Chapter 22 Huang Shiyu has appeared at C University...

Huang Shiyu arrived at C University at 10:00 AM, half an hour before the speech was scheduled to begin.

No matter what she does, she always arrives half an hour early, which is good for both herself and others. In addition to preventing herself from encountering unexpected events, it also helps her leave a good impression when negotiating business.

For a first-time collaborator, the first impression you make is formed in those brief four seconds, and once formed, it is difficult to change. Therefore, Huang Shiyu has a strong sense of time.

Huang Shiyu's phone vibrated twice in his pocket. He thought it was spam and was about to block it when he looked at it and realized it wasn't.

It was a message sent to her by Lu Xiao.

[Lu Xiao: I'm supporting you from afar. Did you receive my message? No, it's the message from me and Wang Ping.]

[Lu Xiao: Good luck! The important task of attracting talent is now in your hands.]

Yesterday, Lu Xiao told her that this was a great opportunity for publicity and to recruit talent for their upcoming medical intelligence project. She insisted that she accept C University's invitation and go.

Huang Shiyu still remembers her reply to Lu Xiao: "Do you think you can show off in front of these people who are fighting on the single-plank bridge of the college entrance examination? Are you just kicking their intelligence around like a ball?"

Actually, the real reason isn't there, and she knows it herself; it's just that she wasn't ready to meet these two people together.

However, this is not a solution. They will have to meet eventually. Song Chaoye is right. Hesitation is not her style. But she also knows that the successive setbacks have made her lose confidence and doubt herself.

If Huang Shiyu wants to rediscover the Huang Shiyu of the past, only he himself can find the way out.

So she came.

The lecture was held in the newly built auditorium at University C, which has a large space and can accommodate more people.

She planned to go first and find a seat with her name on it. Before she even stepped onto the stairs, her eyes caught sight of two people standing on the stairs, one on each side. They were both tall and thin, dressed in well-fitting three-piece suits, and both had perfectly appropriate smiles on their faces.

Huang Shiyu was very familiar with this kind of smile; it was the same kind Xiang Wan had.

The two seemed to be having a conversation, which wasn't surprising. The robots used in Song Chaoye's hotel industry were all provided by Shenzhen-Hong Kong, and the two companies had been cooperating for three years. Moreover, she had heard that Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group had developed a new drug, which was announced at a press conference. It would be launched on the market after the clinical trials went smoothly. Many companies were already extending olive branches to Shenzhen-Hong Kong, hoping to make a share of the profits.

She knew that Song Chaoye's family business was planning to transform, and that they had sold off many of their branded hotels due to the immense pressure during the pandemic. Therefore, they planned to further cooperate with Shenzhen and Hong Kong. This last point was Huang Shiyu's guess.

However, she also felt that it was highly likely, since some companies would love to get in touch with the wealthy Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group so that they could obtain corresponding resources in the business world. As the saying goes, it's good to have a big tree to lean on, and at least you can get some benefits by following behind.

Huang Shiyu planned to slip into the lecture hall on the other side before the two of them noticed her conversation, avoiding the steps. Having studied at C University for four years, she knew exactly which way to go.

But Song Chaoye's eyes were sharper than when he was reviewing contracts and scrutinizing every word. He called out to Huang Shiyu, who was about to turn around.

"Isn't this General Manager Huang? What a coincidence! Did you come back to visit your alma mater today?"

She didn't believe that Song Chaoye hadn't seen the invitation list; he was just openly or secretly hoping to see her make a fool of herself.

"Principal Fu invited me back to give a speech. What, didn't you receive the invitation?" Huang Shiyu was quick-witted and didn't stand on ceremony with him. He had seen it all before.

Song Chaoye laughed and said, "Perhaps I've been too busy with projects lately and misread it. As you know, Speed ​​Technology is still undergoing restructuring and is quite busy."

These words really hit home, especially Huang Shiyu.

Next to the lecture hall of C University, there are several sycamore trees. The layers of leaves are filtered by a few rays of sunlight, which fall on Huang Shiyu's eyebrows, as if a thousand-pound stone is placed on them, making it hard for her to breathe.

Huang Shiyu narrowed her eyes slightly, thinking: Song Chaoye really knows where her sore spot is, and he seizes the opportunity to deliberately rub that wound. But as he said, the two are indeed the same type of people in some ways. It's just that she is not ruthless enough, and she is not as unscrupulous as Song Chaoye.

"I smell gunpowder in the air," Li Xingzhou, who had been standing to the side as if Huang Shiyu were invisible, interrupted the tense standoff between the two, yet seemed not to intend to. "If I remember correctly, President Huang and President Song are a couple, right? I often see media reports about them. Hmm, let me think..."

Huang Shiyu really suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at Li Xingzhou and said clearly, "Mr. Li, you haven't been reading the news lately, have you? Mr. Song is getting married soon. Mr. Li's words could easily be misunderstood and cause unnecessary trouble."

What she really wanted to say was, "You're so idle, you even remember these kinds of gossip news so clearly." Huang Shiyu was different. Lu Xiao often told her gossip about the financial world, but she just let it go in one ear and out the other. She was more interested in Lu Xiao analyzing the stock market trends every day.

"President Li, that's all in the past. The media just loves to make things up." Song Chaoye couldn't wait to sever ties with Huang Shiyu. There's an unwritten rule in the business world: the more family-oriented a man is, the more trust he receives from his partners. That's why many elite men have a woman behind them who is considered a virtuous helper.

The truth is that behind every cunning man stands a woman willing to be drained of his lifeblood.

Huang Shiyu was unusually calm at this moment, and did not choose to confront Song Chaoye. She felt that it was useless to be quick-witted and might only feel good in the moment. Now she was more concerned about the speech that was about to be given.

"Let's go in first, the speech is about to start." After saying this, Li Xingzhou turned and walked into the open doors of the lecture hall, and Song Chaoye followed him in.

Huang Shiyu glanced at Li Xingzhou casually. Li Xingzhou was not going down the steps quickly, but rather very casually, creating a unique scene with Song Chaoye, who was trying very hard to strike up a conversation with him.

She thought to herself: Song Chaoye seems to really want to climb this line, but that's his family business's business. The old man is still alive, so why should he care? And if she remembered correctly, Song Chaoye only dragged her into founding Speed ​​Technology because he didn't want to manage the family business. Now that Speed ​​Technology is almost fully restructured and the new project is about to go public, why is he busy with the family business instead of managing the new project? She couldn't understand it.

However, she doesn't intend to delve into the intricacies of the matter, as it has nothing to do with her anymore.

As Li Xingzhou descended the last step, Huang Shiyu was just about to head towards the lecture hall. Whether Li Xingzhou was talking to Song Chaoye or simply wanted to stop for a moment, Huang Shiyu couldn't help but glance at him. At that moment, she wondered if Li Xingzhou was telepathically connected with her, as he turned half his face and their eyes met, but it was only for a fleeting moment.

It returned to its previous state and continued walking forward. In the end, all that remained in Huang Shiyu's eyes was a tall, imposing figure, just like the one from six years ago in the dead of night.

Because of the earlier delay, when Huang Shiyu entered, all the students and professors from various departments had arrived, and there were basically no seats available. Huang Shiyu looked around, found her seat, and sat down. She was glad that the person who arranged the seats hadn't put her next to those two people.

She glanced to her left and saw Li Xingzhou sitting next to the vice principal, chatting with the school leaders with his usual smile, like a hot commodity.

That's understandable, though. If it weren't for the unpleasant incident between them before, she would have really wanted to establish a connection with Shenzhen and Hong Kong. But then she thought about Li Xingzhou's attitude towards her and decided against it.

After the university leaders finished their speeches, it was the professors' turn, followed by the main event of the day: the lectures.

Li Xingzhou was the first to go on stage, and Huang Shiyu stared at him intently, also wanting to know what his topic would be today.

The stage was brightly lit. Li Xingzhou held the microphone in front of him, slightly obscuring his delicate and beautiful chin. His gaze was fixed on the audience below. He said seriously, "I am very grateful to Principal Fu for giving me this opportunity to give this speech at C University today. Standing on the stage and looking at these fresh faces below, I must say I am a little nervous."

The students in the audience were laughing, and the school leaders also smiled. The serious atmosphere of the speech was thus resolved by Li Xingzhou's casual remark.

Li Xingzhou's demeanor brought Huang Shiyu back to high school; he was just as humorous and witty, making people unconsciously like him. Behind Huang Shiyu, there were several small but loud voices discussing this person on the stage.

It wasn't that she wanted to eavesdrop; the distance was too close, it was like she was whispering in your ear. Her words were all praising Li Xingzhou, with a touch of popular science.

Huang Shiyu thought it was normal. Girls of this age are quite likely to develop an appreciative feeling towards this type of man. Many people say that men either become mature or greasy when they reach a certain age.

Li Xingzhou, on the other hand, possesses both the charm of a mature man and a touch of unruly youthfulness. He seems to greet people with a smile, but in reality, he exudes an air of superiority.

If it were her, Huang Shiyu thought she would be even more arrogant than Li Xingzhou.

After the room fell silent, Li Xingzhou began his speech: "Over the past year, I have participated in many forums, both large and small, all about the field of artificial intelligence. Today, I want to discuss a point that everyone is concerned about: whether AI will replace humans."

The moment this point of discussion was raised, the audience was filled with sighs and quietly watched the man on stage, waiting for him to continue. Even the most popular professors didn't receive such treatment in their classes.

Most of the students below are majoring in business, computer science, and artificial intelligence. AI has intricate connections with these fields. From the Dartmouth Conference in the last century to its current permeation of all aspects of work and life, AI is familiar to everyone. However, what many people are more concerned about is how to ensure the reasonable, standardized, and ethical use of AI, and whether it will affect data security in life. How to control risks is a topic that people love to discuss.

Looking at the eager faces below the stage, Li Xingzhou continued, "Currently, artificial intelligence is based on two main technologies: data mining and machine learning. As a populous and commercially powerful country, China generates a vast amount of measurable data, but the underlying algorithms are not yet mature enough. Moreover, we humans possess the most unpredictable and vast database within us: our keen minds. I believe AI cannot replace humans because its most prominent advantage lies in its application to data-intensive, mentally demanding, and knowledge-intensive industries. The medical industry, compared to other industries, has a natural foundation for development. You can pay close attention to the intelligent medical products that Sunac will be releasing soon."

Huang Shiyu listened attentively from below the stage, but she subtly looked away several times when Li Xingzhou glanced in her direction.

After all, it's best to avoid looking at those affectionate eyes that seem to look at dogs too much. Even making eye contact from a distance is quite awkward, especially now that she's seen the note Li Xingzhou wrote for her a few years ago.

It felt like every time we made eye contact, it was a constant reminder of this.

Although she attributed Li Xingzhou's behavior to youthful impulsiveness, the thought that he had once genuinely liked her still felt strange.

Finally, Li Xingzhou concluded: "The boundaries of AI usage still depend on people's moral boundaries. We can retain the right to look up at the stars, but we must also have the courage to break down barriers. Thank you everyone."

The audience erupted in thunderous applause. No one asked any questions, which was enough to show that they all agreed that what Li Xingzhou said was substantial.

There was no break in between, and Huang Shiyu was next.

The path Li Xingzhou took after coming down was the only way to get to the podium. Huang Shiyu deliberately moved aside when he passed by, but perhaps because the aisle was too narrow, Li Xingzhou's suit sleeve still inevitably scraped her little finger.

It's itchy, like the scab on a wound, making you want to pick at it and touch it.

Huang Shiyu stood on the stage under a white light, looking at everyone below the stage with bright, sparkling eyes, as if she were wearing colored contact lenses. She stood in the white light and gave a proper smile: "The point I want to talk about today is the employment and opportunities that women face in the workplace in the AI ​​era."

The microphone near her mouth transmitted her words throughout the entire lecture hall. Her voice wasn't actually loud; she spoke as she normally would. But the entire lecture hall was unusually quiet, as if afraid of disturbing her.

On stage, Huang Shiyu spoke calmly and deliberately: "AI technology is developing rapidly, bringing about reforms to many traditional jobs. For example, in the medical industry, with virtual nurses, the burden on our nurses can be reduced, allowing them to devote themselves to more complex work and amplify their social contributions. Also, women are usually more emotionally sensitive and have a higher pain tolerance than men, so they will have more opportunities in management in the future. This is on the premise that basic work has been replaced by AI, and this advantage will be brought into play. Of course, this reform will also give rise to new professions, but I can't say directly which new professions they are because I don't know. So we will work hard to do so. I hope that the women here will cherish every career change. Opportunities are created, and opportunities are seized."

Finally, Huang Shiyu also casually mentioned her own project, giving a brief and concise introduction to the medical project they are currently planning to undertake. Although it is still in its seed stage, Huang Shiyu is very confident about the project.

The audience listened attentively, and it took a while before they burst into applause. Just as Huang Shiyu was about to leave the stage, someone asked a question.

"Hello Mr. Huang, I am an artificial intelligence student. You just said that with the development of AI technology, women will have more job opportunities than men. However, it is well known that women are more suited to studying humanities than men during their school years, while artificial intelligence is a science-oriented field. Mr. Huang, isn't this contradictory?" The bespectacled man stood up straight and asked the question bluntly.

All eyes were now on Huang Shiyu and the boy with glasses.

"Thank you for the question. I myself have a science background, and Principal Fu can vouch for that." Principal Fu, who was suddenly interrupted by the question, nodded to Huang Shiyu, the meaning of which was obvious: Huang Shiyu was not lying.

She continued, "There is no gender distinction between science and humanities thinking. Otherwise, we could just stipulate which type of person should study science and which type should study humanities. Wouldn't professions also be divided in the same way? The difference is always caused by people. The higher you go and the more outstanding your performance, the more obvious this difference becomes."

Huang Shiyu had encountered similar words when he was young, but after growing up and experiencing more, he came to terms with it, because such phenomena are formed unintentionally over a long period of time and are difficult to eradicate in a short period of time.

"Mr. Huang, do you feel that the topic you shared today intentionally or unintentionally stirred up gender antagonism?" the bespectacled man asked again.

Huang Shiyu hadn't thought much of the bespectacled boy's question earlier, genuinely just assuming it was a point of confusion to be discussed together. But now, the boy's words have undoubtedly put Huang Shiyu in the spotlight. After all, gender antagonism is a very sensitive topic, and if his answer isn't good enough, Huang Shiyu could become the focus of online discussion the moment he walks out of the lecture hall today.

She herself obviously knew that.

Huang Shiyu appeared calm on the surface, but her heart sank; she had never expected this situation.

She is like a ship sailing alone on the sea, lacking a helmsman.

The blinding white light overhead made her see through her severely astigmatic eyes that the audience below was a dense mass of people and a dense mass of white light, like a drowning person searching for something to float on.

Huang Shiyu squinted, and with just a glance, she saw Song Chaoye give her a meaningful smile, just like he had at the joint press conference that day.

She immediately understood; this person was definitely arranged by Song Chaoye, and it was clear that he really wanted to kill her.

As she looked away, her eyes met those of Li Xingzhou in the audience. A few seconds later, Huang Shiyu looked away.

What should have been a few seconds felt like a slow-motion video in Huang Shiyu's eyes, slow and drawn out. She saw Li Xingzhou staring intently at her from below the stage, as if to say:

OK.

Believe in yourself.

Tell me your answer.

Below the stage, everyone looked up at Huang Shiyu, waiting for her answer.

The auditorium was brightly lit, and no one in the audience noticed Huang Shiyu's gradually cooling expression.

She looked at the bespectacled boy in the audience, and at the same time at Song Chaoye, her voice cold: "I don't think I'm inciting gender antagonism. I also believe that the development of AI is a powerful tool to promote gender equality, rather than a tool to create gender antagonism."

Almost as soon as Huang Shiyu finished speaking, Li Xingzhou took the lead in clapping, followed by thunderous applause. Huang Shiyu was bathed in waves of applause as she slowly walked down the stage. Her gaze fell on Song Chaoye, who was moving towards the stage diagonally opposite her, and she looked at him coldly.

Huang Shiyu sat in her seat, glancing at Song Chaoye who was giving a speech on stage. She had no interest in listening to his nonsense and was thinking to herself: As soon as the speech was over, she would immediately go and find Song Chaoye to find out the truth. She was quite sure that he had sent this person.

As she was thinking, she kept feeling a gaze fixed on where she was sitting. She looked up in that direction, but as if by magic, the gaze disappeared as soon as she turned her head, as if she were just being overly sensitive.

Huang Shiyu roughly understood that it must be because of Song Chaoye that she was under so much tension. She now had only one thought: to finish her speech as soon as possible so she could settle accounts with Song Chaoye.

On stage, Song Chaoye's speech was forceful and resonant, but he rambled on and on without getting to the point. The audience looked like they were about to fall asleep.

Principal Fu asked, "Mr. Li, I noticed you were looking over there the whole time. Was there something there?"

Li Xingzhou stared intently at Song Chaoye, who was giving a speech on the stage. He seemed to be listening very carefully, as if he were engrossed in the speech.

Just when Principal Fu thought Li Xingzhou wouldn't answer the question, he simply smiled and said, "It's nothing, the kitten has grown up." Then he lightly changed the subject, "Don't just look at me, look at our President Song now."

Principal Fu smiled and was successfully led to focus his attention back on the stage.

"Mr. Song, what do you think of my speech just now? Was it acceptable?" The bespectacled man stopped Song Chaoye, who was walking towards the parking lot.

Song Chaoye fiddled with the keys in his hand, without looking up, and said, "Heh, what do you think? Is it good?"

"I've asked all the questions you asked me. Do you still stand by your promise to let me join Speed ​​Technology after I graduate?"

Song Chaoye listened to the bespectacled boy's words with a lack of interest, but fearing that he would keep nagging in his ear, he finally raised his head and glanced at the bespectacled boy, which immediately silenced the other boy.

He just twitched the corner of his mouth.

"What do you think? You don't actually think you did a great job, do you? You made Huang Shiyu look so glamorous. You can dream about getting into Speed ​​Technology in your next life." After saying that, Song Chaoye patted the boy on the shoulder, the meaning of which was very clear: "Young man, you'll be dreaming about it tonight." Then he walked very casually toward the parking lot.

The boy with glasses stared intently at Song Chaoye's back, the key hanging on the index finger of his left hand, spinning it several times.

As soon as Song Chaoye entered the parking lot and found his car, he opened the door when a voice froze him in place.

"Did you do Song Chaoye?"

As soon as Huang Shiyu stepped out of the lecture hall, she immediately went to find Song Chaoye's people. Whether in the past or now, she only wanted one answer.

"You arranged that person just now, didn't you? You're really childish." Huang Shiyu stopped and asked Song Chaoye, who was about to get into the driver's seat.

Song Chaoye laughed: "What are you talking about? I was just clapping for you, didn't you see? Don't you know how to reflect on your own mistakes when you didn't do your homework well? What's the use of telling me this afterward?"

Huang Shiyu's unwavering stare annoyed him, so he pushed open the car door, stepped in front of Huang Shiyu, and stopped abruptly, his mouth and the expression on his face both freezing in mid-air.

"Song Chaoye, you disgust me." Huang Shiyu stared into Song Chaoye's eyes and said, word by word, "You're like a rat living in a gutter, utterly stinking! Utterly disgusting! Utterly nauseating!"

"You son of a bitch! Say it again!" No one had ever dared to curse Song Chaoye like that in front of him.

Song Chaoye shouted at Huang Shiyu while grabbing her shoulders with enough force to teach her a lesson. Just as he was about to use more force, he suddenly found that his hands were too weak and he couldn't press down.

"Let go. What kind of man hits a woman?"

Li Xingzhou reached out and pressed down on Song Chaoye's shoulder, giving him a hard push. Song Chaoye staggered back a few steps before finally regaining his balance. Although Li Xingzhou's push seemed forceful, the force he used when pressing down on Song Chaoye's shoulder was also considerable, though the other party wouldn't feel it now.

The parking lot was dimly lit, but Li Xingzhou's posture remained upright. In the unclear light, his facial features appeared even more defined than before. This perfect bone structure was actually better suited to be outlined with black and white lines than with bright colors.

"No wonder you're the former CEO of Speed ​​Technology." Song Chaoye understood something after just one glance at the two of them. He also noticed that Li Xingzhou had been glancing in Huang Shiyu's direction from time to time, and at the time he thought he was looking at someone else. Now he understood. "You've managed to get on board with the heir of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group so quickly. You're really something."

Li Xingzhou's handsome face was completely expressionless at this moment, and his expression grew colder inch by inch. His tone became several degrees colder, "Watch your mouth."

Song Chaoye didn't dare to talk back to Li Xingzhou, after all, his family's strength was undeniable. Seeing that the situation was not good, he just gave them both a deep look and quickly drove away.

Huang Shiyu hadn't uttered a single word since then, so Li Xingzhou followed her gaze and saw a dark, unidentified object. The light was dim, barely enough to see anything, and it took a while to realize that it was a pile of trash: used tissues, empty milk foam, and notes with writing on them.

Li Xingzhou was right beside her, keeping her company without saying a word, just quietly staying and keeping her company, as if he didn't even exist in this space. Huang Shiyu, who had come back to her senses, slowly moved her empty gaze to Li Xingzhou's face and said softly, "Do you know fencing, Li Xingzhou?"

"meeting."

"Then take me to fencing, the one near Wujiaochang, it's not far from here."

Li Xingzhou asked indifferently, "Huang Shiyu, is this how you ask for favors?"

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Author's note: Xiao Zhou, what can I do to save you from this mouth!