doors as the older woman got into her high-class black Porsche, chauffeured by an older man.
"Are you done?" Maeve called out to Cuifen.
Zhi Cuifen emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of sugary sweet perfume, powder and freshly applied red lipstick. Her dark midnight hair which was previously in a high ponytail was now sleek and straight down her back and her white blouse had been switched out for a sparkly black strapless bodice.
"You can just leave the keys with me," she suggested.
"No way," Maeve disagreed. It was much too risky and she was one of the few people Madame Qui trusted to open and lock up the gallery.
"I'll just wait, when are you getting picked up?"
"Soon," Cuifen sighed and scrolled through her phone, "I sent him the location, so he should be here soon."
Maeve glared at Cuifen, "Wait, is this ANOTHER first date?"
Cuifen looked shocked, "Well yes, but this guy looks good. He said on his profile that he's six foot two and an athlete-"
"That means he's five foot six and a video game player," Maeve said, rolling her eyes.
Zhi Cuifen giggled, "Oh Maeve you're terrible! You don't give anyone a chance, Gosh you judge people before you even see them. It's no wonder you never date!"
"Wow!" Maeve said defensively, "I do not! It's called being a REALIST," she said tilting her head, "We don't all live in a dream world."
"Except you do," Cuifen sighed, "Maeve this IS the real world. The real world is meeting people, going on bad dates, trying new things. Not spending all day staring at canvases and eating ice-cream with your roommate since college every night."
BEEP!
Cuifen's phone rescued her from the awkwardness of Maeve's sullen expression, "Got to go!" Cuifen sang and blew a kiss, "See you tomorrow!"
Maeve looked around at the empty gallery and sighed.
Was Cuifen right?
Should she give someone a chance?
---
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