Chapter 530: This Is My Compatriot, You Have to Pay Extra

“Sure thing,” Li Wei said. “I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Did Anya just call you, too?” Elizabeth asked. “She invested 20 million?”

“Yeah,” Li Wei said, taking the card and shopping bag from the clerk. “Are you going to invest in me too?”

“Don’t I have voting rights in the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, too?” Elizabeth said. “The foundation has more money for arts and culture projects each year than it knows what to do with. I’ll invest 20 million in you, too. Plus, there are tax benefits.”

“Hey… there’s no need to compete with Anya. I’m afraid you’ll lose money by investing so much,” Li Wei said.

“So you only want her money and not mine?” Elizabeth said, displeased, her expression hardening.

“…”

“Even if it loses money, it won’t be too much. I have faith in you,” Elizabeth said, bursting into laughter. “Besides, I looked up this Howard Wester. He doesn’t seem like a very magnanimous person. Having the Mellon Foundation in the mix can at least intimidate him a bit and save you some trouble.”

Li Wei thought about it. That did make sense. “Alright, in that case, my thanks in advance, Miss Liz.”

“Don’t be a stranger,” Elizabeth blew a kiss at the screen. “See you when you get back to New York. Bye-bye.”

Don Quixote: ??

Jason Miller: ??

Clerk: ??

Don Quixote glanced at Li Wei, then expertly pulled two non-disclosure agreements from his jacket and handed one to the clerk and the other to Jason Miller.

Both men were used to navigating the Hollywood scene. They had seen enough big stars and signed enough NDAs to make a mountain. After they both signed, Don Quixote wrote out two checks and handed them over.

The clerk beamed upon receiving the check, immediately promising he would keep the matter quiet for the next thirty years.

On the way back, Don Quixote kept stealing glances at Li Wei, looking like he wanted to say something but was holding back.

“Just ask whatever’s on your mind,” Li Wei said. “No need to beat around the bush.”

“Are you and Elizabeth also…?” Don Quixote asked.

“Hmm… you could say that,” Li Wei said after a moment’s thought, smiling.

“Then what about Anya?” Don Quixote asked. “Does she know about this?”

“She knows,” Li Wei nodded. “They both know.”

Don Quixote’s jaw dropped: ?????

“I… I really don’t get you young people anymore,” he said, opening and closing his mouth before shaking his head. “Never mind… you guys can sort it out yourselves.”

Li Wei just smiled and didn’t press the issue further.

That evening, Li Wei received two unexpected phone calls.

They were from Lady Delores and Dexter Lawrence.

And their message was simple: they had seen the news and wanted to invest.

It wasn’t surprising that Lady Delores wanted to invest 15 million.

They had always been on good terms, and Lady Delores’s primary line of business happened to involve money laundering.

Movies, especially big-budget productions with extensive on-location sets, were a notorious hotbed for money laundering, so Li Wei was happy to do her this favor.

But Dexter Lawrence wanting to invest 5 million—that truly surprised Li Wei.

“Listen, man, I know we’ve had our issues in the past,” Lawrence said over the phone, “but I’m seriously pissed off. Why does that racist old white guy get to decide that an athlete crossing over into showbiz is doomed to fail?”

“A phone call to show your support would’ve been enough,” Li Wei said with a laugh. “No need to put in cold, hard cash.”

“No, no, no, this money isn’t an investment in the project,” Lawrence said. “It’s an investment in you. We all know what you’ve been through, and the huge increase in the Giants’ salary cap this year is all thanks to you. You might not need this 5 million, but I still hope you’ll accept it.”

“Fine, I’ll take it,” Li Wei said with a deliberate sigh. “Just letting you get rich off me again.”

“Conquer Hollywood just like you conquered the sports world, King,” Lawrence said. “Go get ’em! We’ll be waiting for you!”

After hanging up, Li Wei did some quick mental math.

His own 60 million, 20 million from LW Drinks, 40 million from Anya and Elizabeth, and 20 million from Lady Delores and Lawrence.

He called Del Toro.

“Director Guillermo Del Toro?” Li Wei began. “About that 50 million investment we discussed… there’s been a slight change… No, no, no, I’m not reducing the investment. I’m increasing it.”

“How much of an increase? Well… we’re going from 50 million to 140 million USD… Yes, you heard me right.”

Poor Director Guillermo Del Toro’s emotions had just been on a rollercoaster. First, he’d plummeted to rock bottom, then he was yanked back up by Li Wei, and finally, Li Wei’s 140 million sent him plunging into a state of delirious joy, leaving him almost speechless.

…

「Los Angeles, Riviera Country Club.」

Built in 1926, the golf course was nestled in the hills of the Pacific Palisades, one of the most exclusive private clubs in all of Los Angeles. The annual fee alone started in the high six figures, but money wasn’t enough to guarantee entry. An applicant not only needed recommendations from two current members but also had to be approved by a vote from the board of directors.

The waiting list for membership was rumored to be fifteen years long.

At 2:00 in the afternoon, the sun was shining perfectly and the wind was gentle. Howard Wester, dressed in full golf attire, was walking along the path side-by-side with Stan Kroenke, a cigar clamped in his mouth and a Panama hat on his head.

Their two caddies followed behind, each pushing a cart with their golf bags.

Howard Wester was clearly in an excellent mood today. His drive had been quite good; if he were to compete in the Masters division for those over sixty, he might even place.