Three days later, Ou Yunchen's training camp finally reached the stage of final project presentations.
All the students in the class had done exceptionally well, with each group's presentation showcasing a unique flair.
When it was Ou Yunchen's group's turn, they were not to be outdone.
Despite Ying Shuning's bookish appearance, she was actually quite capable when it came to coursework.
Ying Shuning: "In other words, we can use biotechnology to extract the necessary parts from a person, such as their biological characteristics, and then, through game character creation, upload them to a virtual community, thus achieving a transfer of life."
Ou Yunchen: "Yes, in other words, even deceased individuals can be manifested in the metaverse through our technology. They would possess their unique thoughts and behavioral patterns just like normal people, all thanks to the advancements in biotechnology."
Finally, amidst a round of applause, Ou Yunchen's group's presentation concluded successfully.
Yun Qingyang: "Excellent. Today, I not only imparted a commercially valuable lesson to you all, but you have all also been my teachers, providing me with a meaningful learning experience."
Yun Qingyang: "Every industry has its unique characteristics, and many successful projects are born from breaking conventional thinking."
"The development of enterprises is inseparable from innovation. I hope this training session has given you all much to ponder. We will meet again in the next session."
At the end of the course, everyone received a certificate personally signed by Principal Yun Qingyang.
Ou Yunchen's group's project received the "Most Creative Award." Although it wasn't the "Most Promising Project Award," the prospect of enabling deceased individuals to live again in a parallel-like world had generated significant anticipation among many.
Even classmates who usually didn't interact much came over to praise Ou Yunchen and his team members before leaving.
Ying Shuning: "Mr. Ou, I'm leaving now. I have a flight tonight."
Ou Yunchen: "Thank you for your hard work. You were the biggest contributor to this project."
Ying Shuning: "It was no trouble at all. See you at the next training session."
Yang Danzhou: "Mr. Ou, I'm leaving too. My driver has arrived."
Ou Yunchen: "Alright, be careful on your way."
As Ou Yunchen was packing his things, someone lightly tapped his shoulder. The tap was gentle, but noticeable.
Ou Yunchen turned around and saw Ren Xiaoguang, who was among the last to leave.
Ou Yunchen: "Mr. Ren, you haven't left yet?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "I was waiting for you."
Ou Yunchen was somewhat surprised. Apart from a brief conversation on the first day of the training camp, they hadn't interacted since.
Ou Yunchen had assumed Ren Xiaoguang wouldn't give him another chance...
Ren Xiaoguang: "Your group's project was truly excellent. Of all the presentations, it was the one I looked forward to the most. And I genuinely hope you can bring it to fruition, not just as a class project."
Ou Yunchen: "It's all thanks to Ying Shuning and Yang Danzhou. With their technical improvements, support, and ideas, it was possible to realize the project."
Ren Xiaoguang: "There will be a day, won't there?"
Ou Yunchen: "I believe so."
A glimmer of anticipation seemed to appear in Ren Xiaoguang's eyes, and Ou Yunchen sensed what aspect of the project had captivated her.
By intuition, Ou Yunchen felt Ren Xiaoguang wished to see someone, someone who was no longer alive.
***
The arrival of spring brought a new vitality to the city's nights. Ou Yunchen and Ren Xiaoguang strolled through the campus, discussing their entrepreneurial journeys and Ren Xiaoguang's life regrets.
Ren Xiaoguang: "Actually, I'm not what people outside say I am, nor was I born knowing my destiny. But I was indeed forced to take over."
Ou Yunchen: "Didn't your father bring you to board meetings from a young age, nurturing your business acumen from childhood?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "That's because the media doesn't report on deceased people."
Ou Yunchen paused for a moment, Ren Xiaoguang's face appeared even more serene in the moonlight.
Ren Xiaoguang: "I had a younger brother. If he were alive, he'd be about your age now."
Ou Yunchen: "I've actually never heard of that."
Ren Xiaoguang: "My brother and I were very close. In fact, I wasn't the one being groomed initially. It was always my brother who insisted on bringing me along to participate in board meetings with our father."
Ou Yunchen: "So, your father intended to groom your brother?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "Yes. My brother was a genius, but his only flaw was that he was somewhat withdrawn. Apart from me, he wouldn't communicate with anyone."
Ou Yunchen: "So..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "So, he committed suicide at the age of eighteen."
Ou Yunchen felt a deep sense of regret. By Ren Xiaoguang's account, if her brother were alive, he would be the successor to Bixiu Garden now. Such an exceptional, talented young man would have been the pride of many.
Ren Xiaoguang: "Would you like to see his photo?"
Ou Yunchen: "May I?"
Ren Xiaoguang smiled and took out her phone from her embrace, scrolling through it until she found her brother's photo.
The moment Ou Yunchen saw the photo, he almost cried out. How could two people in this world look so alike?
Ren Xiaoguang: "Even you think we're very similar?"
Ou Yunchen: "We're incredibly alike, as if I'm looking at myself in my youth."
Ren Xiaoguang put away her phone, casting a reluctant glance at her brother's photo before tucking it back into her embrace.
Ren Xiaoguang: "That's why when I saw you on the first day of school, I almost cried. If I hadn't seen my brother die with my own eyes, I might have truly believed he was secretly alive somewhere I couldn't see."
Ou Yunchen: "So that's why you hoped our group's project would come to fruition."
Ren Xiaoguang smiled wryly. She truly wished to revive her brother through advanced technology, so he wouldn't be frozen at a single moment in his youth.
Ou Yunchen: "Why did your brother commit suicide?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "After he was diagnosed with autism, my father sought every possible way to treat him."
"But as he grew older, he became increasingly reclusive, living only in his own world."
"You must understand, Bixiu Garden was already a massive real estate group back then. It was impossible for a son with autism to inherit it."
Ou Yunchen: "So, you took his place at that time?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "What else could I do? Someone had to succeed our father."
Ren Xiaoguang sighed, gazing at the lakeside on campus. She remained silent for a long time, then secretly wept.
Ou Yunchen immediately offered her a handkerchief. Ren Xiaoguang rested her head on Ou Yunchen's shoulder, desperately needing comfort.
If only the man beside her were her brother. Looking at them, they shared only a resemblance in their faces, but their voices and personalities were completely different.
Ren Xiaoguang: "If only I had refused to take my brother's place back then."
Ou Yunchen: "..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "Because I had to learn so much from my father, I neglected my brother. He thought I didn't want him anymore..."
Ou Yunchen: "It wasn't intentional..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "It was intentional. I didn't spend his eighteenth birthday with him. I broke my promise..."
Ou Yunchen sighed and put an arm around Ren Xiaoguang's shoulder, letting her lean on him for a while...
Ren Xiaoguang: "I kept breaking promises around that time, but I was just too busy, so busy that I only got a few hours of sleep each day..."
"By the time I got home, my brother was already asleep... And when he woke up, I had already gone to work with my father."
Ou Yunchen: "Running a business is like that. It's difficult to balance career and family."
Ren Xiaoguang: "My brother must have been in so much pain. My world was already so small, only containing him, yet I..."
Ou Yunchen gently stroked Ren Xiaoguang's shoulder, hoping she would find strength.
Ren Xiaoguang: "I'm sorry."
Ren Xiaoguang wiped her tears and sat up straight again.
She had never cried in front of anyone before, for below her were tens of thousands of employees. Her father had told her she could not show vulnerability.
Ren Xiaoguang: "Because you resemble him so much, I've become a little too emotional."
Ou Yunchen: "It's alright. If there's anything I can do for you, please tell me. Consider it as something your brother would do for you."
As Ou Yunchen was comforting Ren Xiaoguang, someone else witnessed this scene from a distance and captured it with their phone.
***
Half an hour earlier.
After class, as all the students had left the classroom, Xie Youlin followed Yun Qingyang to his office.
He proposed that he be the outstanding representative for this cohort of students. As per the tradition of each cohort, a particularly outstanding student would receive this honor at the end of the three-year program.
Yun Qingyang: "Mr. Xie, aren't you being a bit too hasty? Our course has just begun, this is only the first year."
Xie Youlin: "Whether it's decided early or late, it's still a decision. If it's determined now that it will be me, then for the next three years, I can strive even harder with the mindset of an outstanding student."
Yun Qingyang: "Mr. Xie, the outstanding student isn't solely based on academic performance; it's more about who can contribute significantly to the nation in the future."
Xie Youlin: "Teacher Yun, please don't play coy with me. Others may not know, but I am very clear about why you founded Haigong University."
Yun Qingyang: "Oh? Then tell me, why did you establish Haigong University?"
Xie Youlin: "Because your ambition extends beyond educating the nation's top entrepreneurs. Your goal is to recruit talent for the elite association you founded ten years ago."
Yun Qingyang laughed heartily, praising Xie Youlin. He truly lived up to being the student representative chosen on the first day of school.
Yun Qingyang: "That's right. So many entrepreneurs nationwide wish to attend my classes. Being selected is already being among the best of the best. However, elites are the talents I value most."
Xie Youlin: "Consider this my self-recommendation. The outstanding representative for this cohort can only be me."
Yun Qingyang patted Xie Youlin on the shoulder, but shook his head.
Yun Qingyang: "You are indeed more outstanding than most entrepreneurs. You are young and ambitious, but you haven't yet reached the position of an elite in my eyes."
Xie Youlin was about to question where he fell short, but was interrupted by Yun Qingyang's next words.
Yun Qingyang: "Don't rush. Three years is enough time for me to cultivate you into the person I need. As long as you listen carefully to my lessons, you will have the opportunity to become a member of the elite association."
Xie Youlin was very dissatisfied with this outcome. He didn't want to offend Yun Qingyang at this moment, so he had to suppress his frustration for now!
However, there was no need to pity Xie Youlin. He could tell that Yun Qingyang didn't hold a high opinion of him. After all, he had anticipated such a response...
It's just that he had intended to hold back his trump card. It seemed he would have to resort to threatening Yun Qingyang with the contents of that USB drive!
Yun Qingyang: "It's getting late. We'll see each other at the next training session."
With that, Yun Qingyang packed his belongings and left the office.
Xie Youlin, however, lingered around the school, contemplating when would be the best time to use the USB drive to threaten Yun Qingyang. It seemed that either too early or too late would be inappropriate...