Bai Yao's efficiency was astonishing. In less than half a day, she sent me updates about the operations of the XX Group and Su Ya.
As expected, Su Ya was indeed stirring trouble behind the scenes, using the group's power to suppress smaller companies like ours.
Recently, our company's order volume had plummeted, leaving Boss Li Dahai as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. His hairline was retreating visibly under the stress.
He called a few employees into his office and unleashed a furious tirade:
"Get your act together! Orders are dwindling. If you don't step up, you're all packing your bags and leaving!"
I smirked inwardly. Su Ya, you're ruthless, I'll give you that. But did you really think you could crush me so easily? Too naive.
Meanwhile, I noticed a budding trend in the market, one that would dominate in the future. Drawing on my knowledge of what lay ahead, I crafted a counter-strategy.
"Mr. Li," I began, "I think the company needs to adjust its product direction."
Li Dahai eyed me with suspicion. "What bright idea do you have now?"
I explained the market trends and outlined a new product direction in detail.
Li Dahai listened, his face a mix of doubt and intrigue. In the end, he agreed to let me draft a proposal.
"Alright, Zhou Hao, I'll give you one week. If you can't come up with something solid, you're out."
I responded with a confident smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Li. You'll see."
Returning to my workstation, I immediately dove into crafting the proposal. This wasn't just a chance to prove myself—it was also the company's last hope of surviving the crisis.
Hours slipped away unnoticed as I worked tirelessly.
A loud "thud" interrupted my concentration. The door to my shared room flew open.
"Wow, still burning the midnight oil?" an irritatingly snide voice echoed.
I glanced up to see Wang Qiang, my freeloading roommate, standing there with a smug expression and a glass of some dubious brown liquid.
"Look at you, slaving away for peanuts in that dump of a company. What for? I bet you'll get fired soon anyway," he sneered.
Feigning casual indifference, he ambled over to my desk and "accidentally" knocked over my water glass. The contents spilled onto my papers, soaking a large portion of my work.
"Oops, my bad," he said, insincerely apologetic but clearly reveling in the moment.
I didn't even glance at him, my fingers resuming their steady rhythm on the keyboard.
Feigning concern, he added, "Looks like you'll be pulling another all-nighter."
Looking up from my work, I met his smug gaze with a cold smile.
"You know, Wang Qiang, you're like a circus clown—jumping around might amuse others, but you're still just a sideshow. Maybe instead of trying to drag me down, you should focus on finding a real job. Stop leeching off your parents like a parasite."
His face turned a dark shade of red as he sputtered, but no retort came. I picked up the wet papers, brushed past him, and left the room.
Standing at the door, I glanced back at his still-fuming figure and said coolly, "One day, I'll make you regret underestimating me."
That night, under the glow of streetlights stretching my shadow long, I returned to the office.
The faint smell of printer ink greeted me as I pushed open the doors, the silence punctuated only by the tapping of keys and the rustle of papers.
I rubbed my tired eyes and refocused on the screen in front of me, crammed with rows of data.
Li Dahai's demands were sky-high, yet the company's limited resources left critical information and tools out of reach.
It felt like being marooned on an island, surrounded by an ocean of impossibilities.
Days passed in relentless pursuit of perfection. Late nights in the library searching for crucial data became the norm.
Finally, the proposal was complete.
Standing in the conference room before Li Dahai and the team, I took a deep breath and began my presentation.
Their eyes, filled with skepticism, rested heavily on me. Wang Qiang's smug grin stood out from the rest, brimming with anticipation for my failure.
Undeterred, I delivered the presentation with precision and confidence. I outlined market analyses, competitor strategies, and a comprehensive roadmap for our new direction.
It was as though I'd returned to my past life—a seasoned professional commanding the room, shaping futures with every word.
By the time I finished, the room was silent. My colleagues, who had been eager to see me fail, now looked stunned. Even Wang Qiang's mocking smirk had been replaced by genuine shock.
Li Dahai, nodding vigorously, broke the silence.
"Good! We'll proceed with this plan."
I offered a small smile of satisfaction. This was just the beginning of my comeback.
After the meeting, Li Dahai approached me with an uncharacteristically genial smile.
"Zhou Hao, excellent work. I'm counting on you for the execution."
I nodded, but as I left the room, my phone buzzed.
It was a text from an unknown number:
"The game has just begun…"
My heart sank, a premonition of trouble looming ahead.
Victory, it seemed, was fleeting.
Li Dahai's praise was still fresh in my ears, but that cryptic message unsettled me deeply.
The game has just begun?
Su Ya wasn't done with me yet.
Execution was the next challenge, and the biggest hurdle was funding.
Li Dahai's company was small, and money was always tight. This plan required significant investment, and getting him to open his wallet would be harder than scaling a mountain.
At the shared apartment, Wang Qiang's opportunistic grin greeted me.
"Wow, proposal approved? Promotion and a fat paycheck are just around the corner, huh? Don't forget your old pal Wang Qiang!"
I sneered inwardly. A classic fair-weather friend.
But Su Ya's interference loomed large in my mind. Her next move would surely be more vicious.
While pondering my options, my eyes fell on a name in my contacts—Bai Yao.
In this city, she was the only person I could rely on.
Just as I hesitated to call her, a knock came at the door.
Opening it, I was greeted by a sharply dressed man holding a document.
"Zhou Hao?" he asked, confirming my name. "This is for you."
He handed over the document.
A lawyer's letter.
My heart sank.