Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 675 Purpose
Tuesday, May 12th.

Beijing Hotel.

Since the peaceful recapture of Beijing, this luxurious old hotel, located on East Chang'an Avenue and west of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, has been used as an important venue for state activities and foreign affairs receptions, and has a very high political status.

In 1954, Mr. Dai Nianci oversaw the construction of the West Building, which was eight stories high. In 1974, the East Building was expanded, reaching a height of nearly 80 meters, with three underground floors and 20 floors above ground, becoming one of the most famous landmarks on Chang'an Avenue.

Zhou Zhengdong lives here now.

Chen Fan didn't borrow a car; instead, he called a taxi.

The car stopped in front of the hotel. As soon as he got out, two foreigners stood next to him. They waited for him to come out, then immediately got back in the car and drove away.

Chen Fan blinked, then looked at the cars coming and going at the entrance, and suddenly felt as if he had crossed into a different era.

He shook his head and turned to walk into the hotel.

As he approached the service desk, before he could even speak, a staff member immediately stood up and greeted him, "Hello sir, are you looking for accommodation or to handle some business?"

This attitude is not outdated at all.

Chen Fan took a breath and smiled, "Please contact Mr. Zhou Zhengdong of 806 for me and tell him that Chen Fan has arrived."

The waiter smiled and nodded, "Please wait a moment."

He then flipped through the register to search, and after a few seconds, he frowned slightly, looked up and said, "Are you sure it's Mr. Zhou Zhengdong?"

Chen Fan was stunned for a moment, but quickly came to his senses and laughed, "Oh, he should have registered his English name, James Chow."

The waiter's smile returned. "Just a moment."

After verifying that everything was correct, she picked up the phone and dialed the number.

After quickly hanging up the phone, the waiter pointed to the elevator lobby and said, "Hello, you can take the elevator up from here. Mr. Zhou is waiting for you in his room."

Chen Fan smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

He then turned and walked toward the elevator.

There was a service staff member standing guard at the elevator entrance. When Chen Fan came over, the staff member asked him which floor he wanted to go to and helped him press the button.

When the elevator doors opened, Chen Fan went inside and saw that there was another elevator operator who pressed the button for the 8th floor.

You don't even need to lift a finger to ride the elevator.

A moment later, the elevator came to a stop. Chen Fan stepped out and saw a desk in a recessed area directly opposite the elevator. On the desk were a telephone, a notebook, and a pen.

A waitress sitting there immediately stood up when she saw Chen Fan come out and asked, "Are you a guest of room 806?"

Chen Fan pursed his lips and nodded gently, "Yes."

Is this the service of the most luxurious hotel in the 70s? It's truly impressive.

After confirming his identity, the waiter led him to the door of room 806 and knocked gently.

The door opened quickly, but it wasn't Zhou Zhengdong who opened it; it was Zhou Yali.

Upon seeing Chen Fan, before the waiter could even speak, she jumped up and hugged his neck, exclaiming, "Brother, I've missed you so much!"

Chen Fan's face fell. "Hey, hey, hey, this isn't America. Don't hug and cuddle like that. What kind of behavior is this? Get down here."

Zhou Yali then landed on the ground, pouting, "You're not that old, but your thinking is so outdated. Hmph, I wouldn't even carry anyone else, but you're complaining."

After saying that, she turned and walked inside, but didn't forget to hold Chen Fan's hand.

Chen Fan quickly said to the waiter who was still standing to the side, "Thank you."

Then I was pulled into the room.

The waiter seemed unfazed, smiling as he helped close the door before returning to his post.

……

This room is a suite. To the right of the entrance are a wardrobe and a tea cabinet. Behind the wall is the bathroom. Passing through the entryway, there is a small living room. To the left are two more bedrooms.

(Interior view of a suite at the Beijing Hotel in 75)
Hearing the noise at the door, Zhou Zhengdong had already gotten up and walked over. Seeing Chen Fan, he immediately asked with a smile, "Was the journey smooth?"

Chen Fan nodded and smiled, "It went very smoothly. I took a flight yesterday afternoon, but because I arrived quite late, I didn't come here."

Zhou Yali pulled him to sit on the sofa, then let go of his hand and busied herself making him tea. "It's okay if it's late. This is a hotel, you can stay here too."

Chen Fan looked at her, then at Zhou Zhengdong, his expression puzzled. "Why are you staying here? There are rooms at home."

Zhou Zhengdong sat down next to him, took out a pack of cigarettes and placed it in front of him, "Help yourself."

He then said, "We're here on official business. There are regulations that prevent us from moving around freely, and there are also confidentiality clauses, so we can only stay here."

She pointed at Chen Fan and said, "That's why I can't come to you; you have to come to me."

Chen Fan nodded in realization, a thoughtful look in his eyes, feeling that he must have guessed correctly.

He casually picked up a cigarette from the coffee table. He didn't recognize the brand, but by the aroma, he knew it was flue-cured tobacco, not the blended cigarettes that are more common among foreign brands.

Zhou Yali squatted down beside the coffee table, took out a Zippo sterling silver embossed lighter from her pocket, placed it in front of him, and said with a smile, "I specially picked this out for you, and the cigarettes too. I was afraid you wouldn't like foreign cigarettes, so I chose this kind of roasted tobacco that tastes similar to domestic ones."

The United States is the birthplace of flue-cured tobacco, originating from Virginia. This tobacco is produced in Virginia. Try it and see if you like it.

Chen Fan smiled at her and said, "Thank you."

Domestically, tobacco is mostly flue-cured, so it's rare that she brought herself a souvenir, and even thought of the flavor; she really put her heart into it.

Zhou Zhengdong sat on the sofa and shook his head, saying, "I wish you could treat your daddy the same way you treat your brother."

Zhou Yali turned and glared at him, "My brother can earn me tens of millions of dollars, but you only gave me a lousy publishing house. How can you compare?!"

Zhou Zhengdong rolled his eyes and suddenly didn't want this daughter anymore.

Chen Fan chuckled without saying a word, opened the cigarette box, pushed out two cigarettes from the bottom, handed one to Zhou Zhengdong first, and then took one out and put it in his mouth. Seeing that Zhou Zhengdong lit it himself, he didn't interfere, lit it with his lighter, and took a puff.

Somewhat unexpectedly, it wasn't very strong, and the texture was rather soft.

Zhou Zhengdong laughed, "This kind of cigarette has a mild flavor and is quite popular among the American elite. I brought you a case this time. If you like it, I'll send you a few more cases." Chen Fan quickly shook his head, "No need to send them. Actually, I don't smoke much. It's mainly for social occasions."

Zhou Yali got up and sat down to the side, saying, "Then keep it for social occasions. I've noticed these past two days staying here that some people just like foreign products. Next time you meet someone like that, offer them this kind of cigarette."

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly as he looked at her and asked, "Your uncle is here on official business. What are you doing here? Don't you have classes?"

Hearing him ask this, Zhou Yali's face immediately lit up with a smile, "I'm here on official business too, my role is my dad's assistant, and I even took leave from school, so what, is that not allowed?!"

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Zhou Zhengdong.

Zhou Zhengdong looked at his daughter with affection, then smiled at Chen Fan and said, "Didn't you make a few suggestions last time, one of which was to expand the business to China? I went back and thought about it carefully, and also consulted many people's opinions. Finally, I made the decision to develop the domestic market."

Therefore, I found a way to join the Office of the Special Trade Representative and its subordinate Office of the General Counsel. This trip back to China was as a legal advisor, accompanying them on some trade-related matters.

As he spoke, he looked at Zhou Yali and said, "Yali happens to be studying international trade, and she will take over part of the family business in the future. In addition, with the company you two are partners in, she will be the one to take on a major role in the future."

"This is a rare opportunity, so I'll hire her as my assistant so she can learn something from me."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan nodded in realization, "I see."

He paused for a moment, then frowned slightly, staring intently at Zhou Zhengdong, and said in a low voice, "Didn't you just say there was a confidentiality clause?"

Zhou Zhengdong smiled and said, "I won't tell you things that need to be kept secret."

Zhou Yali also explained from the side, "The whole world knows that the two major powers are negotiating, but what they are talking about and what the outcome of the negotiations will be are the most important things."

She shrugged as she spoke, “My dad, as the legal advisor of the trade office, was able to get involved partly because there were indeed things to discuss, but partly it was also a kind of cover-up.”

Now that everything had been said, Chen Fan understood perfectly.

Most people may not be familiar with the "Office of the Special Trade Representative," but many have heard of the U.S. Trade Representative from the news.

Their trade representative was the head of this "Office of the Special Trade Representative," which, a little over a year later in 1980, was renamed the "Office of the Trade Representative" and became the highest governing body in the U.S. trade system.

The head of this office, the U.S. Trade Representative, also became an ambassador-level member of the cabinet and was directly responsible to the White House and Congress.

This ambassadorial level is equivalent to a vice-ministerial level, and they have comprehensive control over trade policy, initiate trade negotiations and litigation, which shows their importance and great power.

This department later became the one that frequently initiated international trade disputes.

As for the "General Counsel's Office" mentioned by Zhou Zhengdong, it is equivalent to the legal department of this unit.

The fact that Zhou Zhengdong was able to squeeze into the highest authority of the American trade system, even as a minor legal advisor, made Chen Fan deeply curious about his background.

Seeing the surprise in Chen Fan's eyes, Zhou Zhengdong was even more astonished.

He asked tentatively, "Xiao Fan, do you know about this department?"

Chen Fan chuckled dryly twice, "I often read foreign newspapers, I've seen it in the newspapers."

Zhou Zhengdong nodded in realization, then smiled and said, "Actually, my entry into this organization is also somewhat related to you."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan was stunned. "Huh? That can't be right?"

Is it related to me?
That doesn't make sense.

If we're talking about the cultural system, the other side might be able to make a connection because they are a well-known writer.

But is it the trade system, or the highest authority?
Does it have anything to do with me?

Seeing Chen Fan's stunned expression, Zhou Yali immediately giggled, "What my dad said is true. Although the Zhou family has been deeply rooted in New York for many years and has a certain influence in Chinatown and other relationships, which allows them to connect with the Law Society, it's still not enough to get into the Office of the Trade Representative, even just as a legal advisor."

Chen Fan opened his eyes wide and remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

Zhou Yali suddenly got up and went into the room. A moment later, she came out with two books, placed them in front of Chen Fan, sat back down on the sofa, and said with a smile, "But with this, anything is possible."

Chen Fan picked it up and, as expected, it was his own Western fantasy novel, "The Legend of the Dragon Knight".

Zhou Zhengdong, smoking a cigarette, looked at him and smiled, "The current Trade Representative, Mr. Robert Schwarz Strauss, is also a fan of your books. I used this book as a stepping stone to get the opportunity to meet him."

Then, after another 10 minutes of persuasion, I convinced him to recommend me to the General Counsel's office. I then used the importance of trade with China to convince Attorney Schultz, and ultimately secured the position, becoming one of the members of this meeting.

He laughed and spread his hands, "That's why you can see me here."

Chen Fan opened his mouth slightly, looked at Zhou Yali, and then looked at himself.

Is it really that amazing?

Seeing that he seemed incredulous, Zhou Yali immediately said, "Brother, you have no idea how popular you are in America. Countless superstars have publicly expressed their admiration for you and their desire to meet you."

When I go to work with my dad, the most frequent question I get is when the second book will be published. The second most frequent question is where the author is and whether we can meet him. They say they'll throw a grand banquet for him with the highest honors…

As Zhou Yali spoke, she began to gesticulate wildly, "I used to think that these political figures were all very serious, but I didn't expect that they are just like ordinary people, reading novels and following celebrities."

However, I declined all the invitations, citing your need to create something new. So, bro, are you done with the second book yet?

Chen Fan blinked, finally snapping out of his daze. Meeting their expectant gazes, he smiled and said, "Not only is the second part finished, but the third part is also finished. I'll bring it back to you later."

Zhou Yali immediately clenched her fist, "Yay!"

Chen Fan tossed away his cigarette butt, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked at the two of them. "How long are you planning to stay this time?"

Zhou Zhengdong's expression turned serious, and he shook his head slightly. "The specific time has not yet been determined. We will have to wait for the results of Mr. Leonard Woodcock's meeting before we can determine the next steps."

A hint of melancholy appeared on his face. "It's possible that the talks will continue, or he might stay permanently, or he might leave soon. Nobody knows for sure, not even Leonard Woodcock himself."

Chen Fan pursed his lips and smiled, "It will have a good outcome."

Before the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the United States had already set up an office in Beijing, and Leonard Woodcock was the representative of the office.

When Zhou Zhengdong returned to China last time, Leonard Woodcock sent an assistant to accompany him throughout the trip.

His current position is very important, but not particularly high or low. Zhou Zhengdong has a certain influence in New York, so doing him a favor and befriending a powerful local figure with great potential is just a matter of lifting a finger.

Moreover, given his current position and the things he is doing, Zhou Zhengdong's Chinese identity might play a role, making him even more willing to befriend him.

Look at it now, the effect is obvious.

(End of this chapter)