The two wait staff from earlier returned, bringing drinks in an orderly manner as they served our table. They were followed by three more wait staff who headed to other tables, serving the teachers and investors. Glasses and alcohol bottles were quickly spread across the table, some bearing labels I had never seen before.
Ci Xing, seated beside me, quickly took on the role of server, but Mr. Tang and Mr. Li stopped her from serving them.
"This is huangjiu," Ci Xing said, pushing a glass of transparent liquid toward me. "Since you've never tasted Chinese local alcohol, start with this."
"Thank you, Ci," I replied politely, accepting the glass.
"No problem. Let me know if you need anything else," she said.
"I'm fine, go ahead and—" I began, but my words were cut off by a woman's voice.
"I couldn't help but notice you. What's your name, and what's your role at Mingde?" My attention shifted to Mrs. Tia, one of the investors, who had approached our table. Her English was passable, though not as smooth as Li, Tang, or Ci Xing.
"My name is Kasi Williams. I teach English to the elementary children," I introduced myself.
"Oh, please allow me to toast you," she said. Remembering Ci Xing's earlier advice, I stood up and drank the contents of the glass. The taste was sweet, with a slight irritation, but it wasn't unbearable.
"Miss Kasi seems unfamiliar with Chinese culture. It's only polite to drink a full toast, not an almost empty glass," Mrs. Tia said with a slight chuckle.
"Oh, sorry about that," I said, pouring myself another glass of huangjiu and drinking it all at once.
"It's alright. There was no need to drink another glass, but your honesty is commendable," Mrs. Tia smiled, turning to look at Mei Lín and Jun Cai. "Teachers, do you mind if I join this table? Chairman Yi Ren isn't very entertaining."
"Oh, no problem!" Mei Lín and Jun Cai immediately stood up and hurriedly scattered to another table.
"Mingde teachers are respectable and seem fun to be around," Mrs. Tia said as she sat down, crossing her legs. My eyes were drawn to the long slit in her dress, revealing her pale mid-thigh.
"Miss Kasi, right? Let's drink to you officially joining this esteemed environment. Mr. Tang has done a lot of work; it would be a shame not to toast to that," Mrs. Tia said.
"Alright," I replied, pouring myself another glass and drinking it. Mrs. Tia didn't touch her glass.
"Unfortunately, I can't drink too much due to my weak constitution. Someone like you, who is in good health and muscular, is truly admirable," Mrs. Tia commented, looking at me with a wronged expression.
I didn't consider myself muscular; I was more on the lean side. But in China, where most preferred a thin, almost fragile build, I might as well have been considered robust.
A snort broke through my thoughts. It was Mr. Tang, holding a glass with an unreadable expression, staring at its contents.
"With your previous line of work, drinking shouldn't be a problem, Mrs. Tia," Mr. Tang said in a low tone, his voice tinged with anger?
Mrs. Tia seemed lost for words, a blush creeping across her face as she looked at Mr. Tang with an aggrieved expression. "That was a long time ago, and it was against my wishes," she mumbled.
"Hm," Mr. Tang responded.
"Kasi, if you don't feel like drinking, then don't," Mr. Tang said to me.
Though I didn't understand the underlying tension, I was relieved by his words. While the huangjiu was sweet, I didn't want to overindulge. I nodded in understanding, and the table fell silent. As an introvert, I struggled to initiate conversations, especially in large groups.
"Ci, when are you going to visit Beijing? Auntie and Uncle Ci might be missing you. Spare some time to visit," Mr. Tang suddenly said.
"It's fine. I call them almost every week. It's not that I don't want to visit, but when I do, they call me lazy and urge me to return to my duties," Ci Xing replied with a smile.
"Auntie and Uncle are always worried about others," Mr. Tang said, his expression nostalgic.
"Alright! Who shall we select to sing for us? Ah, right! Let's welcome our new teacher. You're all going to love her singing! Kasi Williams!" Chairman Yi Ren's voice cut through the conversation.
I was startled by the sudden call. All the songs I knew seemed to vanish from my mind at that moment.
"It's alright if you don't want to sing. I can step in for you. I promised to sneak you out before the karaoke. I'm sorry," Ci Xing said apologetically.
"It's alright. It's just singing," I smiled, comforting her. I stood up amidst claps and cheers from the surrounding teachers and headed toward the small stage.
"What song will you sing, Miss Kasi?" Chairman Yi Ren asked.
"September by Earth, Wind & Fire. It's a funk/disco song," I replied.
"Ohhh! Can't wait!" Chairman Yi said enthusiastically.
I looked toward Ci Xing, who gave me a cheer-up gesture. "Jiayou!" she said. I smiled at the encouragement. Mrs. Tia's eyes were now focused on her drink, while Mr. Tang and Mr. Li nodded in support.
I started the song slowly, gradually increasing the tempo. Whether it was the alcohol or the moment, I closed my eyes and let go, singing to my heart's content. All my personal worries seemed to wash away. "September" always had that effect on me.
By the time the song neared its end, the teachers had stood up and were dancing to the beat. Even the wait staff lingered, refusing to leave. The atmosphere was jubilant. Music has a way of breaking through barriers, even language ones.
As the song ended, cheers erupted. I caught my breath and smiled.
"Wow! Miss Kasi, sing us another one!" Chairman Yi said.
"That's enough. Miss Kasi is tired," a voice interrupted. Mr. Li had approached us at some point.
"Oh, that's right. Maybe next time. What was the song again?" Chairman Yi inquired, and I told him the name once more.
I returned to my seat, and Mr. Li pushed a bottle of water toward me. I thanked him and took a sip. I noticed that Mrs. Tia was no longer at our table, I didn't read much into it, she might have chosen to leave early.
"Your choice in music is fantastic! You had me dancing like it was a concert!" Ci Xing exclaimed.
"I'm not that good, really. I used to sing it with someone very close to me," I replied.
At that moment, Principal Yi's voice pierced the air as he attempted to sing, despite protests from some teachers.
"You ungrateful people! I sacrificed myself to sing for you!" he shouted, eliciting chuckles from the crowd. I glanced back at my table and noticed Mr. Tang's eyes fixed on me before he looked away at his phone. I decided not to read too much into it.
As the evening wore on, the investors and some teachers began to leave one by one. Ci Xing and I also prepared to depart. Mr. Li and Mr. Tang escorted us to the door, their attentiveness surprising but appreciated.
Ci Xing had called an Uber, which arrived promptly. We got into the car, and just as we were about to leave, there was a knock on the driver's window. Mr. Tang's face appeared.
"Drive slowly and safely. It's okay to take your time. The roads at night can be unpredictable. Call me if anything arises. Do you know Mingde International School? That's where they're headed," Mr. Tang instructed.
"Look here, sir, I've been an Uber driver for over 20 years! I know how to drive! Thank you for the travel wishes," the middle-aged driver grumbled impatiently. I couldn't help but laugh—perhaps it was the alcohol.
Mr. Tang awkwardly tapped the window and handed the driver some money. I knew it was more than the fare Ci Xing had mentioned, but after laughing at his expense, I didn't dare say anything.
"Goodnight, Kasi. Goodnight, Ci Xing," Mr. Tang said as the driver closed the window and drove off.
Today had been fun. Ever since the accident, I had been consumed by sorrow. But tonight, I felt a little lighter.
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