Porter bought these expensive comics not only for his own collection . He only wanted
one of them for himself . Most of them would be used to create gimmicks and sold when
the right offer came along .
These comics, therefore, were an investment .
Li Du gasped in amazement when he found out about Porter's future plan . America was
truly worthy of being the center of global economy and finance . Anything here could be
marketed and used to make money .
Porter now had a different opinion about Li Du and Hans . He accepted them as true
friends because they had helped him .
Therefore, when he found out that they did not understand the investment in the comics
industry, he simply explained it to them .
Investing in comics to make money could be very complicated . After all, to balance the
return on investment, the value of the comics collection had to be high .
"While it's important to pay attention to the imaginary, artistic and humorous nature of
the work itself, the historical background and specific age of the work also has its value .
These factors affect the significance in collecting the comics .
"A comic does not only hold value in the entertainment industry . A comic has two major
values, age and symbolism .
"For example, Superman's symbolic value is in creating a new era of superhero comics .
Another example is Captain America, whose greatest symbolic value is that he
represents the rise of American culture around the world . "
When Porter talked about comics and investments, it totally changed his image of an
introverted shy boy . His speech flowed freely and effortlessly .
He has been in this field for a long time . Now that he had opened a comic shop, he was
ready to use this as a starting point and eventually enter the big screen and the
animation industry . DC and Marvel were his goals .
After learning about the industry from Porter, Li Du and Hans were ready to leave after
they had collected the money .
Li Du wanted to fly back to Phoenix at once, but Hans stopped him . "Wait, we have not
had a chance to appreciate the local culture yet . "
Li Du looked at him suspiciously . "Appreciate the culture? Do you by any chance mean
exotic dancers or anything?"
Hans looked indignant . "What do you mean? Am I such a person in your eyes?"
Li Du nodded firmly .
Hans gave him a slight, resentful shove . Then he said, "Don't go in a hurry . There is
actually a warehouse auction here . According to my information, there will be some
good stuff at this auction . "
This was his job . Li Du had nothing to say against that and decided to stay to participate
in the auction .
In addition, he was not too eager to leave, as he had not tasted the local specialty foods
yet . A foodie like him found it hard to leave without sampling the local cuisine .
Because of the large number of immigrants in the area, Miami's food and beverages
had a multi-national character . There were authentic Cuban, Haitian, Brazilian and other
Latin American gourmet restaurants .
The authentic Cuban cuisine was especially hard to come by and could not be found in
Phoenix . Cuban food combined the flavors of the Caribbean, Africa, and Latin America,
creating countless delicious combinations .
Li Du had decided his choice of dinner would be Cuban cuisine .
When Porter found out that they would stay in Miami to participate in the auction, he
enthusiastically invited the group to continue staying in the villa . At the same time, he
could tag along to the warehouse auction .
Of course, he was not trying to make a profit . He just wanted to see something new .
However, Porter usually stayed in California, so he was not familiar with the food,
beverages and dining places in Miami . Therefore, they had to count on Hans on this
one .
Hans shook his head and said, "Don't waste your time . This is a good opportunity for
you to improve your relationship with Ariana . Go and tell her that you are going to
entertain us but you are unfamiliar with the area and need her help . "
Porter hesitated and said, "But this would put her to trouble, wouldn't it?"
Hans rolled his eyes . "Making love is even more of a trouble, so would you guys not
have sex then?"
Porter muttered in embarrassment, "We are just friends now . It's not like you think . "
Li Du believed that, as Ariana was not a type of girl to turn heads . If Porter was attracted
to her, it was not due to her beauty or sex appeal .
Hans had a good point, though . Porter called Ariana, who happily agreed to be their
guide, and told them to come to a restaurant called Italian Latino .
This time, Ariana was dressed in her normal casual style . She was gentle and cultured,
which were rare qualities . Perhaps this was what attracted Porter .
Ariana arrived at the restaurant some time ahead and booked a table in the southwest
corner . It was relatively quiet, with large floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides with the
great view of the beach and greenery .
After they sat down, Ariana introduced them to the unique food in Miami . She obviously
did her homework in advance and it was very interesting to get to know the local dining
customs .
"The restaurant I chose is not one of the large ones, but if you want to taste authentic
Cuban cuisine, you have to go to a Cuban snack bar," Ariana explained .
Li Du glanced around and said, "It looks great . "
Ariana asked about their preferences in food and, together with Porter, helped them to
place their order .
Li Du chose two large French baguettes . It was more than just plain bread . There were
ham, roast pork, and cheese, along with mustard and pickles to complement the dish .
The waiter repeatedly confirmed, "Do you want two portions? Two?"
Li Du nodded and the waiter said, "One portion weighs five pounds, sir . So are you sure
you want two?"
He nodded again . This was for Godzilla . Ten pounds of food would be Godzilla's
appetizer at most .
Ariana ordered a classic ropvieja . "This is a signature of Cuban cuisine, cooked with
chopped steaks, tomatoes, and peppers, and served with fried plantains, black beans,
and yellow rice . "
Other orders were marinated fried pork, fragrant roast chicken, Cuban barbecue, red
bean rice, Cuban meat noodles, and curried goat meat .
Li Du wanted to order a salad . Ariana smiled and said, "No, the boss will send us a Latin
American fruit smoothie . It's refreshing and appetizing . I think you guys will be very
pleased . "
When the waiters started serving them, Ariana asked for two more bowls of soup, spicy
pumpkin and signature cornmeal .
Cuban dishes had a unique flavor that Li Du had not tasted before .
Although someone else made this food, he still gave it a try . However, in his heart, the
most delicious food was always what he cooked himself .
The ropvieja tasted good . The soup was very rich and mellow . It had a sourish taste,
which was refreshing .
Li Du ate this dish of soup together with the red bean rice and enjoyed the combination .
Ariana was very friendly and spent dinner telling them about the food and beauties of
Miami . When the dinner was finally over, she asked, "Do you have a tour plan for these
two days?"
Hans shook his head .
"Then I will arrange for you guys, okay?" Ariana asked kindly .
Hans shook his head again . "Thank you, but we have some business to handle . "
Chapter end
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