America is a very interesting country.
Economically, it leads the world in a splendid isolation.
Militarily, it still appears strong in the news and the mouths of American dogs.
As for safety, well, that's something even the American dogs can't gloss over.
In places like Saint Rodu, even the black guys wouldn't dare to wander alone in the middle of the night.
Red Street, although it's a CBD for the homeless, refreshes its homeless population relatively quickly during the day.
The heavy influx starts after ten o'clock and by seven in the evening, it's mostly cleared out.
Even the homeless are scared.
The bustling commercial streets of Los Angeles are patrolled by policemen at night, which naturally ensures safety.
But in places like Red Street...
Anyway, Lisa and her group now feel incredibly relieved.
For Lisa, spending a thousand US dollars meant using her boss's money to buy her own safety.
What a deal!
For Lisa's companions, hiring a "professional and reliable" security not only guaranteed safety but also helped them get their work done quickly.
Perfect!
The only one who couldn't make heads or tails of it was the young photographer.
Having his clothes swiped left him with the bizarre feeling of being kicked out of the team.
He came out to work and ended up feeling like an outsider.
"Cheng, may I be so bold as to ask a question?"
As the three columns of vans advanced in an orderly fashion, Lisa turned her head to look at Cheng Daqi.
Having seen Cheng's way of speaking and working, she became deeply interested in the possibly 'special agent' Asian in front of her.
"Don't ask bold questions. You've paid a thousand dollars, but I don't do intimate services," Cheng joked with Lisa, the OC perfume supervisor.
She was the first little BOSS he had encountered in Saint Rodu and was definitely worth some deeper communication.
The previous negotiation for cooperation had moved too quickly and was too rushed, lacking proper build-up.
Now he needed to break down Lisa's guard in the conversation and close the distance between them.
Humor is a social blade that cuts across racial barriers.
"F**k, intimate services? A thousand wouldn't be enough from you."
Lisa gave Cheng a displeased look and responded discontentedly.
"Then go ahead and ask. Besides offering security solutions based on Red Street, I can also help you with car cylinder maintenance, check the headlights, and do some exhaust pipe upkeep."
"Are you also a mechanic?"
"Of course, I'm skilled at repairing cars from all over the world."
"How did we end up talking about cars? That's something you men are interested in. My question is, what did you do before this?"
"Lisa, I suggest you take a sip of water to calm down; don't be overwhelmed by my charm."
"Damn, you're a damn mechanic."
Watching Lisa get confused and irritated, Cheng couldn't help but laugh mischievously.
Lisa glared fiercely at him, her teeth chattering in frustration.
She gritted her teeth in anger.
Instead of continuing the chat with Lisa, Cheng's Orange Six vibrated.
Upon opening his phone, he saw a pop-up message from Eaglehead (similar to Twitter, mentioned previously).
"Cheng, how did you end up cozying up to that woman from the relief center again?"
A message from Sani, the black girl.
Cheng didn't answer directly but instead looked up and scanned the crowd around him.
In a corner not far away, Sani noticed his gaze and waved at him.
Cheng gave Lisa a smile and said,
"My friend is interested in your perfumes; you wouldn't mind if I took a bottle for her, would you?"
Lisa glared at Cheng, her face tense, and exhaled sharply through her nose.
"Hmm."
As Cheng looked at the supervisor who was clearly still upset from his teasing, he shrugged.
He then replied to Sani on Eaglehead.
"I saw they were handing out perfumes here, and I thought you might need some, so I picked up a portion for you and had a word with the person in charge here."
Seeing Cheng Daqi's message, Sani felt a little strange.
Could he be into me?
Is he trying to seduce me?
Damn Asian mix, just as they say on the radio, always hemming and hawing in everything they do.
She stared at the chat box with Cheng Daqi, typed a line of text, but then felt it wasn't quite right.
After a long while, she finally sent it out.
"Is your phone charged? I brought you a power bank."
Cheng Daqi replied.
"Not yet, I'm planning to go to the shelter for dinner, then charge it at the shelter."
Sani glanced at Lisa standing next to Cheng Daqi and asked in a low voice through the White Eagle.
"Do you need me to bring the power bank over to you first?"
Cheng Daqi didn't want to cause any trouble for Sani.
"Would that be convenient? I don't want to bother you."
"I'm on my way."
Seeing Black Sis's righteousness, Cheng Daqi once again deeply appreciated the value of the saying that when out and about, friends are your best asset.
Having already greeted Lisa, he took a set of perfume and quietly handed it to Sani.
"Why are you dressed like these volunteers?"
"I'm distributing things with them, you go eat first, if there's anything, contact me through White Eagle."
Sani nodded, picked up the perfume, and turned to leave.
Cheng Daqi watched Black Sis's retreating figure, his thoughts fluttering.
Sani was indeed good to him; he could consider her as a potential right-hand person for starting a business in the future.
Only this girl didn't seem like she had absorbed much knowledge.
She had a certain pureness that seemed to stem directly from the black banners.
She needed cultivation.
However, these thoughts were too distant from his current situation of not even having a legal identity.
Focus on the task at hand first.
"Is that your girlfriend?"
Lisa was just so curious.
Cheng Daqi was shrouded in mystery.
An English-speaking, car-repair knowledgeable, security-savvy Asian homeless man.
Could he be the driver for the North Korean president?
The myriad of mysteries surrounding Cheng Daqi made her unbearably curious.
"No, you could think of her as my business partner, similar to our relationship."
Cheng Daqi didn't quite understand where Lisa's focus was.
"You provide security services for her?"
Lisa had turned into curious George.
Apparently, girls all over the world could potentially awaken their gossip trait.
Cheng Daqi helplessly shifted the topic.
"Shall we take a photo together? It's an honor to work with such kind-hearted girls like you."
He didn't continue answering Lisa's questions and instead called over the photographer to take pictures for him.
Work should leave a trace.
Otherwise, it becomes too contentious when it comes time to settle accounts.
Moreover, the 'Perfume Equality' that Lisa's team was promoting was a very interesting topic.
It could be used as material for TikTok videos.
Lisa's team photographer took the Orange Six from Cheng Daqi's hand and continued being their tool.
Cheng Daqi pulled Lisa to stand behind the three seated volunteers.
He gestured for Lisa to lift her hand with him, pointing toward the large slogan on the van.
There was the OC perfume's brand logo and the slogan 'Perfume Equality.'
"Three, two, one, smile."