Why did Leo choose the pre-sale model? Mainly because pre-sales have absolutely no imitation threshold.
The decision to formulate related restrictive laws was a joint conclusion after Leo's deep discussions with Augustus.
As pioneers of the pre-sale model in America, they at least wanted to guarantee a one- to two-year dividend period.
The two wanted to discuss the project further, but Truman's stomach started growling.
Leo glanced at the time—it was already noon. Unconsciously, they had been talking for two hours.
Leo smiled and said,
"I asked a friend who owns a private plane to fly in a batch of Bering Strait king crabs from Alaska this morning. They should be ready by now.
After we eat and rest a little, we can continue our discussion."
Thinking of the tender and delicious crab meat, Truman's stomach growled even louder, and he happily accompanied Leo to the restaurant.
In this era when cold chain logistics were not well developed, even as President, it was rare to eat such fresh seafood.
After a satisfying meal, the two took a walk in the hotel garden and ran into Thomas and his group.
"Harry! Long time no see!"
Thomas greeted, taking a few steps forward and extending his hand.
"Indeed. I heard you went to Africa looking for Winston, seems like you found him. Congratulations, Thomas. When do you plan to return to Washington to resume work?"
Truman smiled, shaking Thomas's hand while glancing at Leo.
A coincidence? He wasn't a rookie; there were no so many coincidences.
Back during the Bubble House incident, Truman had already admired Leo.
Afterward, Truman did a thorough investigation and knew Leo's initial rise was thanks to Thomas standing before him.
But Truman's relationship with Thomas was complicated; most of the time, as a senior party member, Thomas opposed Truman's policies.
So Truman only started intensive contact with Leo after Thomas went to Africa.
Yet he saw through it without saying it. From Thomas's few steps forward just now, Truman sensed a signal of reconciliation.
When everyone had given up on him, Thomas joining was a major boon for Truman.
Truman knew Thomas was a stubborn old dog, so for him to show up here willingly, this young man beside him must have exerted huge influence.
"You're the President; don't be like those big business bosses exploiting people. My vacation isn't over yet. Harry, can we talk for a bit?"
Thomas said.
Truman, always quick-witted, looked at Leo and said,
"My time now belongs to Mr. Valentino, he's my benefactor—you have to ask him."
This was the power of a top politician: a simple sentence both thanked Leo for facilitating this meeting and elevated Leo's status in front of Thomas.
As the person who knew Leo best, he was also placing Leo on an equal footing with Thomas in his own way.
"Of course, I can take Evelyn for a tour around the hotel. It's changed a lot."
Leo exchanged a glance with Thomas and then left with Evelyn.
Actually, on the way to Lynchburg, Thomas didn't approve of Leo betting everything on Truman, citing polls showing he had almost no chance to become the next president.
Leo brought up the old Morgan bet on France example and said to Thomas:
"I have no choice, and neither do you.
Before my and Evelyn's child grows up, the only hope for the Morton family is the son you found.
How old is Winston now? Almost fifty!
Even if you throw all resources at him, he can't catch up to Jesse, let alone reach your level.
Only by going all-in on Truman can Winston possibly, in a short time, leap multiple levels and restore the Morton family's glory."
Restoring the family's glory and maintaining their status ultimately moved Thomas to join this gamble that concerned the family's future!
Not far away was a Roman-style gazebo. Truman and Thomas walked toward it, with Winston following closely behind.
As Thomas's heir, Winston believed he had the right to overhear the conversation between his father and the President.
But after only a few steps, Thomas turned around with an annoyed expression and said,
"Wait at the spot we just left. Stop anyone who comes by."
Ignoring the sullen Winston, after Leo and Evelyn left the garden, they headed straight to the top floor of the main hotel building, where Evelyn completed her first starry sky room experience.
"Dumb boss, dumb team building—I need a day off!"
A voice of complaint sounded in Leo's ears.
A lucid dream, the golden finger again?
Leo observed his surroundings from the perspective of his previous life.
He remembered this team building—he had met a girlfriend during it in his past life.
No surprise, the whining loser beside him would soon be kicked out by the boss hiding in the back row.
Sure enough.
"Zhang Tao, since you have such big opinions, clearly you don't agree with our corporate culture, so you can get off the bus now—don't come tomorrow."
After begging was useless, the loser was kicked off the bus and replaced by a late-arriving beauty.
Thanks to his sales skills, Leo from his past life quickly broke the ice with her and started chatting.
"Master, does this TV on the bus record?"
The small TV on the bus slowly dropped down, and a boring history documentary began playing, according to Leo's impression.
Another useless lucid dream.
Leo sighed—this kind of thing kept happening; not all lucid dreams had value.
Just as he was disgusted by the cheesy pick-up lines from his past self, he suddenly heard the names Roosevelt and Truman.
Leo looked at the bus TV, which was showing a documentary on the history of railroads.
One segment talked about America's big infrastructure era.
Afterward, it introduced how then-President Truman utilized the nationwide railway network to conduct a "campaign expedition."
He traveled by train deep into America's rural areas, stopping to give speeches, using simple language to explain his governance philosophy to the farmers.
This enabled him to turn the election around despite low expectations and win.
Leo woke up, recalling the lucid dream. The documentary was superficial—the underlying reality was that railroad tycoons clearly supported Truman.
But from the information Leo had gathered so far, Truman seemed to have no contact with the railroad tycoons. The only connection was Augustus Morgan.
The Morgan family invested in most American railroads, but Augustus apparently wasn't responsible for that business segment.
Leo, being in the middle of it, waiting passively like in his past life, was like carving a mark on a boat to find a sword.
What Leo had to do now was to create the cause that would yield the effect for Truman.
Soon, two candidates appeared in Leo's mind: one naturally Augustus; the other was Erwin, chairman of Norfolk and railroad company, who had helped Leo before.
In the secret meeting room.
Obviously, Thomas and Truman had a very good talk and reached consensus on many issues.
When Leo returned, Truman had already agreed that if he won the election, he would expel James from the Senate, and Thomas would replace James as the Senate majority whip.
At the same time, as a return gift for the big package Leo brought,
Grateful for reciprocity, Truman made a phone call that summoned Gerald Thompson, director of the Federal Housing Administration, to the hotel.
When Leo saw Gerald again, it was a completely different person compared to the cold and indifferent man at the auction dinner for the Lamb company assets.
No longer aloof, Gerald was full of enthusiasm. Leo saw from his micro-expressions that this enthusiasm was sincere, not false politeness.
This piqued Leo's curiosity—what had he done to cause such a big change in this politician?
Gerald, upon opening his mouth, answered Leo's question.
"Leo, please allow me to call you that.
You handled the Iron Lion Gate Realty in Virginia superbly.
I've never seen anyone make Austin suffer a loss like that, hahaha!
That show-off hasn't appeared for a long time."
So that was it. Previously, Austin had been clamoring to enter politics, aiming for Gerald's position.
Leo had attended several American real estate association banquets and knew Austin constantly said Gerald was an idiot, that if Gerald led the Housing Administration in the future, American real estate would be much better.
Look at Gerald now—he's not even fifty, younger than Austin, and having finally secured this position, who would want to hand it to a guy who calls them an idiot every day?
After chatting, Leo agreed with Austin on one point.
Gerald was a standard politician—he knew everything about elections and entertainment but when it came to professional issues, either his executive secretaries knew or he was clueless.
But Leo liked him.
Gerald said the Federal Housing Administration had too many responsibilities and he needed to hire two new executive secretaries to assist him.
Thus, Desmond and Winston became Gerald's executive secretaries.
Of course, they were also there to build experience; Leo arranged Daniel to form a team of real estate professionals and lawyers to assist them with affairs.
After reaching the first consensus, everything flowed smoothly.
Pre-sale approval qualifications and licenses would be issued by the Federal Housing Administration.
The future leader of the pre-sale working group would be Desmond.
"The only problem is that a town mayor position is a bit too low.
If the media attacks him casually, this background will become his black mark, contradicting your original intention."
Gerald might be a complete idiot in real estate, but his political sensitivity far exceeded Leo's.
"What position does he need to be in?"
Leo humbly asked.
"At least a mayor of a county or a state legislator, and with some achievements in real estate—even if only superficial."
Desmond was already a member of the state legislature. As for superficial real estate achievements, that wasn't difficult for Leo.
"We complement each other, Leo."
Gerald said sincerely.
He really thought so.
Leo's biggest difference from Austin was that as capital, Leo looked down on the position of Housing Administration director.
He had no conflict of interest with Leo.
Another important reason for his cooperation was that as a politician determined to progress, serving one's benefactors well was a basic skill.
Everyone left the secret meeting room satisfied.
Thomas, who had been chatting cheerfully with Truman, was suddenly grabbed by Winston.
"Father, Evelyn is missing. I searched the entire hotel but couldn't find her."
Hearing Winston, Thomas glanced at Leo, and seeing Leo nod, he pulled his son aside with displeasure and said,
"Winston, what are you worried about? This isn't some African slum."
Winston pointed at Leo's gradually disappearing figure and said,
"I'm afraid of him."
Before he could finish, Thomas interrupted,
"Afraid he's sleeping with your daughter?
Let me tell you, Winston, they already have—right here in this hotel.
And it was Evelyn who climbed into his bed."
Thomas's words stunned Winston. In his memory, his daughter was still the little, cute girl from over ten years ago who needed his protection.
Seeing his son's useless demeanor, Thomas jabbed his chest hard and said,
"Instead of daydreaming here, why don't you read some real estate books?
Just now, your guarded son-in-law got you a great job—executive secretary to Gerald, director of the Federal Housing Administration.
If you remember how I raised you when you were young, tonight's banquet, go and offer a toast to your son-in-law.
Stand by him and learn how a true genius gets things done."
After that, Thomas jogged a few steps and caught up with the others.
The Lynchburg Hall was a newly built 300-person banquet room hosting a small event for the President.
Thanks to the key position of Lynchburg Hotel, Leo's two years of networking were fully on display here.
State legislators from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida all arrived.
The highest-ranking attendee was the senator from Georgia.
He was also passionate about contributing to humanity's anti-fascist cause.
In the Marshall Plan, he and Leo had been assigned to the same group to go to the Netherlands.
Of course, the senator's backers took the biggest share, but after hints from the other side, Leo also gave up a small part of his own interests to the senator personally.
Thus, a friendship was formed.
There were many low-ranking attendees, including mayors and grassroots legislators—those who could bow their heads for a $50,000 campaign fund.
But regardless of rank, Truman, born from humble origins, showed his excellent social skills, and the atmosphere was very good.
Leo's original intention in introducing these people to Truman was to break into their jurisdictions and advance Valentino Realty's business southward.
But after the golden finger incident, Leo specially reminded Truman to treat these grassroots legislators well.
Although Truman didn't know why, he trusted Leo wouldn't harm him.
The reason was simple: whether the election campaign train could successfully stop in small southern towns, and whether Truman could smoothly start speeches at train stations, all depended on these people's cooperation.
Seeing Leo skillfully mingling among the various attendees, raising his glass, Winston who followed closely was amazed.
In a break from socializing, he said to Leo,
"You really are a genius!"
"Of course, Winston. Trust me—following the path I paved for you, you'll soon take your revenge yourself!"
Leo patted Winston on the shoulder.
A disapproving father-in-law? Ha! Easy win!