Chapter 226  Lemira pressed her lip, already having a hunch about what Thaddeus was about to say.  “Lemon, you’re still young. Once you’re in college, you’ll have the freedom to explore relationships and meet someone you genuinely like. When that time comes, you’ll realize how naive your current thoughts are  Lemira let out a wry smile, “Got it, see you around.”  She awkwardly climbed into the taxi, her mind involuntarily filling with images of Orion.  Even Thaddeus had noticed her crush on Orion. How embarrassing. It seemed she really needed to shift her focus and start anew.  Arriving at her newly purchased apartment, which was fully furnished and ready to move in, Lemira appreciated the excellent environment and security.  usual, Lemira went live to stream her gaming session. After wrapping up a gaming duel, she spoke up, “Hey, lovelies, as you all Now, I’m starting college soon and will be quite busy. Let’s plan for weekend streams from now on, with some surprise visits in between.”  She had a lot on her plate, initially streaming just to earn some extra cash. But now, money wasn’t much of an issue, and her focus had shifted towards her studies.  There was also the Al development project with Thaddeus, requiring her full participation. Time for streaming was indeed becoming  scarce.  Just before ending her stream, Lemira noticed Orion’s profile picture had turned grey.  A pang of sadness hit her; not having Orion around felt unaccustomed. Indeed, habits could be frighteningly powerful.  The next day, Thaddeus called her, “The Al project has officially spun off into a subsidiary. I’ll send you the address. You can come by tomorrow to get acquainted. Once we go public, we’ll all share the profits!”  “Sounds good.”  Lemira quickly got ready, grabbed the project files, and headed to the address Thaddeus had provided.  The corporate building was imposing.  Upon arrival, the company head warmly introduced her to the subsidiary team, “This is Lemira, the developer behind our Al project. Despite her young age, she’s incredibly talented. We’ll be working closely together.”  Lemira felt a bit nervous.  After the introductions, the company head mentioned, looking at her, “Lemira, don’t rush off after work. We’ve got a dinner with some investors, and we need you to make an appearance.”  “Understood.”  Lemira now valued every opportunity that came her way.  That evening, Lemira joined her colleagues for dinner at a restaurant after work.  The company head briefed her, “We’re meeting with investors from the Everhart Group. If they have any technical questions, Ms. Langston, we’d appreciate your insights.”  Lemira nodded, confident in handling the task.  As she entered the restaurant, she unexpectedly ran into Asher and Evelina at the elevator entrance.  Sometimes, the world felt incredibly small.  Lemira pretended not to see them, but Evelina remarked proactively, “Lemira, I heard you joined the Maple Group to compete against Lucian’s company in the Al market. I didn’t buy it at first, looks like you really betrayed the Langston family!”  Asher scoffed, “Eve, don’t waste your breath on someone irrelevant. She’s no longer part of the Langston family. Maple Group is a small fry, no need to fear.”  Lemira coolly responded, “Didn’t the Langston Group start small too?”  Asher’s face darkened.  Evelina, smugly, said, “Just so you know, Asher is here to discuss a partnership with Mr. Everhart.”  Lemira’s lips were pressed, “Until the end, who knows whom the Everhart Group will choose to invest in!”  She was determined to compete for the opportunity with Mr. Everhart!  下