10:00 a.m.
Shencheng Bay Super Headquarters Campus, Xuanji Optical World Global Headquarters Tower
Sunlight fell across the dynamic, light-reactive glass curtain walls, refracting a cold, dazzling radiance.
From afar, the whole tower looked like a breathing crystal facet,
rising against Shen City’s skyline with a distinctly sci-fi aesthetic.
On the first floor, within the grand lobby with a 16-ter ceiling,
people filled the space, but it was not noisy.
Minimalist lines mixed with cool white lights.
The floor glead like a mirror, reflecting the crisscrossing light bands flowing across the do.
“Hello, everyone! As you can see, I’m currently on site at the new global headquarters of the hottest company in the tech world right now — Xuanji Optical World!”
Ma Yilin smiled at the cara on her stabilizer, excitent on her face, speaking briskly:
“Although the official opening ceremony doesn’t start until this afternoon, as one of the first invited bloggers to tour, I’m lucky enough to bring you a peek at this futuristic building’s charm in advance....”
The cara smoothly panned, aiming at the center of the lobby.
There was no traditional tal naplate, not even a physical wall.
Only a ten-ter-tall holographic display.
The Xuanji Optical World logo.
A Möbius ring ford from countless light particles, hovering in midair and slowly rotating.
Particle streams twined like star trails, simulating the entanglent of computing power and light.
It was strikingly realistic, as if one could reach out and touch it.
Ma Yilin moved and narrated expertly, introducing the lobby’s holographic interactive walls, intelligent security gates...
After shooting the final B-roll,
she set down her cara, exhaled, and turned toward the dia lounge,
where many peers had already gathered.
“Yilin, over here!”
A man in his early thirties with a neatly trimd beard waved with a smile.
He was Wang Zhao, a tech-and-finance blogger with two million followers, an old acquaintance in the circle.
Ma Yilin sat on the sofa opposite him, took a sip of water, and shrugged with regret: “Too bad our dia credentials are limited — we can’t get into executive interviews or the core ceremony this afternoon. I’ll try to shoot lots of B-roll so we have enough footage.”
“Be thankful you got in at all.” Wang Zhao pointed upstairs and lowered his voice with a grin. “The product demo hall on the second floor is showing unreleased concept machines. Supposedly only state dia and a few top foreign outlets can enter. As for the afternoon ceremony, that’s a gathering for the capital heavyweights. For independent dia like us, we’re mostly here to create atmosphere.”
Ma Yilin sighed, her gaze drifting toward the heavily guarded elevator entrance.
Desire showed plainly in her eyes.
As a future super-unicorn incubated by Tang Yi Precision and backed by Qingning Technology’s algorithms,
in the midst of the Vision Pro and ta rivalry, Xuanji Optical World was viewed by Silicon Valley as the strongest competitor in spatial computing, attracting intense attention.
That’s why so many dia and industry partners were invited.
But most could only take part in pre-opening coverage; access to the core venue was restricted.
Still, Ma Yilin felt a deeper hunger.
Her once-viral “What Professions Fly First Class?” series had peaked after a chance interview with the mysterious Ms. Lin on a flight a month ago,
but the plateau ca after the peak.
Now, with AI and hard tech surging, all attention, funding, and traffic were rapidly shifting to this field.
She urgently wanted to transition to deeper AI and hard-tech content.
In the ruthless pace of independent dia, a single lag could an being discarded by the algorithm.
While the two chatted, more people stread into the lobby.
Check-ins, credential pickups, conversations.
New tech tycoons in suits, stylish peers, blond-haired foreign experts...
Ma Yilin even spotted cara crews from two state dia outlets, shouldering heavy equipnt, led by staff who escorted them past the smart gate without hindrance and straight into the elevators.
Although the official admission for the ceremony wouldn’t open until after 1 p.m., Xuanji Optical World had opened its doors to visitors in the morning,
especially the second-floor holographic interactive demo hall, whose concept machines had never been seen publicly.
The more open it was, the more obvious the hierarchy of access beca.
“Yilin, the lighting inside is ssy and people are piling up. Why don’t we step outside to get so exterior shots and the logo? The sun’s perfect now.” Wang Zhao suggested.
“Okay.”
They walked out through the sensor glass doors.
The sea breeze at Shencheng Bay carried warm sunlight and swept away the lobby’s stifling pressure.
Ma Yilin switched on her GoPro, adjusted focus like a pro, and pointed it at the futuristic facade.
The cara slowly tilted down, sweeping across the VIP drop-off zone.
On the screen, an unexpectedly stunning figure suddenly entered the fra.
“Ms. Lin?!”
Ma Yilin’s pupils shrank; she blurted out in surprise.
Not far off,
a black Maybach had just pulled away.
A tall, graceful young woman walked toward the entrance.
She wore a deep charcoal tailored suit over a silk white blouse, the cut fitting so precisely it outlined a slim waist.
Her matching pencil skirt revealed a pair of long, straight legs dazzling in the sunlight.
A small diamond brooch glinted at the lapel with a cold brilliance.
A Patek Philippe shimred on her wrist.
Red lips, low ponytail, high heels.
Her steps were composed, posture erect.
An air of refined elegance and the restrained aura of a corporate elite washed over her.
She carried a deeper, more settled presence than that chance eting on the plane —
purely classy.
“What Ms. Lin?” Wang Zhao blinked, followed her gaze, then went rigid. “Holy crap... that’s the finance exec you interviewed on the plane? She’s way prettier in person than on video!”
He swallowed and couldn’t stop staring.
That inner, outward sexiness and charm were simply top-tier.
Lin Muxue drew closer.
Ma Yilin abandoned courtesy and greeted her with unrestrained delight: “Ms. Lin! Hello! I didn’t expect to see you here!”
Lin Muxue paused.
Her eyes flicked over Ma Yilin’s face for a mont.
Then her lips curved into an elegant, proper smile that nevertheless held a hint of distance.
“Long ti no see, Miss Ma.”
“Ms. Lin, are you here for Xuanji Optical World’s event too?” Ma Yilin asked cautiously, eyes eager.
Lin Muxue laughed lightly, neither confirming nor denying, and simply asked back: “And you?”
“I’m an invited independent dia to do pre-opening coverage, but my access is limited, so I can only roam the periphery,” Ma Yilin said with a little embarrassnt.
“Hm.” Lin Muxue’s attitude was neither warm nor cold.
Seizing a chance, Ma Yilin leaned in earnestly: “Ms. Lin, your last interview video did so well — it’s my most viral piece. A lot of viewers asked for a follow-up... Since we t here by chance, may I be so bold as to ask—would you have a few minutes? I can shadow you and ask a couple quick questions. I promise I won’t disturb your work and I won’t record!”
This Ms. Lin was one of the most dignified people she’d ever t; she genuinely wanted to befriend her.
Besides, as a finance executive, she might know Director Jin and could possibly leak bits about today’s event — even a phrase or two would be gold.
Seeing the unhidden longing and admiration in Ma Yilin’s eyes, Lin Muxue’s mouth nearly betrayed a small upward curl.
After being repressed by Director Jin for weeks, this craving to be admired was deliciously familiar.
Still... rembering the current sensitive mont and that Director Jin whom she both respected and feared,
her rational side told her to stay low and avoid trouble.
“Alright, fifteen minutes.” Lin Muxue glanced at her Patek Philippe and seed to weigh briefly. “Follow .”
She tilted her chin almost imperceptibly.
Absolutely commanding.
“Wonderful! Thank you, Ms. Lin!” Ma Yilin accepted instantly, face flushed with excitent.
Wang Zhao hurried forward with a practiced smile: “Ms. Lin, nice to et you! I’m Wang Zhao, Yilin’s friend and a tech-finance influencer. I loved that video!”
Lin Muxue glanced at him coolly, said nothing, only smiled faintly.
She didn’t even linger with her eyes before stepping through the sensor gate.
Her high heels clicked rhythmically on the marble.
Ma Yilin felt awkward, signaled Wang Zhao with her eyes, and hurried after that crisp silhouette.
Being so blatantly ignored left Wang Zhao montarily stung.
He followed them back into the lobby, hoping to salvage a few words and so face.
Before he could speak,
footsteps sounded behind them.
“Good morning, Director Lin!”
“Director Lin.”
The lobby staff, who had been on duty just monts ago, reflexively stopped their tasks and briskly approached when they saw Lin Muxue enter.
Voices were loud and respectful, tinged with caution.
Wang Zhao’s steps faltered.
His planned words stagnated in his throat.
He even noticed the PR supervisor who had greeted them earlier now bowed slightly, a trace of awe on his face.
Lin Muxue inclined her head gently, expression unruffled, as if accustod to such scenes.
She walked gracefully toward the blue-lit security gate.
“Beep—” a crisp prompt sounded and the gate opened.
She did not imdiately pass through.
She turned slightly and beckoned to the stunned Ma Yilin standing outside the periter: “Co in, make it quick.”
Ma Yilin swallowed, heart pounding like a drum.
Only then did she belatedly realize sothing was off.
This wasn’t rely an invited guest.
This was clearly a high-ranking internal executive with top privileges!
But she distinctly rembered Lin once saying she was an executive assistant at a financial firm.
How had she suddenly beco a major figure at this star tech unicorn?
Finance and tech — that crossover was imnse.
Suppressing the whirl of shock and confusion,
she inhaled deeply and, under the admiring gazes of peers, hurried after her.
Her inner fan-girl had already started cheering for “Miss Lin.”
This was prestige overload!
...
“Ding—”
The exclusive elevator ascended at speed.
In just over ten seconds the car stopped steadily on the 39th floor and the doors slid open.
The lobby din below vanished, replaced by cloudlike stillness above.
A huge circular floor-to-ceiling window wrapped around the floor, letting Shencheng Bay’s noon sunlight pour in without obstruction, bathing the space in clear, bright light.
A minimalist interior, cool white light strips, and deep gray stone flooring extended a feeling of top-level tech company calm and detachnt.
Lin Muxue led Ma Yilin through a wide lounge to a cantilevered viewing platform with the best sightlines.
A slight downward glance captured the entire Shencheng Bay.
The breathtaking view made Ma Yilin instinctively hold her breath.
“Want sothing to drink?” Lin Muxue leaned casually against the railing, languid and elegant. “Their Geisha pour-over is pretty good.”
“Oh... no, thank you, Ms. Lin!” Ma Yilin waved her hands nervously under Lin’s imposing aura.
Lin Muxue smiled but didn’t insist, turning her gaze to the window: “You didn’t contact for a month. How’s your account been doing?”
“Good, good...” Ma Yilin nodded quickly, gratitude plain in her tone. “Especially that video about you — that wave of traffic brought a lot of quality followers. Fans say you’re the most fitting image of a powerful finance heroine they’ve seen.”
After a bit of small talk,
looking at this Lin who now radiated an even stronger, almost unapproachable nobility compared to a month ago,
Ma Yilin couldn’t help but ask the burning question she’d been holding back:
“Ms. Lin, sorry if this is presumptuous, but last ti you said you were an executive assistant at a finance firm. How co today...?”
Lin crossed her long legs and, catching the sunlight from the window, casually turned the diamond-studded Patek Philippe on her wrist.
Here it cos.
That feeling of being inscrutable yet forced to be admired.
It was deliciously satisfying!
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