America's Road to Wealth

By the time the dinner ended, it was already past ten o'clock in the evening.

When Abel and little Laura, who was a little tipsy and swaying, becoming more and more charming, walked out of the gate of the medieval castle-like Morgenthal mansion.

In Southampton, Long Island, New York, a drizzle began to fall in the sky. At the door of the mansion, a large area of ​​the brand new red carpet was covered with dust.

"boom!"

Edward and Johnson behind them held up two large black umbrellas to shield them from the drizzle, letting the drizzle fall on their shoulders.

Abel hugged little Laura tightly, who had already put on her coat. It was hot or cold in New York in March.

It was so late, it started to rain lightly, and it was still quite cold.

Being blown by the cold wind, the slightly tipsy little Laura's fair and pretty face became even more rosy.

"Gee, what a beautiful night... It's a pity that I'm not a poet, otherwise I could write poetry."

Little Laura clung to Abel's arms, not forgetting to lift the skirt of her floor-length skirt, revealing a small section of her white calf. She raised her head and looked at Abel with a charming smile on her face and said.

"You look happy tonight? You drank a lot and you're not even 18 yet."

In the United States, you can legally own guns before the age of 18, and there are even children's versions of various firearms - slightly smaller in size, with some cartoon stickers, or rice-color stickers.

However, to legally consume alcoholic beverages, the law stipulates that you must be at least 21 years old.

Outrageous, but easy to understand. Just because in this country, those who sell alcohol are not as strong as those who sell guns...

Strictly abiding by the law, little Laura couldn't drink.

It's just that this rule is often optional, as long as you don't get caught.

Of course, no one would catch her on an occasion like tonight.

"Half of it..."

Her drunken eyes were a little hazy, and she smiled like a flower and said: "I am very happy, yes, the other half is that I have been drinking with that Miss Peggy Morgenthau, and I drank too much without realizing it. We talked a lot, she is really a lady A smart man."

"Get in the car first, it's a bit cold. Be careful not to catch a cold."

Abel changed the subject.

After getting in the car, little Laura lay in Abel's arms and very smartly changed the topic.

"It seems that you and those two old guys have not reached an agreement?"

"Did you see it? Didn't we all put on a good show? We looked like good friends. That John Cleese, he even promised me that he would go to Texas to participate in the hunting event."

"You have many little habits..." In his arms, little Laura untied his tie to make her fiancé more comfortable.

"Usually when you have a high-pitched talk with others, you don't talk about business or official matters. That means that you are not familiar with the other person and you have to deal with the other person."

"Such people generally have a high status. I have only seen you treat Morgan and Rockefeller like you did today in the White House."

"Smart little guy." Abel scratched her nose affectionately, "It's not good to be too smart."

"I'm not smart at all, I'm just too focused on you!"

Little Laura twisted her body reluctantly and said coquettishly.

She still had some little habits about him that she didn't mention.

For example... when he cares about a woman, or is interested in a woman.

He would often look at that woman.

Like tonight, besides herself, little Laura noticed that he had his eyes on Peggy Morgenthau at least five times.

It's just that in this atmosphere at this time, there is no need to mention this kind of thing again.

"There is no agreement."

Abel smiled, "These old guys, they are still in the process of being mentally prepared to treat me as an equal. It will take some time to get them to compromise."

"My dear, take your time. Don't rush with some things. Since you can't kill with one strike, just wait patiently. Be patient... After all, time is on your side."

Listening to little Laura's comfort, Abel lowered his head and grabbed her cold, moist mouth, and stroked her arm back and forth.

Slightly sweet, with a strong grape flavor and some youthful aroma.

In the passenger seat, the bodyguard captain Edward pressed the button that separated the front and rear compartments with an expressionless face.

The special fiberglass fiberboard for the partition is raised, and the front and rear become two worlds.

…………

…………

The next day.

Smith Tower.

"The Rockets were defeated and their seven-game winning streak ended. Dayao scored 30 points and 16 rebounds..."

"Data from the American Bankers Association shows that the scale of mortgage approvals in 2002 increased by 155.9% compared with the previous year..."

"The rating company Moody's predicts that international spot gold will show an upward trend during the year..."

"There is news from Washington that the White House intends to relax regulations on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae..."

"The number of new housing starts in the United States in February 2002 increased by 142%, with an annual rate of 32.51 million units, the highest in 20 years..."

"..."

Abel lazily put his feet up on his desk and looked at the heavy rain falling outside the floor-to-ceiling window. He listened to the work report coming up, but Amanda, who asked him to temporarily act as his little secretary, read to him the latest summary of Smith Thinking Group. market news.

"hiss……"

After adjusting his lying position, Abel frowned when he touched the wound on his back.

Little Laura, who was a little tipsy last night, had too much fun riding a big horse.

When he started to turn his back on guests, little Laura was so excited that he scratched his back.

"Chairman, what's wrong with you? Are you okay?"

Amanda saw him frowning and looking like he was hurting somewhere, so she hurriedly asked with concern.

"It's okay, I was scratched by a kitten last night."

Abel said casually.

Amanda was startled.

Got scratched by a kitten?

Amanda remembered that this guy had a dog, but he didn't seem to like cats. How could he be scratched by a kitten?

But this guy has a lot of kittens like that...

Thinking of this, Amanda couldn't help but give Abel a charming look and complained secretly.

I don’t know which pool Xiaobi slept in last night, and I don’t know how high I was, so I started scratching uncontrollably.

"Chairman, the cleaning service has already cleaned it for you. If you asked me to read the news to you, I will. I have completed everything as you asked."

Amanda, who was playing role-playing, pretended to be pitiful:

"Then Mr. Chairman, can you sign the media group's report so that I can continue working?"

Amanda now works at Smith Media Group in its content department as an intern.

As before, if there are any documents that require the approval of Chairman Abel.

Robert Iger, who was about to step down as CEO of the media group, asked Amanda to report.

As soon as Amanda came on board, she was asked to "unspoken rules of the workplace."

Today she was also asked to put ice cubes in her mouth...

After about half an hour of service, she was "forced" to perform assistant work that was not hers.

Now that all of this has been accomplished, the "oppressed" newcomer in the workplace "begs" the workplace devil to let him go.

The acting is very good and it looks like the real thing.

Abel smiled and nodded with satisfaction, "Well, you can leave. But you still have to practice. You can't just because the ice is colder, you can't stand it after just a few hits, do you understand?"

Amanda rolled her eyes again charmingly, but she was very measured and knew that this guy likes to play this trick here.

"I understand." She responded in the pitiful tone of a bullied newcomer.

Amanda left shortly.

Dong Dong——

"Come in."

"Boss, Mr. Allen has arrived."

It was Abel's female assistant who walked in through the door.

A beautiful young woman with a good figure who can go to Hollywood.

It's a pity that Abel didn't take advantage of others, so he was blinded by the high emotional intelligence, high IQ, high education, good looks, and good figure specially selected by the human resources department.

"Well, let him come in and make us some coffee."

Abel looked at Allen who walked in, smiled and gave instructions to the female assistant.

The female assistant smiled charmingly and started brewing coffee in the rest area of ​​Abel's office.

Allen walked to his boss's desk and began to report on his work.

"Boss, Preston Robert Tischi of the New York Giants, agreed to sell 60% of his team shares. In addition, Wellington Mara also confirmed your entry into the New York Metropolitan Stadium. .”

"We will sign a contract with them at noon. From then on, this New York football team, which has a history of more than 100 years and has the largest number of fans in New York, will belong to you."

Hearing Allen's words, Abel couldn't help but smile and stood up from the boss's chair, walked to the mirror and spread his arms back.

The female assistant who made the coffee quickly came over to help him put on his suit.

Abel smiled and said:

"That leaves the New York Yankees. What about George Steinbrenner? This upstart from Ohio, I don't think he can laugh anymore?"

The acquisition of the New York Giants and New York Yankees started in October last year, and Abel asked Allen to start contacting the team owners.

We have been in contact for several months, so the deal with the New York Giants went so smoothly.

However, the contact with George Steinbrenner has never been smooth.

This was because of this guy George Steinbrenner, who had backers in New York.

This Ohio guy, his backer, was one of the members of the Newhouse family who had a drink with Abel Arms last night.

There are rumors in New York that George Steinbrenner made his first pot of gold by giving his wife to Sir Yi Newhouse's brother, Donald Newhouse, as a secretary, in exchange for the opportunity to make money. .

The two brothers of the Newhouse family, Shiyi Newhouse, have a very good reputation.

This man was very generous, providing high salaries to magazine editors and throwing lavish parties for employees, never caring about the cost, and he was widely loved by his employees for this reason.

However, his younger brother, Donald Newhouse, did not have the same approach as a successful businessman.

From the fact that this guy can force one of Newhouse's favorites, the devilish Anna Wintour, into that state, we know that he is not a fuel-efficient lamp.

As far as Abel knew, it involved many private matters of the Newhouse family, such as infighting among the wealthy families.

He didn't bother to deal with the specifics. He only knew that Shiyi Newhouse really wanted to reconcile with him.

The problem lies with Donald Newhouse.

After Shiyi Newhouse talked with him, George Steinbrenner still refused to sell the New York Yankees, even with the support of Donald Newhouse.

Now Abel wanted to see if Shiyi Newhouse could deal with his younger brother.

If there is nothing you can do, don't blame Abel for continuing to target him.

If you can't do it yourself, then let me help you do it.

"George Steinbrenner's attitude has softened. He expressed his willingness to talk to us. After the New York Giants contract is settled at noon, I will go and talk to this Ohio guy in person."

Alan Baker replied with a smile.

Abel nodded with satisfaction.

It seems that Shiyi Newhouse can still handle his brother.

"Also, BOSS, I have received some business intelligence regarding the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Group in the UK, which may cause some trouble."

"Oh, what kind of trouble?"

Since last year, Abel went to the UK, fell in love with Rolls-Royce, and intervened in the acquisition of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Group by Volkswagen Group and BMW Group at the right time.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with Abel's support, overturned its previous acquisition and has been fighting a legal battle with Volkswagen and BMW.

Because someone took action in advance, he established relationships with many people in the House of Lords in London.

Volkswagen and BMW have always been at a disadvantage in their appeals.

Vickers Group, the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, also has an attitude towards making more money and prefers to sell two goods for one product.

So later, Volkswagen and BMW had to come to Abel and ask Abel to give in.

It's a pity that because of the huge influence of the automobile industry, Abel is certainly not that easy to talk to.

In France at that time, two Germans were severely humiliated by him.

"The BMW Group threatened Rolls-Royce and announced that it would no longer license Rolls-Royce's patents after the contract expires in 2003. More than 1/3 of Rolls-Royce's The engine technologies all come from the patent licenses of these two automobile groups."

"Rolls-Royce has begun to put pressure on Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Group, threatening not to grant it the Rolls-Royce trademark. Because Rolls-Royce also has a large number of supporters in the House of Lords in London. , this matter becomes very troublesome.”

Rolls-Royce is a famous British engine company and the largest aero-engine company in Europe.

Its products include aircraft engines, ship engines and Muhai power units for Muhai powered submarines.

Among them, the aerospace engine is its long-renowned flagship product. The various aerospace engines it develops are widely used in civilian and military aircraft around the world.

It has a very high status in the UK and cannot be compared with civilian companies such as its close brother Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The BMW Group's threat not to license patents to Rolls-Royce can be said to be an attempt to drain the bottom of the barrel of this acquisition.

In parallel time and space, BMW also used this trick to defeat Rolls-Royce, which was still trying to struggle.

This is indeed a problem.

But... BMW brother, you have to know your positioning.

"I see."

Abel nodded, "Alan, go ahead and do your work. I will consider this matter."

Allen said nothing, nodded respectfully and left.

Abel asked the female assistant to go out. He strolled to the huge floor-to-ceiling window of the office and stared at the pouring rain outside the window.

The weather in New York is very extreme. Snow can easily lead to blizzards, and rain can easily lead to heavy rainstorms.

The weather is good 12 months a year, namely May and September.

Watching the heavy raindrops sliding down the waterproof glass on the glass curtain wall.

Abel was playing with his cell phone in his hand, thinking about it quickly, then found the number and dialed it.

"George, I need your help..."

When interacting with others or exchanging benefits, sometimes some skills are required.

You can't always ask the other party to help you with difficult things.

But you can't always let the other person do anything for you.

That will make the other person appear to be doing nothing and appear to be less important to you.

Therefore, connections and relationships should be used when they should be used.

dc white house oval office.

Little Laura's uncle hung up the phone and nodded with satisfaction, a happy expression on his face.

This guy finally asked me for something.

It’s such a small thing that’s easy to do, so nice!

He picked up the other phone, pressed it, and said, "Have Darcy Walker come into my office."

Soon a handsome old white man in his forties, with a meticulous hairstyle, a slender and strong figure, and an upturned corner of his mouth, exuding affinity invisibly, walked in.

"Boss, are you looking for me?"

Darcy Walker was a close confidant who served as an assistant to George when he was the general manager of the Texas Rangers and even the general manager of the oil company.

Little Grandpa Laura's full name is George Herbert Walker Bush.

Her uncle's full name is George Walker Bush... From this detail alone, you can see the significance of Walker to the Bush family.

Darcy Walker is the elite of this generation of Walker family.

It was different from the fringe member Abel knew who was the American envoy to the United Kingdom in London.

Darcy is the core figure of the younger generation of his family, and he is also very capable.

He is also trusted by the Shrub family, which can be seen from the fact that others call the commander-in-chief "the boss" and he calls the commander-in-chief "boss".

"Yes. That boy Abel called me just now. He said he wanted me to do a little favor. I want you to think of a way for me."

Little Bush said with a smile.

The old handsome guy Darcy Walker's eyes lit up, and he was obviously very interested in the request of the world's richest man.

As far as Darcy Walker knew, Smith and Shrub had been married.

It was always Smith who helped the bushes the most.

What Smith got from the bushes was more of a chance.

It’s rare to hear that super person now and ask George for help.

Darcy couldn't help but become curious.

"Oh, boss, I have to say this is the first time I heard that this person needs help."

"Hahaha--"

Little Shrub smiled happily: "Then you are wrong. There are many times when this boy wants my help. In the future, when he wants to marry little Laura, he will definitely ask me for help and ask me not to tease him. ,Hahaha--"

Darcy Walker smiled cooperatively.

He is a very good boss who can unite people around him.

It's just that he's very out of tune a lot of the time, and he can be said to be an outlier in the bush family.

But it happened that this alien was loved by Herbert, and he was the eldest son of the family. Crucially, he was also spotted by the military-industrial complex.

Then it doesn't matter how mediocre his abilities are.

"Boss, what exactly is that?"

The crony of Darcy Walker is different from the crony of Freddy Ford, the chief of staff of the White House.

Freddie Ford was George's official confidant.

A person like Darcy Walker is naturally a confidant when it comes to private matters and public matters.

"Find a way to cause problems for BMW and Volkswagen, and put some pressure on these two hateful German companies..."

"You decide how to do it."

After the fuss, George said comfortably.

"Is that just it? Just two car companies?"

Darcy Walker originally thought that things might be difficult to handle when Abel Smith rarely spoke.

Unexpectedly, what the world's richest man asked George to help him do was so simple.

"Yes."

George shrugged:

"Anyway, that's what he said just now. I asked him why, and he said he was unhappy when he saw the Germans. Well, I was a little unhappy when I saw them recently. These guys also want to create a European army, haha... Darcy, I I think it’s time for these Europeans to know what America is.”

Darcy Walker nodded.

"I understand, boss."

Another update in the evening, then one at noon and one in the evening