At nine the next morning Xu Ye was outside the school president's office in the administration building, right on time. He knocked twice, and only when a voice came from inside did he push the door open and go in.

"President Yang, you wanted to see me?"

There was nobody in the office but the school president, Yang Chao. Xu Ye had seen him once before, at the closing ceremony for military training when he first started freshman year.

Seeing him come in, Yang Chao put down what he was working on at once and waved him over with a smile. "Xu Ye, come sit down."

Xu Ye walked forward but didn't sit down right away. He waited until the president invited him a second time before pulling out a chair and taking a seat.

"I've heard all about you. I asked you here today mainly to have a short talk, since we have very few students at this school who've done what you've done in starting a business."

"I just got lucky."

"Luck is part of ability too. I've looked into your situation a little, and to my mind, achieving what you have at your age already proves you have a gift for it…"

The president talked on at length. When he had finished he seemed thirsty, and reached for his teacup, meaning to take a drink.

But once the cup was at his lips he found it was empty, so he had to put it back down.

Xu Ye saw this and ran his eyes quickly around the office. Spotting a water cooler near the door, he got up at once, took the president's travel mug and came back with it filled.

As the president took the cup back he went on, still smiling. "What are you thinking of doing next? Or rather — do you have a plan?"

"The company is more or less on a proper footing now. I'm planning to launch a program in October to fund student startups and see whether there are any good projects worth investing in. Most of my energy is…