Inheritance Ch. 08

Liz suddenly realised that she was tired. In a few minutes she had stripped to her knickers and a camisole top, and was dozing with her head to the stunning view.

It seemed like she had hardly closed her eyes before she heard her father's gentle knocking, it was dark outside the large windows -- as dark as the view of Kowloon across the harbour at night could ever be, she reached out and switched on the bedside lamp.

"The car will be here for us in about an hour," her father told her, when she asked, "Wear something classy. The first part of the evening is business -- we're going to an informal little soiree and drinkies - and then we're going out."

"Oh?" Liz wasn't expecting 'out'.

"Yes," he said, smiling as he did so, "I think you might enjoy it." And he closed the door as he went back to his own room.

"An hour?!" Liz cursed under her breath as he left and she spent the next forty-five minutes in a race to shower and dry her short dirty blonde hair. Next she franticly hopped around the room struggling into one of her evening dresses. Fortunately she had spent a few hours with her mother picking clothes that would be suitable for one of 'daddy's business trips'. With five minutes to go Liz made her way into the sitting room of the suite, only to see her father looking out at the twinkling lights of the view that had entranced her before.

"You look stunning Liz." He greeted her. And even if she said so herself, she did look good. With a slightly longer than usual 'little black dress' -- just above her knees, and a fine gold chain around her neck, the effect she been trying for was understated but classy, and, quite frankly it was a look she rocked.

Liz on the other hand stuttered, "Wow Dad! You look fantastic!" He wore a very plain black silk dinner suit with a white wing collared shirt and dark red bow-tie. Liz she felt a ripple of attraction for him, she realised again that her dad was a very good looking man, not ruggedly handsome or even pretty, just a handsome, distinguished -- in that suit and wing collared shirt - sensual man. She knew he had always been a good looking man, but she hadn't realised how good, and, she had to admit, his boyish grin was a killer.

"Like I told you earlier sometimes you have to make the effort," he said with a disparaging wave. "The guys we're going to meet tonight are tough negotiators, very old school Chinese businessmen, they like this sort of thing. And this works for where we're going afterwards."

"What is it we're doing tonight, dad?"

"It's a bit of a meet and greet. We've started doing business with the Li Corporation. Our guys here in Hong Kong has been talking to them for a while but now Mr Li himself wants to meet up. We have something he wants, they don't mind paying for it, but they're getting sticky about the end user licence. The EULA stipulates that if they do anything that contravenes our Ethics Policy or a couple of other things on that agreement not only will it get very expensive very quickly but we can shut down their operation. We -- you and me - are not that important in the process, but they wanted to meet me - the boss -- and then they'll go back to the sales team the day after tomorrow and the negotiating begins. So I had a meet with some of our guys here this afternoon_"

"Here?" The phone rang; it was the desk advising that the car was ready for them.

"Yes, while you were a sleep. You needed it." He smiled "And our local people reckon they're going to be playing hardball, tonight." And with a gentle touch on Liz's elbow her father led her from the suite.

"And what is it we're selling them?"

"It's a new take on rapid prototyping software we have been working on. We designed it primarily as a medical software -- it's designed to run straight off the feed from an MRI scanner. But as the developers got into it we found it could do so much more. It's really user friendly, its end to end stuff, allows you to design something and it saves a lot of time and thought. It knocks hours off a job, and it runs the machines that do all the work as well. You can use it with lasers, rapid prototypers, printers, five axis cutters, at work and at home. "

"They want the whole thing?"

"Yes, but like I said before the sticking point is the number of user licences, they want a lot more than we're prepared to allow them."

At the hotel where the meeting was taking place -- neutral ground -- as if such a thing as 'neutral' existed for a Chinese business man in Hong Kong, her father introduced her to several of his local employees -- all Caucasians, in particular a handsome young Caucasian man in a white dinner jacket, "Liz this is Tony Feeney, as far as you're concerned you've known him all your life, okay?" Mike leaned in and whispered, "Tony is a Chinese speaker but don't let on."

Liz nodded, bewildered.

"Trust me." Her father said.

The meeting took place in an upper floor room, again with a spell-binding view. Six Chinese business men waited for them to enter. Drinks were poured and greetings exchanged, bows and handshakes. Liz couldn't quite keep a track of all of their names but two in particular immediately struck her as important. Mr Han, small and blocky, he smiled a lot and greeted them in beautiful English. The other was Mr Li, a big man but controlled, solemn looking - even his movements were measured and carefully planned. Mr Han did all the translating for Mr Li. Liz wasn't sure how far she would trust either of them, but her father greeted them warmly and everybody including Tony sat down around a large table.

For a long while it was straight business talking about the nature of the software and what it could do. Tony did much of that, it was obvious to Liz that he knew the product inside out.

Then -- with the Chinese seemingly happy with the answers -- the pow-wow broke up and drinks were served again.

Liz found herself with her father, Mr Han and Mr Li. Mr Han chatted amiably while Mr Li loomed over both of them. Suddenly Mr Li leaned over and said something to Mr Han in Chinese.

"Mr Li is curious -- he was expecting to meet Mrs Bailey, after all one of the things we are discussing is your famous ethics policy. We understand that she is mainly responsible for that."

Mike Bailey nodded, "Elizabeth is beginning her training, in the family business, her mother has been in Vienna visiting her relatives."

Another shot of Chinese from Mr Li, "You didn't have a son to follow you?" Mr Han translated.

"No, my daughter is my blessing." The Chinese men nodded, though Liz suspected, their interpretation of the word blessing was different from her father's. But Liz felt a little thrill, it was nice being called her father's 'blessing'.

"And how are you finding Hong Kong, Miss Bailey?" Mr Han asked her.

"As it is at the moment, it is quite enchanting," she told him as she waved at the view, the golden street lights shone up into the heavy damp-laden sky illuminating the crystal towers, making a crowded fairy landscape, simplified at this distance. It was an easy thing to say, and true, but it pleased Mr Han and when he explained it to Mr Li even he too broke into a smile.

As Liz went to find Tony she heard Mr Han say something to her father about family business.

There was something about the tone of the question and the fact that her father paused before answering. Liz also paused before she turned round slowly, not wanting to appear as if she was reacting too quickly.

Her father was smiling, to all intents and purposes, the same smile he'd worn all evening, but Liz knew.

Liz could see the smile wasn't quite going all the way to his eyes. He repeated the question, to himself, "Mr Li was wondering whether we should be doing entering into this partnership with the JE Group, with what is essentially a small family business?"

Liz's dad was blazing angry, she could see it. She'd seen it once before when a school teacher had accused her of cheating in a piece of course work. Her father had helped her in the work but in the only way he knew how -- by going over it with her and then helping her understand what she had to do. Then he sent her away to do it, and when it was done he checked it with her, to make sure it was done properly. He knew she'd done the work honestly, he'd even corrected her and had her do some of it again because she had lifted a section of it off the internet -- after he had explained why that wasn't the way to do it. The teacher had sent Liz home with a failing mark, on the grounds that sections had been plagiarised.

On hearing the mark Mike Bailey had been incandescent with anger, not with Liz, something she was very glad of. He was angry for her because it called her integrity into question, something he would not tolerate. Mike had requested a meeting with the teacher and the head mistress, and let the teacher know his displeasure in no uncertain manner, not using one repetition, or swear word. Her work was re-assessed and this time the grade was a passing one. There had been other times, like the time someone had accused her of stealing (falsely) and Liz liked to think of this as 'daddy's special kind of angry'.

"If I may, daddy?" Although she and her mother frequently referred to Mike as 'daddy', Liz never addressed him as that; it was enough of a jolt to make him pause. "Yes, Mr Han, my father jokes about the JE Group being a family business, but only because there is strength in family, the strength that comes from knowing who you can rely on when you need people. We look after our people and our companies, we have done for fifty years, through four recessions, and like a happy, strong family we have grown naturally."

Liz leaned on her father's arm, "When my father took the group on from his grandfather, it had already survived two periods of recession and the ineptitude of two different governments. He has guided it, and nurtured it so that now it is the healthy, organisation it is today."

She was watching Mr Han and Mr Li carefully as she spoke. "The group itself has doubled in size, but it has been an organic growth - often one company creates another. We have trebled the number of people we employ but by use of technology and good practices our annual turnover has grown steadily over the last fifteen years. Not a lot, some people would say, but it is a genuine growth and sustainable, our yearly percentile growth is consistent and sustained through all the companies in the group. None of our companies is over-extended financially -- as you are aware we are not listed on any stock exchange - and more importantly we carefully manage our company's sources and make sure supply lines are secure." Liz was all business, as she reeled off details of the capita expenses and through put -- or at least the numbers she felt safe in revealing.

In contact with him as she was, Liz felt her father relaxing; she went on maintaining her business-like manner, "As well as that -- as you know - we have a very strict ethics policy -- not only in our own business but we also insist that those we do business with, do it in an ethical way as well. So much so we write it into our end user licence. It all contributes to the group's success, but it ultimately comes from our ethos, Mr Han, the family ethos. You don't screw with family."

That was when she saw what she was looking for in Mr Li's eyes. Liz let Mr Han translate this even though 'screw' didn't translate directly. Suddenly she became a twenty two year old blonde western daughter, "Mr Li!" she laughed, placing her hand on the big man's chest, coquettishly "You're so naughty! Pretending that you don't speak English!"

There was dead silence in the room as all conversation came to an abrupt halt. Liz realised that it could have gone either way, the tension in the room could have blown up there and then, but Mr Li's serious face broke into a beaming grin as he said in cultured English, "Then perhaps I would not have been party to your spirited defence of your father's companies, young lady. Bravo."

"Mr Bailey," he went on turning to her father and offering his hand to apologise, "Please forgive Mr Han, he was only following my instructions, I just wanted to know more about the kind of man we are dealing with. I don't think many men could have a better testimony than that which your daughter has delivered so eloquently. Truly, she is, as you say, a blessing."

Business concluded, the Chinese party left quickly afterwards.

The three of them remained after everyone else had gone, and they stood for a few moments looking out at Kowloon, the city lights illuminating the low clouds.

"That was quite impressive, if I may say so?" Tony observed into the slightly stunned silence.

"I thought so." Mike Bailey added, then he looked at both of them shaking his head slightly and scowling -- as if to say 'not here'.

Once in the crowded lobby they paused and Mike turned to Tony. "Okay what was your read on that?"

"Well, I was fairly certain Li was faking it, though they played it completely straight, everything you said was translated directly and Han translated everything that Li asked him to. They probably figured you'd have a translator. They didn't figure on a people watcher though." Tony tipped his head in Liz's direction; she felt a slight flush of embarrassment.

Her father touched her shoulder, "Yes that was well done Liz. What was the 'tell'?"

"When I said 'screw with family' there was just a flicker in his eyes, that made me suspicious, then Mr Han started to explain 'screw', but Mr Li had already reacted to the phrase."

"The tirade was very well done. But I might send 'you don't screw with family' to Marketing and see what they can do with it." Mike told her. "And those figures, very impressive."

"Well I can't sleep on a plane like you can, dad. I figured I'd better read up on the group."

"Well done you." Her father observed, before he turned to Tony, "Thanks for tonight, I'll see you at the formal meeting the day after tomorrow -- tomorrow I'm taking my daughter shopping in Hong Kong."

As they walked to the waiting car her father's anger gone, Liz asked him what had triggered it. He laughed, "It's my big weakness, my Achilles heel, and they pushed just the right button.

"I hate people under-rating the group. Yes, maybe we are a 'family' operation, but that's always been our strength. It just pisses me right off."

"He was pushing your buttons to see how you reacted?" Her father nodded.

"But I don't think he's going to under-estimate you again." Liz was leaning on her father's arm again. It was a warm feeling, Liz enjoyed the sensation of connection, she also realized she had never felt closer to her 'old man'.

"Thanks to you." He said, "That has earned my adventurous daughter something a little special."

"Such as?" Liz asked curiously.

Her father smiled as he assisted her into the waiting car. As he slid himself in on the other side and the driver closed the door, he beamed at her, and simply said "Mrs Wu's."

Twenty minutes of Hong Kong Island traffic later the Mercedes EL350 -- the high end electric saloon supplied by the hotel for the evening - slid to a halt underneath the entrance to a modern looking waterside building which to all intents and purposes was a large Chinese restaurant.

As they got out of the car under the entrance portico, thunder rumbled in the dark sky above them, beyond the overhanging porch. A doorman greeted them with a broad smile as they entered.

In the entrance there was an overwhelming sense of red - red walls, red drapes, red furniture, red everywhere. Liz remembered that in Chinese culture red is a lucky colour. The entrance was busy, people coming and going, but in the centre of it all, well back from the open doorway, sitting prominently in a large, black, intricately carved chair, was a small, elegant woman, quite still and observing the throng.

At the same time Liz saw her, the Chinese lady's eyes lit upon Liz's dad.

"YOU!" She said loudly, "You!" She rose from the chair, walking with the aid of a gold topped black stick, using it as both an aide and an emphasis. She wore a beautifully cut, black silk dress, falling to her mid-calf and patterned with gold thread on the left shoulder. She was handsome, and her face was so finely featured that Liz couldn't have even begun to guess her age, but that beautiful face was grimly serious.

"No see you long time! What you think you doing? You got some nerve come back here." The words were loud and harsh, but suddenly the stern, forbidding glare became a wide beaming smile and the tone became excited and warm. Mrs Wu, Liz assumed, threw her arms wide and embraced her father warmly, drawing him down to her level kissing him and hugging him tightly.

"You lovely man," she said, "Why we no see you so long? Where you been?"

"Mrs Wu," Mike said, "Forgive me, my heart has been breaking that I haven't been able to come to see you." Mike bowed low and kissed the knuckles of the hand that Mrs Wu extended for him.

Liz was watching her father flirting, she knew he was doing it, he knew he was doing it, even Mrs Wu knew he was doing it but, she had to admit to herself, that he was doing it beautifully. Liz had never recognised before that her father loved women. He was surrounded by them, her mum and her gran, even her great grand-mother had been a beautiful, elegant woman. All of the management team -- women she had admired and who had influenced her as she grew up -- were sophisticated and intelligent women, and her father loved all of them. Liz was certain there was no impropriety, but they were all close to him. Mrs Wu was another one who responded to his charm.

"Oh!" Mrs Wu was hanging on to her father, "You lovely, lovely man, so good see you." Liz could see the genuine warmth between the two of them.

Mrs Wu noticed Liz, standing there slightly bemused. "You no bring Mrs Bailey? Who this lovely lady? You have concubine now?"

Liz coughed in surprise, but Mike stepped in "Mrs Wu -- may I introduce my daughter Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth?" Mrs Wu's eyes narrowed in thought for a moment, "Like you _ you grandmother Elizabeth?" Liz choked for a second, her mother and great-grand mother had been here?

"Yes, Liz is named after her." Mike told her.

Mrs Wu looked at Liz, looking her up and down openly, before hugging Liz and exchanging kisses. "Welcome to Mrs Wu's -- very pleased to meet you. You named for very lovely lady, I miss her very much. But you! You so pretty woman, so_ so_ elegant!"

Liz blushed and thanked Mrs Wu, blushing at the compliment.

She turned back to Mike. "You mum okay?" Holy shit! Liz thought, her gran as well?

The little Chinese lady smiled her glorious smile again when Mike told her his mum was well and that she sent her love. "Good, good! You come now. We go upstairs now. You not eating? You need good feed, you too skinny for Mrs Wu. Come, come!"

Mike offered Mrs Wu his right arm and Liz his left and the three of them walked down the long central aisle of the restaurant. Several of the diners -- on seeing the proprietess walking with the western man and woman - paused in their meal till they had passed, but for most of them it was not so unusual for Mrs Wu's.

"How long it been, sin' we see you las' time?" Mrs Wu asked Mike.

"Two, no three years ago." Mike said sadly.

"Three year too long, you know you numma one guy for Mrs Wu?" She told him, laughing happily "Me love you long time!" Mrs Wu and Mike started to laugh, and in the face of Mrs Wu's over the top sincerity Liz started to laugh too.

"You will always have a place in my heart dear Mrs Wu, always."

Having noted how people -- especially women - seemed to like Mike Bailey, Liz realised it was obviously an advantage when doing business but there was more, socially her father had an acute sense of humour which picked up on local memes, and which brought similar responses from people.