Sixty-Nine: The First Marriage

After Wei Hua left, Christina’s bodyguards approached her. One of them asked, “Miss, would you like us to investigate this Chinese man's identity?”

“That’s a good idea. Go find out who he is. I have a feeling he knows quite a lot about me, but I’ve never met a Chinese person before, and I’ve only seen very few in passing. Why does he seem to know me?” Christina replied. “Be careful not to cause any trouble. Judging by his attire, he must come from a wealthy family. Act with caution!”

“We understand, Miss. Just wait for our news!” With that, the two bodyguards left the bar and trailed after Wei Hua in the direction he had gone.

It wasn’t long after Wei Hua left the bar before he sensed he was being followed. Using his extraordinary spiritual sense, he quickly discovered that Christina’s bodyguards were tailing him. Wei Hua paid them no mind and walked confidently back to the Maurice Hotel. If he were in Christina’s position, he too would have investigated the other party’s identity. Besides, he didn’t care if Christina looked into him.

Christina and her remaining bodyguards waited in the bar for only a short while before the two who had gone out to investigate returned. Upon seeing Christina, one reported, “Miss, we’ve identified the Chinese man. He’s from New York, named Wei Hua, staying in the presidential suite at the Maurice Hotel. He’s accompanied by three women and more than a dozen people who appear to be bodyguards.”

“Wei Hua? That name sounds familiar,” Christina mused aloud.

“Miss, I know this Chinese man,” another bodyguard who had stayed at the bar interjected. “An American friend of mine works for the security company under the same group as Wei Hua’s company. Wei Hua is assistant to the president of Excellence Private Investment Company in the U.S., and also head of Changbai Technology Laboratory. In July 1976, his laboratory successfully predicted the Tangshan earthquake in China. Thanks to his efforts, the Chinese government was able to avoid significant casualties. Because of this, the U.S. Earthquake Bureau began collaborating with his laboratory on earthquake prediction technology, and the Japanese government also purchased this technology from him. In recent years, Changbai Technology Laboratory has developed numerous new technologies and holds many patents. The current patent for video recorders is owned by them.”

“But that’s not the most astonishing part. The real surprise is his connection with Excellence Private Investment Company. Over the past few years, the company’s assets have grown at an incredible rate—from less than twenty thousand dollars at the start to nearly five billion in just seven years. That’s why all major financial institutions worldwide are investigating them, but no one has found anything truly useful. Excellence Private Investment is a private company, and its parent company, Xuan Yi, was founded in the Cayman Islands and bears a distinctly Chinese name. Both Xuan Yi and Excellence were established after Wei Hua arrived in the U.S. and met the three female presidents of Excellence. Many speculate that the company actually belongs to Wei Hua and the three women.”

“So, this Wei Hua is quite the mysterious man! All the more reason for us to steer clear of him. He’s wealthier than I am, and the Chinese view relationships between men and women differently than we do. It’s best not to provoke him. Let’s go!” With that, Christina led her bodyguards out of the bar.

The next day, after a good rest, Kathleen, Jessie, and Mary began a frenzy of shopping. Kathleen no longer cared about marriage; as she put it, “Wei Hua won’t run away, but good things might be snatched up by someone else.” The Champs-Élysées was the trio’s first choice; its western district boasted flagship stores for every world-renowned brand. Fashion, cosmetics, and jewelry now held far greater allure for them than Wei Hua did. Wei Hua and his cluster of bodyguards began their arduous ordeal. Accompanying women shopping is hard enough, but following three at once is a true trial. The three women insisted Wei Hua comment on every item they saw, always debating which accessories matched best.

The 1,200-meter-long shopping street saw the three women advance only a quarter of its length after a whole morning. At noon, the group found a high-end restaurant on the avenue for lunch, and in the afternoon, the women resumed their spirited shopping.

It took them two full days to finish the entire Champs-Élysées. On the third day, the women moved on to explore the third, fourth, fifth, and ninth arrondissements of Paris. By the tenth day of their stay, March 16, Wei Hua and Kathleen, under the gaze of all their companions, registered their marriage at the Paris registry office. Their wedding night was spent in the presidential suite of the Maurice Hotel—one suite for Wei Hua and Kathleen.

Wei Hua still felt guilty toward Kathleen, Jessie, and Mary. He could not give each a grand wedding, only this kind of simple ceremony. However, the women did not seem to mind. On their wedding night, Kathleen told Wei Hua that what mattered was being able to spend their lives together. After the wedding, Wei Hua privately toured many Parisian landmarks with his bodyguards and the three women: the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Hôtel de Ville, Luxembourg Gardens, the Louvre Museum, the Rodin Museum, and more.

Time flew by, and their stay in Paris stretched to nearly a month. After discussing with the three women, Wei Hua decided they would remain two more days before heading to Rome, Italy—Jessie’s chosen place for her wedding. Before leaving Paris, the women insisted on experiencing its nightlife, and under their fervent urging, Wei Hua had no choice but to agree.

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