Chapter 55: The Great Inventor (First Update—Please Add It to Your Library)
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It had been proven that, as a life mentor, Li Yi'an was a failure.
At least, he had failed with Ava Gardner. After a night of passionate lovemaking, he had conquered her body, but he still could not shake her devotion to her dreams.
“My dear, I know that if I stayed with you, I could enjoy life and never worry about making a living again. But I don’t want to be merely a canary in your cage.”
After their final embrace, Ava Gardner, her entire body languid as mud, lay sprawled across his chest and spoke in a lazy voice.
Gently stroking the woman’s back, Li Yi'an said softly, “If you ever get tired, you can come find me in New York. I should be staying there for the next few years.”
Li Yi'an respected women who pursued their dreams. When she left, he even gave her the pair of diamond earrings—the stones were a full two carats each.
“Aren’t these a little too valuable?”
Though they were synthetic… they were still diamonds, after all!
After seeing the woman off, Li Yi'an went once more to the Pentagon. He had come to confirm the submachine-gun contract, which had arrived rather unexpectedly.
In Colonel Leto John’s office, after signing a contract for two hundred thousand submachine guns, the colonel asked him directly, “Li, you know Senator Truman?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Don’t you know?”
Colonel John explained, “Two days ago, Chief of Staff Marshall received a call from Senator Truman. He strongly recommended the Avenger submachine gun produced by your company. He said it was inexpensive, reliable, and excellent in performance. It was also chambered in nine millimeters, making it especially suitable for supplying resistance movements in various countries. He suggested that the military test your submachine gun.
“Your guns happened to arrive at the same time. The test results were astonishing: only one malfunction occurred in five thousand rounds. The Chief of Staff was extremely satisfied and ordered that the original order for two hundred thousand Sten submachine guns, which had been intended for the Canadians, be handed over to you in its entirety.”
Staring at Li Yi'an, Colonel John deliberately emphasized, “This is the first time General Marshall has ever intervened in a matter like this. I doubt the Chief of Staff would have stepped in if not for the senator’s call.”
The colonel’s words made Li Yi'an understand what had happened. No wonder the contract had come through so quickly.
It meant that the meal a few days earlier had paid off. Truman was repaying the favor.
Still, Truman was truly a politician. When he recommended the weapon, he had no idea how well it performed, but he had emphasized that it was suitable for resistance organizations rather than the American army. This meant that even if the submachine guns malfunctioned frequently, it would not matter. After all, it would be resistance fighters who died. One could never know whether they had been killed by a weapon malfunction or by the Germans.
Dead was dead, anyway.
So long as they were not Americans.
But to Truman, this was also a way of telling Li Yi'an that he had remembered the favor.
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That was how favors worked.
Those who never forgot would eventually receive an answer.
“Truly worthy of being a politician,” Li Yi'an could not help sighing inwardly. Politicians always managed to find ways of keeping themselves from getting even the slightest bit dirty.
Truman was no exception.
“I’ll have to be more cautious when dealing with people like him in the future. Being a life mentor isn’t so easy after all.”
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Colonel John, Li Yi'an rose to leave. Naturally, he kept track of everything that needed remembering. For instance, the colonel was about to be promoted to brigadier general, so he would need to prepare a congratulatory gift.
And then there was Truman. He would need to express his gratitude there as well.
But what should he send?
Thinking of the way Mrs. Truman’s eyes had lit up when she saw the necklace, Li Yi'an could not help feeling regretful.
“What a pity…”
It was a pity because, given Mrs. Truman’s appearance and age, that necklace would be somewhat… wasted on her.
The woman approaching from the opposite direction, however, would not be a waste at all. Wait—she looked rather familiar.
Who was she?
Encountering a woman at the Pentagon was nothing unusual, but encountering a film star there was another matter entirely.
When the dark-haired woman approached, she was so beautiful that it took one’s breath away.
As he marveled at her beauty, a name surfaced in Li Yi'an’s mind:
Hedy Lamarr!
As Hollywood’s most beautiful actress, she captivated audiences with her astonishing looks, causing them to overlook her acting.
Yet she was a gifted woman whose brilliance had been obscured by her beauty.
She was the inventor of frequency-hopping technology in wireless communications. Her invention was used in aircraft and missiles, and would go on to influence the lives of countless people. She was also known as the mother of Wi-Fi—which was why Li Yi'an remembered this remarkable woman.
The Hedy Lamarr walking toward him wore fury on her beautiful face. Dressed in a neat suit and a hat, she was angry not only because the military had rejected her invention, but also because of what the colonel who had received her had said.
“Madam, I believe that the American soldiers on the front lines would rather have a photograph of you than your invention. Since you love America so much, you should use that pretty face of yours to help the government sell war bonds.”
A photograph!
Was that all those officers saw?
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Only her body?
What a shallow bunch of men!
As she cursed those shallow people inwardly, Hedy Lamarr felt a profound sadness. She had never regarded her beauty as a masterpiece of God. Instead, she considered it a burden—a curse.
“My face is my misfortune…”
At the thought, a tear slipped from her eye and rolled down her cheek.
Good heavens!
For a moment, Li Yi'an was stunned. Watching her tears fall, he could sense her sorrow despite the absence of any expression on her face. With her cheeks wet and her beauty touched by grief, she looked unbearably poignant.
A man’s gaze!
Once again, Hedy Lamarr felt someone staring at her. Just as displeasure began to surge within her, the man stepped in front of her and blocked her path, instantly filling her with anger.
“What do you want?”
Almost at the same moment her words rang out, the man said, “Hello, madam. I’m interested in your invention.”
What?
Hedy Lamarr froze completely.
What had he said?
“Let me explain. I’m a defense contractor. While I was signing a contract just now, I heard about your invention.”
Standing there in a daze, Hedy Lamarr needed quite some time to comprehend his words.
“You mean you’re interested in my invention?”
Not in me?
Hedy Lamarr was suspicious. This was the first time she had encountered anything like it. Most people saw only her face. None of them ever noticed her talent.
Faced with the woman’s doubt, Li Yi'an replied, “Madam, I believe your invention could even change the lives of every one of us. It could bring unimaginable convenience to our daily lives.”
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