Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

from Mary Queen of Scots or something like that, and those are his kids, Casimir and
Lucia. Doesn’t Cass look like Harry Styles from One Direction?”
Everyone laughed.
“I think Harry’s shorter,” Peik Lin quipped.
“So they all just came from China?” Rachel asked, still confused.
“No, the Shangs just had dinner with the president at the Chinese embassy. The
president’s only here because of Uncle Alfred. He never knew Ah Ma, of course.”
“I believe my father knows him,” Rachel remarked.
“They’ve been good friends since their university days, and Dad serves on his standing
committee,” Carlton chimed in.
“Of course, I keep forgetting your father is Bao Gaoliang,” Alistair said.
“One last question…who is that girl?” Carlton asked.
Stepping out last from the helicopter was an astonishing Eurasian beauty in her early
twenties. She had waist-length, sun-streaked hair and wore a long, sleeveless black linen
Rochas dress and gold sandals from Da Costanzo, looking like she had just stepped in
from a beach party on Majorca.
“I think I’ve just met my future wife,” Carlton declared as he watched the girl’s hair
billow around her sensationally under the draft of the helicopter rotors.
“Best of luck, mate! That’s my cousin Scheherazade Shang. She’s working on her
dissertation at the Sorbonne. Brains and beauty. You know, I’ve heard there’s another
dude that’s been trying to get her number for years with absolutely no success. His
name’s Prince Harry.”
···
As the Shangs retreated into the house with the president of China, Rachel, Carlton, and
Peik Lin followed a few paces behind. In the grand foyer, they ran into Oliver T’sien
staring disapprovingly as hordes of people passed through, navigating past the hundreds
of floral wreaths—some bigger than Michelin tires—that now invaded the space.
“Rachel! Wonderful to see you! Isn’t this awful?” Oliver whispered in her ear.
“Singaporeans just love sending these ghastly funeral wreaths.” Rachel glanced at the card
on the nearest wreath: GREAT EASTERN LIFE ASSURANCE OFFERS CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF
MADAM SHANG SU YI.
As they continued past the dining room where an enormous dinner buffet had been set
up, Rachel could see guests standing in a long queue that snaked out the terrace doors,
waiting to devour the delicacies at the various food stations. A little boy dashed past
Rachel, shouting, “Auntie Doreen wants more chili craaaaab!”
“Whoa!” Rachel said, narrowly dodging the boy who was precariously clutching a
heaping platter of crustaceans.
“Not what you were expecting?” Peik Lin said with a laugh.
“Not quite. It’s all so…festive,” Rachel remarked.