Chapter 1625 - The Junior Senators' Banquet

Arguing in front of guests—that won't do.

Liu Xiang made up his mind to play peacemaker and raised his voice deliberately as he stepped onto the gangway. "Is our little sailor back?"

Sure enough, the sound of a guest's greeting silenced both Qian Shuixie and Qian Duoduo.

Liu Xiang surveyed the scene: Qian Shuixie still looked unhappy and was visibly fuming, while Qian Duoduo wore an expression that said you just wouldn't understand. The uncle and niece were clearly restraining themselves. He was about to say something to ease the tension when—

"Hello, Teacher Liu!" Several voices chorused from behind. It was Lin Ziqi, Zhang Yunmi, and the rest of the Girls' Sailor Team. Back when Liu Xiang was still an otaku holed up in Lingao, he'd gone to teach at Fangcaodi. Little Lin, Little Zhang, and these first-generation underage students had all attended the comprehensive liberal arts course he'd taught. Yes, you read that correctly—an engineering Ph.D. teaching a sprawling survey course covering literature, history, geography, and politics. Ninety-six periods crammed into a single semester. Liu Xiang's eventual application for an external post owed much to this experience. Waking earlier than chickens for morning study, leaving later than dogs after evening tutorials, staying up later than cats to mark homework—continuing such a life was intolerable.

Hearing Little Zhang and Little Lin greet Liu Xiang, Qian Duoduo pouted and chimed in: "Hello, Uncle Liu." When Liu Xiang had been teaching, Duoduo had still ruled as queen of the kindergarten senior class. She could hardly call him Teacher Liu. Besides, Liu Xiang used to visit the Feiyun frequently for various gatherings, so to Duoduo he was simply "the weird uncle who keeps coming over to play."

"Good, good—everyone's doing well!" Liu Xiang responded heartily, welcoming them aboard.

"My goodness, it's been years—you've all grown up!" His eyes lingered on Zhang Yunmi for a moment. "And especially our Duoduo—a wise and mighty captain already!" He took an exaggerated step backward and saluted. "I salute you, Senator-Captain Qian Duoduo! One small step for you is a giant leap for the Senate's younger generation!"

Unexpectedly, Qian Duoduo returned the salute with perfect seriousness. "Salute to you... Senator Liu!"

Qian Shuixie pursed his lips in displeasure but said nothing more. He walked off toward the communication equipment to report back to Qian Shuiting.

Liu Xiang knew the two trailing behind as well. Zhong Xiaoying, Dr. Zhong's "daughter," was a household name among the Senators. Everyone was waiting for the day the sanctimonious doctor finally showed his true colors... And Sonia—well, Liu Xiang had attended that auction too, so he recognized her. Qian Shuixie had mentioned that the Girls' Sailor Team dined aboard the Feiyun after their weekly outings. Liu Xiang gestured for the two newcomers to sit.

Zhong Xiaoying fidgeted before settling into her seat—she'd had maid training, after all. Though she was a Senator's adopted daughter, she still felt out of place among Chiefs. Sonia, on the other hand, sat down immediately upon hearing the invitation and began sorting through the documents in her hand. Heaven only knew what this naturalist had catalogued now.

Once seated, Qian Duoduo—still basking in the glow of feeling "recognized"—launched excitedly into an account of the day's "grand voyage." She started with the flash of inspiration that had made her think of crossing the strait, then described how she'd convened a temporary Senators' meeting, how she'd commanded with poise, and finally how she'd navigated cautiously through the shoal-ridden waters of Juhua Islet on the return leg while paying respects at the naval battle site. She sensibly omitted any mention of the tongue-lashing she'd received from Qian Shuixie upon arrival.

Liu Xiang listened with beads of sweat forming. A troublemaker's capacity for courting disaster does indeed scale linearly with the resources at her disposal...

As Duoduo narrated, Zhong Xiaoying kept supplying cover for her—the strait had been thick with patrol boats lately, the seas calm, they'd even called the radar station to check the weather. Little Lin played the enthusiastic straight man, keeping the mood lively. Sonia occasionally interjected details: at one point what had appeared on the starboard side was actually a sandbar breaking the surface rather than an island; this or that species of seabird nested on the bars near the entrance to Juhua Islet. Only Little Zhang sat smiling on the sofa, sipping her Limu Mountain oolong in silence—as though she alone were simply here to listen.

Duoduo was nearing the end of her tale when Qian Xuanhuang came over with news. The Master had an emergency expanded meeting tonight and wouldn't make dinner; Madam had to attend as well... In short, both Qian Shuiting and his wife were working late. The Zhou Weisen family had left on separate assignments a few days prior. Zheng Shangjie was, of course, still far away in Guangzhou. Tonight's welcome banquet would be hosted by Qian Shuixie alone. To express his apologies, he had already gone to the kitchen himself. Oh—and Liu Xiang's baby had woken up. Guo Ling'er was asking whether she should bring the child out for the young Chiefs to see.

Sorting out the relationships from Qian Xuanhuang's various forms of address was no simple feat. Shared among three households, she had developed her own system of nomenclature for the six masters. Qian Shuiting was "Master," Qian Shuixie was "Sir," and Zhou Weisen—by special dispensation—was "Big Brother Zhou." The two wives were addressed by surname: calling them "Big Master" and "Second Master" felt awkward, and "First Madam" versus "Second Madam" invited misunderstanding. Eventually, since Zheng Shangjie spent most of her time away from Lingao, Ai Beibei became simply "Madam." As for Mendoza, she'd personally insisted on being called "Miss," but first, the other masters objected, and second, Qian Xuanhuang felt that title belonged to Duoduo. A compromise was reached: address Mendoza by name. Those who'd first attended Feiyun Club gatherings all remarked that Qian Xuanhuang's address hierarchy rivaled that of the head maid at Jia Manor.

Qian Shuixie cooking personally? Liu Xiang suspected the real reason was that the man couldn't stomach watching Duoduo brag in the living room. Listening might have set him off, so he'd retreated to the kitchen to vent his frustration on the ingredients. As for the baby—the moment Duoduo heard there was one to hold, she declared she had to see her right now, immediately, this instant. Liu Xiang smiled and nodded, sending Qian Xuanhuang to fetch Guo Ling'er.

The little one wasn't shy and didn't cry no matter who held her. The girls—Sonia included—took turns cooing and bouncing her. Zhong Xiaoying gazed at the baby with undisguised envy. (She and Guo Ling'er had been in the same cohort, it was worth noting.) Sonia, meanwhile, examined the child with a look of analyzing what distinguishes an East Asian infant—which irritated Liu Xiang. Little Lin was a natural with children, coaxing the baby from polite shallow smiles into full-throated laughter. When Zhang Yunmi took her turn, something odd happened: for reasons unknown, the baby grew particularly attached, patting Little Zhang's shoulder, then squinting and babbling at her for ages, leaving Zhang Yunmi bewildered. Eventually the baby refused to let go. Duoduo made several attempts to reclaim her, but the infant burrowed deeper into Little Zhang's arms, prompting a very pronounced pout. Finally Liu Xiang had to intervene, prying his daughter loose, and spent considerable effort cajoling her into letting Duoduo hold her.

"Uncle Liu, I want to kiss her! Why does she keep dodging?" Duoduo was determined to salvage some dignity.

"Obviously! My little treasure's been taught since the cradle not to let people kiss her willy-nilly!" Liu Xiang teased.

"I want to kiss, I want to kiss, I want to kiss!" Duoduo threw a sudden, thoroughly childish tantrum. "Be good, give big sister a kiss! Just one!"

"Uncle Liu! Make her stop squirming—I want to kiss her little mouth!"

The kid thinks you're playing a game, Liu Xiang thought. You can't just make her stop. Badgered into submission, he finally offered Duoduo a trick: pout and blink at the baby. Sure enough, the infant studied Duoduo's protruding lips for a moment, apparently decided this small red lump was something to eat, and bit down. Duoduo was overjoyed.

Over the years, Qian Xuanhuang had become the de facto First Secretary of the Feiyun Club. Plates and utensils appeared as if by magic, and she produced a high chair for the baby from somewhere—likely an original yacht accessory. Once the child was settled, everyone sat down to eat.

Qian Shuixie arrived carrying the final main course: Lamb Chops Braised in Red Wine. A true rarity here. The territory the Senate controlled produced no wine grapes, and ninety-nine percent of the wine shipped from Europe arrived as vinegar. Even the lamb chops themselves had to be specially ordered. Taste aside, the mere preparation of ingredients signaled how much importance was being placed on Liu Xiang.

"Now this is a rare treat. Where did the wine come from? One in ten thousand?" Liu Xiang asked in surprise.

"It's a long story! Come!" Qian Shuixie poured glasses for Liu Xiang and himself first. Duoduo took over, filling glasses for Little Zhang and Little Lin, after which Zhong Xiaoying poured for herself and Sonia. With Sonia—an English-speaking foreigner—present, the usual "For the Senatus!" toast would have felt all kinds of awkward. Qian Shuixie's brain churned as he rose with his glass; the final toast he landed on was: "To our common ideal!"

The Senators and Junior Senators raised their glasses without hesitation. Zhong Xiaoying, as an "adopted daughter," followed naturally. Sonia merely stood and raised her glass in acknowledgment, staying silent. But the moment she drank, her eyes widened. "Such mellow, sweet wine! In New Spain... no, even in Iberia, there is no wine of this caliber!" She very nearly squealed.

"Of course! We possess the finest brewing technology in the world!" Duoduo preened.

Liu Xiang took a sip. It was indeed a superb sweet wine, remarkably refreshing even unchilled. Wait—this flavor is oddly familiar...

(End of Chapter)