My absurd experiences in North America over the years

In Manhattan, springtime is sunny and bright. The Hudson River glistens with silvery light in the afternoon sun, like a crumpled white silk spread across the west side of the city.

Li Fu sat at the desk in his hotel room, with the files in the folder spread out in front of him. He had already flipped through them three times, memorizing the contents of every page.

He did not make copies, take photos, or tell anyone about the existence of this document. Unless absolutely necessary, this file would not be seen by anyone.

Some information is too weighty; the fewer people who know it exists, the safer it is.

After thinking for a while, he picked up the phone and dialed the number of Fangli Tea House.

The phone rang twice before connecting. It wasn't Fang Li who answered; a young man with a deep voice told him to wait a moment and then he would go and inform Fang Li.

Fang Li answered the phone about half a minute later.

Li Fu extended a direct invitation, "Mr. Fang, are you free tonight? I'd like to come over for a cup of tea."

Fang Li did not refuse, and the two agreed to meet at the tea house at seven o'clock that evening.

At 7 p.m., Li Fu arrived on time.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point and stated his purpose: "Mr. Fang, I would like to participate in the operation of the Chee Kung Tong Foundation in Chinatown."

Fang Li was silent for a moment, then asked, "Which direction?"

"Community development. This includes education, healthcare, elderly care, and anything that benefits Chinatown," Li Fu paused for a moment, then continued, "We'll initially invest two million US dollars, and then add more as needed."

Fang Li remained silent for a while, longer than before, as if he were thinking about something.

Li Fu could understand, after all, his behavior was too sudden.

"Mr. Li, why did you suddenly have this idea?" Fang Li was a little unsure.

"You helped me, so this is how I repay a favor," Li Fu said without beating around the bush. "Besides, most of the residents of Chinatown are people who go out to make a living, so it's only natural for overseas Chinese to help each other."

Fang Li looked at Li Fu seriously, "Mr. Li, two million is no small sum. Are you sure you want to spend this money in Chinatown? Are you sure you trust me? Are you sure you trust the Chee Kung Tong?"

"I'm pretty sure," Li Fu said, "it's not entirely about repaying a favor; I want to strengthen my connection with the Zhigongtang."

Of course, there are many Chinese people who are not trustworthy.

However, the Chee Kung Tong was not among them. Through the Chee Kung Tong, he could even filter out those Chinese who were not trustworthy.

"I need some time to arrange this matter," Fang Li pondered for a moment, "Come to the tea house tomorrow afternoon."

He needs to use the morning to decide how to proceed with this matter and to discuss it with other board members.

The next afternoon, Li Fu arrived at Fang Li's teahouse on time. This time, he did not enter through the main entrance. Fang Li had someone lead him through the side door into a small tea room on the second floor.

The tea room was small, with only a square table, two chairs, and a small window facing the back alley.

The tea on the table was already brewed; it was Anxi Tieguanyin, with a golden and clear liquor that shimmered with an amber luster in the afternoon light.

Fang Li sat opposite him, wearing a dark gray Zhongshan suit with the cuffs neatly buttoned.

Once they were seated, he spoke directly, "Mr. Li, we warmly welcome the establishment of a foundation, but I suggest that you set up a community fund in Chinatown under the name of 'Forrest Capital' instead of investing in us."

"Why?" Li Fu originally planned to complete it by injecting capital, as Zhigongtang has a foundation under its name.

“You need to build your reputation in New York,” Fang Li explained. “You’ve invested so much money in New York, but in the eyes of ordinary New Yorkers, you’re still just an investor in the Trump Organization. But once the foundation is established, at least in Chinatown, your reputation will be completely different.”

Li Fu didn't really care about these things; the more successful the Trump Organization was, the better.

"Are you planning to pave the way for me? But there's no need."

"I'm not paving the way for you," Fang Li shook his head, "I'm leaving you a door. If one day you feel tired and want to take a step back, then you'll need this door."

The subtext is that the Chee Kung Tong would accept him, and gaining prestige in Chinatown is important for joining the Chee Kung Tong.

Li Fu picked up the teacup, held it in his hands, and felt the warmth emanating from the porcelain. "Mr. Fang, have you ever considered that I might go further, instead of being confined to New York?"

"Of course I've thought about it. The sky's the limit for birds to fly and the sea's the limit for fish to leap," Fang Li said, looking at him with a smile. "That's why I left this door open for you."

Now it was Li Fu's turn to fall silent.

He never thought of joining the Zhigongtang, but if there are more options, why not?

Fang Li appeared calm on the surface, but was actually quite uneasy inside. The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce needed new blood, and with the older generation leaving one by one, there was a lack of young talent.

The lack of a sense of solidarity and mutual support among newly arrived immigrants and third-generation Chinese immigrants is extremely dangerous.

Chinese people in North America face a more difficult situation than Mexicans in some respects. Without a sense of mutual support, they will ultimately be oppressed and even exploited by other ethnic groups in a social Darwinist environment.

Over the course of more than two hundred years, the Zhigongtang has experienced countless changes, including the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, the People's Republic of China, and the severance of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. It has survived to this day by helping each other and finding its place in the cracks of various ecological niches.

If our forefathers hadn't stood together and helped each other, there would be no Chinatown today.

Unfortunately, traditions are being lost, and young people, new immigrants, and undocumented immigrants are completely unaware of this.

American society often follows the law of the jungle; those who think they are here for a better life, and those who try to break away from their own group to integrate into mainstream society, will ultimately be devoured.

Against this backdrop, Chinatown needs a leader who can rally people and win their hearts.

Fang Li believed that Li Fu had this potential.

He helped Chen Long relay a message not only to help his compatriots, but also to meet Li Fu.

Of course, he had investigated Li Fu before. This young man was extremely capable. Not to mention the new generation of Chinese in New York, he was outstanding even in the whole United States. And so far, there were no flaws in his character.

Most importantly, he is loyal and keeps his promises.

He spent millions to send Chen Long away for his assistant's sister, even using his most important connections.

Therefore, he naturally hoped that such outstanding young people would interact more with the Zhigongtang, and helping Li Fu gain prestige was also because he had high hopes for him.

Li Fu was unaware of Fang Li's thoughts, but in some respects they were of the same mind.

The two quickly finalized some details of the foundation.

Li Fucai left the tea shop in the evening.

Fang Li personally escorted him to the door, then breathed a long sigh of relief.

In any case, Li Fu finally didn't refuse.

What he actually wanted to do was more than that; he also secretly prepared a network that could be used at any time.

After Chen Long left, a young man named Qin Ming took over his grocery store and network of connections. This young man had already visited Fang Li.

Seeing his predecessors retire with honor and return to their hometowns, he couldn't help but wish that day would come for him too.

Fang Li told him that in this world, whether or not one can have a good ending depends not on how capable one is, but on who one is working for.