[YourExcellency]

Liz
A black Cayenne Turbo pulled up at the taxi stand and the windows rolled down… “Leo?”

I lowered my head and peered into the car. God, in there sat the cutest and most seductive woman I had seen in months ;P I opened the door and got into the car…

Me: “嗨 Liz! 點解你看上來總後生過上一次？！你比八年前總靚女哇！！”

*Ok its getting really difficult to type in Cantonese slang and I am spending too much time searching for the Cantonese letters and many of them don’t exist on my notebook, so I will be reiterating all Cantonese conversations in English*

She laughed easily and said,

Liz: “Hey, I don’t remember you being such a smooth talker… Are you sure you are Leo?”
Me: “As sure as I am sitting beside the prettiest woman I have laid eyes on for months! By the way, you have a nice car!”
Liz: “Thanks! Its very popular in Hong Kong right now, almost all my friends have one in their families!”

She smiled radiantly and leaned over to give me a friendly hug and I returned the favor by giving her a social kiss on the cheeks. She had her long beautiful hair bunned-up and she wore very light make up, just enough to accentuate her high and well-defined cheekbones. The heavenly scent that I remembered from the first time I met her was still lingering around her. (Yes, Chanel!) To be brutally honest, she still wasn’t drop dead gorgeous, but she definitely was the kind of woman you would want to take more than a look at.

Liz: “So what have you been up to since I saw you?”
Me: “I’ve been working really hard, trying to keep my bank balance out of the red… what about you? You look really great, like you have been on holiday since we last met!”
Liz: “Hey I have been working too! Anyway, let’s get a drink and then we’ll talk! Do you have any idea where to go?”
Me: “I’m easy, just give me a drink and I will be contented!”

With that, she turned the car around and very soon, we found ourselves at Lan Kwai Fong, at the top level of one of the hotels, turned out we both liked brandy, so we were taking shots of Paradis out of a bottle, listening to soothing female vocal jazz.

I found out that she was still single but had gotten lucky and made some money from her investments and now she was in a semi-retired state, waiting for her next investment opportunity. She still seemed every bit the rich tai-tai, with her simple elegance and easy laughter, always seeming to see things in the best light. She didn’t look a day older than when I last saw her, and if it was even earthly possible, she looked even younger with flawless porcelain skin on her face, hands and legs. She wore her hair in a bun, and had the slightest tinge of highlight that showed a rebellious streak. Her black simple top had a large neck opening and her cream-colored pants were silky soft and flowing. She was perfect no matter which way I looked at her.

I filled her up on my life, how I spent the last decade working my ass off, how I was married and had a beautiful son, but sadly, as well as I was doing, I could feel that there was a marked difference between us. I recomposed myself and told myself that I had achieved what I had wanted – a drinking companion for tonight and that was it. I was happy with my life at this point and enjoyed my work so there was absolutely no reason to ruin a good thing.

We finished our drinks at 0300hrs, and soon it was time to say good-bye. She insisted on paying the bill, saying that it was her duty as host. I had to give in as she said otherwise she would be unhappy. I thanked her for the wonderful drink and gave her a hug and peck on the cheek, and told her she should not attempt to drive home after all that alcohol. She agreed to leave her car in the hotel car park and at my insistence, allowed me to see her home in a cab. I hailed for a cab and asked for her address – turns out she lives at the Mid Levels area, in a house. When we got to her place, she got out of the cab and bade me good night, promising to meet me the following day for lunch.

I gave her another peck again and got back into the cab. The cab took me back to my hotel – Island Shangri La back in Central, with the nosy driver inquiring where I was from, what did I do, who my friend was, and making comments that my “friend’s” house was probably worth between HKD$150-200million. I was rather shocked to know that Hong Kong property prices were that much higher than what we get in Singapore. I did not answer most of his questions and pretended I was too drunk to hear what he was asking. By the time I got back into my room, I only managed to take a very quick shower before crashing into bed, completely exhausted by the alcohol and the entire week’s late nights.