My absurd experiences in North America over the years

At two o'clock in the morning, Li Fu was still standing in front of the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the night view of Los Angeles, the entertainment capital.

Cole has already left; he's taking a private flight back to Nashville for a political speech that afternoon about his gubernatorial campaign.

The two of them talked frankly for nearly two hours.

Cole reminded him not to get involved in politics or public opinion in the near future, and that everything he did from now on must be commercially sound and leave no room for interpretation.

Recently, even a vague wording can be amplified into some kind of signal.

He also worried that the enemy might target taxes, and urged Li Fu to remain vigilant.

All business transactions and foundation accounts must be handled with care, because the enemy will use a magnifying glass to look for any possible flaws.

Li Fu decided to bring Lina back from China for a while. He either didn't trust the others enough or he wasn't confident in their abilities.

He had to ensure that every penny in and out had a clear and complete business justification.

The night outside the window grew even darker.

Li Fu silently lit a cigarette, feeling increasingly uneasy, but he had no regrets.

The Japanese right wing deserves to die, and isn't the shelving of the Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy an unexpected bonus? To some extent, he even feels like he's gained something.

Finally, before leaving, Cole reminded him that if possible, he should have a girlfriend he could publicly acknowledge.

The gossip campaign launched by Japan some time ago was not without effect; Lucy was directly questioned by reporters at an election rally.

She frankly admitted that the two had a romantic relationship, and now Li Fu is just an important business partner for the family.

At that time, if CP was also running for a public office, he would inevitably be asked questions by reporters, but it would be difficult to brush it off by saying that Ivanka was recuperating.

If Li Fu hadn't used an even more sensational method to push Japan into the spotlight, and if the Japanese right wing hadn't fabricated such exaggerated claims without any substantial evidence, it would have been difficult for the public to shift their focus.

Officially announcing his girlfriend is a response to the outside world.

This is also the only way to shift public attention and associations away from Lucy and Ivanka.

As for Lucy, in Cole's words, as she grew up and came to understand the existing rules, she realized that the more capable she was and the further she went in politics, the less likely she was to be with Li Fu.

This is a very real tragedy; she has already accepted in her heart that the best way for them to be together is through a secret affair.

Outside the window, the lights of Los Angeles were dimming one by one, and some nightclubs seemed to be closing down at this point.

At the far horizon, the last few lights went out completely, leaving only a nearly transparent gray outline stretching across the depths of the night.

Li Fu knew that Lucy would be sad when she fully realized this; this was the price of growing up.

She once saw the Forrest surname as a shackle imposed upon her, and she wanted to break free of this shackle to become a great person who would not rely on her family, but rather be relied upon by them.

However, what she perceived as shackles became her greatest driving force in becoming that kind of person.

With the help of her family and Li Fu's support, she will soon stand in the same position that Cole once held in the state legislature, becoming the powerful figure who could protect Li Fu from FBI investigation three years ago.

However, in this process, Lucy inevitably grows up and comes to realize the cruel reality of the world.

Cole had lied to her at the beach hotel. No matter what kind of person she became, as long as she came from a political and business family like the Forrest family, her relationship with Li Fu was destined to be a rootless tree.

If her promise last winter to never seek to marry Li Fu again was merely a matter of necessity in order to persuade her father, Thomas, to choose to protect him, then...

So, after this midterm election, she will deeply understand why her father would not allow it.

In North American politics, everything is geared towards getting votes.

The Forrest family's stronghold, those traditional white families, would never want to see a young lady from a prominent family like her marry a Chinese man, no matter how outstanding that Chinese man is.

Racial divisions and prejudices will not be eliminated in their lifetime.

How could two people possibly stand against an entire era?

In fact, going back to the beginning, if Lucy hadn't been a daughter of the Forrest family, she and Li Fu would never have met, let alone fallen in love.

This is why the accident was difficult to resolve completely.

After finishing one cigarette, Li Fu lit another.

His feelings couldn't be hidden from the eyes of the extended family. Lucy and Ivanka had genuine feelings for him, and they knew, both subjectively and objectively, that they couldn't get married, so they tacitly approved of their affair.

Thomas and CP chose to acquiesce because he believed it would bring benefits to their families and political future.

Just consider this another form of marriage alliance.

All of this is based on his continued success, which has not affected the political future of his family or himself.

External pressures now force him to find a stable emotional anchor.

So it can only be Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift's status as a superstar is undoubtedly a plus, as she wants to signal to the outside world that she will be devoting herself to the entertainment industry for the next few years.

However, Taylor Swift is currently at the headquarters of Big Machine Records in Nashville producing an album, and has even shut down her social media accounts.

If he returns to Nashville...

Li Fu immediately shook his head, deciding to temporarily dispel Congress's doubts about his potential influence on the midterm elections, and announced to the public that he would devote himself entirely to the entertainment industry for the next few years.

The signal announced was the purchase of a sports team, with a promise to bring a championship to the city within a few years.

Then, once Taylor Swift returned to Los Angeles, he stopped trying to hide it, which was tantamount to an official announcement. Entertainment news would report on it extensively, and he would have achieved his goal.

The next day, Li Fu didn't get up until 10 o'clock, then rushed to the MGM office and signed a bunch of documents related to funding and the three major film projects. His hands were almost numb from signing so many documents in such a short time.

In the afternoon, he rushed to the Los Angeles branch of Forrest Capital and signed some documents related to the foundation.

He reminded Paul that recent research papers were being reviewed through the normal process, and qualified research funding was being disbursed as usual. If research teams wanted to conduct on-site inspections, whether in Europe or Asia, those that met the requirements could receive funding.

However, the details of the funds and their purpose must be clearly stated without any errors.

Paul took notes on each point.

Li Fu then asked him to conduct a survey in the near future to see if any NBA teams were for sale, and if not, to see if he could invest in any of them.

The only sport he is familiar with is the NBA. With a god-like perspective, he can get the greatest benefit at the lowest cost in both drafting and trading.

There is still hope of winning the championship within a few years.

A few years later, when CP became the leader, he no longer needed to remain hidden in the entertainment industry.

"The Golden State Warriors are currently listed for sale, and it seems they're in the bidding stage," Paul replied immediately.

As the head of the Los Angeles branch of a large investment firm, he has a thorough understanding of the quality assets available on the market.

"Golden State Warriors?" Li Fu couldn't help but smile. "Take care of the finances first, then come to Golden State to find me. Remember to bring your financial and legal advisors. We'll try to buy the Golden State Warriors."