Chapter 475 - 471: I Think I Have an Idea

Cecilia Sterling stared at the message on her screen, taken aback.

Camping?

With his classmates?

"Isn’t that a bit weird? They’re all your friends. It’d be strange for me to tag along."

He quickly replied with an explanation: "Everyone else is bringing their girlfriends."

He immediately followed up with another message: "Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not trying to rush things. I just wanted to invite you. But it’s okay if you feel it’s awkward."

Every word of his messages radiated caution. Cecilia could even picture the look on Wyatt Sherman’s face as he sent them.

The corners of her lips curled up subconsciously. She replied, "Okay, send me the location. I’ll go if I’m free."

"Boyfriend?" Julian Summers couldn’t help but ask when he saw the smile on Cecilia’s face.

Cecilia glanced up at him and shook her head slightly. "A male friend."

’At least, that’s all our relationship is for now.’

Hearing this, Julian couldn’t help but laugh. "Come on. You’re so beautiful, I doubt any man who gets close to you wants to *just* be friends."

"Does that include you, Mr. Sullivan?" Cecilia asked bluntly.

Julian was so startled he stumbled backward. "Whoa! Don’t you go getting any ideas about me. I admit I’m an outstanding catch, but I’m really not the type to date. You’d have a hard time if you fell for me."

He was the type who loved to fool around, and his interest in pretty girls was far outweighed by his more stereotypical hobbies. Right now, his mind was completely focused on car racing.

"Thanks for the warning. I’ll be sure not to fall for you," Cecilia said with a straight face.

Julian nodded with an equally serious expression. "That’s the spirit. You just need to control yourself a little. I’m saying this for your own good."

Grant, who was standing nearby, couldn’t take it anymore. He secretly rolled his eyes, pulled a box out of his bag, and walked over. "Boss, it’s time for your medicine!"

"Alrighty!"

Cecilia shook her head and chuckled. ’It’s hard to believe a guy like this is the chairman of the Sullivan Group.’

Just then, Blair and Jane Sterling came over with Estelle in tow. Seeing Estelle’s dejected expression, Cecilia already knew what had happened.

"You didn’t pass again, huh?" Cecilia asked.

Estelle looked at her with teary eyes, pouting miserably. She just had a terrible sense of direction; driving was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do in her life.

Jane Sterling said with a sigh, "Not only did she not pass, she also wrecked one of the club’s cars."

Cecilia was shocked. She instinctively looked at Julian Summers. "So it’s true you wrecked several cars when you were learning?!"

’I thought Secretary Grant was joking.’

Hearing his embarrassing past get dredged up again, Julian protested, "Keep your voice down! It’s not exactly something to be proud of, you know."

He then turned to comfort Estelle. "It’s okay. Look at me, I have a racing license now, don’t I? As long as you study hard and get lots of practice, you’ll definitely improve."

"I’m just afraid she’s not taking it seriously at all," Blair said, looking at Estelle. "Why don’t you switch instructors? You should keep your driving lessons and your love life separate. I doubt your mind is really on learning to drive."

Jane Sterling rubbed her chin and thoughtfully agreed. "I have to admit, Estelle’s young instructor is pretty handsome."

"We’re not dating!" Estelle corrected her. "It’s just a crush! And I really have been studying hard, I just don’t have a talent for it. I’ve been practicing diligently."

"Forget it, forget it. You’ll pass eventually if you take the test a few more times. Besides, it’s just a hobby. We’re just driving for fun, not trying to become professional racers," Cecilia said.

Estelle felt comforted and clung to her pitifully. "Sweetie, you’re right."

Blair glanced at the time and said to the group, "Alright, you guys have fun. I have to go."

"What’s the rush? Isn’t your livestream tonight?"

"I have an appointment with an agent to see a place. Found another one I like in Sunstone District." As she spoke, Blair was already waving goodbye and heading out.

Jane Sterling sidled up and asked in a low voice, "Cecilia, Blair said it was your idea to invest in Sunstone District. How did you predict that?"

Sunstone District was the most remote district in northern Lorcain. Any further and you’d be past the Sixth Ring Road, with nothing but mountains beyond.

"Would you believe me if I said it was a woman’s intuition?" Cecilia asked jokingly.

Jane Sterling clicked her tongue. "Tsk. Stop messing around, I’m serious. My grandfather has been thinking about selling our family’s mountain on Mount Lyra in Sunstone District. It’s just been sitting there undeveloped for years."

"What?" Cecilia’s eyes widened in shock. "A mountain? Your grandfather owns a mountain on Mount Lyra?"

"Yep, but it’s useless!"

Building secluded, high-end estates on mountainsides was a popular trend among the wealthy. Unfortunately, Mount Lyra was even further north than the rest of Sunstone District. The location was just too poor. Real estate developers had never shown any interest, and no rich person would ever consider living out there.

That was why the mountain owned by Jane Sterling’s grandfather had remained undeveloped all this time.

"But even if Sunstone District does get developed, it probably won’t have anything to do with the mountain, right? The impact should be minimal," Jane Sterling muttered to herself, pursing her lips.

Cecilia nodded. ’Based on what I remember, Sunstone District did become prosperous later on due to development, but its core competitiveness could never match the major central districts.’

’It was only after Lorcain built a new airport there that Sunstone District’s economy really took off.’

’A mountain...’

Cecilia focused her thoughts for a moment, and then her eyes suddenly lit up.

’Huh?’

’I think I have an idea.’

"Jane, is your grandfather really going to sell the mountain?"

"Yeah, he’s already given the order, but finding a buyer is tough. I mean, what would you even do with a mountain like that?"

Estelle Goodman heard this and asked, confused, "Wait, why did your grandfather buy the mountain in the first place?"

"He didn’t buy it. It was..." Jane Sterling lowered her voice. "It was granted to my great-grandfather after the founding of New Cathay..."

Jane Sterling’s great-grandfather was one of the nation’s founding fathers.

Estelle Goodman raised her eyebrows in understanding. Just then, she heard Cecilia say, "Take me to see it when you have time."

"See what?" Jane Sterling looked at Cecilia in surprise, taking a moment to process it. "See the mountain? Wait, Cecilia, you’re not thinking of buying it, are you?"

"I want to see it first before I decide."

Estelle Goodman chimed in, "You’re not going to build an estate on it, are you? Mount Lyra is so inconvenient and remote!"

Cecilia shook her head. "No, but I do have an idea. I need to check it out in person before I can make a decision."

"How about this weekend, then? I’ll take you!"

’The weekend...’ Cecilia thought of Wyatt Sherman’s invitation.

But after only a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. "The weekend works."

’Men are nice, but making money is more important.’

She turned to look at Julian Summers, who was personally wiping down a car. "Mr. Sullivan, do you know any Feng Shui Masters? Could you introduce me to one?"