Chapter 77 — Stop Pretending!
She was sure Chu Ningtian did not know as well, else he would have devised a plan to swindle money from him using her. She now knew how terrible he could be.
She wondered what he had been doing all the while when he went out everyday. Apart from the fact that Chu Ningtian probably didn't listen to news ever, the Li Chuanmo she remembered hated any form of public attention. She was sure that there was hardly news of him anywhere.
She had to keep mum about her new source of hope. She could not afford for it to get dashed.
*****
Everyone —from the invited reporters to the public that watched it on TV— had an unequivocal opinion: The unveiling of GOLEM was a resounding success.
Li Chuanmo personally unveiled the new software. He did a presentation on it, showing sample videos of GOLEM in action, clips and reviews from top AI technology critics from within and outside the country who had personally tested it.
The highlight of the event came when Li Chuanmo gave a live demonstration of the capabilities of GOLEM. He randomly picked a reporter, who came on stage to test the software.
The reporter simulated different situations very fast, including a medical emergency to, and GOLEM was able to respond quickly, to the astonishment and admiration of the crowd.
The reporter was not satisfied as he came here to look for negative news. On impulse, he changed his voice and pretended to be a lost little girl looking for her mother. The people in the hall waited with baited breaths. How would GOLEM respond?
They soon got their answer.
GOLEM: Stop pretending!
The crowd burst into laughter.
Li Chuanmo explained that the software could pick up falsified voices and the use of a voice changer app.
However, he explained that since there may be exceptional situations where a change of voice was inevitable, more research will be done to ensure an upgrade by the time the next version will be released.
His explanation was met with thunderous applause.
GOLEM was so enthusiastically received that the Li Conglomerate's telephone lines almost malfunctioned due to the amount of calls they were receiving to discuss partnerships and collaborations.
Memes of the moment GOLEM told the reporter to "stop pretending" were plastered all over the internet. All major news and media outlets kept reporting news of the unveiling. The top trending searches were all about the unveiling: #GOLEM#, #GOLEMstoppretending#, #LiConglomerateGOLEM#, #ChairmanLipictures#, #GOLEMmeme#, #GOLEMunveiling#.....
Needless to say, the company shares shot up like a tide.
The after-party turned into an extravagant affair. The employees were so proud that they let go of their inhibitions and partied all night, never minding that the next day was a workday.
Li Chuanmo and Pei Yueran only stayed long enough to give a toast and thank the employees for their faith in and support for the company.
They left immediately afterwards, as they wanted to rest early in time for tomorrow's showdown.
As per usual, Li Chuanmo drove Pei Yueran home. On the way, they discussed about the events of the day and their plans for the meeting tomorrow.
"I'm so glad the event went well. You did such a great job. I'm so proud of you." Pei Yueran gushed.
"Thanks. It couldn't have gone so smoothly without your help." It sounded like he was just flattering her, but he wasn't. Her contribution was invaluable to their current success.
Pei Yueran smiled in silent acquiescence. "Now, we only need to get through tomorrow. Are you prepared? You know the fire will be directed at you."
Li Chuanmo replied indifferently. "It's not a big deal. We'll leave those old codgers happy for a little while more. They won't be smug for long. By the way, about tomorrow, should I come and pick you up?"
"No need. Fang Bo will drive me, and I will meet you there."
"Alright, but I'll drive you afterwards. I want us to go somewhere."
"Really? Where?"
"Secret."
"Ah, I see."
*****
City A was not a bustling city, but it had a quiet elegance and indescribable beauty not easily seen in the big cities. The City A airport was not huge, but big enough to accommodate the city travellers and then some.
Jiang Philip, wearing huge sunshades and looking for all the world like a dumb tourist in too-bright clothes, strutted out of arrivals with a group of other passengers.
He started looking for someone holding a placard with his name on it, but even after going through all the placards, he couldn't find his name.
He frowned. Didn't Yueran say she had informed her friend?
After waiting around for close to an hour, he decided to leave the airport and lodge in a hotel first.
He had messaged Pei Yueran to inform her, but she had not responded, probably because she was very busy with the unveiling.
As he walked out of the airport, he looked up and lifted his arms, basking in the midmorning sun and enjoying the warmth on his face.
That was until he was knocked to the ground.
"Hey hey, what's up?" Jiang Philip said angrily. He had fallen heavily on his side and his right hip had begun to ache faintly.
The person that knocked into him was a young man in his twenties. He bowed obsequiously and kept apologizing, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry sir."
Jiang Philip's anger decreased and his good mood returned. "It's alright, I wasn't walking properly either. No problem."
The young man smiled "gratefully", gave him the middle finger and ran off!
"He's such a well-mannered young man. He even....Wait! Did he just diss me?" Jiang Philip belatedly realized that he had been insulted and screamed at the man.
"Hey, hey, how dare you! You had better run farther so I do not catch you, else!
"What's all the nonsense? City A is not as peaceful as it looks after all. Whatever, taxi! I need to settle down before tracking....my wallet!!!!"
Jiang Philip was still muttering, complaining about the recent incident when he realized his wallet was no longer in his pocket. He stood, confused for a moment, until the taxi driver he called honked in impatience.
That jolted his memory. The accidental bump, the middle finger, his missing wallet.....
THIEF!!!!!!!!