Read Online The King of Shanghai by Ian Hamilton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ian Hamilton
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Ava stopped. “My god, this is beautiful,” she said.
The entrance hall was massive, its hardwood floor leading past a wall made entirely of beige and tan glass panels overlaid with gold. The other wall was painted a sand colour and lined with narrow vertical light fixtures that glowed like green jade. But it was the gigantic crystal chandelier at the far end of the room that captured her attention. The enormous V-shaped light fixture, tapering to a point close to the floor, looked as if it were made from thousands of diamond drop earrings. Ava was so absorbed in its brilliance that she barely noticed the restaurant host on their left.
“It is wonderful to have you back with us, Mr. Xu,” he said. “Your room is ready.”
“Then we will go right to it.”
The host led them through a full restaurant. Ava took in the art deco decor, the red and gold lacquer wall panels, more gilded glass, matching red leather club chairs, and carved hardwood tables with scroll legs that gleamed even in the dim light.
Their room was furnished with a single round table that could have seated ten but had only three chairs — all of them positioned so their occupants had a view of the Bund and the Huangpu River through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun was just about to set, its last flickering rays dancing on the river, and just beyond was the purple and green Pearl Tower in Pudong.
Xu took the seat on the far left, leaving May and Ava to sit next to each other. Ava found that strange until she realized that it allowed him to look at both of them while he was speaking.
“I’ll send the waiters through immediately,” the host said.
“Why don’t you order,” Ava said to Xu. “You seem to know this restaurant well enough.”
“If you will order the wine . . . assuming that you do not want something else.”
“Wine?” Ava said to May.
“Yes, and I’ll drink white, since I know you like it.”
“White is fine with me too,” Xu said.
The door to the room opened and two waiters appeared. They both bowed to Xu. “I will take the menu and Ms. Lee will choose the wine,” he said, and then turned to the women. “Any food allergies or particular likes or dislikes?”
“We eat everything,” Ava said.
He ordered as if he knew the menu by heart. Ava switched her attention to the extensive wine list. When the waiter turned to her, she asked for a French white burgundy.
“Thank you for joining me tonight,” Xu said when the waiters had left the room.
“What could be better than a Shanghai meal with a true Shanghainese?” May said.
“I am hardly that. My father was from Wuhan, like you and Uncle. He came here from Hong Kong after I was born.”
“I’m told that he also shared Uncle’s old business interests — the ones he was involved in before he met Ava.”
“I don’t think we have to get into that,” Ava said.
Xu glanced at May and then stared directly at Ava. “I do not mind. I have no need to make apologies for my father and what he did, or for what I do or have done. Uncle felt exactly the same.”
“I wasn’t suggesting otherwise.”
“No, but there are times when you seem reluctant to acknowledge the life Uncle led before he met you.”
“That didn’t seem to matter to him, and I don’t understand why it should mean so much to you,” Ava answered.
“It matters because that life is not what it appears to people outside it.”
“And why should we care?”
“Because I have money I want to put to work in your investment company, and I know you will not permit me to do so unless the money is beyond reproach.”
She felt Xu’s eyes boring into her. So much for polite, innocuous dinner conversation , Ava thought.
Before another word could be spoken, the door swung open and a waiter appeared with a bottle of wine. A heavy silence loomed over the table as he went through the uncorking ritual. He made a move to pour wine into Xu’s glass but was cut off. “Ms. Lee will be the
The entrance hall was massive, its hardwood floor leading past a wall made entirely of beige and tan glass panels overlaid with gold. The other wall was painted a sand colour and lined with narrow vertical light fixtures that glowed like green jade. But it was the gigantic crystal chandelier at the far end of the room that captured her attention. The enormous V-shaped light fixture, tapering to a point close to the floor, looked as if it were made from thousands of diamond drop earrings. Ava was so absorbed in its brilliance that she barely noticed the restaurant host on their left.
“It is wonderful to have you back with us, Mr. Xu,” he said. “Your room is ready.”
“Then we will go right to it.”
The host led them through a full restaurant. Ava took in the art deco decor, the red and gold lacquer wall panels, more gilded glass, matching red leather club chairs, and carved hardwood tables with scroll legs that gleamed even in the dim light.
Their room was furnished with a single round table that could have seated ten but had only three chairs — all of them positioned so their occupants had a view of the Bund and the Huangpu River through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun was just about to set, its last flickering rays dancing on the river, and just beyond was the purple and green Pearl Tower in Pudong.
Xu took the seat on the far left, leaving May and Ava to sit next to each other. Ava found that strange until she realized that it allowed him to look at both of them while he was speaking.
“I’ll send the waiters through immediately,” the host said.
“Why don’t you order,” Ava said to Xu. “You seem to know this restaurant well enough.”
“If you will order the wine . . . assuming that you do not want something else.”
“Wine?” Ava said to May.
“Yes, and I’ll drink white, since I know you like it.”
“White is fine with me too,” Xu said.
The door to the room opened and two waiters appeared. They both bowed to Xu. “I will take the menu and Ms. Lee will choose the wine,” he said, and then turned to the women. “Any food allergies or particular likes or dislikes?”
“We eat everything,” Ava said.
He ordered as if he knew the menu by heart. Ava switched her attention to the extensive wine list. When the waiter turned to her, she asked for a French white burgundy.
“Thank you for joining me tonight,” Xu said when the waiters had left the room.
“What could be better than a Shanghai meal with a true Shanghainese?” May said.
“I am hardly that. My father was from Wuhan, like you and Uncle. He came here from Hong Kong after I was born.”
“I’m told that he also shared Uncle’s old business interests — the ones he was involved in before he met Ava.”
“I don’t think we have to get into that,” Ava said.
Xu glanced at May and then stared directly at Ava. “I do not mind. I have no need to make apologies for my father and what he did, or for what I do or have done. Uncle felt exactly the same.”
“I wasn’t suggesting otherwise.”
“No, but there are times when you seem reluctant to acknowledge the life Uncle led before he met you.”
“That didn’t seem to matter to him, and I don’t understand why it should mean so much to you,” Ava answered.
“It matters because that life is not what it appears to people outside it.”
“And why should we care?”
“Because I have money I want to put to work in your investment company, and I know you will not permit me to do so unless the money is beyond reproach.”
She felt Xu’s eyes boring into her. So much for polite, innocuous dinner conversation , Ava thought.
Before another word could be spoken, the door swung open and a waiter appeared with a bottle of wine. A heavy silence loomed over the table as he went through the uncorking ritual. He made a move to pour wine into Xu’s glass but was cut off. “Ms. Lee will be the
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