Three days later, Meng Suihuan went to East City on time with Feng Jiu to attend the exchange conference. This event, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, aimed to attract investors and promote the development of Ning City’s internet industry. Because of its purpose, the conference drew a large crowd, with around a thousand participants.

Broadly speaking, the attendees fell into two categories: emerging companies seeking investment and investors like Meng Suihuan looking for opportunities. The organizers managed the event efficiently, setting up separate registration desks for different purposes.

Naturally, Feng Jiu took care of the registration, while Meng Suihuan found a spot in the hall to rest. She had intended to enjoy some peace and quiet but ended up witnessing a free drama unfold.

“Chen Ke, you’re a girl. Of all things, why did you have to study computer science? You haven’t achieved anything significant yet, and here you are at this exchange conference. I suggest you go back before you embarrass Ning University at the sharing session later,” said a man mockingly.

“Zhou Fan, can you watch your mouth? What’s wrong with a girl studying computer science? Girls can excel in this field just as much as anyone else! Besides, all your work is stolen, so you’re in no position to compare yourself to me!” Chen Ke retorted.

The man’s face turned red with anger, his lips trembling as he tried to suppress his emotions, clearly provoked.

“Chen Ke!” he barked. “If you keep spouting nonsense, don’t blame me for disregarding the camaraderie of being in the same department!”

Chen Ke stuck out her tongue at him and sneered, “Oh, I’m so scared! You guys dare to do such things, but you’re afraid of being called out? Should I praise you for being hypocritical frauds?”

“You—you—”

“You what? You even have the audacity to spread rumors about Senior Lu around campus? Let me tell you something: aside from attending this exchange, my main goal is to watch your department get completely humiliated by Senior Lu and his team!”

Meng Suihuan watched the spectacle with great amusement. A group of grown men was being rendered speechless by this feisty young woman. Indeed, one should never underestimate the fighting spirit of girls.

Just as Meng Suihuan was enjoying herself, a loud thud startled her from the table in front. Looking up, she saw none other than the fiery Chen Ke herself.

Chen Ke realized her actions had startled someone and quickly blushed with embarrassment. She immediately apologized, “I’m so sorry! I got so mad at those guys just now that I slammed the table too hard. Did I scare you?”

Meng Suihuan stayed silent for a moment before shaking her head. “No, it’s fine.”

Hearing this, Chen Ke let out a sigh of relief and sat down across from her with a grin. Before long, excitement gleamed in her eyes as she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm.

“Wow, are you here for the exchange too?”

“What kind of research are you working on? I’m in computer science!”

“…”

Chen Ke scratched her head as she finished speaking.
“Am I talking too much? It’s just that I’ve been surrounded by a bunch of annoying men, and seeing another woman here got me a bit excited.”

“Mm,” Meng Suihuan replied, unable to get a word in during the conversation. In the end, she just nodded cooperatively. “I understand.”
After all, she had just enjoyed watching Chen Ke single-handedly debate a group of people into silence.

Seeing that Chen Ke was about to launch into another round of chatter, Meng Suihuan began to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, Feng Jiu arrived in time to save her.

“Boss, I’ve finished filling out all the information. Should we head inside now or wait a bit?” Feng Jiu asked, his gaze lingering briefly on Chen Ke.

Not wanting to linger any longer, Meng Suihuan stood up and said, “Let’s go in and get ready.”

But after taking a couple of steps, she stopped, turned back to Chen Ke, and said, “You said something earlier that was absolutely right.”

“Girls are just as good as anyone else.”

“Huh?” Chen Ke was still in shock, and when she suddenly heard these words, she froze, staring blankly at the beautiful woman in front of her.

Before she could fully react, the other woman added, “I’m looking forward to your impressive performance.”

Chen Ke finally snapped out of her daze. She looked at the woman earnestly and smiled brightly. “Thank you! I’ll do my best!”

“But I just overheard him call you ‘Boss.’ Does that mean you’re here to recruit?”

“Mm.”

“Then, pretty lady, could you pay extra attention to Senior Lu’s company later? They’re incredibly, incredibly talented!”

Meng Suihuan couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “Senior Lu?”

“Yep, yep! His name is Lu Linshen!”

Meng Suihuan’s pupils dilated slightly, but she said nothing. She turned and walked away.

Watching the sudden disappearance of the smile on the pretty lady’s face, Chen Ke felt a sinking feeling in her heart. Oh no! Did she just mess things up?

Meanwhile, Meng Suihuan was still stuck on the name “Lu Linshen.” At that moment, she suddenly remembered something—she was married. And her husband was none other than the man who had abandoned his bride and vanished.

Over the past two years, Lu Linshen had only returned home once. At that time, she had been busy expanding her real estate business in Shuangyang County, so they didn’t even cross paths. She had only learned about his visit later from Lu’s mother, but she hadn’t paid it much attention at the time.

She hadn’t expected to hear his name again here, at this exchange conference.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. This could get interesting.

—

The organizers had arranged a separate lounge for the investors. When Meng Suihuan entered, she was inevitably met with curious stares from the others in the room.

However, she remained unfazed, choosing a remote spot to sit. While she wasn’t interested in the people around her, they were certainly interested in her.

Her striking looks, tall stature, fair skin, and elegant demeanor naturally caught attention, especially since she had spent two hours perfecting her makeup today. Moreover, anyone attending this event undoubtedly had some capital to their name, and being a woman in this setting made her stand out even more.

Ignoring the curious gazes, she casually flipped through the materials prepared by the organizers. Over 100 companies were participating in today’s conference. In addition to new startups, there were also some companies that had already achieved significant success in the industry.

As she immersed herself in the materials, a figure suddenly blocked her light, casting a shadow over her. Looking up, she saw a man dressed in a stereotypically “elite” style standing beside her, preening like a peacock trying to show off.

“I’m very familiar with these companies. If you need any help, I’d be happy to provide explanations,” he offered smugly.

Meng Suihuan paused for a second, her expression remaining indifferent. Her response, however, was icy.

“What I need is for you to get lost.”

“Stop blocking my view of the materials!”

As soon as those words left her lips, the smile on the man’s face froze, and his tone turned accusatory.
“You’re really ungrateful, aren’t you? I was just trying to help, and you insult me?”

“If you don’t leave now, I’ll have to call the organizers to escort you out.”

Meng Suihuan deliberately emphasized the words “the organizers.” After all, the conference was overseen by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. If they got involved, even if he wasn’t kicked out, he’d lose all face.

After weighing his options, the man had no choice but to glare at Meng Suihuan a few times before storming off to his seat, face dark with anger.

Naturally, the others in the room didn’t miss this scene. Anyone else who had been considering approaching her quickly backed down. After all, no matter how beautiful a woman might be, she wasn’t worth jeopardizing their careers over. None of them wanted to risk being thrown out by the organizers.

And so, peace reigned for the next half hour as Meng Suihuan coexisted with the others until the conference officially began.

The venue was packed with people, and Meng Suihuan followed the staff to her seat in the front row. The participating companies and groups would each take the stage to deliver a presentation, explaining their company’s vision and future research directions.

Based on her preferences, Meng Suihuan would raise her paddle to show interest. Those selected in this first round would proceed to a second round, where they would have face-to-face discussions with investors. If both sides found a match, they would need to register with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as a formal follow-up.

Soon, the presentations began.

Meng Suihuan kept her eyes fixed on the stage, carefully evaluating each presentation to determine their potential value. After listening to over twenty companies, she remained uninterested. The explanations were either too superficial or in areas that didn’t capture her interest, so she skipped over them.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Chen Ke. I specialize in computer science, and I’ll be presenting my research today…”

Hearing the familiar voice, Meng Suihuan finally looked up.

At first, Chen Ke seemed a bit nervous, her breathing noticeably heavy. But as she got into the flow, her presentation improved significantly compared to the previous ones.

The presentation and vision she outlined soon reached their conclusion. Chen Ke politely bowed to the audience, then closed her eyes, bracing herself for the result.

Her heart pounded rapidly, each beat echoing loudly in her chest. After several seconds, she mustered the courage to open her eyes.

No matter what the outcome was, she was proud to have stood on the stage and expressed herself clearly. She wasn’t afraid!

After a moment of internal pep talk, she peeked out with one eye. As expected, no one in the audience had raised their paddles. Her heart sank, and she opened her other eye in resignation.

But then, she spotted it—a slender, elegant hand raised a paddle from the far right side of the room.

Chen Ke focused her gaze. It was the gorgeous lady she had met in the lobby!

Ah! She almost screamed on the spot but managed to hold onto her last shred of composure, quickly covering her mouth with her hands.

After Chen Ke, several more companies and groups presented their ideas. Meng Suihuan selected a few promising projects, calmly raising her paddle.

Then, she noticed a familiar figure step onto the stage.

The man wore a black suit, exuding an air of maturity and stability. But what truly drew attention was his extraordinarily handsome face—a gift from the heavens.

Meng Suihuan raised an eyebrow.

No wonder the author spent a thousand words describing his face. Even someone like her, who had seen countless attractive men, couldn’t help but take a second look.

Just then, the man on stage spoke, his voice clear and resonant.

“Hello, everyone.”

“I’m Lu Linshen.”