The numbers in Xia Xue's live stream were exploding.
500,000 viewers. Then 600,000.
Like a dam breaking, the audience surged in real-time, carried by shares, reposts, and the irresistible pull of one headline:
"A New Domestic Mobile System? An Awakened Marching Ant!"
The topic had already climbed onto Weibo's hot search list.
Zhao Min's confident presentation, coupled with Xia Xue's raw, real-time coverage, had triggered an avalanche of attention. And with every passing second, the avalanche only grew louder.
If everything Zhao Min claimed about the Marching Ant System was true, it wasn't just news—it was national significance.
For years, China's mobile ecosystem had relied on Android and Apple, while attempts at native systems like YuNoS quietly faded into obscurity. But now, suddenly—out of nowhere—a tiny company in Binhai had dropped a bombshell.
In the press seats, Li Tiejun was hammering out a draft with frantic speed.
Biggest. Tech. Scoop. Of. The. Quarter.
He cursed under his breath for not prepping an outline earlier. Rookie mistake.
Then his phone buzzed violently.
"Editor?" he answered, plugging in his headset.
"Tiejun, are you still at the Marching Ant event?"
"Yes, front row. Just got the performance slides—"
"Stop talking. Send your article NOW. Wang Qi is already clipping the livestream. The damn conference is top five on Weibo trending!"
"Already?!"
"Someone streamed it live on Weibo. The footage's everywhere. GO."
Click.
Li Tiejun didn't even hang up properly before launching Weibo. Sure enough—#中国手机系统发布会现场# was trending hard. The tag:
"An Awakened Marching Ant!"
It had just cracked the top three—and was still climbing.
"Who the hell started a live stream here?" he muttered, scanning the room.
Turns out, a lot of reporters were asking the same question.
Meanwhile, Xia Xue was watching her own viewership explode past 800,000.
The tip jar notifications popped like fireworks. Each reward chime felt surreal. She actually teared up a little when she saw her running total.
This stream alone could cover six months of rent. Maybe more.
It was the first time in her career that she felt the raw, thrilling power of real-time virality.
The barrage of comments was endless:
"I want to see the CEO lady again!"
"The phone is drop-dead gorgeous. Where can I buy it?"
"This beats every launch I've seen in years!"
"Anchor lady, ask for the CEO's number!"
"I want the phone and the woman."
She chuckled. There was no way to even read half the messages now.
Back on stage, Zhao Min didn't yet realize just how viral the moment had gone.
She was nearing the final stretch of her presentation—the pricing reveal.
"The first batch of Butterfly Eye phones will go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m., exclusively online," she said. "Pricing details will be released on our official website."
She paused, letting the announcement settle.
Then she scanned the crowd with calm authority.
"That concludes the product introduction. We'll now move into the Q&A. Feel free to ask any questions."
More than half the audience raised their hands immediately.
She pointed to a familiar face in the front row. "The gentleman with black-rimmed glasses."
Li Tiejun stood up, holding the mic.
"Hello, Ms. Zhao. I'm with Global Daily. I have three quick questions: First, how much did your company invest into R&D for this mobile system? Second, will your waterproof interface be available for licensing? And finally, with China's crowded smartphone market, what's your core advantage?"
Zhao Min smiled. "Sharp questions."
"For the first, we'll keep R&D costs undisclosed for now. As for the waterproof interface—yes, we're open to licensing it. Any interested manufacturers can contact us for cooperation."
"And our advantage?" She swept her hand toward the screen behind her. "Innovation, persistence, and the fact that we built everything from scratch. Hardware, software, vision. We own the core tech."
Click-clack. Reporters scribbled furiously.
"The next question," Zhao Min said, scanning the audience again, "third row from the right—second gentleman."
"Thank you. I'm with iT House." A young man stood. "Based on your performance comparisons, are you saying the Marching Ant System outperforms both Android and iOS?"
Zhao Min raised an eyebrow. "That's like putting three beautiful women in front of you—one of them your girlfriend—and asking, 'Which one's the most beautiful?'"
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
She grinned. "You already know your answer."
In the back row, Xia Xue couldn't help herself. She turned back to her stream.
"If you had the chance to ask a question," she whispered, "what would you ask?"
The chat exploded instantly.
"ASK HER IF SHE'S SINGLE!"
"What's her boyfriend type?"
"Get her number and I'll send you 10k in tips!"
"This is vital for national research."
After a moment of hesitation… Xia Xue raised her hand.
Zhao Min spotted her.
"You, in the back—the young lady waving."
Xia Xue's eyes widened. "She actually picked me?! Oh my god."
Donations poured into her stream like a flood—yachts, flowers, luxury cars, ridiculous emoji spam.
She grabbed the mic, turned her camera to Zhao Min, and stood.
"Hello, President Zhao. I'm a self-media reporter currently streaming this event live. All the major technical questions have already been covered, so on behalf of my fans…" She took a breath. "They want to know: Do you currently have a boyfriend, or someone you're interested in? And if not—what's your standard for choosing one?"
Gasps. Laughter. Cheering. The press conference transformed into a variety show for a moment.
Even Zhao Min looked briefly stunned. Then… her eyes twitched toward Chen Mo's corner.
She smirked.
"Well, this is a personal question outside the scope of the conference—but I'll indulge you."
"You may have heard, some time ago, a man in Binhai rescued a baby during an accident. I was there that day. Met him again later. Unfortunately, he already has a girlfriend…"
A few chuckles rippled.
"I hope my future boyfriend is someone like that—kind, brave, responsible, and full of drive."
In the corner, Chen Mo facepalmed and grinned.
The live stream exploded.
"That's ME! I once saved a cat!"
"I used to deliver water bottles—does that count as brave labor??"
"I'm morally upright, emotionally available, and I code in my sleep. Where's my ring?"
"Everyone! Line up. We fight for love now!"
By the time Zhao Min left the stage, Xia Xue's viewership had crossed 1.2 million.
The Marching Ant Company had started the day as a nobody.
Now?
It was trending worldwide.
And the avalanche had only just begun.