Chapter 62

Chapter 62

In the big data and artificial intelligence lab at Q University, there weren’t many people around by the afternoon.

A freshman who had just started her first year was harshly scolded by her mentor for an error in experimental data. In her distraught state, she only realized after returning to her dormitory that she had forgotten to lock the door.

She hurried back.

The lab stored experimental data from collaborations between the university and several tech companies outside. She couldn’t imagine how terrible her fate would be if the data were lost.

Just thinking about it made her legs tremble and her face pale.

Her senior called while she was on her way back.

It wasn’t because he had noticed she hadn’t locked the door, but because she hadn’t submitted her assigned work to the mentor on time.

The girl felt a slight relief, yet the accumulation of all these issues pushed her close to breaking point.

Upon reaching the lab, she saw someone inside and immediately thought, "Oh no."

With a nervous heart, she pushed open the door and immediately spotted a figure standing by the window, flipping through data samples. The person’s back was to the door, revealing only his tall stature, black hair, and a slender yet not frail frame that gave an air of elegance to the long white lab coat he wore.

"Y-You… hello?" the girl spoke cautiously.

Since he was wearing a lab coat, she didn’t suspect him of stealing data.

Upon hearing her voice, the person turned around.

He was incredibly handsome.

That was her immediate thought.

It wasn’t the kind of stunning beauty that left one speechless; rather, the person in the lab had a pair of silver-gray glasses perched on their nose, and their fingers resting on the data book were as white as ivory, making him appear even more composed and refined.

However, when he spoke, his deep, soothing voice melted away some of the coldness.

"I came in when I saw the door was unlocked," he explained. "I’m here to fetch some materials. I’ve already informed the lab supervisor and will leave shortly."

As the girl stepped inside, she discreetly observed him. "Are you also from our school?"

He glanced at her and smiled. "A freshman?"

"Yes," she nodded, her heart racing. "I was supposed to be the last one to leave today and lock up, but I forgot."

There was no expected reprimand or condescending advice from a senior.

Instead, he spoke with a clear understanding, his tone casual and natural. "I don’t have the habit of tattling, so don’t worry. But much of the experimental data is confidential. Be more careful next time."

"Thank you, senior." The girl’s face turned red, and the despair from ten minutes ago had diminished significantly.

After leaving the laboratory, the girl was lost in thought all the way.

If it weren't for the conversation still fresh in her mind, she would have doubted whether she was dreaming.

She wondered, who was he?

From the looks of it, he should also be majoring in Intelligent Data.

But it had been half a year since school started, and no one had ever mentioned such a remarkable figure among the upperclassmen. Someone so outstanding would surely be famous on campus by now.

When the girl returned to her dormitory, her roommate noticed her frequent absent-mindedness and, after persistent questioning, learned that she had fallen head over heels for someone.

Further probing revealed details, and after some analysis, they pinpointed their target as a single individual.

Her roommate pointed at the official ID photo on the computer screen with a numb expression: "You're not telling me that the person you met is this one?"

The girl leaned closer for a look.

The photo lacked the vitality of the real person, but the features were unmistakably the same as the man in the lab.

Then, within half an hour, the entire freshman girls' dormitory buzzed with news that the legendary figure from Q University, who won numerous technology awards during his undergraduate years and led a tech team to invest in a renowned startup, had returned to campus. He was currently pursuing a combined master's and doctoral program at Q University but had never shown up before.

As the girl was still reeling from the shock, she heard countless speculations and facts about him.

"Who would believe he's only 23? I’d be grateful if I could just survive at 23."

"There have been rumors that while he officially joined the startup through his technical expertise, he actually invested early on and was one of the initial investors... It's obvious he's a rich second-generation. I heard his family is quite wealthy, just very low-key. Now, it's almost impossible to find any information about him."

"Girlfriend? Haven’t heard anything about that."

"I reasonably suspect his girlfriend is an intelligent robot. Have you seen the new 'R2D' model launched by the startup? I watched their promotional video; it was hilarious. It seems like a health and wellness machine. I wonder who designed it. They say it's primarily developed for medical intensive care and is now being snapped up in the market."

...

Chen Mo stayed on campus for only a day.

Due to issues with his project, Old K came to pick him up the next day.

Counting from this life, Chen Mo first contacted him seven years ago, when he was still a struggling college student trying to cover his mother's medical bills. Now, he was dressed in a suit, exuding an air of professionalism.

Chen Mo could hardly recall how he looked when they first met in his previous life, full of ambition but unable to find an outlet.

Old K drove a formidable tank and poked his head out the window, teasing, "I heard you caused quite a stir on campus again? Why does this always happen whenever you come back?"

"Aren't you supposed to be serious about the urgent issue? How can you joke around?" Chen Mo opened the door and got into the car, speechless. "Also, can you please change your car?"

Old K revved the engine, flashing a white smile, "Nope. The problem isn't that big. I think the investors backing out is because our product launch has been targeted. This isn't the first time it's happened; it's just more troublesome. And you know, every time I drive this car to deal with those investors, I end up drinking three ounces less. Seriously, when you came to me in high school, I thought I was being scammed. Over these years, I haven't cheated you, right? I was completely fooled by your underage appearance back then."

Chen Mo sat in the passenger seat and chuckled.

"Isn't it because you're short on cash?"

"Damn it." Old K laughed and cursed, "Don't expose people's weaknesses. All those people at Q University who look up to you—do they know how sharp your tongue is?"

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. "They usually describe me as gentle and courteous."

"Bullshit." Old K was never polite with him and laughed, "Only the students at school who haven't seen the harshness of society would think that. Those colleagues you've kept down for years—they'd all jump up and curse you, saying you're ruthless and two-faced."

Over the years, Chen Mo had not only focused on his technical expertise but also ventured into the core operations of New Edge.

His methods and style retained many old habits.

He aimed for decisive victories, leaving no room for retreat.

Thus, unlike his situation at Q University, Chen Mo's prestige within New Edge far exceeded Old K's. Besides mastering key technologies, he had the unwavering support of the company's technical team, and his long-standing authority often made people forget that he had just graduated from his undergraduate program.

"Where to now?" Old K asked. "Back to your place downtown?"

"Mm, we have dinner tonight. I need to change clothes."

Old K turned the steering wheel right and headed towards Chen Mo's residence.

They temporarily set aside work topics. Seeing Chen Mo's tired expression, Old K knew he hadn't rested well due to R2D in the first half of the year. He brought up something trivial and continued chatting, "Is President Su getting married? Have you received the invitation?"

Chen Mo looked down at his phone. "Yeah, the wedding banquet is next week."

"Tsk, another financial hit." Old K complained as usual, "Didn't she say her relationship with her fiancé has been average these past few years? Why marry now?"

Chen Mo hummed noncommittally, not responding.

In recent years, his interactions with the Yang family had been limited. His grandfather seemed to be doing better than expected, though his health was indeed declining. Yang Zhi's decision to get married now might have something to do with this.

As for Su Qianran.

As a senior executive at New Edge, although it wasn't easy for her to escape the constraints of her original family, it wasn't impossible.

It seemed she had her own reasons for agreeing to the marriage.

After all, over the years, rumors suggested she and Yang Zhi had gone through a lot. Even Chen Mo had heard plenty of gossip.

Stories like chasing her across distances and apologizing humbly in front of the entire company. Chen Mo had even wondered if Yang Zhi had been bewitched, given how uncharacteristic it sounded.

Whether it was mutual torment or something different, Chen Mo had no right to interfere.

When he learned about the wedding from Su Qianran, he simply said, "Sis, congratulations."

She replied with a message.

"Chen Mo, I've always considered you my brother. This has nothing to do with Yang Zhi. At first, I thought I was helping you, but later, I realized you were always helping me. You left room for me to shine in research and helped me establish myself at New Edge. It's hard to explain my feelings in a few words, but regardless of your relationship with the Yang family, I am your sister, and always will be."

When Chen Mo read that long message, he couldn't help but feel touched.

Their relationship in this life was much closer than in the previous one.

In the previous life, Chen Mo admired her, and she had helped him. In this life, as partners, they trusted each other unconditionally and understood each other's backgrounds and families.

In Chen Mo's new life, where he had cut ties with his past, there were few people who still knew about his history. Su Qianran was one of them.

Chen Mo's current apartment was in the city center.

He bought it last year, spent six months decorating it, and moved in two months ago.

The security here was strict, but since Old K's car frequently visited, he was allowed entry after registering at the gate.

"The environment here is really nice," Old K said. "I'm thinking of selling my current place and buying one here."

Chen Mo: "Wouldn't that be inconvenient for your mom?"

"That's why I'm hesitating."

Chen Mo chose this location because it was midway between New Edge Technology and Q University, making travel convenient. The central location was also advantageous, with reasonable profit margins. Previously, he lived closer to New Edge's research center, which was quite remote. After enduring four years of commuting during his undergraduate studies, he didn't hesitate to buy this place.

Entering the elevator, stepping inside, and changing shoes.

The house had a simple, tech-heavy decor.

All furniture and appliances were voice-controlled. Every time Old K came over, he would comment that Chen Mo didn't understand young people.

He especially couldn't comprehend the enthusiasm of the young technicians under Chen Mo, who worked tirelessly day and night, sometimes celebrating wildly over solving minor issues.

This was why Chen Mo felt he was more suited for a leadership role.

Since it was the weekend, they had pulled their team into an emergency meeting. After a four-hour online discussion, Old K promised a company outing next week, finally eliciting cheers.

"Will Brother Mo come?" someone asked curiously.

New Edge Technology was a young company, and Chen Mo didn't have a formal leadership title. He was the head of the technical department and an investor, so the team usually called him Brother Mo or Boss. They only referred to him as President Chen in formal settings.

While Chen Mo went to change clothes, Old K ate the takeout he had ordered and said, "You'll have to ask him yourselves. He usually doesn't go, probably wanting to rest."

"I always thought Boss is a contradiction."

"He loves emerging technology, working tirelessly to the point of exhaustion, yet sometimes he acts like an old man."

"He still uses a wooden bucket to soak his feet."

"His thermos cup is never short of goji berries."

"He has a pair of knee guards with frayed edges that he uses every winter."

"Not that he's poor, just sentimental."

Old K tapped the table.

"Cut it out with the gossip about your boss. Your CEO Su is getting married soon, so it’s just the two of us tonight. We’ve got a lot to do."

"CEO Su’s husband seems pretty wealthy, I heard he’s from a rich family."

"Who knows, keep an eye on Boss Chen for me."

"And his stomach isn’t good, don’t let him drink."

Old K said irritably, "Do you think I dare let him drink? Back in his freshman year, when he was almost derailed as a rising star, no one knew his condition. He drank himself nearly into surgery, and I was this close to apologizing with my life. With his weak body, who knows how he even grew up."

No one noticed Old K’s last muttered words.

After all, most people met Chen Mo when he was already at the pinnacle, standing above thousands, seemingly without any weaknesses, an idealist with plans and actions.

Even though Old K knew him earlier.

But that young man who came alone with a single shoulder bag, aside from being a bit thin, always had a calm smile.

And then they exchanged contact information.

The only thing that revealed some of his flamboyance and nonconformity was his nickname, ‘Silence Is Not Gold, It’s Your Grandpa.’

Used to this day, it gave Old K the pleasure of seeing the shocked expressions of so-called successful people when they added him.

Not quite proper, yet oddly fitting on the current Chen Mo.