I'm back in 1990

Chapter 599: Meeting an Old Friend

Two days later, a Global Express landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Zhang Sui was already waiting on the tarmac with immigration and customs officials. After Huang Xiaochuan and his party completed the customs procedures, Zhang Sui personally opened the car door for Huang Xiaochuan.

"Boss, everything is arranged. The hotel is the Mandarin Oriental, south of Central Park. We've booked the entire top floor, and your room is a penthouse suite with a fantastic view! The meeting with Qin Yu is also scheduled for tomorrow at 5:30 PM. She chose the location—a members-only restaurant called 'iris' on the Upper East Side, which offers excellent privacy." Zhang Sui briefly reported the itinerary to Huang Xiaochuan.

Huang Xiaochuan nodded slightly, seemingly unconcerned about the scenery outside the car window: "Any progress on the Taiyang side?"

"Okay, I understand!" Huang Xiaochuan uttered these words softly, then closed his eyes to rest and stopped talking.

The following afternoon, on the Upper East Side of New York.

Hidden in an unassuming brownstone building, "iris" restaurant features a minimalist modern art style interior. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is a meticulously maintained courtyard, lush with greenery, isolating it from the bustling streets of Manhattan. There is no conspicuous signboard here, and it only serves members and their VIP guests. It is very suitable for business activities, so it is also a popular private meeting place for New York's top elites.

Huang Xiaochuan arrived on time, accompanied by Zhang Sui and Gao Song. The messenger at the door had obviously received special notification. After confirming Huang Xiaochuan's name, he respectfully led him to an exquisite private room.

The private room was softly lit, the atmosphere was quiet, and there was a hint of fruity fragrance in the air.

Qin Yu stood up with a smile and extended her hand: "Welcome, old classmate!"

Zhang Sui was somewhat taken aback, but quickly regained her composure. She closed the door and left, leaving Huang Xiaochuan and Qin Yu behind.

Huang Xiaochuan deliberately exclaimed in surprise, "Squad leader, you've changed so much!"

Qin Yu smiled and gestured for Huang Xiaochuan to sit down.

"How dare you say that to me? Don't you even think about yourself? You're the one who's really changed a lot. What would you like to drink?" The two had known each other for a long time, so there wasn't much formality or small talk.

Huang Xiaochuan smiled and said, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Let's have coffee!"

Soon, the waiter silently pushed open the door and entered, serving the two fragrant Geisha coffees before quietly leaving.

Qin Yu stirred the silver spoon in her hand, then suddenly said, "I really didn't expect that Changhong Capital was actually yours!"

Huang Xiaochuan smiled slightly and said modestly, "I'm sorry you had to see this."

Qin Yu glanced at Huang Xiaochuan, feigning displeasure: "Can I interpret that as showing off?"

Seeing Qin Yu say this, Huang Xiaochuan smiled and said, "As you know, I've always been studying economics and finance, so it's natural for me to combine theory with practice."

The two fell silent for a moment, until Qin Yu broke the silence and got to the point of their meeting: "I know you're here for the 33% of Sun Company stock I have, but I have to make this clear from the start: our friendship is one thing, business is another. After all, I have to be responsible for my clients."

Huang Xiaochuan actually agreed with Qin Yu's words. As a private hedge fund, most of the funds she had belonged to her clients, so she couldn't let her friendship with her classmates harm their interests. If she did, word would get out and she would be out of a job in the Wall Street financial world.

Inside the private room, the rich aroma of coffee wafted gently through the quiet air. Qin Yu's words, "Friendship is friendship, business is business," acted like an invisible line, clearly separating the two men's identities at that moment—one a rising star in Wall Street's investment fund, and the other Asia's richest man, aiming to swallow up a Silicon Valley giant.

Huang Xiaochuan put down his coffee cup: "Of course, I understand your actions. We're business, and I've come to meet you in person with the utmost sincerity. Sun Microsystems' current stock price is around $42, and the market is generally pessimistic. Your 33 shares, based on their current market value, are approximately $5400 million. Given our relationship, I'll give you a friendly offer: $55 per share, a premium of $30, for a total of $7000 million, payable in cash. The money will be in your account after the signing."

After Huang Xiaochuan announced the figure, the private room fell into a brief silence. $5.50, which not only far exceeded the current market price, but was even close to the upper limit of Sun Microsystems' stock price fluctuation range over the past year. Huang Xiaochuan's offer of this premium was very sincere and could bring Qin Yu's fund a considerable and eye-catching short-term return.

Qin Yu's gaze lingered on Huang Xiaochuan's face for a few seconds, as if to confirm the weight of his words, to which Huang Xiaochuan gave her an affirmative smile.

Qin Yu finally said, "To be honest, this premium is indeed hard for me to refuse. It seems you're determined to get the Sun!"

Huang Xiaochuan shook his head: "It's not that I'm determined to win, but I have my own ideas. This deal is a reasonable outcome for both of us, as well as for your LP (limited partner)."

"Alright! You've convinced me!" Qin Yu decisively extended her hand: "7000 million US dollars, deal. As for the specific details and method of delivery, your people can handle that with my team. I only have one requirement: efficiency and confidentiality!"

Huang Xiaochuan laughed from the bottom of his heart. He had the same thought. He extended his right hand, and the two clasped hands. Huang Xiaochuan felt the warmth of his palm and then let go.

"It's a pleasure working with you!" they both said in unison.

With the business settled, the two relaxed and began chatting after their long-awaited reunion.

"Yangyang was shocked to see you and your wife queuing to buy chestnuts. Who would believe that Asia's richest man would personally queue up to buy chestnuts!"

Huang Xiaochuan chuckled and said, "What do you mean by being the richest man? We're all just ordinary people who need to eat and drink."

"Yangyang told me you've changed a lot, that you've become old-fashioned. I saw you today, and thankfully, you're not as bad as she said!" Qin Yu teased Huang Xiaochuan, quoting Ren Yangyang's words.

"Don't flatter me, I have aged," Huang Xiaochuan readily admitted. "But you, Qin Yu, are quite the name on Wall Street now. When we graduated from high school, did you ever imagine you'd end up like this?" He asked sincerely, with respect for a successful classmate.

Qin Yu was silent for a moment, her voice soft and tinged with emotion: "I've always wanted to succeed, to prove myself, but I never imagined it would be in this way, in this place." Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, looking at the dark silhouette of Central Park, and I feel disoriented, wondering, "What if..."

She didn't continue, but the unspoken words were understood by both of them. That "if only" referred to the sunlight in the coffee shop in the summer of 1990, the hazy feelings by the high school pool, and the different paths that fate quietly took at the crossroads of life.

Huang Xiaochuan didn't reply, but just looked at her quietly. Time had imbued Qin Yu with a temperament that combined competence and elegance, making her more dazzling than in her youth, yet there seemed to be an invisible distance between them.

"There are no 'what ifs' in life." Huang Xiaochuan's voice was deep and clear, as if stating a truth he had long accepted. "Like this cup of coffee, if you choose Geisha, you're destined to miss out on the richness of Mandheling. Every path has its unique scenery, and it inevitably has its hardships. The important thing is that we've all gone far enough on the paths we've chosen. You've done very well, Qin Yu, better than most people."

He raised his coffee cup in a gesture of respect.

Qin Yu paused slightly, then smiled with relief, the loneliness in her eyes fading, replaced by the confident gleam of a Wall Street elite. She raised her glass as well: "You too, Huang Xiaochuan. Reaching the top and still remembering the taste of roasted chestnuts from a street vendor, that's not easy."

Two exquisite coffee cups gently clinked together, producing a crisp and pleasant "ding".