The latest scoop from China’s most trusted society columnist, Honey Chai
Is everyone sitting down? Because I have so many scoops for you that we might as well make a giant banana split! First scoop, and you heard it here FIRST: Mrs. Bernard Tai, aka Kitty Pong, is the mistress of Jack Bing! Extremely reliable sources tell me that Pong and Bing have been carrying on for quite a while now; they met two years ago at—get this—the funeral of Kitty’s father-in-law, Dato’ Tai Toh Lui! Tai was a great mentor of Bing’s, and apparently sparks really flew at the crematorium when Jack met Kitty. Meanwhile, a devastated Mrs. Bing has reportedly checked into the health spa at Brenners Park-Hotel in Baden-Baden, Germany. Colette Bing, who by all accounts is furious with her father, has also left Shanghai and was last seen canoodling with a certain notorious playboy at a club in Ibiza.
Which brings me to my next hot scoop: Everyone on the planet has by now seen the leaked video of Colette’s epic takedown by an unidentified woman. It’s the video that made Prêt-à-Couture cancel the multimillion-dollar endorsement deal with Colette. I can now reveal that this woman, whose monologue has become a rallying cry for every non-billionaire in China (and unfortunately, there are still quite a few of us who didn’t make it onto the Heron Wealth List!), is none other than Rachel Chu, the sister of Colette’s ex-paramour Carlton Bao. (Everyone still with me here?) Anyway, the video also led to Carlton and Colette’s breakup, and when I asked Carlton how he felt the other night at DR Bar, he gave me a frown and said, “What breakup? I’ve always said that Colette wasn’t my girlfriend. But she was a good friend at a time I really needed one, and I wish her the best.” That’s a classy response in my book.
Speaking of classy, Carlton’s parents, Bao Gaoliang and his wife, Bao Shaoyen, hosted a farewell dinner party at Yong Foo Elite last night for his daughter, Rachel Chu, and her husband, Professor Nicholas Young, who would be heading back to New York shortly. There wasn’t a dry eye in the splendid art deco room when Bao made an emotional toast to his “long lost” daughter, recounting the harrowing story of his youth and how he rescued his infant daughter and her mother from the clutches of an abusive family. The glittering crowd of China’s top political and financial powerhouse families clapped wildly after his speech, including Hong Kong’s tech titan Charles Wu. Wu, who stunned le tout Hong Kong by announcing his separation from his wife, Isabel, just weeks ago, spent the whole night glued to the side of a beautiful lady wearing the most drop-dead-gorgeous pleated white dress. Many at the party seemed to know her, but I was never able to catch her name.
When I can mention Yong Foo Elite, abusive families, and girls in white dresses in the same breath, I know it’s time to end my column. In the meantime, stay tuned for more updates on the Bing-Pong affair. I just know there will be more bombshells hurtling our way once all the legal teams get involved!
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“What in God’s name are you doing?” Corinna screeched when she was finally able to reach Kitty.
“I take it you’ve read this morning’s paper? Or did you read Honey Chai’s latest post?” Kitty said with a giggle.
“You sound almost as if you’re proud of yourself!”
“I am proud of myself! I finally got Gisele away from Bernard.”
“But you’ve completely sabotaged all the work we’ve done! This scandal is going to do untold damage to your reputation in Hong Kong!” Corinna moaned.
“You know, I no longer care about all that. Ada Poon can have Hong Kong all to herself—I’m in Singapore now, and there are all these lovely international people here who have lots of fun and don’t give a damn about local society. And I’ve just moved into a fabulous new house on Cluny Park Road. Actually, it’s a very old house, but you know what I mean.”
“Oh my goodness—you’re the mysterious buyer of the Frank Brewer house?”
“Haha. Yes, although just between you and me, it was a gift from Jack.”
“So Honey Chai isn’t making it up. You are Jack Bing’s mistress!”
“I’m not his mistress, I’m his girlfriend. Jack has been a wonderful friend to me. He has bought me many lovely things, and he has rescued me and my daughter from the hellhole that was Mar Vista. Funny that the neighborhood was called that—it means ‘view of the sea,’ but the only view we ever had was of that damn 405 freeway.”
Corinna sighed. “I guess I can’t blame you for escaping from there. How is Gisele doing?”
“She’s as happy as any little girl can be. She’s in the garden playing on the swing with her grandmother. And she’s been discovering wonderful things, like pineapple tarts and Barbie dolls.”
“Well, I hope you won’t come to regret your actions,” Corinna said worriedly.
“Higher, I think. Sorry, what were you saying, Corinna?” Kitty asked, momentarily distracted.
“I said…oh never mind. I hope you can work things out with Bernard amicably.”
“What does ‘amicably’ mean?”
“Friendly, peacefully.”
“I don’t want a war with Bernard. I just want him to be able to share Gisele with me, that’s all.”
“That’s the spirit. Anyway, good luck, and be sure to call me the next time you’re in Hong Kong.”
“We’ll take Gisele for high tea at the Four Seasons!”
“No, the Mandarin. Always the Mandarin. And don’t say ‘high tea’—high tea is only for factory workers. It’s ‘afternoon tea.’?”
“Of course. Whatever you say, Corinna.”
Kitty hung up the phone and took a few steps back. “You know, Oliver, you were right. It didn’t need to be higher. Let’s move it all back to where you had it originally.”
Oliver T’sien winked at her. “I was right when I told you to buy this house, and I was right when I told you to buy the painting, wasn’t I? I always imagined it looking utterly exquisite against this wall. It’s all about how the light filters in through those old lead-glass windows.”
“You’re right, it’s all going to be utterly exquisite,” Kitty said, gazing out the window as the workmen began rehanging The Palace of Eighteen Perfections on her drawing-room wall.