Mr. Zong, Wang's grandfather, founded one of the biggest shipping companies in the world, is one of the richest people in Asia, and loved to fist fight in his younger days. Things fade with time and age, but Mr. Zong's dominating nature, discipline and aggression seem to be evergreen.
During Mr. Zong's younger days, his colleagues described him as an unmannered brute, combative, and a rascal, not a man to be taken for granted. Once, when an ex-business partner tried to back-stab him, Mr. Zong wrote a letter saying, "You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I'll ruin you."
Mr. Zong is six feet tall, with deep penetrating brown eyes, and has a horseshoe moustache. The vertical extensions of his moustache's hair grown on the corners of the lips and down the sides of the mouth to his jawline, resembled an upside-down horseshoe.
Ageing has brought about just two changes in his body - his tummy got fat and he got bald. And these two changes made him look more dangerous and dominating than what he looked like when he was young.
Mr. Zong was, and still is, famous for being a bully, both emotionally and professionally. He was involved in numerous fist fights well into his 50s and always said that he doesn't care about money as much as he does "making my point and coming out ahead." Time has made him a perfect diplomat and a great manipulator.
And the great manipulator has a wish now - he wants to see his grandson, Wang, get married and settle down in his life. And he wants his younger son, Jack, and his wife, Ning, to take that responsibility.
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"Hello dad!" greets Jack as he opened to main door.
"Welcome dearest dad. I am so happy to see you," says Ning as she gives a smile wide enough to meet her two ears.
"Good Morning Sir!" greets the maid.
"Hello!" said the powerful diplomat with a voice powerful enough to bring tremble to the hosts' smiles.
Jack and Ning look at each other with fear and uncertainty in their eyes. Mr. Zong's visit is never without purpose. And to some extent, they knew the purpose this time. It has to be something about Mr. Zong's relation with his grandson - Wang.
"Please, come in dad," smiles Jack as he gives a half hug to Mr. Zong.
The maid hastily walks towards the kitchen to get drinking water for the guest. But prefers to stay inside kitchen. She was afraid of making mistakes in front of the ready-to-erupt volcano - Ning, stupid clueless Jack and no nonsense man, Mr. Zong.
Jack, Ning and Mr. Zong walk towards the drawing room and take their seats. The couple tried their best to control and hide their anxiety by bringing up some light topics of discussion. But, Mr. Zong is always to the point and hates nonsense talks. He barely replies to any of their initiated topics of conversation.
A few minutes later..
"Sara .. Sara .. Saaaaaraaa! .. Saaaaaaraaaaaa!!," Ning shouts her maid's name, calling her out from the kitchen, in a voice that could make a dead person alive ..and alive.. dead.
"Dad, what would you like to have?" Jack asks Mr. Zong.
"Oh please, leave that to me. Where the hell is Sara?" Ning tells Jack while passing on a reluctant smile at Mr. Zong. "Saaaaraaaaaa ...Saraaaaa. Oh God! It's impossible to be this lazy," shouts Ning, again passing on a fake smile at Mr. Zong.
"Yes Maam!" says Sara, the maid, while hastily walking towards the guests, barely averting herself from slipping and falling on the shiny marbled floor.
"Where have you been? You have to take care of us ..and the guest. Isn't this what you're hired for?" Ning scolds the maid.
Maid lowers down her gaze and does not say anything.
"A cup of tea for dad.. immediately," Ning instructs the maid.
Maid looks at Mr. Zong, passes on a smile with great courage. "Yes maam!" she says.
"I don't want it. No tea please. Thank you!" Mr Zong tells the maid in a very polite but stern tone.
Maid smiles again ..with great efforts. "Ok sir!" she says to Mr. Zong and moves back to the kitchen making a blabbering gesture as soon as she turned her back to the three people.
"Ning, you have still not learnt anything about courtesy. Is this the way to talk to your maid?" Mr. Zong scolds Ning.
Ning looks at Jack, and then at Mr. Zong with her clueless eyes. Her fake smile is no longer visible.
"What kind of people are you? Are your employees your slaves? How can you talk to them like this? You should be ashamed!" Mr Zong continues scolding Ning.
"But dad, you don't know what they do. They are so careless," Ning tries to give an explanation.
"Shut up! You have become this old and still can't behave like a human being. Still can't learn anything about humanity. That is why your employees leave you so soon. Tell me any maid, that has stayed in this house for more than six months," retorted irritated Mr. Zong.
Ning had no idea of what to say and gave a blank look to Jack.
"Dad, Ning is right. We have been married for 30 years now and have experience handling these employees now. They are here to eat our money. Nothing else," Jack shares his own opinion.
"Shut up! Shut up!! Your money? Where is your money? Do you even have a job? Do you even know how to earn money? This is all mine. You two are born to sit idle and eat all for free. I am done with this stupid discussion. I am here to talk on a very important issue," scolded Mr. Zong in a stern tone.
Jack and Ning looked at each other, visibly confused and scared of what was going to happen next.