Chapter 076: The Little Fangirl

Although Li Lekang was still unaware of the flattery and ingratiating schemes going on behind the scenes with Ster, he could clearly sense the many changes brought about by his elevated status. Previously, as a magician, he was already a beloved star with countless fans, but in terms of capital, he was still just an entertainer. America is a society ruled by capital—capital equals power, and even Hollywood’s biggest stars can’t escape the rules and manipulation of capital.

But with Ster’s attentive service, Li Lekang had undergone a transformation. As an independent director of LAA, he was now among the company’s upper echelons. No longer just an artist, he now bore the attributes of a capital partner. If this were in Korea, girl groups from all over would be queuing up to serve the chaebol lords from dawn till dusk, each with a different approach. It was a shame this was America; there were no coquettish women softly calling him “oppa”—only a crowd of passionate, fiery American beauties.

Yet Western cuisine had its own appeal. Upon learning he had taken another step up, the two partners closest to him were the first to react. After treating him to a “double feature,” they immediately started discussing how best to pledge their loyalty to LAA. Previously, they still cared about saving face; even if they had to wait their turn, they would never share a night. But ever since the precedent had been set, all reservations were cast to the wind.

They understood that as Li Lekang’s power and status grew, his need for them would diminish; countless women, equally or even more outstanding and uninhibited, would flock to ingratiate themselves with him. So rather than be left behind, they decided to take the initiative, holding nothing back, unlocking every “secret move,” determined to win him over.

In the end, Li Lekang was indeed won over. To be honest, he wasn’t the type to take advantage and offer nothing in return. With a generous wave of his hand, he made arrangements for them.

Sandra and Daisy weren’t bound by particularly restrictive contracts, so moving to LAA was relatively easy. Li Lekang spoke with Mike, secured some resources and opportunities, and then sent the two of them off to pursue their professional ambitions.

Sandra got her wish and received numerous magazine shoot invitations, including from the red-hot Maxim. With her outstanding figure and hundreds of thousands of online followers, she already had a solid fan base, and with the big boss backing her, her dreams were not hard to achieve.

Daisy fared even better. Li Lekang hadn’t even pushed her that hard, yet thanks to her performance on the magic stage, she was spotted by a new NBC soap opera and cast in a supporting role. Although it wasn’t a lead, she had lines, and the crew wanted an all-American sweetheart—perfect for her. With luck, this could be the start of her acting career.

So Li Lekang had done his good deed—at least he hadn’t taken advantage for nothing. He’d enjoyed himself and helped others succeed, feeling like a model of virtue.

Thus, he continued, with a clear conscience, to seek opportunities to help more young women chasing their Hollywood dreams.

Help one or two, and people will question your motives. Help hundreds or thousands, and you become a legend in showbiz!

He began to consider whether his next project would be a future supermodel standing at five foot ten, or a Hollywood sweetheart who could steal hearts. But before he could dwell on it, his godmother called.

Judy wanted to discuss something about the finals of America’s Got Talent. After several rounds of selection and elimination, the competition had finally reached its climax. The wildly popular magician Li Lekang was the center of attention.

Li Lekang glanced at the time. “I’m at the office. Okay, I’ll come over to your place. If I could wrangle a dinner out of it, even better.”

“How could I not welcome you? Come quickly!” Judy invited warmly.

After a few words, he hung up, said goodbye to Mike after their lengthy chat, tossed his jacket over his shoulder, and strode out with his hands in his pockets.

In a gust of wind, his Ferrari pulled up outside Judy’s house.

He rang the bell. The door was opened by Chloe, a beautiful girl as delicate as a porcelain doll.

“Hi!” he greeted her, pulling her into a warm hug.

“Hi, superstar!” The girl invited him into the living room. “Tea or coffee?”

“Tea, please,” Li Lekang replied with a smile, glancing toward the kitchen. “Wow, Judy, a woman cooking is truly beautiful, you know that?”

Judy beamed. “I know you always have sweet words ready! But go have a seat—I’ve got some specialties for you tonight!”

“I’m looking forward to it,” he replied, settling onto the sofa as Chloe handed him a lemon iced tea—Americans like their tea straightforward: instant with ice, nothing fancy.

The tea was mediocre, so he switched to complimenting people. “It’s been a while since I saw you. You’re looking even more beautiful.”

She laughed brightly. “Ahaha! Thank you!”

American girls wore their confidence and happiness on their faces.

“I mean it. You look radiant, full of endless vitality.”

Li Lekang wasn’t offering insincere American-style flattery; Chloe truly was glowing, her skin taut and smooth as a peach.

At sixteen or seventeen, Western girls already appeared mature, and she combined fair skin, striking features, big blue eyes, and a head of silky, golden hair—she was like a fairy untouched by the mundane world.

The more Li Lekang looked, the more regretful he felt. At this age of youthful rebellion, early love and wild adventures were par for the course—he wondered which lucky devil would win her heart. He didn’t know why he was so sentimental; perhaps all beautiful things are to be cherished.

The lively Chloe treated him like family, curled up on the sofa, hugging his arm and chattering away. “I’ve always wanted a big brother!”

“Oh?” Li Lekang was curious.

“That way we could do all sorts of exciting things together! Bars, clubs, wild trips, camping!” she declared, painting a vivid picture of her longing for freedom. Like many beautiful girls, she loathed school, especially math.

American math, after all, was “happy education” for some.

Of course, Li Lekang wasn’t about to regale her with tales of his own mathematical prowess. Instead, he told her about the fun of nightclubs and the myriad tricks bad boys used to pick up girls, approaching the topic from a sly, engaging angle.

She might ignore her mother’s advice, but coming from someone her own age—and a superstar idol at that, whom she followed religiously on YouTube—his words were gospel.

“I’ve never been…” she said, a little dejected. “My birthday’s next month. I really wish I could experience it.”

“Your birthday?” Li Lekang looked at her.

Chloe’s enchanting blue eyes sparkled. “Yes, I’ll officially be seventeen! Judy hasn’t told you? I said you absolutely have to be invited!”

“Ah, youth is wonderful,” Li Lekang mused. “Of course I’ll come to your party, and as for your wish—maybe we can secretly—”

“Really?” she looked at him, eyes bright with excitement.

“Shh,” Li Lekang put a finger to his lips—Judy was still busy in the kitchen.

Chloe nodded eagerly, then hugged him. “It’s a deal! After you win America’s Got Talent—my party will be perfect!”

Faced with this enthusiastic little fan, Li Lekang could only laugh. “I’ll use magic to crush the competition!”

PS: Just a note—I can’t write about magic all the way through. First, it’d be too short; second, it’d get boring. Eating pork belly every meal would make you sick. Besides, no entertainment novel is all about making movies or music from start to finish, right? And honestly, I’m not that skilled. This failed author just wants to develop steadily and hopefully write a million words.