Chapter 62: This Is Your Uncle Randolph
Lin Ran was interested in Fred and accepted his invitation to spend Christmas at his home, but not just because of his son who was only 14 years old.
Seeing Fred’s son was merely a check-in with the mindset of witnessing history.
In reality, the hurricane he stirred up in this era—whether it could turn into a strongman who changes America’s political landscape in his son’s time—was completely unknown.
Of course, this could also serve as one of the observation samples for whether history converges or not.
What interested him more was Fred’s younger brother, John George Qu Runpu, the physicist who existed in the memoir of an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The reason he was called Qu Runpu was because Academician Zhao Zhongyao, in his autobiographical article “My Recollections” published on September 23, 2009, on the official website of the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, referred to him as Qu Runpu.
Fred’s villa was quite luxurious, located in the wealthy district of Queens. Besides the black-and-white diamond-patterned marble embedded with gold leaf fragments that displayed luxury, the gilded telephone even left Lin Ran dumbfounded.
“Randolph, I’ve always seen your name in the news, but only today do I meet you. All Chinese people are as smart as you.” John Qu Runpu, who was in charge of hosting Lin Ran, had a very good attitude.
To be precise, if he hadn’t known Lin Ran would attend today’s Christmas dinner, he wouldn’t have planned to spend Christmas with his brother who reeked of copper stench at all.
He initially ran real estate development business with Fred, but later couldn’t stand it and quit to study at New York University, eventually becoming a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Heh, the gilding is fake, and as for the gold leaf fragments, Fred scavenged them from waste materials returned for repair from other buildings.” Seemingly noticing the surprise in Lin Ran’s eyes, John mercilessly exposed without holding back.
Lin Ran didn’t respond, pretending not to have heard as he praised: “The entire style feels a bit like France’s Versailles Palace.”
John still didn’t give Fred face: “A cheap variant of Versailles?”
Before Lin Ran could figure out how to reply, Fred’s voice came from the end of the corridor: “John, you guy, can you not expose me in front of my best friend?
This is frugality, you know, our family has today’s fortune all thanks to my frugality!
Come, this is your Uncle Randolph.”
Lin Ran looked toward Fred’s family. After knowing who they were, he wasn’t surprised at all that the other claimed he was his best friend.
What kind of character was Fred? To rent houses to Jewish people, he, a German descendant from Germany, claimed to be Swedish, and was praised by New York investigators as having “the talent to extract every ounce of profit from his housing projects.”
For such a talent, talking nonsense was perfectly normal.
Being called uncle one by one by Fred’s many children felt pretty good.
“Randolph, I’ve considered your suggestion, and I think it’s a good idea. You’ve promised me I can use your likeness rights. I’ve decided to acquire a few more plots in Flushing to build cheap residences specifically for Chinese people.
I’ll give you two sets for free then, you endorse for me, how about it?”
Fred’s wife and maids were preparing dinner in the kitchen, while the children sat on the sofa in the living room listening to the adults chat freely.
For someone like Fred who seizes every opportunity regardless, business was always on his lips.
However, Lin Ran did indeed want to do this business with him.
Before coming, he had made detailed and sufficient preparations in 2020, knowing this was a rare opportunity.
The rarity here wasn’t Fred, but his brother John.
It could help Chinese descent in current America and indirectly help Chinese people.
Lin Ran nodded: “Of course, as long as your rent is cheaper than the current rent, I’m willing to endorse for you.
But I don’t want houses, I want cash. I need to take a cut from the tenants’ rent.”
Lin Ran thought to himself, no wonder his business couldn’t grow big, and Donald had to go to Evergrande for cooperation. Chinese businessmen give generously—what they say is one layer, but actually a whole building; you give just two sets, no wonder the business couldn’t scale.
You have much to learn from China’s business wisdom.
Lin Ran recalled in his mind the unique temperament of those business mentors on Douyin, combined with his many years of consulting experience, and began the “lecture” session:
“I’ve summarized the secrets of doing business into five words.”
Suddenly, Fred and his children’s interest piqued. The business wisdom of a great mathematician was still very attractive, though Fred was still thinking about how many points to give Lin Ran.
“What?” they asked in unison.
Lin Ran said: “Buy buy buy, merge merge merge, circle circle circle, big big big, good good good.
Buy buy buy means achieving monopoly through corporate mergers and acquisitions to obtain excess profits. Quality assets are like Manhattan fire hydrants: the first purchase seizes the water source, the second forms a water supply network, the third controls the dispatching rights of the entire city’s fire brigade.
Merge merge merge is to make all individuals who could influence you form synergy. Mister Fred donating to the Donkey Party’s mayoral candidate and the Elephant Party’s presidential candidate is the best example. A true alliance isn’t a chain, but making every participant a guardian of your interests.”
Fred didn’t think Randolph’s theory was anything new, but his children were already captivated.
When “buy buy buy, merge merge merge, circle circle circle, big big big, good good good” first echoed in the White House, the Chinese media White House reporters below exchanged glances, thinking they had arrived at an Evergrande press conference.
After the dinner ended, in the private session, Lin Ran took the opportunity to find John: “Professor Qu Runpu, I have a presumptuous request. I hope you can help me.”
John George looked at Lin Ran puzzled. He had been a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology since 1936, and as a senior academia figure, he was well aware of Lin Ran’s status in the mathematics community.
His authority in the mathematics community was no less than that of a Nobel Prize winner, plus being Horkheimer’s student, he really couldn’t imagine what request the other would have for him.
“Randolph, you mean you hope I watch over Fred to ensure the rent for his new apartments is lower than the previous selling price?”
Lin Ran shook his head: “No, Mister Fred’s reward to me should be collected on my behalf by you.
I hope you can use it all to purchase academic journals and related books in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, then help me find a way to send them back to China.
The excess part as your reward.”
Lin Ran stared straight at him. In John’s view, the current Randolph was not the same person as the one who had just talked business at the dinner table.
Thanks to reader 20180619170107039 for the reward, adding an extra chapter today, also seeking follow reads! Seeking monthly tickets!
