The next afternoon, Leon kept his appointment with Diddy and headed to the party venue on Long Island, New York.
The White Party, as the name suggests, uses white as its theme. Since its inception in the late 90s, it has always cloaked itself in a guise of "Love and Charity."
In terms of camouflage, it was exactly the same as the parties thrown by another New York party maniac, Bernstein (Jeffrey Epstein archetype).
Celebrities attending the party were required to wear all-white outfits.
If you forgot this beforehand, the considerate Diddy would have clothes ready for you at the venue.
Leon's closet had pitifully few suits to begin with—just two or three sets he cycled through.
And a white suit? That kind of "fruity" stuff was never going to happen.
So, he simply wore a white tracksuit—the same one he wore the night he was crowned the new king at the Billboard Awards and provoked Diddy.
Leon rubbed his puffy eye sockets and, for once, used some pomade to slick back his hair.
He glanced out the window. "Damn paparazzi..."
He hadn't had a good sleep in a full 24 hours.
Since the scandal about possessing contraband broke, these paparazzi had been haunting him like ghosts.
After perfecting every detail in the mirror, Leon smiled and dialed Henry's number.
Yesterday, he promised to take the guy to the grandest celebrity party in New York.
This hedonistic and neurotic rich kid dreamed of infiltrating the deep circles of the entertainment industry, so naturally, he agreed immediately.
No occasion was closer to the "truth" of the entertainment industry than a Diddy party.
It was just like the lyrics in Leon's hit song Demons: "It's dark inside."
"Ready, Henry? We should get moving."
"I've been waiting forever! Shxt! I haven't slept all night; I need to get some more of the good stuff in me!"
Leon smiled faintly. "I'm waiting for you in Tribeca... try to be fast. This is the craziest celebrity party on the planet."
Henry let out a weird scream of excitement. "Holy sht! Will I get to see Rihanna's taillights (ass)?! Will Jennifer Lopez be there? I absolutely love the way that btch shakes it in the On the Floor MV!"
"Sure... but don't you think Jennifer is a bit out of your age bracket?"
"No! I love MILFs! I want to call her Mommy to her face!"
"..."
Henry's nerves were becoming increasingly uncontrollable under the stimulation of drugs.
What he didn't know was that Diddy's party had even more, and stronger, mysterious substances waiting for him.
Half an hour later, Henry arrived in the Tribeca neighborhood on time.
His face was pale and bloodless, and he was shivering occasionally even in the scorching June heat.
"Get in," Leon said.
"Damn~ Does the entertainment industry not make money? You drive this kind of junk?" As soon as he got into the Porsche 997, Henry started complaining non-stop.
Leon held the steering wheel, his mind full of other calculations. "The entertainment industry isn't as easy money as being a politician..."
"Hahaha~ Maybe you're right. My dad makes money in the stock market as easily as picking it up off the ground!" Henry was obviously high, exposing his old man's secrets.
Leon wasn't surprised by this. He had long heard that everyone on Capitol Hill was a stock god; even Buffett would have to bow down to them.
With a son like Henry, the fact that Charlie could still sit firmly as a New York Senator without his opponents grabbing him by the short hairs made one marvel at his political maneuvering.
If it were another senator, giving birth to such an abstract piece of work, they might have thrown him to Europe long ago.
Or maybe they would have been ruthless enough to manufacture an accident and send him directly to see God.
You couldn't survive in this cruel ecosystem without being ruthless.
Leon lit a cigarette and said earnestly, "Don't always mention your dad's name to others. It gives those cunning scumbags who want to defeat your father an excuse to attack him..."
"Fxxk! When do I always mention that old man!" Henry protested. "Everyone who knows me knows that everything I have came from my own hard work! Not relying on the surname Evans!"
Right, right, right... was your Ferrari earned through hard work too?
Leon wanted to laugh but held it back.
It seemed every second-generation rich kid loved to claim that their extravagant life and abundant resources had nothing to do with their fathers.
Strip away that "Second Gen" halo, and this degenerate junkie would be rejected even if he were thrown onto a Texas ranch to breed cows.
"Of course, I know you're an independent and strong guy. I'm just giving a friendly reminder... don't cause unnecessary trouble for your father," Leon soothed.
"Hehe~ Bro, I know you're looking out for me." Henry's tone suddenly became sincere. "You know what? Although the media keeps trying to tell the public you're a bastard, I know you have a heart of gold. You're a reliable friend!"
"Only I understand this!!"
During the drive of over an hour, Henry raved like a lunatic the entire time.
Never stopping for a second.
Diddy's mansion was like a white palace; the Roman columns seemed to intentionally mimic the White House.
Looking from a distance, the front of the garden was full of colorful sports cars and guests uniformly dressed in white.
More than ten security guards stopped Leon's car. A fat guard extended his hand. "Gentlemen, please show your invitations."
"No invitation." Leon shook his head. "Can I just give my name? Leon Smith."
"WTF..." The fat guard shook his head, instantly becoming alert.
The guards behind him rushed over. A man who looked like the head of security pointed at the fat guard and cursed, "You idiot, you don't recognize Mr. Leon? He's the most important guest the boss mentioned!"
He turned his head and quickly switched to a fawning attitude. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Leon... of course you can go in, but this gentleman next to you is..."
"Cut the crap, idiot! Let us in, I can't wait! Or else..." Henry was just getting into his rant when Leon interrupted him.
"This is a singer I just signed. He has a boundless future. I want him to see what the best party in New York looks like."
"This..." The head of security was in a bind.
Diddy had instructed that if Leon came with a group of Mexicans, he should be notified immediately.
But this frail pretty boy in front of him wasn't Mexican, and he didn't look like he had anything to do with the word "dangerous."
This pitiful junkie looked like he would fall over if you poked him with a finger.
The security head reported the situation to Diddy via phone. After hanging up, he said, "Diddy welcomes both of you. Please step out of the car and cooperate with our simple procedures."
A body search was a necessary routine.
Not only that, but the security also took the car keys under the guise of valet parking.
Calling it valet parking, they actually conducted a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle to ensure there were no dangerous goods on board.
"No problem. Welcome, distinguished guests. Please follow me~"
Under the security's guidance, Leon and Henry walked into the estate.
"Ooh-wee~ Diddy really knows how to enjoy life. This place is like a miniature White House." Henry marveled as he walked. "I've been to the White House; the lawn there isn't trimmed as well as here."
Leon had no interest in listening to the rich kid's chatter.
As soon as his figure appeared, the guests outside the estate cast shocked glances.
These people were all Diddy's friends. Seeing Leon here was as shocking to them as witnessing the President inviting Bin Laden to meet at the White House.
Wherever Leon looked, a casual scan revealed many famous figures.
Lil Wayne, Kim Kardashian, Usher... even Universal Music's legendary CEO, Sir Lucian Grainge.
Henry suddenly pointed straight ahead and screamed, "James! King James! I don't like this guy; he's far worse than Kobe!"
The volume was too loud and attracted LeBron James's attention.
He was just about to come over and argue with this loose-lipped white kid, but when he saw Leon beside him, he immediately pulled his neck back.
Pretending he heard nothing.
"Keep it down. Don't forget what I told you on the way."
After Leon looked around, his gaze landed on NYPD Chief McMahon.
He was a regular at Diddy's parties and the direct superior of the dirty cop Tenpenny.
Because of McMahon's existence, Diddy dared to do whatever he wanted in the entertainment industry.
After Tupac was shot in 1996, Diddy quickly cleared himself of suspicion.
In 1999, he caused a shooting incident that shocked the entertainment industry in a Manhattan nightclub, injuring three people on the spot.
More than one witness filmed Diddy holding a gun in the nightclub, but in the end, he was acquitted.
The newly signed rookie Shyne became the scapegoat and was sentenced to ten years in prison.
All of this was inseparable from McMahon's operations.
Noticing Leon's gaze, McMahon sneered and put on a provocative expression.
At this moment, surrounded by more than twenty bodyguards in white, Diddy walked out of the house.
A diamond-encrusted watch on his wrist, blinding diamond earrings, and exaggerated aviator sunglasses on his face...
As soon as he appeared, he stole everyone's attention.
For Diddy, today was a big day; he had waited too long for this.
He skipped the other guests and went straight to Leon. "Welcome, Bro, to the craziest party in America."
Then he shouted to all the guests: "Everyone, look~ Street Jesus Leon, the most talented bastard of this century~ Can you believe he came to Diddy's party?"
The guests whispered to each other. Except for people in Diddy's inner circle, almost no one knew this news in advance.
"Now everyone knows who the real King of the East Coast is~"
"To celebrate this historic moment~ Party hard, everyone! This is the grandest Diddy party ever~"
Diddy had originally prepared some more aggressive lines, but considering that the renewal issue between his good homie JAY-Z and Leon hadn't been settled yet, he chose a relatively decent approach.
He stood close to Leon, intimate as family. "This is your first time at a party like this, right Bro? Let me give you a brief introduction..."
"You forgot I went to one of your parties in LA before," Leon said.
"That's different, no comparison at all." Diddy shook his head. "The White Party is the real Diddy Party!"
Besides celebrities and wealthy merchants, many invitees were rookie models.
Half men, half women.
Most of them were young, wearing small white wings on their backs to serve other guests.
At first, they just entered the party through pimp connections, but soon they were controlled by Diddy using various contraband.
Although everyone wore exquisite makeup to cover their dry skin...
Their dull, spiritless eyes explained everything.
The group with angel wings was positioned in the party as: Usable.
In addition, there were some young men and women wearing black clothes, very few in number.
Diddy described them as guys "chosen by God, the luckiest tonight."
Wearing black meant they had to go all out tonight to satisfy the needs of any guest.
And no matter who made the request or what method was used, they absolutely could not refuse.
Diddy smiled mysteriously and pointed to a girl in black ahead. "That girl's name is Cassie. She's hot, isn't she?"
The more Leon looked, the more familiar the girl seemed. He immediately recognized Cassie as a third-tier singer.
She once had a brief period of fame with Me & U, playing out a real-life Cinderella story.
But even such a singer with some fame was wearing the black clothes symbolizing "sacrifice" at Diddy's party.
Diddy let out a harsh, wicked laugh. "She's my new girlfriend."
"WTF?" Leon stared at Diddy, shocked speechless.
He knew Diddy was a pervert, but he didn't think he was this perverted.
Making his own girlfriend wear black at the White Party?
What kind of insane operation was this?
But thinking carefully, it wasn't surprising. Although Diddy tried hard to signal to the public that he was a man with a normal orientation...
It was just a smoke bomb. His special hobbies were known to many in the circle.
Producers and new singers who worked with him couldn't escape his clutches.
To make some tough guys submit, he would even force producers to make beats while watching him shower.
"Bro~ Her magic will be unforgettable for the rest of your life. If you want, don't be polite with me~" Diddy stared at Leon.
Cassie's eyes quickly dodged, full of fear.
Seeing this scene, Diddy laughed even louder. "Everything that happens tonight is a gift for Cassie!"
Immediately after, Diddy introduced two types of wine at the party.
One was darker, normal red wine.
"If you want to have some fun, try these light-colored drinks~" Diddy picked up a glass containing a liquid similar to champagne. "This is the real hard stuff! It lets mortals reach God's kingdom without experiencing death!"
Just as Leon was about to make a perfunctory reply, Henry, who had been holding back for a long time, couldn't take it anymore.
Hearing about such stuff, the junkie was like a fish dying of thirst seeing water.
"Fxxk, stop blowing smoke. Is there really stuff that hard?"
Looking at the brat with the unfriendly tone, Diddy scratched his head in confusion. "Who is this kid?"
"This is Henry." Leon's mouth curved up as he pulled Henry to his side. "A gift I brought for you."
"Gift?"
Diddy looked Henry up and down, his gaze seemingly penetrating, scanning him thoroughly.
Although he had flashy rainbow-dyed hair and colorful tattoos exposed on his neck...
Henry's physical appearance was indeed outstanding, looking exactly like a dark version of Justin Bieber.
"I mean, Henry is a gift from God to the New York music scene. He's a genius, the future flag bearer of the East Coast."
"He is worrying about his first album. If he can get help from you, the King of New York, maybe it will go much smoother."
Leon blew smoke up his ass with various praises, and Henry was so smug he forgot himself.
"Is that so... I'm always happy to help young people with ideas like this." The fire of desire burned in Diddy's eyes, exactly the same as when he saw Bieber.
By 8 PM, half of the guests at the White Party had dispersed.
Rihanna, Kesha, and other female singers chose to leave.
At this time, Diddy walked over and mysteriously hooked his finger at Leon:
"Come with me, Bro."
Then he pointed at Henry, saying with a wretched look: "And you, kid..."
"Is it starting..." Leon followed without hesitation. He realized the rumored "Deep Party" was about to begin.
The "Freak Off" (Wild/Fanatical Party) only existed in rumors.
Everyone who had attended this party refused to discuss the details.
To know how extravagant the Freak Off really was, one had to be personally invited by Diddy.
Leon followed Diddy through one door after another inside the mansion, finally entering a hidden room.
Scarlet lighting, pervasive dry ice smoke, baby oil everywhere...
The air smelled of chemicals.
Scantily clad men and women wearing half-face masks moved through it.
Twisting their bodies in the red smoke, as if performing some kind of ritual.
The whole scene was full of evil vibes, looking exactly like Kubrick's last movie, Eyes Wide Shut.
One person in the crowd looked very familiar—it was the financial tycoon Bernstein (Epstein archetype), who often appeared on the covers of major New York business magazines.
When dealing with the Quincy Jones matter, Leon learned that Bernstein also had some perverted hobbies and was an out-and-out party maniac.
He bought a private island in the Caribbean and held mysterious private parties all year round.
Such a character appearing at Diddy's Freak Off obviously had a different purpose from others.
Others came for fun; Bernstein came to "learn."
"Excellent" people always attract each other because they can always find areas for improvement in one another.
Diddy casually wrapped his arm around a male waiter's neck and ordered in a low voice: "Bow down."
The young man's eyes were lifeless, and he did as told mechanically.
Diddy poured a whole glass of champagne drink into the waiter's mouth.
A minute later, the man began to babble confusedly, his eyes rolling non-stop.
The guests around them held their bellies laughing, the air filled with a "cheerful" atmosphere.
"Someone wants to talk to you; he's been waiting for you for a long time..." Led by Diddy, Leon passed through the fog made of dry ice and saw JAY-Z at the end of the bar.
Diddy patted Leon on the shoulder. "You guys have a good talk... open your hearts like family."
Leon said nothing, pulled out a chair, and sat down next to JAY-Z.
He had long been prepared for this.
The moment he heard that Leon chose to show weakness and reconcile, JAY-Z was probably even more excited than Diddy.
These two wore the same pair of pants. Leon reconciling with Diddy meant he chose to compromise on the renewal issue.
The atmosphere was slightly awkward. Leon turned his head and said to Henry: "I need to discuss some business matters; you'd better make yourself scarce."
"Diddy, make sure to take good care of him for me."
As soon as the words fell, sparks almost shot out of Diddy's eyes. "Don't worry, Bro, I will definitely take good care of him~ Let's go, kid, let's find some fun~"
The Freak Off was simply heaven for Henry. Coming here, he realized that his previous ways of having fun with drugs and drag racing were just playing house.
He had already tried several "mysterious drinks" here; his consciousness was blurred, and dopamine secretion reached its limit.
He stammered: "Find me some... bigger fun!!!"
"No problem~ Daddy's party never lacks fun~" As they spoke, their figures disappeared into the smoke.
JAY-Z, hugging two young girls left and right, teased: "Why are there no girls around you? Are the girls here not to your taste?"
"I still prefer girls who are slightly more mature and voluptuous." Leon spread his hands.
The speaker meant nothing, but the listener took it to heart.
The corner of JAY-Z's mouth twitched slightly. Wasn't his wife, Beyoncé, exactly that kind of mature, voluptuous woman?
He quickly regained his emotional management and cut straight to the topic: "You met with Stringer. It seems you've thought of your way out."
"Just meeting for a chat, Stringer is my friend," Leon said.
"Friend? Coming from your mouth, that word is truly ridiculous." JAY-Z sneered. "Luckily you just met... otherwise, we wouldn't have the chance to sit together and chat like this now."
"About the renewal..."
Leon immediately interrupted him: "40 million signing fee."
"You only care about the money?" JAY-Z was a bit surprised; he didn't expect things to be so simple.
Problems that could be solved with money weren't problems to him.
"What else? I only recognize money." Leon habitually picked up a glass of wine but put it down immediately.
Although Diddy said earlier that the dark red one was normal red wine, he didn't dare try a sip of the mysterious liquid here.
"Good, this is great..." JAY-Z said. "I've been deceived by you many times. I hope this is the last time... Let's have a Happy Ending."
"I'm already here; there's nothing more to say," Leon said.
JAY-Z swirled the red wine in his glass, the corners of his mouth harder to suppress than an AK-47.
He believed he had achieved complete victory.
Smack—
His rough black hand slapped heavily on the "taillights" (ass) of the girl next to him. "Money is not a problem! You'd better come to the company tomorrow; I only trust contracts."
"I have to see the money first." Leon's mind wasn't on this meaningless negotiation at all, speaking casually.
"Greedy guy... but I have to discuss it with Leonard~"
"I await your good news." After saying that, Leon immediately stood up.
Passing through the smoke, he asked the bartender: "Did you see where Diddy went?"
The bartender pointed to the corridor on the side of the bar. Looking along it, there were rows of red rooms.
They were marked with the twelve zodiac signs, just like a hotel.
"Good." Leon lit a cigarette and chatted idly with the bartender, glancing at the red rooms from time to time.
About an hour later, Diddy walked out wearing a bathrobe.
Immediately after, four or five strong black men also walked out of the room one after another.
"Wow, looks like you partied too hard, man." Leon pretended to bump into him at the corner of the corridor. "Where's that kid Henry?"
"He's fine, just needs some rest..." Diddy wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking satisfied.
"Rest?" Leon suddenly lowered his voice. "He'd better not have had any accidents..."
"Why so serious, Bro? He's just a newcomer eager for fame." Diddy looked smug. "I was giving him some guidance; maybe he'll be as red hot as Bieber."
"Shxt!!" Ignoring what the other party said, Leon rushed into the room Diddy had just entered at Bolt-like speed.
The room marked [Virgo].
Henry lay motionless on the round red bed.
His eyes were unfocused, foaming at the mouth.
Red bruises were faintly visible on his body.
Got him!
Leon was overjoyed and shook Henry's body hard:
"Henry! Wake up, kid! What happened to you!"
"Don't touch me... get the fuck away from me!" Due to overuse of his throat, Henry's voice was hoarse and breathless.
"I'm going to kill you damn bastards..."
"Fxxk... I feel like I've been ripped apart."