"After all, it's our alma mater's centennial celebration. It wouldn't be appropriate not to attend," He Siyu said leisurely.
Assistant Yan froze for a moment. Since when did the CEO care so much about social niceties?
Especially considering that He Siyu had barely attended classes at Jing University back in the day...
Assistant Yan nodded. "You're right, it wouldn't be appropriate. I'll arrange your schedule for the celebration."
---
Jing University.
"Tomorrow is the centennial celebration, and I heard they even invited CEO He this year!"
"Which CEO He? You don’t mean the Third Young Master of the He Family?"
"Of course! Why else would the school make such a big fuss? I even saw the principal personally supervising the wall repainting earlier—apparently, they’re planning to take a group photo with CEO He there."
"..."
Sang Ning had just taken her seat in the classroom when a girl rushed over, excitedly grabbing her arm. "Sang Ning, did you hear? The Third Young Master He is coming to the celebration tomorrow!"
Sang Ning blinked. "What’s a centennial celebration?"
"..."
"It’s to commemorate Jing University’s 100th anniversary! These kinds of events usually invite outstanding alumni, and the Third Young Master He graduated from here. But he’s always been low-key and rarely attends public events—no one expected him to show up this time!" Ye Qian was practically vibrating with excitement.
Sang Ning hesitated before slowly nodding. "So… what happens at the celebration?"
Ye Qian: "..."
"Can you stop focusing on the celebration itself?"
"But I’ve never been to one before."
"Then have you ever met the Third Young Master He?!"
"I have."
Ye Qian: ???
She grabbed Sang Ning’s hands, eyes wide. "You’ve met him? What’s he like?!"
"Decently human, I suppose."
"..."
Ye Qian huffed. "You must’ve only seen him from afar. You don’t know anything about him."
She launched into an enthusiastic explanation. "Have you heard of Glorious? That’s the company the Third Young Master He built from scratch. In just ten years, it’s grown to a valuation of over a hundred billion dollars."
Sang Ning recalled that their professor had indeed used Glorious as a case study in class.
"And do you know about the He Family’s background? Forget three generations—go back five or even ten, and they’ve always been an illustrious family! Rumor has it that Commander He originally planned for his youngest son to join the military, but the Third Young Master was rebellious from the start, refusing to follow the family’s path. It infuriated Commander He so much that he eventually gave up and let him do as he pleased. Now that Glorious is a massive success, the father and son still don’t get along."
"Why wouldn’t he be happy about that?" Sang Ning asked, puzzled.
"The He Family is very traditional, and their background is… unique. Commander He probably disapproves." Ye Qian’s explanation was vague—she didn’t know much herself.
Sang Ning thought of the Xie Family and understood. The more prestigious the family, the stricter the rules—anything outside tradition was forbidden.
She didn’t know how her great-grandfather had managed to defy the elders and marry her great-grandmother, who came from a merchant family.
But the Xie Family never spoke of it. She’d only overheard the story by chance, and they made sure no one would ever dare repeat such a rebellion.
"I want to ask the Third Young Master He for an autograph!"
Ye Qian pulled out a finance magazine from her bag, its cover featuring that familiar, striking face.
It was a half-body shot, likely taken during an interview. Dressed in a black suit and navy blue tie, his attire was immaculate, but his expression was relaxed—though the sharpness in his deep-set eyes was unmistakable.
"Look! This was from an interview years ago when Glorious went public. CEO He is notoriously private—this is the only formal interview he’s ever given. I bought this magazine and kept it in perfect condition. My biggest dream is to get his autograph on it!"
Ye Qian had also studied finance at Jing University as an undergrad. In their field, He Siyu’s name was legendary.
Sang Ning flipped through the magazine. The first article was He Siyu’s interview, with key sections highlighted.
The reporter asked, "CEO He, what do you believe is the secret to your success?"
He Siyu replied, "Diligence, perseverance, dedication, and ambition."
Sang Ning frowned. It was hard to associate those admirable traits with He Siyu.
Noticing her expression, Ye Qian pointed at the bolded quote and declared, "This line has become my life motto! It’s what I strive for!"
"Oh..."
"Anyway, let’s go tomorrow! Maybe we’ll even get a chance to talk to him!"
Classes ended early that day. Sang Ning found the material challenging—she lacked the foundational knowledge—but Ye Qian enthusiastically helped her, and she learned a lot.
The Nan Family had also quieted down. After yesterday’s incident, Nan Zhenming and Wen Meiling treated her with unexpected gentleness, likely out of guilt over their misunderstanding. Nan Siya was sulking at home, too upset to even leave her room. The peace was a rare luxury.
Sang Ning was in high spirits.
Jing University’s centennial celebration was grand. By early morning, the entrance was jammed with cars.
Sang Ning had to get out far away and walk the rest.
From the gates onward, the campus was draped in red banners, with student volunteers guiding guests. As a prestigious institution, Jing University’s alumni spanned business and politics, and many influential figures had come.
Sang Ning wandered in, taking in the sights with curiosity.
As soon as she entered, she spotted Ye Qian.
"Sang Ning!" Ye Qian grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "Hurry, we’re running out of time!"
"Out of time for what?"
"The auditorium! I asked Zhang Liang to save us seats. If we’re late, someone else might take them!"
"Since when do we need to reserve seats in the auditorium?"
Normally, the place was so empty that the student council had to drag people in to fill it for speeches.
"Today’s different! CEO He is coming. I found out he’ll be speaking there. If we don’t get there early, it’ll be packed—we won’t even find standing room!"
Ye Qian dragged Sang Ning at a breakneck pace, sprinting so fast Sang Ning could barely catch her breath.
When they finally burst into the auditorium, Ye Qian spotted Zhang Liang waving at them.
She pulled Sang Ning over. "What’s with these seats? They’re so far back!"
"These are good! I got here an hour early, and half the seats were already taken. Did you think you were the only one with insider info?"
Ye Qian grumbled but conceded. At least they were in the middle section.
"If I’d known, I would’ve come three hours earlier to grab better seats."
They waited another half-hour before a sudden buzz swept through the auditorium.
Ye Qian shot to her feet, craning her neck. Her eyes lit up. "CEO He is here!"
The doors swung open, and a crowd surged in, surrounding He Siyu.
Tall and striking, he stood out effortlessly. Dressed in a tailored navy suit, his long strides were unhurried, his sharp features and deep-set eyes exuding calm confidence amidst the formal atmosphere.