The classroom was getting packed with students eager to hear Professor Robert Reitze's lectures, and it was all because of Claire Lee. Despite the rumors swirling outside, Claire stayed unfazed, brushing off the media and reporters like they didn't exist.
As for the supposed feud between Du Juan and Megan Fox hyped up by the press? Claire wasn't buying it—not entirely, anyway. But to be fair, Robert Reitze, an expert lawyer in international trade, really knew his stuff when it came to U.S.-Japan trade. He broke down Japan's trade policies with crystal clarity and even pointed out their flaws.
Claire soaked it all in, learning a ton. His actual major, computer science? He was clueless there. But being a big celebrity in the department—plus treating the tech geeks to meals and gaming sessions every now and then—made him a star in the University of Hawaii's computer science crowd.
After today's international trade class, Claire was about to head home when his assistant manager, Delia, came rushing up. "The entrance is swarmed with reporters. Maybe wait a bit before leaving?"
Just then, Robert Reitze, passing by, overheard and stopped with a smile. "Claire, mind stopping by my office for a chat?"
Caught off guard by his professor's invitation, Claire hesitated but quickly agreed. Delia, seeing this, headed to Claire's nanny van in the parking lot. Robert's office was less an office and more a cozy library, filled with the comforting smell of books. Claire felt a little enchanted, especially when he spotted books on Cinese trade law on the shelves.
Noticing Claire's interest, Robert said with a grin, "I heard your grandfather's side came from Sichuan, China. And your first big break came from cross-border tourism there. Seems you know your roots well."
Claire froze. His professor had done his homework. "Uh, no, it was just luck," Claire said. "A company listed on NASDAQ years ago, and I just swooped in during a market gap."
Robert poured Claire a cup of coffee and asked casually, "I hear your UKBigSale is gearing up for an IPO. Planning to cash out and walk away?"
"Yeah," Claire replied. "The UK's population is small. The sports ticketing market's big, but growth is capped, and I don't have time to micromanage the site. Cashing out makes sense."
Robert nodded in approval. Claire took a sip of the coffee—and nearly gagged. It was bitter. "Haha, sorry," Robert chuckled. "I picked up a habit of drinking strong coffee while working late at the Senate Finance Committee. Want some sugar?"
Claire waved it off. "Nah, trying something new's fine."
"Oh, so that's why you bought the U.S. COUP site," Robert said. "Planning to dive into traffic distribution? Amazon services? Convenience store platforms?"
Claire was thrown by the rapid-fire questions but recovered quickly. His acquisition of Coupons.com had already caught Wall Street's eye. Before, he was just a celebrity and athlete. Now, with Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch backing UKBigSale's IPO, Claire was on Wall Street's radar. Outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg were dissecting his assets, especially since NASDAQ listings required full financial transparency.
The media frenzy over Du Juan and Megan Fox? It didn't hurt that Claire was on track to become a billionaire. With UKBigSale's IPO looming—possibly by late February, when Claire might ring the NASDAQ bell—he wasn't shocked his professor knew so much. In the U.S., privacy took a backseat when it came to folks with government ties.
As for Coupons.com, Claire saw its potential for traffic. If he hadn't snapped it up, someone else—likely a buyer—would've turned it into a group-buying site later. Claire just sped things up.
"I haven't planned my next move," Claire said calmly. "For COUP, I just saw its user stickiness. I haven't even met their team yet."
Robert nodded, not pressing further. Their chat turned relaxed, like old friends catching up. Robert, a former government bigwig, was witty and dropped references with ease. Things got really interesting when they dove into Southeast Asia's import-export trade with the U.S.
"I've been fascinated by the internet since a couple of years ago," Robert said. "Especially how trade and the internet intersect. What happens when online trade disrupts futures markets?"
Claire's ears perked up. "What you're describing already has a term in the industry: B2B. Europe and North America have sites like that, but they're more like digital Yellow Pages, profiting off information services."
Robert, intrigued, pulled out a notebook to jot down Claire's points, comparing them to his own research. By the end, his polite demeanor turned serious. "If you were building this site, how would you do it? Take Hawaii, for example."
"You mean boosting Hawaii's trade economy?" Claire said. "Easy. Hawaii's a major U.S. trade hub. To reduce reliance on tourism, leverage one thing: supply chains. If your trade site's entire supply chain—warehousing, shipping—is based in Hawaii, you're set."
Claire's idea mirrored later models like JD.com's nationwide warehouses. Build big storage hubs in, say, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hebei, and Liaoning. Stock small businesses' goods there. If a Beijing customer orders, ship from Beijing. Same for Hawaii: a massive warehouse hub, combined with its shipping advantages, could serve U.S. and Australian customers efficiently. Scale up, buy port warehouses, and you're golden. Simple logic, but pricey.
Robert leaned back, deep in thought. Inviting Claire was a spur-of-the-moment idea. Sure, there were young guns like Steve Chen out there, but few at Claire's age could helm a soon-to-be-listed company and walk away without a second thought. Robert, a former government insider, knew the allure of power. Claire's ability to let go—while pulling Manchester United, Chelsea, and the English FA into his orbit, plus charming Goldman Sachs with minimal effort—impressed him.
So Robert tossed Claire a challenge: solve a trade problem with an internet mindset. Claire's answer wasn't just viable; it could create jobs and influence on a massive scale.
Time slipped by. With no rush to leave, Claire grabbed a book on Japan's economy from Robert's shelves. Outside, the campus quieted, save for the occasional thud of football players practicing.
"Your idea's solid," Robert said. "But why not start with that?"
Claire shrugged. "I can't protect a business like that. Heavy-asset projects don't interest me unless they're tied to public welfare. Plus, foreigners are barred from investing in U.S. cargo aviation."
Robert flushed, remembering he'd helped push that law. His desk lamp's yellow glow hid it, but he was grateful for Claire's insights. "Thanks for taking the time to help me think this through," he said, handing Claire a business card with just a name and number. "Call me if you need anything."
Claire marveled at the card's simplicity. He'd been to plenty of UK events, but never saw a card this minimalist. The fewer words on a card, he'd learned, the bigger the player. Some didn't even bother with cards.
By the time Claire left, the campus entrance was deserted, save for a few tourists snapping photos. A few hundred meters from home, he got out of the van to walk, letting it draw away any lurking paparazzi.
As he strolled under the stars, nearing his house, a woman's voice called out: "Claire! Have you eaten?"