Chapter 4

"Didn't you say there wouldn't be anyone visiting you today, Theresa?" Li Xu was the first to recover, walking straight over and pressing the woman who was about to stand back down, then sitting beside her.

"May I ask your names, gentlemen?" He switched to Chinese with a smile, but before they could answer, he suddenly looked enlightened, "Oh, right, I remember you. You're... what was it? The Director of the News Bureau, Bao Mu? I've heard a lot about you!"

"Bao Mu" was Song Ye, and "what was it" referred to an indescribable and unmentionable place.

"Um..." The older one glanced at his companion, cleared his throat, and put on a smile, "I am... Hello, Mr. Li, this is my assistant, Chen Humen."

As he spoke, he extended his hand, quite polite and easy to talk to.

"Hello, Mr. Bao Mu." Li Xu shook his hand without showing any change in expression, not deceived by his appearance. Before the other could speak, he preemptively asked, "You're here to lobby for the Ho family, right?"

"About this..." Bao Mu's expression turned serious, hesitating for a few seconds before admitting frankly, "Yes, Lijun is our face. In the current situation, we absolutely cannot let her go to the other side."

After saying this, he looked at Theresa, who was sitting beside Li Xu, a famous Chinese singer and actress, Deng Lijun, "Miss Lijun, I know you've been through a lot in the past year, bearing a lot of pressure. But no matter what, this is your home. We all hope you can come back home. I hope so, my friends hope so, your fans hope so, and your family hopes so."

Deng Lijun opened her mouth but didn't speak, glancing at Li Xu beside her and then lowering her head, as if leaving the decision to him.

Bao Mu, somewhat anxious, was about to continue persuading when applause broke out.

"Very touching, Mr. Bao Mu. No wonder you're the Director of the News Bureau," Li Xu chuckled, but his eyes were full of disdain, "But you said Theresa is your face? That's not right, isn't she more like a tissue paper?"

Bao Mu remained composed, just frowning, but his assistant, Chen Humen, changed his expression, seemingly about to react.

But Li Xu didn't give him the chance, continuing without concern, "Last year's fake passport incident, you didn't seem to care much about your face. Instead, you all wanted to tear apart the woman who tarnished your image. Now, the Ho family is trying to invite Theresa to perform a concert on the other side, and you suddenly realize that even if she's just a tissue paper, she's still your tissue paper. You can't afford to lose her after already losing America, so you come here with a smile, and if negotiations fail, you might even use her family to pressure her."

Pausing, Li Xu's smile turned cold, "You really have some nerve, Mr. Bao Mu."

However, Bao Mu's expression didn't change, remaining calm, a typical slippery politician.

Chen Humen couldn't help but exclaim, "What do you mean by that!"

"What, isn't it obvious?" Li Xu laughed, spreading his hands. Deng Lijun looked at him with concern but didn't speak.

"Mr. Li, we still have some friends in America," Chen Humen said bluntly, the dissatisfaction and threat in his tone very clear.

"Is that so?" Li Xu raised an eyebrow, "Tell me more, let me know how powerful your friends are."

His tone was quite frivolous, making Chen Humen's face turn red. He glanced at Bao Mu, who frowned but didn't speak, and had to say, "We have a very good relationship with the Chairman of the Senate's Japan Committee, Mr. Steve Roberts. Every time Mr. Roberts visits, he stays... um... at home for a couple of days."

"So what?" Liu Xu smiled, pretending to be very interested, "I'm really curious."

Chen Humen opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. Indeed, the various committees of the Senate are the real power centers, but different committees have different powers. For example, the Super Budget Committee, which controls the federal government's finances, is naturally a target for all sides to court.

But committees for certain countries are less powerful. They can only provide some advice on the federal government's foreign policy or conduct some oversight, which can't compare to the Super Budget Committee.

Of course, using the Chairman of the Japan Committee to threaten Li Xu was a good move, but what would they do next? Break diplomatic relations with Japan? Or ban Japanese goods from entering America?

Seeing Chen Humen at a loss for words, Bao Mu cleared his throat and was about to speak, but Li Xu, who had already figured out their background, didn't give him the chance.

"Alright, gentlemen," he sat up straight, speaking in a formal tone, "To be frank, I still like your side because of Theresa. I had planned to suggest that Intel build a wafer factory there, creating a high-tech center to boost the economy and increase ties between both sides.

I also planned that, although the federal government doesn't allow the export of F-16s, President Carter signed the third directive for the development of export aircraft at the beginning of this year. The government doesn't provide financial support, but I could suggest that Northrop develop an export version of the F-5 and prioritize it for your side, or even invite you to co-develop it. But now..."

He grinned, "I don't think it's necessary."

Both men were taken aback, sitting in a daze. What a joke, you suggest Intel do something, and they'll do it? You suggest Northrop do something, and they'll do it?

"Alright, that's it. Gentlemen, please leave," Li Xu stood up, then looked at Chen Humen, "I must say, as an intelligence officer, you didn't even know the basic situation of the person you're dealing with. That's really negligent."

Chen Humen's body trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief. Bao Mu, though shocked, remained calm and immediately pulled Chen Humen to stand up.

"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Li," he nodded, maintaining his politeness, then glanced deeply at Deng Lijun before heading to the door, with Chen Humen following silently behind.

Truly a notorious opportunist. Li Xu sneered inwardly. Bao Mu was the type who would do big things but be cautious, who would split and form a party to suit his interests, who would announce he wouldn't run for re-election and then renege, who would promise to join a coalition and then back out.

And just now, he let Chen Humen do all the dirty work while he stayed silent behind the scenes.

But to be fair, Chen Humen was probably just a regular employee in their intelligence department—four years later, he would be promoted to Deputy Director of the Third Bureau, then involved in a case and removed from his position. Because of this, Li Xu remembered him and exposed his identity earlier.

So, it was natural that Bao Mu was the main one, and Chen Humen was the one doing the dirty work.

"Edward..." Deng Lijun called him, her round face full of hesitation and worry.

"Don't worry, once they think it through, they'll know what to do," Li Xu smiled.

"But..." Deng Lijun still looked worried.

"Six months ago, I suggested you bring your parents and sisters to America, but you refused," Li Xu walked up to her, reaching out to lift her chin, raising her soft face to his.

At 185 cm, Li Xu had a commanding presence over the 167 cm Deng Lijun, but she just looked at him silently, leaning back slightly.

"They will come again, just like I said. Letting you, their face, go to the other side would be as bad as the federal government breaking diplomatic relations," Li Xu smiled, gently pinching her cheek.

"Aren't I just a tissue paper?" Deng Lijun muttered, turning her head, looking like a wronged housewife.

"To them, yes, but not to me," Li Xu raised an eyebrow, then changed the subject, "The key question is, do you want to perform a concert on the other side, Theresa?"

"I..." Deng Lijun hesitated for a few seconds but finally gave a positive answer, "I have thought about it."

This question had been asked by the distant relative from the Ho family when they first approached her, and the answer was the same.

As a Chinese singer, she naturally wanted to perform in all Chinese-speaking regions, which was also an honor—Chinese people of this era still had a strong sense of ethnic identity.

"It's not possible now," she quickly added.

Her family was still there, and now the Director of the News Bureau had come to lobby, even bringing an intelligence officer. There was no way they would let her go to the other side. Unless Li Xu could protect her at all costs, but that was impossible. Not to mention whether he could persuade his family, but also their relationship...

"It's not possible now, but definitely possible in ten years," Li Xu said unexpectedly.

"Huh?" Deng Lijun looked at him, confused.

"So you need to take good care of your voice and release more classic songs," Li Xu didn't elaborate, "Once the fake passport incident dies down, I'll find someone to write some good songs for you to make a comeback in Japan."

Deng Lijun stared at him, speechless for several seconds before asking softly, "Why are you doing this for me..."

"Because I need quick-acting syrup," Li Xu told a cold joke no one understood, "Alright, no matter what, I've been supporting you for ten years. You're mine now, so I can't let you suffer."

Hearing this, Deng Lijun bit her lip, her expression turning somewhat resentful, and she was about to say something to contradict him, but Li Xu quickly added, "If worst comes to worst, I'll continue supporting you for another ten years."

Then he lightly patted her buttocks, "I'll freshen up. Let's go out for dinner later. In a few days, I'll take you back to Japan to see my mother."

Saying this, he didn't wait for Deng Lijun's reaction, walked straight into the bathroom, splashed some water on his face, and covered his face with a towel, taking a deep breath.

What the heck, I just wanted to help, how did it turn into supporting her? It makes me sound like a big villain.

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