A billionaire puked on me 🤮🤮 #storytime

On my last trip back to Xi'An, I was invited to a family reunion dinner to catch up with my cousins, as our visits back home are rare. The evening started innocently enough, with warm greetings and animated conversations filling the room. However, I was left speechless when I learned that the two cousins who had invited us were both billionaires.

One cousin had built an empire as the retailer of a major alcohol brand, while the other owned a logging company that handled everything related to wood, from home renovations to setting up pop-up stores for brands. Their success stories were mind-boggling, and I felt like I was living in a real-life rags-to-riches tale.

During the meal, the adults indulged in what is known as the Chinese alcohol culture [酒文化], a practice present in group gatherings and vital for maintaining business relations, reserved for those they are comfortable with. As the night wore on, one of my cousins, in a bold display, chugged an entire flask of Chinese liquor, 白酒🍶, confidently assuring us he'd be fine. But it didn’t take long before he started wobbling in his chair, eventually falling asleep at the table, much to everyone's amusement and concern.

As the night wound down, we decided it was time to call it quits and began packing things up. In China, it’s common for people to drive to such gatherings, knowing they can easily find a replacement driver -代驾 after the event. These drivers usually loiter around bars and hotels, waiting for calls, then ride their foldable bikes to the meetup location.

While waiting for the replacement driver, I fetched some water and turned up the heater in my cousin’s car. Just as I passed the water to my drunken cousin, he suddenly lurched forward, and a projectile of vomit flew straight into my face. It was a shocking and unpleasant experience, to say the least.

Despite the messy end to the night, it was an eye-opening experience that highlighted the incredible prosperity many in China have experienced in recent years. Even my other cousins were doing remarkably well, running their own businesses and leading happy, fulfilling lives.

#lemon8travel #storytime #MyLemon8Diary #china #chinatravel #RealTalk