Chapter 44: Calling Master Hai

Playing around in class was only an occasional occurrence. Most of the time, everyone listened attentively to the lectures. This gave Hetian a deeper understanding of Wang Xinrou and her friends. Each of them believed they possessed exceptional business acumen, and indeed, their talents were backed by generations of family heritage, providing them with solid foundations.

Moreover, Hetian was certain that some of the things they knew were far beyond the grasp of their classmates, even those in the same year. Now, thanks to their financial resources, they were embarking upon their ideal paths, striving to break new ground.

From this perspective, anyone brimming with enthusiasm is prone to develop grand ambitions and hopes for the future. Under such expectations and ambitions, it’s understandably difficult to settle down and carefully absorb knowledge that they might already know or never use again. Yet, they did not succumb to such impatience.

What Hetian saw was their earnest attention during lectures, never neglecting the study and absorption of fundamental theoretical knowledge—a commendable quality. Because of this, Hetian was compelled to revise his previous opinions of them and began to believe they might indeed succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors on the first attempt.

After the afternoon classes, everyone went about their own business.

Ouyang Bingbing headed to the library. According to her, despite her natural talent, she was still lacking in some fundamental theories and understanding. These things couldn’t be acquired in the classroom, so she relied on self-study in the library.

This inspired Lin Ying, who, caught up in the moment, decided to follow Ouyang Bingbing to the library.

But Li Yingying predicted with certainty that Lin Ying would end up at the restaurant within the hour, supervising operations.

Hetian wasn’t sure if this was accurate, but it seemed likely.

Ouyang Bingbing and Lin Ying were pursuing entirely different paths. At this point, Lin Ying’s presence in the library wouldn’t make much difference.

Li Yingying and Li Kai, who had come for the meeting, continued their public relations efforts, aiming to secure the land deal and then tackle the issue of the multitude of small vendors on Snack Street.

Wang Xinrou, meanwhile, pulled Hetian out of the campus, intent on finding a suitable location for her investment company.

“Where do you think would be best?” Wang Xinrou asked Hetian.

“Go with your own idea. I don’t really know much about this,” Hetian replied, aware of his inexperience and reluctant to offer random advice.

“Don’t pretend,” Wang Xinrou shot him a glance and smiled. “Come on, give me your opinion. Let me use it as a reference, in case there’s something I’ve overlooked.”

“Alright then,” Hetian thought for a moment and said, “Let’s start with your initial idea. You wanted to set it up within the university, but because of that troublesome director, your plan couldn’t come to fruition. So, we lost the university’s support and now you’re considering placing it outside the campus.”

“Just get to the point,” Wang Xinrou said impatiently.

“A successful person, no matter how talented, must possess patience,” Hetian looked at Wang Xinrou and said with pointed meaning, “You're not very reliable when it comes to patience. Investment and discovering promising projects are important, but as you said, unearthing talent is even more crucial. From this angle, someone without patience trying to attract talent is nothing short of a joke.”

“Alright, alright, enough—stop lecturing me. I only lack patience in front of you!” Wang Xinrou protested. “No more criticism!”

“Fine, I’ll continue,” Hetian nodded in satisfaction and went on, “By setting up outside the campus, we actually free ourselves. We’re not just facing Tianhai University anymore, but all the universities in Tianhai City, and potentially, universities across the country. In this way, our vision truly opens up. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Not having the university’s support becomes a test of a student’s entrepreneurial resolve.”

“Hold on, I’m getting to the main point,” Hetian quickly interjected as he saw Wang Xinrou about to speak. “So, I suggest that in the early stage, your target should be university students. Of course, vocational and high school students could be included as well. Social investment should be set aside for now. Take advantage of campus-focused opportunities to build experience.”

“With this in mind, the location of your office isn’t all that important. But since we’re still students of Tianhai University, and we want others to recognize our strength, we need to present ourselves well. So, residential areas are out, street-facing shops are out. We should go straight to renting an office in a commercial building.”

“Hahaha!” Wang Xinrou burst out laughing.

“Did I say something wrong? I already told you I don’t know much about this, but you insisted I speak,” Hetian felt a bit uneasy at her laughter. He was a king of soldiers, a member of Dragon Soul—no one would deny his versatility. But his expertise was rooted in the military and Dragon Soul, not civilian business. In commercial matters, he was truly an outsider.

“I knew you were holding back! Your opinion matches mine perfectly!” Wang Xinrou said, as if rewarding him, patting his shoulder.

“So you thought the same?” Hetian’s eyes widened, then he boasted, “Doesn’t that mean I’m a business genius too?”

“Oh, please... You? A business genius? You just got lucky! When someone calls you fat, you actually start panting!” Wang Xinrou rolled her eyes, utterly unafraid to cut him down.

In truth, Wang Xinrou did this deliberately. She felt Hetian surpassed her in every aspect—except, perhaps, in business matters. This gave her a bit of confidence in front of him. Now, even that small shred of confidence seemed threatened. Wang Xinrou couldn’t allow that to happen, so she immediately dismissed Hetian as worthless.

“Fine, I’m just a lucky cat who caught a dead mouse,” Hetian conceded. “And that mouse is you.”

“What did you say? You’re the dead mouse! Don’t run!” Wang Xinrou shouted angrily.

Before nightfall, Hetian and Wang Xinrou visited every office building near Tianhai University. In a word, none of them were particularly impressive or upscale. It made sense—there were plenty of universities in the area, but it wasn’t a business district. To find high-end office buildings here would be unusual.

Still, among the ordinary, there’s always a standout. Eventually, Hetian and Wang Xinrou decided to place the company in a building called Sky Tower. Though it was only thirteen stories high—hardly remarkable in Tianhai City and unworthy of the name ‘Sky’—it was the most upscale office building nearby.

The atmosphere was good, with several companies already established there. It was only a six or seven-minute drive from Tianhai University, not far at all.

But they wouldn’t be able to finalize everything today. Night was falling, so it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Because Wang Xinrou had instructed Hetian not to tell Wang Xinmeng about any of this, he kept quiet.

But according to Hetian, keeping it from Wang Xinmeng was only Wang Xinrou’s wishful thinking. He figured Wang Xinmeng already knew everything Wang Xinrou was up to. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned it meant, in Hetian’s view, that Wang Xinrou’s actions were still within reason, and no difficulties or mistakes had arisen. Yet, he was sure that Wang Xinmeng was watching closely.

“Hetian, you wanted me to create the illusion that the group is short on funds. What are you aiming for?” Wang Xinmeng asked him during dinner.

She hadn’t asked earlier because Hetian was in a hurry, and her tone was stern. Out of trust for Hetian, she complied. But now that work was over and they were at home, she needed a clear explanation—it was in her nature.

After all, if such news spread, it could pose a risk to the entire Mengrou Garment Group. Even though the group wasn’t publicly listed, the impact would still be felt.

“It won’t help you to know. I have my reasons. Besides, it’s only an illusion—remember that,” Hetian replied, unwilling to explain further. There was no need.

Whether Mr. Hai’s actions were related to Hetian’s adjustments was still unclear. In such circumstances, it was better for Wang Xinmeng to know as little as possible.

“Alright, but what’s the time frame?” Wang Xinmeng was forced to consider the impact of such news on the group. The strategy adopted in the morning had already prompted inquiries by the afternoon, with hints at loans or even offers to buy into Mengrou Garment Group. If this continued, Wang Xinmeng would be overwhelmed.

“Just two or three days. But keep it under control—just say there’s a hint of funding, nothing else,” Hetian said after thinking it over.

“Alright,” Wang Xinmeng nodded.

Wang Xinrou wanted to speak, but seeing her sister so obedient to Hetian on this matter, her cleverness kept her silent. Yet behind her smile, Wang Xinrou was deep in thought—what she pondered, no one could say.

After dinner, Hetian returned to his room. He checked the time, put down his phone, and turned on his computer to go online.

He logged into QQ, set up a few programs, and chatted briefly with old comrades and friends.

When it was past ten in the evening, Hetian finally picked up the phone.

Mr. Hai had been waiting for Hetian’s call, a clear sign of how much he valued the upcoming race. For him, winning money was secondary—the main concern was saving face. Thus, a skilled driver was essential.

Mr. Hai had been waiting. Akun had already found out that Mengrou Garment Group was apparently having some financial trouble. The news was discreet, but Mr. Hai, actively seeking it, could hardly fail to uncover it.

So Mr. Hai was confident Hetian would cooperate with him.

When the phone rang and Mr. Hai saw the number, a smile appeared on his lips.