Sure, Diana Lu runs Fullhome Real Estate, one of the biggest real estate companies in China, but that’s child’s play compared to managing a teenage daughter.

Home-Modern Villa in the West Suburbs

7:30am Wake up to music from my Bose stereo. Touch the switch for the automatic blinds and the first ray of morning sunshine floods in. A beautiful spring day.

First Cup of Coffee

7:45 Head down to the living room, the coffee is already brewing. Sit out on the wooden deck, the pool glimmers in front of me; I feel miles away from work. Fresh air, beautiful flowers, green grass-CI’m just a step away from my dream life. Then my mobile rings-it’s Amy, our Sales Director, who lives five minutes away. She wants to join me for a morning coffee but probably really wants to discuss budget planning since I’m leaving for Beijing tomorrow for a business trip. She always pulls me back from my morning wonderland. I put together my to-do list for the day. Julia appears. My gorgeous daughter in her British School uniform gives me the usual good morning kiss, then she rushes to catch the school bus.
8:00 Amy arrives. We go through the monthly action plan and delegate tasks.
8:30 Two cups of coffee later, I go upstairs for a shower, leaving Amy, her laptop and the spring air.

What To Wear?

8:50 I enter my walk-in closet. Now it’s time for my usual morning headache: 40 sq. meters full of every style and color, and still nothing to wear. I stop in front of the businesswear section. Armani? Too professional. Gucci? Fits perfectly, but ¡ I’ve got it: Dolce & Gabana fits my mood this morning, just perfect for a spring day.
9:00 Down to the garden. After another coffee and a couple of emails, we are ready to hit the road. Car: Mercedes SLK.

The SLK

9:15 I open the sunroof. Who wants to waste the lovely spring air and sunshine?

Work Time

10:20 I only have 30 minutes to reply to all emails because an important customer is paying us a visit. Everything’s in place already-Cfruit plate, cookies, the good coffee and PPT.

Lunch Break

12:00pm Minutes after sending the customer away satisfied, five of my beautiful lady managers are standing in my office. They are hungry and I need to feed them.

More Work

2:00 Time to sign off on payments and contracts. I’m pleased-after six months of negotiation, the general agency contract comes in with a very important customer. I put down my signature immediately and my day is made.
4:00 Julia calls and in her sweet voice asks when I will be home for dinner. I tell her that I have a business dinner tonight. Our conversation ends up in mixed Chinese, German and English as it always does when she’s displeased.

Business Dinner at T8

7:00 At T8, Xintiandi’s most glamorous restaurant, I see in front of me a bottle of Italian wine and a blue-eyed customer, a beautiful lady. Were she a charming guy, it might be a better fit for the romantic environment. Nevertheless, it is a relaxing and successful meal.

Back Home

9:00 On the way home, I phone Ayi and have her heat up my sauna. Finally, I get home. Julia is not in the study room as usual. I find her in the home cinema with popcorn. I tell her that she must finish watching the movie and go to bed at 10pm, then I head straight up to the sauna.
9:30 Pack up a suitcase for tomorrow’s trip to Beijing. I have a meeting with a corporate client, but most importantly, I need to go to our Beijing office to tell my team how proud I am of them.
10:00 I get Julia out from the messed-up home cinema and send her off to bed. Then I’m off to my bedroom, where I pick up my favorite fengshui book. My best friend calls from Germany. We gossip about things and people, and make plans for early retirement. 10:30 Lights off. I want a good dream before another day starts.

VERDICT

Out of the SLK, the walk-in closet, her sales director Amy and Julia the teenage daughter, which one could Diana not live without? “Of course, Julia, my daughter; she brings me light. Whenever I have any problem I come home and see her face and everything is better. Sure, she may cause some trouble sometimes, but she’s still my sunshine!” Cool, we'll take the SLK!