Chapter 54: The Meeting

The day room on the maternity wing had a rubber tree, a water cooler and forty plastic chairs.

The Shen Group board sat in them in their suits.

The chairman's table was a card table with a tablecloth over it.

At the back, by the door, stood a row of reporters with their phones raised.

Mr. Shen took the head of the table, with his stick hooked on the back of his chair.

The old secretary sat at his elbow with the minute book.

Xiao Chen and Shen Yan sat side by side at the end, thirty-nine and thirty-eight weeks.

Two signing pens lay in front of them, and a nurse stood quietly by the wall.

Across the room Gu Zhengnan sat in a cane chair he had plainly brought himself.

He wore the grey coat, though it was July.

He smiled at the bellies, one after the other, with perfect kindness.

"Chairman," he said. "A point of order."

"Go on."

"A maternity ward is not a boardroom. I fear for the dignity of the company."

"Article Three," said the old secretary, without looking up.

He turned a page in the minute book.

"The chairman fixes the place of the meeting. Any room of Shen Group's choosing. It has been in the articles for forty years."

"Then I note my objection."

"It is noted."

"And I note that both signatories are visibly unwell."

"Both signatories are visibly pregnant," Mr. Shen said. "It is not a defect in the quorum."

A ripple of laughter went through the plastic chairs and was stopped.

Gu inclined his head.

"The first resolution," Mr. Shen said, "is the sale of Shen Group's shipping arm to Gu Harbour Holdings."

He did not raise his voice.

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