I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 64

[Xiaoman, when did Wu Baizhi start his business? Why did he suddenly come to Yunmengze for an internship?]

【Master, I looked into it. The records say that before starting his own business, Wu Baizhi deliberately sought out a company to intern at, planning to show off his skills there before making a high-profile debut as an entrepreneur. In the novel, he chose a big publicly listed company, but he offended a senior executive during his internship, which later led to a massive industry-wide suppression when he tried to start his own company. Xiaoman doesn’t know why he came here instead.】

After hearing Wu Baizhi’s name, Zhou Tang froze. Sweat beaded on his forehead and trickled down his temples, soaking his back completely.

He cast a sidelong glance at Wu Baizhi, then dropped his head in dismay. It’s over. The promised internship must be ruined now.

As for Wu Baizhi, though his glasses hid his eyes, his tightly clenched fists gave away the tension he was feeling.

Once she finished chatting with Xiaoman, Qi Yunwei looked up and caught the nervous expressions on both of them. She smiled lightly and said,

“On behalf of Yunmengze, welcome aboard. Come on, let’s get you two set up with some desks.”

Zhou Tang’s head shot up, surprise and delight flashing across his face.

“Thank you, boss!”

Wu Baizhi’s fists slowly relaxed.

Qi Yunwei led them to the fourth floor. “Our company has just been established. The new recruits haven’t started yet, so there are plenty of open workstations. Pick whichever you like.”

Zhou Tang, livelier than Wu Baizhi by nature, finally loosened up and smiled. After hearing this, he eagerly went to choose a desk.

Once he had settled on a spot, Wu Baizhi quietly sat down beside him.

“Wow, boss, this is amazing—the computers are all top-of-the-line!” Zhou Tang exclaimed.

Wu Baizhi grabbed the mouse and clicked around a few times. For the first time, a flicker of surprise broke through his usually aloof and proud expression.

“I’ve never seen this system before,” he said. Compared to other operating systems, it was faster, sleeker, and far more efficient.

Qi Yunwei blinked mischievously. “Really? Maybe that’s because this system was newly developed by the company.”

Seeing him pause in astonishment, she chose not to elaborate further.

“Take some time to get familiar with the new system. Explore it a bit, then come find me upstairs in my office.”

Geniuses are always proud. The only way to make one listen and work seriously is to prove you’re even more capable—a greater genius than they are.

After she left, Zhou Tang let out a long sigh of relief.

“See? It really was the right call to come to a new company. At least Yunmengze hasn’t been corrupted by that old bastard Zhao Liufang yet, so they won’t deliberately block us from getting internships.”

Zhao Liufang was a professor in the Computer Science Department at Guangnan University—a former child prodigy. Zhou Tang and Wu Baizhi had once trusted him wholeheartedly, only to have their work stolen by him. When they broke ties with him in anger, Zhao used his industry connections to blacklist them, openly declaring that no company would take them in. The résumés they had sent to publicly listed companies had been promptly rejected.

As Zhou Tang finished venting, he noticed Wu Baizhi’s eyes locked on the screen, glowing with intensity as he studied the system.

“How’s it look? For a new company to already have a system like this, they must have some serious talent.”

“It’s excellent,” Wu Baizhi said flatly. “Better than the system I had been planning to develop myself.”

“Really?” Zhou Tang was stunned. “But you’re the most talented person I’ve ever met. Don’t tell me there’s someone at Yunmengze even stronger than you?”

A gleam flashed across Wu Baizhi’s lenses. “Haven’t you noticed? Other than the receptionist and the security guards, the only one actually working here is the boss. I suspect she developed the system herself.”

“The boss? You mean she single-handedly created an entire operating system? No way. Even if it was you, you’d need a whole team of assistants. Maybe she just hired people to build it for her.”

Wu Baizhi stood abruptly. “I’m going upstairs to take a look.”

There had to be something even more impressive up there.

Someone bold enough to risk offending Zhao Liufang by taking him and Zhou Tang in definitely wouldn’t be ordinary.

Qi Yunwei, meanwhile, had no idea about Wu Baizhi’s assumptions. She had barely sat down in her office when a knock sounded at the door.

“Come in.”

Wu Baizhi entered with Zhou Tang trailing behind him, closing the door carefully once they were inside.

Qi Yunwei found the two of them rather amusing.

For trivial matters, Wu Baizhi followed Zhou Tang’s lead. But when it came to anything professional, Zhou Tang deferred to Wu Baizhi.

“So, what do you think of the new system?” Qi Yunwei asked, unsurprised that they had come so quickly.

Wu Baizhi glanced around the plain office. Other than a leather sofa that looked somewhat expensive, the place was almost spartan.

He stepped up to her desk. “Boss, did you develop the system yourself?”

Qi Yunwei didn’t deny it. She smiled. “You’re quite straightforward.”

“You developed it all on your own?” Zhou Tang’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You two are the first employees to officially start work here,” Qi Yunwei replied.

The implication was clear—aside from her, there were no other programmers in the company.

Zhou Tang was so shocked that words failed him.

But Wu Baizhi pressed on. “Just the system? There must be something else.”

At Guangnan University, Wu Baizhi had been the most famous figure in computer science. It was only natural for him to assume that everything Qi Yunwei had shown so far was just a glimpse meant for his eyes.

His original plan had been to impress her during the internship. That plan was now in tatters. Yet, despite Zhao Liufang’s sabotage, he still believed that he could have been courted by major companies. For Qi Yunwei to take him in despite the risks, she surely wanted more than just a temporary intern. She wanted him to stay on after.

Wu Baizhi had always been firm in his desire to start his own company. But after seeing the system she had built, he wavered.

If I start my own company, could I really surpass Yunmengze?

Qi Yunwei rose from her chair. “You’re sharp. Come on, I’ll broaden your horizons a little.”

She opened a small concealed door and walked in, with Zhou Tang and Wu Baizhi quickly following behind.

The sight beyond the door made Wu Baizhi’s pupils contract. Pressing his lips together, he approached what looked like a peculiar kitchen. Almost every appliance was fitted with robotic arms. After examining them one by one, he turned and asked,

“Is this an automated kitchen?”

“That’s right. It’s a fully automated kitchen completely controlled by Xiao Jiu~”

A soft mechanical voice startled Zhou Tang. He quickly spotted the small speaker it had come from and pointed at it.

“It talks!”

Wu Baizhi came closer for a look. “The speaker’s just an interface. The main system must be elsewhere.”

“Boss, what else can it do?” His gaze burned as he looked at Qi Yunwei.

She folded her arms and leaned against the counter. “You can talk to it directly.”

An intelligent robot!

Wu Baizhi’s heart pounded wildly, his pale cheeks flushing red.

“Xiao Jiu, can you cook?” he asked, voice low and strained.

“Of course!” the cheerful voice replied. “Other than when Master and Pretty Sister go out on dates, I handle all their daily meals. Not only can I cook—I cook super well!”

Seeing that lunchtime was near, Qi Yunwei instructed, “Xiao Jiu, make lunch for three.”

“Okay, Master. Is Pretty Sister not eating?”

“She has a lunch engagement today.”

Turning to Zhou Tang and Wu Baizhi, Qi Yunwei said, “If there’s anything you’d like to eat, just tell Xiao Jiu. As long as the ingredients are in the fridge, it can make it.”

“Boss, can we stay and watch Xiao Jiu cook?” Zhou Tang asked.

At this point, he was so shocked he’d practically forgotten how to spell the word shocked.

“Do as you like.”

After saying that, Qi Yunwei left the small kitchen and returned to her office.

Wu Baizhi had just looked at Xiao Jiu as if he was staring at a mountain of gold. Qi Yunwei figured that even if someone threw a fortune at him right now to poach him, Wu Baizhi wouldn’t budge.

She sat down on the genuine leather sofa gifted by President and Madam Liu, pulled out her phone, and sent Yan Zui a message.

Qi Yunwei: Still busy?

Yan Zui: Not anymore. How are you feeling?

Qi Yunwei: Thanks to your care, I’m completely fine now. Strong enough to carry a cow on my back.

Yan Zui: Exaggerating.

Qi Yunwei: I just recruited two great talents. Come take a look when you’re free.

Yan Zui: I’ll drop by if I have time.

Qi Yunwei: Where are we having lunch today?

Yan Zui: The place where Momo treated us last time.

Qi Yunwei: I wonder how Momo’s boyfriend is doing.

Yan Zui: Ex-boyfriend.

Qi Yunwei: Right, of course. A trash man like that deserves to be dumped.

Qi Yunwei: Make sure you order whatever you like when we eat.

Yan Zui: Mm.

Qi Yunwei: I drove myself to work this morning. Come to think of it, this is probably the first time I’ve actually taken the car out since picking it up.

Qi Yunwei: Want to take a ride?

Qi Yunwei: [Message retracted] I mean, want to sit in it?

This time, Yan Zui took a moment before replying: You’re acting a little strange today.

Qi Yunwei: Strange how?

Yan Zui: You’re talking a lot.

Qi Yunwei: “…”

Yan Zui: What is it you’re really trying to say?

The truth was, Qi Yunwei didn’t know what she wanted to say. She just wanted to talk to Yan Zui—about anything at all. Just chatting with her made her happy.

It was a feeling she had never experienced before.

Yan Zui: Where did you go?

Qi Yunwei: I was thinking whether I should ask you something.

Yan Zui: What is it?

Qi Yunwei: Can I

Qi Yunwei: [Message retracted] Forget it. Asking or not makes no difference.

Sometimes it’s better to just do rather than say.

Qi Yunwei exited the chat interface and noticed that Liu Xie had finally accepted her friend request—they were now officially connected on WeChat.

Liu Xie: My apologies, Miss Qi. I was attending an intensive training program at school and hadn’t checked my phone. I’ve already heard about what you did from my parents. No matter what, I’m deeply grateful to you for saving my family. I’ll be boarding a flight home soon. Once I’m back, I’ll thank you in person—and we can also talk about work face-to-face.

One good thing after another in a single day—Qi Yunwei couldn’t help but feel it had to be some kind of sign.

When Xiao Jiu finished cooking, Zhou Tang came out excitedly carrying a plate. “Boss, Xiao Jiu is amazing! It’s way better than me—can cook, chat, run health diagnostics, and even control switches. With a robot this versatile, when can it go into mass production?”

Wu Baizhi followed with a tray holding three bowls of rice, setting them on the table.

He didn’t gush like Zhou Tang did, but all his earlier arrogance had completely vanished.

He sat across from Qi Yunwei, offered her a pair of chopsticks, and asked, “Boss, did you create Xiao Jiu too?”

Qi Yunwei replied, “Why do you think Xiao Jiu calls me Master?”

Zhou Tang jumped in, “Didn’t you already ask Xiao Jiu earlier? Of course Xiao Jiu was made by the Boss.”

Wu Baizhi simply found it hard to believe.

From his very first year in computer science, he had never once met someone stronger than himself. Even when others achieved more, it was only because they were a few years older, with more experience.

But Qi Yunwei was different. They were the same age, yet she could already develop new systems on her own and even create an advanced AI like Xiao Jiu. In front of her, Wu Baizhi felt like nothing more than a clueless elementary schooler.

Later that afternoon, as the receptionist slipped into her coat, she saw the two new interns trailing closely behind Qi Yunwei as she headed out—like loyal little sidekicks following their boss. Even the arrogant kid from that morning had completely toned himself down.

The receptionist was dumbfounded. How much is Boss paying them to win over followers like that?

As they walked, Qi Yunwei explained her ideas for developing a holographic game. Wu Baizhi could follow her reasoning perfectly, and the more he listened, the more he realized just how far behind he was. With a boss so gentle and even-tempered, how could he dare keep up his arrogance?

Zhou Tang, on the other hand, could only follow bits and pieces. But even that little bit hit him like a sudden epiphany.

When they reached the parking lot, Qi Yunwei stopped and said, “It’s hard to explain everything in words. Once the project kicks off, you’ll understand better by joining the actual process.”

She gave their shoulders a light pat. “I’m off to pick up your Boss’s wife. You two can head home now.”

Zhou Tang and Wu Baizhi stepped back as she got into her car. Watching her drive off, Zhou Tang sighed with envy, “We actually have a Boss’s wife. Our Boss is the real deal.”