It was in front of the most desirable club to be seen in Hong Kong that the Cord town car pulled to a stop.  It was a burgundy so deep it looked almost black, a far cry from the creamy leather interior.  The chauffeur, in his starched black uniform, slid out of the separate front compartment and opened the back door.  Soon a pale slender leg slid out, a theatrical pause followed before the body joined it. The woman was sheathed in an ankle length, deep green cheongsam ornamented by gold embroidery and frogs, with slits all the way up to her thighs.

“When shall I pick you up, Madam?”

“The bags need to be packed after my act is over.  It should be roughly three o’clock tonight.  I was told I could board the ship anytime.”

“What are your orders while you are gone?”

“I’ve told Leung you’re on paid leave until I return.  Your orders, Dewai, are to go spend some time with that son of yours.  There are some gifts for him in the trunk.  Have a nice time.” 

He smiled.  “Very well, Madam.”

“And give my regards to your wife.  There are some dresses that I can’t use and thought she might like them.”  Mai-ling saw the look in his eyes change, even before he spoke.

“Mr. Li is at the door.”  Dewai muttered under his breath.  Everyone on the street knew Mai-ling, the entertainment at the Golden Dragon club.  They dubbed her the Dragon's Pearl.  The owner of the Golden Dragon had been on a trip through the mainland countryside in Liaoning Province.  It had been four years since his car had broken down and while the chauffeur tried to fix it, Mr. Li had heard an extraordinary voice.  He turned to find a beautiful young woman singing as she walked down the road, a yoke with heavy buckets attached across her shoulders.  Mai-ling Wah had been found barefoot in a tattered quilted jacket and a pair of old trousers.  Now, men from all over Hong Kong appeared nightly to see her perform in seductive costumes.  They all vied for her attention, both Chinese and Western alike. She paid for nothing, jewelry, clothes, cars, house; even the servants were all gifts from admirers.  Mai-ling plastered on a deadly smile and turned to her employer.  She feigned surprise at seeing him.

“Why Mr. Li, so kind of you to come and greet me.”  He frowned.

“If I didn’t, you would spend the entire night gossiping with your servants.  You spoil the man.  You spoil all of your servants.”

“Ah, but happy employees take good reports back to the men that pay their salaries and one day I shall be old and in need of a rich husband or two to support me in the life to which I have become accustomed.”  Mai-ling was tall and wore high heels to show it off even more.  Of slender build and beautiful features upon which she wore no makeup other than blood red lipstick.  Mr. Li’s frown softened, for business he understood even though it was nowhere near to the reason she treated her servants so well.  She knew what it was like to be on the end of a bad master.  For all intents, she was little more than a servant to Mr. Li despite the men and privileges.  She would see nothing of him in her actions while she was being a master to others.

“Mr. Chang is waiting for you.  It is not good to keep such a man waiting.”

“He will miss me while I am gone.”

“And I will miss the small fortune he drops gambling when he comes to see you.” 

Mai-ling’s heart hardened, Mr. Chang was good to her.  She hated to see him treated the way he was.  “Well I can’t stand here any more.  Next you’ll yell at me for talking to you all night even if I would think it would do business good to let the common man see what he’s missing.”