09: NIECE

[PAST]

LCDC

The sound of an intercom made the old man lift his head from reading the documents in his hand. His secretary asks him if he will allow his niece to come inside his office. He quickly reaches for the button to talk and say yes.

"CEO Long?" The woman calls the old man behind the marble table who faces the papers in front of him with furrowed brows.

"Li Jun's plane will be landing in an hour and you have forty-five minutes or so to get to the airport." The woman took a glimpse on her watch and stayed standing a step away from the door.

"I have papers to finish. Can you welcome him for me?" The man behind the table says without lifting his head.

"CEO Long, when I came back to the city, you were there standing at the airport with a wide smile on your face and a warm hug. I think it will be biased if I'm the only one who will have the same treatment." Wang Xiu explains walking towards the marble slab. She clasps her hands together and sets them in front of her body, looking innocent while trying to blackmail the man to do her bidding.

The old man curves his lip and grins and puts down the files in his hand. "I was there at the airport because your aunt is in Taiwan and no one will be there to welcome you."

"And you can be there for Li Jun as well but you don't want to be at the airport because you don't want to hear him talk about his acting career in the US." The young woman counters, leaning her head on the side herself while looking at the old man.

"A small role on a television series is not an acting career." Long Li Wei scoffs with a disgruntled look on his face. His son boasts about being seen on television and staying in the US for another year to continue his acting instead of coming back to the city where he needs to be trained to be the next CEO.

"It is for him." The woman defends her cousin. She knows the man's dream of being an actor since he was young, a profession that his uncle and grandfather detest greatly yet Li Jun stubbornly pursues whenever he gets you to have an opportunity.

The old man did not answer and put his face back to the documents on the table. 

"I'll be at his party later to welcome him."

"Li Jun will be busy talking to his old friends at the party. I think it's better that you go uncle." Wang Xiu suggests while marching towards the large painting of a dragon, representing the family of Long. Wise, mighty, and elegant.

"I promise I will be at the party to talk to Li Jun." The man says, staring at the woman standing beautifully at the center of the room. The CEO couldn't help but reminisce about the woman who has the same beauty that Wang Xiu has.

"No, you won't." An elderly woman says as she opens the door of the office without knocking at the door. The CEO and Wang Xiu turn their heads immediately hearing the woman's stern voice.

Mrs. Long Ming Zhu wears a traditional cheongsam dress of red and gold matching gold shoes with red soles. The elderly woman set her hair up in an elegant knot style, the way women in high society do in this city.

Wang Xiu leans over to give respect to her aunt, who glances at her while walking in the direction of the CEO. A quick kiss on the cheek from the woman made the chief executive glow with a smile. 

"You always promise things, and never mean them." Mrs. Long says, pursing her lips to look upset in front of the man.

"When I retire, I will do everything that I promise you." Mr. Long replies, smiling handsomely in front of his spouse.

The married couple is a picture of a perfect union. Mr. Long will always apologize for the disservice he does to his wife. A missed lunch or dinner results in a gift on a small box containing jewelry and other small trinkets which her aunt loves to wear and brags among her friends.

"Wang Xiu, are you going with us?" The elder woman asks. Her polite smile tells her not to say yes to the offer.

"No, Auntie. I'm managing the marketing department right now. A construction company needs to promote itself too. We can't rely solely on good word of mouth and accolades anymore." Wang Xiu explains with a wide smile on her lips. She wants to prove to her aunt that she's serving the family exceedingly well as a payment for taking care of her after both of her parents died.

"I'm glad to know you are getting yourself ready to assist Li Jun in managing this company. He will need your support once he becomes the CEO." Mrs. Long explains, staring at the younger woman with a smirk on her face to establish that his son will inherit the company no matter how hard she works for them.

"I know Li Jun will do well as a CEO." The younger woman replied with a lie yet the smile on her face agrees with the woman's little brag, assuring his son's future position.

A vibration on Wang Xiu's phone takes her attention away from the sly face-off with her aunt. She took her mobile phone out of her pocket and looked at the message on the screen. Her secretary reminds her of meeting with the director they hired to take a short advertising video about the company.

"Will you excuse me, CEO Long and Mrs. Long, I have a meeting with director Ang Lim." The woman leans over after saying her goodbyes and leaves to meet the director at Lei's Garden Restaurant.

π - π - π

LEI'S GARDEN

The vast restaurant has two places to dine in. One is where round tables are lined up for patrons to eat with the crowd busily eating their scrumptious meal while the other is a room where they can get themselves away from the public and savor the delicious dishes served to them in a quiet area of a private room.

Executive Marketing Director Zhang Wang Xiu waits patiently for the renowned director to arrive at the restaurant. She went early to prepare her proposal for the short advertising film she wants to be made by a professional. Her project is crucial not only to the company's goal but also to her plan to step closer to becoming a CEO.

"Am I late?" A man arrives wearing casual clothes like jeans, white sneakers, and a black shirt with a logo of a production company underneath a black leather jacket. His rounded face wears a cheery smile showing his mildly yellow teeth over the thin brown and dry lips.

"No, director. I'm only early for a few minutes." Wang Xiu says, standing up from her chair and stretching her arms to reach the man's hand for a shake.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Zhang." The director grabs her delicate hands gently pinching them for a bit and releasing them quickly.

They sat at the opposite side of the table and immediately asked for the waiter to take down their order. Roasted pork belly with its perfectly crispy skin and flavorful meat, stir-fried scallops and prawns in Szechuan sauce, and chicken fried rice.

"Ms. Zhang, what kind of project are you trying to make? As you know, I'm a film director. I do movies." Director Ang Lim rambles about his record of breaking into movies after having a successful independent film that gives the man an international nomination as a director.

"That is why I want to hire you. You capture panoramas better than ad directors can. I want to achieve a similar effect your films have when we launch our advertisement." Wang Xiu explains, setting a wide smile on her lips and gazing charmingly at the director. She has to convince the man to take on the project.

Director Ang Lim is beginning to make a name in the industry of films and it will be a great addition to her credits if she can get the man to sign up on this project.

"Thank you for considering me, but aren't construction companies advertise themselves by winning awards?" The director inquires, trying to decline the proposal of the beautiful woman. He could have said no on the phone where they first talked yet something in the woman's voice intrigue him and he said yes to meeting the executive.

"Yes, but with the changing world, companies should also need to publicize their contribution to the city and the world. A construction company ends its work after finishing a job, no one will ask who made the structure, it's always who owns the building that gets mentioned." The woman curves her red lips and bats her eyes. No man can resist her charm with intentions to make them do what she wants.

"That's true. I see your point. Where do you plan to use film ads?" The man nods his head and gleams over the woman's clever concept.

"We are planning to pursue a local broadcasting network but I want this film project to be finished first." Wang Xiu answers with a wide gleam on her face.

"That's great. I like how you have everything planned out. I think we could have a great project together. I'm looking forward to working with you, Ms. Zhang." The director continues to gaze at the woman, mesmerized by her beauty and intelligence.

The dishes came exactly as they finished their conversation. The room gets filled with the aroma of the prawns and scallops, fried rice, and the restaurant's famous dumplings. 

"If you like, I can help you meet a few people working at the local broadcasting channel." The man proposes, glancing shyly at her face. They have finished their food with the director eating most of it.

"I wouldn't say no to that offer." Wang Xiu replies, standing at the door of the restaurant

The man let out a contagious chuckle and pulled a folded silver paper from his jacket. He handed it over to her and asked her to open it. The polished paper inside the envelope contains an invitation to an exclusive birthday party.

"It's Yang Fei Hong's birthday, the CEO of National City Broadcasting Corporation."

"And you are inviting me to her party?"

"Well, yes. I was asked to bring someone with me, but I don't have anyone I can bring."

"It will be my honor to accompany you, director."

"I'll see you then."

Wang Xiu leaned over when the director left and glanced at the glossy paper recalling the day she met the CEO, Yang Fei Hong. It was at one of the parties she attended with her mentor CEO Park Min Ah.

"CEO Park, aren't you going to introduce me to your new apprentice?" CEO Yang says when the woman approaches them.

"CEO Yang, I didn't know you could make it." Park Min Ah replies.

"I wouldn't miss seeing you again." Yang Fei Hong counters, kissing the woman on the cheeks

"This is CEO Yang Fei Hong of NCBC, CEO Yang, this is my apprentice, Zhang Wang Xiu." CEO Park begins the introduction.

"Ms. Zhang, glad to meet you. Is Min Ah teaching you well?" CEO Yang asks quickly after the intro.

"Yes, CEO Yang." Wang Xiu answers politely.

"Wang Xiu is the niece of CEO Long Liu Wei of Long Constructions." Park Min Ah adds.

"Only a niece? You will never be a CEO." Yang Fei Hong inquires with a scowl.

"CEO Yang?!?" Park Min Ah exclaims trying to stop the woman.

"I'm only stating facts. Being the "niece" won't make you a CEO unless you make yourself one." CEO Yang says.