Chapter 23: A serious problem that has been ignored

Zhou Ming took the students in his finance class on a bus to the Fenway District Council building. After getting 200 signatures in the Veda community, they came directly here. Although there were still a few days before the registration deadline, considering that there was still a senior state senator targeting him, in order to avoid all uncertainties, Zhou Ming decided to submit it as soon as possible.

'My goodness, are we really participating in a presidential election? How come there are still so many people here after so many days?' Li Yang exclaimed in surprise as he looked out the window of the car.

The entrance to the parliament building was still packed with people as it had been on the first day. They gathered together in small groups according to their respective parties, with banners and propaganda posters being held high. Many people were in groups of three or five, handing out flyers at intersections. The scene was lively.

'Maybe this is the electoral culture of Western countries. For them, elections are as important as the Chinese New Year. It is most important that we hurry and do our jobs well.'

Zhou Ming explained, and then asked ** to drive the car to a nearby parking lot, and then walked with the finance class students, because there was no longer any space in the parking lot in front of the Capitol Building.

Zhou Ming and the finance class students had a huge group of thirty people. With so many people, especially all Chinese, walking together on the streets of the American city, it was hard not to become the focus of attention.

'Look! The Chinese are coming over there!' Passers-by and people from other campaign parties exclaimed, pointing and discussing Zhou Ming's group.

'Do these Chinese still have the face to come to the Capitol? They are just thugs and bastards. They usually act lawlessly. Are they going to storm the Capitol Building again today? Although there are only a few of them here today, they are still the same in nature!'

'Oh my god, why are these Eastern demons here again? Did they see that there were a lot of people at the entrance of the Parliament Building and make the police unable to act freely? Then I have to leave quickly, I don't want to be associated with these evil scum. They are evil spirits that have crawled out of hell, and will take away everyone's kindness and conscience, turning them into demons who are just as thoughtless, only know destruction and greed!'

There were people in the crowd who were angry at and insulted Zhou Ming and his friends, and there were also people who were afraid of them. These words made Zhou Ming frown. He had heard about the Western media distorting and smearing China in his previous life, but that was all hearsay. Now he truly felt it.

Zhou Ming suppressed his anger and continued walking. After all, there were so many people, and it was impossible to stop each one and reason with them.

Suddenly a group of people blocked the way in front of Zhou Ming and the others. The leader was a white man with a headscarf, who shouted at Zhou Ming and the others, 'Get back, Chinese people! This is the sacred parliament, not your pig farm!'

As the leader shouted, the others followed suit and shouted in unison, 'Get out, Chinese, you are not welcome here, you filthy maggots, the scum and cancer of society, you are orphans abandoned by God! You lackeys of Red China, you communists sharing your wives, I still have a family and my lovely daughter, I absolutely will not allow anyone to lay a finger on them or bully them, I will protect my family!'

'We must protect our families, our parents, our wives, and our children. Chinese people, get out of here!'

Everyone shouted one after the other, and as they shouted, they pressed in towards Zhou Ming.

Facing the surging crowd in front of him, **stood silently in front of Zhou Ming. The other students in the finance class panicked at once. Chen Yesen came to Zhou Ming's side and took him by the arm, saying, 'Teacher, these Americans have all gone crazy. Let's just go for now and come back another day.'

Zhou Ming shook his head: 'When will that be? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? If there are so many people here every day, do we just give up?'

'But, teacher...'

Ye Ning wanted to say something else, but Zhou Ming raised his hand to stop her. Then Zhou Ming took two steps forward, facing the crowd that was gradually closing in, and took out a loudspeaker and yelled, 'Shut the hell up!'

Zhou Ming's shout was like magic, causing everyone to freeze for the first time, staring at Zhou Ming, not knowing what he was going to do or say.

'First of all, I want to say that we are not here today to march and rally, but to run for office!'

Zhou Ming's first words caused an uproar on the scene, and then Zhou Ming continued, 'You are all Americans, don't you always talk about freedom of election? So are you expressing your freedom now? You are stopping us from going past and even trying to get rid of us. Or are you afraid of our campaign, so you can only use such dirty and despicable means to stop our freedom? Please tell me, is that it?'

If Ming's first sentence shocked everyone, then Ming's next sentence made everyone explode. These people yelled at each other angrily, 'You are the most despicable and dirty, you are the biggest enemy of freedom!'

Facing the overwhelming abuse from all sides, Zhou Ming remained unmoved. He even took the time to straighten his clothes before saying, 'Since you are all still free citizens, then do you dare let us go over there and face us in a legitimate free election?'

Zhou Ming used this question to silence everyone, leaving them all stunned. But that wasn't all he said. He pointed his finger across the street and asked, 'Do you dare? And you and you, do you want to be heroes who face us head-on, or cowards who hide in the crowd and dare not fight us?'

'Heroes, of course!'

Someone shouted as soon as Zhou Ming finished speaking, and with this shout, the others all followed suit, shouting, 'Let's fight. Who's afraid? I think you are the cowards. If you have the guts, just go over there!'

'Thank you very much,' Zhou Ming said with a smile, and bowed to greet everyone.

The Americans also bowed to Zhou Ming, but by this time, Zhou Ming had already led the finance class students towards the Parliament Building. So all the Americans bowed and watched Zhou Ming and the others walk past them, suddenly having the illusion that they were victorious generals marching in, and they were just the slaves prostrating themselves at their feet.

This scene also fell into the eyes of another pair of eyes. In the hotel across from the Capitol, someone was also looking down on all this. She opened her red lips and whispered, 'This scene really looks like a king who has won every battle is inspecting his subjects in the territory he has conquered. Chinese Ming Zhou, this man really has the heart of a king. He is holding a scepter and a sword, ready to face any battle and challenge!'

The voice was as melodious as a nightingale's song, as ethereal as a lark's singing, and it was both soft and cold, as well as innocent, and it tickled every man's heart.

At that moment, footsteps were heard behind her, and another woman said, 'Your Highness, we should go back. No matter if this Chinese Zhou Ming is holding a money bag, a sceptre or a sword, it has nothing to do with you. You are destined to be people from different worlds.'

She glanced back at Zhou Ming, sighed softly, and then said, 'Okay, I understand. I'll go back with you.'

With that, she held out her small hand covered in lace gloves. The middle-aged woman immediately understood and took her hand, leading her out of the room.

At this moment, in front of the Parliament Building, Zhou Ming had already brought all the students from the finance class to the front of the Parliament Building. He didn't know if anyone was paying attention to him, and perhaps he didn't care at all. Just like last time, he and Huang Yi walked into the Parliament together, while the other students from the finance class just waited outside.

As it wasn't the first time he had been here, Ming Zhou found his way to the election committee with ease. Ming Zhou handed the signature form to the parliamentary staff. At that moment, Ming Zhou's phone suddenly rang. Ming Zhou hurriedly took it outside to answer it. It was lawyer Alan calling. Ming Zhou had not yet had time to say hello when Alan asked nervously, 'Mr. Ming Zhou, have you handed your signature form to the election committee?'

Ming Zhou glanced back and then replied, 'I just handed it in. Is something wrong?'

'It's the same old story,' said Alan. 'That question is an easily overlooked one, but just because it's easy to overlook doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And this question could be serious enough to threaten the invalidation of Mr Huang Yi's candidacy.'

Zhou Ming was silent for a long time before he said, 'Thank you very much. I am prepared for this question. We'll see what happens.'

A few minutes later, Zhou Ming returned to the Election Commission and saw Huang Yi arguing with the staff of the parliament. Zhou Ming went up to ask what was going on. Huang Yi turned around and said, 'Teacher, he said that we have been disqualified from running in the election. How can this be?'

'It is because you have violated the Basic Law of Elections that the Election Commission has the right to disqualify you from running in the election according to the law.'

An answer came from behind. Zhou Ming and the others turned around, and an old acquaintance walked in. Zhou Ming smiled and said, 'Hello, Senator Brooke. You really are a persistent old man!'

The person who came was none other than the old Brooke. He said to Zhou Ming's mockery, 'I like it when you say that, but believe it or not, I don't have any thoughts against you. It's just that this time, you did break the law. You should thank God that I didn't let the FBI come and get you.'

'I'm afraid that FBI Director Mueller no longer wants to get involved in your mess,' Zhou Ming asked with a smile.

'Zhou Ming of China, I ask you to be mindful of your words and the respectful attitude you should have towards me!' Brook shouted at Zhou Ming, but then calmed down and said, 'Fortunately, I'm used to it, you're just so rude.'

'Mr. Brook, I would like to remind you that courtesy is relative. I can't bow to a dog that keeps barking at me, right? Do you agree?' Zhou Ming asked Brook, before asking again before Brook lost his temper again, "But I'm curious, what is it this time that you're picking on me for? Even though you are a senator yourself, you still can't interfere with a normal election, even if you really dislike me.'

Brook grinned evilly and said, "You really want to know? Then beg me, and maybe I'll tell you if I'm in the mood.'

'I'm sorry, I'm not interested. I have to go because I have something else to do,'

Zhou Ming said disdainfully, and then turned around with ** and Huang Yi and walked away. This way of not playing by the rules made Lao Brook so angry that he wanted to jump up and down. He shouted at Zhou Ming's back, 'Because you are running for election with the support of one person and one company, there is suspicion of bribery and election manipulation, so according to the Basic Law of Elections, you must be disqualified from running for election!'

Zhou Ming stopped in his tracks, and Lao Brook continued, 'You didn't expect this, did you? This is the consequence of your ignorance of elections. Playing with me here, I can play you to death. I'm telling you, you're dead. Just give up on running for office, you'll never have any chance in politics!'

After listening to Lao Brook finish, Zhou Ming suddenly turned around and smiled at him, saying, 'Really? Then I'm sorry to tell you, I already guessed that. Goodbye.'

Zhou Ming finished and left, and behind him Lao Brook stamped his foot in anger.