America: My Time

Chapter 387 The Focus of the Dinner

Chapter 387 The Focus of the Banquet
"A dinner invitation from the White House?" John was puzzled when he received Morgan's call. He didn't think the White House would send him a dinner invitation at this time, and he didn't have that much time.

“John, that’s right, it’s the White House’s dinner invitation. Before, because you were still a student, the White House didn’t want to disturb your studies and risk being criticized by the media. Now that you’ve graduated, the White House naturally wanted to invite you to this dinner, but they were worried you might refuse, so they asked Morgan to deliver the invitation on your behalf.”

John instinctively felt that Morgan's words were problematic, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what they were. However, there was some truth to what he said. Now that he was no longer a student, he couldn't refuse such an invitation to dinner. He had to give the White House host some face. Most importantly, if he refused even a dinner at the White House, he wouldn't receive many invitations to various parties in the future. After all, these Americans really enjoyed the lifestyle and social interaction associated with parties.

“Mr. Morgan, what could possibly prompt the White House to host such a dinner at this time? Surely it's not just about networking without any other plans? I don't believe the White House would do something so pointless!”

"The White House naturally has its own agenda. They're feeling the pressure from Japan, so they're calling this meeting to discuss things. You know Japan best, so they naturally want to hear your opinion! But don't worry too much, just stick to your own plan. There's no need to sacrifice your own interests!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Morgan. I don't want to sacrifice my own interests, and they have no reason to ask me to. I will be there on time!" Under Morgan's 'persuasion,' John agreed to attend the dinner three days later.

It's perfectly normal for there to be scheming at a dinner at the White House, John understood that. As for whether it was aimed at him, that depended on the White House's actions. He believed that those old guys like Rockefeller would definitely make things difficult for him, because they had never wanted to coexist peacefully with him; they were only interested in scheming against him and suppressing him.

"The White House dinner is in three days. You need to make some preparations. You can't be impolite at such a dinner." The father wasn't surprised that John was going to attend the White House dinner. In the past, he had to decline various dinner invitations because of John's student status. But now it's different. John has graduated and should attend such a dinner. After all, his status is there. Media mogul, Silicon Valley tech giant, a series of identities are enough to make him participate in the White House dinner.

“However, the timing of this White House dinner is a bit rushed, with only three days to prepare. It seems there’s something they’re eager to discuss with you entrepreneurs!” Smith quickly understood the key reason. Normally, it wouldn’t be this rushed; such a change would only occur in case of an unexpected event. Moreover, the fact that Morgan was the one persuading them this time also raises questions. Perhaps things are not as simple as they seem on the surface.

"Perhaps it's targeting me. Those old guys are trying to cause me trouble again. Didn't I warn them through Morgan before? It's not a big deal for them to try to use the White House's power to scheme against me. Those guys are capable of anything. If that's the case, then they're just overthinking it. Tomorrow I'll take Naoko to pick out an evening gown. We should still give them the respect they deserve. The day after tomorrow, Naoko and I will go to the White House! Actually, I really want to have another confrontation with those old guys and see what other tricks they have up their sleeves."

“John, business is business, but we can’t lose sight of propriety. At the very least, we can’t embarrass the owner of the White House. We can settle any conflicts later. Don’t act impulsively! Your grandfather will definitely be attending the dinner. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask him. People from all walks of life will be involved in such a dinner!”

"I understand, and I will if necessary!"

Time flew by, and three days passed in the blink of an eye. John brought Naoko to the outside of the White House. At this moment, Naoko, dressed in Chanel, was a little nervous. It was her first time participating in such a high-level banquet, so it was normal to be nervous.

"There's no need to be nervous. Just treat this as a normal cocktail party. Nothing serious will happen. At most, everyone will just sit down and chat!" Seeing Naoko's slightly nervous expression, John smiled calmly and gently reassured her. At this moment, the car was slowly driving towards the White House.

At this moment, reporters from all walks of life had gathered at the entrance of the White House. Although there weren't many celebrities attending this White House dinner, its prestige and influence were still considerable. However, John had underestimated the dinner. The White House's owners and their families were naturally present, as were all the current cabinet members. In addition, elites from major corporations—chairmen or CEOs of General Motors, General Electric, Boeing, Ford, McDonnell Douglas, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Game World, Dreamworld, Nvidia, IBM, and many more—were all in attendance. Of course, the media and entertainment industry was no exception; Hollywood giants were among the invitees, as were figures from other sports. In short, tonight's dinner had invited almost all of America's top people.

When John's car appeared, flashes of light erupted. Facing the flashing lights, John calmly straightened his clothes as he stepped out of the extended Bentley. He didn't give interviews to the reporters, but instead turned to open the car door and took Naoko's hand. At this moment, the flashes intensified. Many people wanted to know who John's female companion was at his first White House dinner party, and to their surprise, it was a woman they didn't recognize.

Although she was still very nervous, Naoko had a bright smile on her face. However, John, who was holding her hand, could clearly feel that Naoko's hands were covered in sweat!
"Don't be nervous, it's really nothing special. Just think of it as attending a regular cocktail party. Be relaxed and don't be so formal. After we've eaten and drunk our fill, we'll go home!"

John's words left Naoko both amused and exasperated. This was a White House dinner, attended by the nation's elite. However, after hearing this, Naoko suddenly found herself less nervous than before and subconsciously nodded in response.

The White House banquet is nothing like those commercial fashion shows, where celebrities get a few minutes to walk the red carpet. Those who attend are America's elite; if they were allowed to walk like that, they wouldn't finish by tomorrow. However, considering the needs of the banquet and the convenience of reporters taking photos, some time was allowed for some VIP guests, but the interval between two cars was only a few tens of seconds.

John and Naoko soon entered the White House. However, those who attract attention always draw more eye to them. Upon seeing John, many industry leaders and tycoons took the initiative to greet him. Despite his young age, John held a very high position. As a media mogul, a technology giant, and even a manufacturing and mining magnate, no one dared to underestimate this young man.

Soon, John and Naoko were surrounded by people, like stars around the moon. Of course, this was because John's abilities were astonishing, and he had become so wealthy in just a few years. On the other hand, John rarely attended parties or banquets, so they had no opportunity to network. Now that they had this opportunity, they naturally wanted to make themselves known first.

As the First Lady, Nancy was quite worldly-wise, but this was the first time she had ever seen a young man become the center of attention. However, she understood even more how powerful John was. A man who could directly take down Lehman Brothers and hold his own against a group of old men like Rockefeller must possess astonishing power, not to mention John's numerous titles: media and entertainment tycoon, technology giant, manufacturing magnate, gaming mogul, and mining magnate.

Many people who know John now believe that if he takes control of a decent bank, it will become a new conglomerate, one that John himself has built! Who would dare to underestimate such a monstrous entity? Even the First Lady would not dare to underestimate it and would have to take it seriously.

"That must be John Bayard. I didn't expect him to be so popular. It's just surprising that his female companion is Asian!" It has to be said that the First Lady's perspective is different. Others only see John, but she sees Naoko next to John. Their focus is completely different.

In fact, at such a banquet, most people wouldn't care who their partner's female companion was, and few would pay attention to Naoko's presence. However, the First Lady had different thoughts, though she had no intention of going over there at the moment. There were many things that required her personal attention and arrangement tonight.

The First Lady knew who the main figures at this dinner were. This was no ordinary dinner; it would be an opportunity for major tycoons to sit down and discuss matters with the White House. As the First Lady, she naturally had to be prepared, gather all the information about the guests, and invite them to participate in the subsequent talks at the appropriate time.

John is just one of all the guests, and an important person in the upcoming talks. However, Naoko, who is next to John, needs to be careful. As an Asian, there might be some foolish guys who do something irrational that could affect the dinner that the White House has carefully prepared and ruin the White House's plans!

(End of this chapter)