Chapter 2

I had just reached the cafe when Q accepted my follow request.

I was still wondering what to say without giving myself away when a tall figure stepped in front of me.

The man wore a light gray linen suit that was clearly custom-made. He held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Q."

He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a slim waist, sharp brows, handsome features, and a calm, refined air.

Chloe called him an "old man" all the time. But now that I saw him in person, I realized she couldn't have been more wrong.

He looked straight at me, and something seemed to flash in his eyes.

I suddenly felt a little nervous and reached out to shake his hand. "Hi, I'm Ivy."

Nathan got straight to the point. He asked me several questions about school, and I answered them easily.

Luckily, Chloe and I had the same major and were even in the same class. Other than a few electives, we took almost all the same courses.

I was sure I could keep him from noticing anything was wrong.

Then Nathan suddenly asked, "By the way, I remember you started an AI project team at school. Is that right?"

I froze for a moment. Then I remembered that Chloe had once begged me for ages because she needed extra credits. In the end, I'd agreed to put her name on my project.

But that was all. She hadn't done any of the actual work.

If Nathan knew about the AI project, Chloe had probably been pretending it was hers to impress him.

I quickly collected myself and remembered why I'd come here. Then I carefully replied, "Yes. I've always had a lot of crazy ideas."

Nathan folded his hands together. His long, slender fingers caught my eye, but I wasn't here to admire him.

"That's perfect," he said. "I happen to like crazy ideas."

Nathan seemed very interested in the AI project. I was the real leader of the project, so I knew everything about it, from the overall design to the smallest parts.

Once I started talking about my project, I became more confident, and my nervousness slowly disappeared.

Nathan listened carefully and began asking more detailed questions.

I smiled. "Actually, I wrote a business proposal for my advisor. I just happened to bring it with me today. But the project is still being developed, so you'll have to keep it a secret."

I clasped my hands together and gave him a playful smile.

Nathan seemed amused. He took the proposal, and his eyes lit up as he read it.

The comments, however, immediately turned against me.

[How shameless can the villainess be? Does she really have to steal the heroine's man too?]

[That's what happens when nobody wants you. The second she sees a man, she throws herself at him. How pathetic!]

[Exactly! Our heroine is a real strong female lead! She would never lower herself just to become some rich man's wife. She knows how to use men's money and connections to build a better future for herself!]

I stared at the comments and fell silent. If that was what it meant to be a "strong female lead," I'd rather not be one.

Nathan put down the proposal. "There's still one problem. The project is missing a key algorithm."

I nodded and let a little embarrassment show in my voice. "My family doesn't have much money, and I don't have many resources or connections. I've had to figure everything out on my own."

Even as I said it, I wasn't sure whether my plan would work.

But Nathan smiled. "The National Innovation Competition is next month. If you win a national award, I'll invest in your project."

I looked him straight in the eye, filled with determination. "Deal!"