Seeing his best friend successfully walk out of a failed relationship, Ren Hong felt truly happy that a broken heart was trivial among the setbacks one could encounter in life.
"Why are you suddenly in Beijing?" Zhang Han curiously asked. After changing up his mood, he did feel like a different person. Just like what Ren Hong said, that was reality.
"I was anxious as soon as you called. A day without taking you guys under my wings makes me unable to eat or sleep at night," Ren Hong joked. "By the way, when did you start smoking?"
Zhang Han handed a cigarette over to Ren Hong and leaned against the streetlamp, "Ha, CAS… Forget it! Although the offer was decent… If nothing had happened in classroom 317 or if XlouS hadn't been born, there might still be a possibility…"
Ren Hong laughed, looking at Zhang Han's indifferent expression. What if an outsider were to witness this scene? For CAS's recruitment to be rejected several times, one had to either be very extremely talented or simply brain-dead. It was CAS, after all, which was one of the top scholar-gathering organizations in the country.
Zhang Han was his best friend who didn't seek fame or riche, and only cared about love and loyalty. Ren Hong didn't just meet him, but also a group of such people. What could be more important than that? Friendship, love, and career—a triple blessing. He felt extraordinarily fortunate.
Ren Hong showed a hint of a smile, holding a cigarette to his nose and sniffing it, looking sideways at Zhang Han. "Fine, a change of scenery; a change of mood. When are you leaving?"
"That's right, Beijing has become a sad place for me." Zhang Han turned the lighter on. Even though the flame appeared flat, no one doubted its scorching temperature as a trace of smoke appeared above it. He added: "In the past two years, a few of us have even skipped grades. We stayed in school but found that there was nothing more to learn. When I contacted you the other day, Chen Kai and I discussed flying to Hainan to look for you. But I can't believe you came over personally. In that case, we might as well leave with you!"
Ren Hong chuckled and was about to light up the cigarette. He replied: "No problem, but I have another matter to attend to in Beijing. Coincidence or not, XlouS is part of the 15 domestic enterprises partaking in the 10th China-US Entrepreneur Summit."
Zhang Han tapped his forehead and instantly said, "Oh, I almost forgot! For the past two years, our brothers have been practicing hard behind closed doors. Meanwhile, you came up with an alien technology product without saying a word. I must really give in to you!"
"How could I be your boss if I don't impress you?" Ren Hong joked. He looked at the sky and said, "It's getting late. Gather the rest of the brothers. It's been almost three years; it's about time for our reunion. 8:00 p.m. at Beijing NOBU Restaurant, 85 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District. After I'm done with my trip, you guys will return to Hainan with me!"
"No problem!" Zhang Han gestured OK with his hand and instantly laughed. "Summit, huh? Tsk, tsk~! When that day comes, we'll all be quietly watching you on our computer. We shall see how you put up a front to the whole world!"
"It would be pointless to live without putting up a front!" Ren Hong said with a playful smile. He was just like a normal person. His temperament didn't change just because of his skyrocketing worth. He added, "The taxi is overloaded, so you can take a taxi yourself! Sorry I can't help you with that!"
"Is it really a good idea for a super-rich guy like you to be taking a taxi?" Zhang Han instantly turned on his taunting mode and watched his best friend walk away. The former eventually hailed a taxi and returned to school.
***
"Come in!" Ren Hong was working on his computer at that moment. He had already started working on a research and development plan for XlouS's new product. In fact, most of the owners of big companies in the world were workaholics, and Ren Hong was no exception. He enjoyed his work and had a lot of ideas in his head that he would love to see realized immediately.
Mu entered his room, "Chairman, you've received two invitations."
"Mm…" He continued to stare at the computer, while his 10 fingers danced on the keyboard. He asked: "What invitations are they?"
Mu said, "The first one is an invitation from a famous high-end talk show host."
It was apparent that in the current era of the internet and with a high degree of information sharing, Ren Hong became a hugely influential figure in the country and even the world. Although his rise to prominence had been relatively abrupt, his ability had nothing to do with seniority. He and XlouS had become a giant of the world in a short period of time. To date, XlouS had launched three products and had a huge influence in the world.
Real-time Online Translator brought the whole world closer, allowing communication without barriers and also impacted the traditional translation industry. The voice assistant, Little You, successfully changed people's lifestyle. In this era where one couldn't live without an electronic device, Little You led people from the era of hand control to the era of voice control. Meanwhile, the S-1 made revolutionary advances in wearable smart devices. Not only did it change one's lifestyle, but it also pushed human technology forward. S-1 became the biggest rival of a lifetime to Apple's iPhone in the mobile phone business.
It was apparent that as the founder of XlouS, Ren Hong was also bound to become an indelible figure of the times—he was one of the most popular people in the country and abroad right now.
"Say yes to this offer, but tell them that the program recording will be done in Beijing. I'll return to Hainan after this trip, and if it doesn't work, forget it; I don't have much time!" Ren Hong thought about it and said.
"What about the second invitation?" After a pause, he asked.
Mu recorded his words, nodded, and said, "The second invitation is from Tsinghua University, inviting you to give a public lecture at the school."
"Heh…" Ren Hong smiled. He couldn't help but recall the day he dropped out of school more than two years ago. The day he watched that business magnate surrounded by countless reporters; the day he stood on an unattractive curb, believing that one day, in that hall, the place to stand would be on the podium and not in the audience!
Who would have expected that in just over two years, this glimmer of an idea that had once surfaced was about to become a reality?
"Chairman?" Mu looked at him, who remained silent for a long time and broke the silence.
"… Oh, I'll accept. Schedule the trip after the summit." Ren Hong returned to his senses after Mu disrupted his thoughts and said after some pondering. Mu nodded, noted his decision, and left this room.
Ren Hong couldn't help but move his hand away from the keyboard. He leaned back in the chair with hands on the back of the head, stretching his entire body. Then, he let out a long sigh, "Heh… It has been more than two years; it's about time to head back for a visit!"