Chapter 35 - 13: Lawyer_2

"Alright, I might be a bit allergic. I thought you would find it boring in a small town in the outskirts, but it seems like you can still make friends. But I didn't expect it to be a high school student. Anyway, I'm glad you have a good relationship with young people. So what's the trouble with this friend of yours?" "He won 2.23765 billion US Dollars." Jennifer said the number, already sensing what was about to happen next. As expected... After a moment of silence, her father shouted on the phone in astonishment, "What the fuck?!" Jennifer rolled her eyes, thinking that she must have lost her composure similarly when she communicated with Victor. "Dad, calm down." "Calm down? Of course, I'm calm. But I want to know what happened?" "It's simple. About a month ago, there was an unprecedented Power Ball jackpot. You know about it, right?" "I know, so what? All the media were reporting it, and it even tied into a deadly murder case, and the winning ticket disappeared." "That ticket has appeared now. A punk I know named Victor went to the Miami lottery office to claim the prize. The lottery office has already notified the FBI; he's in big trouble, so he asked me for help, hoping I could recommend an appropriate lawyer." Her father fell silent again for a long time without saying anything. "Dad, are you listening?" "I'm listening." Her father took a deep breath in front of all his subordinates. He waved his hand to indicate the meeting was temporarily over but kept the company's legal director behind. "Over 2 billion dollars? Suddenly, I think an eighteen-year-old boy isn't that young; he's only four or five years younger than you. Is he still very naive? That's not a flaw; that's precisely a good thing. Accompanying a boy as he grows, he will repay you for a lifetime. Even if he's a foreigner, it's not a problem. I don't have racial prejudices. If your friend values family, doesn't do drugs, doesn't get drunk, doesn't love partying all the time, and has above-average moral standards, I think he's still acceptable." Jennifer was going crazy, "Dad, can you be serious?" "Serious? I am serious. The case and the lottery are two different matters. If the FBI can't convict that kid, he will get over a billion dollars in cash at once. That's freely flowing cash! Many big companies might have assets worth billions or hundreds of billions, but they can't even come up with a hundred million in liquid funds. If the cash flow breaks, they go bankrupt. A young man with a billion-dollar asset, as long as he's not too stupid, has the right to marry into our family." Jennifer rolled her eyes again. "Dear, what's your relationship with him?" "I can't say I know him well. Probably because there's no conflict of interest, he came to consult me. Also, he should have some good feelings towards me, considering me a friend. Of course, given his billion-dollar cash, he won't lack female attention in the future." Even though there are plenty of rich people these days, on the public billionaire lists, there are only about three thousand people globally with a net worth exceeding a billion dollars. The United States accounts for about six to seven hundred of that. Anyone among them who can come up with a billion in cash cannot be underestimated, and their friendship is priceless. Even if Zhou Qingfeng is embroiled in a case now, as long as he doesn't act like a fool, he can easily become part of the upper class. After all, no one who controls immense wealth can be spotless. "Jennifer, go find your friend, don't let him sign any documents casually, protect him, and give him as much help as possible to deepen your friendship. I'll have Mr. Beck send someone over immediately, or maybe he'll go himself since we're talking about a billion-dollar client. Also, send me that kid's information. I'm quite interested in him." After a brief discussion with the legal director, Jeff Connally, Chairman of Pioneer Holdings Group, displayed the poise of an industry elite. Pioneer Holdings primarily engages in venture investments, with shares in industries such as healthcare, IT, real estate, tourism, and semiconductors. It's a publicly traded venture capital company embedded in every corner of the US economy, with a total market value exceeding ten billion dollars. Though Pioneer Holdings is not a giant in the industry, it boasts extensive connections. Jeff Connally owns 20% of the group's shares, making him a billionaire with an annual income of over 100 million dollars. While it's uncertain what this kid named Victor might bring, as a seasoned business tycoon, this father doesn't mind extending an olive branch. ----------------- At the Miami lottery office, Richard the 'old white man' was feeling increasingly uneasy because Zhou Qingfeng had stopped talking to anyone after making a phone call and was just sitting on the couch. Richard believed he was not greedy, only wanting to establish a good relationship with that overly young Asian kid and hopefully get his authorization to set up a trust fund. In recent years, many wealthy individuals from overseas, feeling the cold vibe, have chosen to transfer their assets to Europe and the US. But once they leave their home country's base, these former dignitaries lose their protection and quickly lose their connections, needing to hire local lawyers to establish family trust funds. To become rentiers, they are willing to pay 20–30% costs to whitewash their assets. Richard had handled several similar asset transfer cases, making a fortune each time. From the first glance at Zhou Qingfeng, he saw him as a similar fat sheep client. Florida allows trust funds to claim lottery prizes, thus hiding the actual prize claimant behind the scenes. As long as he could get Zhou Qingfeng's authorization, Richard was confident he could leverage the complex US legal system to take a big bite out of the trust fund, eating up at least two to three billion dollars. As for the 'bar lottery' case, that would be even better. Ideally, after the fund was established, the FBI would throw that kid into jail. Then the person controlling the fund could frivolously squander the billions. But... too eager. A foreigner like Zhou Qingfeng, coming here alone to claim the prize without any relatives around, no lawyer or financial advisor... He seemed like a regular guy, probably just a stand-in to claim the prize. Richard underestimated him, thinking he could easily manipulate him — but the kid was very alert, showing strong resistance from the beginning, totally not buying it. "Regret." "Maybe I should've been more amiable." "Damn Chinese kid, why should he take away over a billion dollars?" "Is there a way to stop this kid? Otherwise, I'll have to watch a big piece of fat meat fly away." ----------------- Zhou Qingfeng called Jennifer at ten in the morning. Before noon, a helicopter with roaring rotors hovered over the lottery office lawn and slowly descended. On the helicopter was the logo of "Smith & Beck" law firm. One of the firm's founders, seventy-eight-year-old Beck Hughes, stepped down from the helicopter with the help of a cane, limping. Due to a car accident in his youth, Old Beck had been walking with difficulty for years, with an inherent coldness on his face. He had faced countless legal battles, sharpened by fierce struggles, earning him a reputation for being ruthless and precise, making him a legendary figure in the industry. Two young lawyers from the firm followed him, dressed in fine suits, moving with synchronized precision, making a grand entrance. Jennifer also appeared, dressed in a black suit, seemingly to match the serious occasion, but excited as if she were here for a spectacle. Old Beck's arrival put pressure on the lottery office staff. His sharp gaze scanned everyone present, as if he could see through their hearts. No one dared to approach, so they made way for this legendary lawyer. He walked to the front desk and coldly stated his name, "My name is Beck Hughes, I'm a lawyer. I'm here by appointment to see my client, the boy who won the big prize. Where is he?"