102 The People of Tuvalu Enthusiastically Welcome Li Daniu

Although Li Daniu’s private jet had extraordinary range, he still chose to refuel once at an airport along the way to avoid any unexpected disaster.

In his former life, Li had once read a news story about a foreign tycoon who took his girlfriend to France by private jet to do some shopping because fuel was slightly cheaper there than in his own country. So he didn’t fill the tank completely and flew straight to France.

But because he faced a headwind all the way, the fuel consumption was higher than normal, and the amount he had calculated for a normal run to that French airport was burned off ahead of schedule. He ended up crashing straight down onto the destination airport. (It was real news.)

When Li first saw that report, his only reaction had been: how can the rich think like this? You buy a private jet, fly your own girlfriend over to France for shopping in it, and then risk your life to save a little on fuel—just how absurd is that? France might have cheaper fuel, but how much can that really save? You could just buy one less handbag.

When the aircraft was over Tuvalu, Li was stunned by the scene below. From the window, the Tuvalu airport seemed packed with people.

“What’s going on?” Li said, and told the captain to contact the airport.

“Your Majesty, the airport says these are citizens who came to receive you,” the captain answered. He was a man from Bombardier, so he called Li boss rather than Your Majesty.

It was a relief to find it wasn’t a protest.

After the plane landed, crowds that had been waiting along both sides of the runway formed themselves into a long line in front of the jet stairs.

The moment Li stepped out, the crowd broke into loud cheering.

“Long live His Majesty.”

“Long live King Tarek.”

“Long live Tuvalu.”

…The cries multiplied beyond count.

He was reminded of national parade scenes he had seen in his former life, where leaders smiled and waved.

“What’s this all about?” Li asked quietly when Burns came up to him.

“Because people heard you were coming back today, many arrived early to wait at the airport. We could not stop them, so we just guided them as best we could,” Burns whispered back.

Li understood what “could not stop them” meant. Up to now, all of Tuvalu’s public employees together were only two or three hundred, most of them clerical. Many had even been sent to the Auckland Islands for the development there. The crowd that came to welcome Li could be in the thousands. For Burns, keeping order was already excellent work.

Watching the eager Tuvaluans, Li felt a little moved. They had come on their own initiative, and their cheers and shining eyes did not feel false. They truly seemed glad to see him return.

This was far better than his first return, or the old king’s funeral, when the people Burns had arranged barely wanted to put on a show on the surface.

Li knew exactly why they were like this: he could give them a better life. If he were to abolish the monthly welfare now, they would abandon him at once, perhaps even rise in revolt.

But bringing a better life to Tuvalu was precisely what a Tuvaluan king ought to do. Li did not want to be a king who only exploited his people.

“Please go home, everyone. Have faith—Tuvalu’s future will only get brighter, and our lives too.”

Li took the loudspeaker Burns handed him and said only that. He was careful now. The last time, by a sudden impulse, he had promised a reward of one hundred thousand dollars and almost lost tens of millions by not thinking things through. One hard lesson later, he knew he was no longer a reckless boaster with nothing, but the king of Tuvalu with millions of followers.

Every word and action had to carry consequence.

The crowd replied to that sentence with prolonged applause, and even as Li’s party returned to the palace, people outside still waved Tuvalu’s national flag.

Of course—when you receive three thousand dollars a month and can live well even doing nothing, how could they not be grateful to the one who provides it?

“Your Majesty, some citizens propose holding a beauty contest in the country to choose a consort for you,” Burns reported very seriously.

“Are you kidding?” Li thought of the obesity common among Tuvaluans and, in that tropical climate, many of even the white-skinned people looked dark and heavy in build. He suddenly had the urge to board his private jet and run.

“A beauty contest? Among these tens of thousands, you want me to pick out a beauty?”

“Your Majesty, we are serious. You are twenty-two this year, so it is time to choose a queen.”

“If the domestic options are not suitable,” Burns continued, still serious, “you could choose from America or Britain. These days you are surely many women’s dream figure.”

Li agreed only with the last line.

“I will not choose a woman from America or Britain as my consort. China is enough.”

“China?” Burns paused, then said, “Your Majesty, I know a Chinese man running a supermarket in Tuvalu, called Old Liu. Do you want me to ask him to recommend some good Chinese girls? He probably knows the famous women in his country.”

“Old Liu?” Li recalled seeing him before while walking around Tuvalu, and from that sleazy look he did look like someone who’d know the famous women of China.

“That is none of your concern. How are the airport matters?”

Burns had been ready to press the marriage matter again, but Li’s one sentence cut him off. “As for the airport, as you requested there are already a few design renderings waiting for your approval. The dock plans are also ready.”

Li nodded and returned to his office to review the drawings.

“This airport design is good. Urge the other design firms—if none better, we’ll use this one.” After saying that, he looked again at the docks. Unlike an airport, a dock is not about appearance but about practicality.

Li did not really understand the technical side, but the professionals had marked parameters on the renderings: airport handling capacity, how large a cargo ship the dock could berth, how many tons of goods it could process in a day.

“Burns, don’t you think our country needs a professional planning minister?” Li asked after rubbing his head.

“It does,” Burns admitted with some shame. “But our national educational level is so low—”

“Not your fault. That is a historical legacy,” Li said, calming him. “Yet you must broaden your vision. Understand this world. You can invite retired senior officials from other countries to come and put their experience to use here. They needn’t immigrate. As long as we pay well, I don’t think we won’t find suitable people. You, as prime minister, just coordinate everything.”

“I understand. I will begin contacting them at once,” Burns replied at once. He had been thrown off by the construction of New Tuvalu. He had never studied architecture, and if there had been anyone more suitable beneath him, he would have handed the matter over long ago.

Li thought for a moment and added, “For construction, we should use Chinese companies as much as possible. They are reliable in both speed and quality.”

Burns nodded. He had some understanding of China too: its development has been astonishingly fast, and especially many first-tier Chinese cities have opened entirely new districts, which is exactly what would help New Tuvalu.

New Tuvalu’s most important goal is renewal. In other countries, though some have greater national strength than China, they have far fewer examples when it comes to building new districts.

After a few more discussions, Li returned to his room.

“System, how much time is left?”

“Three hours.”