Chapter 718 - 317: I’m a Young Man, After All

Today was a special day for Jiang University.

Its 75th anniversary.

Logically, there was no need for another celebration, as they had just held one two years prior.

But it was like celebrating a birthday—the new university leadership had arrived and wanted to liven things up, so they decided to hold another one for good measure.

The first two rows below the stage were reserved for VIPs and university leaders.

Under normal circumstances, Ou Jingya, as a regular university teacher, wouldn’t have been qualified to sit there. But thanks to Xu Yun, she was seated in those rows today.

She was feeling a little nervous.

The middle-aged man to her left, dressed in a sharp suit, was someone she recognized from business magazines—a famous entrepreneur.

She also recognized the man to her right, who was the owner of some publicly traded company.

Directly in front of her sat a certain city leader.

She had heard he was also an alumnus of Jiang University!

Ou Jingya subconsciously found herself comparing Xu Yun to these successful individuals, and he felt completely different.

Xu Yun had never worn formal attire.

Whenever she saw him, he was always in casual clothes and sneakers, speaking informally like an ordinary person. He didn’t have the slightest air of a powerful figure or a social elite.

He was more like a carefree playboy, roguishly handsome, and even a little improper when he spoke.

Yet this was the very same person who, at such a young age, had reached the pinnacle of success before he was even thirty, more successful than any of the company owners present!

And far more low-key!

The thought of representing Xu Yun and announcing his 1.5 billion donation in front of everyone made her tremble with excitement.

She even felt an uncontrollable urge to pee.

While Ou Jingya was observing others and lost in her own thoughts, the people around her were also discreetly observing her.

They were all racking their brains, trying to recall if they knew of any female entrepreneur who fit her description.

After all, the very fact that she was sitting here, amongst them, was a symbol of social status and power.

But after thinking for a long time, none of them could figure out when the university had produced such a young and beautiful female entrepreneur.

Since each seat had a name tag on the back, everyone assumed her name was Xu Yun.

One person couldn’t resist breaking the ice. "President Xu, hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Yan Zhi, the chairman of Jiangshang Group."

"President Yan, hello."

Ou Jingya was flattered. "I recognize you. I often see your name in local business news. You’re one of our university’s distinguished alumni."

"I didn’t realize I was so famous,"

Yan Zhi said with a smile. "If I may ask, President Xu, what industry are you in? We’re all alumni, so perhaps we’ll have a chance to collaborate in the future."

"President Yan, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not Xu Yun."

Ou Jingya explained apologetically, "He had something to attend to today and asked me to represent him. I’m a teacher here at Jiang University. My name is Ou Jingya."

"Oh, so that’s how it is."

Yan Zhi laughed. "I was just thinking, how could such a beautiful woman have a name that sounds a bit masculine?"

He hadn’t said it quietly, and the others nearby heard him as well.

Those who had been planning to approach her after the event immediately dismissed the idea.

However, the city leader sitting in the front row, directly in front of her, suddenly turned to glance at her upon hearing the name.

"Young lady, this Xu Yun you speak of, is he a young man around 26 or 27 years old?"

Ou Jingya subconsciously replied, "Um, yes, he is."

"What is your relationship to him?"

"A friend."

"You go back and tell him that skipping such an important occasion as the university anniversary is just preposterous."

After saying that, the city leader added a compliment, "You’re very beautiful. Don’t let that kid’s sweet talk fool you."

Then he turned back around.

"..."

Ou Jingya was a bit baffled, unsure of what had just happened.

The others around her were even more baffled.

You see, this particular city leader was the absolute guest of honor today, someone to whom even the university leadership had to suck up with careful smiles.

What seemed like a few casual remarks actually contained a wealth of information for these successful entrepreneurs to speculate on.

’Not only does the city leader know this Xu Yun fellow, but it seems their relationship is quite good?’

’Otherwise, he wouldn’t have spoken to the woman before them in such an avuncular tone!’

This made everyone even more curious about the absent Xu Yun. Just what kind of person was he?

The university leader at his side asked tentatively, "Sir, you know this Xu Yun as well?"

"I do."

The city leader smiled. "He helped our government solve a major problem that was giving me a real headache. I just didn’t know he was also my junior, an alumnus of Jiang University."

"I only recently heard about this student myself,"

the university leader replied. "The ’Xu Yun Scholarship’ program, which is set to launch during this event, was his idea. He approached a university counselor on his own initiative to establish it, pro bono, to support outstanding students from low-income families."

"This young man has a good sense of social responsibility."

The city leader asked curiously, "By the way, I heard you have a donation drive as part of the event. Did that kid donate?"

"He did."

"How much?"

The university leader replied with a smile, "We didn’t collect that information beforehand. The alumni are deciding on the spot. No matter the amount, it’s the thought that counts."

"That’s true. You can’t force these things; it has to come from their own willingness."

"You’re right, Sir."

Soon, at the host’s direction, the university leaders, department heads, and Ou Jingya went on stage for the first time.