Back in her room, Ou Yunchen casually turned on an international channel, which was broadcasting an interview with a celebrity.
Interviewer: /
Other trainees from different groups also chattered amongst themselves in small groups.
Trainee A: "I knew it! That's why you left last night the moment you said you saw Xie Youlin!"
Trainee C: "Are you saying you were discussing him behind his back like the rest of you?"
Trainee B: "He came over while we were talking yesterday. I really don't know if he heard anything."
Trainee C: "Oh, you guys have too much time on your hands. Come to class and focus, stop discussing irrelevant things!"
Trainee A: "It's about getting to know each other. How can you know if someone is worth befriending if you don't understand them?"
Trainee B: "Good thing my company didn't seek investment from ATL. That guy has ulterior motives. He'd probably just trick inexperienced CEOs like Mr. Xie."
Trainee A: "Seriously, how could he do such a wicked thing? Double-crossing someone, and he can actually pull that off? What a moral degenerate!"
Trainee C: "You know it, and it didn't harm you. Besides, you can't just believe Mr. Xie's side of the story. Even though he suffered heavy losses and appears to be the victim, the Securities Regulatory Commission hasn't declared ATL guilty."
Trainee A rubbed his fingers together, forming a gesture of money that everyone understood.
Ou Yunchen suddenly stopped walking. Her superior hearing, honed by years of training, picked up every word of the conversation behind her. The three trainees, unaware of her presence, were startled by her abrupt halt.
Ou Yunchen: "Good morning. Shall we walk together?"
The three trainees immediately greeted her but gestured for Ou Yunchen to go ahead.
Ou Yunchen smiled at them and then strode away with a flourish.
***
The 5-day intensive training finally reached its climax on the fifth day, bringing together forty unfamiliar magnates from various circles.
Achieving a "consensus" in such a short period was almost impossible.
However, there was one point that could not be ignored: they were all top-tier individuals, and top-tier people always found kindred spirits in each other.
Trainee A: "Are you all going?"
Trainee C: "I'll go. Mr. Xie is hosting. It's a good chance for me to learn more about the media industry."
Trainee B: "I have to check my schedule. I might not be able to make it. I have several meetings."
Some trainees were discussing a dinner banquet that Xie Youlin was planning for the following month to win people over. He had invited all the magnates, but Ou Yunchen was conspicuously absent from the guest list.
Yang Danzhou sidled up to Ou Yunchen. Her driver hadn't arrived yet, and Ou Yunchen didn't seem in any hurry to leave, engrossed in her laptop in the hotel lobby.
Yang Danzhou: "Ms. Ou, you're always so busy."
Ou Yunchen gently closed her laptop and smiled.
Yang Danzhou: "You know, you should try to get closer to everyone. We're all in the same class, after all. There's nothing wrong with chatting."
Ou Yunchen: "I would like to, but it seems I'm not very popular."
Yang Danzhou: "Well... I've heard about that too."
Ou Yunchen: "I can see that."
Yang Danzhou: "Honestly, when I first heard about your dealings, I thought you weren't a very good person..."
Ou Yunchen: "It's amusing how everyone can judge a person based on hearsay, isn't it?"
Yang Danzhou: "Please don't take it to heart. What I meant to say is, since we were all chosen to be here, we probably share the same goal. Even though we are all top magnates, we can't escape the pursuit of profit."
Ou Yunchen: "My ride is here. Thank you for saying all that. I feel much better."
Yang Danzhou: "Oh, by the way, are you going to Mr. Xie's dinner?"
Ou Yunchen: "He didn't invite me."
Yang Danzhou had assumed Xie Youlin had invited everyone. If someone was deliberately excluded at this point, it hinted at factionalism.
The car picking up Ou Yunchen pulled up to the entrance, and Cai Yadong, beaming, opened his arms wide.
Yang Danzhou immediately recognized Cai Yadong. Everyone had been speculating about who would receive the recommendation spot. It seemed it was the unassuming Ou Yunchen!
This was bound to be news that would shake certain groups. Yang Danzhou quickly took a photo and sent it to her group chat.
Cai Yadong: "You've lost weight!"
Ou Yunchen: "Yes, the academic pressure is immense. The class is full of top students. I'm like a student sitting next to the trash can, only able to wake up earlier and sleep later than everyone else..."
Ou Yunchen's words carried a hint of weariness, but it was the truth. These magnates were truly not short on academic prowess!
Cai Yadong: "Come on, let me treat you to a good meal."