Chapter 144 Exposure

After a week of anxiety, the interview program was finally broadcast simultaneously on TV and online platforms.

I originally thought that this kind of professional technology interview would have a limited audience and would be over after it was broadcast.

Unexpectedly, within two days of the broadcast, the development of the situation was completely beyond my expectations.

I don't know who cut out the core part of the interview about my development of AI companion software and gave it an extremely eye-catching title:

The genius developer behind the explosively popular "Cyber ​​Lover" turned out to be him?!

It was thrown onto a short video platform with huge traffic.

This has really stirred up a hornet's nest.

The number of video views soared like a rocket, reaching hundreds of thousands in just a few days, and the comment section and barrage were extremely lively.

Everyone's focus is varied.

Some people focused on me:

"What the hell? So young? Looks like a college student!"

"She's pretty, exactly my type!"

"A graduate student from a prestigious university came up with such amazing technology and even started a company?? Other people's 24 years old vs. my 24 years old... I feel like a loser QAQ"

"Do you have a girlfriend, bro? Look at me!"

Of course, there are also those with sharp ears who caught the key words mentioned in my interview:

"Wait! Did he say 'lover'? And 'fellow professional'? I smell something unusual!"

"Blind student, you've spotted the point! I heard it too! Is it 'he' or 'she'?"

"It felt like 'he'... the voice was vague, but the tone seemed to refer to a male?"

"Wow! Is it a boy? A story about a developer and another top student? This is even better!"

Fortunately, the current internet environment is relatively tolerant. When it comes to sexual orientation, most people are indifferent to it. Apart from a few who expressed surprise and curiosity, most comments were filled with excitement and blessings.

"Ahhh, so all the good guys have boyfriends!"

"A powerful alliance! I admire you!"

"Blessings! May you be happy!"

Another group of people focused on the game companies I mentioned:

"So AI is for making games? I'm really looking forward to it!"

"What game is it? When can I play it? I can't wait to support it!"

"Iron Stone Company, huh? I'm paying attention! Hurry up!"

The most direct benefit brought by this unexpected wave of popularity is that the official account of "Tie Shi" has gained a lot of fans, and even received several high-quality job resumes!

My mood is very complicated.

On the one hand, I was of course happy to see my technology being recognized and the project being anticipated; but on the other hand, the feeling of being suddenly pushed into the spotlight and having every detail brought out for public discussion made me very uncomfortable and even a little panicked.

I was afraid that I couldn’t handle this kind of attention, and even more afraid that saying something wrong would lead to criticism.

For several days, I didn't dare go to the company and stayed at home with an ostrich mentality.

Lin Yan saw that I was uneasy and kept comforting me, saying that this was a good thing and that it meant that everyone recognized me.

But I know in my heart that he himself is actually in the center of the storm.

Many curious netizens have begun to follow clues such as "same major" and "entrepreneur" to try to find out who the "lover" I am talking about is.

Given Lin Yan's fame in the industry, it was only a matter of time before he was exposed.

Lin Yan obviously realized this earlier than I did.

Without much hesitation, he used public relations tactics. He did not deliberately suppress the discussion about me, but cleverly directed the public's attention to another more controversial topic that was more likely to trigger widespread discussion.

“Can the emotional value and companionship provided by AI be considered true love?”

He arranged several sharp commentary articles and secretly encouraged some industry KOLs to join the discussion.

Sure enough, the focus of the Internet was quickly shifted.

People began to argue fiercely:

Is relying on an AI lover a form of emotional escape? Is the emotional connection between humans and AI real? What impact will this have on real-life interpersonal relationships?

For a time, gossip and speculation about my personal life were quickly drowned out by the larger debate about technological ethics and the future of emotions.

As the heat on my body gradually faded away, I finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like I had survived a disaster.

Lin Yan held me in his arms, gently stroked my hair, and said with a hint of apology and heartache: "I'm sorry, Ruirui. I didn't want you to face all this so early."

I leaned into his arms and shook my head. "I don't feel wronged. I made all the choices myself, and I don't regret mentioning you on the show."

I paused and whispered, "Actually... I just don't want our relationship to be forced into public disclosure, subject to prying eyes and speculation. I'd rather tell everyone ourselves in a more formal and open setting of our own choosing."

"I understand." Lin Yan lowered his head and kissed the top of my head. "It was my fault that I didn't handle it properly. The fire almost burned you."

"How can I blame you for this?" I looked up at him. "The wave is coming, and it can't be stopped. It's just... I'm still a little worried about the impact on our family, friends, and company..."

"Don't worry," he said calmly, with a reassuring power. "The public's attention span is short, and soon there will be something new to attract them. I'll take care of everything."

"Yeah," I hugged him tightly, and the uneasy ripples in my heart gradually calmed down. "Thank you, Lin Yan. I feel really at ease with you around."

Lin Yan chuckled, and his tone suddenly became a little sour:

"However, I still watched that short video several times. I saw many comments calling you 'husband' and 'wife'... I immediately clicked report."

I:"……"

Well, it seems I can't get over this jealousy.

In any case, this sudden public opinion storm finally passed without any major incident.

And we, in this storm, seem to be getting closer.