novelraw Chapter 723: First Love
Chapter 723: First Love
Noon.
Shen City, Qingning Tech Tower, 42nd floor.
In a small conference room not open to the public, the atmosphere was relaxed.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was the sparkling, vibrant modern landscape of Shencheng Bay. Inside, only a small round table was placed.
Several half-drunk cups of coffee and a few pieces of scratch paper covered in doodles (algorithm formulas, architecture diagrams) were scattered on the table.
Liu Qingning sat surrounded by several colleagues, with relaxed laughter ringing out occasionally.
"...The new braised pork knuckle rice from the cafeteria is absolutely amazing! Fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth. I sincerely suggest you all try it."
"Agreed! I ate two portions yesterday!"
"The results from last week's internal company code marathon are out. Mingzhu got third place. She has to treat us tonight."
..."Among the new users of [Qingmi AI] last week, the post-00s generation accounted for over 30% for the first time. This is definitely a new opportunity point..."
Liu Qingning listened quietly to everyone's chatter, occasionally interjecting with a smile or two, her eyes and brows filled with laughter.
These few people were all former subordinates and top graduates she had personally recruited recently.
They were also her most core, trusted team within this massive tech company now.
After a while.
Liu Qingning glanced at her watch, clapped her hands, and said, "Alright, it's already 12 PM. Dismissed, dismissed. Hurry up and go eat. You can try the braised pork knuckle rice."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Liu Qingning stood up, half-jokingly saying, "In short, everyone just arrived at Qingning Tech. It's normal to feel unaccustomed to the new environment. If you encounter any problems at work, come find me anytime. If it can be solved with technology, we'll rely on technology. If technology can't solve it... then let me go reason with them."
"Got it, President Liu!"
"Sister Ning is awesome!"
"Bye, Qingning."
Everyone left laughing.
In the small conference room, only Li Ziying remained in the end.
This intellectual and capable senior graduate student had known Liu Qingning since her sophomore year.
They had worked hard together in Professor Wang Chang's laboratory, formed a team to participate in the "Internet+" entrepreneurship competition, co-founded Century Zhixue, and finally tacitly cashed out and left together.
Their relationship was naturally beyond reproach.
Now, at Liu Qingning's strong invitation, she had officially joined [Qingning Technology] as the head of the newly established Data Strategy and Business Intelligence Department (DSBI).
This department wasn't the highest level, but it possessed the highest authority to access all the company's core business data and was directly responsible for providing data support to the top decision-making level.
Liu Qingning smiled and bumped her shoulder against this senior's, "So? Ziying, it's been almost a week since you joined. Getting used to it?"
"Pretty good. A big company is really different." Li Ziying sighed with emotion, "The benefits, the atmosphere are impeccable. The technical accumulation is also much deeper than when we were at 'Century Zhixue'."
She then looked at this junior, younger than herself yet profoundly deep, a flicker of inquiry in her gaze.
She probed in a joking tone:
"Qingning, I've had a question for a long time... Is the company's name really related to you?"
Back when they were starting their business, the team often joked about the connection between Liu Qingning's name and [Qingning Technology].
Now, having personally entered this world-class unicorn and seeing that Liu Qingning could not only directly oversee core products with hundreds of millions of users like [Qingmi AI], but also ignore procedures and arbitrarily place trusted confidants like herself in key data positions...
The implication was already self-evident.
Liu Qingning turned to look at her senior, a sly smile appearing on her cute face, "Yes, this company's name exists because of me."
Although she had already suspected it, when her suspicion was confirmed, Li Ziying's eye still twitched involuntarily.
She exaggeratedly patted her chest, "Goodness! It really is you! That's so amazing, my Ning! The namesake of a world-class unicorn!"
Of course, her internal shock went far beyond that;
more so, it was a wild joy and excitement of having backed the right horse.
This meant that by sticking closely to this junior, her career would face limitless possibilities.
Liu Qingning smiled and didn't elaborate further on the topic, instead asking, "By the way, Sister Ziying, how did you decide back then to follow Professor Wang to participate in that entrepreneurship competition?"
Li Ziying was momentarily stunned, a look of reminiscence appearing in her eyes.
"Speaking of which, it was quite coincidental. I had just been accepted as Professor Wang's graduate student, around early 2018, when she suddenly said in the lab that AI+Education was a major trend and encouraged us to form a team to participate in the Internet+ competition..."
"At the time, when Professor Wang said a sophomore undergraduate junior would be joining, we were all quite resistant, thinking what could an undergraduate possibly understand?"
"But, well, Professor Wang had a keen eye for talent. She overruled all objections and firmly believed in you, this technical genius..."
Liu Qingning listened quietly, her gaze lowered slightly, as if pondering something.
The two chatted for a while longer before Li Ziying also went to the cafeteria for lunch.
Returning to the independent office on the 42nd floor with its expansive view.
The relaxed smile on Liu Qingning's face gradually faded.
""Early 2018... Qingning Technology... Smile Holdings... Tang Yi Precision...""
She murmured softly, raising her hand to rub her throbbing temples.
Ring ring—
Her phone suddenly rang.
[Liu Shuang]
Liu Qingning took a deep breath and pressed the answer button, not even having time to speak.
Her best friend's voice, distorted by extreme excitement, came through the receiver: "Qingning! Qingning! Something big happened! Something big happened with [Xuanji Optical World]!"
Liu Qingning's heart tightened: "What happened? Speak slowly."
"Our CEO has been transferred back to Tang Yi Precision headquarters! The new global CEO is... is Tang Song! It's your Tang Song!!" Liu Shuang's voice was filled with unbelievable ecstasy, "We received the notification an hour ago. Chairman Ouyang sent the company-wide email herself, and then we've been in meetings until now. Oh my god, Qingning! Tang Song... he actually really became the CEO of [Xuanji Optical World]. It's too unbelievable!"
Hearing this, Liu Qingning's breath caught sharply.
So this was the "big thing" he mentioned this morning, that "surprise."
Hanging up the phone.
The office returned to silence.
Liu Qingning slowly sat down in her spacious office chair, took several deep breaths, and barely managed to calm the intense emotional turmoil inside.
This matter could indeed be called a surprise.
For her and Tang Song, the most beautiful memories were undoubtedly those three years in high school.
Childhood playmates reunited in high school, budding affections growing amidst endless practice problems.
Between them, there was not only romance but also the deepest friendship;
they were each other's true soulmates.
They shared everything.
She would tell him about her menstrual cycle, complain about the inconveniences of rapid breast development, explain problems to him, watch his worried, frowning expression...
Tang Song would tell her about comics, stories, crack jokes to amuse her, listen to music with her, take care of her when she was sick, sneak out to buy roujiamo for her...
Even if they weren't dating, they would still be the best of friends in the world.
And after graduating from high school.
To keep this relationship pure and to eventually stand together in a more harmonious state in the future, she chose to temporarily separate from this friend, both in distance and emotionally.
She thought it would be a romantic chase, meeting again at the peak.
Unexpectedly, this Little Song, who in her eyes still needed looking after, had, within just a few years, silently ascended to what could truly be called the summit at a speed she couldn't comprehend.
And the one walking hand-in-hand with him was that suffocating Jin Meixiao.
This was her greatest regret and her most profound pain.
Since learning from Su Yu about Jin Meixiao's true existence, that immense sense of insecurity had clung to her like a persistent disease.
She could only constantly push herself to fight, to seize, to strategize.
For someone only 26 years old, even with one successful entrepreneurial experience under her belt, trying to steer the ship of [Qingning Technology], a tech giant already at the world's forefront, was almost impossible.
She was still too young, lacking sufficient experience and prestige.
Now, he was coming to [Xuanji Optical World] as CEO.
This meant his work focus would completely shift to Shen City.
This meant they would have countless legitimate opportunities to spend time together, both in life and work.
Now, on the eve of the great AI technology explosion, they could fight side by side in the most cutting-edge technological fields, just as they had fantasized in high school, and change the world together.
A gentle yet determined light shone in Liu Qingning's eyes.
An unknown amount of time passed.
"Knock knock knock—"
A knocking sound came.
"Come in."
Liu Qingning collected all her emotions, reverting to the calm and capable President Liu of everyday.
The office door opened, and in walked her mentor, Professor Wang Chang.
"Teacher, you're here." Liu Qingning immediately stood up to greet her.
"Qingning." Professor Wang Chang's face wore a gentle smile, "I just finished the onboarding procedures and thought I'd come report to you first."
Professor Wang Chang was somewhat renowned in the domestic AI field. This job change involved her taking the position of Dean at the newly established "AI Ethics and Social Responsibility Research Institute" at [Qingning Technology], responsible for setting safety boundaries for the company's more aggressive future AI technologies.
It was also somewhat newsworthy.
"Please, sit." Liu Qingning personally poured water for her, "Teacher, I've already asked the housekeeper to prepare a sumptuous lunch at my place. Let's go there at noon to celebrate."
"You child, you're too polite."
"It's only right."
The two chatted for a while about company topics and then went downstairs together.
They walked across the street to the T5 building of Shenzhen Bay No. 1 diagonally opposite.
Swiped their cards and entered the luxurious large flat.
Auntie Mei greeted them with a smile, "Miss Liu, Professor Wang."
"Auntie Mei." "Hello."
After changing shoes, they went to the dining room.
Liu Qingning, unusually, opened a bottle of champagne and poured a little for each of them.
"Teacher, welcome once again to joining [Qingning Technology]."
"Thank you, Qingning."
They clinked glasses lightly.
At the table, the conversation gradually turned to the past.
"Thinking back, I really have to thank you. If you hadn't guided me onto the path of AI back then, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Professor Wang Chang smiled, "That was also the result of your own hard work."
"Teacher," Liu Qingning asked, as if casually, "Back then, why did you suddenly take a fancy to me, just a sophomore undergraduate, and insist over all objections on letting me join the entrepreneurship competition team?"
The smile on Professor Wang Chang's face stiffened;
she hadn't expected Liu Qingning to ask this suddenly.
Her gaze subconsciously shifted away, and she took a sip of champagne, "Of course because of your high talent. Your comprehension of algorithms was the most outstanding among all the students I've seen..."
Right at that moment.
Liu Qingning suddenly put down her wine glass, raised her clear, pure eyes, and looked directly at Wang Chang.
"You're lying."
Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable penetrating force.
"......"
"I've known you since 2017. Before that, your attitude towards me, while decent, was just that towards an ordinary student. But it suddenly changed starting in 2018."
Wang Chang's eye twitched, her breathing slightly rapid: "Qingning... you are..."
Liu Qingning stared intently at her and said, "Teacher, who arranged for you to suddenly give up your university tenure and come to [Qingning Technology] this time?"
"I told you before, it was your Senior Qin..."
"Senior Qin was Director Jin's former assistant, right?"
Wang Chang's hand trembled, her face slightly pale.
Liu Qingning asked in a tone that was almost declarative: "Was it Director Jin?"
"I..." Fine beads of sweat broke out on Wang Chang's forehead.
Looking into her student's eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything, she finally nodded with difficulty: "Yes."
"So, the reason you suddenly chose me back then, encouraged me, and guided me onto this path was also because of Director Jin's arrangements?"
"...Yes."
"I see."
Liu Qingning lowered her head and picked up her chopsticks again.
So, the "chosen path" she was so proud of was really just a pre-designed move on someone else's chessboard.
They were all scheming against me.
The spacious dining room fell into deathly silence.
Professor Wang Chang sat uneasily, her face full of guilt and embarrassment. Her lips moved a few times, but she couldn't utter a word.
After finishing the sumptuous lunch.
Liu Qingning stood up, a gentle smile already back on her face.
As if the confrontation that could be called "tearing off the mask" had never happened.
"Teacher, I've already had someone arrange your accommodation. I hope that from now on, we, master and disciple, along with Senior Sister Ziying and the others, can work hard together to take [Qingning Technology] to new heights."
Professor Wang Chang pursed her lips and finally couldn't help but sigh: "Qingning... I'm sorry..."
Hearing this,
Liu Qingning shook her head. There was no resentment in her eyes, only a clear calmness.
"Teacher, what's past is past. I don't mean anything else by it."
"No matter what, we've known each other for so many years. I remember your guidance and help in my heart."
"In my heart, I've always regarded you as my closest elder."
"Our relationship is definitely stronger than with any outsider."
She paused and added seriously, "[Qingning Technology] will be mine in the future, and I will strive to protect it."