Chapter 87: A Little Magic Trick

Li Lekang sped off, pressing the accelerator.

Chloe was still chattering away, asking all sorts of questions about fame. For lively, beautiful girls like her, Li Lekang always had boundless patience. It wasn’t just him; it was the way society operated. Society was always harsh with men—make a mistake and you’d be corrected immediately. But when a beautiful woman made the same mistake? All she had to do was give a pitiful look—or not even that—and there would always be some man ready to forgive her.

So, after a long time, beautiful women tended to be a little naive when dealing with the world. They’d grown so used to indulgence that they couldn’t understand why even small errors would be met with reproach. Otherwise, why would Americans have the saying “dumb blonde” to poke fun at pretty women?

Still, Chloe was better than most. She was polite, always saying “please” and “thank you” to everyone, reserving sass for her close friends. After all, who didn’t have some sharp-tongued retorts in their youth? Though math always gave Judy headaches, Chloe excelled in other fields, and with her unbeatable sweetness and looks—even if she just followed her mother’s path in the future, she’d live quite well.

Li Lekang made a restaurant reservation while following the GPS, then told her, “Don’t imitate me in the future.”

“You said it with such conviction!” she pointed out, laughing.

Li Lekang decided against driving his Ferrari one-handed. “Because... because once you’re old, you can’t change. You don’t want that, do you?”

“I know—I’m not a child,” she said, pursing her lips at his lecturing tone.

“Oh, you’re an adult now!” Li Lekang teased. “What else do you know about being an adult?”

“Everything!” she protested, feeling underestimated. She rattled off, sounding mature beyond her years: “Socializing, romance, love, marriage, having kids—I even worked at a restaurant for half a month! I know this society!”

It had to be said, Americans provided thorough sex education. Li Lekang asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?”

She shrugged, trying to look grown-up and carefree. “A few boys like me, but—you know—they’re too restless. When a girl walks by, they start roughhousing, tripping each other, showing off like gorillas—so childish.”

Li Lekang coughed, feeling oddly familiar with the scene. Years ago, walking down the street with his buddies, they’d run into a pretty classmate. Suddenly, he’d felt compelled to kick a roadside traffic cone—only to discover it was solid iron. His foot hurt like hell, but he had to act nonchalant as he passed by.

At this age, girls really were more mature than boys. Men didn’t catch up until they were twenty-five or twenty-six.

She tossed her hair proudly. “A girl of my quality—the fact that guys can’t have me is my greatest allure. Can’t let those boys get lucky so easily! That’s what my daddy told me!”

“Good father!” Li Lekang agreed wholeheartedly.

“Thank you!” she said, delighted as if she’d uncovered a secret. “So you really do care about me!”

“You inspire a protective instinct,” Li Lekang glanced at her with a smile and nodded seriously. “Yes.”

“Love you!” she said, smiling at him.

Li Lekang chuckled, scratching his head, and under her gaze, lifted his chin. “We’re here! There’s a spot right by the road!”

Parking was rare on Rodeo Drive, with its abundance of luxury boutiques and countless wealthy shoppers in sports cars. Li Lekang wanted to give Chloe a gift, so he had to pull out all the stops—first picking out jewelry for her birthday party. Tiffany or Cartier—sparkling, beautiful pieces never disappoint a woman.

He didn’t set a budget, letting her try whatever she liked, wrapping up those that caught her fancy. For wealthy men, efficiency mattered more than price.

With assets in the millions, it was easy to lose yourself. After packaging several pieces of jewelry, he took her to look at shoes—Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin?

“How can ballroom heels not glitter?” Li Lekang said, indulging her whims, wrapping up the shopping swiftly with the excuse that they were running late for dinner, carrying the bags out.

The Ferrari 812 easily held the purchases. With a press of the accelerator, they sped to the restaurant, handed off the keys to the valet, arriving just on time.

Dinner was uneventful—just food and conversation. The refined setting elevated everyone’s mood. Chloe, overjoyed with her gifts, wore a radiant smile throughout.

When Li Lekang drove her home afterward, he didn’t go inside—he had another appointment that evening. Chloe walked a few steps, then ran back.

She dove into his arms, her scent enveloping him, hugged him, and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you for the gift! I love it!”

With a peal of laughter, she ran off again.

“Nighty-night!”

Her adorable voice floated back.

Li Lekang waved, amused, not thinking much of the girl’s kiss—it was normal in the West, after all. He had another date with a spicy beauty that night, so he climbed into his car and left without a second thought.

...

A few days passed in this casual manner, and Chloe’s birthday arrived as scheduled.

As a refined young woman, she didn’t throw a crazy party like the boys would. The celebration was held at home, attended by many friends and family, including classmates who came upon hearing the famous magician would be there.

The birthday girl donned an exquisite gown, adorned with jewelry, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders like a Greek goddess, basking in compliments and well wishes.

Li Lekang didn’t show up in person—he didn’t want to steal the spotlight. Given his magician status, he arranged a special little show for her.

When nearly all the guests had arrived, the great magician Li Lekang was still nowhere to be seen. Some guests seemed disappointed.

Chloe remained calm, handling the crowd with poise.

Then, a courier arrived with a magician’s gift—a large box.

Chloe opened it in front of everyone, finding a black cloth and a note inside.

Smiling, she picked up the note and read aloud: “To my dear Chloe: When you cover this with the magician’s cloak, the person you’re hoping for will appear!”

She showed the note to everyone, then took out the black cloth Li Lekang used in his performances. With all eyes on her, she draped the cloth over the box.

Enjoying the attention and camera flashes, the beautiful girl recited a mystery spell, then whipped the cloth away with a flourish. The gift box suddenly burst open, and a person emerged!

It was Li Lekang himself, grinning at Chloe: “You did it! Genius magician Chloe, you summoned me straight from a traffic jam!”

“Wow!”

“Well done, Chloe!”

Applause and cheers erupted.

Though the illusion was brief, it was as bewildering as Li Lekang’s usual magic—no one knew when he’d gotten inside!

The surprise was powerful; the star’s unexpected appearance delighted everyone, and he hadn’t stolen the birthday girl’s thunder. Chloe’s deft touch drew praise from all.

Li Lekang kept his promise, showing up for her and ensuring Chloe remained center stage. The lovely girl threw herself into his arms for a bear hug, her heart bursting with joy.

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