The following day, Clara and Lily returned to University.
They had come for the piano competition, and once it was over, life naturally returned to its original rhythm. Not everyone could live like Jason, skipping classes indefinitely and drifting between cities at will.
Jason hadn't replied to Clara's messages yet.
At that moment, he had just received an invitation to a top-tier private banquet.
This wasn't a social gathering for show.
It was a closed-door event attended only by people who truly mattered.
Jason felt it was worth attending. Since he was already in the city, expanding his network among the top circle was only natural.
That evening, Jason brought Ava with him.
Ava was supposed to return to school soon as well, but she decided to stay a couple more days to accompany him. Jason didn't object—he rarely did.
The banquet venue glittered under the night sky.
At the entrance, luxury cars arrived one after another—Bentleys, Maybachs, Rolls-Royces. Any car worth less than two million wouldn't even draw a second glance.
Those allowed inside were all successful figures with assets starting at tens of millions. Anyone who tried to sneak in without proper credentials was stopped cold at the door.
No explanations.No negotiations.
When Jason arrived, no one stopped him.
He was escorted with the highest level of courtesy, the general manager of the venue personally stepping forward to welcome him.
Even in a city overflowing with big shots, Jason still stood at the very top.
Just as he was about to enter, Jason suddenly paused.
He turned around.
At the edge of the entrance, blocked by security, stood a familiar face—a woman and a man arguing quietly with the staff.
Jason narrowed his eyes slightly.
It was Hailey.
Back in university, Jason had pursued Emma for three full years.
As Emma's roommate, Hailey was someone Jason naturally knew. He had even tried to get closer to her back then—small gifts, polite gestures, the classic route of "befriend the roommate first."
Later, he realized Hailey and Emma weren't actually that close, and the effort was abandoned. She eventually drifted toward Emma's best friend Lily, forming her own social circle.
Looking back now, Hailey wasn't a bad person. She had spoken up for Jason more than once and even subtly tried to remind Emma to think carefully.
It was Jason who hadn't listened back then.
Now, Hailey was standing at the door with her boyfriend.
The boyfriend was smiling obsequiously at the administrator."Brother, can you make an exception? Mr. Lee is a member. We came with him."
As he spoke, he discreetly slipped some money into the administrator's hand.
The administrator didn't even look at it.
"Rules are rules," he said flatly. "No invitation, no entry. Even if Mr. Lee is a member, he can't bring extra people."
A tall, thin young man nearby tried to argue, "Isn't one companion allowed?"
"That usually refers to a female companion," the administrator replied coldly. "Bringing an extra male guest is against the rules. Two is even more impossible."
No room for discussion.
Hailey's boyfriend still tried to push, but it was clearly useless.
Jason watched from the side and understood immediately.
The guy was bold, thick-skinned, and ambitious—borderline shameless, but hardworking in his own way. In this world, that kind of temperament actually went far.
Jason didn't dislike them.
So he spoke calmly.
"Those two are my classmates. Let them in."
The words were light.
The impact was not.
Mr. Lee, Hailey, and her boyfriend all turned at the same time.
When Hailey saw it was Jason, her eyes lit up instantly.
Her boyfriend froze for half a second, then reacted just as quickly.
Mr. Lee, however, was stunned.
Who is this guy?Didn't they just say rules were absolute?He already brought a stunning woman with him—now he wants to bring two more?
Before Mr. Lee could process it, the general manager immediately stepped forward.
"If they're Mr Jason's classmates," he said with a smile, "then of course they're welcome."
The administrator's attitude changed instantly.
"Oh, so it was a misunderstanding," he said politely. "Please come in."
Mr. Lee was completely dumbfounded.
Rules?Principles?Did they even try to hide the double standards?
Hailey and her boyfriend, knowing Jason's background, weren't surprised—but seeing this level of privilege with their own eyes still made their hearts race.
They quickly followed Jason inside, with Mr. Lee trailing behind.
As they walked, Hailey said,"Thank you, Jason. This is my boyfriend, Josh."
Josh immediately straightened up."Thank you so much. I was hoping to get into this banquet to meet some investors and promote my studio. I didn't expect to be blocked at the door. If it weren't for you, I'd have left completely humiliated."
Jason smiled faintly."We're classmates. No need to be so formal. It was nothing for me."
Mr. Lee nudged Josh with his elbow, signaling him to introduce himself properly.
Even if he didn't know Jason's exact identity yet, one thing was clear—
This young man stood in a realm far beyond his own.
And offending him…was something no one in this room could afford to do.
"Jason," Hailey said politely, "this is Mr. Lee."
Out of respect for Hailey and Josh, Jason stood up and shook Lee's hand. Lee responded just as politely. There was no rush—if they didn't know Jason's background yet, they could always ask Hailey privately later.
Just then, they entered the banquet hall.
Before Lee could take in the atmosphere, several middle-aged men in tailored suits walked straight toward them.
Lee immediately stiffened.
His expression turned respectful—almost nervous—as he forced a smile and prepared himself. It had taken him a great deal of effort just to qualify for this invitation. The men approaching were all people whose companies were valued at over a billion dollars.
Yet instead of stopping in front of him, they bypassed him completely.
They walked straight up to Jason.
Their expressions were not merely polite—some were outright deferential.
"Mr. Carter, we've heard your name for a long time. It's an honor to finally meet you in person."
"Mr. Carter, I'm William. I'm technically a member of the Evergreen Club too, but I'm insignificant—you probably don't remember me."
"Mr. Carter, I'm Josh from Phoenix Venture Tech in San Jose. I've been hoping for a chance to meet you."
Lee froze.
What the hell…?
These were giants of Silicon Valley and Los Angeles.
William alone controlled several major logistics hubs across California, with influence stretching into Nevada and Arizona. And yet he had just introduced himself as "insignificant."
Even Hailey and Josh were stunned.
They had always known Jason's background wasn't simple—but this?
This was far beyond what they had imagined.
Logically speaking, even if Jason stood above these men, the gap shouldn't have been this absurd.
Hailey and Josh suddenly found themselves hesitant to speak, unconsciously falling half a step behind Jason, afraid of saying something wrong.
After everyone took their seats, the conversation that unfolded left Lee completely numb.
"Mr. Carter, the Los Angeles International Auto Expo is coming up. Are any models from Starlight Media available? We'd love to collaborate."
"Mr. Carter, your short position against Cloud International was breathtaking. Even from a financial standpoint, it was flawless. Have you ever considered entering Wall Street directly?"
"Mr. Carter, I handle luxury brand promotion. Do you need any new channels?"
"Mr. Carter, I heard you completed the full acquisition of Infinity Media. Our e-commerce platform worked with them before, but the old management was unreliable. Now that you're in charge, I believe cooperation is worth discussing."
"Mr. Carter, our digital culture studio aligns perfectly with your Cultural Innovation Park project. If possible, I'd love to talk in detail."
This was no social banquet.
It was a battlefield of interests.
And Jason Carter had instantly become its core.
None of these companies were secrets. Anyone with industry access could uncover them. But what shocked everyone wasn't that Jason owned these companies—it was how many industries he controlled simultaneously.
Lee secretly pulled out his phone and searched.
His hands began to tremble.
And this was on top of Jason's already-known assets, which were rumored to be approaching $10 billion.
All accumulated in an unbelievably short time.
Hailey couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Emma had truly missed something far greater than she could ever imagine.
If she knew the truth, she'd probably lose her mind.
And yet she still believed Jason was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Jason had come to expand his network, not to close deals. So he didn't reject anyone—but he also didn't discuss specifics.
Instead, he calmly passed all business cards to Olivia, who stood quietly beside him.
The business owners understood immediately.
They didn't press.
Pressing someone like Jason Carter would only invite disaster.
Even so, many still left their contact information, already satisfied.
Hailey and Josh soon realized something surreal—
They didn't even need to move.
Just by sitting next to Jason, people were handing them business cards as well.
After the crowd finally dispersed, Jason turned to Josh with curiosity.
"I heard you started your own company before graduating. What kind of business is it?"
Josh straightened instantly.
"We're a creative cultural media studio," he said carefully. "Mostly short-form content on TikTok. Cultural storytelling, creative ads. We've had several viral videos—one passed a million likes."
He paused, then added honestly, "One lipstick campaign called of ours reached three million likes."
Josh avoided jargon. He spoke plainly.
Their studio was essentially a new-generation advertising company—focused entirely on short-video platforms, creativity, and narrative appeal rather than traditional placements.
Jason nodded.
"Do you have samples?"
Josh almost dropped his phone pulling it out.
After watching several videos, Jason's expression showed clear approval.
"Small scale," Jason said calmly, "but strong execution."
He continued, "My media company, modeling agency, luxury brands, and the Cultural Innovation Park all have room for collaboration. If your ideas are strong enough, talk to Olivia later. As long as the content is good—we'll take it."
Josh's mind went blank.
This wasn't cooperation.
This was boarding a capital warship.
Even a fraction of Jason's projects could secure his future permanently.
"Thank you," Josh said hoarsely. "We'll make sure every video is worth more than its price."
Hailey understood immediately what this meant.
Jason didn't need this collaboration at all.
This project was too small—normally something a junior executive would handle.
Jason's involvement was purely personal.
Hailey felt a quiet surge of gratitude.
He was glad—truly glad—that he had always treated Jason well.
As for Emma?
Hailey didn't plan to let her know any of this.
If she found out her boyfriend was about to earn millions through Jason, she'd only lose her mind.
And now—
She no longer deserved to stand anywhere near his world.
There are 200 chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439