Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 365: My main job is acting, AI is a side job.

At 6 p.m., as darkness fell, the Capital Airport remained busy, with throngs of pedestrians.

Jiang Qing, along with Chen Duo and Zhou Zhengkai, followed the flow of people out to the hall.

"President Jiang, the car is over here."

Upon arriving at the underground parking lot, Zhou Zhengkai took the small suitcase from Chen Duo and led the two towards a black minivan that had been waiting for them.

The car smoothly merged into the traffic on the airport expressway, and outside the window was the familiar, continuous night view of Beijing.

Jiang Qing leaned back in the back seat, closed his eyes to rest, and looked somewhat tired.

He traveled by car from Hengdian to Lin'an and then transferred to a plane to Beijing, a tight schedule.

His phone screen lit up; it was a message from Tian Xiwei asking if he had arrived.

He tapped his finger lightly and replied, "Arrived, don't worry."

About an hour later, the car left the noisy main road and entered a quieter area.

Finally, we stopped in front of a heavily guarded private estate, hidden among greenery.

The dark wrought iron gate slid open silently, the car drove in, and proceeded along the meticulously manicured garden path, eventually stopping in front of a brightly lit, elegant Chinese-style building.

Jiang Qing pushed open the door and got out of the car. As soon as her feet touched the bluestone-paved ground, a hearty laugh came from the brightly lit porch.

"President Jiang! What a distinguished guest!"

Li Yanhong was the first to come forward, extending his hand with a broad smile.

Lei Jun and Liu Qiangdong followed closely behind, smiling as they approached. In addition, there were many other business celebrities from Beijing.

"President Jiang, we've been waiting for you! I'm starving, I've been waiting for you!"

Lei Jun patted Jiang Qing's shoulder forcefully, the force showing familiarity.

"You must be tired from the journey. You'll have to have a few drinks tonight."

Liu Qiangdong spoke in a hearty tone, laughing heartily.

Jiang Qing shook hands with each of them, her smile gentle.

"Mr. Li, Mr. Lei, Mr. Liu, I apologize for keeping you waiting."

His gaze swept over the two men, and several influential figures in Beijing's business circles nodded and smiled in greeting.

"Not at all, Mr. Jiang is a very busy man these days. It would be our honor if you could grace us with your presence."

Li Yanhong smiled and led everyone inside.

"Come on, let's talk inside, it's cold outside."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked through the exquisitely decorated corridor, the air filled with the faint scent of sandalwood.

Finally, they entered an extremely spacious living and dining room.

A huge, round mahogany dining table sits in the center, with a crystal chandelier casting a soft glow that reflects off the smooth, mirror-like tabletop and the exquisite bone china tableware.

The walls are covered with simple beige wallpaper, adorned with a few abstract ink paintings, and a few antique porcelain pieces are displayed on a display shelf in the corner.

Once the heavy, carved wooden door is closed, the noise of the outside world is completely shut out.

Private and understated, yet it showcases the owner's wealth and style in every detail.

Well-trained waitresses in plain-colored cheongsams moved silently, bringing one delicious dish after another to the table.

Once all the dishes were served, the waiter and the assistants who had come with them bowed and left, gently closing the heavy door of the private room behind them.

The space fell completely silent, leaving only the guests around the round table.

Li Yanhong, as the host, was the first to raise his glass.

"Come on, let's welcome our youngest guest tonight, General Manager Jiang! And thank you General Manager Lei, General Manager Liu, and all our old friends for joining us! Please make yourselves at home, let's start eating!"

Everyone raised their glasses in response, creating a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere.

After a few rounds of pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to the main topic.

"Mr. Jiang."

Li Yanhong put down his chopsticks, wiped his hands with a damp towel, and spoke casually.

"Wuwen Technology has been making quite a few moves lately! From entertainment to warehousing and logistics, and then to healthcare. Oh, and there's also their collaboration with Lei Jun on assisted driving."

He smiled, but his sharp gaze was fixed on Jiang Qing's face.

The others at the table immediately echoed this.

"Yes, Dr. Jiang, I heard that the accuracy of your medical imaging-assisted diagnostic module has improved again?"

"We also pay close attention to financial risk control, as Wuwen's technology iteration speed is too fast."

"Wu Wen is truly now deeply involved in every industry!"

Jiang Qing picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and smiled humbly.

"You flatter us, seniors. We're just small fry, barely making a living. No matter how small we are, we rely on our slight technological advantages to survive in the ecosystems of you big brothers. Compared to established giants like Baidu, Xiaomi, and JD.com, we're just elementary school students."

He spoke in a relaxed tone and adopted a very humble posture.

Li Yanhong laughed and shook his head.

"Dr. Jiang is too modest. Who doesn't know that Wuwen Technology's valuation has already reached 450 billion? If it goes public, it won't be much different from Baidu. The key is its potential. The core technologies you hold are the real gold mine, with unlimited future potential!"

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious.

"However, I've heard some rumors lately that are a bit worrying."

His gaze swept across the entire room, and his voice lowered slightly.

"OpenAI is reportedly going to officially release ChatGPT version 3.5 next month. A well-informed friend of mine revealed that this iteration represents a qualitative leap compared to previous versions. Its understanding, generation capabilities, and logical reasoning have all been comprehensively improved."

He sighed, his face growing even more worried.

"The gap... feels like it's widening again. The road ahead for AI in China is tough."

The atmosphere at the table immediately became somewhat tense after these words were spoken.

The bosses had different expressions; some frowned, clearly agreeing.

Some people looked helpless, seemingly sharing the same sentiment.

Some people were secretly observing Jiang Qing's reaction, their eyes darting around.

Jiang Qing's expression remained unchanged, still calm.

He picked up a piece of steamed grouper and savored it, as if Li Yanhong was only talking about ordinary market trends.

Seeing that he didn't respond, Li Yanhong lingered on his face for two seconds before speaking again, his tone filled with obvious expectation.

"So, Mr. Jiang, I think the responsibility of leading the domestic AI industry from now on is right up your alley! We old guys are just waiting for you to lead us through this crisis!"

All eyes immediately focused on Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing put down her chopsticks, picked up a tissue and slowly wiped the corner of her mouth before raising her head to meet Li Yanhong's gaze, revealing a slightly helpless smile.

"Mr. Li, you flatter me."

He waved his hand gently.

"Such a heavy burden is too much for my small frame to bear. Right now, I'm just a working person being pushed around."

He looked around, and his tone became relaxed, even a little teasing.

"Mr. Li probably doesn't know yet, but the idol drama I filmed is about to air. The production team is pushing hard, and the promotional schedule is packed. It's either shooting posters or recording variety shows. I'll probably be incredibly busy for a while. The main reason I came to Beijing this time is for this. Filming is much more tiring than doing technical stuff, really! Right now, my brain is full of lines, facial expression management, and AI stuff. I really can't think about that for the time being."

He shrugged, adopting an attitude that "acting is my main job, AI is just a side job."

These half-serious, half-joking remarks instantly broke the serious atmosphere.

"Ha ha……"

Liu Qiangdong couldn't help but laugh out loud, pointing at Jiang Qing and looking at Lei Jun.

"Mr. Lei, look what I told you! This kid is incredibly cunning! Filming? Hahaha, Mr. Jiang, that's a truly...unique and refreshing excuse!"

Lei Jun couldn't help but chuckle, and he raised his glass to Jiang Qing in a gesture of respect.

"I understand, I understand, he's a crossover star! Mr. Jiang is a top star now, his schedule is packed. Come on, let's drink to Mr. Jiang's acting career!"

His tone was full of teasing.

Now that things have come to this, he has given up hope of Wuwen being acquired by Xiaomi. Being a close partner would be fine too.

Li Yanhong's smile froze for a moment, then turned into helplessness as he picked up his wine glass.

"Alright, alright, Mr. Jiang is a very busy person, so let's not talk about such heavy topics. Come on, let's eat! Wishing Mr. Jiang's new drama a great success!"

Jiang Qing deftly deflected the initial probing by using her acting background, and the atmosphere at the dinner table returned to harmony as everyone began chatting about industry anecdotes. Lei Jun and Liu Qiangdong exchanged a knowing glance, their expressions playful.

Compared to others, they were more aware of Jiang Qing's abilities.

Is acting important?

What a liar!
Meanwhile, in another elegant restaurant private room in Beijing, the atmosphere was much more relaxed and cheerful.

The director of the TV series "Lighter and Princess Dress," Liu Junjie, along with the lead actors Zhang Jingyi, Zhao Zhiwei, Zeng Keni, Cui Yuxin, Qian Didi, Ma Ke, and others, sat around a table.

The table was covered with steaming hot dishes, their aroma filling the air.

Everyone chatted and laughed, discussing the upcoming intensive promotional schedule for the drama.

"Hey, where's our General Manager Jiang? Hasn't he arrived yet?"

Zhao Zhiwei looked around and asked curiously.

Everyone's eyes naturally turned to Zhang Jingyi.

Zhang Jingyi was picking up a piece of meat to put in her mouth when she heard this and stopped, blinking blankly.

"Huh? I didn't know. He didn't tell me the exact time he would arrive in the capital."

Her tone was frank, and her eyes were clear.

Director Liu Junjie put down his chopsticks and explained with a smile.

"President Jiang has arrived, but he has an important business engagement tonight and can't get away. He specifically asked me to apologize to everyone and tell us to enjoy the food and drinks."

"Oh, so the big boss has a dinner party!"

Zeng Keni dragged out the last syllable, chuckling and egging them on.

"I understand, I understand. President Jiang is very busy! Jingyi, you should eat more and make up for President Jiang's share too!"

Everyone laughed good-naturedly.

Zhang Jingyi smiled along, replying "Of course," but as she bent down to simmer the tripe, she pursed her lips and muttered to herself.

This guy went straight to the Bureau of Commerce as soon as he got back to Beijing. Could he be... avoiding me?

Recalling that kiss on the beach of Qingdao, carried by the sea breeze, and his final, ambiguous sigh, she felt as if a kitten's paw had gently scratched her heart.

After several rounds of drinks, the dinner at the private estate was drawing to a close.

The topic has long since shifted from the intense technological competition to a more relaxed tone.

The waiter came in again, cleared away the leftover food, served tea, and a delicate fruit platter.

As the host, Li Yanhong said a few polite words, thanking everyone for coming.

Lei Jun and Liu Qiangdong also got up to say goodbye.

Liu Qiangdong walked up to Jiang Qing, patted him hard on the shoulder, and spoke in a loud voice.

"President Jiang, come visit me next time. I've just set up a smart distribution center, could you take a look and give me your opinion?"

Lei Jun responded with a smile.

"And our assisted driving project, Mr. Jiang's team has been a great help. The trial production vehicle will be rolling off the line soon, I'll definitely come over for a spin then."

Jiang Qing stood up, smiled, and nodded in agreement.

"Definitely, definitely. Thank you for your kind invitation, Mr. Liu and Mr. Lei. I will visit you another day to learn from you."

The two men left first with their entourage, and the other guests also took their leave one after another. Li Yanhong was busy seeing people off outside.

Jiang Qing calmly walked out of the private room, and Chen Duo stepped forward.

"President Jiang, the car is waiting outside. Should we go back to the hotel where the 'Lighter' movie set is located, or...?"

Jiang Qing rubbed his eyebrows.

"Let's go back to the Pan-Ocean Family."

He took out his phone, and several messages popped up on the screen.

There was a message from Zhou Ye reminding him to drink less at night, a selfie from Tian Xiwei making a funny face on set, and... a hotpot-boiling emoji from Zhang Jingyi, followed by: "Someone's absence is condemned by the entire crew! (Hammer)"

Jiang Qing smiled as she looked at the emojis on the screen.

He tapped the screen with his fingertip and replied: "Condemnation is ineffective. I'll make you a double hot pot another day. Get some rest, and don't be late for the Bazaar interview tomorrow morning."

After sending the message, he put away his phone, glanced at the luxurious but empty corridor, and walked out.

Back at Panhai Family Mansion, Jiang Qing first called Liu Junjie back and arranged to meet the next afternoon.

After hanging up the phone, he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the night view outside.

The phone rang again; it was a video request from Tian Xiwei.

After Jiang Qing answered the call, Tian Xiwei's pretty little face appeared on the screen.

"Dr. Jiang, are you just going to disappear after arriving in Beijing?"

She pouted, pretending to be angry.

"I have a dinner party tonight, but I haven't had a chance to tell you yet."

Jiang Qing explained with a smile.

"How was the shoot today?"

Tian Xiwei nodded with a smile on her face.

"Everything went smoothly. I just miss you a little."

She suddenly puffed out her cheeks and spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice.

Are you free tomorrow? I miss you.

Jiang Qing smiled indulgently.

"My schedule is packed tomorrow, I'll wait until things calm down."

Tian Xiwei was clearly disappointed, her lips pursed, but she still nodded sensibly.

"Okay, then you go ahead and get back to work. But remember to think of me!"

"Yes, I will."

Jiang Qing readily agreed, feeling her dependence on her.

After hanging up the video call, Jiang Qing rubbed her temples.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Chen Duo delivered the outline for tomorrow's interview, along with some documents.

"President Jiang, these are the questions Bazaar might ask tomorrow. Please take a look. Also, these are the latest project progress reports; President Zhao instructed you to make sure you have time to review them."

Jiang Qing took the document.

"You've worked hard, go and rest."

Chen Duo nodded, turned around, and closed the door.

Sitting alone on the sofa, Jiang Qing first flipped through the interview outline, which mostly consisted of routine questions about "Lighter and Princess Dress".

He then opened the project report, his expression becoming focused.

Time passed by unnoticed, and by the time Jiang Qing finished reading all the documents, it was nearly midnight.

He stood up, stretched his stiff shoulders, and walked to the window.

The city of Beijing remains brightly lit at night.

Jiang Qing gazed at the distant neon lights, but her thoughts drifted to her meeting with Zhang Jingyi the next day.

He had to admit that he had high expectations for this meeting.

The phone screen lit up; it was a goodnight message from Zhang Jingyi.

Jiang Qing looked at the simple message, smiled slightly, and typed a reply: "Good night, see you tomorrow."

The night was deep, but his mind was unusually clear.

Thinking of Li Yanhong's probing that evening, and some interesting things to come, a sense of anticipation arose in her heart.

“chatGPT3.5……ha…”

With a sneer, Jiang Qing turned and walked towards the bedroom.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

(End of this chapter)