Chapter Nineteen
CHAPTER NINETEEN
T he thing about being a VP at a private equity firm is, I have a million contacts in various industries. And I know exactly which ones to call now. I stride back into the office with my head held high, and I’m struck by what Auntie Jiayi said, how women here walk with purpose. It’s true, and I savor the walk. It’s only possible because of all the sacrifices that people like Auntie Jiayi have made. I ignore the looks from the other employees and nod at Mushu, who jumps up and follows me into my office.
“How did it go?” Mushu says.
I fill her in as quickly as I can, then say, “We’re going to show them that Wutai Gold is worth saving, and I know exactly how to do it. Make a list.”
Mushu takes out her phone and looks expectantly at me.
“All right, that banquet that’s happening tomorrow night—”
“The Women Entrepreneurs one?”
“Yes. Who’s organizing it again?”
Mushu doesn’t skip a beat. “Alicia Lopez.”
“Oh, nice! I met her at a conference last year.” I scroll through my contact list and find Alicia’s name. I tap dial and put the call on speakerphone.
Alicia picks up on the second ring. “Mulan, girl, it’s been a while. How’s it going?”
“Hey, Alicia! It’s been way too long. I’m here with Mushu.”
Mushu calls out, “Hey, Alicia, how are the kids?”
“Adorable monsters as always. Kevin has teeth now, if you can believe it. Makes breastfeeding super fun. Not.”
“Ouch,” I say, wincing. “Anyway, I know you’re really busy, so I’ll get to the point. I’m calling about the Women Entrepreneurs Awards.”
“Yes, what about it?”
“Is it too late to be a sponsor?”
“A sponsor? Are you kidding? Of course not. It’s never too late. All right, I’ll put Facai Capital on the list.”
“Actually,” I say, “could you put Wutai Gold down instead?”
“The whiskey company? Really?” Alicia pauses. “I’ve seen their ads. Why do they want to sponsor our event? They know it’s not a thing celebrating cis white males, right?”
“Yeah, they’re thinking of changing their brand, branching out a little.”
“Okay.” Alicia sounds hesitant.
“We will donate two large crates of the finest Wutai Gold whiskey.”
“Done,” Alicia says immediately.
I laugh. “Well, that was easy.”
“Free whiskey? You are speaking my language.”
“In exchange for Wutai Gold banners and posters at the event.”
“Fair enough.”
“And you’re having the event at the Regency Court?”
“That’s right.”
“Great, thanks, Alicia.”
“See you there!”
I end the call and turn to Mushu. “Who do we know at Regency Court?”
“The events manager, Brooke Tanaka, used to work at Phillips and Jones.”
“How do you remember all this?” I say in wonderment. Once again, I scroll through my contacts list, locate Brooke’s name, and make the call.
“No, not the taupe one, I said beige,” Brooke’s voice snaps out of the phone. “Hey, Mulan, it’s total chaos here. What’s up?”
“I won’t take long. Are you managing the Women Entrepreneurs Awards ceremony?”
“Yes, hence the chaos. Um, can someone please get Ricky down from up there? He’s breaking like a million health and safety codes right now. Sorry, what were you saying?”
“The drinks—they’ll be made in-house?”
“Yep.”
“We’re providing whiskey for the event and I would like to have one or two new cocktails using the whiskey, if possible?”
“Sure, let me connect you to the bartender.”
“Thank you, Brooke.”
“For fuck’s sake, Ricky—” The call is abruptly cut off.
Mushu and I stare at each other. “Funny how I used to think finance was the most stressful industry to work in,” I say. “Sounds like event planning is even worse.”
“Really? Sounds great to me. You get to boss people around, throw a shit fit over taupe versus beige.…”
A text message from Brooke comes in.
Brooke:
Sorry, hung up by mistake. Here’s the bartender’s contact.
I call Susie the bartender and explain the situation and what I would like.
“Don’t worry,” Susie says. “I gotchu.” She hangs up.
“Oh.” I give Mushu a look. “That was quick.”
“I like Susie. I have a crush on her.”
“You don’t even know what she looks like.”
“I’m not shallow,” she says. “By the way, I like this plan, except the part about providing them with two large crates of Wutai Gold’s finest? Can I ask how you’re going to swing that? Are you going to drain your savings? Embezzle money from the firm? I am always down for some embezzlement.”
“Mushu, you should so not be in finance.” I sigh. “No, Auntie Jiayi is going to source us the whiskey.”
“Damn, Auntie Jiayi showing up. You know, I bet she’d make an excellent mobster. She’s sweet, she’s gentle, she’s slightly terrifying.”
“I don’t disagree. But our work isn’t done. Who do we know in the media? We want them to know about Wutai Gold’s new look.”
Mushu rattles off names of publicists and influencers, and we get to work calling them one by one. Then I call in a favor from a design company we acquired some years back and ask them to come up with a simple, elegant design for Wutai Gold. By the time we’re done, I am exhausted. I sit back in my chair and let my head fall back. “Oh no,” I say, jerking upright. “Now we need to find the right outfits.”
Mushu jumps up. “Heck yeah we do! Come on, we’re going shopping. I know just the place.”
“This is never a good sign,” I say, recalling with painful clarity the outfits Mushu made me buy for the ranch.
“When have I ever led you wrong?”
“Not even going to answer that one.” Laughing, we leave the office in search of the perfect banquet outfits.
Surprisingly, the boutique that Mushu takes me to is pretty freaking amazing. It’s a small, understated shop a block away from Union Square called, simply, Posy’s.
“Posy Lee is a second-generation Chinese American whose designs blend Chinese-inspired clothes with modern American fashion, which results in beautifully unique outfits,” Mushu says by way of introduction.
Posy and I both stare at Mushu, before we burst out laughing.
“What?” Mushu says.
“Did you memorize that from the bio page on my website?” Posy says.
“I have a photographic memory,” Mushu says.
“You literally can’t remember a single thing about finance,” I say.
“Let me clarify,” Mushu says. “I have a photographic memory when it comes to things I care about.”
I’m about to tease Mushu again when I realize that, in fact, Mushu is right. When it comes to things like these, Mushu’s knowledge is practically encyclopedic. She’s proven that again and again this entire day. All I had to do was say Who was the person in charge of …and Mushu would immediately tell me. She knows everybody in the city.
“Mushu,” I say in wonderment, “you are wasted at Facai Capital.”
“I know,” Mushu says with her usual flippant confidence.
“No, really.”
Mushu pauses, looking slightly taken aback. “Okay. I mean, sure, but it’s not like I’m drowning in job offers.”
“No. But we’re about to attend a banquet for female entrepreneurs,” I say. “And I think that’s what you should be. You don’t need a job offer. You’re going to create your own business.”
“Doing what?” Mushu says.
“Event planning,” I say.
“Oh, she would totally be perfect for event planning,” Posy chimes in. “You would, Mushu.”
Mushu wrinkles her nose like she’s about to tell us both that we’re being ridiculous, but then her expression turns vulnerable. “You really think so?”
“Yes!” Posy and I say in unison.
“Well.” Mushu looks down at her feet. “Well, shit. Okay. I will think about it.”
Posy and I grin at each other.
“All right,” Posy cheers, “now that we’ve done that, let’s look for the perfect outfits for you two.”
We spend the next hour trying on various outfits, each more beautiful than the last. Posy likes using meticulously embroidered Chinese silks, and many of the dresses have elaborate Chinese beasts like dragons and phoenixes on them. Others have delicate plum blossoms in an elegant spray.
Mushu picks a red backless dress with a tiger embroidered on the hip. “Business in the front and party in the back,” she says, turning around and showing off the back.
Peeping out of my changing room, I give her a thumbs-up.
“Show me yours,” Mushu says.
I step out of the changing room, and Mushu and Posy gasp.
“What do you think?” I say.
“You look like a goddess,” Mushu says.
“The wrathful kind,” Posy adds.
“Is that a good thing?”
“Yeah, who wants to be the merciful kind?” Mushu asks. “All the hot ones are villains.”
I turn to look in the mirror. The dress I have on is gold, with a dragon swirling around it in a darker shade of gold. Every time I move, the dress shimmers under the lights, making it look as though the dragon is moving. It’s long-sleeved and doesn’t show much skin, but it hugs my body in all the right ways and somehow makes me look, as Mushu and Posy said, dangerous in the most alluring way. It’s impossible to take my eyes off the dress. And I know beyond any doubt that this is the right dress for me. It’s both feminine and powerful at the same time. Exactly how I want to be from now on. No more alpha male facade. I want to be myself—both feminine and strong.
“Posy, you are a magician,” I say.
Posy bows.
Later, as we walk out, I marvel at our success: “I can’t believe we actually managed to find outfits for tomorrow.”
“See? All you had to do was trust me,” Mushu says.
The next afternoon, Mushu comes over and we get ready for the event together. When we’re done with our hair and makeup, I put on my dress and then survey my reflection in the mirror. I look stunning, quite literally; I am stunned whenever I catch a glimpse of myself. Who is this badass, beautiful woman who looks ready to take on the world? It’s me. And I have a company to save.
The Regency Court hotel is a luxury hotel in the heart of San Francisco. The awards ceremony is in the Grand Ballroom, and its name suits it perfectly. Seating five hundred guests comfortably, the already opulent space has been decked out to the nines for the event. There are spectacular flower arrangements everywhere, along with beautifully set tables and state-of-the-art lighting that makes the large space seem warm and intimate.
Mushu and I are greeted by Alicia Lopez as soon as we arrive. “Oh my god,” Alicia screams, “look at you two! You are a vision.”
“Thank you, you look amazing as well,” I say.
“Yeah, didn’t you just come back from mat leave?” Mushu says.
“Yes, that’s why my boobs look amazing.” Alicia leads us deeper into the ballroom. She instructed us to come early, so there are no guests yet. “The posters you sent arrived safely and we’ve got them set up at the bar.”
Sure enough, there are two big posters flanking the bar. The design is simple yet refreshing, showing a bottle of Wutai Gold whiskey with a feminine-looking hand next to it holding a whiskey glass filled with amber liquid.
“Hi,” the bartender says. “Are you Mushu and Mulan?”
“Susie the bartender,” Mushu breathes, her face lighting up. She turns to me and says, “See, I told you she’s hot.”
Susie laughs. “Thank you. And so are you. Come try the drinks. I’ve created two. This is the Wutai Gold punch. It’s a fun twist on an oldie. Milk, vanilla extract, and I added blended banoffee to it.”
“Banoffee?” I say.
“Banana toffee.”
I take a sip and close my eyes in ecstasy. “Oh my gosh, that is yummy. It tastes like a dessert.”
“I love it. It’s so rich and creamy but you can still taste the spice of the whiskey,” Mushu says.
I take another mouthful and let it linger on my tongue, savoring the comforting sweetness.
Susie smiles. “I’m glad you like it. The second cocktail is the Wellness Drink. It’s got freshly squeezed lemon, honey, ginger, and turmeric. All stuff that’s good for you. Aside from the whiskey, of course.” She winks as she slides the glasses over to us.
“Oh, this definitely tastes like something I would chug while doing yoga,” Mushu says.
We all laugh.
“This is so good,” I say. “I can’t decide which one I like more. They’re both brilliant, thank you, Susie. Everyone’s going to love them.”
Brooke Tanaka arrives, looking as frazzled as she’d sounded on the phone. She hugs and kisses everyone. “You all look incredible,” she says. “How are the drinks?”
“Perfect,” I say.
Brooke beams. “Susie’s a genius. No, table twelve can’t have peonies, because Gilly Anders is allergic.”
I’m confused for a moment, then I realize that Brooke is speaking to her earpiece. Brooke sighs and turns back to us. “I don’t know why I thought being an event manager was a good idea.”
I nudge Mushu, and she stumbles forward a little. “Uh, Brooke, I was wondering if I could pick your brain about event planning one of these days?”
Brooke’s mouth drops open. “Mushu! Are you thinking of doing it?”
“Maybe?”
“Oh my gosh! You are going to be brilliant at it. This is totally your calling.”
Mushu smiles bashfully. “Really?”
“Yes. You’d be perfect at this. No better job in the world—wait, why are they removing the lilies? Gotta run.” With that, Brooke rushes off.
Mushu turns to us, her eyes shining. “Phew, the adrenaline.”
I grin at my cousin. I can’t recall the last time I’ve seen her this excited about something.
“Mulan,” someone calls out.
We all turn to find Auntie Jiayi.
“Dang,” Mushu says.
I agree with her. Auntie Jiayi has opted for a shiny black gown worthy of the Met Gala. It has a stiff collar that plunges into a deep neckline, revealing very ample cleavage. Gone is the timid, quiet, unassuming auntie I knew. In her place is an empress.
“Auntie Jiayi,” I say, “you look—Wow.”
“Thank you, dear, you look very nice, too. And you, Mushu, very sexy.”
I introduce Auntie Jiayi to Alicia, who thanks her profusely for the whiskey donation. Susie presents Auntie Jiayi with the cocktails, and Auntie Jiayi downs the Wellness Drink in one long gulp. When she sees us staring, she shrugs and says, “Oh, I don’t want to be sober when my brothers come here, they will give me headache.”
“They agreed to come?” I say nervously.
“Yes, of course. I tell them it’s big event with many businesspeople for them to make new contacts with.”
“Did you tell them the businesspeople are all going to be women?” I say.
Auntie Jiayi gives me a look and starts in on the punch. Her heavily lashed eyes widen. “Oh my, this one is very nice, like drinking a dessert.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Susie says.
“Hang on,” Alicia says, “so your brothers, who make up the rest of the board of directors, don’t know that this is the Women Entrepreneurs Awards ceremony?”
“No,” Auntie Jiayi says blithely, drinking more of the punch.
Worried that this might annoy Alicia, I say, “Um, I think—”
But a devilish grin has appeared on Alicia’s face and she says, “Excellent. I love shenanigans. I love them even more when they involve showing men that women should be taken seriously.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Right, Mushu and I are going to, uh, make ourselves scarce for a while. There’s a real danger that the Li family might leave once they see me, and I want to make sure they have some time to take all this in and see the reactions of the guests to these cocktails.”
Auntie Jiayi reaches out and squeezes my hand before giving me a nod that says: You’ve got this . Mushu and I walk out of the ballroom and locate the powder room. Fortunately, the Regency Court is so fancy that the bathroom has chaise longues in it. We settle down and exhale slowly.
“You did well,” Mushu says.
I glance at her. “Yeah? You think they’ll like it?”
“Objectively, those cocktails are delicious, and I don’t even like whiskey. Everyone is going to love them, and if the Lis can’t get their heads out of their butts long enough to see it, then that’s not on you.”
I shake my head, snorting. “Mushu, what would I do without you?”
“Nothing good.”
“Agreed.”
We spend the next half hour chatting on the chaise longue and listening to the growing noise of the crowd outside. Then the sounds of hundreds of people chatting and laughing turns low and is replaced by someone speaking into a mic.
“I think it’s safe to go inside now,” I say.
We leave the bathroom and slip back into the ballroom, where we find our assigned seats. Brooke and Alicia have kindly put us two tables away from the Wutai Gold table. Far enough away not to be spotted, but close enough for me to be able to watch them.
I recognize Shang before my mind catches up, like my entire being is poised to spot him. I know it’s him before I even see his face, from the now-familiar figure of him, the way he sits, the shape of his head, and the broadness of his shoulders. He’s wearing a tux, and damn it if he doesn’t look good.
I swallow and pick up my water glass, willing my heart rate to slow down. I hope he doesn’t see me. Not yet. But I also will him to see me. I want to see the look on Shang’s face when he takes me in wearing this dress. I want to know if I’ll still have an effect on him the way he does on me.
Alicia is up on the stage, thanking everyone for coming.
“Tonight, we are excited to celebrate the most dynamic, the most exciting, the most influential women entrepreneurs,” she says, her voice loud and clear over the speakers. Everyone cheers and claps.
Well, almost everyone. I can see that the Li uncles are openly confused, looking around while frowning. Uncle Hong leans over and says something to Auntie Chuang, who for her part looks like she’s enjoying herself. James looks bored as he swipes at his phone with one hand, his other arm slung over the back of his chair. Even the way he sits is somehow douchey. How does he do that? Sit in a douchey way? Does he try hard to be douchey, or does it come naturally?
“Judging by the sneer on your face, you’re looking at James,” Mushu says.
I startle and uncurl my upper lip, turning my attention back to Alicia.
“The women we are honoring tonight have not only excelled in male-dominated industries but also made the world a little better for other women,” Alicia says. “The success of their businesses will pave the way for future generations so that hopefully by the time our children enter the workforce, they won’t have to deal with as much patriarchal bullshit as we did, huh?” She winks at the audience, who clap and hoot.
The Li family is now looking markedly uncomfortable. Uncle Hong is looking around warily, like he’s expecting something to come out at any time to ambush him. I suppose that, technically, this is a sort of ambush.
“Before we start giving out the awards, I’d like to take a moment to thank our sponsors. Tonight was made possible thanks to the following companies: Pigeon and Heart, Small Galaxy Travel…” As Alicia reads out the list of sponsors, everyone cheers for them. “And last but not least, Wutai Gold, who have kindly donated the fine whiskey, which I trust we are all enjoying?” More hooting, though there is also a confused murmur scattered around the ballroom, presumably from people who are familiar with Wutai Gold’s alpha male ad campaigns.
“And now, for our first award: Most Promising Brand of the Year goes to Rabbit Habit!” Alicia announces to an enthusiastic round of applause. “Who doesn’t love their ethical, cruelty-free products.…”
As Alicia continues talking, some of the tension leaves my shoulders. I watch the CEO of Rabbit Habit climb onstage to accept her trophy. For a while, I lose myself in the moment, savoring this night, this event that celebrates women who have worked their asses off to break through the glass ceiling. I clap hard when the CEO of Rabbit Habit finishes her acceptance speech, cheering along with everyone else in the audience. More awards are given out, and each time, I applaud vigorously, grateful to be present here.
When all the awards have been given out, the waiters glide out with appetizers. I get up from the table and move away from the side of the ballroom where the Lis are seated. Instead, I visit other tables, talking to many guests and asking if I could record a short video of them. Everyone here is kind and supportive and hyped up, and before long, I have enough footage. I go back to my table and open my video editing software. With Mushu’s help, we come up with a one-minute-long video and upload it to every social media platform we can think of. Armed with her phone, Mushu begins the work of sharing it, tagging every influencer she knows, which is a lot of influencers.
I watch the view count go up, slowly at first, steadily, then blowing up rapidly, growing exponentially, and I lick my dry lips, unable to believe that it’s working so well. By the time the meal is over and people stand up to move onto the dance floor, the view count is at over two hundred thousand, and I am ready to face the Lis.