The next day, Eric woke up feeling fresh and energized. No pain in his back or legs, and he felt absolutely great. Yesterday, he had successfully thwarted Zhang Ziyi's cunning plan.
This woman was truly ruthless, more daring than many in Hollywood. In Western circles, it's rare to encounter someone as straightforward and bold as she was. When she began to undress, clearly intending to display her whole body, Eric decided not to hold back.
"Those two headlights are way too small!"
"Look at the folds around your waist. You can't just forget about working out during winter just because you're wearing warm clothes!"
"And your legs? Thick at the top, short at the bottom, and why are your knees so dark?"
"And your butt? Why is it so flat? Have you been sitting too much? You can't be that lazy!"
"And by the way, I don't like heavy makeup. Ever heard of being tired of the same old thing?"
...
A string of sarcastic comments eventually broke Zhang Ziyi. A woman offering herself to a man is confident in her looks and determination. But if she's rejected and even mocked, it becomes a catastrophic humiliation, hard to bear, even with thick skin. Especially for an actress used to admiration and praise. When her illusion shatters, it becomes a devastating blow.
Zhang Ziyi quickly dressed and left the room, humiliated and frustrated. All of this was just a pretext to get close to him. However, the clothes she brought him fit perfectly, proving her keen eye.
At breakfast, much to the waiter's surprise, Eric deftly used chopsticks and ate tofu with peppers and fried dough sticks. While you could find fried dough sticks in America, good tofu was a rare skill among chefs.
After wiping his mouth, Eric turned to Susan:
"Susan, keep in touch with Zhou Xiaopeng and Han Sanping, and get daily updates on the progress."
"I've already set everything up at the company. The money will come in today. Keep an eye on it."
"Got it, boss!"
Eric then looked at Chen Xin:
"You can either help Susan or go for a walk. This is your first time in China, right?"
Chen Xin smiled shyly:
"Yeah, though my elders often told me about China, it was just stories to me. I could only look at pictures online."
Eric smiled. Chen Xin's experience was typical of many Chinese Americans. For them, China was something mysterious and unfamiliar.
"Listening to stories isn't enough. I recommend visiting a museum; you'll find memories from your elders there."
Patting Chen Xin on the shoulder, Eric left "Fengzeyuan," taking Susan's car.
"Where to, boss?" the driver asked.
"You know I'm the boss?"
The driver smiled:
"I don't understand what you were talking about with Miss Susan, but I can see she respects you. She's my boss, and you're her boss, so you're my boss too."
Eric laughed:
"I want to see Beijing. What do you recommend?"
"The Forbidden City, of course!" the driver exclaimed.
"If a foreigner doesn't visit the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, it's like they haven't been to Beijing at all. Usually, there's a line that takes an hour, but it's not so crowded now. Hire a guide, and it'll feel like the whole palace is yours. I don't know if there are guides now, but I can come with you. I'm an old Beijinger, I know a lot."
"Alright, let's go there. I've never been either."
"Sure thing, hop in!"
The car sped along. Eric looked out the window, noticing that Beijing's streets were busier during the day. Even if you cut the population by two-thirds, the crowd still resembled Los Angeles.
At the parking lot, the driver asked:
"Boss, are you going alone or should I come with you?"
"I'll go alone. I'll call when I'm done. Don't wait here, take care of your own things, just don't go far."
"Got it, thanks!"
At the ticket booth, there was no line. The cashier, seeing a foreigner, was surprised and started speaking broken English. Eric didn't interrupt her. When she handed him the ticket, he loudly thanked her in Chinese, leaving her confused, and entered the palace.
After passing through the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Supreme Harmony, Eric found himself before the Wenhuadian Hall. Before he knew it, he had reached the Hall of Supreme Harmony—the most important part of the palace, where the emperor met his subjects. There, on a high platform, stood the dragon throne. Unfortunately, to protect the relics, barriers were set up, and entry was prohibited. You could only admire it from the outside.
At that moment, Eric heard voices. Turning around, he saw two women walking from around the corner. Both were wearing masks and decorative glasses, but by their figures and walk, it was clear that they were either mother and daughter, or an older woman and a younger one.
In these years, friends didn't walk around holding hands, so they were likely here, like him, to enjoy the palace's tranquility. Eric glanced at them briefly and continued filming on his video camera.
"Mom, Dad, look at this place, at the surroundings. This is the Forbidden City—one of China's major ancient buildings. It has over 500 years of history, twice as long as the U.S."
"The Forbidden City is one of the most beautiful and grand architectural complexes in the world. Only in China can you see such magnificent structures. Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor was filmed here."
"This is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the emperor conducted state affairs. The square in front of it can hold thousands of people. The White House is nothing compared to this!"
"And this..."
The mother and daughter approached when one of them addressed Eric in very good English:
"Excuse me, could you help us?"
There were only the three of them in the deserted square. Eric shrugged:
"How can I help, ma'am?"
"Could you take a picture of us? There's no one else here but you."
"Of course, what should I use? Do you have a camera?"
"Here, take this," the woman pulled a phone out of her bag and handed it to Eric.
------
You can read up to 10+ advanced chapters and support me at patreon.com/raaaaven