As Ren Liuliu pondered, someone knocked on the door.
Ren Liuliu opened the laboratory door and found an unfamiliar face.
She knew that the person she usually dealt with was always the same one.
This newcomer appeared very young.
Ren Liuliu gestured for him to move the box containing the malfunctioning robots to the designated spot inside the laboratory.
The person nimbly placed what she wanted in its fixed position and then, without much courtesy, extended his hand. "Where is our stuff?"
Ren Liuliu turned around silently, opened a drawer, took out an electronic file box, and handed it over. "Here is what you wanted."
The young man opposite her didn't leave. He seemed exhausted. Seeing no extra chairs in the lab, he simply sat down on the floor with his phone.
He picked up his phone, opened the electronic file box, and began copying the data inside, sending it directly.
Then, he made a call to confirm, "Boss, is the item okay? Hmm... Alright."
Although Ren Liuliu disliked people from the black market, she didn't say anything when the young man lingered. She patiently waited for him to finish his confirmation.
After the young man confirmed, he patted the dust off his clothes and stood up, extending a hand with a smile. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Ren Liuliu acted as if she hadn't seen his outstretched hand. With a blank expression, she started to usher him out. "You can go now."
The young man asked, "Aren't you going to check the malfunctioning robots I brought?"
Ren Liuliu's expression remained unchanged. "It's not our first time doing business, and what I've given you is only a part. After I confirm my items, I will send the other part to you separately. There's no rush."
"Then I'll be leaving. I won't disturb your work." The young man, having completed his task, left humming a cheerful tune.
After the young man departed, Ren Liuliu finally walked to the box specifically for malfunctioning robots. She adjusted the equipment, put on her gloves, and completed all preparations before opening the box.
She had many ideas, and today she could finally continue experimenting with them one by one.
-
Today, Old Zhang called Gou Zhe and Director Li to a meeting in the robot research center's conference room. The conference room was filled with members of the advertising department, who were systematically analyzing the upcoming advertisement shoot and discussing specific themes.
Gou Zhe was present because of Old Zhang, the benefactor, who insisted that as the protagonist, he should have a say in the content of the shoot and must participate.
Then why was Director Li, a minister of the powerful Operations Department, attending an internal meeting of the advertising department?
Naturally, it was because he considered himself Mr. Wen's eyes and ears at the robot research center. Mr. Wen, of course, didn't have time for such tedious meetings, and Old Zhang wasn't even sure if Mr. Wen would participate in the subsequent filming.
However, it was always correct to have Director Li convey the message after the meeting.
The meeting was reaching its climax, and the voices discussing within the advertising department's conference room grew louder, except for Gou Zhe, who was engrossed in his phone, feeling like an outsider.
Everyone else, including Gou Zhe's agent Jiang Yue, was participating.
Suddenly, Director Li's phone rang urgently.
He looked at his phone and immediately walked out of the conference room. Before he even stepped out, he answered the call first. "Mr. Wen, what are your instructions?"
The voice from the other end came through the cold phone.
Then, Director Li's eyes widened, almost bulging out of their sockets.
A moment of silence.
"Ah, Mr. Wen, I'm listening. You... you said, alright, yes, it's no problem to entrust it to me. May I ask the amount?" After a pause of zero point one second, Director Li hastily replied, "N-no problem, I'll handle it right away. Please don't worry."
After hanging up, Director Li gazed at the blue sky outside, experiencing a moment of existential doubt.
He had always known that Mr. Wen valued his robots highly. Mr. Wen was always displeased if anyone else even looked at his robots.
However, he hadn't expected it to be to this extent.
As a human, he was now simply, nakedly, and extremely envious and jealous of a robot.
After a second of existential contemplation, Director Li rushed into the conference room after the call, waved to Old Zhang at the entrance, and prepared to leave.
Old Zhang, not having heard clearly, asked loudly, "What? You're leaving now? We haven't even finished discussing it yet!"
Director Li, at the doorway, turned back. "Something's happened. Alas! I don't have time to explain in detail now. You'll know soon enough."
Gou Zhe, who had been looking at his phone, looked up upon hearing the commotion.
He hadn't missed Old Li's "Mr. Wen" before exiting the doorway when he answered the phone.
Wen Bai? What could have happened to him?
-
At Man Yixuan's bar.
Zhao Fugui's eyes widened as he listened to the person next to him, and he let out a loud yell. "What! A household robot is worth so much money? Is this the world of the rich?! Oh my god!"
"Yes, that amount of money could buy several top-tier factories that manufacture household robots."
"This is the unfathomable thought process of rich people, isn't it..."
"This isn't just rich! This is the absolute top-tier of tycoons!"
...
"Why don't we go look too? If we find it, not only for this life, but for the next, and the next, and the next, even our ancestors would never have to worry about food and clothing!"
"You're right, this kind of luck is worth a shot. We're so close, and to pick up such a bargain is a windfall! Let's go, let's go now!"
"I'll go too, wait for me!"
As they discussed, several people left the bar together. Even after these few left, others in the bar began to stir.
Before long, the sparsely populated bar became empty.
Zhao Fugui hadn't seen the advertisement, but just hearing about it made him curious.
He turned his head and said to Man Yixuan, who was mixing drinks behind the bar, "Sister Yixuan, why don't we go too?"
...
Now, not just here, but in this city.
No, not just in this city.
In this country, and even the entire world.
Everyone was discussing the recently released advertisement for a colossal reward, for the missing household robot of the world's richest man.
The news channels that were supposed to be airing normally today, no, rather, all the channels that were supposed to be airing normally, had their screens abruptly cut and were forced to broadcast this advertisement for a colossal reward.
After this advertisement for a colossal reward was played in a loop for 10 minutes, it would be followed by 20 minutes of normal television programming, then forcefully interrupted again by this advertisement for a colossal reward, continuing to loop for 10 minutes, before another 20 minutes of normal television programming. This cycle continued...