At daybreak the next morning, the sky was streaked with a chalky white, and the faint tinkling of wind chimes drifted to his ears.
Chen Yansen slowly opened his eyes, a creamy scent wafting into his nose.
The master bedroom, over thirty square meters in size, was sparsely but neatly furnished. Besides a soft, 1.8-meter-wide bed, there was only a vanity and a garment rack.
A scanty lace nightgown lay quietly on the walnut floor.
Last night, to celebrate Pinbei’s daily sales breaking two billion, President Chen had been invited to President Ye’s home for some dessert soup.
It had to be said that Ye Qiuping had a real talent for making soups and sweet desserts. She had been a little unpracticed at first, but now her skills were becoming ever more exquisite, and President Chen found them irresistible.
Chen Yansen sat up and reached for the phone on the nightstand. 4:57 AM. Outside the window, the world was still a dim gray.
Ye Qiuping was lying on her side, a thin comforter wrapped only around her lower abdomen.
Girls from Sichuan are known for their fair skin, and Master Ye was no exception. Her stomach was flat and toned, feeling as smooth as satin to the touch.
Though he had slept for less than three hours, Chen Yansen felt invigorated, showing no signs of fatigue. He slipped on his slippers and walked out to the living room.
A cool autumn breeze sent the wind chimes on the balcony into crisp, clear song.
Chen Yansen plopped down on the sofa, pulled out his phone, and opened a scanned copy of *Battery Technology: Materials and Components*.
The minutes and seconds ticked by. By the time the first rays of dawn pierced the gloom, he had already gone through dozens of technical books on energy storage and conversion.
Afterward, Chen Yansen opened the Toutiao app and quickly browsed the trending news from the past two days.
’Search Engine Services Self-Regulatory Agreement Signed, Expected to Curb Vicious Inter-Company Competition!’
’360 Sues Qian Du for Market Monopoly via Robots Protocol Abuse; Zhou Hongyi Loses First-Instance Ruling!’
’But in Chen Yansen’s opinion, Zhou Hongyi hadn’t really lost. After a series of strategic maneuvers, 360 Search’s market share had successfully leaped from 0% to 8.7%, overtaking Sogou to become the second-largest service provider in the search engine market.’
’He had lost face but won the prize.’
Lingxi Search’s market share had reached 6.1%, placing it fourth in the industry. The gap between it and Sogou was now just a stone’s throw away.
From August to October, a mere two months, Qian Du had lost nearly 15% of its market share in the search sector.
’Gome Integrates Coo8.com and Gome Online, Accelerates E-Commerce Synergy, and Officially Joins the Double Eleven Shopping Festival!’
"Mango TV Begins Preparations for *I Am a Singer* as Music Variety Shows Heat Up."
’Amazon Launches Global Selling Program to Attract Cross-Border Sellers!’
’DiDi Bike Accelerates Urban Sharing Plan: A Litmus Test for Public Integrity?’
Chen Yansen tapped on the last headline.
Backed by a 50 million investment from Innovation Workshop, a 199 yuan deposit required from each user, and a phased payment model for its suppliers, DiDi Bike had already deployed 1,000 shared bicycles in the Yanjing Region.
In an interview with *IT Times Weekly*, Cheng Wei claimed that DiDi Bike had over ten thousand registered users and that operations were running smoothly. He planned to expand the fleet to 10,000 bikes in November, and increase it to 30,000 in December.
Chen Yansen smiled, paying it no mind.
’Starting early doesn’t guarantee you’ll be the first to reach the finish line.’
Just then, Ye Qiuping stirred awake in the bedroom. Not seeing Chen Yansen, she quickly put on her nightgown and walked out.
When she saw him lounging by the sofa on his phone, she breathed a sigh of relief and tiptoed over to him.
"Boss, you went to bed at two and got up at eight. Did you get enough sleep?"
Ye Qiuping crouched in front of Chen Yansen, looking up at him and asking in a soft, gentle voice.
Her neckline was slightly open, revealing a flash of pale skin. She knew he would have a perfect view from his angle, but that was precisely her intention.
The corner of Chen Yansen’s mouth quirked up. He understood her little game. Putting down his phone, he scooped Ye Qiuping into his arms and headed straight for the large bed in the master bedroom. "You’re right, I didn’t get enough sleep," he said with a grin. "I’d better go back to bed for a bit."
It wasn’t until ten in the morning that a refreshed and energized Chen Yansen came downstairs. He settled into the back seat of the Gusteau and told Xiaoli to head back to the company.
Along the way, he would occasionally see Cloud Speed Couriers in their gray uniforms, Kuai Pao Deliverymen in orange jackets, and ride-hailing cars emblazoned with the "Fast Taxi" slogan.
「And this was only late October 2012.」
Under his influence, the mobile internet application ecosystem was growing richer by the day. China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom—the three major carriers—had all begun small-scale TD-LTE 4G network tests, paving the way for commercial rollout.
He had even asked Zhao Maolin about the release date for the 4G licenses, and Lao Zhao had said with certainty that it would be next year at the latest.
After all, anyone with eyes could see that the tide of the mobile internet era was unstoppable.
Half an hour later, the car pulled into the Science and Technology Park. Chen Yansen got out and walked into Building 9.
He passed a drink cooler and grabbed a bottle of fresh mango juice before taking the elevator to his office on the top floor.
Since it was Sunday, the office area was mostly deserted, save for a handful of employees working overtime.
At Pinbei’s offices as well, only the on-duty staff and customer service team were present.
He turned on his computer and logged into his email. The first message was a product document from Mike Keller, the chief scientist of the chip design department.
It detailed the core technical specifications—computing power, power consumption, process technology, and interface standards—as well as information on the core architecture, algorithmic models, cost estimates, and development timeline.
The man had only been on the job for a week, yet he had already finished compiling the product requirements for the AI chip and converting them into rigorous technical specifications—a clear testament to his formidable abilities.