PDLP Chapter 48 Li Wei Wants to Eat Ham and Fried Meatballs
Chapter 48 Li Wei Wants to Eat Ham and Fried Meatballs
Because it was close to lunchtime, Vita Cafe was quite crowded, but not in a way that could be described as packed.
Because Antonio didn't expect the café to make money for him; it was just a business ostensibly used to "transfer accounts."
To put it bluntly, it's the gang's traditional tactic—money laundering.
The main consumer group here is the elderly and regular customers of the Little Havana community.
Therefore, there are no private rooms here; it's more like a "public living room" for the Little Havana neighborhood.
Therefore, when Li Wei led Tessa inside, they immediately attracted a lot of attention.
However, these gazes were not directed at Tessa, but rather at Levi.
Li Wei was somewhat puzzled. He subconsciously removed his hand from the gun in his arms and scratched the back of his head.
Faced with those rather unfriendly gazes, he turned around and asked Tessa behind him.
"Did I do something impolite?"
Tessa shook his head with a hint of helplessness.
"That's why I advised you to leave the gun in the car."
"It's really easy for a fully armed man to suddenly barge into someone else's territory and cause a misunderstanding."
"Or do you think everyone in the Little Havana neighborhood knows you're Antonio's friend?"
Li Wei, however, was somewhat unconvinced.
"What does 'fully armed' mean? It's just an assault rifle and a pistol; that's only the bare minimum of force."
"Besides, we're just here for a free lunch. We can finish in five minutes, and then we're off to fight Gatler Reid. Why should I go through the trouble of taking off my gear and putting it back on after lunch?"
Tessa decided to stop "correcting" Levi's understanding and instead offer a way of putting it that Levi could better understand.
"You've come in carrying a weapon and disturbed our guests. Do you think that's polite?"
Li Wei did not answer, but instead scanned the entire room with his gaze.
When he discovered that many people had already put their hands into their clothes, lower backs, or under the tables, Levi confirmed that he had indeed disturbed the customers of Vita Cafe.
"Okay, it is indeed my fault."
After saying that, Li Wei turned and left.
Tessa casually found a seat near the door and waited for Levi to return.
At that moment, Antonio came out of the kitchen.
"Tessa? What brings you here?"
Antonio clearly did not expect to encounter Tessa at this time.
Tessa didn't offer much explanation, only saying one sentence.
"You damaged my drone, so I dragged Li Wei here to demand compensation from you."
Antonio instantly realized that Tessa had been with the Cripples earlier.
The only slightly embarrassing thing was that when he saw the Black Bee drone, he thought it was an Alpha 66, so he raised his gun and shot it down.
Unexpectedly, it was Tessa who was controlling it...
"Okay, I'll make it up to you. But where is Li Wei?"
He went to "change his clothes".
Tessa's words startled Antonio, but Antonio, who knew Levi to some extent, quickly guessed what was going on.
He didn't say anything, but stood there with Tessa waiting for Levi.
Soon, Li Wei, now disarmed, walked in.
Antonio turned around and clapped his hands at the customers in the cafe.
"Guys, let me formally introduce you."
"Levy and Tessa Hamilton."
"As I announced before, the '76ers' will no longer exist as a 'gang' but will instead become a pure 'social club'."
"The 'business' aspect will also be adjusted, with Levi and Tessa taking over as the 'new bosses'."
"I guarantee in the name of 'Antonio Rodrigo' that the 'dividends' will only increase in the future."
"Alright, everyone, let's continue. This meal's on me."
Antonio had already given him a heads-up, so his words didn't cause much of a stir. They simply made everyone put down what they were doing and raise their coffee cups in a toast to him.
Clearly, they trust and respect Antonio's decision.
At this moment, Tessa took a step forward and waved to everyone with a smile.
"Hello everyone, nice to meet you. My name is Tessa Hamilton. The Levi Group will be opening three companies, operating in the areas of asset management, security and risk management, and community real estate development."
"Those interested in participating can continue to contact Antonio, who will serve as a director of the group and handle matters related to the 76ers. As long as they pass the assessment and review, current members of the 76ers and their relatives will be given priority in recruitment, and the salary will be determined by the specific position. The minimum annual salary is 50,000, with no upper limit."
"It's okay if you're not interested; I guarantee the original profit-sharing ratio and system will remain unchanged. The base amount will increase year by year according to the normal growth curve of '76ers'. But I want to remind everyone not to forget to pay taxes. Because these incomes are definitely legal from a systemic perspective."
Tessa's words immediately sparked a murmur.
At that moment, Antonio made a joke at the crowd.
"In other words, in the future, when you see a police officer, you won't need to draw your gun anymore; instead, you can have them serve you as a taxpayer."
Antonio's words immediately drew laughter, instantly easing the slightly tense atmosphere.
At this moment, Tessa pointed at Li Wei.
"Lastly, this is Li Wei, the group's chairman. Please remember his face. If he's 'straying' outside, please let me know immediately, because I'm pursuing him."
Thank you everyone.
Tessa's words immediately drew another round of laughter and teasing whistles.
Antonio laughed along with him.
He glanced at Li Wei, whose expression was somewhat bewildered, as if he had been completely oblivious to the situation.
I glanced again at the Tesa, which was blooming like a bird of paradise.
"Is there anything you and Li Wei would like to eat? I'll cook it for you myself."
This is the "76ers'" initiation ceremony, where each new member eats a meal cooked by Antonio himself.
After his death, the next "leader" will take over.
The ritual has two layers of meaning.
The first layer is that everyone is a family member who has eaten at the same table, and they should understand and help each other.
On the second level, the purpose of the "leader" is to ensure that the members are fed, not to ride roughshod over them.
"Ham and fried meatballs." x2
Levi and Tessa both chose this classic Cuban home-style dish.
Tessa blushed slightly and stole a glance at Li Wei out of the corner of her eye.
Li Wei, on the other hand, looked on with great interest and anticipation for his ham and fried meatballs.
Antonio chuckled, thinking that Tessa had a long way to go and that Levi was simply an "unromantic stone."
But he didn't intend to say anything more.
As an elderly person, his favorite thing to watch is this kind of "emotional drama".
"Understood. Two orders of ham fritters. Go to the kitchen and wait for your meal. Arafat and Santiago are there too. Tell Arafat what you'd like to drink; he's the 'barista.' For any additional requests, ask Santiago. He's been a bit high on cholesterol lately and is on a diet; you could encourage him to exercise more."
Tessa's face turned even redder, while Levi couldn't wait to rush straight to the kitchen.
Antonio shook his head helplessly, but before taking a step, he didn't forget to remind Tessa.
"Let's go, don't keep him waiting."
Antonio was eagerly anticipating the "sequel."