My absurd experiences in North America over the years

The following morning, the California sun was so bright it was almost blinding. Li Fu and Lucy had just returned from the beach when they saw several new cars arriving at the hotel.

Lucy's heart skipped a beat; she had a vague idea of ​​who had come.

They had barely returned to their room, and before they could even enjoy their coffee, there was a knock on the door.

The person who came was a hotel waiter.

"Hello, are you Miss Lucy and Mr. Li?"

"Yes, what is it?" Li Fu frowned slightly.

"A gentleman downstairs asked me to pass on a message, saying he's waiting for you two in the lobby," the waiter replied cautiously.

"Okay, we understand," Lucy nodded, her expression instantly shifting from sunny to cloudy.

She knew it must be her brother who had come.

"Let's go!" Li Fu gently stroked her blonde hair. "We'll have to meet eventually, so why not be more open and honest?"

He knew this day would come the moment he escaped the apartment.

Lucy took a deep breath to calm herself down.

Contrary to Li Fu's expectations, Cole Forrest, the young and newly wealthy member of the Forrest family, was not surrounded by a large entourage in the hall. He only brought one assistant.

He wore a seemingly understated but actually high-quality charcoal gray cashmere casual suit, with no tie underneath, and the unbuttoned white shirt revealing his sharp collarbone.

The suit was tailored perfectly to fit his tall and straight figure, without the ostentation of a nouveau riche or the fussiness of an old-fashioned aristocrat, but with a precision and sophistication honed by time and power.

Upon meeting, Cole's gaze immediately fell upon Li Fu.

He finally saw with his own eyes the bodyguard that his sister was most likely to fall in love with.

Li Fu remained calm.

A person who has died once wouldn't experience much psychological fluctuation even if they met that "King of Knowledge".

Cole walked towards them, each step steady as if measured, and as he approached, the surrounding air seemed to thin out.

It's an aura unique to those in high positions.

Aura is a very subtle thing; some people don't believe in it, but it really exists.

Cole's aura was one of quiet authority, capable of silencing the surrounding noise without a word.

Li Fu met the gaze calmly, but he could feel the muscles in his arms tensing slightly.

This older brother is probably somewhat dissatisfied with him.

However, it's understandable; most brothers wouldn't have a very good first impression of their sister's boyfriend.

"Mr. Li, I've heard so much about you," Cole said, extending his hand. His voice was deep and magnetic, his pace even, and his tone carried an undeniable air of control.

He took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of eyes that were remarkably similar to Lucy's, except that those eyes lacked Lucy's clarity and stubbornness, instead possessing a bottomless abyss that seemed capable of easily piercing through people's hearts.

"I'm Lucy's brother, Cole."

"Mr. Cole, it's a pleasure to meet you," Li Fu shook hands with him, his manners impeccable.

Their palms touched briefly.

Cole's palms were dry and strong, and his handshake was controlled with just the right amount of force—neither overly intimate nor arrogant.

This surprised Li Fu somewhat.

"I arrived last night, without disturbing you," Cole said, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to lunch today."

"Brother," Lucy said, her face pale, "could we wait until tonight?"

She wanted to buy herself some more time.

"We can't wait any longer, our flight is tonight," Cole said, glancing at the time and directly refusing Lucy.

Then he looked at Li Fu and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something inconvenient?"

"No, it would be my pleasure," Li Fu said. He knew that refusing was useless; he could sense that this was a meeting he could not avoid.

Lunch was arranged at the hotel's most upscale ocean-view restaurant, which Cole had already cleared out, leaving only the three of them in the entire restaurant.

Lucy's eyes were slightly red, and she was in a bad mood, but she tried her best to remain calm. She just held Li Fu's arm tightly, and her knuckles turned slightly white from the force.

"The Wellington steak here is quite good, Mr. Li, you can try it," Cole said skillfully, without mentioning any words about "escape" or "kidnapping" throughout the meal, as if it were just an ordinary family dinner.

His movements as he cut the steak were elegant and precise, each cut appearing as if meticulously calculated.

He didn't seem to mind the slightly awkward atmosphere.

He ate and talked to himself, oblivious to everything else.

Finally, the main course was served. Cole put down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin and lightly touched the corner of his mouth, and casually began, "Regarding that hostage situation, I've seen the police report. The Los Angeles Police Department classified it as gang activity, but I know that's definitely not the case."

"That's not true," Li Fu continued, telling Cole what he had seen on Winthrop's computer.

Cole was surprised. He raised his eyelids and stared directly at Li Fu through his glasses. His gaze was as sharp as a scalpel, trying to dissect Li Fu's disguise.

What surprised him was Winslop's audacity.

What seems to be more concerning is that Li Fu actually knows hacking techniques.

"Mr. Li, your excellence is truly astonishing."

Li Fu paused slightly while cutting the steak, then smiled frankly, "I learned some electronic warfare techniques in the military before."

"Electronic warfare?" Cole's lips curled into a playful smile, and he leaned forward slightly, a posture that psychologically signifies appreciation and caution. "Mr. Li is actually a top student."

This wasn't an exclamation, but rather an assessment.

He was assessing Li Fu's value and the level of danger he posed.

"I wouldn't call myself a top student, I just know a little bit," Li Fu replied casually, meeting Cole's gaze.

Cole gave him a deep look, but didn't dwell on the topic. Instead, he changed the subject, "Lucy has had a lot of fun these days, thanks to you. As a token of my gratitude, feel free to ask for anything, as long as it's within my capabilities."

This is about discussing "severance pay".

Lucy looked up abruptly, about to speak, but Li Fu gently pressed down on the back of her hand under the table.

"I'm her bodyguard; protecting her is my duty." Li Fu didn't address the topic of money. "As for requests, there aren't any at the moment."

Cole was silent for a moment, then tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, as if re-evaluating the young man before him.

If the other party is neither humble nor arrogant, and remains unmoved by wealth and status, it means they have bigger ambitions, or... they have developed genuine feelings for you.

Either way, it seems like it should be cut off immediately.

Lunch ended in an eerie and restrained atmosphere.

After the meal, Cole suggested that he speak with the two men alone.

Lucy had the same idea.

There were many things she couldn't say in front of Li Fu.

Inside the hotel's executive suite, the floor-to-ceiling windows were wide open, letting in the sea breeze that ruffled Lucy's hair.

"Can I stay? There's only one semester left in my course. I'll go back after graduation. Isn't that what we agreed on?" Lucy sat on the sofa, looking stubbornly at her brother.

“We did agree on this beforehand, but now something unexpected has happened,” Cole said, standing by the window with his back to her, his long, slender figure casting a cold, hard silhouette in the sunlight. “This hostage situation has alarmed Father and Uncle, so now it’s not up to me.”

"Why is it so hard for me to have a few months of free time?" Lucy asked Cole in a questioning tone.

"Freedom? Is there real freedom on the West Coast? Your so-called freedom is built on the foundation of your family clearing obstacles and providing security," Cole turned to his sister, "Are those girls who struggle to make ends meet and pay student loans free?"

He knew what Lucy was thinking.

However, this would require her to confront the stark reality.

Don't think that being born into the Forrest family has too many troubles; ordinary girls dream of having it all!

The entire West adheres to social Darwinism, which dictates that the weak should die and will not receive any sympathy or pity.

Every year, countless girls disappear without a trace.

Last year alone, the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) recorded more than 300,000 missing persons cases involving minors, with women accounting for more than 75% of them.

If we add unregistered and missing adult women, the number would likely be astronomical.

Is freedom important in the face of these things?

The Forrest family's heiress was involved in a car accident that shocked half of California.

What if it's an ordinary girl?

Who cares?

Lucy stared at Cole in astonishment, stunned by the string of numbers, and speechless.

She had heard rumors that female students from their school had also gone missing off-campus, and that reports to the police by their families usually went unresolved.

She knew how dark the nights were in Los Angeles.

However, she was still shocked when her brother tried to reason with her and presented her with the bloody reality.

"Take my advice. There are forces lurking in the shadows targeting our family. No matter how good your bodyguard is, how many times can he withstand those open and covert attacks? Do you want him to die for you?"

Cole began to appeal to his emotions and reason with him.

Lucy's face turned pale, and she bit her lip.

Yes! If this continues, isn't she pushing Li Fu into danger as well?

"I can leave, but I have to take him with me."

She immediately changed her mind.

Cole stopped adjusting his cuffs.

He walked up to his sister, looking at her seriously yet somewhat exasperatedly, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness and cruelty.

"Lucy, you're so naive. Who do you think I am? Whether it's you or me, being born into this family means that marriage and love are most likely not things we can control. Do you think taking him to Nashville will make things work?"

Arranged marriages were the main way to maintain traditional elite families.

Only newly wealthy business families rely more on capital and personal branding, with marriage playing a relatively minor role.

However, even if it's not an arranged marriage, a large family would never marry someone with no connections or background.

Even in the story of Cinderella, she was not a commoner, but a noblewoman in distress.

Throughout Europe and America, the most important thing is one's origin and lineage.

"I have to try," Lucy said, unwilling to give up.

"Absolutely impossible," Cole sneered, his voice carrying a world-weary indifference. "Look at Father, look at Mother, look at Uncle and Aunt, and look at me. Which of your marriages was for love?"

Lucy was speechless.

She actually knew this ending from the beginning.

At this point, the effort seems somewhat ridiculous.

Cole took a deep breath and softened his tone. "Lucy, you should understand that we enjoy wealth and glory that most people couldn't earn in several lifetimes, so we should bear the corresponding family responsibilities."

This is almost equivalent to an exchange or a contract.

Lucy paused, her lips trembling slightly, tears silently streaming down her face. "So I'll marry someone I don't love?"

"I don't know, I can't guarantee what will happen in the future," Cole's voice softened. He sighed, squatted down, and looked his sister in the eye. At this moment, he seemed more like a helpless older brother. "Lucy, don't blame me for being heartless. I have to take you away. If you want to live as you please, there's only one way..."

"What road?" Lucy asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Become someone your family can rely on, not someone who needs to rely on your family," Cole said earnestly, wiping away her tears. "Only when you are strong enough and have enough leverage do you have the right to talk about freedom."

This is the cruel truth of this world.

Lucy stared blankly at her brother, the clarity in her eyes gradually dimming, replaced by a maturity and sorrow beyond her years.

She actually understood this principle all along, but she was just unwilling to admit it.

Cole remained silent for a long time before finally giving his sister a gentle hug. "Pack your things! This is our destiny. As for your bodyguard... I'll give him enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life. I won't mistreat him."

"Can't you really make an exception?"

Lucy gripped her brother's sleeve again, her face pleading.

"This is the bottom line," Cole stood up, no longer looking at his sister. "Some sparks must be extinguished before they become raging. This is the best choice for the family, for you, and for him."

Lucy slumped onto the sofa, her face pale.

At that moment, Li Fu was leaning against the wall of the corridor, smoking.

He almost never smokes, but today is an exception.

His feelings were very complicated, more complicated than ever before.

He had considered taking Lucy away with him.

But what happens after you leave?

The vast future that a wealthy heiress like Lucy possessed was beyond his imagination.

Moreover, they also have to contend with a powerful and influential family.

This price will inevitably make happiness difficult in the future.

Would Lucy really agree?

"Mr. Li, please come with me."

Forrest's assistant then stepped forward and gestured for him to enter.

Li Fu stubbed out his cigarette and threw it into the trash can.

Then, he met Cole in another room.

"Thank you so much for taking care of my sister these past few days," Cole said gently, unlike the arrogant and cold demeanor often portrayed in TV dramas.

"It's what I should do," Li Fu reiterated.

Cole smiled and nodded, then pulled a checkbook from his pocket, tore off a check, and handed it over. "This is a Citibank check. Fill in any amount you like."

"Is this to thank me or is there something else you want?" Li Fu did not reach out to take it.

He certainly wants money, but not in this way.

"On one hand, it's to thank you, and on the other hand, I have a small request," Cole said, pushing the check in front of Li Fu.

"Just tell me what you want," Li Fu knew the crucial part was coming.

"I hope you can personally cut off Lucy's hopes and never appear in front of her again," Cole said bluntly.

"These are two requests, aren't they?" Li Fu frowned.

Upon hearing this, Cole couldn't help but chuckle. "You can take that as two requests. Name your price; it's not limited to checks."