Reborn in America, I am a legendary short seller on Wall Street.

Chapter 165 Gold Coins Gold Coins!

Although Senator Kennedy and the Boston Police Department were nominally unrelated, in reality, the police officers, including Logan's father, treated the senator with the utmost respect, like fighting dogs before "King Charles."

Logan couldn't help but imitate his father, standing up straight and facing the senator.

Even the bartenders and managers in the bar maintained a serious expression when facing Senator Kennedy, fearing that they might offend him if they didn't manage their expressions well.

In the entire bar, only Larry stood there with an empty glass, grinning mischievously at Senator Kennedy and his son.

Kennedy smiled slightly in Larry's direction.

However, due to the angle, Logan's father initially thought the senator was smiling at him, and stood even straighter.

Little Joseph suddenly saw Larry and struggled to run down from his father's arms.

"Ice cream!" Little Joseph grabbed Larry's hand and shook it pleadingly.

Larry looked down at the three-year-old and thought to himself, "You still recognize me? You ignored me last time, so I assumed you had long forgotten me."

The truth is, whether a child recognizes you or not depends entirely on whether he is currently craving something sweet.

Kennedy, with a smile on his face, followed his son toward Larry.

It was still a matter of perspective. Logan's father was startled. Seeing that the senator seemed about to shake his hand, he quickly wiped his right hand on his pants and extended it towards the senator's right hand...

As a result, Kennedy's right hand deftly bypassed Larry's hand in mid-air and then firmly grasped Larry's hand.

“Oh, what a lucky day! To run into you at my bar, Mr. Livingston!” Kennedy said with a broad smile.

“It is my honor, Your Excellency.” Larry bowed slightly as he shook hands with Senator Kennedy, giving him ample face in front of outsiders.

The two men smiled at each other, and Kennedy gestured for Larry to come to the private room to chat.

The people in the bar were stunned as they watched the two leave intimately...

Logan's father was struck as if by lightning! His outstretched right hand froze in mid-air.

I was just playing "obedience training" with my son's friend, not only putting on airs but also insisting that he drink a glass of whiskey to "train" him.

And what happened? His boss, Senator Kennedy, was more courteous to Larry than he was to Mr. Adams, who was also a senator from Massachusetts.

At this moment, not only was Logan's father dumbfounded, but the other police officers and Logan himself were also dumbfounded...

Senator Kennedy, whom they regarded as a king, was cold and indifferent to everyone, even ignoring Logan's father, but he was very polite to the blond boy named Larry. Why was that?
Logan's father turned to his son, pointed in the direction where the senator and Logan had disappeared, and stammered, "..."
"Then, what exactly is that person's identity?"

Logan stared wide-eyed and said, "I just said, Dad, he's my best friend!"

Logan's father's face flushed slightly, as if he were holding his breath, and he asked urgently, "That's not what I meant. Besides this identity, who else is he?"

Logan paused for a moment, then said, "...It's the guy you confiscated his gun from last time and deliberately didn't return it!"

"Pooh!!"
.
In the other private room, Larry and Kennedy each lit cigars and gave Joseph half a chocolate bar so he could eat it alone without disturbing their conversation. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they unconsciously started talking about Ford Motor Company.

Kennedy asked, "How's it going on his end? Has the prototype been completed yet?"

Larry pursed his lips. "Don't even mention it. I've been busy lately. I went to New York and haven't had time to go there yet."

Kennedy took a puff of his cigar. "They should have already started making cars by now. I've already paid him $1 in start-up capital, so there shouldn't be any problem with the money. Why don't we go check it out together tomorrow?"

Larry nodded in agreement.

“When I went to Washington this time, I heard that people in Detroit and New York were developing similar internal combustion engine vehicles… To be honest, I don’t think Henry Ford has any advantage…” Kennedy said slowly, exhaling a puff of smoke.

Larry simply frowned, sighed softly, and didn't say anything more.

Regarding the investment in Ford Motor Company, Larry didn't want to mislead Kennedy, as that would make him appear selfish and despicable; of course, he also didn't want to give Kennedy confidence, as that would be foolish of him...

Let him decide everything himself.

Kennedy smiled at Larry and waved his hand, saying, "Don't worry about it. We need to produce a batch of cars first."

Larry nodded and said, "Yes! We'll go check it out tomorrow. Oh, by the way, I've already transferred $10 into the fund account."

As he spoke, Larry took out the remittance receipt and handed it to Kennedy.

Kennedy took the receipt, but gave Larry a strange look. After reading the receipt for the $10 remittance, Kennedy nodded, handed the receipt back, and said,

"I was even saying... I'd pay. We actually made money from this collaboration..."

Larry raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. Instead, he leaned forward and asked, "I see. All the casinos in the Metropolitan have been shut down, and Monk Rothstein has been brought to justice. Mr. Kennedy, everything went smoothly. You're really amazing. I admire you from the bottom of my heart."

Kennedy smiled, his eyes fixed on Larry, and said calmly, "...It's all thanks to your planning, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to beat them so badly, and so cleanly, leaving the old money speechless. Oh, by the way, how did you know that Union Pacific killed so many Chinese laborers during the construction of the railroad?"

Larry silently exhaled a puff of his cigar, knowing that Kennedy was probing his background, and said casually, "Well, I have many friends in the press. They actually have a lot of hidden secrets, just waiting for the right price to go. Of course, getting this information isn't that difficult for me."

Kennedy raised an eyebrow and exclaimed, "Oh, I see..."

Larry responded with a smile, without offering any further explanation.

Now that he and Kennedy no longer have a common enemy, they need to be more careful about maintaining a proper distance when interacting with each other. They shouldn't get too close or too far apart. Larry no longer needs to rely on Kennedy's power to bully others, nor does he want to reveal all his cards and run out of options.

When it comes to interpersonal relationships, it's best to be a little reserved.

Kennedy silently took a puff of his cigar, reached into his pocket, took out his wallet, pulled out $4300, and handed it to Larry.

“This is your initial investment!” Kennedy said simply.

Larry noticed that he didn't mention the profit sharing, and deliberately didn't bring it up. He simply took the $4300 very naturally and put it into his wallet.

“Oh, this is really troublesome. I’ve mobilized a lot of people, and I’ll have to give them some of the profits.” Kennedy said with a frown. “There are troubles with having a lot of people. Every day, a bunch of people need to eat and make money. Yes, being a big shot has its inconveniences.”

Larry nodded and casually said, "Yeah! That's why I can't sit in your seat!"

Kennedy nodded, then frowned and said, "But the tariffs on American sugar have still increased, and the Democrats are losing ground in Washington. Now that they're both minorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives, what are we going to do about this year's election?"

Larry squinted at Kennedy and said, "If you can help Mr. Cleveland campaign in the election, will you get any benefits?" Kennedy turned to look at Larry, and after two seconds nodded, "There will definitely be benefits... if I can really make a significant impact."

Larry smiled, not looking at Kennedy, but staring at the wisps of smoke rising from his cigar, and said nothing more.

The private room fell silent, with only little Joseph licking the chocolate that had melted into a sweet, sticky liquid.

Larry isn't in a hurry.

We've now entered the so-called "waiting for the best price" phase, but this isn't simply about cooperation. It's about both parties assessing each other's value and then readjusting their relationship accordingly.

Kennedy initially returned only the $4300 that Larry had invested, without discussing profit sharing, in order to let Larry make the first offer and thus become more proactive. Larry's silence was also a way of seeing what the other party would offer if he lost his value.
Now, Larry and Kennedy are like two porcupines; when they huddle together for warmth, they must be careful to maintain a proper distance from each other.

After a moment, Kennedy turned to Larry and said, "You really give me a strange feeling, like you can solve any problem... isn't that right?"

Larry turned his head and smiled. "I was just trying to help you think of a solution. I think there's a lot of room for maneuver in an election year, but some details might need to be carefully considered."

Kennedy nodded and said, “If you have a way, that would be great… To be honest, I was very surprised by how you handled Adams. He wasn’t afraid of me threatening his family, but he was afraid of me exposing his past.”

Larry turned to look at the other man and said, "That's because he's not clean. Someone like you wouldn't have any leverage against you."

"Have you thought of a solution?"

Larry shrugged and said, "There is a way, but it will require your cooperation with the Democratic Party. The key breakthrough will be to start with public opinion."

Kennedy nodded slightly. "Please speak freely."

"The crackdown on the workers at Carnegie Steel is being downplayed in the media. The capitalists hired Pinkerton detectives to kill and injure so many workers. Is this all they're going to do?"

Larry spoke, glancing out the window, and said leisurely,
“Those injured workers are still in the old South Side of Boston, destitute and unable to work. How pitiful.”

Kennedy squinted and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help them?"

Larry laughed and corrected him, “It’s not you, it’s all of you, all the Democrats scattered across the states. You should take immediate action to speak out for workers, for immigrants, and for humanity and fairness for the poorest people. The more points you gain in the media, the more the Republican Party will lose.”

"What kind of help are you talking about...?" Kennedy asked, clearly intrigued.

“Senator, I have a good idea: let them run a chain of food and beverage sales under the supervision of the church…” Larry found an opportunity and slowly explained his overall plan for his “steamed milk tea” and “pioneer barbecue” projects to Mr. Kennedy.

Kennedy listened to Larry's explanation, forgetting to smoke his cigar. Only after Larry finished explaining his plan did he ask, "This is a project that benefits many poor people... but why include immigrants?"

Larry laughed. He had already anticipated that the Democrats would be afraid of a backlash from mainstream public opinion, because at this time the Republican Party's public opinion card was "xenophobia," and mainstream white Americans were also buying into this.

"Mr. Kennedy, if we set aside immigration, do you think this semi-public welfare project targeting the poor can be implemented very smoothly?"

Kennedy frowned and shook his head, saying, "I'm afraid there will be a lot of resistance...whether from the Republican Party or from traditional society."

“Yes! So we need to add the church…” Larry, seeing Kennedy’s confusion, smiled at him and continued.
"Senator, think about it, what role does the church play here? Is it merely a profit-sharing party for the food companies?"

Kennedy was stunned again. He thought for a moment, then suddenly opened his eyes wide and said, "Salvation!! God's salvation for the immigrants who have been called to the New World! These gospels need to be spread by the church."

Larry gave him a thumbs-up and exclaimed, “That’s it! If the steam tea shop were just a poverty alleviation project, you’d probably be putting in a lot of effort for little reward. But if it becomes a large-scale mass, using the power of the church to inspire those who have suffered greatly, then you won’t be hindered by the Republicans, and you’ll have the support of loyal parishioners. Think about it, if church organizations across the country can benefit from this charitable act, which way will the parishioners lean?”

Kennedy's eyes widened, and he nodded emphatically, "Yes, the church will convey the voice of mercy for the Democratic Party! This will greatly win over voters."

Larry laughed and asked, "Is that all? Didn't you just ask me why we included immigrants in this plan... Haven't you figured out the power of immigrants yet?"

Kennedy looked confused and said softly, "They don't have the right to vote, and even if they settle down, they'll have to wait several years to gain the right to vote. It doesn't really matter this year!"

Larry looked directly at Kennedy and said calmly, "But if you Democrats can help them get citizenship, or even if you are asylum seekers for legal immigrants, who will they vote for when they can vote? Your Honor, although the percentage of newly naturalized immigrants each year is currently small, their children are American citizens, and they will try their best to bring their families to the United States. When you add it all up, the new immigrants each year are a stronghold for the Democratic Party!"

Kennedy's eyes widened in shock. He stared at the rooftop in deep thought, then looked at Larry.

Larry chuckled and added, "God saves them, but if he doesn't let them become citizens? How can that be considered salvation? You use this excuse to help reward hardworking employees apply for citizenship, and even the most conservative Republican supporters can't say anything about it. But once they become citizens, they'll only vote for Democrats!"

Kennedy's expression suddenly became resolute.

“That’s right! I’ll return to Washington the day after tomorrow to meet with the Speaker!”

"This move is about cultivating both internal and external strengths: securing votes with the help of the church while also nurturing a future core base," Larry concluded.

Kennedy nodded emphatically. "That was indeed a brilliant move. Has your business already started operating?"

"Everything is in place during the initial stage, but equity is open. What I mean is, we will open subsidiaries in every state, and we don't mind letting local Democratic elites invest in whichever state does well," Larry said with a smile.

Kennedy patted Larry on the shoulder heavily and nodded, saying, "Okay! We'll visit the Methodists, Baptists, and Catholics together later."

"it is good!"

Kennedy's doubts were dispelled, and his face relaxed. He thought about the project again and felt that the details could definitely be improved, but there were no problems with the general direction.

After thinking all this through, Kennedy smiled silently, picked up a cigar to take a puff, but found that he had been so engrossed in listening to Larry that the cigar had long since gone out on its own.

Kennedy relit his cigar, tilted his head to think for a moment, pulled a receipt from his inner pocket, unfolded it in front of the zipper, and said with a smile.
"Look at me, I've been so busy I forgot! This is the profit sharing from our joint business deal. I've already deposited all the profits into the bank vault. You contributed $4300, so I'll take 40%, is that alright? After all, people need to eat and feed the horses, and besides, I'm the one in charge of this business, so it's only right that I get a little more, isn't it?"

Larry caught a glimpse of the note; it was a gold deposit certificate from Morgan Trust Bank, with $40 written on it in flowing cursive script.

This wasn't an ordinary deposit; it was gold coins, and these gold certificates of deposit were transferable with endorsement. If Kennedy endorsed it, Larry could have used the certificate to withdraw the gold coins from the bank or to change the account.

Larry smiled and nodded, thinking to himself, "I'm familiar with this tactic; it's just the carrot and stick, isn't it? Trying to assert his dominance." He then said, "You're very fair; I think that's acceptable!"

Kennedy nodded, took out a pen, scribbled the special words "endorsement transfer" on the back of his hand, and signed his name.

“Morgan Trust Bank. Remember, don’t exchange it for dollars, keep it as gold coins, because the price of gold has been quietly rising recently.” Kennedy handed over the gold deposit certificate and solemnly instructed.

Larry took the endorsed transfer certificate of deposit, looked at it carefully, and then put it in his pocket.

“Looks like I’ll have to go to New York again,” Larry said with a laugh.

Kennedy raised his cigar, exhaled smoke, and laughed, "If I were you, I would put the gold coins in a special safe deposit box at the bank, lie on top of them, and pretend to be a greedy dragon guarding my treasure!"

Larry raised his eyebrows, gave Kennedy a thumbs-up, and sincerely praised, "Great idea!"

(End of this chapter)