Wen Sheng never thought she would meet the man from that one-night entanglement in such circumstances.
Standing in front of the conference table, Wen Sheng's mind went blank.
Linyun Technology was represented by four people today, their co-founder Leo Fu, a legal representative, and two AI architects.
The man was dressed in a black casual suit, with a black shirt underneath, the buttons of which were undone. His carefree demeanor was balanced by an air of solemn beauty. This was far removed from the sports attire he wore on that night.
Without the evidence of their meeting, Wen Sheng would have had difficulty associating these two images.
Wen Sheng and Meng Wei shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Linyun's representatives, extending them a warm welcome.
He, expressionless, extended his hand, lightly touched hers, and quickly withdrew it, acting as if they were strangers.
That cold and subtle touch reminded Wen Sheng abruptly of that night.
In the dark, that icy current seared across every inch of her skin, guiding her into an extraordinarily intoxicating world.
A faint ripple stirred in Wen Sheng's heart, but she quickly suppressed it.
Zhu Qingjia often said that Wen Sheng was emotionally obtuse, able to remain calm and clear-headed at all times. Sometimes she seemed indifferent—cold, even.
But Wen Sheng saw it as self-preservance.
Meng Wei extended his hand with a smile and greeted, "Leo, nice to meet you."
But Fu Yanlin ignored him, opting to sit down instead. He merely nodded, taking the seat opposite Wen Sheng.
The atmosphere became awkward.
However, this was not an issue for Meng Wei. He was Changjing's resident social butterfly, and his rise to the position of Technology Track Leader wasn't merely due to his subpar business abilities or social climbing through romantic relationships—He had his strengths.
For example, even in awkward situations, he could immediately lighten up the mood with courteous and friendly banter, and start the discussion.
Wen Sheng watched out of the corner of her eye as he glanced at his phone, completely focused.
She exhaled in relief.
As long as he was willing to pretend not to know her, it was perfect for her.
That absurd relationship should fade into oblivion after they had parted ways.
The popular Unicorn Company, Linyun Technology, had countless organizations competing to fund them. Wen Sheng initially thought they would just go through the motions at the meeting. But once the meeting started, their attitude was exceptional. Fu Yanlin and the architects delineated the AI products related to autonomous cars they were developing and their financing needs in line with the PPT.
Fu Yanlin spoke passionately about Linyun Technology's future product developments in the area of autonomous cars. The presentation ranged from intelligent car compartments, intelligent driving to autonomous hitching. His articulate presentation encapsulated his passion and grand vision for the way intelligent technology would revolutionize modern life. The 3D scene simulation experiment was particularly awe-inspiring.
The entire presentation was an extravagant feast for the audience's sight and hearing.
Wen Sheng listened with great interest.
In college, she initially wanted to study computer science, but her father thought her introverted nature might make her more antisocial if she studied computers. He suggested she study finance instead, believing that it would give her more chance to interact with more people and widen her social circle. Stubbornly determined, Wen Sheng didn't want to worry Wen Tingshu, and so she chose the finance major at Yan University. Later, she pursued her master's degree in Yan University's law department, specifically company law and securities law, and after graduating, she went on to work in M&A at the Hongquan Firm.
Years have passed, and she all but forgot her initial passion, occasionally keeping an eye on a few tech companies focusing on AI, as a reminiscence of her earlier interests.
After listening to the presentation, Wen Sheng finally understood why Linyun Technology had become a Unicorn Company in the tech industry. Their original ideas and grand vision were filled with passion. The products designed to perfectly align with modern technological life were incredibly powerful and drew a large fan base.
From the bottom of her heart, she believed that Linyun Technology's project was completely perfect and enticing.
Wen Sheng couldn't help but focus her gaze on Fu Yanlin.
She couldn't help wondering how such a remarkable man could end up having such an encounter with her in Qingzhou. It was quite surreal.
Noticing her gaze, Fu Yanlin met it with a steady, calm gaze, causing Wen Sheng's heart to beat fast.
Wen Sheng quickly looked away, focusing on the materials in front of her instead.
The meeting lasted nearly three hours, with Meng Wei in control the whole time. Each time Wen Sheng tried to voice her thoughts, Meng Wei suppressed her, hinting several times for her to make some tea and serve water.
Having no other choice, Wen Sheng obeyed, quietly serving tea and water, and running errands.
As the meeting was drawing to a close, Meng Wei clapped his hands in approval, saying, "Linyun indeed lives up to its reputation as the star of the tech industry. Your new product R&D in autonomous cars is truly inspiring. After listening to this, I can't wait to own a car using Linyun's intelligent system! I believe that this series of product developments will bring about a great revolution in the automotive industry."
After Meng Wei finished speaking, Fu Yanlin scoffed coldly, in a seemingly disdainful manner.
Loud and distinct.
Obviously, he wasn't giving Meng Wei any face.
He glanced at Meng Wei, and his tone was somewhat impatient, "We've meticulously prepared a three-hour presentation, and you only have these empty compliments? Is this the extent of Changjing's tech team's professional ability? Your grand revolution speech would be better served for the Ford brothers in the afterlife."
Even Meng Wei, who always seemed to say the right thing, couldn't hide his embarrassment. The other three from Linyun, however, remained calm. It seemed they were used to it.
Wen Sheng had seen him in full force in Qingzhou and wasn't surprised. She even found it a bit funny.
Meng Wei had indeed bitten off more than he could chew this time.
Fu Yanlin's hand rested on the table, lightly tapping as his cool and profound gaze landed on Wen Sheng, "And you, the mute who only knows how to serve water?"
Wen Sheng furrowed her eyebrows.
Why was he dragging her into this?
She heard him scoff, "Linyun is looking for partners who are highly compatible. If this is the standard of Changjing, then I don't know what capabilities you have to compete for this financing qualification? Are you planning on doing it with your fawning flattery or this undrinkable tea?"
It was Wen Sheng who had brewed that tea.
Fu Yanlin was deliberately berating her.
The atmosphere was awkward.
A sense of defiance welled up in Wen Sheng, her voice soft but cold when she spoke, "CEO Fu, while intelligent driving makes people excited and hopeful, it's common knowledge that AI has its limitations. So, how does Linyun Technology's smart driving system circumvent this downside and enhance safety?"
Despite the rapid development of AI, a machine is still a machine, devoid of human ingenuity. If a machine malfunctions, it lacks the flexibility of a human being. This is a concern shared by many people.
"Linyun Technology's autonomous driving assistance products are based on high-resolution, low-cost cameras with an extensive viewing angle of 8 million ultra-high-definition monocular vision. This camera recognizes numerous traffic signs and road markings. It can reliably detect vehicles 600 meters away and pedestrians 300 meters away. Furthermore, it has high extensibility and can be adapted for use in a wide range of mid- and high-end passenger and commercial vehicles."
In the following minutes, Fu Yanlin, explaining from a professional perspective, thoroughly addressed the issues of autonomous driving and product design. He was incredibly professional and patient.
At the end, he locked his serious gaze on Wen Sheng and said indifferently, "Being open to questioning isn't disgraceful. It's much better than baseless bootlicking."