When he woke up the next morning, he was alone in bed.
Zhao Wanyu had gotten up before him, made some millet porridge that was good for the stomach, and cut up plenty of fresh fruit.
After exchanging somewhat awkward greetings and having breakfast together, Zhao Wanyu drove Chen Mengchuan to Ke University's headquarters.
Ke University's headquarters was located in Xianfeng District, south of Shanghai City. It was quite far from downtown, and the drive took more than forty minutes.
Such a long distance made Chen Mengchuan wonder whether she really drove that far to and from work every day.
Zhao Wanyu told him she also owned an apartment in Xianfeng District and usually stayed there more often. He had wanted to ask about her parents, but it did not seem appropriate, so Chen Mengchuan kept quiet.
Zhao Wanyu took Chen Mengchuan straight to meet her immediate superior, Sister Wang, the HR director she had mentioned.
Sister Wang's full name was Wang Fanghua. She looked refined and capable. Chen Mengchuan learned from Zhao Wanyu that she was thirty-seven, exactly twelve years older than Zhao Wanyu.
"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit Ke University, Mr. Chen Mengchuan. I'm Wang Fanghua, Ke University's HR director. Manager Xu and Manager Toni were originally going to join us, but some leaders from Henan Province happened to be visiting Ke University today, so they needed to rearrange their schedules. Before then, shall we have a brief chat first?" Wang Fanghua's smile carried an apologetic air, and she seemed quite sincere.
"It's fine. Those two giants are naturally very busy." Chen Mengchuan did not mind at all.
"Thank you for understanding. May I just call you Mengchuan?" Wang Fanghua asked with a smile.
"Sister Wang, whatever you prefer is fine."
"Then I won't stand on ceremony with you, Mengchuan. I'll leave the technical matters to Manager Xu and Manager Toni. I'm more curious why you resigned from Xia Science Academy. Would it be convenient to discuss that?" Wang Fanghua shifted into interview mode.
"Yes. There were many reasons. First, the academic atmosphere at Xia Science Academy..." Chen Mengchuan answered smoothly.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door.
Wang Fanghua rose to open it, and a fat man walked in.
"Mengchuan, this is our Manager Xu, Xu Shuwei. Manager Xu, this is Mengchuan, the successor at Xia Science Academy you mentioned before. Mengchuan, Manager Xu, you two talk first. I'll go find Manager Toni." After apologizing, Wang Fanghua left the meeting room to the two men.
Chen Mengchuan smiled politely, somewhat surprised by Xu Shuwei's build. Xia Science Academy had photos of him, but in those pictures he looked to weigh at most 130 to 150 jin. The Xu Shuwei before him, however, looked to weigh at least 200 jin.
"What a pity for Xia Science Academy. They didn't even know how to retain a talent like you, Mengchuan. Sigh." Xu Shuwei let out a sigh.
Chen Mengchuan smiled and changed the subject. "Brother Xu, how do you see the future of Artificial Intelligence?"
Xu Shuwei smiled faintly. This was usually the question he asked others.
The young man before him was one of the main people in charge of Xia Science Academy's Xuanyuan Project. His theoretical knowledge and practical project experience were both extensive. Even compared to Xu Shuwei himself, he was not far behind. After considering his words for a moment, Xu Shuwei slowly said, "The future of Artificial Intelligence is too far away. If we only discuss the next stage of its development, pseudo-Artificial Intelligence built on big data will continue for quite some time..."
Xu Shuwei possessed abundant theoretical knowledge and project experience, and his views were incisive. Unexpectedly, they even aligned closely with future trends.
A large part of the trends in Chen Mengchuan's dreamlike vision of the future had actually been predicted by Xu Shuwei.
But unfortunately, what Chen Mengchuan had seen was far more extensive, farther-reaching, and more real than what Xu Shuwei had guessed.
Chen Mengchuan listened quietly to Xu Shuwei's conclusions, occasionally adding a word or two of his own.
After nearly an hour of discussion, Xu Shuwei was deeply surprised by this junior several years younger than himself. Some of Chen Mengchuan's additions were even more precise and more comprehensive.
"And what is your understanding of Artificial Intelligence? Mengchuan, tell me your thoughts." Xu Shuwei asked slowly.
Chen Mengchuan smiled, took a blank sheet bearing Ke University's logo, picked up a pen from the holder on the table, and with a few casual strokes drew the connection structure of several diagrams. He then added numerous symbols and figures. About ten minutes later, he turned the paper around and pushed it in front of Xu Shuwei.
Xu Shuwei picked it up with interest and began studying it seriously. But soon, his expression grew grave. In the end, the fat on his body could not help trembling as he muttered, "Impossible... This is impossible..."
"Brother Xu, I've already completed all the concepts and module connection structures," Chen Mengchuan said calmly and seriously.
"This kind of Artificial Intelligence... this kind of Artificial Intelligence..." Xu Shuwei was nearly speechless. On that sheet of paper, Chen Mengchuan had drawn for him a terrifying future for Artificial Intelligence.
"If you're interested, Brother Xu, I'll be staying in Shanghai City for a few more days after the interview. We can discuss it in detail."
Xu Shuwei put down the paper and gave Chen Mengchuan a deep look, his eyes full of complicated emotions. Rising to his feet, he said, "I look forward to our next meeting."
With that, he heaved his obese body out of the meeting room.
Not long after, there was another knock at the meeting room door. Wang Fanghua entered with a well-proportioned man.
"Looks like Mengchuan had a very enjoyable talk with Manager Xu just now. Let me introduce you. This is our Manager Toni. Manager Toni, this is Mengchuan. You two talk first." After making the introductions, Wang Fanghua left the meeting room to them.
After shaking hands, Chen Mengchuan looked at Chen Miantang before him. He was around 1.8 meters tall, with a well-proportioned build, gold-rimmed glasses, a simple gray crew-neck T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Though his outfit was ordinary, he gave off a genuinely clean and crisp impression.
"Manager Xu said you showed him something interesting and insisted I'd be interested too. Is it this sheet of paper?" Toni Chen Miantang asked Chen Mengchuan with a smile.
Chen Mengchuan smiled as well and pushed the paper toward him. "Manager Xu flatters me. He was probably referring to this paper."
"Do you mind if I take a look?"
"Not at all, Manager Toni. Please." Chen Mengchuan smiled.
"Call me Toni. I'm not used to these Chinese hierarchical titles." Toni picked up the paper and began examining it carefully.
After only a few glances, he was first mildly surprised, then his face revealed profound disbelief.
When he finished reading the contents of the paper, Toni's eyes were burning with excitement.
"Are these all your ideas?"
Chen Mengchuan shook his head. "They aren't ideas. They're a proposal and a plan. I've already completed the preliminary work, about fifteen percent of the progress."
Toni's hand trembled slightly as he pushed up his glasses.
"If CEO Chen... Toni, is interested, I'll still be in Shanghai for the next few days. We can discuss it in greater detail," Chen Mengchuan said slowly.
"Mengchuan, can you give me this paper?" Toni asked.
Chen Mengchuan smiled. "Of course, Toni."
After leaving Ke University, Zhao Wanyu asked Chen Mengchuan with a smile, "How did it go? Can they be poached?"
"Not yet, but I believe they're already interested."
"How am I supposed to get back downtown?" Chen Mengchuan rubbed his nose and looked at Zhao Wanyu.
Dressed in the fashionable style of a white-collar professional, Zhao Wanyu's cheeks reddened slightly. "Why not come to my place for a meal?"
"Sure." Chen Mengchuan was in a very good mood and did not refuse.
After getting the car, Zhao Wanyu drove into an area of detached villas in Xianfeng District and stopped in front of one.
Looking at the three-story villa before him, Chen Mengchuan sighed. "You really are a little rich woman..."
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