Chapter 1302 - 580: Party
August 20th, a little past 7 PM.
Palisades Community.
Luke and Li Zhaofeng carried two cases of alcohol from the wine cellar, instructing the party company's staff to arrange the drinks. The selection was rich: red wine, champagne, whiskey, rum, beer, Moutai, and Wuliangye.
Baijiu is rarely seen at parties, but given the large Chinese population in this community, it's a must-have.
For Chinese people, whether or not Moutai tastes good or is liked is one thing, but it's a symbol of power and status.
Even though Luke doesn't favor the strong-flavor type of liquor, he acknowledges Moutai's status in the hearts of the Chinese.
The two are not in conflict.
The chubby kid dressed in a black suit, with a white shirt and bow tie, and black leather shoes, was taking photos with his phone in the yard.
Linda stood nearby, conversing with the party company's staff, adjusting the layout of the courtyard lighting.
As the hostess of tonight's gathering, Linda wore a beautiful blue long dress and adorned the jewelry Luke had given her. She also specially did her hair in the afternoon.
Luke walked over with a smile, "Hi, Ms. Sullivan, I like your new hairstyle; it looks beautiful."
"Really? I was worried it might be a bit too short."
Luke confidently replied, "No, it's very stylish and suits you well."
"Hey, big bro, don't I look handsome tonight too?" The chubby kid walked over, striking a pose he thought was cool.
Luke patted the fabric of his suit, "Indeed, I paid for it."
The chubby kid rolled his eyes, "Being able to spend your money is a skill of mine, isn't it?"
Luke playfully rebuked, "You pesky little guy, makes me want to kick your butt."
The chubby kid dodged to the side, making a funny face.
A little after seven, the party was ready, and the neighbors began to arrive one after another.
The first guests were a Chinese couple named Lin, who ran a chain of Japanese restaurants, and they also gave Luke an 80% membership card.
Luke accepted it with a smile, always finding it a bit odd for Chinese people to run Japanese restaurants, somewhat disjointed.
Luke invited them into the yard and went to the door to welcome other guests.
Near eight o'clock, more neighbors came to join the party, including a dentist, a foreign trade businessman, and executives from listed companies. The average house price in the community exceeds ten million US Dollars, making it unreachable for low-income people; the property tax each year is a significant issue.
Most of the buyers in this community are elites from various industries, offering a great opportunity for networking.
Luke successively entertained more than twenty groups, totaling sixty to seventy people.
Before the party officially started, Luke stepped onto the stage to say a few words, welcoming the neighbors and introducing himself once again briefly.
Since they were all neighbors and quite familiar with each other, the party quickly became lively.
As the host of tonight's party, Luke carried a wine glass, mingling among the neighbors, chatting with each one as best as he could, trying to remember their names and appearances.
Remembering sixty to seventy people at once is a challenge for most, but Luke's observation exceeds that of ordinary people, and his memory is also quite good, allowing him to recall most.
The number of party attendees was more than Luke had imagined; the party company added some platters of fruits and meats, which might increase the party's cost a bit.
But it was no big deal, as the real expenses of the gathering were drinks, venue, and manpower, while the food costs were minimal.
The venue for the party was at Luke's own house, and the drinks were provided by Luke himself, so the party company's fees weren't too high.
Luke's identity as a police officer was quite distinctive among the neighbors; he was also the only police officer residing in the entire Palisades Community.
Some neighbors had heard his name; others were keenly interested in the cases he investigated.
Luke shared a few fun and shareable cases, drawing quite a crowd of curious neighbors.
An elderly white man with black-rimmed glasses approached, raising his glass, "Luke, I've been looking forward to your housewarming party. Glad to have you as a neighbor."
Luke looked at him, recognizing him as Romit Bull, the author of "Disappeared Lover." Previously, a murder case Luke investigated involved a suspect replicating the plot from his novel. "Mr. Bull, glad you could make it.
We're kind of colleagues in a way."
"Haha…" Romit Bull chuckled happily. "You're right, I've spent my life writing detective novels, quite similar to police work indeed."
Luke curiously asked, "Any new works recently?"
"Yes, I'm planning to write a novel with a police officer as the protagonist. Are you interested?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'd like to base a detective novel on you. Your career is legendary in itself; you've become the captain of the Robbery and Murder Department at such a young age, solving numerous major and bizarre cases.
You're Los Angeles' Sherlock Holmes.
I believe a novel adapted from your life would definitely be a hit."
"Haha." Luke chuckled. "Are you serious?"
"Yes, I already have creative inspiration in my head. If you could provide me with some advice or case materials, that would be great.
I believe it will be a magnificent work."
"Wow…" Luke shrugged, "I feel honored."
Romit Bull patted Luke on the shoulder, "Luke, let's find a time to sit down and chat.
I believe you'll find it interesting."
"OK." Luke casually replied.
The conversation didn't last too long, as Luke, as the host, still needed to attend to other guests.
Luke chatted with other guests for a while.
A Chinese businessman involved in foreign trade appeared very 'enthusiastic' while talking to Luke, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.
Luke didn't press for it; after all, it was their first meeting, just getting familiar with each other's faces, with no need for deep conversations.
After nine in the evening, neighbors gradually started leaving, and Luke personally saw them to the gate.
By ten o'clock, after seeing off the last batch of guests, the housewarming party officially ended.
The party company staff began tidying up tables and chairs, cleaning up, and didn't finish until nearly eleven o'clock at night.
The little chubby guy wanted to sleep over at the Luke family, but Linda dragged him away by the ear.
Luke also drank quite a bit tonight, and after chatting with Li Zhaofeng, he went back to his room to sleep.
...
The next day, Li Zhaofeng returned to New York, planning to register a company there to acquire Kerman Pharmaceutical Company's stocks through it. Opening the company elsewhere would also reduce its association with Luke.
After sending his dad off on the airport bus, Luke drove to the detective bureau to work.
After resting for so long, it was time to show up, especially since there haven't been any urgent cases recently; otherwise, Reid would have contacted him to return to duty by now.
Luke drove his newly bought Raptor pickup truck to work for the first time, and as soon as the new car entered the station, it caught quite a few people's attention.
Captain Jones of the Anti-Gang and Anti-Drug Department walked around the pickup truck, "Hey buddy, I heard your Mercedes got into an accident. Is this new?"
"Yes, this car has great power, feels pretty good."
Captain Jones patted the car body and said with a smile, "A real man's ride, huh?"
Luke smiled, and as they chatted, they walked toward the office building.
After they parted ways, Luke went directly to the Robbery and Murder Department's First Squad office.
"Hey guys, good morning."
Jackson laughed, "Captain, welcome back from vacation."
The deputy captain teased, "You sure are laid-back, being gone for more than half a month. I was really worried you'd walk into the wrong office."
"Haha..." Luke laughed, "Deputy captain, better worry about yourself; I'm not at the age for Alzheimer's yet."
Deputy captain "..."
The eager dark-skinned guy asked, "Captain, did you buy a new car?"
"How did you know?"
The eager dark-skinned guy pointed outside the window, "I saw you drive that big guy into the station, how does it feel?"
"Pretty good."
After chatting for a while, Luke went to the deputy chief's office.
"Knock knock..."
"Come in." Reid's voice came from the office.
Luke pushed the door open and went in, greeted with a smile, "Good morning, Chief."
"You finally decided to come to work. The deputy captain has complained to me more than once."
Luke shrugged, "Nagging is an old man's trait. My grandpa is the same, you'll get used to it."
Reid chuckled, "You're just in time, I have something to discuss with you."
Reid poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Luke.
"What is it?"
"Chief Coleman might be transferred from the detective bureau."
Coleman is the current chief of the detective bureau.
Luke had heard this from David before, but he still pretended it was the first time, "Why transfer him? Isn't he doing pretty well?"
"He's doing well, which is why he might be appointed to the central bureau."
"When might this happen?"
"No confirmed time yet, maybe later this year or early next year."
Luke was concerned, "Who will take over the chief position then?"
"It's not certain yet. It might be someone from outside, might be Deputy Chief Savage, or it might be me."
Although Reid spoke cautiously, Luke could tell he was fairly confident, "Reid, I think you'd be a great fit for the chief position.
Is there anything you need me to do?"
Reid smiled, "Just do your job well. Don't forget, I'm still the director of the Robbery and Murder Department.
If the department makes mistakes, I'm responsible too."
"Understood, I will take care of my work and handle all the cases in the First Squad."
"That's good." Reid looked satisfied, and continued, "If I am no longer responsible for the Robbery and Murder Department, then we need to choose a new director.
The current deputy director Magna Meit should be the first choice for director.
By then, the deputy director position will be vacant too." Reid looked at Luke, "Though you're young and have relatively less seniority among the four captains, I value your abilities more.
You need to work hard."
"I will." With such an obvious hint, Luke obviously understood.
They talked a little more, and then Luke left the chief's office.
Luke had heard this news from David, but it carries a different weight coming from different people.
Even if Reid is just drawing a pie in the sky, the deputy director position is very appealing to Luke, and indeed, he has a chance to vie for it.
Since that's the case, why not work hard for it?