Chapter 2: Tomorrow the sun will rise as usual

Zhou Ming and Danny walked out of the café together, and shook hands in farewell at the door.

'Mr. Ball, although we did not reach a consensus or an intention to cooperate during the time we spent together, I still think this meeting was very meaningful. At the very least, it has allowed us to get to know each other better, and perhaps we will have the opportunity to cooperate on other issues in the future,' Zhou Ming said politely to Ball Danny.

However, Polteney did not understand the subtlety of the East, or perhaps he simply did not take Zhou Ming seriously, and said, 'I think today is a pity, because I came with an open mind to cooperate with Zhou Ming. I also heard some of your deeds from Danny, and thought you were at least a mature, stable, and successful man with a head on your shoulders. But you have chosen a very wayward and wrong path.'

Zhou Ming smiled and said, 'I'm sorry for Mr. Ball's disappointment, but Mr. Ball is being a bit too arbitrary, isn't he? Maybe my choice is a bit wilful, but after all, the results haven't come out yet, so how can you say it's the wrong path? Maybe I can find a future US president after all.'

'I think Mr. Zhou Ming must be joking, but unfortunately the joke is very poor and not appropriate at this time,' said Ball Danny, with a look of contempt that you're making fun of me.

Zhou Ming shrugged uselessly: 'Well, if Mr. Ball insists, I guess there's nothing more I can say. Then let's say goodbye and wish Mr. Ball every success this time.'

Danny Boyle also said, 'It's a pity. I was hoping that Brighton would see the emergence of a new bourgeoisie who could break the situation, but it seems I was wrong. However, Ming, I hope you will remember our bet. It may be just a hundred-dollar bet on the surface, but I hope to add more chips to my electors, such as votes from the Chinese community.'

'Mr. Boyle can rest assured. If Mr. Boyle's candidate is really very promising, I think I will definitely help you,' Ming said.

'Then I hope it won't take too long, otherwise I may not need any more help by then. You know, 100,000 US dollars is nothing.'

After saying this, Paul Daniels turned and left. His son, Danny, who was also the president of the Harvard Student Union, did not immediately follow, but hesitated for a moment before persuading Zhou Ming, 'Zhou Ming, I know you have your own ideas, but perhaps you could try to get to know my father's electors. I sincerely hope that we will have the opportunity to cooperate.'

After a moment's thought, Danny added, 'Or, Ming, you could invest $100,000 in my father's campaign foundation first, and then we can be considered partners. In addition, you can also find another ideal elector on your side and get him involved in the election. It's fine. You always say that a win-win situation is the ideal state.

'Thank you very much for Chairman Danny's efforts. This is indeed a very constructive choice, but I'm sorry, I won't accept a losing investment,' Zhou Ming said. 'Please forgive me for using the word losing, but I don't see the value of investing in this person, John. Maybe he is very good at arguing in court, but elections are different from court arguments, and the two are not comparable.'

'I completely agree with you, but...'

Danny tried to say something, but before he could finish, he heard Paul Daniels shouting at him to hurry over. Danny had to apologise to Ming Zhou, saying, 'I'm sorry, but I hope you can consider my suggestion more carefully before making a decision.'

Afterwards, Danny went back to Paul Daniels and complained to him, 'Mr. Paul, I don't understand why you did this at all. This is completely different from what we agreed beforehand. And you also know a lot about Zhou Ming. You also said that he is a person with a very unique perspective. But why did you completely reject him today? I don't think it was Zhou Ming who was arbitrary today, but you, Mr. Paul!'

Facing Danny's complaints, Paul Daniels looked indifferent, completely without the arrogance and contempt he had just shown.

Polly Danny looked at the departing back of Zhou Ming for a long time before asking Danny back, 'Mr. Danny, you said that Zhou Ming is a person with unique insight. So in your eyes, what kind of person am I?'

Danny was completely confused by his father's sudden question. It took a while before he reacted, and he tentatively asked his father, 'What Mr. Polly means is that you also have your own thoughts...or maybe you have a hard time?'

Paul Denny shook his head. He still didn't give a direct answer, but just sighed: 'This matter is not as complicated as we see on the surface. You see the sun setting, and you think the day is over. But in fact, there is still a lot of time left in the day. Even if it's twelve o'clock and the time of the day is over, it's just the beginning of a new day. As long as none of us are lying in a coffin, the sun will always rise as usual, won't it?'

Denny was full of confusion at his father's words, which were full of philosophy and meaning. But when he thought about it, it seemed as if he understood what his father meant.

On the other side, Zhou Ming returned to the dormitory after bidding farewell to Danny and his father. Chen Shuli Yang and Ye Ning were waiting in the lobby on the first floor. They immediately surrounded Zhou Ming when they saw him return, asking him one after the other how things were going. Even their lawyer Alan was here.

'Is Lawyer Alan here to collect his own lawyer's fees? Ye Ning should have already transferred all the fees into your account, so you don't have to worry. I know very well that here in the United States, you cannot default on any fees, not even lawyer's fees,' Zhou Ming teased.

Alan shook his head and said, 'I'm not worried about the attorney's fees because I'm more than willing to be Mr. Zhou Ming's lawyer, even if I'll be owed late fees. After all, I don't lack money. In contrast, I'm more worried about the outcome of this negotiation between Mr. Zhou Ming and his partners. I believe that these friends of yours will all be more concerned and anxious than I am.'

As Alan spoke, Chen Shuyu and Chen Yening nodded furiously. After all, as the people closest to Zhou Ming in the United States, they understood Zhou Ming's situation very well. Zhou Ming urgently needed to make a political voice, otherwise no matter how successful he was in business, he would eventually become a meal for power.

Just like this time, he had obviously used Brooke's greed to successfully lure him into the trap, and all the evidence pointed to the fact that Brooke was the real criminal. However, the end result was that Brooke used the power of the Congressional Investigation Committee to force himself into the FBI building for questioning, and later sent someone to intercept and kill him on the road.

All of this is a serious crime. If it were someone else, I'm afraid it would have caused a huge uproar in Brighton a long time ago. But he is Brooke, so from the judicial authorities to the media, they have become blind and mute at the same time, unable to see and unable to speak.

Why?

Just because he is Brooke, the self-appointed senator of Massachusetts, and has the privileges granted to him by the constitution, that's all.

Since the rich people in the United States can blatantly use their power to protect themselves, then why can't we do the same and use democracy to fight for power for ourselves?

Facing so many hopeful gazes, Zhou Ming sighed inwardly. In fact, there was one more thing he hadn't told them, and that was the conversation he had with Speaker Anthony in the garden restaurant that day. Everything he said was only the first half, and the most crucial part, the deal he made with him, he did not reveal a single word to anyone, not even these people who were very close to him.

Could a million dollars and the threat of a deputy governor's speech make Zhou Ming compromise?

Of course this was impossible. In fact, the deal and compromise involved were far more complicated than what Zhou Ming had said, and it even involved many other aspects, including his insistence on not cooperating with Poldeney today. However, even so, they still longed for the power to defend themselves from bullying.

Zhou Ming did not keep them in suspense and replied directly: 'I met Danny's father, and he also recommended his candidate to me. It was lawyer John from the Gold Medal Law Firm. He said he would fund this lawyer John to run for district mayor.'

Zhou Ming looked at Alan when he said this, and Alan quickly responded: "So what is Mr. Zhou Ming's decision?'

'I rejected his proposal. I would rather examine a candidate myself," Zhou Ming said.

Alan was relieved: 'It's really good that you didn't accept, because I know this lawyer John. He is indeed a very eloquent lawyer, and he also has very strong political ambitions. But the point is that he doesn't understand politics. To summarise in a Chinese saying, he is ambitious but not very capable. Yes, that's it. He is an idealist. He can always tell you a lot about his political ideas, but he never considers whether these political ideas can be implemented, or even whether they have any practical significance.'

Zhou Ming nodded: 'I see, no wonder I haven't seen any mention of him in any newspapers or magazines, and I don't have any impression of him at all.'

'The choice you made is the best one, but it seems that Mr. Danny's political action will fail again this time,' Ye Ning said with a sigh.

'Well, let's not gloat over other people's misfortunes. After all, the day is not over yet, and the sun will always rise tomorrow. Who knows what the situation will be like later?' Zhou Ming said with a smile, rubbing Ye Ning's little head.

Ye Ning and the other two nodded. Alan asked Zhou Ming, 'I'm just curious, Mr. Zhou Ming, since you rejected John, then you must have a more ideal candidate, right? Because John is a person who, if you don't know him very well, can really be easily deceived by his eloquence and think that he is a person with great political passion and ability.'

'I do have a very suitable candidate,' Zhou Ming replied, 'his name is Omar, currently thirty years old, and is pursuing a doctorate at Harvard Law School.'

As soon as Zhou Ming finished speaking, Allen immediately exclaimed in surprise, 'Omar? I know this person. He was the first black president of the Law Review, his legal theory is recognised nationwide, and he is also very eloquent. But all he has shown is theoretical knowledge related to law. You say you want him to be your candidate...'

Allen asked very uncertainly, 'Will this work?'