Chapter 25: Unexpected Encounter

"Sorry, Henry, I'm at the hospital, it's my turn now, I'll call you back when I'm free!

But if you're capable, then repay this favor for me, help Mr. Chen Yaozu sort out his matters! Because, he saved me!"

After finishing these words, Officer Grilos on the other end hung up quickly, while Lawyer Henry on this end was instead stunned for a moment.

Hospital? What hospital? Also, what does "he saved me" mean? However, he had already figured it out: his partner owed the other party a favor and wanted to use him to repay it.

So he gave a personal number, not a work number; the attitudes toward these two are not the same.

He didn't feel unhappy about being used to repay a favor; after all, America is a society of favors, and the exchange of favors between each other can only make the cooperative relationship between him and Ben more intimate.

He dug out the number of that illegal immigrant who had called him just now and dialed back: "Hello, sir, I already roughly understand the situation.

You've already reached Los Angeles, correct? Then please come to the Thomas United Law Firm in the business district tomorrow, so we can understand each other's needs and fees.

Also, very sorry, sir, my bill might be a bit expensive for an illegal immigrant."

"Ok, then I'll come over tomorrow to understand in detail!"

Henry's meaning was very clear.

A favor is a favor, but money still has to be collected! Chen Yaozu's side, he also cared a lot about this fee issue; after all, he only had a hundred thousand or so US dollars left on hand.

A hundred thousand or so US dollars, converted to RMB, would be over 1 million.

If this money were in the country, with current purchasing power, in Dongguan, a so-called new first-tier city once known as the world's factory, buying a one-bedroom apartment would only be 200,000; he could buy six or seven sets and still have some left.

Then rent them out, 1500 per set per month, these six or seven sets would be enough for retirement, the remaining time would just be traveling all over the country.

This is in the country, where one could plan like this.

But if switched to overseas, it's not the same.

A hundred thousand or so US dollars, in Los Angeles, can't even buy an apartment.

On the way here, he also used his phone to check the basic situation in Los Angeles online.

At first he was still pondering whether he could get a house; after all, Eastern people's mindset is that only with a house does one have a home of one's own.

As a result, checking online gave him a shock! A one-bedroom, one-bath apartment, the price is at least 420,000 USD starting, roughly between 420,000 and 449,900 USD.

Specifically regarding location, he found a one-bedroom, one-living-room apartment on Normandy Avenue priced at 420,000 USD; however big it is, it's only 31 square meters, and the property fee is 150/month.

Another place about 70 square meters, probably because the community location isn't good, it's in a Black neighborhood, so the listing price is only 449,900 USD, but the property fee has doubled to 318/month.

My goodness!

Over 4,000 USD a year just in property fees, property tax over 5,000; buy a damn small apartment, do nothing for a year, and you still have to spend 10,000 USD.

The hundred thousand or so USD on his card, what's it enough for?

A person away from home is cheap; this bit of money on hand must be used with careful calculation.

If this lawyer named Henry has high fees, almost smashing his entire net worth, he truly can't afford it for the time being.

Even if the other party really can solve his identity issue, he doesn't dare put all the money in his hands into it.

Unless he can find a stable job that's enough for him to live on, that can tide him over temporarily, he won't dare go all out.

If it really doesn't work out, he'll go find Barrier, let her introduce a restaurant dishwashing job; three months can buy a big villa.

Of course these thoughts only flashed by in an instant.

Chen Yaozu had just wanted to hang up the phone when he heard the other side ask again: "Oh, right! Mr. Chen, you just arrived in Los Angeles, haven't found a place to stay yet, or have you already found a place and settled in?"

Although Chen Yaozu didn't understand what the other party meant by asking this, he still answered: "We're staying at a hotel right now, there's one on Tripadvisor with a pretty good rating and affordable price, an economy hotel, 50 USD a day, the location's pretty good too, quite close to the city center."

The other end had obviously anticipated this long ago: "Oh, damn! Sorry, Mr. Chen, I have to warn you! New illegal immigrants like you who seem completely out of place with all of America, in many people's eyes, are no different from fat, tender lambs."

Words have been spoken to this extent; if Chen Yaozu still doesn't understand, then he's an idiot.

That is to say, this hotel he's staying at for 50 USD might not be that good, to the point of making the other party curse out loud.

Even the term "fat sheep" is used; that definitely means there's a safety problem.

"Lawyer Henry, you mean to say, even though this hotel we're staying at is okay on rating sites.

For us, it's also quite dangerous, right?"

On the phone, Lawyer Henry patiently explained to him: "The hotel might be safe, but the streets outside the hotel door aren't necessarily safe!"

"You are Eastern people, coming to Los Angeles, the place you settle should be in the Chinese community.

Although the cost might be a bit more expensive.

Hotels in the Chinese community that you can see ratings and prices for on review sites, the lowest is 80 USD and up.

But even this expensive, it's still more cost-effective than you staying in a 50 USD room in the city center.

Most of the city center is Black neighborhoods; for you illegal immigrants, it's the most dangerous area. The moment you check in, there are already many pairs of eyes staring at you. After all, the aura on you is completely out of place with this society, as conspicuous as a candle in the dark night."

Lawyer Henry very rarely spoke this many words for free; he even felt a bit shortchanged, but for the sake of his partner, an old friend, he still gave a piece of advice.

"Here's a suggestion: return to your room before dark, don't wander around on the streets.

Otherwise those Black people will clean out every last cent in your pockets, and you might even die at their hands! They don't care about adding more lives to their hands, moreover you're just illegal immigrants without status.

And you just arrived; you haven't formed your own network of connections in Los Angeles yet. Illegal immigrants like this die and it's over, won't cause too much of a stir.

The best choice is to go back to the hotel immediately, grab your things and move to the Chinese district right away.

There are cheap hotels there too, 30 USD for a big-room bunk, 25 USD for a basement laundry room hallway bunk.

After all, even if the work permit goes smoothly, you still need 6-12 months to wait for the work permit to be successfully processed.

So, you need to save money! At least before finding a job, it's like this!

However, it's already evening now; today there probably isn't time to go find a suitable residence; tomorrow is a good choice!

But you'll just have to be careful tonight."

As a qualified lawyer, while helping a client solve problems, before you want to clean out every last cent that should be cleaned from the other party's pocket, you must ensure his money hasn't flowed elsewhere.

Including gangs and other lawyers.

So Henry felt he was just fulfilling a lawyer's duty.

"Ok, I'll be careful!

"Thank you for your suggestion!"

Reminded by him like this, Chen Yaozu, who had hung up the phone, imperceptibly sensed that the people passing by him all seemed to be sizing him up, intentionally or not.

It seemed these people all took him as a target!

Thus, he dispatched the Brazilian female ghost to check everywhere within a hundred-meter radius around him, to see if anything was amiss.

Then, he walked back seemingly nonchalant, but actually very carefully and vigilantly.

After all, he wasn't like those compatriots protected by the East like giant babies, who go abroad and still think it's as safe as domestic.

This isn't domestic; a fight, mostly just involves picking up a brick or a beer bottle.

This is America, where they carry guns! No matter how high your kung fu, you fear a kitchen knife; no matter how good your martial arts, one gunshot takes you down! Let alone that he has no real martial arts to speak of, practicing the Five Animals Frolics Guiding Technique only gives him a bit more strength and speed; back when he was a firefighter in his previous life, he didn't practice any military boxing or grappling either.

So being careful is still necessary!

His current reliance was the Brazilian female ghost scattered outside about a hundred meters, using him as the center of a circle to stand guard and scout.

But he soon learned from the Brazilian female ghost's scouting report that, until just now, it had all been his illusion.

Those people hadn't focused their attention on him, nor were they bad people; they were all chance-passing strangers.

When they passed by, they cast their gazes on him, perhaps because he had a different kind of temperament.

The clarity and stupidity of being too well-protected?

But, it was time to return to the inn!

No, he came out to find food, to buy something to eat, how could he go back empty-handed? He checked his phone navigation, found the nearest restaurant, and walked straight there.

Fortunately, he was in the Los Angeles city center; otherwise, walking on legs like this, it would really be hard to get around in America.

He walked a full ten-plus minutes before finding that restaurant he'd searched for; this wasn't the Hua Ren Qu, and the shop's food variety was monotonous.

In the end, he only bought a pizza, a corn tortilla, and two cups of Coke, then went out the door and walked back.

Unexpectedly, the moment night fell, it wasn't much different from domestic — the sun sets and it instantly blacks down.

Los Angeles's streetlights aren't that bright; even under the streetlights it's still slightly dim.

He checked the time on his phone; it was only 7 o'clock. Good, he quickened his pace a few steps.

Suddenly the Brazilian female ghost turned back, came toward him, and informed him of a message: ahead, three Black men had locked onto two Asians, and those three Black men had knives in hand.

When he carefully followed and saw these people, he witnessed a very bizarre scene.

At the very front were two Asians, one male and one female, walking; not far behind, several Black men lurked furtively, following in the dim night.

Suddenly the two Asians stopped; the male opened a room door by the street, the female walked in, and just as the male also entered and prepared to lock the door, those three Black men rushed up.

The three Black men, with lightning speed, swiftly pulled open the door that hadn't been locked in time, and carrying knives, crashed in along with that male owner.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

(Chapter End)