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“Ah, that’s why I asked to have this conversation with you. You’re right. The quality of the whiskey alone isn’t enough to sell me on the company as a whole. The real reason why I believe so much in Wutai Gold is because of the people running it.”
I roll my eyes. It’s a childish move, I know, butargh, seriously! “Ba, the fact that it’s a family-run company is a con, not a pro.”
Baba merely raises an eyebrow and gives me a long, meaningful look.
I throw my hands up. “Yes, I know you hired me because I’m your daughter and—”
“Whoa,” Baba says, and for the first time, a flash of anger ignites in his eyes. “No, Mulan. Do you really think I hired you because you are my daughter?”
For a moment, neither of us speaks. I lick my lips. They feel dry all of a sudden. “Well, I mean…”
“Mulan, the fact that you are my daughter worked against you. I didn’t want people to think you got hired here because of that. And I knew you’d get better offers elsewhere.”
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
“I hired you despite the fact that you’re my daughter, not because of it. I hired you because you graduated top ten in your class. From Princeton, let’s not forget! I hired you because you are the brightest mind I’ve come across in the last few decades. I hired you because you work hard.” His expression softens, almost turning sad. “I know you are the first one in the office every morning and the last one out every night. When was the last time you went on a date?”
“Hey! I go on dates.”
He gives me a look. “When was the last time they actually turned into a relationship?”
“Is it my fault that men in finance have such fragile egos?” I shoot back.
He laughs. “We do, don’t we? I don’t like men in finance. I see the way your hard work and success make them feel threatened.”
I have no idea what to say. Baba sees all that?
“I see how much you give to this company, Mulan. I don’t want you to ever think that you were hired because you are family.”
There’s a massive lump in my throat that keeps me from speaking, so in the end, all I do is nod.
“Now, Mushu, on the other hand…” he says dryly.
I laugh through unshed tears. I take a deep breath and give myself a mental shake. I need to focus on the matter at hand. “Thanks, Ba. I know, the only family you’ve hired are Mushu and me. Everyone else we employ is unrelated to us. But Wutai Gold is a true family company. I mean, everyone from the board of directors to the sales associates is all family. It’s a mess.”
“So we’ll have to let some of them go, this is true. But I’ve been exchanging emails with the person running it and I believe in him. His vision, his passion…”
“Why emails?”
“There is beauty in writing long-form messages,” Baba says. “It’s an art that text messaging is slowly killing.”
“Okay, Ba. God, you are such a nerd.”
He brightens up, as though something has just hit him. “He reminds me of you, actually.”
“And that’s a good thing?” I tease.
“The best thing.”
“Oh, Ba.” I reach out and give his hand a squeeze. Then I frown. “Your hand’s really cold.”
“Don’t try to change the subject. I have set up a meeting with the Wutai Gold directors tomorrow and I’d like you to attend. Now, from what Shang has told me about his family, they don’t like dealing with women, but I’m hoping that once they meet with you, they’ll realize how silly they’ve been.”
“Of course.”
He holds up a finger. “There is a problem I haven’t mentioned.”
“Uh-oh. What is it?”