I am a Big Player
Chapter 642 - 633, Classmates Meet (Third Update)_1

Chapter 642: 633, Classmates Meet (Third Update)_1

"I can’t figure it out, really can’t figure it out. Why would such a company choose to pay a 3.2% premium when acquiring shares of the American airline company? It’s not right. They are clearly an extremely professional team!" someone puzzled.

Looking at the current situation, over the past year, all the acquisitions of Qinghe Group that could be investigated were carried out at the most opportune moments, and the industries they’ve invested in had all shown stable earning capabilities after the capital injection from Qinghe Group.

The investment industry is always high risk, high reward, and of course everyone would assess the safety coefficient of the assets, but the problem is, everyone dreams of always successful investments, and Qinghe Group has indeed achieved this over this past year.

The only acquisition that now seems a bit foolish is the American airline company, not only was the purchase price off, but among Qinghe Group’s acquisitions, the American airline was the only one that remained half-dead even after the investment, maintaining its value at best, let alone appreciating.

Why acquire it? Everyone found it incomprehensible.

Little did they know, Nie Ting had not come to America initially for the sake of making money. This acquisition not only refreshed his record of purchases but also refreshed his worldview...

"Although I still don’t know why it launched this acquisition, what I can say is, the potential of this internet company is immense. The industries it occupies all have boundless prospects, and it has a clear equity structure, top-notch earning capabilities... If this were my company, that would be wonderful..."

"Speaking of which, why hasn’t Qinghe Group gone public with its size now? If it went public, there would be so much information available."

"Maybe it never considered going public..."

"Is that confidence... or arrogance?"

Duan Xiaolou remained silent when a senior posted this comment and turned off her computer to look out at the night view of the thousands of households’ lights.

Her mother called her out for a late-night snack, yet Duan Xiaolou found she had no appetite at all.

She always felt that on her journey racing towards Australia, she thought she was far ahead of others, but she realized that the other party’s pace was still too much faster than her own.

What she had previously imagined when she saw that old classmate had all become a joke.

She thought Ren He was frivolous and unambitious, she thought Yang Xi would one day see a more prosperous world and then realize that the man by her side might not be the good guy.

Now she finally understood that while she ’thought she knew better’, the others had already created an internet empire that was out of reach for most, and even Little Fatty, Xu Nuo, had hitched a ride on this windfall to become a winner in life.

All of a sudden, Duan Xiaolou remembered many things Ren He had said to her, which had become somewhat hazy due to the long passage of time.

Today, they suddenly reemerged, hovering in the beautiful nighttime sky of Luo City, lingering for a long time.

"You said it yourself, many great things are born from tranquility. But let me state my view; first of all, I do not seek to be great. Greatness, to me, is a vague concept; I’m just a nobody, a commoner. Saving humanity, advancing human societal development — these things have nothing to do with me. Secondly, what I want to do is destined not to be tranquil."

"Don’t you think life is a bit dull if it’s too peaceful?"

"Haha, it’s no fun talking about it. When I achieve it, you will naturally come to know. If I don’t achieve it, not talking about it now will save future embarrassment!"

The figure of that young man seemed to still stand in the Luo City family courtyard of that once summer day, with a chalk bag at his waist, ready to climb to the rooftop to gaze at the stars at any moment.

He remained young, as dazzling as ever, brilliant like the stars, still extraordinary.

And as for herself, was she any different from someone busy with a lifetime of toils?

For some reason, Duan Xiaolou suddenly wanted to go downstairs and revisit the places where she used to run. Her mother asked where she was going, but she didn’t say.

Just as Duan Xiaolou stood in the shadows a distance away from the streetlamp downstairs, she suddenly saw Ren He carrying Yang Xi on his back from far and near.

"Tired?" Yang Xi asked affectionately while lying on Ren He’s back.

"Dare I say I’m tired? Where would I get that kind of nerve?" Ren He said cheerfully.

"Why do I get the feeling that you’re a bit reluctant?" Yang Xi pouted.

"Oh, come on, don’t act all coy after getting a good deal!"

"You only told me today that I have to go to No Man’s Land alone. This is punishment for hiding it and not telling me!" Yang Xi declared righteously.

"You’re right, you’re right!" Ren He had only remembered to tell Yang Xi about his trip to No Man’s Land today, after receiving a Perfect Level mission reward yesterday and spending today deciding which of the four Perfect Level rewards to choose.

After a wakeup call from his overconfident mindset yesterday, Ren He decided that he needed to prepare thoroughly for this trip to No Man’s Land. He called Steve again to request additional equipment and decided to prepare even further, for example, by selecting Wilderness Survival Skills.

Duan Xiaolou had been hiding in the shadow behind a wide tree trunk since Ren He and the others appeared. For some reason, she found it difficult to face this old classmate.

However, Ren He, with his Super Vision, smiled and said, "Xiaolou, have you returned to the country?"

"Yes, I’m back," Duan Xiaolou replied with a calm smile, "I didn’t expect you two to be together. Congratulations."

"Haha, thanks. It’s cold outside, Yang Xi sprained her ankle, so we’ll head up first," Ren He said with a smile as he exchanged polite goodbyes.

Duan Xiaolou nodded and smiled. Deep down, she realized that she was nothing more than an ordinary classmate in the heart of her old school friend. Years without contact had left nothing behind but an awkward emptiness during their polite exchanges.

The two of them chatted as they went upstairs, very close to each other.

Back in ninth grade, Ren He, Duan Xiaolou, Yang Xi, and Xu Nuo were the best of friends. But now, it seemed like she was the one who had drifted away.

Reflecting upon it, that summer might have been the closest she ever got to a different life—what a pity that summer was too short.

She had once had feelings for Ren He. When she left China, at the airport, she had hoped that he would appear. As time went on, she always felt that he was just a passerby in her life, someone whose presence or absence didn’t really matter, until now when she saw him standing with someone else.

Thinking about it now, she had even looked up Knight and Yang Xi’s love story earlier today. So they had been in love for a long time. And here she was, telling Ren He that she wanted to focus on her studies.

Thinking about it now, she had always rejected the life choices of this old classmate in her heart, perhaps because she had always expected, why couldn’t he walk a regular path in life like her?

In the end, it was her selfishness. She had never believed in love. Just like the initial rejection in her subconscious when that love letter appeared.

It was indeed a cruel twist of fate. Duan Xiaolou stared into the winter night of Luo City, finding the dim streetlight so brilliant yet endless.

It seems everyone has that one person in their youthful memories, someone so stunning that even in a crowd you’d think they are one-of-a-kind, peerless in beauty. If you could be a hero, probably every young person would be willing to travel the world for her. No matter how much time has passed, when you see her again, you would say: Ah, it’s her...

Once upon a time, Duan Xiaolou was probably such a figure.

Now, probably not.

May you have someone to share the ebbs and flows of the years with, someone to listen to your joys and sorrows for the rest of your life.

Duan Xiaolou suddenly understood, it wasn’t that she was too slow, it was that Ren He was too fast, as he had been two years ago, and two years later, always so.

Life has made its choices, all consequences are for her to bear.

Duan Xiaolou turned and went upstairs, the streetlamp behind her appeared a bit lonely. Perhaps life was meant to be lonely.

...

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