America: From a Fallen Child Star to the Head of the University of the West

Saturday afternoon, Emei Mountain Villa, Philadelphia's Chinatown.

In a private room on the second floor of this well-known Sichuan restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown.

Sean and Matthew sat on one side of a mahogany round table, each holding a cup of freshly brewed Pu'er tea. Sean inhaled the aroma from his teacup while looking at the man opposite him.

The man sitting opposite him looked to be in his forties, wearing a black and gray suit and a blue tie, with a warm and welcoming smile on his face.

The man is Cao Yiqian, one of the presidents of the Philadelphia Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, and he is also the owner of this restaurant.

The number above his head is: [40].

In Sean's experience, this number is neither high nor low; it falls into the category of polite goodwill. It means the other person is interested in him, but hasn't yet reached the point of trust.

"Mr. Pan, I've long admired your name." Cao Yiqian personally refilled Sean's tea cup and said warmly, "I watched your speech at Love Park a few days ago online. To be honest, it was excellent; it really resonated with us."

"President Cao, you flatter me." Sean smiled slightly, not in a hurry to respond.

"Not at all," Cao Yiqian waved his hand, a bitter look on his face. "There aren't many people like you who are willing to speak up for us these days. You know, four years ago, in this very room, I hosted the 76ers' management and players. Back then, we were all drinking and having a good time, but what happened? Now, our two families are at odds over this piece of land faster than turning the pages of a book."

He sighed, then put on a smile.

"Mr. Pan, since you said you'd help us in the square that day, our Chamber of Commerce will definitely give you our full support. Although we are small and insignificant, we still have some influence in Philadelphia. Just say the word, and we..."

Although Cao Yiqian's words sounded nice, they made Sean's heart skip a beat.

Before he came, Matthew had done his homework for him. This Cao Yiqian owned a Chinese media outlet called "Haihua.net" and had some influence in the Chinese community in the eastern United States.

He worried that Cao Yiqian's words were not an expression of loyalty, but rather an attempt to force a binding agreement.

If Sean goes along with him, it would be tantamount to admitting that he is the spokesperson for Chinatown. At that point, all Cao Yiqian needs to do is to publicize in his media that "Sean Pan is determined to defend Chinatown to the death," and Sean will be completely put on the hot seat.

At that point, he will lose all room for maneuver and become a radical who can only represent the interests of the Chinese, thus losing the votes of other ethnic groups.

This is absolutely unacceptable! He's a person with great compassion; how can he tolerate Cao Yiqian doing such a thing?

"President Cao," Sean put down his teacup, interrupting the other man's sentimentality, "I understand your feelings. But I must be honest, I don't currently have the power to directly stop the 76ers from building their arena."

Cao Yiqian hesitated for a moment, and the number above his head jumped up and became [25].

"Oh? So Mr. Pan means..."

"You know, I'm not the mayor, nor am I a veto power member," Sean said, spreading his hands. "I don't have a blank check for an executive order."

At that moment, Cao Yiqian's eyes visibly dimmed.

He had initially thought that since Sean dared to challenge them publicly, he must have some trump card up his sleeve. Now it seemed, did he just want to be a mere internet celebrity riding the wave of popularity?

"However," Sean changed the subject, "I have something else!"

He took out the tablet computer containing the edited videos from his bag and pushed it in front of Cao Yiqian.

"What is this?"

"public opinion."

He started playing the video.

The video footage includes not only an angry elderly Chinese woman, but also a white office worker worried about traffic congestion, a Black single mother afraid of rising rents, and a Latino student who believes that Chinatown culture should not disappear.

Of course, he did some editing.

"I don't like that plan; it will make the city center even more chaotic."

"Can the 76ers do whatever they want just because they have money?"

The authentic voices came together to create a powerful impact.

As Cao Yiqian watched, his expression gradually became serious.

"President Cao, did you see that?" Sean pointed at the screen. "It's not just the Chinese who oppose the new arena. This is the common sentiment of ordinary citizens in Philadelphia."

"The 76ers and the city government have been trying to portray this as a minority interest. They want to isolate Chinatown and make you look like a bunch of holdouts blocking the city's development."

"We don't need to beg for anyone's mercy. Reason is on our side, and public opinion is on our side. We are not begging for space to live; we are defending the soul of this city!"

His words were powerful and resonant, and combined with the impassioned tone in the video, they instantly ignited the atmosphere in the private room.

Cao Yiqian also took a deep breath and cheered himself up a bit.

【30】.

"Mr. Pan," Cao Yiqian said seriously, "you're right. We can't always see ourselves as victims. But these videos alone aren't enough. The videos can be posted online and trend on social media, but whether they can change the city council's vote or win back the 76ers' owner is another matter entirely."

"I'm sure you didn't just call me here today just to show me this video and give me a pep talk, did you?"

Sean smiled slightly and stopped beating around the bush.

"Of course. I hope Chairman Cao can do me a favor."

"What kind of help?"

"I hope you can persuade the other chamber of commerce board members, as well as those influential community leaders, to give me authorization."

"Authorization?"

"Let me represent the Chinatown community to negotiate with the city government and the 76ers."

Cao Yiqian frowned and subconsciously refused him.

"That... is probably unlikely."

Why?

"Mr. Pan, you are white," Cao Yiqian said bluntly. "Although you are speaking up for us now, many elderly people in the community... they still trust their own people more. Besides, if we really want to negotiate, we can hire a professional lobbying firm, or find a Chinese-American lawyer or legal advisor..."

"A lobbying firm?" Sean scoffed, interrupting him without any politeness.

"Chairman Cao, forgive my bluntness, but what can those lobbying firms do besides take money and double kickbacks? Do they even understand Chinatown? Do they really care about this place? To them, it's just a business deal. If the 76ers offered more money, they would sell you out without hesitation."

Cao Yiqian's expression changed slightly, clearly indicating that his sore spot had been hit. They had indeed contacted several lobbying firms before, whose offers were not only outrageously high but also extremely arrogant.

"As for Chinese-American lawyers..." Sean glanced at Matthew beside him, "How many of those senior Chinese-American lawyers would dare to offend the city government and Comcast for the sake of Chinatown?"

“But I’m different.” Sean pointed to himself. “I’m barefoot and not afraid of those wearing shoes. And…”

He said mysteriously, "I've been in Hollywood for so many years, and although I'm not a top star anymore, I still have some connections."

"The NBA is a business league. What do they care about most? Their image and their market. I can connect directly with NBA headquarters through my friends in Los Angeles. Even..."

He continued his nonsense: "I used to play golf at the same golf club as one of Adam Silver's deputies."

Cao Yiqian was stunned.

"Furthermore," Sean continued, "don't let my white background fool you, I'm very knowledgeable about Chinese culture. I understand your way of thinking, and I know how to translate your demands into language that mainstream American society can understand and accept."

Cao Yiqian looked at him, his face full of suspicion.

"Mr. Pan, isn't that a bit... exaggerated?"

A native-born white American claiming to understand Chinese culture? That's like a Sichuanese person claiming to know how to make authentic Italian pizza—it just doesn't sound plausible.

Sean didn't argue. He simply cleared his throat, and his eyes suddenly became affectionate.

"Zhao guest wears a silk tassel on his hat, Wu hook sword gleams like frost and snow. Silver saddle shines on white horse, swift as a shooting star."

His pronunciation was truly clear and accurate, with perfect intonation and rhythm.

It has a very romantic feel to it!

This nearly made Cao Yiqian's jaw drop. He stared wide-eyed at Sean as if he were an alien.

Sean then continued reciting:

"Kill one man in ten steps, leave no trace for a thousand miles. After the deed is done, dust off your clothes and leave, concealing your identity and name."

After he finished reading those lines, he slowly picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

"Li Bai's 'Ballad of the Knight-Errant.' Chairman Cao, what do you think of this poem?"

The private room was deathly silent.

Several seconds later, Cao Yiqian came to his senses and suddenly slapped his thigh.

"Excellent! What a perfect example of 'discarding one's deeds and leaving without a trace, concealing one's identity and name'!"

The way he looked at Sean completely changed.

If before I just saw him as a politician trying to ride the wave of popularity, now it feels like seeing a long-lost relative.

【60】.

"Mr. Pan, I never expected your Chinese proficiency to be so high!" Cao Yiqian's face flushed with excitement. "This poem is such a perfect choice! We need a chivalrous spirit now to break through these encirclements!"

Just then, the waiter pushed open the door and came in to serve the food.

Plates of delicious Sichuan dishes were placed on the table.

"Come, Mr. Pan, have a taste of our chef's cooking," Cao Yiqian warmly invited.

Sean looked at the dishes on the table and smiled slightly.

"This is sliced ​​beef and tripe in chili sauce, that's Kung Pao chicken, this bright red thing is boiled beef in chili oil, and this..." He pointed to the last dish, "It should be Mapo tofu, right?"

Cao Yiqian was completely convinced.

Being able to recite Tang poems might be due to rote memorization, but reciting the names of dishes with such familiarity is definitely not an act.

"Mr. Pan, you are truly... a man of great hidden talent!"

Sean became even more smug, believing that when it came to understanding Chinese culture, 90% of the people in Chinatown probably couldn't compare to him. Matthew, on the other hand, watched him show off silently, without saying a word.

After a few rounds of drinks and several dishes, the atmosphere became much more harmonious.

Halfway through the meal, Cao Yiqian put down his chopsticks and asked seriously, "Mr. Pan, since you know us so well, what is your specific strategy? It's probably difficult to make those capitalists bow down just by talking and showing a few videos."