The murmurs from the crowd drew the attention of Hu Xian'er and Liu Lin inside the room, prompting Liu Lin, holding her child, to stand by the doorway alongside Hu Xian'er. No one knew precisely whom Zhou Tengyun intended to introduce.

Zhou Tengyun scratched the back of his head, let out a couple of dry chuckles, and then stepped aside to reveal a small, thin figure that had been hidden behind him. Upon seeing the figure, the onlookers realized it was a little girl, perhaps five or six years old, timidly clutching Zhou Tengyun’s clothing, her large eyes curiously surveying everyone in the room.

“What an adorable child,” Hu Xian'er exclaimed with delight. Everyone in the room nodded in unison, wholeheartedly agreeing with Hu Xian'er’s assessment, though they were perplexed about the relationship between this charming little girl and Zhou Tengyun.

Mei Peng was the first to inquire, “Third Brother, who is this girl? Are you introducing her to us?”

Meanwhile, Liu Hui sighed inwardly. Zhou Tengyun had finally brought the girl to their side. With his superb memory, Liu Hui recognized her instantly upon sight. She was the little girl whose parents had been murdered by assassins from the ‘N’ organization at the construction site in Kenya, Africa. At that time, Zhou Tengyun had even mistaken her for his own child.

Zhou Tengyun first nodded towards Liu Hui, their eyes exchanging a silent message, before turning to Mei Peng and saying, “That’s right, I am introducing her to you. She is my newly adopted daughter, and her name is Zhou Yuxin.”

Then, Zhou Tengyun gently drew the girl out from behind him, smiling, “Come, Yuxin, Dad is going to introduce you to a few aunties and uncles. They are the people dearest to Dad.”

The little girl first observed everyone in the room, then spoke softly in a clear, small voice, “My surname isn’t Zhou. My name is Xie. I am Xie Yuxin, and you are not my father.”

Zhou Tengyun looked slightly awkward, forcing a smile. “She’s a bit shy with strangers, still a little distant with me. But she’ll warm up over time.”

Hu Xian'er stepped forward, taking the little girl’s hand, and asked, “Yuxin, if he isn’t your father, then who is he?”

The girl glanced at Zhou Tengyun, then lowered her head and whispered, “He is Uncle Zhou. He is very good to me, just like a father, but he isn't my father.”

Only then did Zhou Tengyun break into a broad smile. Liu Hui chuckled, “Alright, let’s go inside and talk. Standing at the doorway isn't proper hosting.”

So, Hu Xian'er led Xie Yuxin into the room, and the others followed. Once everyone was seated, their gazes converged on the little girl named Xie Yuxin. Although young, Yuxin possessed delicate features and bright, perceptive eyes, appearing remarkably intelligent. Everyone took an immediate liking to her.

Mei Peng studied Xie Yuxin for a moment, then suddenly remarked, “Third Brother, she looks strangely familiar to me. Take a good look, doesn't she resemble someone?”

Liu Hui, privy to the truth, knew exactly who Xie Yuxin resembled but remained silent. Yue Wang, however, examined her closely for a few seconds, then suddenly exclaimed, “I remember now! She looks incredibly similar to Cai Lufeng, as if they were cast from the same mold. Could she actually be Old Third Zhou’s child, whom he’s finally found?”

Zhou Tengyun nodded. “Yuxin bears a striking resemblance to Cai Lufeng. Strictly speaking, she looks exactly like the daughter my Cai Lufeng and I had. If my daughter hadn't died, she would look precisely as Yuxin does now, and she would be about five years old.”

Mei Peng asked curiously, “What exactly happened? Where did you find this little girl?”

Zhou Tengyun recounted, “Yuxin’s parents went to Africa with an engineering team to aid in building an infrastructure project. Since both her parents were orphans with no one to care for Yuxin, they brought her along. Unfortunately, bandits once descended from the mountains, raiding the construction site where her parents worked and killing them. Yuxin was left completely alone, with no one to look after her. I happened upon her by chance afterward and took her in.”

Zhou Tengyun wove a narrative of truth and fabrication regarding Xie Yuxin’s background. The true reasons, he dared not speak, as they involved the cause of the recently occurring nuclear explosion. Thus, even with his closest friends in the room, he kept the real story hidden.

Liu Hui had a premonition when Zhou Tengyun first met the little girl in Africa that he would go back for her. Now, that prediction had materialized. Zhou Tengyun had found Xie Yuxin and intended to raise her as his own daughter. Upon hearing the news of her biological parents being murdered, Xie Yuxin’s eyes filled with tears, and she clung tightly to Zhou Tengyun.

Hearing of Xie Yuxin’s tragic fate, the others in the room were filled with deep sympathy for the little girl’s background. They began to focus their conversation around her. Xie Yuxin was, in fact, a cheerful child. After overcoming the initial shyness of meeting strangers, she started answering some of their questions under their deliberate teasing. During this time, Mei Peng’s son surprisingly bonded quickly with Xie Yuxin. Though both were children, and one couldn't even speak yet, they soon started playing together, chasing and laughing.

Liu Hui noticed that although Zhou Tengyun was seated at the table, his eyes followed Xie Yuxin’s every movement. Seeing Yuxin finally display a long-absent smile, a gentle expression softened the corners of his own mouth. It was clear he already regarded this child as his own flesh and blood, attentively tracking her every action.

Liu Hui said, “Third Brother, tomorrow is our company’s year-end summary meeting. Since you are back, you should attend and listen. The company has changed quite significantly this past year.”

Zhou Tengyun nodded. He had rushed back not only for a reunion with his brothers but also to report to Liu Hui, intending to provide a detailed account of the African base operations and introduce his adopted child.

Yue Wang smiled broadly. “Boss, why don’t you let me sit in on your year-end summary meeting too? Even though I’m not part of your company, I’d love to learn from your advanced experiences.”

Mei Peng laughed. “You’re not part of our company—are you trying to spy on our business intelligence?”

Yue Wang grinned sheepishly. “Well... you guys have been developing so rapidly lately, my old man asked me to come here often to learn your advanced methods. Just think of it as you mentoring your little brother here.”

Liu Hui chuckled. “Considering you finally admitted you’re our little brother in the pursuit of advanced knowledge, we’ll give you a chance. You can sit down tomorrow and listen carefully.”

Mei Peng roared with laughter, teasing Yue Wang. “Fourth Brother still has time to study here? Haven’t you already found the love of your life? Why aren't you rushing to reel in your beloved? Coming here is just wasting time!”

Hearing Mei Peng’s words, Zhou Tengyun asked with genuine curiosity, “What? Fourth Brother has found someone he likes and is ready to end that dissolute life?”

Yue Wang displayed a rare hint of shyness on his face, but he refused to reveal anything about the woman he liked, resulting in further teasing from Liu Hui, Mei Peng, and Zhou Tengyun.

Soon, dinner began. The brothers hadn't seen each other in a long time and had endless things to discuss. The four of them engaged in a drinking contest at the table, reminiscing about their glorious past and debating their bright futures. The two women and two children excused themselves early, watching the men drink with amused smiles.

Yue Wang was the first to fall, sliding right under the table. Mei Peng collapsed next, completely unconscious. Finally, only Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun remained at the table. They avoided discussing the events in Africa and simply drank to their hearts' content. However, both men were gifted with extraordinary tolerance and never truly got drunk, finally retiring late into the night after satisfying their spirits.

The guests then prepared to leave. Xie Yuxin and Mei Peng’s son, perhaps overexcited from meeting for the first time, were still wide awake and playing exuberantly. As Mei Peng went to carry his son home, the boy clung to Xie Yuxin’s arm, refusing to let go and bursting into loud tears. Xie Yuxin looked at the boy with obvious reluctance. The adults on both sides were momentarily taken aback, and only after much coaxing did the two children separate. Their instant, deep connection surprised both Mei Peng and Zhou Tengyun.

The next day was the Starry Sky Group’s annual summary meeting. After this conference concluded, the Starry Sky Group would officially begin its holiday break. Given the immense size of the current workforce, they followed last year’s precedent: representatives from various subsidiaries were selected to attend the year-end summary meeting at the Starry Sky Group headquarters.

Liu Hui entered the venue halfway through the summary meeting, just as Jiang Lu, the General Manager of the Starry Sky Group, was delivering the report on the past year's performance. Not wishing to interrupt Jiang Lu's speech, Liu Hui proceeded directly to his seat.

“... The past year has been tremendously successful, a year where the Starry Sky Group achieved brilliant success... Over the last year, the total number of employees in enterprises fully controlled by the Starry Sky Group has reached five hundred and fifty thousand. Including their dependents, nearly two million people now rely on the Starry Sky Group for their livelihood... Last year, the total revenue from all group businesses reached 1.3255 trillion US dollars. This figure only accounts for the sales revenue of enterprises fully controlled by the Starry Sky Group; the revenues from equity-held enterprises were not included. If we were to rank global national GDPs based on last year’s figures, our Starry Sky Group’s sales revenue would rank thirteenth in the world, just behind Spain…”

The sales revenue of a single company exceeding one trillion US dollars—what did that signify? It surpassed the GDP of the vast majority of nations globally. To rank thirteenth in international GDP rankings was an immense honor. Hearing this monumental figure, the employees below erupted in thunderous, sustained applause. Liu Hui, standing on the platform, applauded continuously. He had successfully navigated the difficult initial start-up phase, and the Starry Sky Group had unconsciously grown to a stature others could only look up to. Only Liu Hui truly knew the hardships endured to reach this point, and thinking of the winding path he had traveled brought a slight moisture to his eyes.

Jiang Lu, smiling, joined the applause. After the applause subsided slightly, she continued her work report.

“... Among all enterprises, Starry Sky Manufacturing Company’s total revenue this year reached 1.1 trillion US dollars. Starry Sky Logistics Company’s total revenue was 42 billion US dollars. Starry Sky Construction Company’s total revenue was 4 billion US dollars. Starry Sky Security Company’s total revenue was 500 million US dollars. The newly established Starry Sky Cuisine Company achieved 80 billion US dollars in revenue this year, and Starry Sky Apparel Company’s total revenue reached 100 billion US dollars. Starry Sky Agriculture Company’s total revenue was 1 billion US dollars…”

Upon hearing the sales figures for these subsidiaries, the Starry Sky Group employees below broke out in another wave of enthusiastic applause. They were stunned that Starry Sky Manufacturing alone had achieved a total revenue of 1.1 trillion US dollars. Setting aside the behemoth that was the entire Starry Sky Group, Starry Sky Manufacturing alone was undoubtedly the world's number one enterprise. Furthermore, Starry Sky Apparel, established only three months ago, generated 100 billion in sales in that short period, largely thanks to the massive success of its "Cool-Insulated Underwear (Hosiery)." Even Starry Sky Cuisine, which was initially projected to lose money, achieved 80 billion in sales within just four months after the launch of its super-seasoning. Any one of these three companies, individually, was a top-tier enterprise, a presence others had to look up to—yet they were all subsidiaries of the Starry Sky Group, filling the employees with immense pride and satisfaction.

The executives from Starry Sky Logistics, Starry Sky Construction, Starry Sky Security, and Starry Sky Agriculture, seated on the stage, felt a peculiar sense of mixed emotions. Their companies had also achieved significant growth this year; in any other corporation, their growth rate would be exemplary and worthy of high praise. But within the Starry Sky Group, their enterprises lagged far behind the others in both sales volume and growth velocity, causing a pang of discouragement. Nevertheless, they secretly resolved to work twice as hard in the future to match the pace of the Starry Sky Group’s overall development and avoid becoming a drag on its momentum.

Liu Hui was already aware of these figures, so he felt no surprise. When Jiang Lu showed him the draft of the speech, he had ordered the removal of all details concerning Starry Sky Asset Management Company and Starry Sky Research Institute, leaving only a single, simple sentence. If the scale of Starry Sky Asset Management had been disclosed, the figures would have been too terrifying, likely inciting fear in many organizations and nations.

“...Therefore, comparing the data above, although the sales data for other companies worldwide has not yet been fully compiled, I can confidently state that the Starry Sky Group has become the world’s number one company. All of this was achieved under the Boss’s correct leadership. On behalf of myself, I wish to offer a single phrase to the Boss—Long Live the Boss!”

Jiang Lu suddenly injected this line into her summary report, and it was immediately met with an enthusiastic response from the entire assembly, who began cheering—"Long Live the Boss!" The atmosphere in the conference hall became intensely elevated. Liu Hui had to rise several times to express his gratitude before the crowd quieted down enough for Jiang Lu to continue her report.

“... Over the past year, many exemplary individuals emerged... We also experienced shortcomings, such as... We have also engaged in charitable work…”

Although Jiang Lu’s report contained a lot of official rhetoric, its content was substantial and resonated deeply with the audience. When she finished, they rewarded her with the most fervent applause, which she managed to quell only by bowing repeatedly.

Next came the speeches from the heads of the various subsidiaries. Given the Starry Sky Group’s rapid growth this year, all subsidiary leaders reported achievements of varying degrees. The only distinction between their presentations was whether their company’s results had grown rapidly or somewhat slower.

After the subsidiary heads concluded, it was time for the address by the great leader of the Starry Sky Group—Liu Hui. Every employee in the hall focused on their boss, anticipating what this miracle-worker would say next.

Liu Hui surveyed the assembled employees and smiled. “You are all looking at me so enthusiastically, it’s making me a bit nervous. You must remember, I only have eyes for women, and I already have a wife.”

The crowd was uncertain what he would say next, so they watched him intently. To start with a joke immediately eased the tension, and the room erupted in laughter, instantly lightening the mood.

Liu Hui continued, “Many of you here, I’ve met before, and of course, there are new employees who joined this year. But that’s not the main point. The crucial point is that you all share the same identity now—you are the magnificent people of Starry Sky. I use the term ‘magnificent’ because, in the past two years, you have created a miracle. Two years ago, the Starry Sky Group was obscure, with zero output value. But today, two years later, our products are sold worldwide; we are famous and recognized everywhere, especially last year, when annual sales revenue exceeded one trillion US dollars, ranking thirteenth in national GDP rankings. That is why I call you the magnificent people of Starry Sky; you have earned that title.”

The employees were deeply moved by Liu Hui’s heartfelt speech. Recalling the company’s earlier struggles, they erupted in another round of enthusiastic applause.

When the applause subsided, Liu Hui continued, “The brilliance of the Starry Sky Group was detailed thoroughly by General Manager Jiang and the heads of the various companies just now, so I won’t repeat it. What I want to discuss today is just one topic: how our Starry Sky Group will maintain its position in the future. I personally believe that if the Starry Sky Group is to continue leading the world, we must focus on two words: Integrity. I believe everyone understands the meaning of integrity, so I won’t elaborate. Moreover, our already implemented Employee Experience Points plan includes personal integrity as one of its assessment criteria. A person lacking integrity cannot establish themselves in society, nor can they survive within the Starry Sky Group. I know some of you have differing views on this assessment, but I must state this: the Starry Sky Group can exist without a future, but it absolutely cannot exist without integrity. Integrity is the foundation of our survival. I hope everyone will strive to be a person of integrity.”

After a brief moment of stillness, someone spontaneously started clapping, which was quickly followed by a massive wave of applause from the entire hall. They internalized Liu Hui’s expectation, resolving to govern their words and actions with integrity henceforth.

Finally, Liu Hui smiled. “Alright, enough talk. I’ll mention one last thing: the year-end bonuses. The total pool for this year’s year-end bonuses is fifty billion US dollars. The distribution principle will be based strictly on one’s internal rank within the company. Those with higher ranks will receive larger bonuses, and those with lower ranks will receive smaller amounts. This is entirely unrelated to position, post, or current appointment status.”

Unknowingly, this book has exceeded one million words. Qian Yu Chu Hai extends sincere thanks to all readers for their support; without it, this book would absolutely not have surpassed one million words.

Finally, readers are paying attention to the technological aspects described in the book, which makes me very happy. However, as I lack scientific knowledge, much of the technology described is purely my own imagination and may not be realistic. Therefore, if you have any good suggestions, please list them in the review section for collective discussion.