People in America: My Uncle Don Quixote

You can read the latest updated chapters of "A Man in America: My Uncle Don Quixote" without any issues on the "Renren Bookstore" APP, and all of over one million books are free to read. Visit the APP's official website for more information.

Upon hearing the female reporter's question, Li Wei looked around, then pointed to the water in his hair and said unhurriedly:

"I feel like what I need most right now is a dry towel."

The reporters let out a good-natured laugh.

"Okay, okay," the female reporter smiled and pressed on, "Then let me ask you a different question. You seemed completely out of sorts in the first half, and many experts even started discussing whether you were experiencing psychological problems due to excessive pressure. But after the blizzard in the second half, you regained your usual dominance. How did that happen?"

"I don't think there was anything wrong with the first half," Li Wei shrugged. "It's a team game, and I just hope my teammates can have some great performances, that's all."

Another ESPN reporter immediately chimed in: "Levi, I have a question many viewers are curious about—what was that dark-bottled drink you had during halftime? It was clearly not Gatorade. Did you know that the topic of guessing what you drank has already garnered over 200 million comments on Twitter?"

The teammates in the locker room also pricked up their ears.

To be honest, they were incredibly curious too.

"You'll find out sooner or later," Li Wei said without changing his expression, "soon, but not today."

"Can you give us a clue?" the female reporter pressed on relentlessly. "Is it a new product from a certain brand? Or your own formula? Or are you planning to create your own sports drink brand like Kobe Bryant?"

Li Wei did not answer the question; sometimes it's important to keep fans curious.

He just smiled slightly, then stood up and dusted off his trousers. "Alright everyone, that's enough for today. I'm going home to take a hot shower. Thank you."

After saying that, he turned and walked deeper into the locker room, leaving a group of reporters looking at each other in bewilderment.

FOX's blonde female reporter looked down at her notebook, which had "dry towel" and "soon but not today" written on it. So how was she supposed to write this interview?

Why not focus on the beverages instead?

...

By the time Levi finished packing and walked out of the players' tunnel, the blizzard had subsided considerably compared to the game, but the New Jersey night was still cold.

Chen Haisheng was already waiting at the exit in his black Cullinan, and Kim Hen and Don Quixote had already gotten in the car.

Li Wei opened the car door and climbed in, letting out a long sigh of relief the moment her bottom touched the seat.

"Tired?" Don Quixote turned around. "Want some midnight snacks?"

"My family's restaurant is still open," Chen Haisheng immediately chimed in. "If Mr. Li Wei doesn't mind, you can come to my place."

"It's alright. It has indeed been a long time since I've seen Mr. Lin Daoxing," Li Wei leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "I'm not too tired, but it was a bit too noisy during the celebration in the locker room."

His physical condition makes his hearing much more sensitive than that of the average person; even when he doesn't listen attentively, he will unconsciously amplify some noise.

The Cullinan drove smoothly onto the highway, and the streetlights of New Jersey turned into rows of blurry orange halos in the wind and snow.

Kim Ha-eun sat next to Lee Wei, her long, stockinged legs crossing several times, and she seemed hesitant to speak ever since she got on the bus.

Her mouth opened and closed several times, her breath sweet and fragrant, which finally caught Li Wei's attention.

"Do you have something to say?" He opened his eyes.

"Hehe," Kim Ha-eun chuckled twice, finally unable to hold back any longer, "Boss, I have good news and very good news. Which one would you like to hear first?"

Li Wei thought for a moment, "Then let's start with some very good news."

"Ugh!" Kim Ha-eun pouted. "How could you do this?"

"What's wrong?" Li Wei chuckled, "If there's something better, I'll definitely choose the better one."

"But these two pieces of news come one after the other," Kim Ha-eun said in a spoiled tone, "Then I'll tell you the good news first."

"walk slowly."

"I contacted Ms. Cui, the editor-in-chief of Vogue North America, a while ago. I showed her your information, and she was very interested in you."

Li Wei turned to look at her.

"And the very good news is," Kim Ha-eun could no longer suppress her smile, "LV would like to invite you and one of their designers to collaborate on a sports water bottle."

The car became quiet for a moment.

"LV?" Chen Haisheng was the first to ask. "Is that the brand that sells bags?"

"That's not a brand that sells bags, that's a luxury goods group," Kim Ha-eun corrected. "Strictly speaking, it's under the LVMH Group—"

"I know what LV is," Li Wei said, "What are the specific conditions?"

"Editor-in-Chief Choi said they hope to finalize the cooperation details next week, produce the first batch of samples by the end of the month, and then airlift them over," Kim Ha-eun took out her phone and flipped through her notes. "It's a three-way collaboration. LV provides the brand and distribution channels, the designer provides the design, and you provide the IP and influence. The revenue sharing is split 50/50 between you and LV, and the designer's part will be handled internally by LV."

"No," Kim Ha-eun shook her head, "it's a collaboration, there's no need to film a 'GG' movie, and there are no exclusivity clauses, so it won't affect your ability to make your own drinks later."

Li Wei thought for a moment, "Okay, let's set a time."

Kim Ha-eun nearly jumped out of her seat. "Okay, boss! I'll confirm the time with Editor-in-Chief Choi right now!"

Three days later, on West 23rd Street in Manhattan, a red brick building brimming with artistic flair.

This is the private studio of Julien de Lacroix, a contracted designer for Louis Vuitton.

Kim Ha-eun did her homework before coming: Julien, a 37-year-old Frenchman, graduated from the Paris Haute Couture École des Hautes Couture and had worked at Givenchy and Dior. He was signed by LV three years ago to be in charge of crossover collaboration projects.

His work is known for its violent aesthetics, and he excels at combining sports elements with the quality of luxury goods. He has previously created collaborative products for F1 drivers and boxing champions.

"Wait a minute," Li Wei suddenly asked as he shook hands with him, "What did you say your name was?"

"Julian de Lacroix," he said, "you can just call me Julian."

Li Wei nodded with a strange expression; it turned out to be the name of an old friend.

I wonder how the other Julian is doing now? It seems he's still being held in custody and going through the legal process.

"Excuse my bluntness," Lacroix circled Levi twice, "but I must admit, your proportions and looks are truly the best I've ever seen in the sports world... Haven't you ever considered being a model?"

"Someone did suggest that," Li Wei shrugged, "but I feel that being a model isn't as lucrative as being a celebrity, so I had to decline."

"It's really..." Lacroix's eyes flickered, and he touched Levi's arm. "What a pity."

Over the next two hours, Lacroix and Levi finalized the design concept.

To be honest, putting aside the fact that he would occasionally stare blankly at Li Wei's Adam's apple and shoulders, he was indeed quite capable.

He brought out samples of more than a dozen materials, from titanium alloy to borosilicate glass, from lacquerware to Italian handmade leather, each accompanied by detailed tactile reports and test data.

"My suggestion is to use leather," Levi said, "the texture will be better."

"But as a container," Kim Ha-eun questioned, "wouldn't using leather for the exterior of a kettle shorten its lifespan?"

"Darling," Lacroix sighed softly, "why would you buy a $2999 sports water bottle if it were purely for practicality?"

$2999 USD, that's the price of the first collaboration water bottle, limited to 100 pieces.

The cup is made of one piece of titanium alloy and covered with handmade calfskin, printed with a rainbow-colored LV and Levi's initials LW logo.

The second option is a limited edition of 10000 units, featuring a more "affordable" all-black sports water bottle priced at only $499.

The reason the deal was finalized so quickly was mainly due to Li Wei's decisive and efficient actions.

From Kim Hoon and Lacroix's perspective, Levi only needs a short time to think before making decisions and can quickly make decisive choices. Although it is unknown where his judgment comes from, his words are particularly convincing.

Another reason was that Julian de Lacroix kept staring at Levi and even invited him to be his nude model, hoping it would inspire him.

Faced with such a request, Li Wei naturally refused without hesitation, quickly retrieved the [Jester's Skull] to finalize the cooperation, and then hurriedly left.

The day after the collaboration was finalized, Li Wei suddenly approached Kim Ha-eun.

"You know that the profit sharing in the cooperation agreement is 50/50 between LV and me, right?"

"Yes, boss," Kim Ha-eun nodded, "your 50%—"

"This collaboration isn't an endorsement deal, so the agent won't take a cut," Li Wei said, looking at her. "You secured this opportunity yourself."

Kim Ha-eun paused for a moment, seemingly not yet understanding the meaning behind Lee Wei's words.

"Editor-in-Chief Cui is the person you cultivated the connections with, and you built the bridge to LVMH. You've been driving this whole thing from start to finish," Li Wei said. "How much commission do you think you should get?"

Kim Ha-eun was completely stunned.

To be honest, she had never thought about this question. In her mind, she was Li Wei's public relations representative, receiving a fixed salary plus performance-based bonuses, and helping the boss secure resources and connect with brands was simply her job responsibility.

She hadn't originally thought she'd be involved in this collaboration. Her initial plan was to use this connection to secure a large commercial endorsement contract for Li Wei, and then she would take a 1% commission.

"I..." She opened her mouth, "Boss, this is my job, I don't need to—"

"I'm not asking if you need it," Li Wei interrupted her. "Working under me, it's normal to be paid for your work. I'm asking how much you think you should get."

Oh no, it's the feeling of falling in love.

Kim Ha-eun lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.

She initially wanted to say "it's up to the boss to decide," but then felt that it seemed like she was passing the buck.

But she really didn't know how much to say. If she said too much, she was afraid Li Wei would think she was greedy; if she said too little, she was afraid Li Wei would think she was acting.

"Look at you," Li Wei said with a smile, shaking his head. "You're usually quite decisive, aren't you?"

"That's different..." Kim Ha-eun muttered softly. I never expected anything in return for this.

"I'll give you 10% of my 50%," Li Wei said directly. "That's equivalent to you taking 5% of the profits. That's settled."

Kim Ha-eun suddenly raised her head.

A 5% profit margin may not seem like much, but with total sales of $530 million, the estimated profit margin would not be less than 80%. Even a 5% profit margin could bring her at least $20 in pre-tax income.

This is just the commission from a single co-branded water bottle project.

She felt her eyes welling up with tears. She had only done her job, yet she had received such high regard from her boss. This feeling was truly unprecedented.

"Thank you, boss!" She bowed deeply. "I won't let you down!"

Everything is being expedited, and by the weekend, the three parties will officially announce their joint statement.

The news caused an uproar across the entire internet.