Page 20 of Roberto

And if Lau refused to deliver my message, I wouldabsolutelymake sure Gota and Xi found out – even if I had to go see them in person.

After all, I was already in Hong Kong. Tokyo and Beijing weren’t that far away.

Lau gave me a grim smile. “Alright… I’ll present your request to the other partners and notify you of their decision.”

“Thank you. I’ll remain in Hong Kong until we meet or the matter is otherwise resolved.”

“Where are you staying?”

“I hadn’t gotten that far.”

“You didn’t reserve a hotel room?” Lau asked in surprise.

“If you had agreed to my request, I would have immediately turned around and flown back home.”

I was hoping Lau might relent just to get rid of me – but he didn’t play along.

However, hedidplay at being nice.

“The Syndicate owns several excellent hotels in Hong Kong. We’ll put you up in a penthouse at the Continental. Complimentary, of course.”

“I appreciate that, but – ”

“I insist,” Lau said, but this time he used the grandfatherly smile. “It’s the least we can do after you’ve come such a long way.”

Mr. Han spoke for the first time since we’d walked into the office. “His twin brother is in Macau at the El Dorado.”

Lau raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You have a twin brother?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he’s welcome to stay with you, too. Regretfully, I have other plans this evening – but Mr. Han will take you to Macau in my stead. Anything you and your brother desire, just tell Mr. Han, and he will take care of it.”

“Thank you, but that’s not necessary.”

“Ah… but I insist,” Lau said, again with that grandfatherly smile.

I once read a Forbes article about a tradition in Japan. Japanese CEOs and department heads were expected to personally entertain out-of-town visitors who had come for business. Not to do so was the height of rudeness.

The article told the story of a Japanese CEO who ‘apologized’ for his inability to entertain an American businessman andinstead gave him thousands of dollars so the American could go out on his own.

The American was delighted, not realizing that the Japanese businessman had gravely insulted him. To put it crudely, the CEO had treated the American like a whore and paid him to go away.

I had no idea if Chinese and Japanese business culture was the same in that regard.

Was Lau treating me with contempt by pawning me off on an underling?

Or was he just saddling me with a babysitter to keep an eye on me?

Whatever the case, I decided not to fight it. After my veiled threat to speak with Gota and Xi behind Lau’s back, I didn’t think it wise to antagonize him any more than I already had.

Not if I wanted my 50 million euros back.

I forced myself to smile. “In that case, I would be delighted.”

13

Mr. Lau suggested we use the Syndicate’s private helicopter, which was waiting on the roof of the building.

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