My absurd experiences in North America over the years

In early October, the autumn colors in New York were more pronounced than in previous years.

Li Fu drove through Chinatown and turned into a narrow alley near the intersection of Canal Road and Bowery Street.

The old buildings on both sides of the road cast irregular shadows in the afternoon sun. The signs of several grocery stores and Chinese medicine shops are arranged in a row along the wall, and the gaps between the faded paint on the signs and the brick walls seem to have been slowly sculpted by time.

Each crack on it tells a story that has faded away, yet they remain quietly in place, waiting for the next sound to approach.

Many places in Chinatown are too old, and this oldness carries the historical changes of the past few decades.

Fang Li's tea shop is one of the few recently renovated shops in the area, barely keeping up with the urban atmosphere of Greater New York, although in terms of architecture, many places in New York can hardly be called modern.

When Li Fu pushed open the door, the copper bell rang softly.

The tea shop was more spacious than when he last visited. Several dark wooden tables were placed against the wall, and several blue and white porcelain jars were displayed on the high shelf, each containing spare tea leaves that did not need to be replaced.

The afternoon light streamed through the window facing the street, casting a soft, golden glow on the wooden tabletop.

Fang Li sat behind a tea table at the back, with a pot of freshly brewed tea in front of him.

He was wearing a gray cotton shirt with the cuffs rolled up, revealing a section of his perpetually dry wrist, as he poured tea into a cup, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

"Uncle Fang," Li Fu greeted him.

When Fang Li saw Li Fu enter, he simply turned his head slightly to indicate that he should sit down.

"You arrived faster than I expected." Fang Li pushed a teacup in front of Li Fu. "The tea is freshly brewed."

Li Fu sat down, picked up his teacup to examine the color of the tea, but spoke without mentioning the tea itself, "Did you know I would be coming soon?"

They had actually met more than ten days ago.

"The new president is going to make a state visit to the East, and I bet you'll be coming," Fang Li poured himself a glass. "You caused such a stir in Los Angeles, and then you adjusted the fund's financial reporting schedule after you came back. You're not sitting here just to have a cup of tea."

Li Fu sometimes had to admire these "old foxes"—they were adept at navigating the world and had excellent connections with all sides. He took a sip of tea, slowly put down his cup, and asked, "Uncle Fang, what's your take on the current situation?"

Fang Li did not answer immediately. He gently put the lid of the teapot back on, then leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the afternoon light outside the window.

"Do you know why I'm still running this tea shop? Making money is secondary. This room is one of the few places in Chinatown where you can still sit down and talk. The things we talk about won't end up in other places the next day, and it'll be easier for others to contact me."

He seemed to be saying something trivial, but Li Fu understood that he was actually stating a principle: in this complex world, information is more important than anything else.

Fang Li turned his gaze back to Li Fu, "Recently, I've heard more and more about your name from different people, with praise, envy, and wariness all mixed together."

Li Fu did not ask who those people were, because it would be presumptuous for Fang Li to tell them, which would mean betraying his information channels.

"Some people on the Republican side mentioned you, and some people on the Democratic side also mentioned you. Your fund is making money too fast, so fast that some people who shouldn't be paying attention to you have started calculating your position on their chessboard," Fang Li said, without mentioning specific names, but referring to the two parties.

"Is this related to what I did in Los Angeles?" Li Fu asked.

His counterattack in Los Angeles was indeed powerful.

"There is some connection, but only a small part," Fang Li picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Essentially, it's because your identity is special. In the eyes of outsiders, your foundation is still shallow, and the pie you've created is too big, like a child carrying gold in a bustling city."

The joint fund of Forrest Capital and CP Group has generated nearly eight billion in unrealized profits in less than six months, a speed that would attract attention in any era.

Moreover, there are other, broader investments.

His identity was that of a young man who started out under the cover of the Forrest family, without political background or sufficient foundation. This naturally made those big shots think that he was a piece of cake that could be sliced ​​up.

This is the harsh reality, especially in America, which champions social Darwinism; capitalism is cruel and bloody.

"Do you know exactly how serious the situation is?" Li Fu asked.

He publishes the fund's financial reports to his LPs every month, his purpose being nothing more than to tell them that he is creating enormous wealth and that it will continue to do so.

This is certainly useful; the wives won't just watch him fall.

Of course, it will also incite hatred at the same time.

This made those who wanted to eat him even more excited.

Fang Li put down his teacup and sighed. "I heard some news a couple of days ago. Someone on Capitol Hill is compiling a list. The list contains names of foreigners who own large amounts of business assets in North America and may pose a threat to national security... Your name is on it."

There are no standards for what is meant by "potentially threatening national security"; it's just the perception of some politicians.

There are many such cases in American history.

Fang Li knew this because in 2009, a large number of Chinese politicians held important positions, including two who became Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Energy, and others who were White House staff members or national security advisors and other core members of the political circle.

Some of these people sought the support of the Chee Kung Tong directly, while others received its assistance indirectly.

Fang Li may not know them directly, but he has channels to obtain information. He did not tell them where he learned this information, and Li Fu would not ask.

Frankly speaking, the relationship between the two of them is quite delicate. After the Premier advocated that Chinese people around the world should be loyal to their respective countries decades ago, all overseas Chinese organizations have found themselves in an awkward position.

The decision at the national level was absolutely correct; the historical context at the time dictated that this was the only way.

With the rise of nationalism around the world, if the principle of "nationality over bloodline" is not established in modern nations, the wave of resistance against Chinese people in Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe will grow stronger, and the world situation facing nations will become increasingly severe.

As the saying goes, there is no perfect solution in this world.

Like other Chinese organizations, the Chee Kung Tong, in order to survive under the new circumstances of no longer recognizing dual citizenship, could no longer rely on blood ties or the legal system of the old era. They could only look in a more specific direction...

That means they support whoever is beneficial to Chinatown.

Li Fu is, strictly speaking, an overseas Chinese. His nationality has not changed, and he is not a member of the Chee Kung Tong or the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. Therefore, he cannot represent the interests of Chinatown.

Therefore, his relationship with Fang Li was not that solid.

Fang Li was willing to help him because he had high hopes for him, hoping that he could promote the development of Chinatown and become a new generation of Chinese leaders who could unite people's hearts.

The Chinese community today is too fragmented; it can be said to be the most disunited ethnic group.

Given their current niche in North America, Chinese people will find it difficult to be treated fairly in mainstream society if they do not band together for mutual support.

The times need such a leader.

Now that Li Fu has the backing of Forrest Capital, he is still on that long list, which means the situation is very dangerous.

There is someone behind him who really wants to take him down, or at the very least, someone is secretly pushing for his downfall.

Fang Li didn't want to see this happen, whether from a personal or Chinatown perspective. Even if Li Fu didn't come to him, he would have found a way to remind him.