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He liked women as tall as he was, not taller, and he liked a good figure. He had no real preference in religion, since he was not a religious man. He could tolerate most of the faiths as long as they didn’t proselytize. He found Jewish women fun but a little annoying and he didn’t care for Baptists, but other than that, he was fine with all types. And then one Saturday he went to a barbecue and met someone.

Laura Markum was the daughter of the senator from California, Stanley Markum. She had been married once, for three years, but had no children. At thirty-three years old she was simply beautiful. If Shen Li could have had a computer design the perfect American woman, this would be her. Five-six, long brown hair, a champion soccer player in school, dean’s list at Yale, she was a prosecutor who worked in the DA’s office and was known as “the killer.” She had not lost a case in six years working for the city and now she was considering private practice, as she was being offered partner in one of the preeminent law firms in California.

Li was in the buffet line waiting for ribs when she came up to him. “I think what you are doing is fantastic. I was telling a friend of mine that the “big one” is going to turn out to be one of the greatest things that have ever happened to this country.”

Li felt his face turn red. That normally didn’t happen to him, but he was so taken by her.

“Well, thank you. Nobody would wish an earthquake this size on any city, but we are going to try to make it work in our favor.”

They sat down and ate lunch together under an oak tree. They exchanged histories and anecdotes and genuinely had a terrific time. Li was wondering what the right moment would be to ask for her connections and to try to make another date, when she beat him to it. “Are you doing anything Monday night?” she asked.

“No.”

“I’m having dinner with my father and his new girlfriend. Would you like to come?”

“Very much.” So Laura gave him the particulars and they exchanged numbers. Li said what a great chance meeting this was.

“I don’t believe in chances,” she said. “I’m sure this was part of a plan.”

“Well, that’s okay with me. This is a good plan.” Li reached out to give her a handshake good-bye, but instead she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and once again he turned red. “I look forward to Monday,” he said.

“I can’t wait,” she replied.

And Li left the barbecue more excited about a woman than he had ever been in his entire life.

CHAPTER FORTY

Things had gotten back to somewhat of a normal relationship for Kathy and Max. When she accepted his generous loan she felt indebted, so she channeled that into more feelings of love. But what really made Kathy feel better was her new job.

Shortly after her twentieth birthday, she took the necessary courses online and got her real estate license. She started working for one of the larger realtors in Indianapolis, Premier Properties. When she interviewed with the company’s owner, eighty-six-year-old Clyde Folsom, he liked her immediately, and the feeling was mutual. Clyde was shocked when Kathy said she had just turned twenty—he was sure she was ten years older—but he didn’t care. There was nothing wrong with someone her age selling property, especially if she was good.

Though Clyde still came to work each day, he was slowly losing interest in the business. He didn’t want to be doing this into his nineties. He had children, but none of them wanted to follow in his footsteps, which made him sad. He did not want to see the company that he’d built from nothing simply disappear. That was one reason why he was rooting for Kathy from the first day.

Kathy chose not to say anything to Max until she was hired. Her having a boss in his eighties wouldn’t go over well with him. It seemed the more Max was frustrated, the younger the age group he hated. He used to hate anyone over seventy. Now he hated people over sixty. Kathy thought it was only a matter of time before he included fifty-year-olds,