My absurd experiences in North America over the years

In late autumn, the mornings on Long Island are very quiet.

Li Fu slept very comfortably. He had spent a long time with Ivanka last night and then fell asleep in her arms, so he felt quite at ease and slept soundly until dawn.

He was awakened by a warm, damp sensation. When he opened his eyes, the morning light was shining through the gaps in the blinds onto the foot of the bed.

His two-month-old son was nestled on his chest, his little head tilted to one side, a trace of milk stain still clinging to the corner of his mouth, while he himself was soaked from his chest to his abdomen.

He was stunned for two seconds before he realized... he had been peed on.

Ivanka walked in from outside, paused for a moment when she saw the scene, and then burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

"I went out to answer a phone call, so I left him with you for the time being. This is..."

She couldn't help but laugh again as she spoke.

Li Fu looked down at the babbling little one in his arms, a look of helplessness mixed with reluctance to "educate" him. He could only pinch the little one's chubby cheeks. "Is this your gift to me?"

Ivanka walked over, took the child, and handed him two disposable wipes. "How does it feel to be a dad?"

Li Fu wiped the wetness off his body and looked at the soft little guy in Ivanka's arms. The feeling was hard to describe. This little guy was his son and an indelible bond between him and Ivanka.

He reached out and gently touched his son's little finger, and the tiny hand immediately grasped his fingertip, squeezing it tightly.

Li Fu looked down at the little hand and remained silent for a long time.

The morning light fell on his profile, softening his usually cold features and making his heart even more tender.

Perhaps this is the inexplicable blood connection.

He suddenly understood why many old-money families would go to great lengths for the sake of their family's interests.

Some things, like blood ties, are naturally above any preferences or stances. At that moment, you're not just fighting for yourself, but also for your family and future generations.

In the past, old-money families taught their children that the family's honor must be protected at all costs.

This is what inheritance is all about.

Unfortunately, he couldn't stay here for long.

Li Fu spent the entire morning with Ivanka, without discussing any work-related matters. He played with his son in the living room while Ivanka recounted her life over the past two months.

While the children slept, they chatted by the fireplace for a while, and then it was noon.

Li Fu left Long Island at 2 PM.

Thompson was already waiting at the door, the engine idling, with wisps of white smoke coming out of the exhaust.

Before getting into the car, Li Fu glanced back at the Tudor-style mansion. Ivanka stood not far away, holding a child in her arms, gently waving to him.

The child, of course, didn't understand what separation meant; he just babbled incoherently.

Li Fu suddenly turned around, gently hugged the mother and child, kissed the little one's chubby cheeks, and then left without looking back.

A short while later, the Audi A8 drove out of the tree-lined avenue of Long Island Estate, passed through the golden oak arcade, and rejoined the traffic on Highway 495.

Li Fu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and quickly went through the things he was about to discuss in his mind: railways, ports, land, construction permits, and so on—it was quite complicated.

The success of the Toledo logistics hub project hinges on two key conditions: rail access and port leasing.

In terms of railroads, Toledo boasts one of the densest rail networks in the United States.

Norfolk Southern operates an intermodal hub called "Airline Junction" south of Toledo.

In July 2010, the Ohio Railroad Development Board approved a $12.3 million expansion plan, of which $9.7 million came from federal and state grants and loans.

The expansion includes extending the tracks, installing a new signaling system, and purchasing new equipment, with the aim of enhancing the hub's multimodal freight capacity.

Bob Huffman, vice president of multimodal transport at Norfolk Southern Railway, stated publicly at the time: "We expect rail freight demand to double over the next two decades, and these cooperative projects will benefit the nation's transport infrastructure."

At the same time, CSX Transport also operates an important cargo terminal in Toledo – CSX Toledo Dock.

CSX is building a large multimodal transport hub in North Baltimore, in northwestern Ohio, about 30 miles south of Toledo, and it is scheduled to begin operations in 2011.

The fact that both first-class railway companies are increasing their fuel supplies to Toledo demonstrates that the strategic value of this node has been recognized by the entire industry.

Regarding the port, the Port of Toledo is managed by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

During the 2010 navigation season, the port registered nearly 480 million tons of international freight volume, an increase of more than 16% compared to 2009.

The Port Authority recently purchased two new mobile port cranes to replace the old equipment from World War II. The new cranes are twice as efficient as the old ones and have improved fuel efficiency by 75%.

In addition, the port has rebuilt and upgraded its dockside railway facilities and installed a new branch line at the Toledo shipyard, enabling multimodal transport connections with the Norfolk Southern Rail system.

All of this is to improve the port's cargo transshipment capacity.

Li Fu pondered this information: NS was expanding its railway line, CSX was building a new terminal, and the port authority was upgrading its equipment, indicating that they themselves were optimistic about the logistics potential of this area.

If we really want to do this project, we must make a decisive decision and take immediate action.

The bargaining chips are clear: once Forrest Capital's logistics hub is completed, it will bring a considerable increase in freight volume to NS every year, while also boosting the throughput of the Port of Toledo.

This is not a one-way demand, but a two-way mutual benefit.

What he needs is access to the dedicated railway line, long-term lease agreements for port terminals, and priority in negotiating rates.

The Audi A8 drove smoothly on Highway 495, and the coastline of Long Island gradually shrank into a thin gray line in the rearview mirror.

Li Fu opened his eyes, took out his phone and sent a message to Morris: "Meet with the Port Authority and the NS officials at 3 pm and 6 pm tomorrow in Toledo respectively."

The view outside the window changed from the coastline to the inland plains; the sky was more open than in New York, but the clouds were very low.

He leaned back in his chair, recalling the chubby little guy and Ivanka standing on the porch, and the words she had spoken.

He thought the talks shouldn't be too difficult.

NS (Norfolk Southern Railway) is a privately held company that prioritizes profit.

The Port Authority of Toledo is a "special purpose government entity" established jointly by local authorities with state legislation.

Although its power comes from state law, its daily operations are controlled by the local authorities, who have no reason to refuse such a major client.

The difficulty may lie in the various reviews that will be faced after the project is completed.

He needs to prepare in advance.