Chapter 26: White Wolf

  Jie Si looked at his grandfather's increasingly despondent face, and as he gazed out at the sparse crowd of people in front of him, the scene from earlier once again flashed before his eyes.

  His grandfather expressed the idea of organizing a delegation to invest back in their home country, which he thought would be well-received by everyone. However, Jester's grandfather did not expect that except for his few closest old friends, all the others showed extreme indifference towards this proposal.

  Moreover, some people even deliberately sing opposing roles with their own grandfathers.

  "I think we should invest in Treasure Island, where the human resources are just as abundant and cheap. Under Mr. Chiang's rule over the years, the economy has been booming, and the environment is much more relaxed than the other side. After all, who knows if the other side will be unpredictable again? And that place is too backward, they can't even make their own color TVs and refrigerators, I'm afraid it will take twenty years to develop to the level of Treasure Island today."

  The Chinese in the United States are mainly engaged in low-profit manufacturing industries, and they have been gradually unable to bear the increasingly high average wage in the United States in recent years. The Japanese, on the other hand, rely on cheap labor and use low prices to fill the entire US market with their products, which are not as good as those made in the United States.

  It's not just them, even white people in manufacturing can't stand the invasion of Japanese products like a whale swallowing everything.

  So converting production locations and reducing labor costs have also been on their minds for a long time.

  At first glance, Treasure Island seems like the best choice.

  Then this proposal was echoed by the vast majority of people.

  Jester just sneered and revealed a disdainful expression.

  As someone who knows the future, he naturally knows how narrow and ignorant the vision of these people is.

  The scornful laughter also enraged the old man who had just spoken and was singing a duet with his grandfather.

  The old man was about sixty years old, with a hooked nose, wearing a tailored handmade suit, his white hair combed neatly, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, and his triangular eyes shot out a sharp gaze like a knife through the lenses at Jest who was smiling coldly.

  "How dare you interrupt when your elders are speaking?" a young, oily-faced man standing next to the old man shouted at Jester.

  Jester smiled and said, "I only saw a mouse discussing the pros and cons with a fierce tiger, looking down on it with disdain, but showing great respect to a flower cat, which I found amusing."

  The young man with a greasy face suddenly turned bright red, his mouth agape, and looked at the old man beside him. His throat moved, but he didn't say anything.

  "Bang!"

  The old man couldn't bear Jest's blatant ridicule any longer, he slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his face filled with anger as he roared at Jest's grandfather: "Is this the kind of grandson you, Li Yaoguang, have taught? So disrespectful to his elders?"

  Jester's grandfather merely raised his head slightly to glance at the old man who was speaking to him in a low tone, and said calmly: "Zhou Yangping, I know that Wang Xilian's people have approached you. Since you've already agreed to it, why must you come to this gathering organized by me? Do you really think I'm so easy to get along with? Moreover, my grandson has just earned his first one billion dollars in his life. How many billions of dollars do you have now? What qualifications do you have to say that he's not good enough?"

  Jest received two batches of orders, with a total value of $900 million. This is the production volume for more than three months. Adding to his previous 900 units, it's said that he earned his first billion dollars, although there may be some exaggeration, but not entirely impossible.

  As soon as these words came out, everyone present changed color instantly.

  At the mention of Wang Xiling's name, only a few people changed their expressions, because this person's identity was too special. He is now the absolute confidant of Mr. Chiang, the ruler of Treasure Island Province, and the head of the Treasure Island Intelligence Bureau.

  But when they heard that Jester had made a hundred million US dollars, everyone's face showed an expression of absolute impossibility. However, thinking of Jester's grandfather's prestige in the Chinese community, their expressions instantly changed to one of unbelievable shock.

  To know that most of the people sitting there now, adding up all the money they have ever earned, can reach one hundred million dollars, are extremely rare.

  This little brat who hasn't even grown all his hair yet has earned one billion dollars?

  Stop bragging!

  This is now the thought in the minds of all those sitting in the hall.

  The old man named Zhou Yangping changed his face, although he was still very wary of Jester's grandfather. The other party had a high reputation in the Chinese circle on the West Coast, and countless new Chinese immigrants to the United States had received his help, but he still sneered at the claim that he had made one billion dollars.

  "Hmph!" Zhou Yangping snorted disdainfully, "Who can't brag? And earn 100 million dollars?"

  "That hottest game on the market right now, 'American Blocks', was made by my grandson Li Jie. Those who know, know whether I'm bragging or not." Grandpa Jester retorted without hesitation.

  Everyone in the room had heard of "The American Square", and those who had, showed a look of realization, while those who hadn't, looked shocked.

  Then they looked at Jester with completely different eyes, even making Jester feel a chilling feeling, as if he had become a delicious piece of meat, surrounded by countless greedy diners.

  "Not bad, Director Wang's people have indeed contacted me. Haven't you been in touch with the people on that side?" Zhou Yang's tone turned gloomy, he wanted to shift away from the previous topic which was completely unfavorable to him as soon as possible. He knew that the people on the other continent had also been in contact with Jester's grandfather, such as this gathering, before which Jester's grandfather had discussed with the Consul General of Los Angeles.

  "What's the big deal if I did?" Grandpa Jester didn't seem to care, his eyes suddenly became sharp and he said word by word, "I've never hidden that it was my hometown."

  Zhou Yangping was even forced by Jester's grandfather's sharp gaze to not dare look straight, he said somewhat breathlessly, "You were also a national army back then! You had that precious Bao Ding medal of honor! This old man who refuses to die has even betrayed his former beliefs!"

  Jester's grandfather sneered at the words: "The medal was exchanged for my life, I protected my family and country with my life, what does it have to do with those who are living in hiding? Moreover, I betrayed my faith? I only regret that when I was young and ignorant, I mistakenly took a jackal as a good man and went astray, and I will regret it for the rest of my life."

  "We can't work together if we don't share the same path!" Zhou Yangping was stifled by Grandpa Jester's words and couldn't come up with a retort for a moment, leaving behind a sentence that had no threatening power, and hastily left the scene with his own people.

  The rest of the people looked at each other in dismay, and after a few minutes, the vast majority of them also apologized to Jester's grandfather and left.

  They also don't think it's good to invest in mainland China.

  In the end, there were only a few people left in the venue.

  Grandpa Jester's face also fell, and the main purpose of this gathering was probably ruined.

  Jester regained his memories and looked around the scene, only to find someone who shouldn't have been left behind.

  Bai Lang, Zhang Le'an.

  His participation was unexpected in the first place, after all this was a gathering held under the pretext of cheering on the mainland delegation at the Los Angeles Olympics.

  And he is a genuine Taiwanese, his parents even worked in the military, public and educational systems of Taiwan.

  Grandfather Jester also found him, with a puzzled expression in his eyes.

  Zhang Le'an is thirty-six years old, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses and simple T-shirt, looking very bookish, not at all like he was the overall protector of the Bamboo Union in Treasure Island.

  He received help from Jester's grandfather nine years ago when he came to the United States. To name a few, his letter of introduction for studying at Stanford University was helped by Jester's grandfather, and later when he opened a restaurant, Jester's grandfather helped him even more.

  Zhang Le'an saw the look in Jester's grandfather's eyes and hastily stood up and bowed.

  "Mr. Li's kindness to Le An is unforgettable, but Le An cannot follow you to the mainland either. Le An is also a Chinese person, and his hometown is there too. He also wants to go back and see the Great Wall and Mount Huangshan, but he can't do that, please forgive him."

  Jester's grandfather sighed, though disappointed, he still understood him.

  After all, the other party's parents and friends are all on Treasure Island.

  Zhang Le'an is very famous in the Chinese community on the West Coast. He doesn't have a lot of money, he just runs a restaurant, but he's generous and has many friends. As someone from Taiwan, surprisingly, he never discriminates against mainland compatriots, and during his time studying at Stanford, he even became close friends with many mainland students who came to study abroad.

  In those days, someone who could do this was either up to no good or a truly sincere person.

  As for whether he has ulterior motives?

  Jester from the later generation naturally knew that after Zhang Le'an, the White Wolf, there was a legendary life of ups and downs.

  He later watched Zhang Le'an's interview, and it was from that program that he learned about his legendary life. He then looked up some information about the man nicknamed "White Wolf". Just because of his righteous words in refusing the Taiwan Intelligence Bureau, he let Jester say a word of surrender when he had good relations with mainland students and wanted to turn them around.

  Jester still remembers Zhang Le'an saying this in that interview.

  "At that time, many organizations wanted to get into the circle of mainland Chinese students but couldn't, so they wanted to use me to do work for mainland Chinese students, but I refused them all - I hoped these people would return to China to build up China, not stay in America."

  "It wasn't groups of overseas students who changed China's fate throughout history? The first time was Japanese overseas students, which eventually led to the Xinhai Revolution; the second time was overseas students in the Soviet Union and the UK/US, bringing communism. This batch of American overseas students are also top-notch people among hundreds of millions, they will definitely bring new things back to China."

  Not to mention that the Tactica Group he later invested in and established on the mainland became the world's largest helmet manufacturer, and subsequently formed the Chinese Unification Promotion Party, which is Taiwan's first party that advocates for peaceful unification of Taiwan and firmly supports the one country two systems policy.

  Yes, his uncle-in-law is Hou Weiyu, who used to be the deputy principal of the Central Party School, which explains why he would later become **.

  Jester didn't like the Black Wolf, but White Wolf was the only one he couldn't bring himself to dislike. In Jester's heart, White Wolf wasn't a member of the Black Wolf gang, but rather the kind of heroic figure described in Shi Naian's "The Water Margin", who sang with reckless abandon and tragic grandeur during the Spring and Autumn period, treating each other as heroes of the nation.

  At that time, Jester couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration after reading Zhang Le'an's story, and he thought that if he could be friends with him, then he would definitely be someone worth entrusting his life to.

  People like this are really too rare in this era of materialism.

  In life, who can't have three or five good friends, one or two close friends? Jester suddenly had an impulse, he wanted to be friends with Zhang Le'an.

  The Jiangnan case is almost done.

  Jester suddenly came to his senses after being lost in thought upon seeing Zhang Le'an, and he remembered the shocking event that had shaken the world in the second half of 1984 - the Jiangnan case.

  The impact of this case was huge, and the people involved were also widespread. However, its greatest impact may have been to completely end the Jiang family dynasty's rule on Treasure Island, and the mastermind behind it all was Zhang Leshan, aka White Wolf.

  If it weren't for him involving Chiang's second son to save Chen Qili's life back then, the future of Treasure Island would be really uncertain.

  As for whether Taiwan is better off after leaving the rule of the strong man?

  It's a matter of opinion, just like Zheng Zhihua sang in that classic song "The Great Citizen": "This is no longer an island ruled by the strong, what's more important, survival or face? This is no longer an island where tomorrow will be better, where to go and how for 20 million compatriots..."

  Of course, he was also framed by someone for this and wrongly imprisoned for ten years. Although as a top student, he read out two degrees in prison, which can be considered as turning misfortune into a blessing...

  Stop Chen Qili and his men from killing Jiangnan?

  Jester shook his head, he wasn't that capable, and he didn't want to stir up trouble either.

  But rescue White Wolf after Jiangnan case?

  Jester thought carefully about the information he had seen in his previous life regarding this case, including Bai Lang's own memories - he himself mentioned this frame-up incident in an interview.

  At that time, it was not the federal government that wanted to frame him, but only the New York Investigating Bureau.

  Moreover, the California Bureau of Investigation explicitly stated that they would not frame anyone, and the Federal Narcotics Bureau also stated that Zhang Le'an had nothing to do with drugs. However, the New York Bureau of Investigation was relentless and set up a drug case against him, even going so far as to fabricate evidence and intentionally tamper with Zhang Le'an's recordings, ultimately succeeding in sending him to prison.

  In fact, this case cannot withstand scrutiny, including the witness who publicly apologized on a TV show many years later, saying he was instructed by the New York Investigation Bureau to give false testimony.

  Jie Si Te also wanted to see if it was possible for Zhang Le An to not come into contact with Chen Qi Li, so that the subsequent changes would not occur.

  Then he quickly vetoed the idea, Ah Beng's son Chen Qili is the most respected person in Zhang Le'an's life, and Zhang Le'an can give up his life for Chen Qili. Even now, he is not even his friend, how could he possibly stop him?

  What made him leave the United States for a safe haven after the Jiangnan case?

  Jie Si shook his head again, Zhang Le An was framed not because of the Jiang Nan case, but because he actively released the recording left by Chen Qi Li, which implicated Chiang Er Gong Zi. According to Zhang Le An's character, after Chen Qi Li was caught, in order to save the life of the person he respected the most, he would definitely release the recording without hesitation.

  At that time, whoever dared to stop him would be his enemy.

  After all the thinking, these are all inevitable.

  The only way to save him is to help him win the lawsuit that wronged him for ten years.

  For Jester, who was familiar with the inside story of the case, it may not have been too difficult a task, especially when he had enough money to hire the most famous and best defense lawyers in the United States.

  But no one has ever done it before, so nobody dares to guarantee success.

  Jie Si thought as he walked towards Zhang Le An.

  Then he stretched out one of his hands and smiled kindly: "My name is Li Jie, English name Jester, the grandson of Old Li. I've heard of your name, want to be friends?"

  Zhang Le'an also smiled and stretched out his hand, shaking hands with Jester: "I've also heard of you, I like playing 'American Blocks' too, but I prefer making friends."

  After finishing speaking, both of them burst out laughing.