The elevator doors closed, surrounding Tan Mo with curious gazes from the students nearby.
“Senior Tan, do you know that man from the other elevator? He just called your name!”
Tan Mo felt flustered inside and wiped her nose slightly, offering a lukewarm explanation: “He’s just the CEO of Ovision Group…”
“No way! That was the CEO of Ovision just now?! He’s so young and handsome!”
“This is like fiction becoming reality! Senior, you actually know him…”
Tan Mo gave a dry laugh without responding. Ye Yao looked at her deeply, recalling the glance from Xie Qichen earlier, hesitating as if wanting to say something.
After reaching the upper floor, staff members led them to the technology department.
The staff member responsible for drone programming was named Zhao Wen. “We’ve completed the preliminary design. Today we’ve invited you to check if any adjustments are needed. We can conduct a test in the simulated cloud control room.”
This was the usual testing area for drones, where their performance could be evaluated through simulated flights.
After entering, Zhao Wen explained: “We’ve pre-programmed the flight paths and light controls for each aircraft. During the event, we’ll control the lights to form different patterns. You can view the effects on the display screen. On the night of your school anniversary, these 800 drones will arrive at designated locations following the planned routes to complete the performance.”
Looking at the demonstration on the screen, a female student asked in confusion: “It must be extremely difficult for 800 drones to perform coordinated movements. What if one deviates from its position? Can each drone’s position be fixed?”
Tan Mo spoke up: “To achieve synchronized movements, all drones’ real-time flight positions need to be centrally planned.”
“How do you coordinate them?”
“It’s like arranging a lead sheep when herding sheep. Designate one drone as the master, with the others as slaves. The master receives control information from the beacon station, calculates it, and then transmits each drone’s predetermined position through long-range communication modules to the slave drones. The slave drones then set their target positions based on the received information and fly accordingly, achieving unified planning. Even if any position deviates, timely adjustments can be made.”
“Exactly,” Zhao Wen was surprised by her professional response, “Are you particularly knowledgeable about drones?”
Not exactly research, but she had played with various drones from childhood until she was bored…
The teacher nearby chuckled: “Tan Mo is an outstanding student from our computer science department.”
“You should consider joining Ovision. We’re always looking for talented individuals.”
Tan Mo smiled politely: “No, my knowledge is still quite shallow.”
In her mind: Let her work for Xie Qichen? Absolutely not!
Just then, she shifted her gaze and suddenly saw the person she was thinking about.
Xie Qichen had come to the technology department in the afternoon to check progress, accompanied by several staff members.
As he walked in, Tan Mo’s and his cold gaze met directly in midair.
She quickly looked away, silently muttering.
Could it be this coincidental…
The man’s expression remained indifferent, busily discussing work matters without paying attention to their side.
Several female students spotted him, eyes sparkling: “Hey, isn’t this the Ovision CEO we saw earlier! He’s genuinely handsome…”
Observing their starry-eyed expressions, Tan Mo felt extremely unimpressed.
Of course this man was skilled at using his good looks to attract admirers. She had been young and naive before, falling for his tricks, but not anymore.
Tan Mo straightened her posture, deliberately ignoring him.
Zhao Wen continued explaining at the front. Tan Mo casually picked up a drone for observation. Ye Yao leaned down beside her, smiling as he said: “This principle reminds me of that group assignment we did together in our junior year. Remember? Using GPS and barometers to calculate the machine’s two-dimensional position…”
Tan Mo nodded, chatting with him about the fun stories from their group assignment days, eventually smiling.
As they talked, someone turned around from the front: “Tan Mo, Ye Yao, what are you two talking about?”
A guy nearby lightly hit the speaker’s head: “Can’t you stop interrupting these two smart students from dating?”
Everyone laughed and teased loudly. Tan Mo was about to explain when she noticed Xie Qichen walking toward their direction.
She wondered whether he had heard their previous conversation.
The man’s expression remained indifferent, his black eyes like a deep pool, exuding a highly oppressive aura.
Zhao Wen noticed Xie Qichen and quickly nodded: “President Xie.”
He addressed the man: “The drone performance for F University next year has been designed. We invited them today to review the preliminary design. Everyone, this is our Ovision CEO, President Xie.”
“Hello, President Xie—”
The teacher smiled and extended his hand. Xie Qichen shook it, his voice gentle:
“Thank you for F University’s original choice of Ovision. I hope you’re satisfied with today’s understanding? Please feel free to communicate if you have any questions.”
Xie Qichen’s emotional intelligence was extremely high, always gentle and courteous toward everyone.
Seeing his humble attitude, the teacher smiled: “To be honest, we initially didn’t consider cooperating with Ovision. It was our university’s Tan Mo who proposed and strongly advocated for Ovision during the meeting. Now seeing the results, we’re genuinely very satisfied.”
Tan Mo didn’t expect to be suddenly mentioned, awkwardly lifting her head to see the man looking at her, offering a slight smile:
“Then I should sincerely thank Miss Tan for your trust.”
Tan Mo slightly curled her fingertips, politely returning the smile.
“Ovision itself is excellent.”
The man said nothing further and soon left with other staff members, his expression returning to its usual indifference.
Tan Mo pursed her lips, withdrew her gaze, and tried to push this person out of her mind.
–
The entire afternoon went smoothly with communication between both sides.
After confirming the performance details, Zhao Wen mentioned that once programming was complete, they would conduct outdoor trials and invite them to witness the effects on-site.
After the conversation ended, the staff escorted them downstairs.
Arriving downstairs, Tan Mo bid farewell to Ye Yao and other classmates: “Then I’ll head back to my apartment first.”
“Okay, goodbye…”
Tan Mo called a car, went to the agreed underground parking lot after receiving the driver’s message.
Walking into the parking lot, she hadn’t taken a few steps when she saw a Rolls-Royce parked in front of her—
Standing beside the car was a man she recognized too well.
Xie Qichen had taken off his suit jacket, his tie loosely undone, a cigarette between his fingers, his eyes deeply fixed on her.
By the time Tan Mo regained her senses, she had already reached him.
After a few seconds of eye contact, she calmly asked:
“Any business?”
He slightly rolled his Adam’s apple, speaking in a faint voice:
“I have no plans tonight. Let me take you for dinner.”
Tan Mo didn’t understand why he suddenly wanted to invite her for dinner. She declined while looking down: “I’m busy. I need to go back to my apartment.”
His figure seemed to encircle her petite frame, the faint scent of tobacco drifting toward her.
“Avoiding me?”
His voice wasn’t as usual, colder, seemingly in a bad mood.
She was slightly taken aback, shaking her head: “No, thank you for President Xie’s kind invitation, but I really can’t go.”
Tan Mo wanted to walk past him, but her arm was grabbed.
They were extremely close now. Tan Mo was cornered in front of him. His voice lowered and slowed slightly, saying:
“What are you angry about this time?”
Back in high school, she often got annoyed by Xie Qichen’s teasing. When she got angry and ignored him, he would buy her favorite milk tea and coax her: “Why are you angry again?”
But now, everything had changed.
Their relationship was about to change too.
Tan Mo looked at him, her expression somewhat distant:
“Xie Qichen, shouldn’t we keep some distance? This situation doesn’t seem appropriate anymore.”
A flicker of confusion and surprise passed through his eyes. Before he could say anything, Tan Mo’s phone rang.
It was Ye Yao.
Answering, the voice on the other end asked: “Tan Mo, have you left yet? They’re saying to go eat grilled fish tonight. Come with us?”
Tan Mo looked up at Xie Qichen and replied into the phone: “Okay.”
She canceled the car she had ordered and looked at Xie Qichen, “I’m leaving first.”
She turned and left directly.
The man stood still, stubbing out his cigarette, his eyes gradually cooling. Wen Cheng silently watched the scene, his heart also chilling halfway.
Who knew what was going on with his Boss’s little treasure?
Wen Cheng opened the rear car door, cautiously asking Xie Qichen:
“President Xie, where to next?”
Xie Qichen stepped into the back seat, seeing the cheesecake specially purchased for her on the adjacent seat. He coldly ordered Wen Cheng to take it away later, saying, “Go back to the ancestral home.”
He had just finished a cooperation case these days, and Xie Wenzong had been urging him to come home, though he didn’t know what it was about.
Wen Cheng nodded, then tried to comfort: “President Xie, don’t take it too seriously. Maybe Miss Tan was just in a bad mood today.”
Xie Qichen looked forward, his eyes cold and silent.
Meanwhile.
At the company gate, Tan Mo joined them, the teachers had already left. Because there were seven people, and the restaurant was a bit far, they called another minivan.
After getting on the car, Ye Yao still sat beside Tan Mo.
As the car drove, Ye Yao casually asked: “Tan Mo, it seems like you’re quite familiar with Ovision’s CEO.”
Tan Mo hesitated slightly, her lips moving slightly: “He’s like an older brother. We knew each other before.”
“I see…”
Ye Yao seemed to relax, his face regaining its smile.
Tan Mo didn’t notice, turning her gaze to the window, recalling Xie Qichen’s blocking her at the parking lot.
Actually, she shouldn’t have been so harsh to him, but she just couldn’t control herself…
Tan Mo’s heart was in a mess, finally closing her eyes, decisively cutting off her thoughts.
–
After nearly an hour’s drive, the group arrived at the grilled fish restaurant, and Tan Mo’s mood had mostly eased.
They ate grilled fish, and during the meal, someone deliberately teased Ye Yao and Tan Mo, but she rejected all of them with a resistant attitude.
The classmates couldn’t understand why Tan Mo always remained indifferent to Ye Yao, even though Ye Yao was also a popular guy at school, with few peers more charming than him.
However, emotions couldn’t be forced, and they dared not joke too much.
After finishing the grilled fish, Ye Yao wanted to invite Tan Mo for a walk, but she declined, saying she had things to do and wanted to go home.
She wasn’t unaware of Ye Yao’s feelings, but she genuinely didn’t like him. Before he made his intentions clear, she would express her answer through her attitude.
Seeing this, Ye Yao didn’t insist further but insisted on sending her back to the villa.
Around nine o’clock, after taking a shower and returning to her bedroom, she saw a message from her neighbor landlord in her phone, saying the apartment would be finished in two days. Tan Mo planned to move back then.
After showering, she lay on the bed when Qishu’s call came in. The voice on the other end was excited, seeking confirmation from Tan Mo:
“Jiaojiao, I just heard that Xie Qichen might be getting married to Tan Zhiwan?!”
Already unsurprised, Tan Mo calmly responded, “Hmm, who told you that?”
“I heard it from several rich girl friends around me. The news came from Tan Zhiwan’s best friend Chen Ningning, saying that recently your Tan family is discussing a marriage alliance with the Xie family.”
Tan Mo confirmed it was true, and Qishu was completely shocked:
“Xie Qichen and Tan Zhiwan getting married? Are they crazy?! These two people have nothing to do with each other. Would Xie Qichen even agree?!”
Tan Mo lowered her eyes, “For the sake of corporate interests, why wouldn’t he agree?”
Qishu was genuinely shocked. Seeing Tan Mo’s calmness, she was confused:
“Jiaojiao… don’t you mind?”
Actually, Qishu vaguely knew about Tan Mo’s past feelings for Xie Qichen, but Tan Mo never spoke of it, so she didn’t ask much and thought maybe it was long past.
Tan Mo hugged a pillow, softly saying: “There’s nothing to mind. Who he marries has nothing to do with me.”
“You don’t look like you don’t mind.”
Suddenly, Tan Mo couldn’t find words.
“But someone like Xie Qichen, with such a cold personality, probably doesn’t care about his marriage. If it can exchange for benefits, marrying anyone is the same. Jiaojiao, actually, it’s okay if you mind. Why would Xie Qichen choose to marry your sister, Tan Zhiwan? She’s always been so bad to you. I’d be upset too.”
Qishu’s words hit the nail on the head.
Tan Mo lowered her eyes, finally smiling: “Forget it. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”
She had let go a long time ago.
Besides, her emotions wouldn’t change anything.
After hanging up, Tan Mo fell asleep early.
The next morning, she woke up relatively early, planning to go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients to update this week’s cooking video.
After washing up, she went downstairs to the dining hall for breakfast. As she walked in, she found Tan Zhiwan was also there.
At this moment, Tan Zhiwan was sitting with her best friend, Chen Ningning.
For some reason, Chen Ningning had come to the Tan family early in the morning. At this moment, the two were talking about something, and Chen Ningning looked surprised:
“Wanwan, isn’t this good news? What’s there to be unhappy about!”
Just then, the two turned their heads and noticed Tan Mo, slightly pausing their conversation.
Tan Mo had no intention of disturbing. She walked to the dining table, picked up a few slices of toast, spread jam on them, and thought of something. She looked at Tan Zhiwan sitting across from her and asked indifferently:
“Have you seen Mom? I need to find her for something.”
“What’s up?”
“I’m going to the supermarket later. She said last night she wanted me to buy something for her. I wanted to ask her.”
“She’s busy now, talking with Dad about something important. Don’t go disturbing them.”
Tan Mo was slightly puzzled. Beside her, Chen Ningning rested her cheek on her hand, looking at Tan Mo with a faint smile, feigning surprise:
“Tan Mo, you don’t know yet?”
“What?”
Tan Mo was slightly taken aback. She heard Chen Ningning laugh and say:
“Uncle and Auntie said that this morning, news came from the Xie family—”
“Xie Qichen has agreed to the marriage alliance with Wanwan.”
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