The Nerd Who Conquered The World

Chapter 13

Wang Hao arrived seventeen minutes later.

Lin Chen watched him come through the door and cross the room. He took his time watching because the contrast was worth taking in properly.

A week ago Wang Hao had stood in a hotel suite with his arm around Su Xiaowan looking like a man who had never experienced a consequence in his life. He talked with confidence of someone who had always had enough money that the world arranged itself around him.

The man crossing the restaurant floor now was wearing the same expensive suit but it looked different now, slightly rumpled at the shoulders, the jacket not quite straight. He was sweating despite the air conditioning.

He was holding a document folder against his chest with both hands like it was something he could hide behind. His eyes were moving around the room before they found Lin Chen, and when they did something moved across his face that he didn't manage to suppress in time.

He stopped at the table.

"Lin Chen." His voice came out uncertain at the edges. "What are you doing here?"

"Sit down," Lin Chen said. "Why shouldn't I be here, I am the developer of ClearShield."

Wang Hao opened his mouth wide enough that an egg could fit in. Something finally connected behind his eyes: the name from the group chat, the name from the forum post, the name his father had been demanding for two weeks,all of it was that nerd Lin Chen who came begging on Su Xiaowan’s birthday and he remembered how he humiliated him.

He sat down slowly as he was uncomfortable. His face looked like he swallowed something bitter.

His assistant remained standing behind him, folder in hand, posture radiating the professional anxiety of someone who needed this meeting to go well.

"You" Wang Hao started. Then stopped. "How did you"

"Now you remember huh, who did you expect?" Lin Chen said.

Wang Hao had no answer.

"You told me," Lin Chen said quietly, "that knowledge without wealth is just a hobby. You said that in front of a room full of people." He looked at him evenly, no heat in it, just the words. "Now tell me with all the wealth behind you, your father's company, his money, his resources, why couldn't any of it build an antivirus?"

Wang Hao's jaw tightened as he clenched his fist in anger. Before he could find words his assistant stepped smoothly forward.

"Mr. Lin, I apologize for any misunderstanding between you and Mr. Wang Hao. That's a personal matter and has nothing to do with our professional situation. Wang Tech Industries is prepared to offer you double, no triple whatever any other company has offered today for licensing, development partnership, consulting retainer, name the structure. We are fully prepared to"

"I've already licensed the advanced version of ClearShield to three companies today," Lin Chen said. He looked at the assistant briefly. Then back at Wang Hao. "And Wang Tech Industries is not on the approved list."

They fell silent at that.

"Why." Wang Hao asked in anger.

"I think," Lin Chen said, standing and picking up his laptop bag, "you should ask yourself that question."

He walked toward the door.

"Mr. Lin." The assistant's voice rose slightly. "Mr. Lin, please we're prepared to negotiate any terms, any payment structure, if you would just reconsider Mr. Lin"

The door closed behind him.

Wang Hao sat in the chair for a moment without moving. Then he stood, straightened his jacket, and walked out without looking at his assistant.

......

He went straight to his father's office.

Wang Jinlong listened to everything without interrupting. When Wang Hao finished the room was very quiet. Wang Jinlong stood up from behind his desk slowly as he moved across the room.

The slap cracked through the office.

"You! " Wang Jinlong's voice was shaking in anger as he roared. Wang Hao stepped back in fear. "You brought this to my company, all because of a girl you destroyed the only way out for us" He stepped back. "Find a way to get that license, beg him or whatever I don't care what you have to do. Don't come back here until this is fixed."

Wang Hao left without a word.

……

He went back to his apartment and sat in the dark with a bottle of wine. He had been there for two hours when he heard the door open.

Su Xiaowan came in quietly, taking in his silence before she even reached him. She sat beside him carefully as she could feel he was in a foul mood.

"Wang Hao." Her voice was soft. "What happened? Why are you drinking like this?"

He said nothing.

She tried again. "I heard things today. About ClearShield and about your company" She paused. "Can you believe it was that nerd Lin Chen who made that antivirus? Lin Chen, of all people"

His hand moved before she finished the sentence.

Pa!

The slap echoed through the apartment.

Su Xiaowan's hand went to her face. She sat completely still in shock for one second. Then she stood up.

"You." Wang Hao's voice was shaking differently from his father's not authority, just something breaking apart. "All of this, every bit of this bad luck started because of you. Get out. Get out of my apartment."

Su Xiaowan picked up her bag from the floor. She walked to the door with her back straight and her hand still against her cheek and she opened it and stepped outside.

The door clicked shut behind her.

She stood in the corridor in the quiet, looking out into the night.

She had made a calculation a week ago. A clear-eyed, practical calculation Wang Hao had money and Lin Chen did not and thought she had made the right choice.

But standing in this corridor right now, her cheek still stinging from the pain ,locked out of an apartment that had never really been hers, she understood that maybe she had fucked up..

She took her phone out. Found Lin Chen's contact, staring at it

She didn't call as she wasn't even sure what she would say, so she put the phone back in her bag and walked toward the elevator alone.