Today’s meeting lasted about half an hour. At the end, Yan Tinglin informed everyone that they would continue to attend the weekly algorithm meetings next week.
“The early design phase requires us to fully discuss and promptly resolve any disagreements.”
Zhong Yì had never felt a meeting end so quickly, as if it only lasted two minutes.
Tang Nuoyun, however, felt exactly the opposite. She was like a fish on a hot pan, suffering and about to “burn.”
With the boss’s decision, her upcoming work would face enormous challenges, possibly even failure.
Even though the boss arranged for the chip team to learn algorithm-related knowledge, the two teams’ joys and sorrows were not connected.
She reached out and grabbed a can of the boss’s iced coffee—not to wake herself up, but to calm her nerves.
“By the way,” Yan Tinglin asked Ning Que, “have they finalized the team for simulation testing at Kuncheng?”
Ning Que replied, “Zhou ShÃyì has contacted several teams, but nothing’s been decided yet.
“Kuncheng’s own tech team is busy with testing the next-generation high-end models and can’t spare enough people. Moreover, the full autonomous driving system requires a much more advanced digital simulation environment.”
Yan Tinglin asked, “Which domestic team is the best?”
Ning Que answered, “That’s definitely Shao Jin An’s team from Beicheng University. In simulation, testing, and safety, if they’re second domestically, no one dares to claim first.”
“Shao Jin An?”
“That’s the car reviewer known as ‘Shao An Wu Zao.’ Reviewing cars is just his hobby, not even a side job. Now you understand why he has such influence in the industry?”
The youngest associate professor, his team has countless patents. He doesn’t need to accept advertisements from any automaker.
He’s hailed as the most conscientious car reviewer in the industry.
“Shao Jin An’s obsession with cars is no less than your passion for chips. He spends all his vacations on road trips and Guinness World Record challenges.”
Zhong Yì suddenly understood. “No wonder he’s so keen on recording data. His popular science videos often include professional terminology.
“So, he’s a true expert.”
Ning Que said, “The high-precision digital simulation environment he built is exactly what we need.”
Yan Tinglin, interested in the young associate professor, said, “Then have Zhou ShÃyì talk to him.
“The requirements for a fully autonomous driving model’s simulation environment are in a completely different league from assisted driving models.
“With Shao Jin An’s team ensuring safety, the autonomous driving model can be quickly put into mass production.”
Zhong Yì told him not to get his hopes up. “Shao Jin An politely declined.”
“What do you mean?” Yan Tinglin took a sip of coffee. “Zhou ShÃyì reached out to him?”
Zhong Yì replied, “Zhou ShÃyì asked a friend to connect with him. Shao Jin An replied this morning that he had vacation plans and wasn’t in the country. His team is on break too.”
Ji Fanxing sent the chat screenshot to Zhou ShÃyì. She glanced at it and assumed ‘vacation’ meant annual leave.
Only later did she realize that Shao Jin An was a university professor, and the ‘vacation’ referred to the entire summer break.
Ning Que asked, “The team is on summer break too?”
Zhong Yì didn’t ask further. “Probably.
“If it was just a few weeks, someone would have been in contact.”
Hearing this, everyone in the meeting room was envious.
The chip team all stared at Yan Tinglin simultaneously.
Yan Tinglin suddenly smiled and put down the coffee can. “Always comparing holidays! You can’t see what others have to learn from.”
He took another sip, “After the project is successfully completed, I’ll give each of you two months of paid leave.”
“Wow…” The excitement almost made someone curse, “Thank you, boss!”
“Boss, I’m back on board! Don’t say 20% reserved for programming, make it 30%!”
Yan Tinglin looked at his subordinate, “How much did you drink this morning? You’re talking nonsense!”
“Haha!”
The meeting room had never been so lively.
Tang Nuoyun put the unopened can of iced coffee back beside the boss. She suddenly felt she could make it.
The chip team was full of laughter, while the algorithm team remained silent.
Ning Que couldn’t stand the eager gazes. “When the project ends, an extra three months’ salary will be given as a bonus.”
“Ning General, so generous!”
Applause broke out spontaneously.
Ning Que never expected the team meeting to turn into a boss’s holiday-comparison contest.
“Ning General, what about the vacation?”
“At most two weeks. Boss Yan’s taking two months off. If we take longer, people will leave, and the company’s higher-ups will freak out.”
“No problem. There are tens of thousands in the park. Missing a few hundred won’t be noticed by Director Min.”
The meeting room erupted in laughter.
Once it quieted down, Yan Tinglin announced dismissal.
“Don’t celebrate too soon. Whether it’s vacation or bonuses, the premise is project success.”
Everyone was energized, “Don’t worry, Director Yan. No problem.”
At dismissal, Zhong Yì reached out to Yan Tinglin. “Thank you.”
Yan Tinglin smiled, “No need to thank me. I promised you from the start, so I’ll make sure. This is just the preliminary design. Whether the final result is good or not, remains unknown.”
Back in the chip building, Yan Tinglin held another internal group meeting.
He didn’t dwell on the challenges. If two months of paid leave could be given, the difficulty was obvious.
He spoke about whether international chip design software and technology might be restricted from export, “No one can say for sure. What if one day it’s suddenly restricted for us?”
“We need to be prepared, so we won’t panic. Everyone’s going to work hard. If you want to come find me for a meal before the project ends, feel free.”
“Also, who usually listens to jazz music? Share your playlist with me.”
Everyone looked around; no one listened to jazz.
Tang Nuoyun said, “My boyfriend listens. I’ll ask him for a list.”
Yan Tinglin, “Thanks.”
In two days, Zhou ShÃyì would move upstairs to work. He needed to update his playlist quickly.
Tang Nuoyun enthusiastically recommended, “Boss, do you want Lù Chéng’s songs? Some Jiangnan-style tracks are great for noise reduction.”
Yan Tinglin thanked her but declined, “Not used to it.”
Back then, he didn’t add WeChat for one reason: Lù Chéng.
Who could have guessed, no romance ever blossomed, but there were many “love rivals.”
***
Meanwhile, in the algorithm building.
Zhong Yì returned to her office and messaged Zhou ShÃyì, sharing the good news.
Zhou ShÃyì was in his father’s office. Seeing the message, he took his phone outside to a quiet spot and called her back.
She didn’t have to thank Yan Tinglin specially. “I already expressed my gratitude.”
Zhong Yì asked casually, “How?”
Zhou ShÃyì: “I gave him a set of high-end office furniture.”
Zhong Yì:
Zhou ShÃyì added, “I told him he could come to my office anytime.”
Zhong Yì laughed, “Thanks, husband.”
Zhou ShÃyì spoke softly, “You’re calling me husband now, still need to thank me?”
Zhong Yì was already accustomed to married life, “No more thanks from now on.”
Zhou ShÃyì: “You promised you wouldn’t forget again.”
He told her he was still talking with his father about business. “See you tonight.”
“Okay, go busy yourself.”
Zhou ShÃyì hung up and returned to his father’s office.
Zhou Yunlian assumed it was an important work call and didn’t ask further, continuing the conversation that had been interrupted.
He advised him to stop the price war before it caused damage to the whole supply chain.
Zhou ShÃyì knew well the suppliers’ profit margins had been squeezed to the limit.
“It’s not that I want to continue, it’s that Shen Chi has no intention of stopping.”
Zhou Yunlian: “Are you planning to keep going head-to-head with him?”
“When to quit the price war and how to quit, I have a plan.”
Zhou ShÃyì turned to ask his father, “When are you and Mom free? I want to bring Zhong Yì home for dinner.”
Though married, Zhong Yì had never been to his house.
Zhou Yunlian heard that his daughter-in-law was coming over, and since Shi Fanyin really liked Zhong Yì, he quickly said, “Whenever it’s convenient for you two, any day works.”
He added, “Try to come back more often when you’re not busy.”
He remembered Zhong Yì liked Chestnut Matcha Cake, and Shi Fanyin loved the same flavor.
“You don’t have to buy the cake. I’ll order it. For Zhong Yì’s first time eating at our place, we have to prepare a cake.”
Zhou ShÃyì could see through his father’s intentions. “You order yours, I’ll buy mine. If you want to get a cake for Mom, don’t use Zhong Yì as an excuse.”
Zhou Yunlian:
Speechless.
“You should have bought one twenty years ago. Back then you were young. Now—”
Zhou ShÃyì stopped, not wanting to continue. He stood, gathering his documents. “I’m heading back.”
Zhou Yunlian guessed what his son wanted to say: he was old and losing his charm.
He admitted he wasn’t young anymore, but not quite to that point.
Jiang Jingyuan had even found a second spring; he wasn’t so different.