Chapter 159 What a Pity

Time is truly a wondrous thing.

Back in his youth, Su Mu felt that if he couldn't win Kate's heart, then whoever he ended up with later in life would merely be a compromise. The adolescent crush that had lasted so long was eventually forgotten just like that, and only at this moment did he realize how long it had been since he last thought of her.

The image of Kate in his memory was still frozen at their last meeting a few years ago.

During his initial period in Menlo Park, he had once expected to catch a glimpse of Kate in movies or television shows. Later, there was no news of her at all. Two years ago, he heard from Du Zhong that she had moved out of Chinatown, leaving many Chinatown youths heartbroken, and after that, all contact was cut off.

Slightly astonished that Kate had failed to make a name for herself, Su Mu thought that she was so extraordinarily pretty—more beautiful than all of Hollywood's actresses combined—that she shouldn't have remained as obscure as she currently was. He let out a soft sigh, feeling a sense of regret for her sake.

That first-love sentiment was no longer as profound as it had been a few years prior. Back when he was still studying at Castelar Public High School, merely catching a glimpse of Kate in passing, seeing her from afar, would make Su Mu feel as though it were the most wonderful enjoyment in the world.

Recalling it now still brought him a sense of comfort, and with a smile on his lips, he asked Lily, "How is Kate doing? Just tell me the good news. If she's turned into a one-hundred-and-fifty-pound woman, or has become a vulgar and snobbish person, then don't tell me at all. I'm not yet at the legal drinking age, and finding a bar to drink away my sorrows won't be easy."

Historically, federal law required the minimum legal drinking age in all states to be twenty-one. While eighteen meant legal adulthood, drinking had to wait until twenty-one. In reality, as long as one didn't look too young, various bars weren't overly strict about enforcing this rule; Su Mu was simply joking.

"You don't need to worry too much about that. Kate is very gorgeous. It's precisely because she remains just as stunning that I noticed her in the crowd. I was so envious of her fair skin, which didn't even have a single freckle. I don't know if she's still single; pretty girls never lack suitors. You should go give it a try—who would refuse the invitation of a billionaire?"

After Lily finished speaking, Su Mu retorted, "Are you saying the only thing about me that can attract her is my money?"

"Isn't that also a form of masculine charm, wouldn't you say? Besides, you have a great personality, talking with you is thoroughly pleasant, and you're also a very capable man."

"When all is said and done, you still didn't praise my looks. I thought that was the reason for my success."

"Hahahaha! Such a narcissist!"

Lily playfully tossed the small cloth doll she was holding right at Su Mu, laughing happily, and added, "You weren't humorous at all in the past. Being like this is quite handsome—it even has me captivated. Satisfied now?"

"Very satisfied. You've finally spoken your true thoughts..."

After the banter, she brought up another matter concerning Kate: "But she doesn't seem to be very happy. When I saw Kate, she was on her way to work a part-time job. Not everyone is like you, achieving success so early. Most of our classmates are still studying; Castelar's principal really ought to hang your photo up in the hall of distinguished alumni."

Hearing that Kate was not doing particularly well, Su Mu's mood suddenly soured. A sudden impulse arose in him to go to New York to check on her, as he did not wish in the least to see the girl he had once adored worn down by the trivial hardships of life.

Without mentioning his thoughts to Lily, he continued, "What a pity. Back then, I even envied her for making a tidy sum from an ice cream commercial. I have a house in Beverly Hills, and those stars are exceptionally wealthy. She should have kept at it."

"Who knows? Becoming a star isn't easy either. It seemed like the entertainment agency she was signed with ran into some trouble, though I didn't ask in detail..."

***

After exchanging phone numbers and parting ways at the cafe, Su Mu and Lily agreed to meet up again later.

The current Vice President of the United States, Mr. Bush, had not yet arrived at Yale University and was still en route on his plane. This period marked the crucial climax of the presidential election campaign, and his schedule was tightly packed. Just yesterday, Su Mu had seen news on television of him giving a speech in Texas.

Every presidential election year was a time for the American public to watch the spectacle, though in reality, the vast majority of people didn't care who became president—it was the wealthy who truly had the most reason to worry.

Considering that President Reagan's tax-cut policies had stimulated commerce and allowed countless people to profit from tax reductions, Su Mu believed that this time there was a high likelihood of breaking the tradition of alternating party rule, with President Reagan's running mate, Mr. Bush, continuing existing policies. The chances of him winning were quite high.

To show his respect, he returned to his rented apartment to change into a black suit and combed his hair neatly. Suits in this era tended to be quite loose, but this particular suit had been custom-made by his grandfather using high-grade fabric and fit him just right. Looking himself over in the mirror, he looked very sharp.

After reading the newspaper and waiting for over half an hour, he heard the noise of a helicopter and guessed that Vice President Bush had most likely arrived. He gathered his business cards, tucked a fountain pen into his chest pocket, and finally headed out.

The current Vice President of the United States, Mr. Bush, was an alumnus of Yale University. This was a premier institution boasting a multitude of distinguished alumni; according to statistics, since 1789, nine percent of cabinet members had hailed from Yale, and numerous U.S. Supreme Court Justices had also graduated from this school.

Stanford University lagged behind it by more than just a single tier. Yale's alumni were spread throughout America's political and business spheres, holding immense influence in the United States.

When he initially chose this university, the idea of building connections had been part of the consideration. It was a pity that, being of Chinese descent, Su Mu found it difficult to integrate into their circles. Furthermore, he was frequently away from campus and had skipped grades multiple years. Even so, Su Mu already bore the brand of Yale University; for instance, this very opportunity to connect with the Vice President had come about precisely because he studied at Yale.

As Vice President, Mr. George Bush was already a source of pride for Yale alumni, and now he had also begun running for president. Recently, Yale students had been voluntarily drumming up support for him. Su Mu deeply desired to possess influence—if he wanted to climb higher in the future, this was an indispensable asset.

While walking and pondering this, he actually hit upon a brilliant idea. He thought to himself that since there would be so many computer users in the future, why not directly move the newspaper onto the net and publish various news directly within the internet?

Issues of profitability and the like didn't need to be considered just yet. Since Spider Mail could make money through advertising, as long as the user base grew large enough, he would eventually figure out a way to monetize it in the future.

With money in hand, good creative ideas could truly be realized. Su Mu decided that upon returning to the Silicon Valley region of California, he would recruit more talent, incorporate this project into the mix, and embark on his second venture.

There was a heavy police presence along the roadside, along with several burly men wearing bulletproof vests, holding firearms and scanning their surroundings. When the Vice President traveled, the grandeur was hardly any less than that of the President himself.

Right at that moment, a convoy of black Cadillac cars flying American flags drove past Su Mu...