As the night progressed the party turned more of an informal gathering.
Still, the people around were vigilant and kept a minimum guard against one another.
Bai Chang and I moved around the rooftop and greeted one person or a group of people around. Throughout the evening she handled these people who all wanted a piece of her or tear her apart like a pro.
Finally, we walked into a private booth style enclosure, the place was only obscured from others view while people inside had a panoramic view of the skyline.
These people are from various walks of life. What tie them together are profits and more profits.
I am no saint myself but these people are snobbish.
If I didn't have the power to control them, they would have made a clear meal out of me years ago.
We approach them, as we enter the enclosure; we meet Mr Li and Mr Shen yet again.
"Mr and Mrs Hu welcome please join us for a glass of wine," Mr Li welcomed us.
I look around and find most of the people present here are the representative of the upper echelon.
"Thanks for your welcome Mr Li," I replied politely.
I introduced them all to Bai Chang and integrated with the conversations going around the circle.
While Bai Chang maintained her silence, people around felt like they can't violate her sanctity.
"Mr Hu this time your runway just stole all our limelight." Mr Xi spoke up.
He is the Chairman of raw textile supplies around the country. Most local markets obtain their supplies from Mr Xi's company.
"Mr Xi, be honest with yourself, you are feeling joyous as you are about to bag your biggest deal for your company this evening if you play it right." Mr Shen spoke up, while everyone around had a light laugh at his expense.
"I do not mind the extra workload if you all are feeling so generous," Mr Xi shamelessly boasted.
The environment is charged with an undercurrent; everyone is undermining one another.
Suddenly Mr Li turned to Bai Chang and said, "Mrs Hu, as I see it you are the final decision maker here so what do you propose we do for the market that your company created today?"
"Mr Li, you are asking us to be responsible for the market space we created?" Bai Chang asked Mr Li while sipping on her glass of juice leisurely.
There is a playful smile expressed on her face.
I know she is going to make an example out of him tonight.
Mr Li and others present didn't realise it, yet.
"Why Mrs Hu, you have different thoughts?"
(Did they really think that my wife is soft parsimony for them to squash about?)
"Mr Li, I thank you for thinking so highly about us. While it is true that we opened a new market tonight for raw textile and fabric suppliers, did you think that we won't look into the matter?"
Mr Li still didn't look perturbed but others around him felt that something is amiss, these people straightened out subconsciously while looking forward to the conversation.
"Mrs Hu, then what do you suggest? With this market, the cost price would be inflated and market balance would be disrupted." Mr Li suggested with a gleam in his eyes.
"Oh… How naive are you Mr Li? Didn't expect that from you?"
She smiled; she still sat leisurely with no hint of annoyance on her face.
"Mr Li, did you think that you could rake in profit from our collaboration, i.e. if we make one. You think that we are not aware that while the runway came to an end you made calls to your trusted people and talked around the city to the dealers and local, small suppliers to inflate the price for this season and to establish your autonomy with them you even offered your reject pieces from your various projects to these small retailers and sellers.
You bought their support while making a killer profit out of these shop owners and you are planning to acquire your new shipment via the route of Vietnam and inflate the price to us.
You even went as far as to strike a deal with two other corporations in the party itself to make our company fork out triple the amount of base price of the materials that we would purchase from you, i.e. if we do?
It is still acceptable if you stopped here, as we are all merchants wearing coats, profits and numbers dictates the majority of our decisions. But you went one step ahead and blocked our already arrived shipment in the customs department and tried to move it around and later obtain it for your company at a meagre price.
Mr Li should I say you were too smart for your own good."
Mr Li turned absolutely pale with each sentence Bai Chang uttered.
While it was pin-drop silence in the enclosure.
The people around had cold chills running down their spine.
(While I am once again blown by my wife's awesomeness.)
'I have no idea when and where as well as how she got to know all these things?'
People all around found it difficult to breathe.
Their faces were pale.
Some could be seen contemplating that if they crossed the Hu Corporation.
Previously they treated Bai Chang as a 'trophy wife' now they looked at her with awe, respect and fear.
They didn't even dare to look her in her eyes.