Chapter 80

The news of Howard Stark's funeral had been making a fuss for several days. All talk shows, talk shows, paper and television media had not left such a topic, quite like the posture that this news would be used until the end of next year.

But in fact, not a few days later, another bigger and more important international news quickly replaced Howard Stark's death and became the headline that occupied the entire page.

On December 25, 1991, the president of the Red Empire announced his resignation. The next day, the 26th, the Red Empire disintegrated!

Chess players with the ability to enter the game were all wantonly plundering the interests of those who had lost control in this feast of empire collapse. Before the domestic order of the empire's remnants was re-established, this was a carnival venue for capital.

In comparison, the size of Stark Industries really became like a chicken rib. It was tasteless to eat, and a pity to abandon.

People qualified to intervene in Stark Industries actually had a bigger and easier cake appearing next to them. Even those who were not qualified to intervene in Stark Industries could find opportunities to fish in troubled waters next to that cake.

Naturally, everyone's attention shifted from Stark Industries to the disintegrated Red Empire.

The news of Stark Industries was like silence, and suddenly disappeared from the newspapers and media, and could not be seen at all. Henry, even if he wanted to care, had no way of knowing the actual situation.

What made Henry curious was, if there was no Red Empire to be a shield, what would Stark Industries end up like?

However, this hypothetical question had no practical significance.

For those who wanted to use Howard Stark's death to snipe Stark Industries, they would probably cry in the toilet.

Who knew that the Red Empire was so incompetent, and the high-level was really fooled into voluntarily dissolving. No one could give up the fat meat of the Red Empire and continue to stare at Stark Industries.

Henry originally thought that with these two major events, the fundraising banquet initiated by Audrey Hepburn should calm down a bit, right? Who knew it was even more lively!

One night after a banquet ended, driving back to the hotel to rest, Robert Wolders complained about this matter in the car, saying: "Hey, you know what. The people who came to the banquet recently were really crazy, constantly discussing the Red Empire.

"And they were discussing how to profit from it. Everyone was testing other people's thoughts, asking who was interested in participating, their own advantages, the other party's weaknesses, how much profit could be made, and what the risks were."

Robert complained about these, the main object was of course not Audrey Hepburn. Although this retired actress didn't reject such topics, she didn't like to talk about others behind their backs.

The one who could complain with Robert for a few sentences was Henry sitting in the driver's seat.

Robert liked banquets, liked the feeling of shuttling between big shots, as if he was also a person of great importance like them.

If there was anything that could be compared with this feeling, it was showing off such things in front of others. So the new little assistant became a good listener, and Henry was also very interested in these things.

The reason Henry was interested wasn't that he wanted to be like Robert, wanting to participate in it, and finally become a member of this class. He just treated it as watching a live-action movie, looking at the lifestyle of these rich people, and increasing his knowledge.

A person who eats melons and watches plays, such an attitude hadn't changed at all.

So after hearing Robert's complaint, Henry followed the meaning of the words and said: "Yes, I also think their behavior is really exaggerated. I thought this was some pre-war mobilization, not a fundraising banquet for the Children's Fund."

"Henry, actually you don't have to be surprised. This was originally the original purpose of social banquets."

"Oh. Don't tell me these banquets are just for a group of bored and rich big shots to gather, eat and drink, and chat."

"Haha. In your words, they are worth hundreds of thousands up and down every minute, how could they waste time on meaningless things. Even those ladies in upper-class families, they don't just dress up beautifully and show off their feathers like peacocks. Everything is just appearance."

"Oh, Robert, tell me. Let me increase my knowledge."

With a listener, it was more exciting than anything else. Audrey Hepburn in the same car couldn't stop the two boys who were in high spirits, so she could only be a background board.

Robert said excitedly: "To put it bluntly, every public banquet is the best time for this group of big shots to collude, connect, and contact. Because there is a banquet theme as a cover, it covers their private purposes.

"And there are many people at the banquet, and it is easy to develop other helpers to participate together. Even people with some spare money will use this occasion to find suitable business opportunities.

"Relatively speaking, if every matter has to be discussed in a centralized meeting. As long as it is captured by the news media once, just looking at the lineup of participants, it is easy for people with discerning eyes to see the purpose, which is instead detrimental to the promotion of things.

"Even those ladies, they may also serve as messengers, brokers, etc., conveying messages to each other for some people who are not convenient to stand together.

"The kind of woman who sees a rich guy and wants to drag the other party into a small room is just a vase used for decoration at such a banquet. They don't even have the ability to be a microphone, and they are not worth mentioning at all."

Henry looked at Ms. Hepburn who didn't speak, and asked: "Boss, do you know these things? I see you just enthusiastically receiving every guest, and persuading them to donate more to UNICEF. Should we change the strategy of conversation?"

This lady, who was old and refined, was not a naive silly white sweet. She smiled with a wise smile and said: "Child, of course I know what the real purpose of those people participating in the banquet is.

"I even know what the meaning of their questions is when I talk to them. As long as I am willing, it is easy for me to become a broker, introducing people with similar goals to know each other.

"But I don't need to do that, and it's not suitable. Anyway, our main purpose is to raise funds for UNICEF. No matter what the purpose of those people coming is, they can't express nothing. At least they will provide an 'admission ticket', right."

Henry thought about it and said with relief: "Also, quite a few people report to every banquet. Those who don't know think how much they love children. As a result, look at the amount they donated, it's just a decent number."

Simply put, Audrey Hepburn's meaning is that everyone gets what they need. Anyway, they won't hinder each other, and the other party is not plotting a crime, why not open one eye and close one eye.

Many things are like this, if you think about it, you feel nothing. Anyway, there is no conflict of interest with yourself, why bother with that idle heart.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was very relaxed; it wasn't the kind of strict environment where the chef and manager were so obsessed that guests were only allowed to eat the food and forbidden from doing anything else, including talking.