The press conference at the Marriott Hotel was packed. For the first time since the Marching Ant Company had come under fire, they were making a public appearance.
Aside from a single brief statement released early on, the company had remained silent in the face of relentless online attacks.
But not today.
Today, they were finally speaking up.
Reporters, both local and foreign, filled the venue, eyes fixed on the front stage in anticipation. Since the release of the Smart Assistant, waves of chaos had followed. Apple, unable to integrate or compete with the product, had seen its sales plummet in Greater China. Its stock price had dipped in response.
Naturally, international media smelled blood and swarmed in to report on this new tech giant.
Although the press conference had been scheduled last-minute, several major news outlets rushed to Binhai City overnight just to attend.
Backstage, Zhao Min checked her watch before stepping onto the stage with Xiaoyu beside her. As the public face of the Marching Ant Company—and currently the biggest rising celebrity online—Zhao Min drew every camera lens in the room the moment she appeared.
The moment the two women took their seats at the long reception table, the flash of cameras lit up the room in a storm of shutters. Then, a hush fell.
"Hello, everyone."
Zhao Min's voice was calm and poised, as she skipped the pleasantries and went straight to business. Reporters quickly raised their notebooks and phones, ready to record every word.
"You in glasses," she pointed at a female reporter in the first row.
"Thank you," the reporter nodded as she received the mic. "I'm from Binhai Daily. Yesterday, we saw police at your office building, and a man was taken away. Rumors online suggest it was your company's chairman. Is this true? Who was the man, and why was he taken?"
"I can clarify that immediately," Zhao Min replied smoothly. "It was not our chairman. The man taken away was an employee. We were the ones who called the police. He had committed actions that harmed company interests.
"I'm not at liberty to reveal further details—this is now a police matter—but we believe in the rule of law. We trust the authorities will give us a fair and thorough resolution."
Her tone was steady, emotionless, even serene.
"You in the white shirt," she pointed again, picking the next journalist.
"Thank you. I'm a reporter from Southern Newspaper. Online, there are allegations that Marching Ant is evading taxes. The footage of tax officers entering your building has been circulating. What's your official response?"
"I haven't read those articles personally," Zhao Min said, "but if those rumors exist, then let me make it clear: they are false. And we'll be asking our legal team to pursue those responsible for spreading them.
"The tax bureau visited for a routine inspection—that's all. If we were engaged in any kind of tax evasion, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you. Marching Ant is a young company, but our growth comes from staying within the law and focusing on technological advancement. We don't waste time with shortcuts."
Still poised, still cool as ever.
"Next," she pointed to a man. "Go ahead."
"Thank you. I'm with Youth Daily. There are a number of articles online accusing Marching Ant of copying or stealing other companies' technology. What do you have to say to that?"
Zhao Min chuckled softly.
"That accusation is ridiculous. Whose technology, exactly, are we stealing? Who even has the technology we're supposedly copying?
"From the Ant Office Suite, to our Marching Ant OS, Butterfly Eye, and now the Smart Assistant—these are all independently developed by our company. Innovation is the soul of Marching Ant."
She paused briefly, then added, "And since we're talking about theft—here's a stat for you. Since our founding, Marching Ant has endured 349 cyberattacks, including traffic floods and trojans. We've reported and neutralized them all. If anyone's trying to steal anything, it's not us."
The conference continued for nearly an hour and a half. Zhao Min answered every question with calm clarity. They had nothing to hide, and weren't afraid of whatever came next.
Afterward, Zhao Min and Xiaoyu left the Marriott and returned to company headquarters.
Everything that needed to be said had been said. How the public would respond—well, that was now in fate's hands.
As expected, the internet blew up.
The Marching Ant Company, already the subject of intense attention, became the focus of every trending topic. The press conference addressed many questions and clarified the company's stance with confidence.
We're not afraid of the shadows. We're not backing down.
Despite the chaos outside, the Smart Assistant's user base kept growing. Even if that was the company's only product, they were far from afraid of the future.
Back in Chen Mo's office, Zhao Min sat rubbing her temples, exhausted from the endless problems piling up.
"Fighting emperors is easy. Fighting clowns is exhausting," she muttered.
"Well said," Chen Mo laughed. "But honestly, I watched your speech—you should be a diplomat. Ministry of Foreign Affairs could use someone like you."
"Get lost," she rolled her eyes, shooting him a glare before sighing again. "I really don't know what they'll try next."
The Smart Assistant had created a huge new market. It was natural that greedy eyes would be watching, wanting their share. Those who didn't get it wouldn't back down easily.
She was beginning to wonder whether releasing it publicly had been the right move.
But now it was too late for regrets.
To capitalists, opportunity was like blood in water. If they smelled it, they pounced. If you were big and powerful, they'd fear you. But until then, they'd keep biting.
"No worries," Chen Mo said lightly. "If water comes, block it. If fire comes, smother it."
"Of course you're not worried," Zhao Min shot back. "You sit here reading books all day while I deal with the mess."
She turned and glanced at Xiaoyu, who sat nearby.
"Maybe I should hand it all off to Xiaoyu. Let's see if your heart breaks watching her stressed out instead."
"Me?" Xiaoyu's cheeks flushed. "Why me…"
"Be optimistic," Chen Mo chuckled. "The storm will pass. What's on the company's plate right now?"
"Ongoing acquisitions. We're evaluating factories and ad agencies. HQ construction is underway. Also setting up branches in major cities…"
The two discussed the company's upcoming plans. After the chat, Zhao Min took Xiaoyu and returned to work. Chen Mo returned to his books, quietly reading.
That night, in a small rental apartment near Binhai University…
Xiaoyu curled up in Chen Mo's arms, laughing at something on his computer. The peaceful night was their only true time together.
Watching her smile, Chen Mo felt warmth spread through him.
Moments like this—walking, shopping, just watching a show—were the most relaxing. No deadlines. No pressure.
"Xiaoyu, let me show you something."
Chen Mo pulled out two sets of keys from his pocket and jingled them.
"Where did you get those?" Xiaoyu asked, surprised.
"Didn't I ask Zhao Min to help me buy a house?" Chen Mo grinned.
"She had me help check out some houses… but didn't say it was for you!" Xiaoyu inspected the keys again and blinked. "Wait, this is…"
"Guess she wanted to surprise you, too," Chen Mo laughed. "We should go check it out sometime—maybe move in?"
"Not yet," Xiaoyu said quickly. "This place is small, but cozy. Let me adjust a bit first, okay? Besides, that house is huge—I'll never finish cleaning it!"
"Okay, I'll listen to you. But in return, I want a reward."
"Huh?"
Two minutes later, Xiaoyu lay panting in his arms, her face flushed.
Just as the room quieted—
Knock knock knock!
A firm knock echoed from the front door.
Someone's here.