svetikya Page 194
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“I saw many familiar faces; Chinese leaders from San Francisco, Boston, and Houston all came. This goes beyond the significance of an ordinary groundbreaking ceremony, and I'm sure it won't disappoint you.”
TLP: "That's exactly what I'm worried about. With an influence of over a million, your skin color will be under a lot of pressure."
Victor's voice was steady, "They're not here just to celebrate, but also to see how things are going. To see if the Chinese community can truly gain a foothold in mainstream American society, and to see if we can truly establish connections with the Bush family and the top Republican leaders."
"Relax, today is a big day for us. The Windy City Plaza Hotel will become a new landmark in Chicago, and we'll make a fortune. Politics is just part of the business, don't forget that."
TLP patted Victor on the shoulder, "We'll see this as a display of strength."
At that moment, an assistant rushed into the tent and said, "Mr. Lee, Mr. Trump, Senator Ubelman and Mr. Bush's motorcade has arrived."
The two exchanged a glance, then stepped out of the tent to greet the distinguished guest.
On the stage, the emcee began warming up the crowd.
Among the crowd below the stage, Mr. Chen, leaning on his cane, stood in the first row.
He is 80 years old and is a second-generation Chinese immigrant from one of the earliest groups of Chinese immigrants in Chicago. He has witnessed firsthand the development of the city's Chinese community from a few dilapidated streets to its current status as a place where people can participate in the construction of landmark buildings.
"Grandpa, is that Victor Lee?"
His grandson pointed to the tall figure who had just emerged from the tent and asked.
"Yes, that's our boxing champion."
Mr. Chen's eyes gleamed with pride. "Do you remember the story I told you? He was originally just a little boy who lost his parents!"
The little boy's eyes widened. "Is he really that amazing?"
"Last year, in London, in front of so many people, he defeated the arrogant Valuev to become the world heavyweight champion. His opponent even used despicable means to almost prevent him from making it to the match!"
The old man recalled it as if it had happened yesterday, "Now he's playing a different game, with more complicated rules and more cunning opponents."
On stage, Victor and Trump are shaking hands with newly arrived dignitaries.
Senator Ubelman was tall and stout, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and looked every bit the typical politician.
George Walker-Bush, on the other hand, appeared more easygoing, patting Victor's arm forcefully as he shook hands with him and saying something that made everyone laugh.
"What are they laughing at?"
The little boy asked curiously.
Mr. Chen squinted his eyes. "In these situations, smiles are often just a mask, child. The truly important deals are never made in front of the camera."
The groundbreaking ceremony proceeded as planned.
The pastor prayed, the children's choir sang songs, and then a Chinese-American girl sang "God Bless America" solo—Victor was thinking about how many decades it would take to obtain the right to self-government, while Mad Tiger was not thinking about using guns to carry out unanimous killings of the lower classes.
Trump delivered a passionate speech, promising that the Windy City Plaza Hotel would become one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.
Senator Ubelm emphasized the project's importance to the Chicago economy.
Chapter 163 Only by Striving for Self-Improvement Can One Handle Things with Ease
When Victor stepped onto the stage, thunderous applause erupted from the audience, especially from the Chinese community, many of whom waved colorful flags excitedly.
Viktor waited for the applause to subside, his gaze sweeping over the thousands of faces in the audience.
Friends,
His voice, deep and powerful, resonated throughout the venue through the loudspeakers: "Today we are not just laying the foundation for a hotel project; we are laying the foundation for the future. This future belongs not only to Skycity Group or the Trump Organization, but also to everyone who believes in the American Dream."
That's nonsense. It's just Viktor trying to mislead the current boss and avoid being mistaken for a member of the 'Mafia' and taken down.
A chorus of approval rose from the audience, and many nodded in agreement.
"Today, as we stand here to build a magnificent structure, it proves that the American Dream is right."
Viktor continued, his voice growing firmer, “But that doesn’t mean the road is smooth. We still face challenges and prejudices, and we still need to work harder than others to gain recognition and success.”
Viktor clenched his fist, an unconscious gesture reminiscent of his boxing career.
"The Windy City Plaza Hotel will be more than just a building; it will become a symbol—a symbol of the Chinese American community's contribution to the American economy, a symbol of friendship among the many ethnic groups in the United States, and a symbol of the power of multiculturalism."
His speech was interrupted by enthusiastic applause.
As Victor, Trump, and other dignitaries picked up gilded shovels to symbolically break ground for the project, countless camera flashes lit up, capturing this historic moment.
However, amidst the joyful atmosphere, a keen observer might notice some details:
Senator Upelman's occasional glance at his watch;
The brief and reserved moment when George W. Bush shook hands with local Democratic leaders;
Among the crowd were several elderly Chinese men in expensive suits with serious expressions. Unlike the others who were excited, they calmly observed everything, as if assessing investment risks.
After the ceremony, the organizers held a reception on the top floor of the newly topped-out Skywind City Group building.
From here, you can enjoy stunning views overlooking downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan.
Although the building's interior is not yet complete, the top floor has been temporarily renovated into a luxurious banquet hall, serving a fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine and drinks.
Victor weaved through the crowd, shaking hands and talking with Chinese community leaders from all over the United States.
He could call everyone by name and ask about their families and businesses, demonstrating extraordinary memory and interpersonal skills.
"Victor, congratulations!"
An elderly Chinese man from Boston shook his hand, looked around at the assembled political and business figures, and said, "You make us all proud."
"Thank you, but it's too early now."
Victor knew this collaborator; Boston and Skycity had now entered into a deep partnership, at one point adopting the same methods used at the grassroots level to attract a large Chinese population, resulting in a large number of Chinese Americans with their own businesses surrounding them.
"We still need to wait for the right opportunity."
The old man's eyes widened in surprise. "Financial crisis? This time it's not a big problem."
"Perhaps there will be an even bigger financial crisis, bankrupting those middle-class families, after the U.S. military brings in a large number of homeless people, illegal immigrants, TXLs, or dementia patients."
Viktor smiled and said coldly and ruthlessly, "This is a country with a very short history, yet it has gained immense power because of historical choices. So we have to wait until it descends into chaos before it will realize just how powerful the 'freedom' wave composed of a large group of respectable people really is!"
Old Chen pulled a man in his thirties over and said, "We'll wait."
As Viktor walked toward another group of guests, TLP quietly approached him and whispered, "Senator Upelman would like to speak privately in the small conference room."
Viktor nodded, apologized to the guests, and followed TLP to the small, temporarily partitioned meeting room.
Inside the room, Senator Ubelman and George W. Bush were already there, along with two Chicago-based financial tycoons—Richard Winston and Michael O'Malley.
“Victor, please have a seat.”
Senator Ubelman indicated, "We just want to briefly discuss the details of the project."
But Victor knew this wasn't a meeting about project details.
He could sense the tense atmosphere in the air.
George W. Bush spoke first: "Victor, my father admires your influence in the Chinese community. He believes that this influence may play a key role in next year's election."
Viktor carefully chose his words: "The Vice President has always been very friendly to the Chinese community, and we are grateful for that."
"Friendship can be mutual."
Senator Ubelman interjected, "We know the Democrats have been putting pressure on you, especially about that farm permit. They want to use that land to tie you down and get you to support their candidate."
Viktor did not answer immediately.
He knew all along that the licenses for those two large farms wouldn't be given away for nothing.
Chicago politics has always been a deal, and he's right at the heart of that deal.
Richard Winston, one of Chicago's most influential bankers, leaned forward: "Victor, we can offer more. Not just farms, but also access to financing, policy support. You know, a Republican administration is more business-friendly."
“This is especially helpful for immigration success stories like yours.”
George W. Bush added, "My father believed that immigrants were the core of American power, not a threat."
It was like a joke, but Victor dared not laugh—BS didn't know much about internal affairs.
The meeting lasted about twenty minutes and was essentially a carefully orchestrated lobbying effort to steer Victor and the entire Chinese American community toward the Republican Party.
Viktor spent most of his time listening, occasionally asking probing questions to assess the other party's sincerity and the conditions offered.
When the meeting ended and Viktor returned to the main reception hall, he had mixed feelings.
He was well aware of the fragility of political commitments, but also understood the preciousness of opportunity.
The Chinese community has long been politically marginalized, and now both parties are vying for their support—a historic shift.
However, the real test was coming soon.
As the reception drew to a close, an assistant hurried over to Victor and whispered, "Mr. Lee, John Morris, vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, would like to speak privately with you and Senator Ubelman."
Victor took a deep breath, knowing that a storm was brewing.
He found Senator Ubelman, and the two walked together to the designated room.
TLP tried to follow, but was politely but firmly stopped by Morris's staff.
In the small conference room, John Morris and two prominent Chicago Democrats had been waiting for some time.
Morris was tall, with his gray hair neatly combed back and his eyes sharp as an eagle's.
“Senator, Mr. Lee,”
Morris cut to the chase without any pleasantries: “Today’s performance was excellent, but I need to know what it means. Has the Chinese American community decided to side with the Republican Party? We must tell you honestly, we will not give up those 460,000 votes!”
Senator Ubelman visibly tensed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead: "John, this is just a groundbreaking ceremony. It's normal for politicians to attend these kinds of events. It's all just for show; there's no deeper meaning behind it."
Maurice turned to Victor, his gaze piercing—completely ignoring the fool Ubelman:
"And what about you, Mr. Li? Do you also think this is just 'playing along'? Or have you been deceived by the Bush family's sweet talk?"
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.
Senator Ubelman looked like he was about to suffocate.
"Mr. Morris, how many years has the Democratic Party been in power in Chicago? And what has the Chinese community gained during that time?"
Victor calmly met Maurice's gaze, his voice steady but powerful: "Our business license applications have been inexplicably delayed, our children face invisible glass ceilings in school, and our elderly are not receiving the social welfare they deserve—it has always been this way! I myself was even fired for fighting six people at once!"
He stepped forward and continued, “I’ve received countless complaints from Chinese business owners who say the Democratic Party machine only cares about campaigning and never actually solves problems. Where are the Democrats when our communities need help?”
Morris's face darkened. "You know politics takes time, Victor. Change doesn't happen overnight."