Chapter 42: Aiming for the Headlines Again?
In the United States, it's customary to bring a date to parties like these, except for hunters like Cai Chengping. Bruce, still new to Los Angeles, had few acquaintances.
His closest contact, Rachel, was busy with auditions and filming, even busier than him. Surprisingly, Gal Gadow, the national treasure of Israel, accepted his invitation with joy as soon as she received his call.
Cai Chengping arrived with bodyguards, four burly men in suits, professional and intimidating, with a faint hint of bloodlust, confirming Bruce's suspicions about his extraordinary background.
However, his bodyguards paled in comparison to Gus. The well-trained men seemed tense, adopting defensive postures at Gus's arrival, as if bracing for a significant threat.
It took several inquiries and orders from Cai Chengping to calm them down, making him constantly whisper in Bruce's ear, curious about Gus's background and insisting on hiring similar caliber bodyguards for himself.
The party wasn't in Chinatown. Considering the beauty pageant and performances and the nearly thousand attendees, it was held at the Universal Studios Hilton Hotel. Bruce had his driver take a detour to pick up Gal Gadow.
When Bruce, with Gal in a silver dress, appeared at the party, Cai Chengping, who had been somewhat smug, was stunned again, spending the evening looking at Bruce with a mix of envy and resentment.
"That's Wonder Woman, Gal Gadow!" The actress, famous for her roles in 'The Fast and the Furious' series and 'Batman v Superman', was at the peak of her fame. In Cai Chengping's eyes, Bruce had elevated from an idol to a master.
The party had a rich itinerary, culminating in the beauty pageant results. The top four were Queen Zhong Huilun, Second Princess Chen Zhiyan, Third Princess Ye Chaochun, and Fourth Princess cum Miss Photogenic Zheng Simin.
They were overseas Chinese beauties, descendants of Chinese immigrants from Indonesia and Malaysia, and some from Taiwan or Singapore.
Frankly, these overseas Chinese beauties were gorgeous, each with unique charms. They were Cai Chengping's initial targets, but now he was busy whispering to Bruce about introducing him to Hollywood actresses whenever Gal wasn't paying attention.
Bruce, familiar with Cai's character, bluntly asked, "It's easy to get you in touch with these Hollywood folks. But in this realistic world, what identity will you present? 'Rich second generation' isn't a good image."
Many immigrants' children in the U.S. are wealthy, but only a few really integrate into the upper class, as every place has its exclusivity.
"Am I that unreliable? Don't worry, I won't embarrass you," Cai Chengping chuckled, handing over a business card from his flashy cardholder.
Bruce read the card, "Chairman of Puring Investment, Director of Poly Group, Executive Vice Director of Construction." Impressive titles.
Seeing the mischievous smile on Cai's face, Bruce understood the situation. Poly Group, a powerhouse in California, focused on real estate development and investment management, with clients like California Edison and IBM Computer Company.
However, Bruce knew the group had Hong Kong roots, and Cai Chengping, with his mainland China background, being a director was likely due to family shares. The extent of his own Puring Investment was uncertain.
Bruce didn't comment, acknowledging Cai's powerful background. "I'll keep it in mind," he said, appreciating straightforward people, often indicating an understanding of the value and benefits exchange. "I'm counting on you, idol. I won't forget this," Cai Chengping, overjoyed at the nod, resumed his jovial chat with Gal on the other side.
Gal was smart, sensing the young man's significance from Bruce's attitude, and responded with smiles, making their conversation quite pleasant.
After the beauty pageant, the formal party began, providing an opportunity for networking. Zhuang Siyuan, valuing Bruce highly, introduced him to several VIPs as the host.
"Mr. Lee, this is Mr. Ding Youli, Chairman of the Democratic Party in the California State Assembly."
Ding Youli and the current Speaker of the California State Assembly, John, are both graduates of UC Berkeley and are considered core figures among Chinese-American politicians. According to data from Citibank, these individuals of Chinese descent are all noteworthy.
Although not all of them hold high positions, they are still influential, which was why Bruce ultimately decided to network with the Chinese Business Association – to expand his connections. Even if he didn't join the association, he believed other opportunities for collaboration would arise.
"Ms. Wang, nice to meet you." Wang Zhaohua, the Vice-Chair of the California Democratic Party, is also the highest-ranking Chinese-American woman in the party.
Though Bruce's interactions with them were brief, he left a strong impression, and they were very polite to this young billionaire. Today's networking was fruitful; these intricate connections would be a significant boost for him in California.
"Have you been waiting long?" Bruce asked, returning to his seat after a lengthy round of pleasantries and conversations.
"Not really, but it's tiring dealing with people I don't know," Gal responded flirtatiously, rolling her eyes at him. Even with Gus and others blocking, enthusiastic fans still exhausted her with their requests for photos. Fortunately, most were dignified enough not to make excessive demands.
"Where's William?" Bruce didn't see Cai Chengping and scanned the room, eventually spotting him chatting animatedly with a woman nearby, likely Zheng Simin, one of the top four Miss Chinatown contestants.
"Your friend is quite interesting," Gal chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. "How will you make it up to me for leaving me alone for so long?"
"You'll see." Bruce was about to kiss her but stopped short, whispering something in her ear instead.
Gal Gadow realized his hesitation and smiled slightly: "There are a lot of people here, do you want to hit the headlines?" With her and Bruce's status and fame, a public kiss would surely be tomorrow's hot news in all major media.
"When am I not in the headlines?" Bruce feigned surprise, lifting his eyebrows in an arrogant manner, eliciting a playful laugh from Gal.
He glanced towards a hurriedly turning figure in the distance, a smile appearing on his face.
The World Daily is a comprehensive online newspaper distributed for free in over 200 countries and regions, mainly targeting overseas Chinese. They naturally sent a reporter to cover events like the Los Angeles Chinese Business Association celebration.
At that moment, Zhu Kehua, a reporter from the Daily, hurried out of the front door, grinning ear to ear with his camera in hand.
What was supposed to be a routine report turned exciting when he captured "Wonder Woman" Gal Gadow at the celebration. An Israeli actress like her wouldn't ordinarily attend a Chinese Business Association event unless it was because of the man beside her.
Zhu Kehua felt that the young Chinese man, who seemed very intimate with Gal Gadow, looked familiar. Though he couldn't recall who it was immediately, his instincts told him this was big news!
"Editor, I've got a sensational story; save tomorrow's front page for me. I'm on my way back!"