Chapter 22 Put the cart before the horse (1)
The streets on the 14th of the month were filled with sweet and festive atmospheres, and it seemed that the feeling of love that could not be dissolved in the air could also be smelled in the air. Major businesses had accumulated enough strength to squeeze every copper plate in the pockets of young men and women in this sweet day - this can be seen from the store windows that swiftly passed outside the car window and the slogans posted on it.
He opened the car window a little, let the cold wind pour in, and blew the smoke in the cab away, and he felt his mind clear: Today is the day.
Two months were said to be long or short. Looking back, from Japan to the United States, it was like yesterday! A familiar or unfamiliar face passed by his eyes, causing him to fall into deep thought: "Mr. Ike, we are coming."
"Oh?" Looking out the window, Lizi Hotel was already in front of you. The door was open to welcome couples from all over the world to check in: I hope everything goes well tonight!
After getting off the car, I took off more than a dozen clothes racks with the porter, and they were hung with clothes wrapped in black plastic bags. If it weren't for hanging them on the rack, such plastic bags would probably be considered a body bag! Even so, it caused a whisper at the scene: What is this?
Ai Feiquan pretended not to hear it, and walked into the shelf in front of his head. He had been here several times, and was very familiar. He pulled the shelf and walked into the rest room specially opened by the Rainbow Hall. He put the shelf and stripped the plastic bags one by one: "After tonight, there will be nothing for you! Well, I hope that's the case?"
"Mr. Ike..."
"Here." Hear some porters and put the other shelves in place, gave each person a tip of $5, and sent them out. Ai Fei then closed the door, sat down in a corner of the lounge, and waited quietly.
I don’t know how long it took, but someone knocked at the door: “Mr. Ike?”
He knew that Mr. Wallace was coming, and walked over and opened the door. When the latter saw him, he was immediately startled: "Mr. Ike...what is wrong with you? Why is your face so ugly?"
"Is there any?" Ai Fei stroked his cheek: "Is it really ugly? I don't feel uncomfortable?"
"You... aren't you too nervous?" Wallace followed him into the room and looked at him carefully with the light: "It's really ugly, Mr. Ike,..."
"I may be a little nervous." Ai Fei smiled bitterly: "It's two months since you reach your country. All your efforts and all your efforts will be seen tonight. If I win, I will naturally stop raising everything. On the contrary, if I fail, haha... After paying off all the expenses, I may have to go back to Japan with bare ass!"
If it were here, a few days ago, Wallace asked himself that he would be in a happy and comfortable mood and watch the Japanese boy roll back. Of course, it would be even better if he could leave his pants! But after this period of time, his attitude towards the latter has changed a bit: after all, young people like him go to an almost completely unfamiliar country to develop their own development. Isn’t this what Americans often say, a manifestation of courage? He is not willing to hurt him verbally: “Mr. Ike, do you know what I think?”
"Hmm? Of course I want to know."
"I don't want to lie to you that this time the clothing launch will definitely have the success you expected. However, I sincerely believe that a foreigner as young as you, who is... a young man who dares to come to the United States in such an era and pursue his American dream is something that many, many older than you cannot do! And, I really think that even if you fail this time, you will definitely use another way to let Americans witness your success at other times!"
Ai Fei smiled sincerely: "Thank you for your encouragement. I once heard a friend say this, "Well, I should be a colleague. It probably means that I hope I can succeed in the United States." Ai Fei smiled faintly: "Maybe, after this success, I need to go back once."
"Go back? Are you referring to going back to Japan?"
"Mr. Wallace, you may not know, I am in Japan..." He swallowed his words afterwards: Why do you say this to others? If you succeed tonight, who will care about his success in Japan? If you fail, what does it matter if you achieve great success in Japan?
Seeing that he hadn't spoken for a long time, Wallace thought he was nervous again and comforted him kindly: "Mr. Ike, I just chatted with my friend I met in the hotel and heard a very special news. Do you know? Grace Kelly came to New York, and he was staying in this hotel! The last time we saw at the hotel, Mr. Benjamin from the vogue magazine, came here to discuss with her about publishing her interview in the magazine."
"Grace? Kelly?" Ai Fei thought for a while, and seemed to have some impression: Well, it wasn't the Hollywood actress who married a prince of some country in the mid-1950s, right? He didn't have a deep impression of her, so he casually agreed: "Oh, is that?"
"...You don't know her? Oh, sorry, I forgot that you are from the Japanese." Wallace completely forgot that his original intention was to comfort Ai Fei, and his whole spirit was immersed in his fantasy of Grace: "Do you know? Grace is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen on the screen, even surpassing Rita Hayworth! One day... One day!"
"What? What are you going to do one day?"
"I want to get this girl!"
"You have no chance!" Ai Fei gave him a basin of cold water without hesitation! "If the other party is really as beautiful as you said, do you think you are the only one who wants her? This is the United States, Mr. Wallace, you won't know how fanatical your people are in pursuit of beautiful things, right? Not to mention there are other countries... Please wait!" He temporarily interrupted his conversation with Wallace, and walked to the door of the lounge and looked outside.
Wallace followed him and looked into the guest seat area outside: "What are you looking at?"
"I suddenly thought... Hello, stay away from me!" Ai Fei pushed him away: "Is there anyone you know?"
Wallace glanced carefully: "No."
"No one?"
"No one." Wallace seemed to think that speaking like this was a bit hurtful, and scratched his head and glanced at it a few more times: "Well, I know that person."
"Who is it?"
"It's the guy standing at the door with a camera on his back. His name is Mike Oliver, and he is a photographer of the New York Times! Humph, a member of the Adolf Youth Group."
“…………”
"He...you may not understand very well, just refer to guys who are very vicious, very stingy, and very annoying."
Wallace's funny explanation did not make Ai Fei feel better: it is not that he can know the descendants of famous families, but... if he does not know any of the guests here, the overall quality of the visitors this time can be imagined! In this way, the situation tonight is worth worrying?
"Ah, there's another one! Wow, she's here?" Wallace widened his eyes in disbelief: "It seems that the Germans are more interested in your work than the Americans?"
“…………”
"Okay, okay, that person! The lady with short hair and suit, did you see it? She was chatting with a bald man? Her name is Marilyn Dietrich. She turned out to be a German, she obtained American nationality after the war, and then she has been living in the United States. Well, why did she like bald?"
Ai Fei glared at him fiercely, his eyes falling on the face of a German woman named Marilyn. As Wallace said, this German woman is definitely an alternative in such an occasion: she was actually wearing a suit. You know, this was 1952, not a world 50 years later. If you use this method to prove your sexual orientation... it would be crazy! Americans in this era are quite conservative, and they could not accept things that seem to be indifferent now at that time, let alone homosexuality.
Marilyn Dietrich didn't seem to take other people's strange and annoying eyes seriously, and continued to chat with familiar friends around him. Ai Fei's eyes floated, and he couldn't help but smile bitterly: The person who talked to her was the famous bald star in Hollywood: Yul Berliner! A Russian-born child! I never thought that a Russian or a German could become friends in the United States? Haha... it's very funny! Of course, Yul Berliner was far less famous than later, just a young actor who just finished his performance in the stage play "The King and Me" and received some approval - if his appearance surprised Wallace, then other situations could be imagined.
Looking at the guests around me, I shook my head regretfully: None of them knew or familiar with me. It seems that Wallace said nothing wrong. The people who came here to attend his fashion show this time are all not very famous guys in the circle! Alas, I still have no strength and no fame! I guess those famous people have all attended the evening party held by large companies such as Chanel, right?
As soon as the door behind him rang, the models walked in, laughing and laughing, not seeing Ai Fei's frustration at all: "Mr. Ike... is anyone here?" Emma was the first to run to him and looked around: "Well,... no. Ah, Ms. Crawford is here too?"
Ai Fei pushed her away impatiently: "Change clothes, ladies and gentlemen. Our performance will begin soon!"
A group of girls began to remove their clothes from the hanger: "Sorry?"
"Ah, of course. Of course!" Several men remembered and quickly closed the doors on both sides and walked outside.
On the night of the 14th of the month, a huge crystal chandelier was lit in the lobby of the Lizi Hotel, which made the magnificent central area look like a fire and silver. On such a night, hehe, when he thought of the significantly increased occupancy rate on the second floor, the hotel owner Schwartz Borg, who leaned down to see, was so happy! This is his own kingdom, how can we find a way to build it more vigorously and magnificently?
"Jamie?"
"Yes, sir."
"Please come Mr. Jones."
Mr. Solomon Jones soon came to his direct superior: "Good evening, Mr. Jones."
"Good evening, Mr. Borg."
“How much has the occupancy rate of rooms reached?”
"Except for one of the three presidential suites on the top floor, which is for Miss Grace Kelly from Los Angeles, the remaining two are still empty. The other standard rooms and deluxe rooms have been booked in advance, so only the guests are arriving."
"Very good!" Mr. Borg nodded: "Thank you for your work. Well, what performance is being held on the Rainbow Hall on the first floor?"
"……………” Jones was stunned: "I just knew that it was a Japanese who rented the right to use it. It was until early tomorrow morning. I once heard him say that it seemed to be a fashion-related performance. The specific... I'm sorry, I don't know."
Looking down from the second floor's watchtower, you can only see the bright lights inside, and a large number of guests entered one after another. What was the state inside, but you couldn't see it at all. Mr. Borg was in a good mood and suddenly became interested: "Do you think we can go in and enjoy it? Well, it seems that every guest needs to bring invitations and female companions?"
"I can negotiate with the Japanese guests if you like."
"Forget it. I don't have a female companion." Borg smiled slightly: "That's it, I wish you a happy holiday, Mr. Jones."
"I wish you a happy holiday, Mr. Borg."
Mr. Borg was not very interested in this performance, which did not mean that Mr. Jones was not. After Mr. Borg disappeared, he also walked down the stairs and came to the door of the Rainbow Hall. The hotel staff were also responsible for entertaining guests. Naturally, he would not stop him and let him walk in with a swagger: What a bright place!
This was the first feeling he felt after coming in. The crystal chandelier above his head lit the switch. Not only this lamp, but also some small electric lights around the roof lit up, making the huge rainbow hall brightly bright, as bright as daytime. Not only was it bright, the temperature in the rainbow hall was also quite high. After standing at the entrance of the hall for a while, he felt a little sweaty. Why was it so hot? Soon he understood: In addition to heating, the heat emitted when the light bulb was lit is also part of it. But another doubt emerged: What are the Japanese asking for two special spotlights to be installed here?
The thought was not over, and the sound of "Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Cra
Even though they knew that there would be no danger, the guests still whispered to each other a little nervously: "Hu,hu,hu,hu,hu,hu,hu,hu!" A few cool foot sounds of high heels stepping on the wooden floor. With this foot sound, a sharp sound came from the top of people's heads: "Click!" Two snow-white lights that were as if they were substantial were lit up, cross-pointing the entrance of the huge T-shaped platform.
Ai Fei's carefully prepared fashion conference has begun!
Chapter completed!