Lin Shu walked quietly down the university pathway, head slightly bowed, deep in thought.
Her mind wasn't on lectures or grades, but on code—on her company.
She was currently both a student at Binhai University and a full-fledged R&D employee at the Marching Ant Company. Chen Mo himself had given her this rare opportunity, allowing her to juggle work and study simultaneously. No other employee had this privilege.
Fortunately, her colleagues were incredibly understanding. They supported her, covered for her when needed, and treated her like family. Over time, Marching Ant had become more than just a job. It was home.
When she didn't have class, Lin Shu spent her days at headquarters, often working late into the night. And if she had an early class the next morning, she'd head back to her school dorm straight after her shift.
Her life was a far cry from what it used to be.
Her younger brother had recovered and returned to school. Her grandfather no longer had to scavenge or push himself to survive—Lin Shu had hired a trusted neighbor to help look after him. She paid for everything: their food, their housing, their comfort.
She didn't bring them to Binhai because her schedule was too intense. Between university and company work, she barely had time to sleep, let alone care for them directly. But she knew this life—this chance—was worth it. And she cherished it.
Every spare minute, she poured into learning: Chinese programming, cryptography, hacking techniques, intelligent algorithms—anything that could help her keep up and one day make a difference.
Lately, work had ramped up even more.
The president—Zhao Min—had called all key R&D staff into a strategic meeting. Lin Shu had been there too. They were preparing for the upcoming "Artificial Intelligence+" program and the software integration for the new holographic mobile phones.
Since she was familiar with AI algorithms, she was brought in to contribute directly.
Zhao Min had described the initiative as revolutionary, a plan that would impact not only Marching Ant's future, but daily life across the world. Lin Shu believed it.
She knew that if she gave it her all—if she succeeded—she wouldn't just help the company. She'd be helping him.
Back at her school dorm, Lin Shu pushed open the door, only to pause.
Her three roommates were staring at her with suspicious intensity.
"Lin Shu…"
"You're finally back!"
Before she could react, they surrounded her, grinning, and pushed her into a chair.
"What's going on?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"Lin Shu, you work at Marching Ant, right?" said Wen Qing, a girl in pink pajamas with a messy ponytail.
Lin Shu blinked. "Uh… yes?"
It wasn't a secret. People in her class had recognized her from the Jiangnan virus incident, and it was common knowledge that she now worked at Marching Ant. Just having access to that company made her the envy of many at Binhai University.
Especially since Chen Mo, their idol, was an alumnus too. Marching Ant's pay was legendary. Just the thought of being part of that world made others dream.
"What's with you guys?" Lin Shu asked, starting to feel wary.
"Do you…" The tall girl, Li Yiyi, leaned forward with hopeful eyes. "Do you have a holographic phone?"
Lin Shu blinked again. "Yeah. I got one yesterday."
She pulled it from her bag and handed it over.
"Whoa!! It's real!"
All three girls gasped in awe and swarmed around the phone like it was a magical artifact. The sleek, futuristic device shimmered in the dorm light, its design practically radiating innovation.
They carefully turned it over in their hands, wide-eyed.
"How'd you get it?" asked the girl with black-framed glasses, Qiao Xiaomei.
"I didn't buy it," Lin Shu said simply. "The company awarded it to employees who performed well this quarter."
Even though she liked it, Lin Shu was already used to seeing holographic systems during development. The excitement her roommates felt was something she had long grown past.
"That's incredible," Wen Qing breathed. "So cool…"
"Wait!" said Qiao Xiaomei. "Don't you guys get an internal purchase discount or something?"
Lin Shu nodded. "Yeah. We can apply for up to three phones at a 10% discount—but only for close friends or family. We're strictly forbidden from reselling or scalping. If we're caught, we could lose our jobs."
Li Yiyi lit up. "Then… Lin Shu, aren't we friends? Can you help us get one each?"
"You can't buy them in stores?" Lin Shu asked.
"Impossible," Qiao Xiaomei groaned. "It's a madhouse. Every morning, before the store even opens, hundreds of people are already lined up. The wait's hours long—and we've got class."
Wen Qing added, "And ordering online? Delivery takes weeks. I just want one now…"
The girls looked at her with desperate puppy eyes.
Even foreigners were flying into Binhai just to try and get their hands on one. The hysteria had eclipsed Apple's golden years. Scalpers were flipping phones for thousands in profit.
And compared to holographic phones, even Apple or Samsung's latest models looked like ancient relics.
"Okay," Lin Shu relented. "I'll buy them for you. Just transfer me the money, and I'll file the request."
"Lin Shu! You're the best!!"
The girls squealed with joy, hugging her and even planting a few quick kisses on her cheeks. Lin Shu blushed but smiled.
Seeing their happiness made her feel lighter.
"Can we… play with yours while we wait?" Qiao Xiaomei asked.
"Sure."
While the three huddled around the holographic phone, Lin Shu pulled out her laptop and opened the company's internal purchase platform. She entered her work ID, confirmed the application, and hit submit.
Then, as the chatter around her shifted to holographic games, hip-hop videos, and streamer projections, her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
She lay down on her bed, gazing at the ceiling. Her mind wasn't on the phone. It was on the company's big new initiative.
Artificial Intelligence+.
The internal meeting was tomorrow. Everyone had been told to come prepared with ideas.
Lin Shu knew this wasn't just another upgrade. It was a milestone. A system that would integrate AI with real-world functions—education, health, entertainment, transportation. If it worked, it could redefine how people lived their lives.
And she wanted to be a part of that.
No… she wanted to lead it.
Because she wasn't just doing this for her future. She was doing it for his.
That person in her heart—that calm, brilliant figure who gave her this chance, who once saved her and her family without fanfare—Chen Mo.
Even now, just thinking of him made her smile. It was a secret she never spoke of, a quiet light she carried inside her.
Then suddenly—
"Street dance videos! Lin Shu, look at this one—it's a holographic 360-degree angle, super cool!"
"Ugh, the streamers are getting wild lately. Holographic cleavage is next-level realism!"
"I don't care about that. I just want holographic games—imagine playing King's Pesticide in AR!"
"My poor frog son…"
Their voices danced around her as ideas began sparking in her head. One after another. AI. Holography. Gaming. Livestreaming. Lifestyle integration…
A flash of inspiration hit her.
Lin Shu's eyes lit up.
She sat up, flipped open her laptop again, and began coding—furiously sketching out the foundation of her idea.
This could work.
This might be something big.
"What's Lin Shu doing?"
"Don't interrupt her—she's in the zone. She's a goddess."
"I heard Marching Ant's entry-level devs make over 100K a year. If Lin Shu's one of the top techs, she's probably making millions already—and she's still a student."
"Lucky girl…"
"No. That's not luck. That's grit. If you're jealous, go learn to code."
"…Ugh. I give up."
The girls quieted down, turning their attention back to the dazzling holographic projection, where digital dancers spun across the air in vivid 3D.
Meanwhile, Lin Shu typed away—eyes focused, fingers flying, heart racing.
This was her chance.
And she wasn't going to miss it.