The slanted sunlight slammed against Lu Shizhen's vision, causing her to dazzle. That familiar voice was filled with arrogance.
Lu Shienlai was in a menacing mood. She seemed to have grown quite a bit taller in the few years since we last met, and her angry gaze was level with Lu Shizhen's.
"Small……"
Lu Shizhen never expected to reunite with Lu Shien in this way, and she was so surprised that she almost called out "Xiao En".
His habit jerked to the spot, then turned into a feigned ignorance: "Miss, who are you?"
"I'm my sister's younger sister! Xu Shiyue's sister-in-law! Just because you share a name with my sister doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!" Lu Shi'en introduced herself with her hands on her hips, her words full of protectiveness, "My sister isn't here, but I'm still here!"
Lu Shizhen was somewhat stunned.
This chaotic feeling even made her forget the pain of her wrist being tightly gripped.
Younger...sister-in-law?
This feels like something out of a family drama.
"Xiao En, what are you doing?"
Just then, Xu Shiyue came out of the bedroom and coldly rebuked Lu Shien, who had been issuing blatant warnings as soon as he entered the room.
Upon hearing Xu Shiyue's voice, Lu Shi'en abruptly turned to look at her.
The slanted sunlight fell on her shoulders, and her skin, which was always tightly wrapped in a shirt, had a cool white hue.
The slightly open collar was like a sharp arrow, shooting straight into Lu Shi'en's eyes.
Although it was just a monotonous expanse of white, it still couldn't prevent her tone from rising an octave: "I'd like to ask you! What are you doing!"
Lu Shizhen suddenly felt her wrist being violently slapped, but the pain vanished, leaving only Lu Shien's still sharp and unreasonable questioning voice: "Is this your new love?"
"Didn't Shen Yanxing call you last night? Don't you know the Robot Butler project ran into trouble? Now you're neglecting the company for your new lover?! You're here having fun with her, and you even hid her with such a high-tech combination lock? I almost couldn't crack it. Xu Shiyue, you really went to great lengths!"
Listening to Lu Shi'en's series of questions, Lu Shizhen finally came to her senses from the chaos.
The main system wouldn't randomly create an intersection between the two, so Shen Yanxing's call to Xu Shiyue yesterday wasn't just out of concern for her, but because something really had happened at the company.
Recalling her cold rejection of Xu Shiyue on the street yesterday, Lu Shizhen felt even more guilty.
Most importantly, the encryption program for that combination lock was specially written for Lu Shizhen's safety after Qiuqiu had seen many cases of burglaries.
“Well, actually…” Lu Shizhen hesitated, wanting to clarify the second half of her sentence to Lu Shien, but was interrupted by Xu Shiyue, “It’s my freedom to befriend whomever I want, and I don’t think company matters can prevent me from making friends, right?”
Xu Shiyue seemed very displeased with Lu Shien's sudden intrusion, her eyes filled with coldness.
She thus drew a clear line between her personal affairs and Lu Shi'en, keeping Lu Shizhen under her protection, and asked in a deep voice, "Besides, did I say I wouldn't get involved in the company's affairs?"
"Regarding the leak, I already sent Shen Yanxing and Luo Ji to investigate yesterday. Didn't you cooperate in writing the trap program this morning? If you think that you can just throw out the bait and fish will bite immediately, and you don't even have the patience to wait, then I think you shouldn't be the chief engineer."
Lu Shien was speechless for a moment, then brought his question back to the beginning: "Then, you can't betray my sister either."
Xu Shiyue raised her eyes slightly, and a layer of displeasure and gloom towards the transgressor appeared as the sunlight shifted: "Lu Shi'en, please think carefully. Did you come to me for the company's project, or are you simply acting on emotion?"
This company's project was Lu Shien's first project completed independently. She attached great importance to it when she received the task. It was a home smart software system that was about to be launched on the market. Both the hardware and software were designed to be exceptionally good.
But just yesterday, the rival company suddenly and without warning announced their upcoming new smart system, completely copying the highly confidential core selling points that Lu Shien and his team had devised.
Seeing her hard work stolen, the young girl panicked and was at a loss. Then, hearing that Xu Shiyue had inexplicably gone to the capital, she used some technological means to track Xu Shiyue's whereabouts and find the mysterious woman traveling with her.
Lu Shi'en felt her head explode, and anger became a shield to cover her panic and helplessness.
Like a little panda that has encountered tension and danger, she spreads her arms, stands up, and tries to intimidate the other party. Even Shen Yanxing couldn't hold her down.
The room was quiet and still in the late afternoon, as the setting sun cast an orange glow on the clouds outside the window.
Xu Shiyue's calm voice carried a terrifying sense of pressure as she directly asked Lu Shien a question, forcing her to calm down.
Perhaps it was the light reflected from the window, but Lu Shi'en's eyes were slightly red.
She sniffed softly and stubbornly pressed on, "But... you promised me you would find my sister, you can't go back on your word."
The only person in the entire group who could be so stubborn with Xu Shiyue was Lu Shi'en.
Xu Shiyue's displeasure did not intensify. She listened to the girl's question, glancing casually at Lu Shizhen standing not far away, and then said to Lu Shien without pausing, "I promised you, and I will definitely keep my word."
"Your sister will definitely come back."
Xu Shiyue's voice was soft, yet it seemed to be filled with the weight of time.
As Lu Shizhen listened, she felt something heavy fall on her, causing a dull ache.
How long ago was that? Five years ago?
So, during the five years she was gone, Xu Shiyue was looking for her every day?
Lu Shizhen realized that Xu Shiyue was likely aware of the system's existence, which was why she was investing heavily in artificial intelligence.
Lu Shizhen found that after realizing Xu Shiyue's idea, she felt no fear whatsoever.
She thought this person hated her intensely, but in reality, she cared about her more than anyone else.
She loves me.
That's why she's willing to plant roses in the data-driven desert, hoping that one day these roses will bloom and bring back her butterflies.
And Xiao En...
Having received Xu Shiyue's promise once again, Lu Shi'en felt like a madman who had retrieved her doll. After a slight pause, he calmly replied to Xu Shiyue's question: "I'm here to discuss company matters with you."
"They've already taken over the core program of our robot butler, and they even made an official announcement about it yesterday before we could. It's almost impossible for the factory to develop another competitive selling point in the short term. So what should we do?"
“Repetition of selling points is not a problem; many competing products on the market have this issue,” Xu Shiyue stated calmly. “We can approach it from other angles, by leveraging public opinion, creating price differences, and many other methods.”
Listening to this, Lu Shizhen suddenly felt that she should do something too.
Although she couldn't reveal her identity to the two of them yet, she should indeed do something for them.
The slanted sunlight outlined two dark shadows standing opposite each other with clean, sharp lines, while a thin shadow, with a soft, ethereal quality, slowly rose between the two shadows.
Lu Shizhen timidly raised her hand and said, "Well, I have a way that might be able to help you."
Lu Shi'en didn't like this person who almost replaced her sister speaking. Hearing Lu Shizhen's voice, she turned her head disdainfully and looked over: "You?"
Even though five years have passed, Lu Shien still cannot hide his emotions.
Lu Shizhen could clearly see that contemptuous and disdainful look in her eyes, but she didn't care and continued, "I was wondering if your artificial intelligence product could collaborate with my comics?"
"Actually, when there are similar competing products, collaborations can be a great promotional advantage. Some people will buy it because of the collaboration, and some will buy it because of its attractive appearance. It can encompass a wide range of groups."
"Your comic?" Lu Shien had done some research on Lu Shizhen on the way here and was skeptical of the comic that Lu Shizhen's senior classmates had recently recommended to her.
Lu Shizhen knew that self-recommendation required real data, which made her feel like a peddler selling his wares. She scratched her nose sheepishly and said, "We've done some collaborations with game consoles before, and the sales were pretty good...it broke 10,000 in the first hour."
Lu Shien was genuinely surprised by the number of cartoonists. He hadn't expected this artist to be so talented. He stubbornly retorted, "Do you know that with so little time, there simply isn't enough time to prepare?"
“We can get on the train first and buy the ticket later. You can announce the collaboration first, and then we can finalize the contract later.” Lu Shizhen had previous experience with collaborations and explained her idea very skillfully. “We can make the co-branded products available for pre-sale. I believe that two large groups like the Xu Group and the Lu Group, and since it’s not a major holiday, can surely produce them within the stipulated time.”
Lu Shi'en was somewhat convinced, but she was still not convinced by the person in front of her, and nitpicked, "Do you understand our products? Do you know what you're supposed to draw? Don't wait until our product line is all ready before you submit your work."
Lu Shizhen knew Lu Shien's personality well and that he was very patient. Upon hearing this, she said, "Wait a moment," and then picked up the tablet that she had just put away on the cabinet next to her and sat down on the sofa.
Although Lu Shien is sometimes unreasonable and acts based on his likes and dislikes, he is also a sensible and good child.
Since she proposed this collaboration herself, she should demonstrate the feasibility of it with some real strength.
Unlocking the door and opening the drawing software, Lu Shizhen held the fully charged capacitive pen and tapped it onto the canvas.
Before drawing comics, she started out as a commercial illustration artist. She knows the ins and outs of commercial illustration very well. She can lay out the entire canvas on the screen and quickly draw the general layout outline with rough lines.
Compared to the bright and sunny morning, the room was already shrouded in twilight.
Xu Shiyue glanced at the window beside her, then slowly walked around behind the sofa, leaving the best light for Lu Shizhen.
This was the first time she had seen Lu Shizhen paint.
The short hair that reached her chin seemed to be in the way at this moment, so she casually gathered it back with a hair tie, revealing her small face cleanly.
Her fair face was thinner than before, and her clear skin had a natural rosy glow, yet she exuded an indescribable sickness, as if she had been soaking in medicine for too long, and no amount of change could get rid of this feeling.
Her thick eyelashes curled slightly upwards, revealing a pair of eyes filled with seriousness.
As time has passed and the world has changed, only the eyes on this face, which Lu Shi'en could not recognize, still look the same as before.
How can one describe Xu Shiyue's feelings as she scrutinized this person?
I feel sorry for him, but also relieved.
These five years were a period of emptiness for them both.
Xu Shiyue watched with her own eyes as the incomprehensible, tangled mess of lines on the other side of the screen transformed into a clear and distinct drawing.
Lu Shizhen has truly become amazing. The drunken boasting that once lingered on her lap has become a reality in this world. She shines brightly and dazzlingly in the field she loves.
The setting sun spread out through one of the windows, its brilliant orange-red hues resembling the vast painting framed by the school window that day.
As Xu Shiyue watched Lu Shizhen paint, she seemed to be able to clearly depict the blurry and regretful scene she had seen in the art classroom in the past.
Xu Shiyue still remembers that it was the first time she had ever been so eager to see Lu Shizhen's painting, and she was equally jealous of everyone who could see it.
A faint scent of soapberry drifted into the room from the balcony on the breeze, and she now felt that many things could be seen with the eyes.
Lu Shizhen always unleashes her creativity. Although she hasn't done any illustrations for a long time and is a bit rusty, she completed her first draft of the line drawing very quickly and with an astonishing level of completion.
Lu Shizhen is always like this, putting all her effort into achieving her desired goal.
She had just spoken a lot, and after finishing the line drawing, her senses finally signaled that she was thirsty.
Lu Shizhen stared intently at the line drawing she had just completed, and then habitually reached out to touch her cup.
But she forgot that she had just tidied up the house last night, and her cup shouldn't and wouldn't be on the table now.
It seemed like the move was about to miss, but Lu Shizhen's palm still touched the hexagonal glass she often used.
Or perhaps it should be said that someone deliberately placed her palm into that hexagonal glass.
Xu Shiyue's movements were very natural, as if she had anticipated it. When she saw Lu Shizhen reach out, she handed her a glass of water.
Warm water seeped through the glass and gently touched Lu Shizhen's palm, while Xu Shiyue's fingers were cold.
Two different temperatures seemed to fall unintentionally onto Lu Shizhen's fingertips, plucking at the strings of her heart, causing her to vibrate suddenly.
Lu Shizhen was somewhat surprised that Xu Shiyue knew what she was about to do, and also touched by their tacit understanding.
She held the glass in her hand, trying to keep her voice calm in the warmth, and said, "Th...thank you."
Xu Shiyue's eyes curved slightly.
Just as she was about to reply to Lu Shizhen, Lu Shien's cough suddenly broke in from the side: "Cough cough."
The voice was undisguised and deliberately pointed, clearly reminding the two that there was another person watching them.
The ambiguous feelings were thus brought into the open, and Lu Shizhen's face flushed slightly.
She immediately turned the tablet in her hand towards Lu Shi'en, and asked her as if to cover up her unease, "Miss Lu, what do you think? Is it alright?"
Line art lacks the vibrant color impact of a finished product. Without the attention drawn by color, people tend to focus their gaze on the single black and white lines.
Lu Shizhen's black and white line drawing is simply too good. It has all the necessary lines, and there are no superfluous outlines. With just a few simple strokes, it is a painting with a very high degree of completion. Lu Shien cannot find a single mistake.
I don't want to find fault either.
Because the painting was not only beautiful, but it also gave her a sense of familiarity.
It was as if she had seen someone draw something like that not long ago.
But the person before her was her sister...
Lu Shi'en stared intently at the line drawing before him, his thoughts interrupted by Lu Shizhen: "I think they only took your core innovation, not you. Your technology can sustain this product, but theirs cannot."
"What they want is to win this wave, make you lose the market, and make you unable to compete with them in the future. So as long as you can withstand this wave, the market for this product will still be yours."
Lu Shi'en was somewhat surprised that the person in front of him had considered his feelings, and even felt a little guilty about his behavior just now. His arrogant tone softened considerably: "You... why are you helping me?"
Qiuqiu's side hasn't finished creating a smokescreen for the main system yet, and Lu Shi'en is such a computer genius.
Lu Shizhen was genuinely worried that the world Xu Shiyue hadn't destroyed might be destroyed by Lu Shien, who knew the truth.
Unable to speak the truth, Lu Shizhen raised her hand and ruffled Lu Shien's hair, using a vague sense of feeling instead of stating the facts: "Maybe we just have a connection."
The hair that had been tousled by the wind as he rushed over was now smoothed back down under his fingers, and Lu Shi'en suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.
Then it suddenly dawned on me that I shouldn't have had such thoughts.
The little girl stubbornly looked up at Lu Shizhen, like a struggling kitten, and said defiantly, "Don't even think about using sweet words to replace my sister! I belong to my sister! Xu Shiyue can only belong to my sister!"
“Okay.” Lu Shizhen looked at the stubborn little girl in front of her, unsure whether she felt more helpless or touched.
She held the cup that Xu Shiyue had just handed her, her gaze softening, and repeated in a low, enigmatic voice, "I know, Xu Shiyue can only belong to your sister."
Because of this unexpected event, coupled with Lu Shien's sudden visit, Xu Shiyue had to leave the capital and return to S City ahead of schedule.
There will be someone to handle the collaboration with the studio. Lu Shizhen can't go back to S City with them. All she can do is see Xu Shiyue and Lu Shien downstairs.
There were three people standing in the small elevator car. It wasn't crowded, but it was quiet enough.
As soon as Lu Shi'en entered, he stood in the middle and separated Lu Shizhen and Xu Shiyue.
The little girl held her head high, and there seemed to be a hint of smugness in her back view that made people both laugh and cry.
The elevator quickly brought the three of them to the first floor, and Lu Shien strode out first.
She paused for a moment, her tightly pursed lips parted slightly, then closed again, and finally politely turned back to look at Lu Shizhen standing in the elevator, saying, "Hey, thank you this time, goodbye."
Whether out of shyness or not, before Lu Shizhen could even raise her hand to wave goodbye, the girl turned and ran away.
Lu Shizhen still waved to her retreating figure, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and helplessness: "Goodbye."
She was genuinely worried that her younger sister's personality might cause her to suffer in the future.
Instead of worrying about Lu Shien, Lu Shizhen should worry about herself now.
Xu Shiyue was standing on the other side of the elevator, and did not leave for a long time.
Aren't you leaving?
As Lu Shizhen watched the elevator doors slowly close, she raised her hand to press the button to delay closing.
But before she could reach out, Xu Shiyue suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.
The hand was cool yet strong, and it pulled Lu Shizhen away unexpectedly.
The distance that Lu Shien had artificially created was rapidly shrinking. In less than a second, Lu Shizhen stopped just one centimeter away from Xu Shiyue.
The outdoor light was shut out as the elevator doors closed, leaving only the soft, dim light inside the elevator car falling on the two people's heads.
Lu Shizhen's eyes reflected her unprepared surprise in the light, and her thick eyelashes fluttered erratically with her alternating breaths.
Their eyes met, and the scent emanating from Xu Shiyue filled the small elevator.
The originally subtle and delicate flavor was amplified and made more ambiguous at such close range.
As if anticipating what Xu Shiyue was about to do, Lu Shizhen's dry throat bobbed, and she nervously reminded her, "Xu Shiyue, someone could come here at any time."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shiyue tilted her head slightly and chuckled softly.
Then she moved slightly closer to Lu Shizhen and asked in a low voice, "But Teacher Sixteen can't go back on her word, can she?"
"What?"
The ambiguous light brushed against Lu Shizhen's cheek, flowing gently.
A few doubts began to rise in her mind.
There was a veil between her and Xu Shiyue that neither of them had ever broken through. Xu Shiyue called her Sixteen, and she was Sixteen, not Lu Shizhen.
Therefore, she doesn't feel that she has made any promises to Xu Shiyue, whom she has only known for a short time, or that there is anything she needs to fulfill.
Lu Shizhen was unaware that ambiguity arises naturally from the unspoken understanding between two unspoken boundaries.
The more secretive something is, the easier it is to conceal ambiguity.
Xu Shiyue stared at Lu Shizhen without saying a word, then raised her hand and precisely pressed the button for the floor where Lu Shizhen lived.
The heavy feeling of the elevator starting up pressed down on Lu Shizhen's ears, along with Xu Shiyue's gentle, slowed voice: "Teacher Sixteen was so meticulous just now, how come you didn't know that according to the hotel's rules, Teacher Sixteen should also give appropriate compensation to guests who check out early?"
After saying that, Xu Shiyue exerted a little force with her arm, bringing her and Lu Shizhen as close as possible.
That calm, utterly devoid of any emotion slid straight down along with his fan-like, drooping eyelashes.
And then the kiss landed on Lu Shizhen's lips.
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