Yang Ruo called out again and hurriedly followed her to her side.
"Is there anything I can help you with, Young Master Yang?"
Where the crowd had gathered, Lingyan had no choice but to restrain herself and stop in her tracks.
"Ms. Ling, it's not too late to stop today's press conference."
Pretending to offer honest advice, full of exaggerated worries and barely concealed arrogance.
"Young Master Yang, thank you for the reminder. I have some other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."
After staring at Yang Ruo for a moment, Ling Yan let out a mocking laugh, directly stating her excuse for not wanting to be disturbed, and turned away from him without looking back.
"Miss Ling, you will regret this."
This is a firm threat.
"Check all the materials to be projected today immediately."
After Lingyan entered the venue, she immediately ordered someone to conduct another inspection.
Yang Ruo's words were certainly not unfounded.
But—would the cunning fox become too complacent and mistake the hunter for prey in distress, thus approaching him willingly?
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Author's Note:
Every time I update, I feel guilty and ashamed QAQ How can I cheer myself up?! I've been dragging this out so long, I feel like chopping myself in half...
Thank you so much, Noelle and Myreabled, for the thunder! Hugs!
//Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-02-09 11:32:39 and 2022-03-05 23:38:25!
Thank you to the little angels who threw landmines: Noelle (2); Myreabled (1);
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: iu is my wife 30 bottles; Myreabled 10 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 111 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (Seventeen)
====================================
After making the arrangements, Ling Yan turned around and saw Gu Zhong, who had approached her at some point.
The two looked at each other for a moment, and after a brief silence, Lingyan took the lead in offering a polite but awkward greeting.
"Miss Gu, it's been a long time."
"···haven't seen you for a long time."
Gu Zhong pursed his lips and replied briefly, but his eyes seemed to hold an unspeakable sigh of deep emotion.
Silence once again stood between the two. Even though they were very familiar with each other years ago, they had nothing to say to each other now that they met again.
Is there a problem with the venue setup?
This time, Gu Zhong spoke first, and in a businesslike tone, she steered the conversation in a less abrupt direction.
"Yang Ruo just said some things that are hard to understand, so it's best to be careful today."
As the main figure at today's press conference, Lingyan believes that Gu Zhong should be aware of all possible risks.
"Miss Ling almost ignores Yaozhong's business decisions. I thought you had forgotten that you even have this company."
It sounds like a joke, but it always carries a hint of resentment.
"Since we agreed to give them full control, I naturally won't interfere too much."
Unconsciously, Lingyan made a self-justification, as if she wanted to prove that she was not an irresponsible boss, or that she ignored him for some other reason.
"After today, I will be able to win the bet."
Gu Zhong's sudden words made Ling Yan's heart skip a beat. An indescribable feeling spread through her heart, as if pepper had been sprinkled on sugarcane.
The end of the bet means that this highly talented but down-on-her-luck noblewoman will disappear from this world completely, while her beloved will return.
A mix of guilt and reluctance, yet also joy, caused Lingyan to hesitate for a moment.
"So confident, huh?"
Forcing herself to put on a relaxed smile, she tried her best to make her words sound light and cheerful.
"Does the chairman have higher expectations for Yaozhong's current development?"
Gu Chong responded with the same smiling question, and both of them tried to keep the atmosphere from becoming too oppressive, dull, or sad.
Nobody did it better than you.
This is a heartfelt and sincere exclamation.
"I should go and get ready."
Looking at the increasingly crowded banquet hall, Gu Zhong raised his wrist, glanced at the small watch attached to it, and said his farewell with a sense of apology.
"Yes, congratulations in advance, congratulations Yaozhong."
We meet briefly and part again; the gatherings and separations in life are always fleeting.
——
As the clock struck its designated mark, a heavy chime resounded through the banquet hall, plunging it into darkness.
The clinking of glasses and whispers among the crowd came to an abrupt halt, replaced by a silent anticipation in the darkness.
At the very front, a beam of light suddenly shone, illuminating the performers in the very center of the stage, making them both beautiful and solemn, captivating the viewer.
"Welcome everyone to Yaozhong Technology's new product launch event!"
Standing under the spotlight, Gu Zhongtian naturally exuded an aura that made it impossible to look away. She shone brightly, as if she was born to be like the bright moon in the starry sky, attracting the attention of everyone.
"Today, you will witness a great manufacturing achievement that transcends time!"
The concise opening, though only a few words, ignited everyone's enthusiasm.
How many people would dare to make such outrageous claims if they weren't true pioneers in the industry?
Gu Zhong then fell silent, stepped aside to clear the stage, and a meticulously crafted, technologically advanced promotional video began to play.
For Lingyan, this film still seems a bit outdated, but in this era, it is definitely the most cutting-edge technology.
Just by looking at the expressions on the faces of the viewers amidst the interplay of light and shadow, one can tell just how powerfully impactful this video is.
"Is this really possible?"
"This is incredible!"
The extreme shock stirred within everyone, causing these self-proclaimed well-mannered and composed upper-class individuals to gasp in surprise.
"What happened?"
Only Yang Ruo frowned, her thumb constantly rubbing the knuckles of her other hand, and asked the person next to her in a low voice.
“I checked with him, and he said he knew nothing about this matter. Yaozhong’s original plan for the press conference was not adopted at all.”
"How is that possible? Such a big thing, kept from the entire company, and even from the higher-ups? How did you manage to keep an eye on things?"
Yang Ruo's voice was filled with barely suppressed anger. The press conference had far exceeded his expectations and was completely different from what he had envisioned. He could only blame his subordinates for their incompetence.
In any normal company, if such a groundbreaking event were to be undertaken, it would be impossible to keep the news hidden. There would always be insiders who, for various reasons, would leak the information through different channels.
—But Gu Zhong actually managed to do it. Even with Ling Yan's support behind her, how exactly did she manage to keep such a big matter a secret?
Yang Ruo couldn't understand it.
The promotional video on stage wasn't as long as expected and quickly came to an end. Gu Zhong then returned to the center of the stage and began the formal introduction.
"Yaozhong's new product is a mobile phone based on the WAP network."
In other words, we have successfully made the internet mobile, not just for making and receiving phone calls or sending and receiving messages; we can even use it for sending and receiving emails and retrieving information.
"Young Master Yang, what do you think of this product compared to the mobile phone you released not long ago?"
At some point, Ling Yan sat down next to Yang Ruo, who was covered in cold sweat, and asked with a hint of sarcasm.
Yang Ruo knew that the products they rushed to release were far inferior to what we see today, and thought that combining voice and messaging was pioneering.
He only stole half of the item and was still smug about it, unaware that he had already been left far behind.
However, business competition is inherently ruthless, and now it's a matter of life and death. Although the product launch was not what they expected, Yang Ruo would not give up the original plan no matter what.
"It is indeed very good—however, Mr. Gu, I have a question?"
He suddenly stood up and raised his voice to speak loudly.
The spotlight, which had been focused on Gu Zhong, followed the sound and illuminated Yang Ruo.
Once hailed as the most perfect couple in Hong Kong, they now appear to be at odds, providing a spectacle for onlookers.
"Young Master Yang, is there something you're asking?"
Gu Zhong raised an eyebrow, maintaining a friendly, polite, and humble demeanor, and asked in a gentle tone.
"Mr. Gu should know that our company also released a similar product some time ago—although it is not as feature-rich as your company's, its combination of voice communication and information is quite unique."
Those who know the truth would condemn these remarks as shameless, nothing more than a thief who talks as if he had gone through some arduous research and development.
"so?"
Gu Zhong did not flatter Yang Ruo as usual when Yang Ruo deliberately paused; he simply gestured for him to continue.
"Cough cough—"
After coughing awkwardly twice, Yang Ruo had no choice but to utter the rest of her hidden words.
“We have received a report with detailed evidence proving that the new product released by Yaozhong today is completely identical to our company’s in terms of voice communication and information integration technology. We have reasonable grounds to suspect that you have plagiarized our core technology and applied it to your current products.”
These words caused an uproar in the room. Suspicious and gossipy gazes swept over the two of them, as if trying to discern the truth from the words.
Ling Yan never expected that the Yang family would be so despicable, actually turning the tables on Gu Zhong by accusing him of stealing trade secrets. If this charge is proven, not only will Yao Zhong be reduced to dust, but Gu Zhong will also face imprisonment.
Moreover, with the business acumen of the Yang family patriarch spanning decades, he would certainly not fight an unprepared battle. The detailed evidence they presented would undoubtedly put Yao in a disadvantageous position.