A Surprising Meeting

Aldrich's decision to take the entire team on vacation to the United States may have seemed unconventional at the time, but a decade or two later, such actions wouldn't be viewed as out of the ordinary. During the mid-season, many clubs typically offer their players a break or arrange commercial activities—a commercial match, perhaps, or tickets to a horse race, an NBA game, or a baseball match.

For Aldrich, the focus was on helping the players unwind. Most importantly, he aimed to alleviate their mental fatigue and provide them with a chance to reset their mindset.

The atmosphere on the chartered plane was lively at first, with the women chatting animatedly in groups while the men played cards. Aldrich joined his fellow coaches for a friendly poker game, partaking in casual gambling for entertainment.

However, the excitement didn't last long. Once the high spirits faded, everyone slipped on their eye masks to catch some sleep. The flight was long enough for a good rest.

Because of the time difference, when the plane landed in New York, it was a dazzling 8 PM, while it had been 5 PM in London when Aldrich boarded. They had spent nearly eight hours in the air.

As Aldrich and the others walked out of the airport, they were taken aback by the sight awaiting them.

Ten stretched Lincoln SUVs awaited outside, and from the middle vehicle, Barnett stepped out, dressed in a suit, smiling and waving at Aldrich.

"Boss, what's this all about?" 

Schneider, accompanied by his German girlfriend, blinked in surprise at the extravagant welcome.

Aldrich waved his hand and saw the people behind him hesitating. He therefore took Melanie toward Barnett and got into the car,After they got into the car, this finally reassured the other onlookers that the luxurious stretch Lincoln was meant for them.

"Do we really need all this fuss? It's just a vacation," Aldrich remarked as he settled into the vehicle. Barnett smiled at Melanie, then opened the small fridge inside the car, saying, "Help yourself."

Melanie sat beside Aldrich, a bit stiff, smiling and waving her hand.

Barnett then turned his attention back to Aldrich, explaining, "It's just a rental car; it's not like we bought them. We're heading to the hotel now, take a couple of days to enjoy New York, and then we'll go to Arizona in a couple of days. Miss Chisholm, I have some personal matters to discuss with Aldrich, so please go ahead and rest at the hotel with the others, okay?"

Despite his nonchalant tone, Barnett's words carried an undeniable authority from his years of business experience, making it hard to refuse. Melanie nodded in agreement; she wasn't the type to stir up trouble.

Soon, the convoy stopped in front of the hotel, and the others got out to settle in. Barnett had already arranged for a lavish dinner in the hotel's restaurant, but he continued on with Aldrich to Manhattan, the business hub of New York.

As the night enveloped the city, they got out in front of a modern office building. Walking side by side, Barnett whispered, "Right next door is Wall Street. I originally planned to set up a subsidiary there, but remembering your advice about staying low-key, I bought three floors here for our North American branch."

"Why bring me here?" Aldrich asked as they entered the elevator, still confused.

Barnett replied straightforwardly, "There's a high-level meeting happening, and I'd like you to attend."

"I know nothing about business."

"That's fine; you can just observe and speak if you want."

Aldrich raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything further.

Even though it was nighttime, Barnett's employees were still at their posts. They didn't appear overly busy, but there was a palpable seriousness to their demeanor, especially when Barnett entered. Respect filled their gazes.

When they entered the conference room, Aldrich noticed there weren't many people inside—only eight, with ages ranging from those in their thirties to a few nearing fifty. They all stood up to show respect. Once Barnett closed the door, he gestured for everyone to sit, deliberately pulling out a chair beside him for Aldrich.

The room fell silent as everyone turned their attention to Aldrich, curious about this young man.

After sitting down, Barnett straightened his back and said, "This is my brother, Aldrich. Now, let's start the meeting."

The meeting resembled a typical company's annual review and projections for the new year. Aldrich had a document in front of him and opened it to glance through. It made his head spin a little, so he closed it and rested his eyes instead.

The attendees were likely company executives discussing plans for investments and operations for the upcoming year, analyzing market trends across various sectors, and reviewing the past year's market report and research results.

Real estate, finance, and industrial investment—Barnett's company was not limited to a single type of investment, but Aldrich found none of it interesting.

Time passed, and after various opinions were voiced, the conference room fell silent again as Barnett pondered.

"Ah~~~~!" Aldrich yawned unceremoniously, catching everyone's attention. Several looks of discontent appeared.

Barnett, however, smiled and turned to Aldrich, asking, "What do you think?"

"I have no thoughts."

"Aldrich, are you distancing yourself from me?"

Aldrich scratched his head, thought for a moment, and finally said, "The Internet."

"The Internet?" Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, while Barnett, intrigued, asked, "Can you elaborate?"

"Right now, Internet technology isn't widespread, but with the rapid development of the IT industry, computers will enter every household. They are easy to use, and ordinary people can pick them up quickly. Microsoft's new operating system is already a sign of this trend, and I believe the Internet will soon become mainstream."

"What about its commercial value?" asked a man in his fifties, frowning.

Aldrich shrugged, saying, "With a computer connected to the Internet, you can browse the latest news from around the world from anywhere. You can watch various videos, movies, shows, and even adult content. You can use Internet platforms to make friends and chat, and you can conveniently trade stocks from home, among other things. This is a trend, and the foundation of the Internet in the near future will rely on computers. Eventually, it may become mobile phones, which are basically portable computers that can perform all the functions I mentioned. Of course, I'm just an outsider and don't intend to argue with you; it wouldn't make sense. But think about it—half a century ago, a computer took up the space of a basketball court, and today, it can fit on a one-square-meter desk. This is proof of technological advancement. The world will become a global village, and with the Internet, there are no limits to creativity—only the boundaries of what you can imagine. If you can imagine it, you can profit from it."

The room fell silent again. Aldrich wasn't eager to look at anyone's faces; he never expected to be cheered for saying something remarkable. That wasn't going to happen. Even if history proved his predictions right in the future, there would always be mixed doubts at the present.

After a moment of contemplation, Barnett smiled at Aldrich and asked, "Anything else?"

"Nothing more; can I leave now?"

"Tom, please see Aldrich back to the hotel," Barnett instructed as he stood to accompany him. Aldrich walked away without looking back.

Barnett watched Aldrich enter the car before he returned his attention to the room. Someone behind him frowned and said, "Boss, with all due respect, what is your brother's educational background?"

"Education? Ha ha ha ha, so funny!" 

"Nine years back, I was thrown into the chaos of the London Stock Exchange, surrounded by a bunch of overachievers. Every single person looked down on me like I was just some kid hanging around the grown-ups' table. They had better degrees, sharper brains, harder work ethics, a killer network, and plenty of connections. I was the underdog, watching them bask in the glory of rising stocks, swaggering off to lavish dinners with stunning women, and living the high life while I sat there broke. I came to a tough realization: I'd never outsmart them, and there was no way I could spend five years chasing their advanced degrees. But then, on a particular Monday eight years ago, while my so-called mentors mocked me for putting all my money into a sinking ship, I was utterly terrified—so much so that I nearly wet my pants! I just sat in my seat, trying to play it cool, even spilling coffee on my lap in a desperate attempt to mask my panic. That week, I saw three traders jump from the rooftop, while I managed to pull in almost a million pounds. The rest of my so-called seniors were crashing and burning, and here I was, proudly walking out of the exchange with my head high despite my soaked pants, soaking in the envy of those around me. And it was all thanks to my younger brother, the one who quit school after elementary, who told me to go for it. Over the last decade, I've learned two crucial things: first, every investment is a gamble; degrees and experience guarantee nothing at all. Second, hard work doesn't stand a chance against luck; when God decides you'll lose it all, victory isn't happening! I truly believe my younger brother is God's gift to the Hall family, just like his name implies—'rich' will make us all wealthy!"

The business elites listened, enthralled. In different circumstances, they would have scoffed, but Barnett's legendary success commanded their respect.

"As my younger brother suggested, you should shift your focus to the internet. I find his reasoning quite sound, especially since Microsoft has already given me a taste of success."

With that, Barnett's command was met with serious agreement from everyone.

Unbeknownst to Aldrich, his unexpected attendance at this meeting during their vacation in America ended up inadvertently paving the way for the future rise of the Hall family's Internet empire.