82 Monster Yang's Tamer

November 30, 20XX (Friday Night)

Zhao Manor

After a while, the rest of the Zhao Family arrived and when Yue arrived last everyone stood up to see her enter the room. Yang was seated at the end of the long table with Mei Li next to him on his right while Aunt Qinyang was seated next to Mei Li.

When Yue entered, Mei Li stood up after Yang as the CEO had taken her right hands into his left hand and tugged her to stand up. Mei Li stood immediately at his signal, she didn't know how this type of social events convenes so she depended on Yang to tell her when to stand up when to sit down when to smile when to clap, and everything else really. She was grateful that Mother Zhao had assigned her to Yang, at least she had someone experienced.

Mei Li's clap loudest when she saw Yue wearing a light blue Princess style ballgown by Micheal Cinco with gold embroidery of connecting lines and flowers. Yue had even worn a tiara-like headband that complemented her elegant hair with soft wavy curls at the ends.

Finally, the banquet started with Father Zhao greeting the audiences followed by Grandpa Zhao who had said a few words.

Yue had to dance with the male members of the Zhao Family before she took the mic into her hands and thanked everyone for coming and she also specially mentioned how grateful she was for the gifts. She cut her cake, ate it with a smile, and went back to her.

After that, everyone was felt to mingle with each other again. Was that all there is to this banquet? No singing of birthday songs? No blowing of the candles?

"Yang, " Mei Li tug on Yang's clothes again to gain his attention. When the CEO looked down at her and bent his waist so he could hear her amidst the noise of the guests' chatter, she covered her mouth with the left hand so the guest could not read her lips and whispered to Yang on his left ears, "Is the party ending? We haven't been here for an hour and Yue's speech seemed as if it was a closing one."

The CEO smiled at her and whispered back into her right ears but not covering his lips as she had done, "We give them time before and after the program for guests to interact with each other for business purposes. Some CEO's take advantage of seeking business partners through events such as these."

Mei Li's mouth opened with an O as she said "ahh" in understanding. So, Yue's true birthday party was that small gathering of their family last 28th as this was just a business event masked as her birthday celebration. How tiring!

Mei Li saw everyone from the Zhao Family had retired for the night and she and Yang were the only ones left to take care of the guests.

"This is also the part where I hate the most so you better keep me in line because someone is coming..." Yang mumbled softly but loud enough for her to hear as his eyes briefly glance at a certain direction.

Mei Li looked at where he had glanced to and saw a middle-aged man with a pot belly wearing a tux that looked too small for his belly. Beside him was a black-haired typical Chinese woman with her hair tied in a bun. Behind them were most probably their children, a son, and a daughter.

"CEO Zhao, this is my family with me." The middle-aged man said immediately to gain Yang's attention. Yang's hold on her right-hand somewhat tightened. Mei Li felt this was not going to turn out great in the end.

"My wife, My son, and my daughter. She had just achieved his diploma in medicine and is now study-"

Whoever this middle-aged man is must have thought Yang was interested in him but the CEO was smiling that fake smile of his that clearly told Mei Li he was suffering from Idiocracy.

"I see..." Yang interpreted him as he took Mei Li's hand and places it in the crook of his left arm before replying, "And you expect me to care about your daughter's achievements, why? I appreciate your furniture designs to use it on my buildings but that's about it."

The middle-aged man flinched at Yang's words. He was a furniture designer that made many types of furniture for private and public individuals but his company is very small compared to the rest of the people in this event.

In fact, his company had recently won the favor of the interior designer that CEO Zhao had hired to furnish his buildings.Miss Trisha Fuller had made them a small company with a possibility of growing bigger. He had thought that he had caught CEO Zhao's attention especially when Miss Trisha had given them an invitation saying that someone close with CEO Zhao had liked his furniture but unfortunately it was highly unlikely that it was true guessing by his cold attitude.

"Yang, I'm hungry. Can we get some food?" Mei Li interrupted, feeling sorry for the middle-aged man.

"Of course! What do you want to eat?" Yang smirked at her way of keeping him in a right leash. She was not keeping him out of conversations but rather stirring him out of conversations he didn't like.

He could help but love this woman even more.

Mei Li, just to be comical, listed all the foods she wanted to eat but was not available, "I want Spanish Empanadas or Greek Avgolemono. I want to try Tamatar Salat in India! I heard that Maja Blanca from the Philippines is delightful. Nasi uduk in Indonesia sounds interesting; it has rice cooked in coconut milk. Tom Yum Goong in Thailand, that dish contained spicy shrimps! and-"

Yang touched his nose helplessly as he sighed.

"I'm sorry, my beautiful lady. We only serve Chinese food and some western finger food. Besides, You need to think of another food to eat in Thailand because you're not allowed shrimps." He interrupted her monologue of unknown foods from other countries. He had finally met a bigger foodie than his grandfather. The fact that she wanted to eat something that contained something she was allergic to, worried Yang.

Mei Li grinned unrepentant of her actions, "Oh well, I guess Chinese food will do."

"This way, Ma'am." Yang guided her while pretending to be a waiter.

But before Mei Li had gone with Yang, she greeted the middle-aged man saying, "It was lovely to meet you, Mister Li. I like your furniture designs especially your desks and chairs."

The middle-aged man finally realized who was behind his invitation to this party and said, "Thank you, Miss. It is my honor."

Mei Li smiled at him before letting Yang drag her to the banquet table for some food.

"It seemed that you invited your own people," Yang drawled at her with a smirk.

Mei Li stuck her tongue out at him before replying, "I asked Yue if I could. She agreed, saying that I can invite anyone I like and I was interested in meeting the designer of those pieces of furniture we ordered. He is ingenious and innovative."

"That's high praise coming from you..." Yang blinked surprised.

"Give credit when credit is due." Mei Li grinned at him as she took a plate for herself and place one for Yang on his hands.

Suddenly, a man appeared behind him after they finished talking food at the buffet table, this time it was a man closer to his age group. Although Yang had recognized him, he forgot his name. "CEO Zhao, you have a lovely home."

"Thank you," Yang tried to be accommodating.

"But isn't it too much to have a manor of this size must be costing you a fortune to maintain even our five-bedroom house can cost-"

Yang's eyes twitched with irritation. People like these that like to compare their lives with his and pick at the flaws was the most irritating!

"Please, don't speak. The longer I listen the more irritating your voice become-" "Yang, let's go grab a drink? I am a little thirsty." Mei Li immediately tugged him to her side and nodded a farewell to the man Yang was about to kill with his words.

Yang sighed as he followed Mei Li, this keeper of.his is doing such a good job. Now he can't roast anyone with his poisonous tongue.

"Do you want some wine?" He joked to her.

Mei Li poked the arm that she was gripping tightly before glaring at him.

Yang put his left hand in the air as a sign for surrender and said, "We can have some strawberry milk I had bought for you from Japan."

"Really?" Mei Li almost jumped to hug Yang. Strawberry milk from Japan was always delightful!

"Really."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

The last person that dared approached Yang was finally someone he could talk to. "Good evening CEO Zhao," a man he was associated with greeted him. This time it was a man he approved of.

Mei Li once again did not interfere if she didn't need to so she stayed quietly at his side, letting him talk to his business associate without interruptions.

She had grown comfortable with him.

She had joked with him without thinking of the consequences.

She had depended on him and his signals.

She had understood his mood and his growing boredom at mindless conversation.

She had allowed his touches without much thought.

Yang had fallen even deeper for Mei Li, that he was sure off.

Mei Li and Yang were clueless when they left the party of the gossip that runs through everyone's ears. Apparently, CEO Zhao had a tamer in a form of a beautiful woman and it is said that if you meet with CEO Zhao together with that woman, it is said that he would take easy on you.

All the CEOs that were invited had confirmed this fact true when outsiders that were not invited had asked. When Yang's friends had heard of his, the laughter and teasing remarks had been abundant.

Miss Wu Mei Li is not just the famous artist Miss M but also CEO Zhao's Tamer.

Mother Zhao and Grandma Zhao had laughed out loud upon hearing this news from Aunt Qinyang who had heard it from all the ladies she socializes who also heard it from their husbands.

This was golden news so they told their husbands with peals of laughter; the Zhao Patriarchs just touched their noses helplessly as they thought, 'Welcome to the Whipped Husband Club, Yang. Now you'll know how we feel marrying strong women.'