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After careful consideration and heated discussion, Suning and Lan Qianyi chose "the commercialization path of artificial intelligence in the field of medical imaging diagnosis" as their research direction.

This topic has a high professional threshold, but it has broad prospects and requires a great deal of in-depth research.

On Monday morning, the two men, carrying laptops and a thick stack of documents, walked into a small conference room in the corner of the sixth floor.

“Suning, let me first explain our initial ideas.” Lan Qianyi opened her notebook, where a mind map was clearly displayed on the screen. “We can approach this from three dimensions: technological maturity, policy and regulatory environment, and business model feasibility. I’ll be responsible for analyzing technological trends and the competitive landscape, and you can be responsible for policy research and business model analysis. How does that sound?”

Suning did not answer immediately.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on the mind map, as if he were thinking about something.

The meeting room was quiet for a few seconds, with only the slight hum of the air conditioner.

“Okay,” he finally spoke, his voice calm, “but I think we could add another dimension.”

"What dimension?"

“The actual willingness of hospitals and doctors to adopt it.” Su Ning looked up and met her gaze. “No matter how advanced the technology or how perfect the business model, if frontline users don’t buy it, commercialization is just empty talk. When I was reading the literature, I noticed that many AI medical products failed not because the technology was bad, but because they were not integrated into the medical workflow.”

Lan Qianyi's eyes lit up: "This angle is very important! When I was doing medical technology industry analysis at Goldman Sachs, I also saw similar cases. The products were very good, but the doctors felt that they increased their workload and were unwilling to use them."

“Yes. So we need to understand the doctors’ real thoughts: What pain points do they need AI to solve most? How high is the barrier to entry? What are the training costs? Will it affect their existing workflows?” Su Ning paused, “This part of the research cannot be done by literature analysis alone.”

"what do you mean?"

“On-site interviews. You need to have in-depth conversations with at least five to ten doctors from different departments, and also understand the hospital’s procurement decision-making process.” Su Ning opened her notebook. “I used to work in the medical industry, so I have some resources I can use.”

Lan Qianyi keenly picked up on the information that he had "worked in the medical industry," but she didn't press him further. Instead, she followed up by saying, "So, for this part... shall we do it together? Interview design and questionnaire surveys both require a combination of clinical and business perspectives."

“Okay.” Suning nodded. “I suggest we do it in two steps: first, analyze the literature and industry reports to form preliminary hypotheses; then, design interview outlines based on the hypotheses to be more targeted.”

“Agreed.” Lan Qianyi quickly took notes. “Then let’s break down the division of labor and timeline. Week 1: Complete the background research and framework building; Week 2: Begin preliminary analysis; Week 3…”

The two then began to discuss it.

From the research framework to the specific methods, from the timeline to the expected outcomes, every aspect was carefully considered.

Lan Qianyi discovered that although Su Ning didn't talk much, every question he raised was incisive; and when she made a suggestion, he wouldn't simply agree or disagree, but would ask, "What are the limitations of this method?"

"Are there any better alternatives?"

What resources are needed to support this?

This meticulousness reminded her of Chen Zhan, her ex-boyfriend from Youwei Capital who graduated from Harvard…

However, unlike Chen Zhan, Suning does not have that condescending sense of superiority, nor does he have that aggressive demeanor.

His questions were genuine discussions, not attempts to show off his intelligence.

……

An hour had passed by the time the division of labor was finalized.

The two glanced at the time simultaneously, both somewhat surprised; the discussion had been much more efficient than expected.

"Then... shall we start today?" Lan Qianyi asked.

"Okay. I'll compile a list of policy documents first, and send you the shared documents this afternoon." Su Ning closed her laptop. "By the way, which collaboration tool do you usually use? Notion? Lark? Or the traditional Word + Excel?"

“Notion, you can build knowledge bases,” Lan Qianyi said. “I’ll create a workspace and invite you.”

"it is good."

The conversation was simple, without formalities or unnecessary explanations.

Like two partners who have worked together for many years, they naturally entered a working state.

……

Over the next few days, the two developed a tacit working rhythm.

Every morning at nine o'clock, they will use fifteen minutes of video to synchronize the progress...

Even when both are in the office, we choose to communicate online to save time traveling.

At 4 p.m., we will spend another 20 minutes in the conference room to discuss the issues we encountered face-to-face.

We spend the rest of the time doing our own research, and when we need to cooperate, we communicate directly on WeChat, keeping things concise.

Lan Qianyi gradually adapted to this rhythm; more accurately, she enjoyed it.

On Wednesday afternoon, she completed her analysis of the development of AI image diagnosis technology and confidently sent the first draft to Suning.

Beautiful charts, detailed data, and clear logic—these are the fundamental skills she honed at Youwei Capital.

Half an hour later, Suning replied: "Is it convenient for us to discuss this now?"

"Ok."

The two met in a small conference room.

Suning opened her document and flipped directly to the page on accuracy comparison analysis.

"The overall approach is good, and the structure is clear," he affirmed first, then changed the subject, "but I have doubts about this 93.5% accuracy rate."

He pointed to a data point on the chart: "Based on which dataset was this measured?"

“COCO-Medical is one of the highest quality publicly available datasets,” Lan Qianyi explained. “I compared five top conference papers, and this data is the average.”

Su Ning frowned slightly, and Lan Qianyi noticed that this was his habitual expression when he was thinking.

“There is a big difference between public datasets and actual hospital data. COCO-Medical’s data has been rigorously cleaned and labeled, but actual hospital data is noisy and inconsistent in labeling. The same algorithm can achieve an accuracy of 95% on public datasets, but may only achieve slightly over 80% on actual hospital data.”

Lan Qianyi was taken aback; she hadn't considered this angle after all.

“I’ve looked at several clinical validation studies.” Su Ning pulled up his notes. “For example, this article published in Radiology this February, the same AI for detecting lung nodules had a sensitivity of 97.2% on a public dataset, but on actual clinical data from three hospitals, the sensitivity was only 89.1%, 85.7% and 82.3% respectively.”

He turned the screen towards Lan Qianyi, where densely packed reference notes were marked with key points and data comparisons.

“This gap will affect commercial prospects,” Suning continued. “If we only advertise high accuracy on publicly available datasets, and hospitals find that the actual effect is not as good after purchasing, it will create a crisis of trust. We should distinguish between ‘ideal scenario performance’ and ‘real scenario performance’.”

Lan Qianyi's face flushed slightly; it was her oversight.

There is too much reliance on data from academic papers, while the complexities of clinical application are ignored.

“I’m sorry, I’ll redo this part of the analysis,” she said sincerely.

“No need to apologize,” Su Ning said calmly. “Research is a continuous iterative process. Let’s work together to fill this gap.”

"I contacted a senior student at Fudan University School of Medicine, and I can get some anonymized data from actual hospitals for comparative analysis. I should be able to get it tomorrow."

Lan Qianyi looked at him in surprise: "When did you contact him?"

“I thought of this possibility when I saw your preliminary framework the night before last,” Su Ning said casually. “It just so happens that he’s been doing similar research recently, so we can share the data.”

At this moment, a complex feeling welled up in Lan Qianyi's heart.

This partner can not only point out problems when she makes mistakes, but also prepare solutions in advance.

It's not about blaming, but about providing constructive help.

It's very reliable.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"It's just filling in for each other." Su Ning closed the document. "Let's divide the work: you continue to refine the part about the technological development trajectory, and I'll be responsible for the clinical data comparison and analysis. How about we finish the draft by Friday?"

"it is good."

……

As the cooperation deepened, Lan Qianyi began to unconsciously observe Suning in her work.

We discovered that Suning has an almost obsessive rigor when it comes to data.

Every number must be traced back to its original source, and every conclusion must be corroborated by at least two independent sources.

On one occasion, in order to confirm the release date of a certain province's medical AI procurement policy, he made three phone calls, checked government websites, news reports, and industry communications, finally pinpointing the exact date.

It was discovered that although Suning is young, it often has a very "mature" perspective on issues.

During the discussion of business models on Thursday, Lan Qianyi proposed a revenue model based on subscription fees, which calculated a considerable market size.

“It’s theoretically feasible,” Su Ning said after reading it, “but it overlooks several practical constraints.”

"What constraints?"

"First, there's the issue of medical insurance reimbursement. Currently, most AI-assisted diagnostic procedures are not covered by medical insurance, limiting patients' willingness to pay out of pocket. Second, there's the hospital procurement process. Public hospitals require bidding, which is lengthy and involves complex decision-making chains. Third, there's the cost of training doctors. Doctors need to spend time learning AI tools; who bears this cost? Fourth, there's the issue of liability. If AI misses a diagnosis, who is responsible—the doctor, the hospital, or the manufacturer?"

He finished speaking in one breath, and Lan Qianyi was stunned; these were all things she hadn't considered.

"Then... what suggestions do you have?" she asked humbly.

"We'll proceed in phases." Suning drew on the whiteboard: "The first phase is to enter hospitals through scientific research collaborations and accumulate clinical evidence. The second phase is to apply for medical device registration certificates and get included in the procurement catalogs of some pilot hospitals. The third phase is to promote inclusion in medical insurance and achieve large-scale operation. The business model for each phase is different."

He drew and explained at the same time, his logic as clear as a complete business plan.

Lan Qianyi listened, and suddenly became curious about his past experiences...

This profound understanding of industrial application is unlike what an ordinary intern should have.

But she didn't ask; it wasn't appropriate for a work setting.

……

On Friday night, in order to meet the deadline, the two worked overtime until nine o'clock.

The main body of the report is basically complete; only the final summary and recommendations are missing.

Lan Qianyi rubbed her temples, feeling somewhat tired.

"That's enough for today! We'll continue tomorrow," she said.

Su Ning checked the time: "Okay. Shall I take you home? The subway isn't very safe at this hour."

"No need, I'll just call a car."

"No need to refuse! It's on my way." Su Ning had already picked up her coat, her tone so natural that it brooked no refusal.

The two of them didn't say much in the car.

Lan Qianyi leaned back in her chair, watching the night view outside the window. The lights of Shanghai at night resembled a flowing galaxy, dazzling yet distant.

While waiting at a red light, she subconsciously crossed her arms.

The car's air conditioning was too cold, and her coat was too thin.

Suning noticed this and reached out to turn the air conditioner temperature up by two degrees.

"Thank you," Lan Qianyi said softly.

"Small things."

The car continued on its way.

Suning chose a route that wasn't the shortest, but it avoided congested areas.

Lan Qianyi noticed that he was very familiar with these paths, turning and changing lanes with ease.

Actually, it's not that she's never been taken care of by a boy.

Her ex-boyfriend Chen Zhan was incredibly attentive, but the feeling he gave her was completely different.

Gao Sicong was very attentive to her, saying good morning and good night to her every day, offering to help her with her things, and inviting her out to dinner.

Li Xiaoxian is more direct, using all sorts of greasy flattery and innuendo.

But Suning is truly different.

His concern was natural and restrained, without any deliberate intent.

Just like now, I casually turned up the air conditioner temperature, but didn't use it as an excuse to start a conversation; I took her home, but didn't say anything that might be a little inappropriate, like "It's not safe for you to be alone so late."

This sense of propriety made Lan Qianyi feel very comfortable, and she even experienced a sense of security she had never felt before.

This also made her...care more and more.

……

The first rehearsal was on Thursday of the second week.

Simulate reporting to your superior within 20 minutes.

The two had a clear division of labor: Lan Qianyi talked about the technical aspects and market analysis, while Suning talked about the policy environment and business model. Finally, they jointly presented implementation suggestions.

"Are you ready?" Lan Qianyi asked before the rehearsal.

“Okay.” Su Ning nodded. “Let’s follow the pace we’ve been practicing.”

The report begins.

Lan Qianyi first introduced the technical principles and development stages of AI image diagnosis, using concise language and intuitive charts.

When discussing key technological breakthroughs, she specifically included a clinical case…

A primary care hospital improved its lung nodule detection rate by 30% with the help of AI.

This is Suning's suggestion: "The technical aspects should be grounded in reality, using case studies to help people understand the value."

When they transitioned to the Suning segment, the two worked together seamlessly.

After Lan Qianyi finished speaking, she naturally looked at Suning: "Technology provides the possibility, but commercialization still needs to overcome multiple challenges related to policy, payment, and adoption. Next, please let Suning introduce his analysis in this regard."

Suning responded smoothly, discussing everything from regulatory policies to medical insurance payments, from hospital procurement processes to doctor training systems.

His PPTs don't have fancy designs, but each slide is extremely information-dense and logically interconnected.

Twenty minutes later, the report ended on time.

Lan Qianyi breathed a sigh of relief: "It went more smoothly than I expected."

"Hmm, you got the pacing right." Su Ning rarely praised you like that. "When you were explaining the techniques, the case study from the grassroots hospital was very well chosen and easy for people to understand."

"You were the one who reminded me to look for specific cases," Lan Qianyi said.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Lan Qianyi suddenly noticed that Su Ning's smile was truly captivating, possessing a kind of shock and ripples that captivated her heart.

This discovery gave her a slight tremor.

"We'll make some minor adjustments this afternoon based on the feedback." Suning put away his laptop. "Especially regarding policy risks, we need to further strengthen our data security and privacy protection measures."

"it is good."

……

The final version of the report was completed on Friday night.

The two met at a quiet coffee shop to do the final proofreading.

The café wasn't crowded; in the corner, there were only them and a pair of students quietly discussing their topic.

The air was filled with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and soft jazz music.

"Here, in the policy risk section, should we add the impact of the 'Data Privacy Protection Law'?" Lan Qianyi pointed to the screen. "Recently, regulations in this area have been tightening."

Su Ning leaned closer for a look, and his breath suddenly drew near, causing Lan Qianyi's heart to skip a beat.

I've never felt this way with a man before, as if I were sitting next to a majestic and towering mountain.

“It can be added, but it should be placed in a secondary position.” His voice rang in my ears. “Currently, the privacy regulation of medical data in China is still in the exploratory stage and is not the main problem. The main problem is still the approval process and payment mechanism.”

"Okay." Lan Qianyi composed herself and added comments to the document.

The two proofread each sentence, occasionally discussing the wording and debating the strength of a particular viewpoint.

It was finally finished at 10 p.m.

The coffee shop was closing, and the waiters started cleaning up the tables next to them.

As the two stepped outside, the early summer night breeze blew in their faces, carrying the fragrance of sycamore leaves and the lingering warmth of the city.

"Finally finished." Lan Qianyi stretched, feeling all the fatigue of the week dissipate in the night breeze.

"Ah."

The two walked side by side on the sidewalk, like a couple just beginning to fall in love.

"Su Ning," Lan Qianyi suddenly spoke, "what did you... do before?"

I regretted asking her right away; it was too abrupt.

But this question had been lingering in her mind for several days, and tonight she finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Su Ning remained silent for a few seconds. In the night breeze, his profile appeared exceptionally deep in the light and shadow.

"I've done a lot of work," he answered vaguely, "and had different, but all of them were incredibly exciting experiences."

“That’s why you understand the industry’s implementation so well,” Lan Qianyi said. “You don’t seem like a newcomer to the industry.”

Su Ning smiled and said, "Maybe I just like to think things through a bit more."

Although she didn't say much, Lan Qianyi could sense that there were many stories hidden behind this seemingly casual answer.

Like a deep sea, the surface is calm, but underneath there is a rich ecosystem and hidden trenches.

When they arrived at the entrance of the residential area, Lan Qianyi suddenly looked at Su Ning and said, "The assessment starts next week, and our internship experience will come to an end."

"Ah."

"Can we still work on projects together in the future?" she asked, then realized she had been a bit abrupt and added, "I mean, working with you is very efficient."

Su Ning glanced at her; Lan Qianyi looked very innocent under the streetlights.

“If the opportunity arises, of course I would,” he said. “However, I will never forget you as my partner.”

"That's good," she said. "Goodnight."

"Good night."

Watching Su Ning turn and leave, Lan Qianyi stood at the entrance of the residential area, motionless for a long time.

She recalled the week's collaboration—efficient, harmonious, and fulfilling.

She recalled Suning's meticulousness when pointing out her mistakes, his thoughtfulness in preparing solutions in advance, and his attentiveness when taking her home.

I also remember how I would steal glances at his profile when he was thinking during work breaks; the faint scent of men's cologne on him when he leaned close to the screen; and the faint lines at the corners of his eyes when he smiled.

Her ex-boyfriend, Chen Zhan, left her feeling lost, confused, and even irritable.

Gao Sicong's enthusiasm put pressure on her, Li Xiaoxian's harassment disgusted her, while Sun Yiqiu's naivety made her feel pity.

Only Suning's calm, composed, and professional attitude made her feel at ease, yet she couldn't help but be drawn to it.

Like a deep sea, its surface is calm and still, but beneath it lies a rich world.

The closer you get, the more you want to explore.

And she seemed to have unknowingly walked to the seaside.

I even had a slight urge to wade through the water.

Even if I were to perish at sea, I would have no regrets.

This feeling made her a little flustered, and also a little... expectant.

My phone vibrated; it was a WeChat message from Suning: "The report has been sent to your email, the final version. Good luck with your assessment next week."

Concise, professional, and without any unnecessary ambiguity.

But when Lan Qianyi looked at this message, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Efficiency remains unchanged.

"Received. Good luck to you too. Have a good rest this weekend."

Then, I put away my phone, walked into the residential area, and quickly buried the feelings I had just had deep in my heart.

...(End of chapter)