Double evil in the business district

"Let's finish this project first." Shen Ting's voice broke the silence in the office.

Xiao Yue nodded and put down the slightly cold coffee in her hand. "I know." She took a deep breath, forced herself to suppress her chaotic thoughts, and refocused on the computer screen in front of her. "How much time do we have?"

"Less than 48 hours." Shen Ting sat down opposite her with a heavy tone.

Turning things around in 48 hours is no easy task. Xiao Yue's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, again and again, the crisp sound remarkably clear in the quiet office.

Shen Ting's gaze fell on her furrowed brow, and a trace of heartache welled up in his heart. He knew the immense pressure she had endured during this period. He reached out and gently covered her hand, which was resting on the table. "We will succeed," he said firmly, as if trying to convince himself, as well as her.

Xiao Yue looked up, met his deep gaze, and felt the warmth of his palm. The inexplicable anxiety in her heart gradually subsided. She took his hand in hers and nodded vigorously. "Yes, we will succeed."

The two men once again plunged into their intense work. Every detail of the plan was scrutinized, every piece of data meticulously verified. They no longer argued or remained silent. Instead, they collaborated with the same tacit understanding as before, complementing each other and jointly perfecting their plan. Time slipped by, the only sounds in the office remaining were the clacking of keyboards and the occasional whisper.

Meanwhile, in David's office, the atmosphere was much more relaxed. He leaned back in his chair, shaking a goblet of red wine in his hand, a smug smile on his face. "It seems that Xiao and Shen's are completely finished this time."

Tom, who was sitting across from him, was not as optimistic as he was. "Don't let your guard down, David. No one can guarantee victory until the very last moment."

David chuckled dismissively. "Tom, you're being too cautious. They're so overwhelmed right now that they don't have the time or energy to perfect their plan. We've already won."

Tom frowned and wanted to say something else, but David interrupted him. "Okay, Tom, stop worrying about it. Let's celebrate the upcoming victory."

David raised his glass and motioned Tom to celebrate with him. Tom sighed helplessly and raised his glass as well.

In another room, Amy was discussing the details of the cooperation with her team. She still had hope for Xiao and Shen's project, but she had to admit that their situation was indeed very difficult.

Translator Liu hurried into the conference room, his tone anxious, "Ms. Amy, the latest news is that Xiao and Shen's plans have made a new breakthrough..."

Before he finished speaking, Amy couldn't wait to ask, "What breakthrough?"

Translator Liu took a deep breath and said slowly, "They solved it..."

Meanwhile, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting finally finished revising the plan. They exchanged a smile, a look of relief on their tired faces. Shen Ting picked up his phone and was about to make a call... "Wait," Xiao Yue suddenly said.

Xiao Yue held Shen Ting's hand. "We've overlooked one issue." She pointed to the part of the proposal that mentioned traditional Chinese culture. "Can they really understand this?"

Shen Ting followed her finger and frowned slightly. Xiao Yue had insisted on including this part. She believed that incorporating elements of traditional Chinese culture into the proposal would not only showcase the company's cultural heritage but also enhance the project's uniqueness. However, in international collaboration, cultural differences are often an insurmountable chasm.

"I'm worried they'll think this content is irrelevant to the project, or even misunderstand it." Shen Ting's concerns are not without reason. Previous communications with Amy's team had already experienced considerable friction due to cultural differences, even leading to discrepancies in the translation of some key terms.

At this moment, Translator Liu knocked on the door again, his face showing a mixture of excitement and frustration. "Ms. Amy has agreed to meet with us again, but she's still upset about the translation issue."

Shen Ting and Xiao Yue looked at each other and both understood that this meeting was of vital importance.

Meanwhile, in the International Media Center, Reporter Li was speaking to the camera. "...According to reliable sources, the Xiao and Shen companies' collaborative project is progressing slowly. They simply won't be able to come up with a competitive proposal before the deadline. I'm afraid this collaboration will end in failure..." He wore a gloating smile, as if he had already foreseen the Xiao and Shen companies' defeat.

The camera cuts to Amy's conference room. She sits elegantly at the table, holding the latest proposal from Xiao and Shen's, her brow furrowed. Translator Liu stands nearby, meticulously explaining every detail of the proposal while occasionally fielding Amy's pointed questions.

"Mr. Liu, are you sure there is no problem with this translation?" Amy put down the plan in her hand, with a hint of doubt in her tone.

Translator Liu quickly assured, "Ms. Amy, please rest assured that this translation is absolutely accurate. I have consulted many experts and checked every sentence repeatedly." He wiped the sweat from his forehead. The previous translation error had put him under tremendous pressure, and he didn't want to make the same mistake again.

Amy nodded, but the doubt on her face hadn't completely dissipated. "I still have some questions about the previous question..." She pointed to the section on traditional Chinese culture in the proposal. "I really don't understand this part. How does it relate to your project?"

Translator Liu took a deep breath and tried to explain in a way that Amy could understand, "Ms. Amy, this part reflects our company..."

Elsewhere, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting hurried to the place where they were going to meet Amy. In the car, both of them were silent, and the atmosphere was solemn.

"If we still can't convince Amy this time, we..." Xiao Yue didn't continue, but she knew that they would face greater difficulties.

Shen Ting held her hand and gave her an encouraging look, "Don't worry, we have tried our best. The rest is up to fate."

Arriving at the door of the conference room, Xiao Yue took a deep breath, adjusted herself, and was about to push the door open to go in... Suddenly, a voice came from the other end of the corridor, "Ms. Xiao, Mr. Shen, I want to talk to you."

The voice was low and familiar. Xiao Yue and Shen Ting turned around at the same time and saw... David standing at the end of the corridor.

Xiao Yue and Shen Ting exchanged glances, both filled with confusion. David was their main competitor, so what was his purpose in appearing here?

"Mr. David, is there anything wrong?" Shen Ting's tone was cold and a little wary.

David had a meaningful smile on his face. "I know you are under a lot of pressure right now. Perhaps I can help you."

Xiao Yue's heart was filled with alarm. David's "help" might not be that simple. "Mr. David, we don't need your help."

David didn't mind Xiao Yue's refusal. He continued, "I know you're having trouble integrating cultures. Amy is known for her emphasis on cultural exchange. If she can't understand and agree with your plan, then you have no chance of success."

Xiao Yue frowned slightly. David was right. Cultural differences were indeed the biggest obstacle they faced. She had come up with a new idea: cleverly combining traditional Chinese cultural elements with modern business concepts and presenting it in a more international language and expression. Perhaps this would be more easily accepted by Amy. She told Shen Ting about this idea, but Shen Ting was a little hesitant. "It's a good idea, but time is running out. Do we have enough time to revise it?"

"There's still time!" Xiao Yue said firmly, "We must seize this opportunity."

At the same time, Shen Ting was also considering how to enhance the commercial value of his proposal. He had come up with some innovative ideas that could make the project more competitive, but these would require additional capital investment. Xiao's current financial situation was not optimistic, which put him in a dilemma.

"Shen Ting, we have to give it a try." Xiao Yue saw his concerns. "I know there's financial pressure, but if we don't take a risk, we won't have any chance at all."

Shen Ting took a deep breath. He knew Xiao Yue was right. He contacted the company's finance department and urgently allocated some funds to revise and improve the plan.

The two returned to the conference room and began their intense work. Xiao Yue incorporated the new cultural integration plan into the original proposal, striving to strike a balance that would showcase the charm of traditional Chinese culture while also ensuring understanding and acceptance by international partners. Shen Ting, on the other hand, focused on enhancing commercial value, incorporating innovations into every aspect of the proposal to make the entire project more attractive and feasible.

Time ticked by, and the two of them worked against the clock. Translator Liu would occasionally come in to report on the latest situation at Amy's side. Amy's attitude seemed to soften, but she still didn't give a clear answer.

Finally, before the deadline, they completed the revision and improvement of the plan. The new plan not only retains the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also incorporates modern business concepts. More importantly, it demonstrates stronger commercial value and market competitiveness.

The two of them took the new plan and went to Amy's meeting room again. Amy took the plan and read it carefully, her expression gradually becoming serious.

The conference room was completely silent, with only the sound of pages turning and Amy's occasional whisper. Xiao Yue and Shen Ting stared at Amy nervously. Their fate rested in the hands of this woman.

Suddenly, Amy raised her head, looked at Xiao Yue and Shen Ting, and slowly said: "...Regarding the cooperation model mentioned in the plan..." Her tone was meaningful and unpredictable.

Amy paused, her eyes flicking back and forth between Xiao Yue and Shen Ting. "Regarding the cooperation model mentioned in the proposal, I personally think there are still some points that can be discussed." She flipped to a page and pointed to a paragraph. "The profit-sharing ratio I mentioned here doesn't seem fair to us."

Xiao Yue's heart sank. The profit-sharing ratio, determined after much deliberation, was already the limit they could tolerate. If it were lowered further, Xiao's profit margin would be squeezed even further.

Shen Ting's expression remained unchanged as he asked in a deep voice, "Ms. Amy, what proportion do you think is appropriate?"

Amy smiled slightly but didn't answer directly. Instead, she said, "This requires further discussion. Also, I have some questions about the project's risk assessment." She flipped through a few more pages and pointed to some data. "What's the source of this data? How reliable is it?"

Xiao Yue immediately explained the data's source and calculation method, and provided relevant supporting documents. After carefully reviewing it, Amy didn't object, but she also didn't approve.

For the next hour, Amy peppered the project with questions, some pointed and provocative, others ambiguous. Xiao Yue and Shen Ting diligently addressed her, striving to allay her concerns. Translator Liu nervously translated, fearing any mistakes.

The atmosphere in the conference room grew increasingly tense. As time ticked by, beads of sweat formed on Xiao Yue and Shen Ting's foreheads. They knew that Amy's attitude would directly determine the success or failure of the project.

Finally, Amy put down the plan in her hand, raised her head, and stared at Xiao Yue and Shen Ting with a sharp gaze. "Overall, your plan is a great improvement over the previous one, and it also shows your sincerity. However, it still does not fully meet our expectations."

Xiao Yue and Shen Ting exchanged glances, their hearts filled with disappointment. They had tried their best, but still couldn't impress Amy.

"Do we still have a chance?" Xiao Yue's tone was trembling slightly.

Amy did not answer directly. Instead, she stood up, walked to the window, looked at the scenery in the distance, and remained silent.

After a moment, she turned around and said to Xiao Yue and Shen Ting, "Tomorrow is the official review of the international project bidding meeting. I will submit your proposal to the review committee. As for the final result, I can't guarantee it."

Xiao Yue and Shen Ting's hearts were in suspense. They knew this was their last hope.

After leaving Amy's office, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting walked silently down the hallway. At the end of the hallway, David and Tom stood there, smiling meaningfully. David walked up to them and said with a dismissive tone, "It seems you haven't convinced Amy. I told you long ago that you have no chance of winning."

Shen Ting glanced at David coldly, ignoring his provocation and walking straight forward. Xiao Yue followed closely behind Shen Ting, her eyes full of determination. Even if there was little hope, they would not give up.

The next morning, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting arrived at the international project bidding conference with their revised proposal. The venue was packed, the atmosphere tense and heated. Querying eyes filled the air. Reporter Li had even prepared a report on their failure, camera in hand, ready to capture the moment of their defeat.

Tom walked over to David and whispered, "Everything is going according to plan..."