Shen Mo rubbed his itchy nose, regretting for the umpteenth time that he hadn't worn a mask today. In April, the willow catkins in Beijing flew around like snowflakes, which was a disaster for someone with severe allergies like him. He glanced at the rearview mirror; his eyes were already starting to turn red.
Fortunately, he had finished his work for the day and decided to leave early. As he started his Cadillac, he couldn't help but sneeze. The windows were tightly closed, and the air conditioner was on recirculation mode, but Shen Mo still found it hard to breathe. The car's air purifier indicated good air quality, but his throat still felt itchy.
The traffic on the East Third Ring Road was as congested as ever, with cars slowly crawling forward. Suddenly, the black car in front of him braked sharply. Although Shen Mo stepped on the brakes in time, he still heard a light "bang." Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. The car in front was a Maybach. Shen Mo took a deep breath, took out a spare mask from the glove compartment, and put it on before opening the door.
The driver of the Maybach had already gotten out. He was a young man in uniform, professional and polite. "Sir, are you okay? Do you need an ambulance?"
Shen Mo shook his head, finding it even harder to breathe under the mask. "Sorry, it's my fault. Do you want to settle this privately or…"
Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a wave of dizziness. His allergy-induced asthma was starting to flare up. He leaned against the car door, gasping for air.
"Sir!" The driver quickly supported him. "I'll call an ambulance right away."
Shen Mo wanted to refuse, but he couldn't speak. He vaguely saw the door of the Maybach open, and an assistant hurried over. As the door opened, Shen Mo tried to see the person in the back seat clearly, but he was losing strength. He remembered this face, which had appeared repeatedly in his dreams.
The sound of the ambulance siren grew closer. As Shen Mo was lifted onto the stretcher, he took one last look at the Maybach. The windows were now fully closed, and he could only see his pale reflection.
After receiving an IV drip at the hospital, Shen Mo's allergy symptoms finally eased a bit. It was then that he noticed the man who had just returned from the payment counter. It was Lu Xiao's assistant, Chen Jiang, who asked with concern, "Sir, how are you feeling?"
Shen Mo quickly replied, "I'm fine, sorry for the trouble."
Chen Jiang breathed a sigh of relief and handed over a business card with a smile. "I'm glad you're okay. For the car repair matters, please contact me to handle it."
Shen Mo's fingers trembled slightly. The chief assistant of the president's office of Jiangbei Group, Lu Xiao's Jiangbei Group. After ten years, he was finally this close to Lu Xiao again, albeit in such an embarrassing way.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. Please rest well."
"Okay, thank you," Shen Mo said.
After Chen Jiang left, Shen Mo opened his phone and searched for the latest news about Lu Xiao. In the financial news, Lu Xiao was attending a business forum, impeccably dressed in a suit, with a stern expression. Shen Mo carefully placed the business card into the inner layer of his wallet, as if it were a cherished secret he dared not speak of.
On the third day after being discharged, Shen Mo returned to the company. He entrusted the car repair matters entirely to his assistant, Xiao Wang, to coordinate with Chen Jiang.
"Shen Mo, Hengyuan called." Shen Mo's partner, Wang Quan, pushed open the office door. "The project acceptance has passed. The celebration banquet is set for tomorrow night at 7 PM, at the China World Hotel."
Shen Mo looked up from his computer, rubbing his tired eyes. "Got it. Notify the project team that they have the afternoon off tomorrow and must attend the banquet in the evening."
He glanced at the calendar on his desk. This project had taken two years to complete. From the initial design to the final system debugging, he had personally overseen every step. Now that it was finally delivered, he felt an inexplicable emptiness.
The next evening, Shen Mo put on a custom-made dark gray suit. He stood in front of the mirror adjusting his tie, suddenly remembering something. He took out a silver cufflink from the drawer. It was the last gift his mother had left him, and he only wore it on important occasions.
In the banquet hall of the China World Hotel, crystal chandeliers reflected dazzling light. The chairman of Hengyuan Group was giving a speech. Shen Mo stood in the corner, holding a glass of champagne. His partner, Wang Quan, handled all external affairs of Nebula, and Shen Mo was not used to such occasions. But today, as the main person in charge of the project, he had to attend.
"…Special thanks to the Nebula Technology team for creating this world-leading intelligent logistics system for us…"
Applause erupted, and Shen Mo had to walk to the front. The flashlights made him a bit dizzy. He said a few words of thanks briefly and quickly stepped down.
"Mr. Shen, I've heard a lot about you."
A deep voice sounded behind him. Shen Mo turned around and saw Lu Xiao walking towards him. He was wearing a black bespoke suit, exuding the aura of a superior. Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively touched his mask.
"Mr. Lu." He raised his glass, trying to keep his voice steady.
"I just listened to your speech," Lu Xiao said, swirling the whiskey in his hand. "I'm very interested in your company's technical capabilities. I wonder if this system can be applied in other fields?"
Shen Mo noticed that Lu Xiao's gaze remained on his face as he spoke. He instinctively wanted to adjust his glasses but remembered he was wearing contacts today.
"In theory, it can," he said, choosing his words carefully. "As long as the data models and algorithm parameters are adjusted accordingly…"
"For example, in the medical field?" Lu Xiao suddenly interrupted him.
Shen Mo was taken aback. This was precisely the direction he wanted to expand into next, but he had never disclosed it to anyone.
"Mr. Lu has research in medical systems too?"
"A bit," Lu Xiao's gaze deepened. "After all, this industry is about to undergo a transformation."
Shen Mo's heart raced. He knew exactly what Lu Xiao was referring to. This was the direction he had been preparing for all along. But he hadn't expected Lu Xiao to see the same opportunity.
"Mr. Shen," Lu Xiao suddenly leaned in closer, "I wonder if you have time tomorrow. I'd like to learn more about your technical architecture."
Shen Mo caught a faint whiff of ambergris mixed with whiskey from Lu Xiao. His ears felt hot. "Tomorrow at 10 AM, can I visit your company?"
"Sure." Lu Xiao raised his glass. "Looking forward to working with you, Mr. Shen."
The next morning at 10 AM, Shen Mo arrived punctually at Jiangbei Group's headquarters. He was dressed in a dark gray suit, holding the project proposal. While standing in the elevator, he couldn't help but adjust his tie. When the elevator doors opened, Chen Jiang was already waiting at the entrance.
"Mr. Shen, Mr. Lu is expecting you. Please follow me," Chen Jiang said with a smile, leading the way.
Shen Mo nodded and followed him through the spacious corridor to a bright and spacious office. Lu Xiao was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the door. Hearing footsteps, he turned around.
"Mr. Shen, welcome." Lu Xiao's voice was deep and steady, his gaze lingering on Shen Mo's face for a moment.
"Mr. Lu, sorry to bother you." Shen Mo nodded slightly and handed over the proposal. "This is our preliminary technical architecture and implementation plan. Please have a look."
Lu Xiao took the document and gestured for Shen Mo to sit down. He opened the proposal, his eyes quickly scanning each page, occasionally pausing to read certain details carefully. Shen Mo sat opposite him, his gaze unconsciously falling on Lu Xiao's slender fingers. Those hands, with distinct joints, held a black pen, occasionally making a few marks on the document.
"Mr. Shen," Lu Xiao suddenly spoke, his eyes still on the document, "your algorithm model is very interesting, especially this dynamic optimization module. Can you explain it in detail?"
Shen Mo was momentarily stunned but quickly adjusted his state and began to explain in detail. His voice was steady and clear, his logic rigorous, occasionally using gestures to assist his explanation. Lu Xiao listened attentively, nodding from time to time, his gaze never leaving Shen Mo's face.
Shen Mo's eyelashes were long, casting a faint shadow under his eyes when lowered. His fingers were slender and fair, lightly tapping the table in rhythm with his explanation, like playing a silent symphony. Lu Xiao's gaze unconsciously fell on his wrist, where a patch of fair skin was exposed, faintly showing light blue veins.
When Shen Mo reached a critical point, he leaned forward slightly, his suit jacket's collar opening slightly to reveal a delicate collarbone. Lu Xiao's Adam's apple moved, his gaze darkening. He picked up the coffee on the table, took a sip, trying to suppress the inexplicable restlessness in his heart.
"So, the core of this module is to optimize the system's real-time response speed by dynamically adjusting parameters." Shen Mo's voice was clear, with a barely noticeable hoarseness, like morning dew sliding over leaves.
Lu Xiao put down his coffee cup, his gaze still fixed on Shen Mo. "A brilliant design, Mr. Shen. Your thinking is unique."
Shen Mo smiled, his ears slightly red. "Thank you, Mr. Lu. It's the result of the team's effort."
Lu Xiao didn't respond, just quietly looked at him. The sunlight slanted in through the floor-to-ceiling window, outlining Shen Mo's delicate profile. His skin was very fair, almost showing fine hairs, as if coated with a layer of soft light.
Feeling uncomfortable under Lu Xiao's gaze, Shen Mo instinctively pushed his glasses but remembered he was wearing contacts today. He lowered his head to hide his unease. "Mr. Lu, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Lu Xiao nodded, his tone carrying a hint of a smile. "Alright, I'll submit the proposal to the board for discussion and notify you of the results."
He then took out a mask from under the desk and handed it to Shen Mo with a smile. "Wear a mask, and be careful not to end up in the hospital again."
Shen Mo was stunned. "You knew it was me?"
"Chen Jiang told me. It's allergy season, Mr. Shen. Take care of yourself," Lu Xiao said, looking at Shen Mo.
"Thank you, Mr. Lu. I'll be going now. Goodbye." With that, he turned and left Lu Xiao's office.
Lu Xiao watched his back, his gaze deep, until the office door closed softly, and then he looked away.
A few days later, Lu Xiao held a board meeting to introduce Shen Mo's proposal in detail. The board members showed great interest in the proposal but also raised some concerns.
"Mr. Lu, how do we control the risks of this proposal?" one board member asked.
Lu Xiao calmly replied, "There are indeed risks, but Mr. Shen's team has the technical capability to handle them. I believe this project will bring us considerable benefits."
After some discussion, the board finally approved the proposal and decided to officially cooperate with Xingyun Technology.