Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 123: Becoming the Nation's Husband?

Late at night, the lights were still on in the business suite of the Wanda Vista Beijing Hotel; neither Jiang Yu nor Chen Jingming had gone home today.

Jiang Yu stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the sleeping city of Beijing.

Occasionally, car headlights would streak across Jianguo Road, disappearing in an instant like shooting stars.

The coffee on the table had gone cold, and the ashtray was filled with seven or eight cigarette butts. He rarely smoked, but tonight was an exception.

"Boss, we've found out in North America."

Chen Jingming pushed open the door to the suite and walked in, holding a freshly printed email in his hand.

His eyes were bloodshot, but his expression was surprisingly calm.

Jiang Yu turned around: "What do you mean?"

"The source has been confirmed." Chen Jingming handed him the documents. "It was released from Wall Street. Specifically, a Goldman Sachs partner revealed some noteworthy clues to a reporter from The New York Times at a private dinner. Then several other media outlets quickly followed suit, creating this media storm."

Jiang Yu took the document and quickly scanned it, his eyes growing colder.

The email was sent jointly by David and Wu Na, and included a detailed investigation report.

They used personal connections to find the New York Times reporter and exchanged "exclusive interview rights in the future" and "a reasonable fee" for the truth, which indeed came from Goldman Sachs.

"What's the motive?" Jiang Yu asked.

"Several aspects." Chen Jingming sat down on the sofa and rubbed his temples. "First, some of the money we made during the subprime crisis did indeed come from Goldman Sachs' pockets. They suffered heavy losses on CD0 last year, while we profited from short selling, which in itself made them unhappy."

He paused, then continued: "Secondly, our recent investments in Silicon Valley have created direct competition with them."

Several startups they wanted to invest in ultimately chose our Light Chaser Capital. Third, and most importantly, they wanted to divert attention. Goldman Sachs was one of the main drivers of the subprime crisis, and Congress is investigating them. By shifting public attention to the issue of "foreign capital profiting from national crisis," they could alleviate the pressure.

Jiang Yu sneered and threw the file on the coffee table: "Typical American tactics. When they run into problems, they find an external enemy."

"There's one more thing," Chen Jingming added, his expression slightly relaxed. "Fortunately, the campaign team you had David personally fund last year received an additional donation earlier this year. Our network in Washington just informed us that the White House won't get involved, at least not publicly. We've already taken care of the Treasury Department and the SEC; they'll maintain a 'follow the rules' attitude and won't target us specifically."

Jiang Yu nodded, indicating that he knew that when Obama officially received the Democratic nomination last August, he had David donate five million dollars in the name of "supporting minority entrepreneurs".

It was just a precautionary measure at the time; I never expected it to come in handy so soon.

"Furthermore, as per your instructions, the Light Chaser Foundation donated $20 million this afternoon to the Education Equality Fund established by his wife."

"Very good." Jiang Yu walked back to the window. "At least the higher-ups won't put pressure on us. All that's left is the war of public opinion."

Chen Jingming glanced at his watch: "There are still seven hours until the press conference. Would you like to take a break?"

"I can't sleep." Jiang Yu shook his head. "How do you think they'll react back home?"

Chen Jingming pondered for a moment: "Public opinion has exploded. The public opinion landscape in China and the United States is completely different. In the US, we are seen as foreign capital profiting from the national crisis; domestically, we are likely to become a source of national pride and a model of 'going global.' The key is how we guide it."

He opened his laptop and pulled up real-time public opinion data: "Look, from 8 PM to now, the Baidu search index for 'Jiang Yu' has increased by 12000%, and 'Zhuiguang Holdings' by 9500%. We occupy four of the top ten trending search terms on Baidu. There are tens of thousands of posts on various financial forums."

The data curves on the screen rose almost vertically, like rockets soaring into the sky.

"What's the public opinion trend?" Jiang Yu asked.

"Very interesting." Chen Jingming adjusted his glasses. "Over 80% are positive or neutral. The main viewpoints fall into several categories: first, admiration, calling you the 'Chinese Buffett,' an 'investment genius'; second, pride, saying this is the first time Chinese capital has 'harvested Wall Street's韭菜 (a metaphor for exploiting investors) in the international financial market; third, curiosity, wanting to know your rise to wealth; and less than 20% question the source of your funds or make ethical judgments."

Jiang Yu asked thoughtfully, "What about the entertainment industry?"

Chen Jingming laughed, a hint of amusement in his smile: "That's even more interesting. I've received calls from at least a dozen friends, all subtly trying to find out more. They originally thought Light Chaser Pictures was just a mid-sized company with some Hollywood resources, maybe a little better than Huayi Brothers or Bona Film Group. Now that the news is out, everyone's stunned; it turns out you hold billions of dollars worth of stock, and you can cash it out at any time."

He took a sip of water and continued, "Do you know what's going on in the industry right now? They're saying you're the real hidden billionaire," much more substantial than those real estate and internet tycoons. Their net worth is mostly company market capitalization, which is subject to various restrictions when cashing out. Yours are the world's most liquid assets; if you really wanted to cash out, you could turn them into billions of dollars in a few weeks."

Jiang Yu smiled wryly: "The bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow."

"It's more than just attracting attention," Chen Jingming said in a low voice. "Several people have already asked you out for dinner, all bringing their daughters or nieces. A few others have been subtly inquiring about your relationship status. The rumors online are even more outrageous, saying you're the most desirable son-in-law for mothers-in-law across the country—26 years old, handsome, and with billions in assets—even novels wouldn't dare write something like that."

Jiang Yu shook his head, thinking of Liu Yifei.

She sent him several text messages tonight, all telling him to take care of himself and not to overwork.

Liu Xiaoli also called, her tone concerned. She didn't ask many questions, only saying that I should ask if I needed any help.

At times like these, those who truly care about you won't ask too many questions.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing," Chen Jingming said. "Mr. Wang from Huayi called at 10 PM tonight, saying he wants to cooperate deeply with you." His exact words were: "I didn't know Mr. Jiang had such great influence before. From now on, Chasing Light will be Huayi's most important strategic partner." The implication was that he wanted to leverage our capital and overseas channels.

"That's normal." Jiang Yu wasn't surprised. "The entertainment industry is the most realistic. When you're famous, everyone revolves around you; once you fall from grace, they'll run away faster than anyone else."

"Should we respond?"

"Ignore him." Jiang Yu checked the time. "Let's focus on preparing for tomorrow's press conference. Is the speech draft ready?"

"The third draft has just been completed, and the PR firm is still polishing it," Chen Jingming said. "BlueFocus suggested we take a low-key, humble, but professional and steadfast approach. Acknowledge the facts, downplay the numbers; emphasize legality and compliance, avoid over-interpretation; and focus on future contributions, without making unrealistic promises."

Jiang Yu nodded: "Okay. Also, simplify my personal background and emphasize the team. I don't want to be portrayed as a lone hero; the success of Chasing Light is the achievement of the entire team."

"clear."

The two discussed some more details until 3 a.m.

After Chen Jingming left, Jiang Yu took a shower and forced himself to lie down and rest in bed.

The brain is still working at high speed.

He remembered many things.

Just as Jiang Yu was barely falling asleep, a private party was taking place in another corner of Beijing.

Inside a private room at a top-tier club on the East Fourth Ring Road, the air was thick with smoke and the smell of alcohol.

Those sitting around the round table were all prominent figures in the entertainment industry: two film company owners, a top director, a popular star, and several veteran producers.

"Have you seen the news? That Jiang Yu from 'Chasing the Light,' my god!" The speaker was Li, the vice president of a large domestic film and television company. He was in his forties, slightly overweight, and had a cigar in his hand.

"I saw it, I can hardly believe it." The one who spoke was a well-known director who had made films that grossed over ten million. "I had dinner with him once before, back when Chasing Light Harbor returned to China to start a company. It's only been a few years!"

A popular actress took a sip of red wine, her eyes sparkling: "I met him at a dinner party last year. He's even more handsome in person than in photos. At the time, I just thought he was a young and promising boss, but I never expected—"

"I didn't expect him to be a billionaire," another male celebrity chimed in, his tone tinged with envy. "And it's a real billionaire, not just some estimated net worth. He can easily cash out billions of dollars in cash from those stocks he owns. Just think about what billions of dollars in cash means!"

A brief silence fell over the table.

Those present are all people with annual incomes in the tens of millions, who are already considered successful in the eyes of ordinary people.

Billions of dollars in cash? That's something else entirely.

"The scariest thing is that he's only twenty-six years old." Mr. Li shook his head. "My son is twenty-four and he's still asking me for money to buy a car."

"The key is to keep a low profile," said one producer. "If it hadn't been exposed by the American media this time, who would have known he had so much money? Light Chaser Pictures has indeed produced a few films in Hollywood over the past few years, and everyone just thought they had some connections. Who knew they had such a large amount of capital behind them?"

"I heard they've invested in a bunch of tech companies in Silicon Valley," said a well-informed director. "That's a whole different level of vision compared to how we make movies."

The actress spoke again, her voice soft: "Do you think—is he married?"

A burst of ambiguous laughter suddenly rang out on the table.

"What, are you interested?" Mr. Li teased. "But let me tell you, there are quite a few people in the industry who are interested in him right now. I received several calls this afternoon, all inquiring about his relationship status. Several parents of wealthy heiresses were hinting that they wanted to play matchmaker."

"Normal." The male star shrugged. "Twenty-six years old, handsome, and built a billion-dollar fortune from scratch. You can't find many like him anywhere in the world, let alone in China. If I had a daughter, I'd be interested too."

"But I heard he has a girlfriend," the producer interjected. "It seems to be Liu Yifei."

"Liu Yifei?" The actress raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she working in the US?"

"She's back in China. I heard her contract with her American agency is about to expire, and she's going to sign with Light Chaser Pictures," the producer said. "But whether they're actually dating is hard to say; it could just be company hype. If it's true, then Liu Yifei has really struck gold."

Mr. Li stubbed out his cigar and said seriously, "No matter what, from today onwards, Chasing Light's status in the industry is completely different. Before, we were partners on equal footing, but from now on, we'll probably have to redefine our roles."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, we should give priority to the projects that Light Chaser Animation Studio invests in; we should cooperate with the people that Light Chaser Animation Studio needs; and we should give Light Chaser Animation Studio enough screenings for their films."

Mr. Li looked around at everyone and said, "This isn't flattery; it's reality. Think about it. They have billions of dollars in cash on hand. If they wanted to do it themselves, they could easily create another Huayi Brothers + Bona Film Group + Enlight Media. Rather than becoming competitors, it's better to become partners."

Everyone nodded, their expressions complex.

This is the rule of the entertainment industry: capital is king.

At 2:30 a.m., Jiang Yu lay on the bed in the suite of the Wanda Vista Hotel, staring at the exquisite crystal chandelier on the ceiling, wide awake.

The pillow was too soft, the blanket too light, and the faint sound of the air conditioner was exceptionally clear in the silence.

He rolled over, picked up his iPhone 3G from the bedside table, and saw a text message from Liu Yifei: "I can't sleep, and you probably can't sleep either. Remember to drink some warm milk, and don't drink coffee."

A slight smile played on his lips as he typed a reply: "How did you know I was drinking coffee?"

He replied almost instantly: "Because I know you. How's the press conference preparation going? Do you need my help with the script? My delivery is pretty good, you know~"

Jiang Yu thought for a moment and then dialed the number directly.

"Feeding?" Liu Yifei's voice came softly, the background was quiet. "Why are you calling? Aren't you supposed to be resting?"

"I want to hear your voice," Jiang Yu said honestly, leaning against the headboard. "I don't need to go over the script; I've memorized the content. It's just that I'm a little sentimental."

"What are you feeling sentimental about?"

"It's a reminder of how unpredictable life is." Jiang Yu looked out the window at the night view of Beijing. "Three years ago, I was eating instant noodles in my dorm in Los Angeles. Zhou Mu's computer cooling fan broke down, and we used ice packs to cool it down. Now, I'm lying in a five-star hotel, and tomorrow I have to face hundreds of media outlets to explain how we made two billion dollars."

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone: "That's what makes you so amazing. But Jiang Yu, no matter how much money you make, you're still you. The one who would eat barbecue with me at a roadside stall, who would run to buy mosquito repellent for me when I got bitten by mosquitoes, and who would stay up all night with the team because a special effects shot in a movie wasn't perfect."

Jiang Yu felt a warmth in his heart: "Now that you say that, I suddenly don't feel so nervous about tomorrow."

"There's no need to be nervous," Liu Yifei said. "You're just going to tell everyone the truth. By the way, my mom said when she watched the news tonight that you looked a lot like a diplomat she admired when she was young—composed and reasonable."

"With Auntie praising me so much, I feel even more pressured."

The two chatted for more than ten minutes until Liu Xiaoli's voice came from Liu Yifei's side: "Qianqian, why aren't you asleep so late? You have a magazine shoot tomorrow."

"Go to sleep now!" Liu Yifei whispered. "Jiang Yu, I have to hang up. You should go to sleep quickly, even just resting your eyes. Good luck tomorrow, I believe in you."

Okay, goodnight.

"Good night."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yu did feel much more relaxed.

At 8:30 a.m., Jiang Yu was woken up by his biological clock.

He did twenty push-ups, took a cold shower, and felt much better.

The hotel delivered breakfast: millet porridge, fried dumplings, steamed buns, and a few light side dishes. He ate while using his iPad.

Browse the news.

Overnight, reports about him increased several times over.

Sina Finance's headline is "Unveiling Jiang Yu: A Three-Year Miracle from Special Effects Studio to a Billion-Dollar Empire".

Tencent Finance produced a special report titled "A Complete Analysis of the Light Chasing Series: A Chinese Youth's Global Strategy."

The title of a popular post on Hupu's pedestrian street is simple and direct: "Brothers, I've broken down, I'm also 26 years old."

The most popular post on Douban's Group 8 is titled "Rational discussion: Are Jiang Yu and Liu Yifei a couple?".

Jiang Yu clicked on the last one and began to read it with great interest.

The original poster, "Eating Melons Without Spitting Out Seeds," wrote: "Based on my years of experience eating melons, Jiang Yu and Liu Yifei are definitely having an affair! Evidence 1: Liu Yifei suddenly went to the United States last year to film 'Black Swan,' produced by Light Chaser Animation Studios, and is now filming 'Lucy.' Evidence 2: The two have been photographed together three times, although all in work settings, their eyes don't lie; Evidence 3: A friend in the industry said that Light Chaser Animation Studios is giving Liu Yifei ridiculously good resources, which is completely unlike a normal working relationship."

The comments below have already reached over three thousand replies: "OP has sharp eyes! I also think they're a perfect match!"

"Young tycoon x ethereal beauty, what kind of novel plot is this?!"

"But Jiang Yu is so rich, won't he be a womanizer?"

"Upstairs, Jiang Yu has almost zero scandals, which is a rare breed in the circle of the rich."

"If they are really a couple, Liu Yifei's mother will be overjoyed. This son-in-law is one in a million."

"No, no, no, Jiang Yu is going crazy with joy! Liu Yifei! Fairy Sister!"

Jiang Yu smiled, shook his head, and exited the page.

Netizens have a rich imagination, and this time they guessed about 70-80% of the time correctly.

He switched to his work email, which was already overflowing with unread emails.

Jiang Yu marked all messages as read, but did not reply.

At 9:30, Chen Jingming knocked on the door and came in right on time, holding the final speech and Q&A plan in his hand.

"Boss, here's the final version." He handed over the document. "As you mentioned last night, the specific wording of the press conference is: 'Light Chaser will continue to seek out and support innovative entrepreneurs globally, especially in China and the United States. We will establish a special fund to invest in startups that can create the future and change the world.'"

Jiang Yu quickly glanced at the screen: "That's good, more flexible, and with a broader perspective. What about the other parts?"

"The PR firm suggested adding some personal anecdotes to make the speech more relatable," Chen Jingming said. "For example, interesting stories about starting a business during your university years, or a memorable story from your investment process. Audiences love to hear that."

"Okay." Jiang Yu thought for a moment, "I'll tell you the story of Zhou Mu's computer overheating, and the funny story of how Wu Na thought I was a fraud when we first met."

"Okay, I'll add it." Chen Jingming noted it down. "Also, Mr. Wang from BlueFocus suggested that you could use more humor when answering questions. Being too serious can make you seem aloof."

Jiang Yu nodded.

He is aware of his shortcomings; sometimes he is too rational and lacks warmth.

At 9:43, the two went downstairs to the press conference venue, and Chen Jingming's phone rang three times.

"Another invitation?" Jiang Yu asked.

"Hmm." Chen Jingming glanced at the caller ID. "This time it's Mr. Li from Enlight Media. Should I answer it?"

"Take the call, put it on speakerphone."

Chen Jingming answered the phone, and President Li's enthusiastic voice immediately came through: "Jingming, it's me, Lao Li! Is President Jiang here? I want to congratulate him in person! Yesterday's news was so shocking, our whole company is talking about it—"

"Hello, Mr. Li, I'm Jiang Yu," Jiang Yu said.

"Oh my! Mr. Jiang! Congratulations!" Mr. Li's voice became even more enthusiastic. "Young and promising, you've brought glory to the country! When are you free? Our Mr. Wang will organize a get-together so we can have a good chat."

"Thank you, Mr. Li. I'll wait until I'm done with these next few days," Jiang Yu said politely.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Jingming laughed and said, "Boss, you're like a piece of Tang Monk's flesh right now, everyone wants a bite, so you need to be even more careful." Jiang Yu said, "Especially in times like these, you need to be clear about what you want."

9:50 a.m., Wanda Vista Hotel banquet hall.

All three hundred seats were occupied, and many people were standing in the aisles.

The media outlets had already set up their cameras and microphones, and the reporters were talking in hushed tones, the atmosphere tense yet expectant.

In the backstage dressing room, Jiang Yu was reviewing the manuscript one last time.

He wore a navy blue suit today, without a tie, and the top button of his shirt was undone, making him look both formal and casual.

"Boss, it's time to go on stage." Chen Jingming walked in.

Jiang Yu nodded and took a deep breath.

At 9:58, host Li Jing walked onto the stage: "Good morning, friends from the media. I know you have many questions to ask, so please give us a little time to let Mr. Jiang Yu, the founder of Zhuiguang Holdings, make an opening statement. Please welcome Mr. Jiang Yu."

Amid applause, Jiang Yu emerged from behind the curtain.

The flashbulbs went off instantly, and the clicking sound was incessant.

He walked to the center of the stage, bowed slightly, and then stood behind the podium.

"Good morning, everyone." His voice, calm and clear, resonated throughout the venue through the microphone. "Thank you all for coming today. In the past 24 hours, my team and I have received unprecedented attention. So I thought, rather than leaving everyone to guess, I'd like to address this myself."

The introduction was direct, without any small talk.

"First of all, regarding the reports in the US media, the basic facts are correct. Light Chaser did indeed benefit from the subprime mortgage crisis and does hold shares in some technology companies. I want to emphasize that all of this is a legal and compliant business activity, and we have hired the best legal and compliance teams in the world for this purpose."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room: "What I want to talk about today is not how much money we've made, but what we plan to do with that money."

The reporters in the audience looked up, their expressions showing interest.

"Light Chaser started as a visual effects studio with only two people, and today we have more than two thousand employees worldwide. We know how difficult it is for a small company to grow, and how much support it takes for a good idea to go from birth to realization. So, we decided to set up a special fund, the Light Chaser Future Fund."

""

Jiang Yu raised his voice: "This fund will initially have a size of one billion US dollars, specifically for investing in innovative companies in China and the United States. We don't look at short-term returns, we don't look at whether the financial statements look good, we only look at one thing: whether this company has the potential to change the world, even if it's just a little bit."

A murmur arose from the audience.

A billion dollars specifically for investing in startups—that's a huge investment.

"We will focus on several areas: artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new energy, educational technology, and cultural and creative industries. We will not only provide funding, but also resources; Light Chaser's global network, technology team, and market channels can all be opened to our portfolio companies."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming sincere: "Some say that those who chase the light are profiting from national disasters. I don't think so. I believe we're profiting from knowledge—our understanding of global trends and our judgment of technological change. Now, we hope to give back the wealth generated by this knowledge to those who are changing the world."

This is a very skillful statement; it both responds to the doubts and elevates the theme.

"Finally, about myself," Jiang Yu smiled, "I know there's a lot of discussion online. Some say I'm a genius, some say I'm just lucky. I want to say that I'm just an ordinary person who believes in hard work, believes in the times, and believes in the team."

He told a short story: "Three years ago, my co-founder Zhou Mu and I started our business in a garage in Los Angeles."

Summer was incredibly hot, and his computer's cooling fan broke down due to overloading it with demanding software. We couldn't afford a new computer, so we used ice packs to cool it down, changing the ice every half hour. One time, we were so tired we fell asleep, and the computer overheated, burning out the motherboard. We lost three days' worth of work.

Good-natured laughter came from the audience.

"We were desperate at the time, thinking it might not work out."

Jiang Yu continued, "The next day, we went to the secondhand market again to buy parts, fixed the computer, and started over. Why am I telling this story? Because I want to say that behind every success, there are countless moments like this where you want to give up, but ultimately choose to persevere."

The applause rang out, this time even more sincere.

"So, I'm not some kind of genius; I'm just an ordinary person who persevered. There are millions of ordinary people like me in China; all they lack is an opportunity. The 'Chasing the Light Future Foundation' aims to give these people that opportunity."

After finishing his statement, Jiang Yu bowed again.

The applause was enthusiastic and prolonged.

The atmosphere became even more lively after the Q&A session began.

The first question was from CCTV Finance: "Mr. Jiang, a fund of one billion US dollars is a very large amount. How many companies do you expect to invest in? What are the specific criteria?"

Jiang Yu replied, "Our initial investment plan is to invest in 50-80 companies, with individual investments ranging from $100 million to $5000 million. The criteria are simple: the founders must be passionate and have strong execution capabilities; the projects must be innovative, have social value, and have growth potential. We especially welcome ideas that seem impossible, because it is often these ideas that ultimately change the world."

The second question was to the Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Jiang, you've made money in the US and invested there. Does this mean you have a stronger belief in the US market? How confident are you in the Chinese market?"

This was a tricky question, but Jiang Yu handled it with ease: "I'm optimistic about innovation, not a specific market. Innovation knows no borders; we invest wherever good ideas are. As for the Chinese market, I was born and raised here, how could I not have confidence? China has the world's most hardworking people, a complete industrial chain, a huge market, and most importantly: the government's support for innovation is unprecedented. I can say definitively that the proportion of Light Chaser Fund's investments in China will not be less than 50%."

The answer won a round of applause from the Chinese reporters in the audience.

The third question was from a reporter at an entertainment weekly, and it was surprisingly easy: "Mr. Jiang, many people online are curious about your love life. Can you reveal what kind of girl you like? Are you currently single?"

The whole room burst into laughter, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed.

Jiang Yu smiled as well. This question was unexpected, but he reacted quickly: "I thought today was a financial press conference. But since everyone is interested, I can briefly say that I like independent, thoughtful, and kind people. As for whether I'm single—"

He paused deliberately, and everyone in the audience perked up their ears.

"This is a private matter, and I'd like to keep it a little private," he said tactfully. "But I can assure you that if I feel ready, I will definitely let everyone know."

Although it did not provide a direct answer, the response was both tactful and left room for interpretation.

The press conference lasted a full hour and a half.

Jiang Yu answered more than twenty questions, ranging from company strategy to personal life, from investment philosophy to social responsibility. His answers were always calm, witty, and warm.

At the end, reporters practically swarmed around, wanting to ask more questions.

Security guards quickly maintained order, and Jiang Yu left the venue under the escort of Chen Jingming and staff.

Less than an hour after the press conference ended, related reports were already everywhere.

Jiang Yu's establishment of a billion-dollar innovation fund topped the Baidu hot search list.

The Chasing the Future Fund ranks third.

Jiang Yu's response to relationship issues also surprisingly made it into the top ten.

The online discussion exploded: "A billion dollars! Investing exclusively in startups! What kind of vision is this?!"

"This is true entrepreneurship! Making money to give back to society and support innovation!"

"His speech was so captivating; it was both sincere and insightful!"

"I was actually a little moved by that story about computer cooling —"

"So, are you single or not? I'm so worried!"

"Regardless of whether they're single or not, how outstanding must someone be to deserve someone like that!"

At the same time, the publicly listed email address and phone number of Chasing Light Holdings were almost overwhelmed with calls.

Some entrepreneurs sent their business plans directly, some university professors recommended projects, some local governments invited them to visit, and many more were organizations seeking cooperation.

Chen Jingming's mobile phone became a hotline.

Within two hours of the press conference, he received more than forty phone calls.

"Boss, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology called and said they highly praised our fund plan and asked if we need policy support."

"The Ministry of Science and Technology has also contacted you, wanting to discuss industry-academia collaboration with you."

"The president's offices of Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Zhejiang University have all sent invitations, hoping you will give a speech."

"We'll screen applicants first," Jiang Yu said. "Invitations from government departments will be given priority, while those from universities can be put on the waiting list."

As for those who wanted to discuss career planning, they were all politely declined.

"clear."

At 2 p.m., Jiang Yu finally had time to eat lunch.

In a private room at the hotel restaurant, we had a simple meal of three dishes and a soup.

Halfway through the meal, Wang Wei knocked on the door and came in with a strange expression: "President Jiang, two guests would like to see you. They didn't have an appointment, but—you might want to see them."

"Who?"

"Ms. Liu Yifei, and her mother, Ms. Liu Xiaoli. They came directly up from the underground parking garage; the media didn't spot them."

Jiang Yu immediately put down his chopsticks: "Please come in quickly."

Liu Yifei dressed very casually today, wearing a white dress with a cardigan over it.

Liu Xiaoli was dressed as elegantly as ever, carrying a thermos in her hand.

"Auntie, Yifei, what brings you here?" Jiang Yu stood up to greet them.

"I've brought you some soup." Liu Xiaoli placed the thermos on the table. "The press conference was so tiring, you need to replenish your energy. This is lotus root and pork rib soup; I started simmering it this morning."

Jiang Yu felt a warmth in her heart: "Thank you, Auntie, you've gone to so much trouble."

"No trouble at all." Liu Xiaoli sat down and looked at Jiang Yu. "Xiao Jiang, I watched the press conference live today. He performed very well. He was neither arrogant nor humble, and he had both poise and warmth."

"You flatter me, Auntie."

Liu Yifei remained silent, only looking at Jiang Yu with a smile in her eyes, but also with heartache.

"Yifei," Jiang Yu turned to her, "Have you eaten? Want to eat something together?"

"I've already eaten," Liu Yifei said. "I just came to see you. I watched the live stream with my mom at home when you spoke today. My mom was really moved when you told the story about computer overheating."

Liu Xiaoli nodded: "Yes, that story was well told. It showed people the hardships behind the glamorous facade, and it was very real."

The three chatted about everyday things for a while.

After chatting for half an hour, Liu Xiaoli stood up: "Okay, we won't disturb your work anymore. Xiao Jiang, take care of yourself, don't overwork yourself."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Liu Xiaoli left the private room first, giving the two young people some time alone.

As soon as the door closed, Liu Yifei rushed into Jiang Yu's arms and hugged him tightly.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Yu gently patted her back.

"I just wanted to hug you." Liu Yifei buried her head in his chest. "Seeing so many people surrounding you today, and so many questions being thrown at you, I suddenly felt so sorry for you. Everyone only sees your success, but they don't see the pressure you have to bear."

Jiang Yu's heart softened completely: "With you here, it's not hard at all."

Liu Yifei looked up, her eyes sparkling: "Really?"

"Really." Jiang Yu lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "But Yifei, your mother is right, we should keep a low profile for now. Once this storm passes—"

"I understand." Liu Yifei nodded understandingly. "I won't cause you any trouble. I just miss you a little."

The two lingered for a few minutes before Liu Yifei reluctantly left.

After she left, Jiang Yu sat back down at the table, looking at the still-warm soup, his heart filled with warmth.