Steal the enemy's base at the start and build a technological empire.

Chapter 274 An Shiyu's Grievance

Outside the window, the setting sun was sinking below the horizon, turning the sky a dark red. Lights illuminated the office building, arranged in a grid pattern like a chessboard.

"Shall we have dinner together tonight?" Ni Guangnan asked.

"No, I have an appointment," Ling Yun said. "See you tomorrow."

Stepping out of the office building, the evening wind carried a chill. Zhao Hu's car was parked at the entrance.

"Let's go to Shandong University Library." Ling Yun got into the car.

The car drove out of the park and merged into the evening rush hour traffic. Streetlights lit up one after another, and the shops on both sides of the street were brightly lit. The sounds of bicycle bells, car horns, and pedestrians' laughter blended together to form the background noise of the city.

Ling Yun leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. His mind was still racing, thinking about the division of labor within the operating system team, the next steps for the chip project, and how to allocate funds after Xingyu's financing was secured…

"Mr. Ling," Zhao Hu said, "we've arrived."

He opened his eyes. The silhouette of Shandong University Library appeared solemn in the twilight. Students were going in and out of the entrance, carrying backpacks and walking hurriedly.

He got out of the car and stood at the door waiting. A cold wind blew by, and he pulled up his collar.

Five minutes later, An Shiyu came out of the library. She was wearing a beige down jacket and a red scarf, which made her face look very pale. When she saw Ling Yun, she paused for a moment, then walked over.

"Have you been waiting long?" she asked.

"Just arrived," Ling Yun said. "What would you like to eat?"

"casual."

They walked toward the parking lot. Their footsteps crunched softly on the fallen leaves.

"How was today?" An Shiyu asked.

"Successfully," Ling Yun said. "We've recruited an operating system team."

"That's good."

After a brief exchange, silence returned.

After getting in the car, Lingyun said, "Let's go to that Shandong cuisine restaurant on Luoyuan Street, it's the one you like."

"Um."

The car drove onto the street. The streetlights outside the window streamed across An Shiyu's face, creating a play of light and shadow.

"You've lost weight," she suddenly said.

"Is there?"

"Yes." She turned to look at him. "Your dark circles are also very prominent."

"I've been a bit busy lately."

"Always busy," she said softly.

Ling Yun didn't know how to respond. He reached out to hold her hand, but stopped halfway.

"The financing is complete," he said. "$1.7 million."

"Oh," she replied calmly. "Congratulations."

"This money... can help the company grow faster."

「嗯

"I might...be even busier."

An Shiyu looked out the window without saying a word.

The car stopped in front of the restaurant. It was a long-established Shandong cuisine restaurant; the storefront wasn't large, but it was very popular. The waiter led them to a private room on the second floor.

After ordering, only the two of them remained in the private room. The old-fashioned clock on the wall ticked.

"Poetry," Ling Yun began, "I..."

"You don't need to explain," An Shiyu interrupted him. "I know you're doing something important."

"But I..."

"I'm just..." She lowered her head, fiddling with her teacup, "just a little tired. Every time you come back, it's like you're a guest. A quick meeting, a quick departure. I don't know what you've been through outside, who you've met, what kind of pressure you're under... You never tell me."

Ling Yun remained silent.

"I know you're busy, I know you have ambitions." She looked up, her eyes a little red, "But I also need... I need to feel that we're together, not in two different worlds."

The waiter knocked on the door and came in to serve the dishes. Braised pork intestines, sweet and sour carp, stir-fried pork kidneys, and cattail shoots in milk soup were all her favorites.

After all the dishes were served, the private room fell silent again.

Ling Yun placed a piece of fish in her bowl. "Try it, it tastes just like before."

An Shiyu picked up her chopsticks and ate in small bites. Tears fell, soaking the rice.

"I'm sorry," Ling Yun said.

"You didn't do anything wrong to me." She wiped away her tears. "It's my own fault... I couldn't adjust."

"Once I get through this busy period..."

"You'll never be done," she said. "I know. The business will only get bigger, and there will be more and more things to do. You won't stop."

She was telling the truth. Ling Yun couldn't refute it.

"So," she took a deep breath, "I need to find my own way. I can't always wait for you, I can't always revolve around you. I have my own life, my own work, my own value."

"you mean……"

“What I mean,” she looked at him, “is that I will support you, but I won’t depend on you. I will live my own life and do my own thing. We… are like two trees, growing independently, but with our roots connected underground.”

Ling Yun looked at her. There were still tear stains on her face, but her eyes were firm.

"Okay," he said, "like two trees."

An Shiyu smiled, a smile of relief. She picked up some food and put it in Ling Yun's bowl: "You eat too, you've lost weight."

They started eating. The conversation shifted to lighter topics: her library's digitization project of ancient books, the interesting technical problems he encountered, the newly opened bookstore in Jinan, the quirky coffee culture of Silicon Valley...

When we finished our meal and left the restaurant, it was already past eight o'clock in the evening. The streets were brightly lit, and the night market was starting to come alive.

"Let's go for a walk," An Shiyu said.

"it is good."

They strolled along the moat. The water shimmered under the lights, and the willows on the opposite bank were bare, their branches swaying in the wind.

"Do you remember?" An Shiyu said, "Our first date was right here."

"I remember," Ling Yun said. "The river wasn't this clean back then."

"You were very nervous at the time, and you even stuttered when you spoke."

"Is there?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I could tell."

A night breeze blew, and she shrank her neck. Lingyun took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"No need, you'll be cold."

"I'm not cold."

His coat still carried his body heat. An Shiyu pulled her coat tighter and continued walking.

"Lingyun," she suddenly said, "no matter how big you become or how far you go, remember to come home."

"I will."

"And also," she stopped and looked at him, "don't overwork yourself. You can never earn enough money, and you can never finish your career. But your health and... and your time are limited."

"I know."

She reached out and took his hand. His palm was cold, but his grip was tight.

They walked hand in hand along the riverbank for a long time.