Chapter 90: Tech Expert

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Tech Expert

As the interview was wrapping up and the topic turned to the film’s sharp, funny take on social life, Irene decided to share the strangest request she had gotten all day.

She leaned forward a little and said, like she was telling a secret, "You won’t believe where today’s most ’academic’ praise came from."

The reporter looked at her, curious.

"A department at Paramount wants permission to use clips from our film in a documentary about chimpanzee social hierarchies. The researchers said our movie and their study show ’amazing parallels and research value’ when it comes to group dynamics."

The reporter paused for a second, then burst out laughing, writing it down while still chuckling.

Irene elegantly picked up her coffee and smiled. "You see, success tastes complicated. It brings praise, but it also leaves you wondering if you’re a director or a special consultant for primate sociology."

This time, even the PR staff waiting nearby turned away, their shoulders shaking with laughter.

The interview, which started out serious, ended in a mood that was almost ridiculous and full of laughter.

Irene also breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She had brought up that last story on purpose to give the interview something people would talk about.

But the two calls from Shelly and Vera were unexpected. After all, the premiere had only been yesterday.

Could word of mouth from the midnight screenings really spread that fast?

Or was that just a smart move Shelly made to promote the film?

Either way, today’s interview had done exactly what Irene wanted.

The next morning, Irene got up early to walk the dog.

She followed Lucky’s usual route, walking slowly along the path by the sea.

Lucky stopped every so often to sniff fire hydrants and mailboxes, and sometimes paused to wait for Irene when the leash got too tight.

The sea breeze carried a salty, damp smell, and Irene felt calm. Her mood was unusually good.

Just then, Lucky gave a happy bark, looking as excited as he did when he saw a can of real meat.

He shot down the street like a little cannonball. The sudden pull made Irene stumble, but she caught herself in time.

"Lucky!" She was about to scold him when she saw a fluffy white Bichon Frise standing nearby.

So the little guy had found a friend.

Once she steadied herself, she watched Lucky enthusiastically sniff the Bichon’s backside. His excitement was so obvious that even Irene, as his owner, felt a bit embarrassed.

The Bichon’s owner was clearly startled by the sudden attention and stood there, unsure what to do.

"Sorry, is my dog being too much?" Irene walked over, tightened the leash, and apologized.

The other person was a young man with brown curly hair.

Seeing Irene, he quickly waved his hand. "It’s fine, it’s fine. This is my first time taking PP for a walk too. I’m just not used to it yet."

Irene thought he looked familiar but couldn’t place where she had seen him.

She figured he might be a minor actor, so she didn’t think much of it.

"Are you here on vacation?" Irene asked casually, noticing how pale he looked, like he hadn’t been outside in a while.

"Actually, I’m staying at my aunt’s place for now," the young man said with a shy smile.

"I’ve been working on a small program recently and stayed in my room for five days straight without going out.

Today my aunt made me come out to walk the dog, and to get some fresh air myself."

That topic immediately caught Irene’s interest.

"What kind of program are you building?" she asked, curious.

Ever since she and Chen Shiyu checked out those concept startups last time, Chen Shiyu had been quiet about business. She seemed discouraged.

To Irene, ninety percent of the people claiming to be in tech were just selling hype.

Could she have actually run into the rare ten percent just by walking her dog?

"Well, it’s just a small program for chatting on the computer," he said, a little shy.

"Do you mean direct messaging between computers?" Irene pressed.

As far as she knew, there wasn’t a solid instant messaging app on the market yet. Most people, including her, still used email to send messages.

Could the person in front of her really be a hidden tech talent?

"Yes, but right now it only works on a local network. I made it to help send messages inside my dad’s dental clinic."

"That’s a great idea!" Irene’s eyes lit up.

"Is there a limit on how many people can use it? How fast is it? Have you thought about turning it into a real product?" She slipped into business mode without realizing it.

Instead of investing in vague concept companies, this young man who had already built something real seemed much more worth her time.

Maybe she was seeing the start of the next WhatsApp.

"Your questions are really professional," the young man said, looking a bit surprised.

"There is a user limit, since it’s based on a local network.

But I think as internet infrastructure improves, those limits will go away.

Are you interested in this kind of thing?"

"Of course," Irene nodded without hesitation. "Information technology is going to be the core of the future."

"Among the young women I know, not many understand network tech like you do."

"Among the young men I know, not many can actually build useful programs like you."

They looked at each other and smiled, feeling a sense of mutual respect.

Just then, Irene caught a flash of white light behind her out of the corner of her eye.

She turned her head immediately and saw a man in a black jacket holding a camera, quickly ducking behind a lamppost.

Irene frowned.

She had thought that, as a director, she wouldn’t attract paparazzi, which was why she felt comfortable walking around casually.

Even if the person wasn’t trying to get negative photos, she decided to contact her agent, Shelly, as soon as possible just to be safe.

"Did something happen?" The young man clearly noticed her change in expression.

"Sorry, I have something urgent to handle," she said, pulling a notepad from her backpack.

"Would you mind giving me your contact info? I’m really interested in your project, and I’d love to keep talking about it."

"Of course," the young man said, taking the paper and pen.

"I’d like to talk more about this with you too." He wrote down his phone number. His handwriting was neat and strong.

"My name is Irene. It’s nice to meet you."

"My name is Mark. Same here."

The two shook hands and said goodbye, heading in different directions at the corner.