hollywood billionaire

Chapter 518 Oh no, there's a fourth one (Part 1)

At 5:41, after more than an hour of stopping and starting, the convoy finally stopped at 157 West 57th Street—the very modern main entrance of One57.

Five concierges, dispatched by the apartment management company Luxury Attaché and who had been waiting there for ten minutes, immediately rushed forward. Three of them deftly pushed a flatbed cart straight to the Mercedes Sprinter at the end of the line, waiting to unload the luggage. The other two, holding large black umbrellas emblazoned with the One57 logo, positioned themselves to the right of the Maybach and the lead car, ready to welcome the homeowner home.

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Han."

Feiyamu turned his head and whispered something to Han Yi. After receiving a nod of permission from the latter, he opened the passenger door, slightly raised his left arm, and gave a thumbs-up to the ceremonial staff standing in front of the car.

Without a word, the other party immediately understood, politely bowed and smiled, then took two or three steps back, leaving just the right safe distance.

The billionaires living in One57 are mostly extremely concerned about their personal privacy and security. The bodyguards they hire rarely allow others to approach them. Even simple tasks like opening doors and holding umbrellas are handled by their private security personnel to minimize the chances of the wealthy being exposed to dangerous environments.

Feiyamu scanned his surroundings with sharp eyes, and only after confirming that no suspicious persons were approaching did he open the car door. The black umbrella he held up blocked the sparse rain from the sky and the curious glances from pedestrians on the street.

"Thank you."

Han Yi didn't consider himself anything particularly remarkable, and given his current level of notoriety and animosity, he was far from needing to be so cautious. But every profession has its rules, and the private security industry is no exception. Fei Yamu meticulously followed every requirement of the security manual, and as his employer, Han Yi could only offer his appreciation and gratitude.

Just as Han Yi emerged from the sedan, Kian Griffin in the lead car had already arrived beside Fiamu, with his two partners flanking the young billionaire, forming an impenetrable barrier.

Corey McIntosh, while fastening his suit jacket, walked to the luggage cart and checked each of the numbered bags to ensure everything was in order.

As the rain gradually stopped, guests who had returned to the Park Hyatt Hotel to take shelter began to emerge one after another, re-embracing the metropolis. Across the street, small groups of tourists also began to gather at the Russian Tea Room and Carnegie Hall.

Han Yi's return home naturally attracted their attention. One57 was renowned, and both overseas tourists and local residents knew that the people living in this pencil-thin building were all extremely wealthy and powerful. One or two tourists even raised their phones to capture the image of Han Yi being protected by Kian and Fiyamu, intending to later search on Google to find out which wealthy family this overly young Asian face came from.

Han Yi wasn't unaware of these gazes. No matter how many times he experienced them, those eyes, mixed with covetousness and other complex emotions, still made him feel somewhat uncomfortable and embarrassed. All he could do was quicken his pace, enter the lobby of One57 as soon as possible, and extricate himself from public view.

The landmark building, standing 1005 feet tall, only had 135 apartments built. After three-quarters were sold, progress stalled. Most units are held by corporate entities, and a significant portion of those controlling these entities do not reside permanently in Manhattan. This means that Han Yi, upon entering One57, is unlikely to encounter his equally privacy-conscious neighbors. In the lobby, only he, Kian, Fiyamu, two concierges following behind, and the front desk manager smiling and greeting him at the front desk are present.

"Welcome home, Mr. Han."

For a moment, Han Yi even had the illusion that the entire building belonged to him.

Developing a real estate project of this caliber in New York would seem like a great idea.

This thought only flashed through his mind for a few seconds before being swept away by Corey, who rushed over.

"Mr. Han, all the luggage has been checked and is being transported to the 79th floor via the service elevator."

"Okay." Han Yi nodded. "Then let's go."

One57's residential section has two passenger elevators, one leading to the residential lobby, the residential amenities floor, and the residential floors, and the other connecting to the Park Hyatt Hotel from the fifth floor. One of the elevators also leads to the basement, which happens to be the one Han Yi was using.

The Fujitec PMGL elevator, manufactured in the USA, is fast and has a high ceiling, but it's not very spacious and has a moderate load capacity, with a maximum load of 2500 pounds and a theoretical maximum capacity of 15 people. From Han Yi's perspective, the two burly bodyguards, along with the slightly thin mansion manager and himself, provided just the right amount of space between them.

"Mr. Han, please allow me to apologize in advance."

Corey leaned slightly toward Han Yi and said softly.

"Per Se's chef and service team arrived an hour ago and are currently preparing for the meal... There will be no problem starting the tasting at 7:30 sharp. However, the house may be a little busy right now, and there may be some noise. If you would like to rest for a while, you can move to the master bedroom or study."

"Okay...it's alright, I don't mind." Han Yi responded with a kind smile.

Over the next few days, Han Yi will host a series of important guests at this penthouse. To ensure everyone's enjoyment, he not only brought his most trusted residence management team from Los Angeles, but also hired several top-notch catering teams from New York to handle the cooking and serving.
When it comes to fine dining, the first place that comes to mind for Han Yi is Per Se, a Michelin three-star restaurant he once visited. It is the top French restaurant in North America, run by Thomas Keller, the top chef in North America. Its sister restaurant, The French Laundry, in Napa Valley, California, was praised by Xiao Ru, You Zhen, and even Han Yi's mother and grandmother, which speaks volumes about its quality.

Han Yi firmly believes that Per Se's undisputed top reputation and chef's aura, coupled with the breathtaking view of Central Park from One57's windows, will surely allow this new friend, who values ​​a distinguished experience, to have an unforgettable evening.

Of course, Han Yi, who always pays attention to detail and metaphor, did not simply replicate this banquet concept for all guests. The Per Se Night was a special treat reserved for this new friend. For each subsequent group of guests, Han Yi meticulously planned three distinct yet equally Michelin three-star banquets.

Felix Sorensen and Harold Hansen will prepare a warm winter family dinner that blends classic Eastern and Western flavors to entertain an old friend whom Han Yi knows very well but has never visited before.

The following evening, the two chefs from Noma, the top restaurant in Northern Europe, will combine molecular gastronomy with healthy vegetarian cuisine at Han Yi's request, allowing his two liberal friends to see the progressive imprint on Han Yi.

Finally, Han Yi specially arranged for the couple to take an early vacation and instead invited Daniel Brude, the head chef of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Daniel on the Upper East Side, to cook a traditional European meal with authentic French flavors for the conservative leader from another political party.

Such meticulous and tailored arrangements demonstrate how much importance Han Yi attaches to these upcoming banquets.

After all, it is no exaggeration to say that the success or failure of these banquets will greatly influence the ease or difficulty of Han Yi's business development next year and even in the years to come.

"However, please double-check with Per Se's catering team later. We don't need to go through the entire service process today for the tasting. Just bring out the dishes to be served tomorrow together. Let's get this done quickly... Also, the bread can be omitted—provided, of course, that the types and seasonings they use are exactly the same as those for dine-in service."

"Since I'm dining alone anyway, I'll keep it simple and not make it too complicated."

Han Yi was not a boss who strictly adhered to a hierarchy and drew clear lines between employer and employee, nor was he a miserly miser like Grandet. On the contrary, he preferred to treat his manor management team as an equal part of a family. For Corey, Felix, and Fiamou, this was precisely the most shining quality of their employer.

Only those who have truly served the top billionaires understand how precious this is.

Those at the top of the pyramid—especially Nepo Baby who has lived in the clouds since birth—often have an almost natural sense of alienation from the service teams that surround them and are on call almost 24/7.

That wasn't condescending discrimination, but a deeper, almost dehumanizing indifference.

They would still nod and smile politely at every maid and gardener, and they might even remember the names of one or two of the manor managers, occasionally exchanging a few words and showing concern for their families. Their smiles were impeccable, and their manners were beyond reproach.

But these people will never be in their sight. Their "seeing" never truly happens—to them, the service providers are more like living pieces of furniture that operate on their own and appear at the right time, serving as functional background noise to maintain their luxurious lifestyle.

This indifference stems from a vast class divide and a life experience that has never been one of immersion. They are accustomed to being served seamlessly, and as a result, they have lost the ability to perceive the individuality of those who provide the service.

Politeness is merely a habit they use to maintain appearances.

Indifference, however, is the truth they are unaware of.

That is why Han Yi's genuine equality and respect shine so brightly.

This is the precious quality bestowed upon him by his motherland, which truly shattered class consciousness and engraved the spirit of equality into the blood of every citizen.

Indeed, in a capitalist society where the dynamics of power have never been broken and reconstructed, where hierarchical concepts have been passed down for hundreds of years, and where there are many insurmountable barriers between classes, "seeing" is itself a most valuable ability.

Han Yi invited his employees to taste the dishes, not only to hear their honest feedback and make improvements, but also to allow those who usually wouldn't spend the money to experience the most exquisite and delicious fine dining in North America.

Ultimately, however, everyone declined the employer's offer.

Corey said that during the food tasting, he had to patrol the entire venue as if he were a formal server, overseeing the overall service process and quality of the dinner.

Sofia said she would be working with Per Se's team in the kitchen to create signature drinks.

Felix and Harold said they'd spent half their lives in Michelin three-star restaurant kitchens and were tired of eating that stuff.

Fiyamu said that as a well-trained professional security guard, he had to take advantage of this rare opportunity to eliminate all potential risks and hidden dangers and ensure the safety of VIPs.

Kean said that as a well-trained professional security guard and a veteran American, even when he was in Paris, he ate cheeseburgers. His biggest experiment in terms of food was changing the dipping sauce for his chicken nuggets.

Everyone's reasons were very reasonable, except for Ki-an, who didn't even bother to pretend anymore.

Yesterday, he raved about the Chinese takeout Han Yi ordered, and while holding the foil box of Kung Pao Chicken, he finished a large portion of fried rice by himself with the sauce.

The reason they responded in this way is that they all share an unspoken consensus—the goodwill shown by employers cannot be a reason for them to blur the boundaries of their profession.

There are too many examples like this in this industry. Just because a fitness instructor exchanged a few lighthearted jokes with his employer during training, he started treating himself like a friend of a celebrity. During tours, he would freely enter and leave his employer's hotel room, order whatever his employer ate, and even complain if his employer didn't invite him when they went out to eat. In the end, he was fired and lost an easy and high-paying job.

There was also an investment manager who had worked in an American family office for seventeen years, generating tens of millions of dollars in profits for the family and earning more than twice the salary of a typical Wall Street fund manager. He always adhered to professional principles and did not get too close to his employer, but one Thanksgiving, he could not refuse his employer's repeated invitations and visited the family's ranch in Colorado with his family.

He only stayed there for two days, but in those two days, he received a termination letter from his employer.
reason?

When his wife was having coffee with the wife of the eldest son of the family after dinner, she made an inappropriate joke, which this extremely devout family believed to be a blasphemy against Catholicism.

There are so many different things.

Everyone on the Han Yi Residence management team understands this principle: they come out to work to make money, not to make friends.

Accepting an invitation to dine together might briefly strengthen a relationship and allow you to savor a rare delicacy, but it could also inadvertently blur the lines of professionalism and dignity. If you can share a meal today, does that mean you can make unwarranted comments about your employer's private affairs tomorrow? And the day after, will this special invitation cause you to neglect your professional duties?
True professionalism doesn't stem from servility, but rather from a dignified and unyielding self-discipline. Their value lies in providing impeccable service, not in becoming the employer's sycophant. Maintaining distance and adhering to one's duties ensures clear judgment and precise action in all circumstances. This is the best way to repay the employer's goodwill, the highest respect for one's professional identity, and the only secret to securing this lucrative job long-term.

Therefore, the working meals ordered by the boss are acceptable, but the tasting dinner prepared by the boss for honored guests is not.

The boss's seemingly mysterious but absolutely colorful love life is something you can gossip about in private, and even choose your favorite couple to support.

But when Miss Xu, Miss Zhao, and Miss Bill frequently visit 864 Stradivarius, or even stay for a few days at a time, you'd better pretend you didn't see them, didn't hear them, and didn't know anything about them.

What wonderful girls they are! The boss is really...

Stop, stop, I almost went off-professional again.

"No problem, I will convey your request to them, but..."

"Perhaps you've been too busy with work and forgot, but I discussed this with you a couple of days ago... You won't be dining alone today. There will be a guest at home who will be having dinner with you."

"There's another guest?" Han Yi was taken aback. "Who?"

"Miss Bill."

Corey maintained a professional smile.

"She said she had some important news about Stevie Nix that she had to share with you in person."

Now I remember.

Han Yi pursed his lips, trying hard not to let out a sigh.

No wonder I didn't bombard him with messages on WhatsApp this time, the fourth time I won the jackpot.

It turns out the jackpot grew legs and came right to my house.

Ugh……

孽 孽!
(End of this chapter)