Chapter 12: Into Long Aotian’s World, Day 12

Chapter 12: The Twelfth Day of Transmigrating into an Overlord Protagonist

Chang Tongxin looked at him appraisingly: "Keen observation, Chairman An. I wouldn’t say I have doubts—it’s just that the sources and support for some core data, and the contingency plans for sudden risks… seem a bit thin." She chose her words carefully.

The subtext: The project PPT was flashy but couldn’t withstand scrutiny, like a castle built on sand.

An Yi smiled, lowering his voice in a tone like gossiping between friends: "President Chang, your eyes are sharp."

"But Du Guyuan, the second young master, has been basking in success lately. His mind is probably not all on the project."

He smiled: "I heard just the other day he played the hero saving a damsel on the street, getting cozy with that young woman. Their relationship is developing fast. Young people, full of energy—excusable."

An Yi’s words were subtle, not directly criticizing the project, but cleverly conveying key info: Du Guyuan was neglecting his duties, flashy in his actions, and had a "colorful" private life.

Chang Tongxin’s fingers holding the coffee cup paused slightly.

She recalled Du Guyuan’s slightly frivolous demeanor on stage, and the way his gaze had swept over her—barely hidden, greasy and intrusive—when he sat in the audience.

An Yi’s words dropped like a pebble into the still lake of her heart, stirring a ripple. Somewhere inside her, something jumped inexplicably—not from attraction, but from an instinctive gut warning.

She gave An Yi a long, hard look. His eyes were frank, his smile warm, as if he were truly just sharing a piece of gossip.

She said nothing, only nodded slightly: "Thank you, Chairman An… for sharing these observations." She silently locked away these seemingly offhand words.

The meeting concluded, and Chang Tongxin excused herself early, citing company affairs.

Du Guyuan, who had been poised to flash a "crooked smile and confident stride" to strike up a conversation, found his steps frozen mid-stride, his smile frozen into a meme-worthy expression.

All he could do was watch that gallant figure disappear through the door.

An Yi raised a folder to hide the smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Chairman An, would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner?" Shao Xiuya’s invitation came at the right moment. "We didn’t get a chance to talk properly last time. Besides, I’d like to hear your deeper thoughts on some collaboration points raised in the meeting."

An Yi noticed the hint of nervousness in his eyes, curled his lips in a smile, and cheerfully agreed.

He turned to Li Xuan, who was standing behind him: "Nothing much left for today—you can knock off early."

Li Xuan’s eyes lit up, his voice went up an octave: "Thanks, Chairman An."

After Li Xuan left, An Yi and Shao Xiuya chose an upscale private dining restaurant with a serene atmosphere and exquisite dishes.

The waiter served their orders: "Please enjoy."

Then retreated softly from the VIP room.

The door closed gently, shutting out the outside noise, leaving only the drip of a rockery waterfall and a barely audible zither tune.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment, carrying the aroma of the food and a palpable tension.

Shao Xiuya broke the silence first. He picked up the wine decanter, elegantly pouring a glass of pale gold white wine for An Yi—an Alsatian Riesling—the amber liquid shimmering under the light.

"Chairman An, try this Riesling."

His voice was still warm, but his gaze was more intense: "A crisp minerality and citrus notes pair perfectly with this steamed grouper."

He naturally poured himself a glass too, his slender fingers holding the delicate stem, gently swirling it.

An Yi raised his glass, the cool sensation invigorating him. He took a sip—lively acidity, abundant fruit notes—indeed excellent.

"Good wine, President Shao. Not only do you have a sharp business sense, but your wine selection is equally outstanding," he said with genuine admiration.

"Glad you like it." Shao Xiuya’s smile deepened, joy spreading to his eyes and brows.

"It’s an honor for this bottle to have your approval." He added, staring at An Yi with burning intensity, the implication clear.

An Yi gave a mental cough, keeping his composure, pretending not to catch the subtext and naturally shifting the topic:

"At the meeting, you mentioned integrating AI smart homes with city complexes—quite forward-looking. It seems the Yuanchen Group is heavily invested in smart cities?"

A fleeting regret sparked in Shao Xiuya’s eyes. He understood An Yi’s intention to change the subject and didn’t press further.

He set down his glass and presented his plan with clear logic:

"You’re right, Chairman An. Yuanchen’s core strength lies in its underlying algorithms and big-data platform.

AI smart homes shouldn’t just be isolated ‘smart bulbs’ or ‘voice-controlled curtains’; they should be the sensory nerve endings of a future smart city."

His pace was measured, precise: "Imagine a large urban complex—from parking guidance, store traffic analysis, environmental temperature and humidity control, to energy management, security linkage, health monitoring in every household…

"If all this data can remove silos and be coordinated and optimized while ensuring privacy and security…" He gestured on the table, as if sketching a grand future picture.

"This will lead to maximum efficiency gains and a revolutionary leap in experience.

"Anshi is the leader in high-end residential and commercial real estate, and your recent breakthroughs in smart home hardware are evident to all. If we join forces, embedding the AI platform deep from the project planning stage, creating a true ‘smart living prototype’…"

He looked at An Yi, eyes full of anticipation and the excitement of meeting his match: "This would be disruptive, Chairman An."

An Yi listened intently, inwardly shaken.

Putting aside that unnerving "pie-chart gaze," Shao Xiuya’s business vision and broad-mindedness were truly admirable.

The concept was bold, cutting-edge, and highly feasible.

"Your blueprint is exhilarating," An Yi set down his glass, his expression turning serious.

"Breaking data silos, coordinating optimization… that’s indeed the future. However, the challenges are immense. Data security and compliance are red lines; user privacy protection is the cornerstone; compatibility and standardization between different systems are also tough issues."

"You’ve hit the nail on the head, Chairman An."

Shao Xiuya’s appreciation grew: "That’s exactly what we need to deeply discuss and solve together. Yuanchen holds core patents in data security and privacy computing; Anshi’s hardware ecosystem and user reach are second to none. A powerful alliance is the key to breaking the deadlock."

He picked up the serving chopsticks and naturally served a piece of tender fish to An Yi: "Try this—cooked to perfection."