By her Third year in the office Qingxue was beginning to feel the weight of expectations. Though her tasks were mostly menial—sorting reports, summarizing meeting notes, and observing processes—she approached each one with determination. She knew these small steps were part of a larger journey to establish herself.
Still, whispers trailed her wherever she went. Some coworkers were openly curious about her, while others viewed her presence with suspicion, likely assuming she was only there because of her family name.
Lin Yi remained one of the few friendly faces. Over lunch, she leaned in conspiratorially. "Don't mind the others. They're just jealous or worried you'll outshine them."
"Outshine them?" Qingxue asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lin Yi chuckled. "You're the Xu family's real daughter. Even if you're new, your name carries weight. But don't let that get to you. Just focus on doing your best."
Qingxue nodded, grateful for the encouragement. But Lin Yi's words only made her more determined to prove that she deserved her place here—not because of her name, but because of her abilities.
That afternoon, the department head, Mr. Zhang, approached Qingxue with a task.
"Miss Xu," he began, his tone formal, "we need a report on this quarter's market trends for the upcoming executive meeting. Normally, I would assign this to someone more experienced, but since you're here to learn, I'd like you to give it a try."
Qingxue accepted the challenge without hesitation. "I'll get started right away."
Mr. Zhang nodded, handing her a thick folder of data. "I'll need it by tomorrow morning. Let me know if you have any questions."
Back at her desk, Qingxue immersed herself in the task. The data was dense, filled with charts, statistics, and technical terms that were initially overwhelming. But she reminded herself that this was her opportunity to prove her capability.
As the hours ticked by, Qingxue worked tirelessly, cross-referencing the data and carefully analyzing the trends. She consulted online resources and took detailed notes to ensure her understanding was accurate.
By the time most of the office had emptied, Qingxue was still at her desk, her eyes glued to the screen.
"You're still here?" a familiar voice said.
Startled, Qingxue looked up to see Zhao Wenyan standing nearby, his hands in his pockets.
"What are you doing here?" Qingxue asked, surprised.
"I had some errands to run nearby," Wenyan replied, smirking. "But I didn't expect to see you burning the midnight oil. Is this what the Xu heiress does with her time?"
Qingxue sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I have to finish this report by tomorrow morning. It's harder than I expected."
Wenyan glanced at the screen, his expression unreadable. "You're overcomplicating it. Look—this section here? You're focusing too much on raw numbers. What they want is the trend. Show them the bigger picture."
Qingxue blinked, startled by his insight. "How do you know that?"
He shrugged. "I've been around enough businesspeople to know how they think. They like things clean and concise. Give them the highlights, not an essay."
Though hesitant, Qingxue followed his advice, restructuring her report to focus on key trends and insights. To her surprise, the task became more manageable.
"Thanks," she said, glancing at him. "You didn't have to help."
Wenyan smirked. "Don't mention it. Just don't embarrass yourself tomorrow—it'd reflect poorly on me, knowing I gave you advice."
Qingxue rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling.
The next morning, Qingxue handed her completed report to Mr. Zhang, her heart pounding.
By the afternoon, she was called into his office.
"This is good work, Miss Xu," he said, holding up the report. "Concise, clear, and insightful. It's rare for someone new to grasp these concepts so quickly."
"Thank you," Qingxue said, relief washing over her.
"Keep this up, and you'll make a strong impression," Mr. Zhang added before dismissing her.
As Qingxue left the office, she allowed herself a small smile. It was just a single task, but it was a step forward—a step toward proving she belonged.
Meanwhile, back at the Xu estate, Yanran sat in her room, her phone buzzing with messages from her social circle. News of Qingxue's success had already reached her ears, and her smile faded as she scrolled through the updates.
"So, she thinks she can keep up," Yanran murmured to herself, her eyes narrowing. "We'll see about that."