Chapter 104: Everyone at the scene is useless

A limited edition Cadillac blue sedan drove through the streets of Brighton and ended up at the silver beach at the mouth of the Charles River. There is a famous group of villas here, and the sedan finally drove into the governor's exclusive vacation villa.

Massachusetts Governor Edward was lying on a beach chair on the shore, staring blankly at the sunset over the sea. Then he heard someone approaching, but he didn't need to turn his head to know who it was: 'The great scholar Lawrence, you've finally arrived.'

The 'university scholar' Edward was referring to was Harvard University President Lawrence. He was used to Edward's greetings, so he just smiled and sat down next to Edward. He didn't take himself as an outsider and took a sip of the coconut on the small table: 'You still like drinking coconut juice, but I prefer eating the coconut flesh to this kind of juice that is not sweet and not light enough.'

'So this is where our differences in opinion lie, otherwise we wouldn't have to argue every time we meet,' Edward said.

'But fortunately, we don't disagree on everything, otherwise I wouldn't have come here today.' Lawrence put down the coconut and also lay down on the beach chair. 'To be honest, when you called me today, I really didn't expect that someone would want to challenge the Addams Family, or try to pull all three families together by deceiving each other.'

'That's a very brave and bad boy!' Edward laughed, but then he turned to Lawrence and said, "But I'm curious, since you knew about all this, how did you let him convince you?'

Edward's question made Lawrence feel a little embarrassed, but he quickly found a way out, pointing at Edward and saying, "Of course it's all your fault, buddy. If you hadn't been deceived by him, how would he have come to me?'

Faced with this unreasonable accusation, Edward felt a little helpless, but he didn't explain anything. Of course, Lawrence on the other side didn't mean to pursue the matter, and soon gave up. Edward leaned back in his chair and said, 'Judging from the time, Zhou Ming should have already arrived in Lowell. Lawrence, the great scholar, do you think the Chinese kid can convince that timid Gallic chicken?'

Lawrence shook his head: 'I don't know, but I can tell you that Louis will definitely throw a lavish dinner party to welcome him. Let me think... There will be his most prized wines and foie gras with caviar at this dinner, and then everything else can go to hell.'

'Yes, this is not the first time in 300 years that this has happened,' Edward muttered, but then he suddenly turned to Lawrence and said, 'But I have a feeling that the Chinese kid will work a miracle.'

'Really? If that's the case, then it would really be a miracle, because if it was just Louis alone, then it would be very easy to solve, but it's a family, which is why there was that dinner.' Lawrence said.

'So Lawrence, the great scholar, shall we make a bet, with a hundred dollars as the stake?'

Edward said, taking out a hundred-dollar bill. Lawrence smiled at this, and then shook off Edward's outstretched hand.

...

Let the scene return to Auburn Castle, where the Lowell family dinner is in full swing. Zhou Ming sits in his seat, listening to Lawrence's constant introduction of some old French customs and interesting family stories about these dishes. On the stage not far away, a dozen Lowell family men and women in formal attire are happily dancing, and the band next to them is also playing hard.

It all seemed so harmonious and joyful, but in Zhou Ming's eyes, he always felt a strange sense of foreboding.

Yes, this feeling is strange. Zhou Ming didn't understand the meaning of this dinner party. Could it be just because of the enthusiasm? That's a bit over the top, isn't it?

Zhou Ming also didn't know whether Lawrence and Edward had actually called the Lowell family. According to the current situation, they probably had, because if they hadn't, Louis would never have known that I was coming, let alone greet me all the way at the door. But if they had called, then he would definitely have known why I was here. But why did they have to organise such a dinner, and only at the dinner did they talk about everything but the point?

Did he plan to use this dinner to fool himself until he left?

This idea is ridiculous, but the current situation seems to be like this. Zhou Ming thought again about the last words Lawrence said to him before he left. He said that the Lowell family was different from the Kennedys and the Lawrence family. He also said that as long as he could convince the Lowell family, it would not be impossible for them to join forces against the Adams family.

It seems that this Lowell family is the key. Since Mr. Louis does not intend to raise the topic, then I will have to do it myself.

With this in mind, Zhou Ming interrupted Louis and asked him, 'Mr. Louis, first of all, I am very grateful for your hospitality, and I have benefited greatly from your profound knowledge. However, from these aspects, I think you must have known in advance that I was coming, right? Including the purpose of my visit.'

Originally, Louis had planned to toast Ming again, but after hearing Ming's words, he put down his glass. However, instead of answering Ming's question, he asked Ming in return, 'What did you think of the dinner I prepared for you? Was it not luxurious enough? Or were the dishes not to your liking, or was there something about the music or the dancing that didn't please you?'

Zhou Ming shook his head and said no, and Louis continued, 'Then that's it? Since you are very satisfied, let's continue this grand dinner and not let other things affect our beautiful mood.'

Zhou Ming frowned: Sure enough, this guy has no intention of talking about business?

Louis saw Zhou Ming's expression and said, 'Mr. Zhou Ming, look at this luxurious main hall. Perhaps you don't know that this castle has been standing here for more than 600 years, from the Indian period...'

Zhou Ming was not interested in the history of Auburn Castle. He immediately interrupted Louis and said, 'Mr. Louis, are you going to talk about things after the dinner, are you worried that there are too many people here?'

'That's fine,' said Louis, 'today we'll eat first, and then tomorrow I'll have my butler show you around Lowell. Although it's not as good as Brighton, it is also a very important historical and cultural city in Massachusetts.'

'So Mr. Louis, you don't plan to tell me anything about dealing with the Adams family, do you?' Zhou Ming asked.

Facing Zhou Ming's repeated questioning, Louis was silent for a while before saying, 'I don't know what those two guys Lawrence and Edward told you, or maybe they didn't tell you at all, they just used deception to get you here.'

Louis paused for a moment after saying this and continued, 'You know what? Young Chinese, if I were you, I would happily attend this dinner and then explore this Lowell city tomorrow, without thinking about any alliance or Adams family at all.'

'So you are not me,' Ming said carefully, word by word, leaving Louis stunned.

'Do you think I am the spokesperson for the two families, the Kennedys and the Laurens? You are very wrong. In fact, the person who proposed an alliance against the Adams family was me,' said Zhou Ming.

'It seems that you really don't know anything!' Louis shook his head helplessly.

Zhou Ming shrugged: 'Maybe so, I really don't know anything, but I can be clear about one thing, and that is this matter is related to the future rise and fall of the Lowell family. Do you really want to always be ridden over by the Adams family, and don't want to bring the Lowell family to a new height?'

Louis froze in place. He looked at Zhou Ming in a daze, as if petrified, but after a moment, Louis burst out laughing.

Louis's laughter attracted the attention of the others, and Louis stood up and said, 'Dear brothers of the Lowell family, I am here to inform you of something. This Mr. Zhou Ming from China says that he has brought us important news about the future of the family, about our alliance with the Kennedys and Lawrences to fight against the Adams family!'

Louis's words were like dropping a bombshell on the scene, blowing everyone away. Everyone looked at Zhou Ming in surprise, their eyes full of disbelief, and the atmosphere suddenly dropped to freezing point.

In fact, Zhou Ming didn't expect Louis to be so direct as to blurt out the news. Is he going to fly?

However, after the initial shock, all the Lowell family members present laughed out loud just like Louis. While laughing, they said to Zhou Ming, 'You Chinese people sure know how to tell a joke! Is this the mysterious humour from the East? If so, then you win, because you have made me laugh. This is the funniest joke I have heard this week or this month, except that today is not April Fools' Day!'

Facing the laughter around him, Zhou Ming's brows furrowed even deeper. He looked at Louis first and then stood up and said, 'I'm not joking. I'm very serious. Now that I've convinced Governor Edward of the Kennedys and Harvard President Lawrence of the Lawrences, it's just the Lowell family that's left, and we can form an alliance to deal with the Adams family together!'

Zhou Ming's explanation did not stop the laughter around him, but instead made it even louder. Zhou Ming looked at Louis, who just shrugged his shoulders uselessly.

'That's why I said you know nothing!' said Louis. "Compared to the Kennedys" thirst for power and the Lawrence family's desire to regain their share of the bank, we Lowell family don't need anything. Although in the past we once owned the Massachusetts Bank with the Lawrence family, it has now merged with the Brighton Bank, hasn't it? We are now the most famous family in Massachusetts.'

Following Louis's words, the others also followed suit, saying, 'Louis is right, we are not the Candini family or the Lawrence family, we are the Lowell family! We don't want to become kings with swords in hand, nor do we want to become Scrooges full of money. We feel that our current situation is very good. We own a city of our own, we have an enemy-defying wealth, and we can spend and enjoy as much as we like, so why do we have to fight for power and profit?'

'You heard what the friend from China said?' Louis asked Zhou Ming. "This is our Lowell family. I can pretend that you didn't say anything.'

Zhou Ming let out a breath and shook his head. "I really didn't expect it. The Lowell family is actually such a bunch of drunken, dream-living losers.'

Zhou Ming didn't deliberately hide his voice, so Louis heard him. He slammed his hand on the table, glaring at Zhou Ming and asking, 'What did you say? Who are you calling a loser?'

Louis's words caused an explosion in the room, and everyone accused Zhou Ming, 'What an ungrateful Chinese! We treated you so warmly, and you actually cursed people! You are nothing but a son of a bitch! Who do you think you are to curse people? No one here is beneath you! I think you are the one who is worthless! Apologize! No matter what we do to you in the end, and no matter who you were cursing, you must apologize to us!'

As the centre of attention, Zhou Ming smiled and said, 'I'm sorry everyone, I didn't mean to single anyone out with the word "scum" just now. I just meant that everyone speaking right now is scum!'