Chapter 54-55

Chapter 54: Comprehensive Service

"I knew our LiKun is the best, even big names like Ralph Lauren are charmed by you! We need to get some articles out, really push the publicity."

Back in the hotel room at the Intercontinental, agent Li Sih was almost ready to plant a kiss on Wong LiKun out of sheer excitement. Dealing with their miss was sometimes a headache for her. LiKun was great in every way, except her lack of enthusiasm for networking, socializing, and especially publicity stunts.

Yet today, she exceeded all expectations, not only giving photographers a field day but also warming up to big names like Bruce and Ralph Lauren.

"It wasn't that exaggerated. Mr. Lauren was mainly courteous because of Bruce," Wong LiKun was used to her agent's over-the-top style but couldn't help but laugh at her comments.

"Exactly! Bruce! You and this handsome guy seemed to have a great time chatting from start to end. What did you guys talk about?" Li Sih, full of curiosity, plopped down on the bed and asked.

"We just talked about fashion, clothing, and stuff about New York, like cool places to visit and good food." Mentioning Bruce, Wong LiKun seemed a bit uneasy.

"I don't buy that! You can't fool me. You guys looked so happy chatting away, almost laughing your heads off. It was your first time meeting him, right? You didn't even know him before I briefed you. Come on, spill the beans!" Li Sih was not buying her story, inching closer and staring intently at Wong LiKun.

Feeling a bit unnerved by the scrutiny, Wong LiKun rolled her eyes, "He invited me to the ACCR fashion charity dinner tonight."

"No way! That's awesome!"

Li Sih hugged Wong LiKun tightly, planting a big kiss on her, and before Wong LiKun could react, she stood up and started pacing around the room, murmuring to herself, "This is a big deal, you know! People like Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg attend these events! We need to dress you up exceptionally well, stun all those foreigners!"

Charity dinners like this are usually organized by specialized foundations. For instance, the charity dinner that traditionally opens the New York Fashion Week is organized by the American Foundation for AIDS Research, inviting famous models and socialites like Heidi Klum and Paris Hilton every year, with occasional appearances from Hollywood stars like Michelle Rodriguez and William Pitt, leveraging their fame for charity promotion. Sometimes, these events are not confined to just once a year and can also take place in Cannes, Venice, and other locations.

The American Cancer Research Foundation (ACCR) operates differently. Their annual meetings are not fixed and this year just happened to coincide with Fashion Week. The attendees are of an entirely different caliber, true power players. Seeing the likes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett is no surprise. Even from the entertainment industry, it's at least the level of James Cameron or Tom Cruise, well beyond the ordinary realm of directors and actors, and more about the real power in film companies. The reason for reaching this level is complex, but certainly linked to the prestigious membership of the foundation.

Having the opportunity to mingle with such influential figures is truly rare and can be considered a stroke of luck.

"But why would Bruce invite you to such an event? Could he be interested in you?" After pondering for a while, Li Sih began to consider this possibility.

"Stop it, I don't even know what to wear!" Wong LiKun hurriedly steered the conversation away from speculation. Her trip to New York was purely for the Fashion Week and photo shoots; she hadn't prepared any suitable evening gowns.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. I promise to get you the perfect dress, can't afford to lose face!" As an experienced agent, Li Sih clearly had resources at her disposal and began making calls right away.

But before she could finalize anything, the doorbell rang.

Assistant Syu Lu opened the door to find a middle-aged woman in professional attire standing outside: "Is this Ms. Wong LiKun's room?"

"Yes, you are?" The assistant was a bit confused, and Li Sih also approached.

"Sorry to disturb you."

The middle-aged woman stepped into the room, followed by a line of men and women in uniform, each carrying a covered bag. They filed in and lined up neatly, filling the already cramped room—not because Li Sih was trying to save money, but because hotel rooms were scarce during Fashion Week, leaving them with only a standard luxury room.

"Wait, what's all this?" The three in the room were taken aback by the procession, Li Sih eyeing these well-trained staff before addressing the woman who first entered.

"Good day, madam. I'm Gretchen Hawn, the manager of Lanvin's flagship store in New York. At Mr. Lee's request, we've brought a selection of top evening gowns tailored to Ms. Wong LiKun's measurements for her to choose from for tonight's dinner. Each one is crafted by our finest designers." The middle-aged woman explained with a professional smile.

Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, this company is the oldest high-fashion house in France. It was revitalized after being acquired by Taiwanese billionaire Shaw-Lan Wang and has since opened several boutiques in New York since 2010. Their evening gowns are praised as the most spirited in the industry. Li Sih and her team were familiar with such a brand, but they never expected to receive such VIP treatment.

"Did you say Mr. Lee, as in Bruce... oh, Bruce Lee?" Wong LiKun was the first to catch on.

"Yes." Gretchen Hawn glanced at the three bewildered women and asked, "Ms. Wong, shall we start selecting?"

"Let's begin!" Despite Wong LiKun's hesitation, Li Sih took charge decisively, knowing there was no time to waste.

"Very well." At Gretchen Hawn's signal, everyone carefully unveiled the gowns, lifting them high to better display the exquisite designs for Wong LiKun's selection. Gretchen further explained the selection process and the multitude of options available.

"Thank you very much." Even to Wong LiKun's discerning eye, the craftsmanship, design, and cutting of these gowns were clearly first-rate, far from ordinary retail quality.

While they were still selecting the dresses, another knock on the door heralded the arrival of stylists and makeup artists—two teams of four professionals each. Without asking, it was clear they were top-tier stylists. They seemed familiar with Gretchen and greeted each other with smiles.

Wong LiKun's assistant, Syu Lu, also trained in makeup, usually handled her basic makeup and styling. But in the presence of these four formidable stylists and makeup artists, she could only step aside, albeit graciously. They were very polite, suggesting a collaborative approach to determine the style. However, after a few exchanges, Syu Lu knew better than to intervene, opting instead to observe and learn quietly.

Chapter 55: Vulnerability

With everything arranged and Li Sih no longer needing to fret, she contentedly sat back, occasionally whispering with Syu Lu and casting meaningful glances at Wong LiKun, making her feel inexplicably awkward, yet unable to voice her discomfort.

"Li Sih, isn't this a bit too much? To get this many people for LiKun's styling during Fashion Week?" Assistant Syu Lu was amazed.

"Absolutely, it's a big deal. Big spending, considerate and meticulous arrangement – who wouldn't be swayed? I tell you, it's a precarious situation!" Li Sih spoke in a teasing tone, loud enough for Wong LiKun to overhear, then looked at her with a smile, eliciting a roll of eyes from Wong LiKun in annoyance.

She couldn't move as her styling was underway.

"Speaking of which, Bruce is tall, handsome, elegant, and a super-rich man, practically the perfect lover of every woman's dream," said Syu Lu, her eyes almost turning into hearts.

"That's true, apart from being a playboy, he probably has no other flaws. But you, my dear, don't stand a chance, wipe that drool off your face!" Li Sih patted her head, pulling the starry-eyed assistant back to reality.

"Li Sih, how do you know he's a playboy?" Syu Lu pouted, a mix of hurt and confusion in her voice.

"Nonsense, with such a catch, which can no longer be described just as a 'golden bachelor' but more of a 'diamond king', who wouldn't swoon over him? If I were him, I could charm anyone wherever I go. Not being a playboy would be a waste, a crime even. Besides, haven't you seen the news constantly covering his affairs with Wonder Woman, Taylor Swifft…" Li Sih went on a rant, far from the image of a professional agent.

Even though they were speaking in Chinese, and rapidly at that, Wong LiKun couldn't bear to listen any longer: "Li Sih, where's your professionalism? Don't you always oppose me getting involved in scandals and gossip?"

"My dear, you call these scandals? When you meet someone reliable, you should hold on tight. Are you foolish?" Li Sih's words were as sharp as ever, but they carried a sincere undertone. "A woman's prime years are fleeting. Everyone needs a haven eventually. Would you rather wait till your beauty fades? I'm speaking for your own good."

Li Sih and Wong LiKun's relationship started from humble beginnings. A decade has flown by, and their bond is much deeper than the typical star-agent relationship, more akin to sisterly affection. Li Sih genuinely wished for Wong LiKun's happiness. Wong LiKun knew Li Sih's tough exterior hid a soft heart, and touched by her concern, she remained silent.

"But he's a few years younger than you, right? Not a problem. 'An older woman with a younger man is like a gold brick in her arms.' This lad, building his empire from scratch with his genius mind, won't be easy to manage. I'll have to keep a close eye for you..." Lost in her thoughts, Li Sih started to plot, her mind racing, much to Wong LiKun's amusement and exasperation.

Then Wong LiKun's phone rang. Engrossed in her styling, she couldn't answer, so Syu Lu picked it up and gasped excitedly, "LiKun, look, it's Bruce calling."

"Don't be so flustered!" Li Sih snatched the phone and answered. "Hello, Mr. Lee? Yes... LiKun is getting her makeup done and can't talk, thanks for arranging everything... We can come too? That's wonderful... Soon, in less than half an hour..."

After hanging up, Li Sih, seemingly talking to Wong LiKun but more to herself, muttered, "This all-around personal care, escaping will be tough."

Before an indignant Wong LiKun could react, Li Sih urged Syu Lu, "Come on, let's get ready and join the dinner." After all, with the generous support for the attire and styling, their presence was just an added detail.

As the trio descended, Bruce's stretched Cadillac awaited downstairs, his bodyguards promptly opening the car doors for them.

"Welcome, beautiful ladies," Bruce greeted from inside the car, smiling as Wong LiKun and her companions sat across from him.

"Thank you for arranging this, but you really didn't have to go to such lengths," Wong LiKun replied, a trace of unease in her voice, evidently unaccustomed to Bruce's comprehensive planning. It's natural, for a star who has navigated the industry for years, to have her guard up, not keen on having everything arranged for her.

"Please forgive my presumptiveness. But I hope you understand that this is purely a personal indulgence on my part, a small act of vanity to show off the beauty of Chinese women to these American bigwigs," Bruce explained, framing the whole affair as a matter of his personal pride. This perspective made the ladies feel appreciated and left them little room for argument.

"Mr. Lee, you sure have a way with words. Thank you for inviting us to the dinner. We're practically family here!" In public, Li Sih was back in her professional agent mode, initiating the bonding.

"Li Sih, right? A fellow countryman in a foreign land is worth celebrating." Bruce had done his homework and knew her name. He promptly opened the car's mini-fridge, took out chilled champagne, and poured a glass for everyone.

Bruce was quite familiar with the venue of the dinner, the base of the One57 luxury apartments where he first bought a residence. This building, located at 157 West 57th Street and standing 1004 feet tall, was once New York's tallest residential building before being surpassed by newcomers like 432 Park Avenue.

These buildings are closely adjacent, a stone's throw away from each other.

After a strict security check, Bruce led the trio into the hall, a super-gathering of celebrities and influencers. Of course, Bruce didn't recognize many, his foray into this circle being relatively recent.

Li Sih, adept at seizing opportunities, soon left their table and mingled with bigwigs from the movie and entertainment industry, seemingly hitting it off well.

"You've got a good agent." Bruce glanced at Li Sih, skillfully networking not far away, and commented to Wong LiKun.

"Li Sih is indeed very good to me, very considerate." Wong LiKun responded with an understanding smile. Her answer to Bruce's comment wasn't quite on the same page.

Bruce was talking about capability, while Wong LiKun was referring to character.

He looked at her, seeing a trace of Rachel Cyrus in her – the same innocence and value for sentiment. Only, Rachel was naive and inexperienced, while Wong LiKun, after years of struggle, was perhaps a bit more mature but still carried a stubbornness and emotional bias.

No wonder she remained semi-famous. Such a stubborn woman.

For someone with principles like her, Bruce had a particular fondness. Their vulnerabilities were often clear, offering easy opportunities for influence.

The dinner was simpler than Bruce expected, both in terms of food and decoration, probably due to its charitable nature. After all, the entire cost of the event was to be covered by funds raised from the charity auction.