expressions and adapting accordingly was a basic necessity in this circle. But seeing someone like Zhang Xi showing servile smiles while the Crown Prince handled their expenses entirely, yet treating...Chapter Twenty-Two: A Hero Among Ten Thousand Men

After eating, when I came out, it was already dusk. The campus of Nan University was quiet and still. Those dormitory buildings and the all-night self-study teaching building were illuminated by soft lights from afar. There were many construction sites in Nan University, and landmark buildings at the main gate were under construction.

The sports field, which still retained the warmth of the day, occasionally echoed with cheers and faint screams of girls.

The coffee bar below the library was a very romantic place on campus. Experienced seniors often ordered iced tea and lingered around, eyeing girls sitting by the window under colored lights. They usually had some success; if they were lucky, they might even get to chat with one or two refined Jiangnan girls who rarely attracted attention from others. These girls always had a cup of milk tea on their table and casually held a book like Eileen Chang's or Walt Whitman's poetry collection, making them prime targets for seniors.

Occasionally, there were stubborn heads—girls piled high with thick books by Beauvoir and Heidi but wearing hot pants and short skirts, showing off their slender legs. These girls were usually from the psychology department; they had a certain reputation that made them hard to approach.

This university annually radiates out figures stamped with golden signatures to this city as well as throughout China. Talking about its history or notable alumni in academia, finance, and politics, it can certainly find some impressive names. The lives of these people before they stepped out of the ivory tower were not much different from any ordinary person on campus now.

The black car drove along the main road into the dormitory area, first dropping off Tang Wu at her dorm building. Both Tang's father and mother had come to see her off. They happened to meet Tang Wu’s class counselor downstairs. The two were chatting enthusiastically; it seemed that the counselor hadn’t expected to encounter such an excellent student’s parents, while the parents in front of him confirmed his conjectures—they weren't ordinary people.

Li Lan and Su Can stood outside the car with the trees rustling beside them as the wind blew. Li Lan offered a cigarette to Su Can, who waved it off politely; Li Lan didn’t force him but lit one himself.

This moment, several girls returning from their study sessions walked by, swaying their skirts gently. Li Lan wasn't ashamed of his indiscreet gaze and comparison—he noticed that the freshmen’s eyes were wandering over to Su Can, who was quite recognizable in recent times. Unable to whistle to attract these girls’ attention, Li Lan took a deep breath from his cigarette and smiled at Su Can, saying, "So you’re classmates with Miss Tang"

Su Can nodded, "We’ve been classmates since middle school."

"Mr. Tang has quite a good alcohol tolerance; he likes to drink frequently. When it comes to major decisions, drinking is practically his closest ally. In the future when you eat together with him, make sure to keep him company and have some drinks too. I’m certain that Mr. Tang would be delighted if you did."

Li Lan grinned.

"Not surprising; broad-minded people can accommodate more weight. Mr. Tang must be very contented."

"Once he reaches his age, it’s not just about drinking—he’d gain weight even from cool water, which isn’t unusual at all. I’ve always admired Mr. Tang's mindset. Take me for example; I don't have that kind of composure and can’t attain such a level of cultivation. Recently, after acquiring an enterprise I thought was reputable, Mr. Tang authorized full power to me only to discover later that this company was riddled with bad debts and liabilities. It’s already in a state of stagnation where people come daily for debt repayment. Damn it, we’ve become creditors overnight."

Su Can was taken aback, "You lost"

"A deficit of one million; every day, various people come to the former company’s premises demanding accounts and causing trouble, making our take-over difficult as there wasn’t even a decent office building left because it had collapsed. Once we settled in at a fixed location, creditors rushed over without any way to stop them. They say Mr. Tang has taken on a hot potato; after news of us taking over the enterprise spread, these debtors have targeted him and me."

Li Lan exhaled smoke forcefully, "Later on, Mr. Tang came personally and spent 350 thousand yuan to refurbish an entire three-story building in the original company’s district. He handled everything himself, and within a day, over one hundred people showed up demanding their money back; as long as they could produce contracts or promissory notes, he paid them immediately. Five stacks of checks were prepared, along with nearly 1 million yuan in cash from a nearby bank; Mr. Tang dealt with these creditors right there in his office."

"During those few days, the amount of money Mr. Tang authorized daily was around two or three hundred thousand yuan. He spent close to 17 million yuan, plugging all the holes and stabilizing everything."

Recalling it, Li Lan felt his blood boiling again as he inhaled deeply from his cigarette.

"They all say that those without wealth will be short-lived, but when the creditors came to demand payment, they almost tore our place apart. However, Father Tang dealt with each one of them and now calls him brother, addressing him as Mr. Tang. Even back then, even though these people were ready to fight, Mr. Tang remained smiling and amiable, which left a deep impression on them. This kind of demeanor is something I can only admire from afar; I still have a long way to go before reaching his level.

Li Lan finally patted Su Can's shoulder and smiled, "You'll understand as time goes by. There are still so many things to learn from Mr. Tang."

Then he glanced at the distant figure of Tang Wu, "Once you graduate from university, you will see that in business, one must be adaptable and unpredictable. A common view circulating among insiders is that wealth does not define a hero or a coward; it's about whether someone can withstand challenges. Earning money involves risk-taking, but having several billion doesn't necessarily mean he has the courage to take risks compared to someone with hundreds of millions. In an industry where survival depends on competition and direct confrontation, one might even lose what they have. Only those who remain calm amidst chaos are true masters. If we ever get the chance to work together in the future, I can’t teach you economic theories from Nan Da University, but I can share practical experience."

“Current economic theories cannot fully interpret or predict social economic activities. There’s no one so capable that they know exactly when a financial crisis will occur or what trends are coming next. Mastering the theory is far from being able to navigate capital wars; only through practice and summarizing experiences can you truly benefit.” Su Can smiled, “If such a day comes, I hope Uncle Li Lan will help me then.

“I don’t doubt that day won't come, but these are minor tricks. To learn the big strategies, you should spend more time with your Uncle Tang over drinks and gain some wisdom. But there’s no rush; we have plenty of time in the future. You still have four years at university and can intern during senior year. These next few years are precious golden times. Enjoy your college life.” Li Lan chuckled knowingly. Even though Su Can knew he was intentionally building a relationship for his future role in Tang Corporation, he had no ill feelings towards him.

Li Tan didn’t assume that Su Can and Tang Wu would graduate together and smoothly become an ideal couple under Father Tang’s protection. In most cases, such beautiful fantasies end up as mere bubbles at the end of the day.

But there was still a chance, so he could say sincere words to college student Su Can who was relatively pure-hearted. If in the future Su Can ascends due to his relationship with Tang Wu and gains favor from Father Tang, securing an important position in the Tang Group, it would naturally bring him closer to Li Lan, adding another capable ally.

“Alright.” After a moment of thought, Li Lan took out a piece of paper and pen from his suit pocket and wrote down a phone number for Su Can. “If you need anything, contact me. Do your club activities require sponsorship Come to me if so; I’ll do my best to help in these aspects. Also, please remember to reserve a seat for me during major events.”

Li Lan could have given him a business card, but personally writing down the number and speaking directly made it more friendly.

Su Can quickly thanked him and took the note.

After talking to Tang Wu’s counselor and returning to where they had parked, only Li Lan remained with a cigarette in hand. He then opened the rear car door for them.

"Where is that boy" Father Tang asked when he didn’t see Su Can.

"He said he still has something to do here and it’s close to his dorm, so he went back on his own. He asked me to thank you both for today's hospitality."

Father Tang smiled, "Hey, there’s no need to be so polite.

Mu Xuan simply said “oh” without emotion and bent down to enter the car. The shadow under the car canopy and streetlights hid her face, "Then let's go."

The car started moving again along the main road of the university campus.

"I think Su Can is a good kid," Father Tang said to Mu Xuan in the car. “He behaved quite懂事today.”

Mu Xuan looked at him for a moment and smiled slightly, "You seem to like him."

“Haha, do you really think I’m indifferent Don’t get me wrong; don’t you know my personality I might appear indifferent on the surface, but deep down, I care. That’s why I stood up for myself against Zhao Xiaoyu today; it's rare to see this side of me.”

Mu Xuan's cold gaze withdrew from Tang Father and simultaneously shot a glance at Li Lan in the front row. Seeing Mu Xuan’s look through the rearview mirror, Li Lan was scared enough to clear his throat loudly, looking straight ahead and driving carefully, indicating that he hadn’t seen or heard anything.

Tang Father thought it was inappropriate timing for conversation but now regretted it under Mu Xuan's intense gaze. He pondered for a moment before saying suddenly, "That’s not right, my wife actually stood up for that boy today. If anyone should feel uncomfortable, shouldn’t it be me"

Mu Xuan could no longer bear to see this and reached out to pinch Tang Father's waist harshly. Li Lan shivered inwardly, thinking he had accidentally witnessed his boss and Director Mu’s little romantic interlude; would he get killed if he turned around

"Today’s incident, under those circumstances, isn’t about Su Chen but for our daughter too, we should hold onto some pride," Mu Xuan looked out the window and said softly, "To love someone seventy percent means at least keeping thirty percent for yourself to give you space, freedom of breath, and room to maneuver. This is a perfect state. But do you think our daughter can maintain such self-control in this situation"

"Of course she can! Our daughter is what kind of person Her grades have never worried us since childhood; every time at school competitions she came back with trophies and cups, the bookshelf's second drawer from the left was full of love letters from male students, I read them, quite a few had good literary talent,"

Tang Father said proudly but then saw Mu Xuan's expression and reined in his exaggerated body language. He thought seriously for a moment before saying, "I think it’s difficult."

"From childhood I didn't intervene much with Tang Wu, but this time when did you ever see her swim or hold hands with a boy showing such emotion When we eat together, has she even once served us food But today she did all of that for Su Chen. She’s already fallen in deeply. Now telling her to reserve some space and only love seventy percent won’t work."

"Children are easily full-hearted at this stage but often suffer the most because their complete dedication leaves them feeling barren when passion fades. University has just started, after four years they’ll face many challenges: jobs, graduation, life pressures, daily living expenses. Will he still be by her side Although I know everything should be optimistic about, blind faith doesn’t mean anything."

Tang Father nodded then shook his head, "Wife, this is where our difference lies; you’re too rational sometimes, and I’d rather blindly believe to avoid heartache."

"I don't overthink things," Mu Xuan waved her hand with a smile. "When Su Chen told me about ‘his four years’, I thought he was overestimating himself. But thinking back, maybe that’s exactly what makes him different. Now that Su Chen is able to study at Nankai University together with Tang Wu, although there's the intent of lowering standards for his sake, his efforts shouldn’t be overlooked. I’m willing to give them a chance, but don't blame me if I didn’t warn you: after university and graduation, these young people may not remain as they are now, nor will it be what you imagine."

Tang Father pondered then said, "Well, but if they graduate from university and want to work, there’ll be plenty of positions at my place. These kids won’t have any worries about employment. Ask Tang Wu; we can create opportunities for them as desired.

Mu Xuan shook her head, "From what I know of Su Chen, he's not that type of person. When communicating with our family, he’s in a weaker position but his spirit is high, such a child wouldn’t accept our arrangements easily; if forced, perhaps he’ll choose to break rather than bend.

Tang Father sighed and said, "He dares to play hardball with me But you’re right. If they have to struggle on their own like we did, not relying on family support from scratch, I might still be in Xia Hai today if not for my resignation due to an argument with leadership back then. It’s truly challenging for young people to reach our level now; the most optimistic estimate is ten years, and there will be many hardships during those ten years. What do you think"

"Right now Tang Wu might still keep some rationality but if you push her along with your influence, if she’s truly devoted to love without reservations and it fails someday unexpectedly, that would leave the deepest scar on her life. We shouldn’t stop or express opinions; we should just observe."

The car finally left campus and merged onto bustling streets leading into a city dotted with lights.

Shanghai was now behind them as Tang Father and Mother returned to Rongcheng the next day after their last night there.

Tang Father even left a parting shot, "I'll be back," which left Su Chen and Tang Wu speechless, akin to Hollywood leaving懸念 for a sequel.

When Su Tang returned to school that day, the floor where Tang Wu's dorm was located sparked a lot of discussion. When Su Cen and Tang Wu were spotted at the swimming pool, they immediately ran into Tang Wu’s parents, which made many people both feel thrilled and envious.

After all, although universities are quite open-minded, it's still quite awkward for two people to be caught swimming together so intimately.

However, this was also a romantic memory.

Life is long; college life is colorful yet extremely boring. People who look expressionless will often forget many things in the hustle and bustle of daily life afterward.

For example, the season when they held hands for the first time, the scene of their first kiss, the heart-pounding moments that left them breathless, how late it was raining when they broke up that night, or how many times they cried during those years.

One day, when recalling these times, one might not even remember what your face looked like anymore.

Maintaining memories of such things couldn't be a bad thing.

When Su Cen returned to the dormitory, he found it dimly lit; no big lights were on above them and the light from the table lamps at each desk was blocked by those using them. Wang Dongjian and other floor leaders were all present, surrounding a central table where people were playing cards.

This corroborated Su Cen's previous guess: their dormitory had become an integrated youth entertainment center with functions like card games room, computer room, tabletop game arena, and chat room.

When everyone saw Su Cen come in, they stopped what they were doing and gathered around him at the central table. They harshly criticized him for being unkind when he entered school, immediately taking Tang Wu as his girlfriend (despite her cold exterior and hot heart), making all male students feel deprived. Moreover, on the baseball field, he had gained fame through a kick that even some departments in senior years heard about.

This single kick represented the spirit of the entire class of 2001 newcomers, expressing their vigor, intimidation, new style, and the spirit of the new era.

Looking at everyone around him criticizing him for picking Tang Wu without leaving any trace behind, Su Cen thought to himself: Isn't it a bit unfair Haven't I pushed her into my arms yet

Why do they all look like I've made an enemy of the entire world.

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Today's update is here.

Nighttime (to be continued).nfamiliar with Zeng Ke's family. Back when they were occupying a basement dormitory in the trading company, many people had already expressed dissatisfaction and demanded that the unit allocate housin...