Laila cleared her throat softly, and even without turning around, she could tell that he was surprised. It was a bit embarrassing when she thought about it. She had been pondering all those future events in her mind, thinking that if she understood a bit about finance, she could seize an opportunity to make some money. So, on Quentin's recommendation, she chose this highly regarded book to read.
However, after a few days of reading, she tragically discovered that she had absolutely no investment instincts. She recognized every word in the book, but when those words were strung together, she was completely lost.
Even though she didn't want to admit it, the real reason she was reading the book was not just to leverage her future knowledge to make money but also because it was intriguing to Quentin.
The money invested in the East was in Quentin's hands, and contrary to Laila's expectations, he didn't put it all into building the theater chain. He paid a small portion as a down payment to get the construction started, while the rest of the money was invested in stocks and futures.
He had a keen eye and a substantial investment amount, which resulted in him making money faster than he was spending on building the theater chain.
This meant that, at this rate, by the time all the theater chain complexes in the East were completed, the money she invested might not have decreased; it might even have increased significantly.
How could this not be motivating for Laila? She thought about how she knew so much about the future's historical progression but couldn't even compare to someone without a "cheat."
Unfortunately, she wasn't the all-powerful genius described in novels. In the realm of movies, she could immerse herself and enjoy the entire process. But economics... who knew how much time she had wasted daydreaming and dozing off after receiving this stock investment book?
"Can I see the book?" Abel was very interested in the book and wanted to know how difficult it really was, especially considering that even Laila, who was touted as a genius, claimed she couldn't understand it.
While he read the book, Laila looked over at Roy, who had been staring out the window the whole time and felt a need to scratch her head due to the increasingly tense atmosphere between them. She could converse naturally with many people but didn't know how to approach a young man who had a crush on her.
The mere thought of a young man liking her gave her an odd feeling. Remember, in this life and her previous one, she was already in her thirties, more than a decade older than him. When a man is liked by a girl a decade younger, it seems quite normal to others, nothing significant. However, if a woman is liked by a boy a decade younger, it's a different story and might even be written up as news.
These thoughts revealed that Laila hadn't yet adjusted to her identity and age, or to the American way of male-female interaction. So, Roy was unfortunate. He didn't lose because there was no affection; he lost because there was no foundation for this kind of relationship.
When they got off the plane, Abel was still engrossed in the book.
Laila snatched the book from him. "Don't read while walking; it's bad for your eyes."
"Okay." Abel obediently walked between the two of them.
Laila smiled at him. "It's okay if you can't understand it. If you're interested, you can take some related courses in the future. Who knows, you might become the next Warren Buffett."
"Uh, yeah..." Abel nodded. He didn't want to say it, but the book was quite interesting, and he didn't find it too difficult. As for what Laila had just said to him, he assumed she might have been teasing him by deliberately pretending not to understand the book. If even he could find it so engaging, how could she not understand?
Not long after leaving the airport, they were caught by paparazzi who waited there year-round. It was a pleasant surprise for them because not only did they capture Laila and Roy together, but they could tell from the photos that they hadn't broken up as rumored.
It was obvious that they returned to New York for the holidays, which meant they were still together. However, this reduced the news value, disappointing the paparazzi who had worked hard to get the shots.
"Wait! What is she holding?" The paparazzi aimed their cameras at Laila's hand. "A book? It's the book she likes?"
"A Random Walk Down Wall Street"? What's that?
They didn't care; they had something they could exploit!
The delighted paparazzi eagerly snapped photos of Laila with the book and sold them for a good price.
The media outlets that bought the photos sensationalized them and authoritatively analyzed that Laila must be someone with great talent in finance and economics, or else her wealth wouldn't have grown so quickly!
As a result, the sales of "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" increased significantly and even made it onto the bestseller lists for the year. This was an unexpected development.
Afterward, some people referred to the economic benefits generated by her presence as the "Laila Effect," signifying that anything related to her would lead to a series of economic growth.
To illustrate today's events, she was simply walking through the airport with a book she couldn't understand. Paparazzi took pictures of her, which sold for a good price. The media outlets used the photos to fuel demand for the book, and the sales of the book surged.
Unknowingly, there were so many profits generated around her. It had to be said that it was a very interesting and worth researching phenomenon.
Back at the luxurious estate in New York, the usual hustle and bustle resumed. Laila finally found some time to speak privately with Roy once her pregnant mother had rested.
Of course, she couldn't hope for sweet nothings. Judging from Roy's expression, he wasn't holding out any hope for that.
"I want to talk to you about our upcoming duet," Laila began, and as expected, it was about work.
Roy sighed lightly and took a seat across from her. He had no idea how he ended up captivated by a woman who treated work like a lover, a woman who was both cunning and cold-hearted. She was the type he had disliked most in the past, so how did he become unable to take his eyes off her?
Laila felt a tingling sensation on her scalp as she glanced at him, sensing a strange look in his eyes. "Is something wrong?"
"No," Roy replied. "Go ahead; I'm listening."
He shifted his gaze away to shield his uncontrollable eyes. She was like a magnet that always made his unyielding gaze stick to her. He hated this side of himself but was powerless to change it.
Laila gazed at him for a moment and, finding nothing unusual about him, she continued, "My plan is to go to the East two weeks in advance. I'll rehearse and inspect the progress of the investments. How about you? Are you going on your own or joining me?"