After resting for the morning, Lucien Lebac had recovered. The color had returned to his cheeks, and he was once again flitting through the crowd like a social butterfly.
As the newly appointed Global Marketing Director for Richard Mille, he had come to Monaco with a heavy responsibility. He needed to lay out a comprehensive strategy. Richard Mille needed to deepen its cooperation with F1 teams, slowly eroding Rolex's dominance, with the ultimate goal of replacing them.
A crucial part of this plan was Ferrari.
Maybe Ferrari hadn't won a championship in years, but they were still the banner of F1. When people thought of racing, the first image in their minds was always Ferrari. It was the dream of every driver, and every fan.
Richard Mille desperately wanted a partnership with Ferrari.
But clearly, it wasn't going to be easy. It required a long-term plan. Last night's yacht party hadn't gone as expected.
However, Lebac wasn't discouraged. He was full of energy, ready to build on his predecessor's work and lead the company to new heights.
On Saturday, qualifying day, his schedule was packed, especially since he had missed the morning due to "illness." Everything had piled up for the afternoon.
He needed to be quick.
A young driver.
Richard Mille was considering sponsoring more young drivers to tap into the potential of the racing market. They were looking for two things: youth, talent, and brilliance on one hand; and a Ferrari Academy background on the other, bringing them one step closer to their ultimate goal.
But while the idea was sound, Lebac wasn't particularly enthusiastic about this meeting.
His predecessor had signed Charles Leclerc to Richard Mille, partly because of Leclerc's manager, Nicolas Todt, and partly because of his Ferrari connection. It was a calculated move.
Unfortunately, to this day, the cooperation between Richard Mille and Ferrari hadn't seen any breakthroughs. The strategy hadn't yielded the expected results.
Otherwise, Lebac wouldn't have gotten this job, would he?
So, investing in young drivers was a task that needed to be done, but Lebac believed they needed a clearer plan and target.
For this afternoon's meeting, compared to the young GP3 double-winner, Lebac's real target was Lorenzo Moretti.
Was introducing this driver Lorenzo's personal initiative, or was it a move by the Moretti family?
While organizing his thoughts, Lebac heard voices in the hallway. He fixed his expression, stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, and walked forward to welcome them. His eyes were searching for Lorenzo, but they involuntarily drifted to the figure beside him.
He froze. He stopped in his tracks, squinting slightly. The memory of the harbor from last night flooded back.
He had regained consciousness then, and in his daze, he had seen that face. An Asian face, rare in Monaco, had left a quick impression.
He had thought his vision was blurred, but now, the fuzzy outline in his memory sharpened into clarity.
His brain moved faster than his mouth. "It's you!"
Joy exploded in his mind, irrationally taking over. He had been worrying about how to find his savior, and here he was, delivered right to his doorstep.
But the impulse lasted only half a second. Lebac regained his cool instantly.
He didn't want last night's accident to be public.
High society was a tiny circle. He had just taken office; he didn't want to become gossip fodder. And this was Monaco. If a rumor leaked here, the entire circle would know. That was absolutely not what he wanted.
So, what to do?
In a split second, Lebac's mind raced through several turns.
In front of him, Kai didn't hide his surprise. He studied Lebac, as if trying to jog his memory.
Lorenzo was the first to react, his eyes darting between Kai and Lebac. "You've met?"
Kai didn't speak. He frowned slightly, maintaining a polite smile. "I'm sorry, please forgive my rudeness..."
The tension in Lebac's chest released. He immediately understood Kai's play. A smile crept onto his lips, and he regained his composure.
"No, no need to apologize. I should be the one thanking you."
Lebac looked at Lorenzo. "Last night at the harbor, I ran into some trouble. Thanks to this gentleman, I got out of a tight spot. He's my savior."
"But obviously, it was dark at the harbor, and I was a mess. It's normal that you wouldn't recognize me. I'm very happy we're meeting like this. Please, remember me as I am now. God, let's just keep last night a secret. No need to bring it up again."
Half-joking, half-serious, teasing and self-deprecating, Lebac narrated the story from his perspective. This would be the official version from now on.
Kai didn't hide his surprise.
It was 100% genuine. He had never expected to meet the man again after just one night, let alone in this setting.
Kai paused. "Are you sure you have the right person?"
Lebac's mood brightened completely. He was extremely satisfied with Kai's reaction. "So, you helped more than one person at the harbor last night?"
"Hehe." Kai chuckled. "Seems like the Monaco harbor was busy last night."
With a small joke, Kai snapped back to reality. The corner of his mouth lifted. "If I had known about today's meeting, I should have performed better last night. Charles didn't warn me. Oh, God, I hope I didn't do anything wrong last night to affect our meeting today."
"Haha." Lebac laughed. "You mean Charles Leclerc? I haven't had the chance to meet him yet. I hope to have the honor this weekend."
Kai tipped his chin, a knowing look in his eyes. He made a playful 'shh' gesture. "Hush. I'll make sure Charles keeps his mouth shut."
Lebac laughed even harder. "Lorenzo, you never told me he was such an interesting guy."
Lorenzo had been watching quietly. Although he was confused, he didn't pry, pulling back his curiosity at just the right moment. "I believe his racing skills alone are enough to impress you. As for his personality, consider it a bonus for you to discover slowly."
Lebac shook his head. "No, Lorenzo. We believe in racing skill, but we also need personality." His eyes showed his satisfaction.
Finally remembering himself, he extended his right hand to Kai. "Lucien Lebac. Very happy to meet you. And I mean that sincerely."
Kai picked up on the teasing tone and smiled back. "Kai Zhizhou. Being able to help was my honor. If I can be of even more help, that would be even better."
One sentence, straight to the point, filled with meaning. Lebac smiled elegantly and gestured for them to enter. "Why don't we sit down first?"
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