Afterword: Time, Painting, and Calligraphy (1)

"No matter how much of a genius you are, could you possibly outshine Master Shen from back then?"

"Taking stock of internet figures: Master Shen, Shen Nian."

"Master Shen, Shen Nian, once studied at Cinan Second High School. He aced the college entrance examination and, leveraging the hype around the exam after graduation, created an online account. In less than a month, he became a phenomenal streamer with over a million followers across the net, before going on to further his studies at Nanjiang University."

"In his junior year, Master Shen independently developed an AI model and reached a partnership with Nanjiang University. By his senior year, he founded his own studio. After a year of accumulation, he developed 'Hero AI', which had a massive impact on the current education system. Using Nanjiang University as a springboard, 'Hero AI' was selected by the provincial education bureau, launching the 'Adventurer APP' specifically designed for middle school students..."

"Blah blah blah..."

Shen Nian propped his chin on his hand, his face completely serious.

So he was already this amazing, huh? People were actually using exaggerated rhetoric like 'No matter how much of a genius you are, can you outshine the eighteen-year-old Shen Nian' to blow his trumpet.

He felt annoyed.

To think that the cheat code he was so proud of was being dismissed as mere talent by these people.

Leaning back in his soft office chair, Shen Nian closed the video and looked up out the window.

It was already this late...

After a moment of spacing out, Shen Nian took out his phone and gave Xia Yanchun a call.

The other end picked up quickly.

"Hello, are you getting off work soon?" Xia Yanchun asked leisurely.

"Can't I get off work whenever I want?"

"...True, look at how capable you are."

"I'll go over to your place and wait for you. Let's go pick them up together today?"

"Mhm."

He hung up the phone.

Shen Nian strolled leisurely toward the office area with his hands in his pockets.

He didn't look like a big boss at all.

At this hour, most of the employees in the company had already gotten off work. There were still a few staying behind to work overtime, perhaps having received departmental tasks or having unfinished work. When Shen Nian passed by, he just casually threw out a "thanks for your hard work."

Shen Nian was just idling in his office watching videos, waiting for Chunbao to get off work so they could pick up the kids together.

Even a twenty-six-year-old big boss couldn't avoid having to go to kindergarten to pick up the kids.

Shen Nian still hadn't forgotten his animal series cars.

It was still a BMW, just upgraded. His first BMW 3 Series had already been given to his dad to drive.

Before driving off, Shen Nian looked back at the building beside him, which bore his company's signboard.

[Hero Technology YONGZHE]

He had only rented four of the lower floors. Currently, there was still plenty of space, but Hero Technology was right in its ascendant phase and growing rapidly. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before he had to expand the lease.

No... Someday in the future, maybe he would open branch offices elsewhere, just like so many major internet tech giants today. This would be the headquarters, that would be the second headquarters, another place would be the R&D center, occupying a spot in all the major cities across the country.

It didn't seem too far off.

Driving to another location, Shen Nian searched for quite a while before finding a street parking spot.

He looked up. [Chunhua Technology CHUNHUA]

This was Xia Yanchun's company. The scale wasn't too large, and its main business was cybersecurity. She was a very busy person now, not only taking full responsibility for the information security of "Hero AI" but also taking on business from many large companies.

What's wrong with a husband-and-wife company supporting each other?

Chunbao had never been someone who liked to just lie flat. Seeing him open a small studio, she also got the idea to open one herself, crossing the river by feeling the stones, and eventually growing her small studio into the current Chunhua Technology.

During this time, Shen Nian's help was indispensable. The information security for Hero AI was always a massive contract. Originally, it was handled by Nanjiang University's information security department, but it was gradually taken over by Xia Yanchun.

The main reason, of course, was that Xia Yanchun's own skills were rock solid.

From the early days of its creation to now, when Shen Nian's AI was snatching food in the internet industry and securing government contracts, Xia Yanchun had always been involved in its security.

One could only say that Chunbao herself was just overwhelmingly overpowered. Taking a step back, even if Chunbao didn't start any company, she would still be a top-tier talent in information security upon graduation.

At twenty-six, she was still pursuing her Ph.D.

It was just that Xia Yanchun, like Shen Nian, both had very impressive achievements to show for themselves. They didn't need to bustle about like their senior schoolmates, and their mentors probably wouldn't have the nerve to boss Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun around anyway.

Noticing someone approaching, Shen Nian rolled down the car window. "Chunbao, your bro will give you a ride."

"Then what about my car?"

"I'll just drop you off tomorrow, won't I?"

"..."

Xia Yanchun opened the passenger door and got in.

"Did work go smoothly today?"

"Very smoothly. Another gaming company came to us to handle their anti-cheat security, though we haven't finalized the deal yet."

"Not bad, Chunbao, you're getting stronger and stronger."

"Alright, just drive."

"You got it."

The sun was setting in the west, reflecting vast swaths of fiery clouds.

Picking up the kids was usually a one-person job; whoever was free would go.

Occasionally, situations arose where both were very busy, at which point they would call Shen Yue to pick them up.

Everything was fine today, so they went together.

Xiaoxi Kindergarten.

This hour was the peak time for picking up kids. Shen Nian arrived late and could only park the car far away and walk over.

Many children had already been picked up by their parents. A few were still clinging to the railings, crying softly, thinking they had been abandoned by their parents, making the teachers anxiously comfort them nearby.

"Heh, these little brats don't have the bearing of an Emperor," Shen Nian curled his lips.

"...You're acting crazy," Xia Yanchun muttered softly.

Shen Nian scratched his head and arrived at the kindergarten gate with Xia Yanchun.

"Shishu, Shihua, your mom and dad are here to pick you up!" the teacher shouted toward the kindergarten plaza.

From a dense crowd of uncollected kids, a little boy struggled to squeeze his way out.

"Shishu, Shishu, your daddy is here to pick you up, bye-bye!"

"Shishu, let's play again tomorrow! I still want to be the mom!"

"Shishu..."

Shen Shishu wobbled around and finally reached Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun's feet. "Daddy, Mommy!"

"Where's your sister?"

"I'll go find her!"

Thus, Shen Shishu took on the heavy responsibility of finding his sister and dove back into the kindergarten.

"Shishu seems really popular," Xia Yanchun murmured.

He had been surrounded by so many little kids just now.

"Guaranteed, my Shishu has the bearing of an Emperor."

"Then what about Shihua?"

"She has the bearing of an Empress."

"Pfft..."

Before long, Shen Shishu brought Shen Shihua out. Shen Shihua was still holding a freshly folded paper pony in her hand.

"Mommy look, the teacher taught me how to fold this!"

"Shihua is so amazing!"

"Mommy, hug~"

Xia Yanchun quickly crouched down and picked up the tiny Shen Shihua.

Shen Shishu was more stubborn, insisting he could walk by himself. As a result, upon walking out of the kindergarten, his brain took a turn, and he planned to secretly drag Shen Nian behind to sneakily buy a grilled sausage by the roadside.

Shen Nian knew this little cub wasn't going to behave, so he just picked him up and walked away.

What grilled sausage was a little brat going to eat? He needed to go back and eat a proper meal like a good boy.

Shen Shishu was the same age as Shen Shihua. The reason they were sister and brother was that Shen Shihua came out a little earlier than Shen Shishu.

Fraternal twins; the two little brats actually looked quite alike.

"What did you learn at kindergarten today, sweetie?"

"I learned how to fold paper horses, and I even had a little strawberry for lunch."

"That's wonderful! And what about you, little guy?"

"I got dragged into playing games by the girls..." Shen Shishu pouted. The little boy was genuinely annoyed. He had originally wanted to play with his building blocks that afternoon, but they insisted on making him play some mommy-and-daddy game. It was so boring.

If he didn't play, they would cry. They were already three years old, couldn't they act a bit more mature? They acted just like two-year-old toddlers.

"Doesn't that just show how popular you are?"

"But I didn't want to play..."

"Be a good boy, it's perfectly fine to play with them for a bit. You're all friends, after all." Xia Yanchun gently touched Shen Shishu's cheek. It was so soft and squishy, she just loved pinching it.

Looking through the rearview mirror at the three of them in the back seat, the corners of Shen Nian's lips curled up into an unconscious smile.