210: Chapter 21 Scarcity Makes Things Valuable

Shen Yan had just finished speaking.

Jiang Yuan gave him a strange look.

"Have you been watching too many movies?"

Shen Yan blushed and replied, somewhat speechless, "Didn't you say it yourself? You want to research an Artificial Intelligence with its own consciousness."

Jiang Yuan shook his head.

"What I'm talking about isn't the same thing as what you're talking about... Forget it, I can't get through to you anyway. Just tell me exactly what kind of Artificial Intelligence you want to research."

"If you want to research the kind of low-intelligence tool Artificial Intelligence like the ones in the Science Park, then I advise you to give up now."

Shen Yan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why advise me to give up early?"

While packing his tools, Jiang Yuan replied, "Because those kinds of low-intelligence tools are already all over the world; they aren't rare at all."

"Although I don't know much about business, I know that rarity increases value."

Shen Yan understood what Jiang Yuan meant.

Jiang Yuan's point was simple.

If they were to research an Artificial Intelligence like Xiao Ba, their product would be no different from others on the market.

Once their product was no different from others on the market, it would lose its core competitiveness.

After thinking it over, Shen Yan said to Jiang Yuan, "Can you tell me more about the Artificial Intelligence you mentioned—no, the one you want to create?"

Jiang Yuan turned to look at Shen Yan.

"But I already made it very clear."

"And even if I tell you about the Artificial Intelligence I want to make, you might not be able to support me until it's finished."

Shen Yan blinked in confusion.

He didn't understand why Jiang Yuan had even less confidence in this direction than he did.

"Do you lack confidence in your own abilities?"

At those words, the corners of Jiang Yuan's mouth curled up.

"How is that possible?"

"I'm just afraid you don't have enough money to pour into this project."

He said bluntly and unceremoniously to Shen Yan, "I've been here for a while now, and I've noticed your company isn't as wealthy as you claim."

"The equipment you've given us is all phased-out foreign gear, with a total value of only around eight figures."

"If you want to follow the research direction I have in mind, then... I reckon you'd only last two or three months."

Shen Yan narrowed his eyes and remained silent after hearing this.

After a while, he asked Jiang Yuan thoughtfully, "If I do have that much money, how much confidence do you have in making this project a success?"

Jiang Yuan replied without hesitation, "Ten out of ten. Back when I was still in school, I was already researching the relevant theories and programs."

"If I... if you are rich enough to support me until the end of this project, then I guarantee I can 100% develop the Artificial Intelligence I want."

As soon as he finished speaking.

Shen Yan clapped his hands and said, "Then it's settled. We'll go in the direction you want to research!"

"Although I don't know much about your field, you were right about one thing: rarity increases value. If you can develop something that no one else has yet, then I will definitely support you to the end."

Jiang Yuan: "...You're not lying to me, are you?"

Shen Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He pointed at himself and asked, "Do I look like someone who would lie?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head honestly.

"No, you look very much like a good person."

What did he mean by "look very much like a good person"?

He was a good person, okay!

While thinking, Shen Yan said to Jiang Yuan, "Alright, do as I said. Research the direction you've always wanted to explore. I'll support you from behind the scenes."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Alright, since you've said so, I'll take your word for it."

"Starting today, there will be many things I need to buy. I hope your side can approve them as quickly as possible."

Seeing him already starting to plan, Shen Yan blinked and agreed, "Fine, I'll tell the Finance Department to give you a special channel."

Once the research direction was settled, Jiang Yuan kicked Shen Yan out of the laboratory on the pretext that he needed to get back to his research.

"Ring, ring! Ring, ring!"

Just as he stepped out of the laboratory, his phone rang.

It was an unknown caller.

After hesitating for a moment, he answered.

"Hello, who is this?"

After a two-second silence, the person on the other end replied, "Hello, I am Chen Ling's lawyer. Do you have a moment?"

Chen Ling's lawyer?

Shen Yan frowned and replied without hesitation, "I'm busy."

With that, he was about to hang up.

"Wait! Chen Ling said she wants to talk to you about the child."

At the mention of the word "child," Shen Yan stopped in his tracks.

"...What does she want to talk about regarding the child?"

Chen Ling's lawyer didn't say much.

"I don't know either. She just told me she wanted to talk to you about the child and didn't mention anything else."

"If it's convenient for you, I'll take you to see her tomorrow at four in the afternoon."

Shen Yan: "...Understood."

Hanging up, he stood there frowning for a while before taking out his phone to call Lü Yan.

"Hello, where are you right now?"

Lü Yan hadn't expected Shen Yan to contact her suddenly. She paused for a moment before replying, "I'm at the law firm. What's wrong?"

Shen Yan didn't explain and asked directly for her address.

Lü Yan didn't dawdle and gave Shen Yan the address of her law firm.

Half an hour later.

Shen Yan's car pulled up below the law firm.

"This is quite a good location you have here."

As soon as he walked in, Shen Yan began praising the location of Lü Yan's law firm.

Smiling, Lü Yan placed a cup of tea she had prepared earlier in front of him.

"I didn't open this law firm; it belongs to a friend of my father's. It's just that he's away on a business trip, so I'm the only one here right now."

Shen Yan asked curiously, "There are only two of you in the law firm?"

Lü Yan winked playfully at Shen Yan.

"Do you really have to make me spell it out?"

"I don't like working under others; I prefer being the master of my own domain. But my father wasn't quite at ease, so after some thought, he had his friend give the law firm to me."

"In name, I'm a lawyer under my father's friend, but in reality, I can do whatever I want in this law firm."

Shen Yan was caught between laughter and tears.

"Well, it seems I underestimated the power of money."

Lü Yan smiled and didn't discuss the topic further.

"By the way, why did you suddenly come to see me?"

Hearing Lü Yan's question, Shen Yan asked her with some surprise, "You don't know about Chen Ling's situation yet?"