Double evil in the business district

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, tried hard to control her emotions, looked at Sister Zhang with a firm gaze, and held the folder tightly in her hand.

"Sister Zhang, I believe in my abilities. I've poured my heart and soul into this proposal. Whether it's adopted or not is a decision made by the company's top management, not by you and me judging it here."

After saying that, Xiao Yue walked around Sister Zhang and headed straight for Manager Li's office. She left Sister Zhang standing there, the sarcasm on her face gradually fading, replaced by a sinister look.

"Knock knock knock", there was a knock on the door. Xiao Yue calmed down and pushed the door open after getting permission.

Manager Li was sitting at his desk, looking down at a document. Seeing Xiao Yue come in, he nodded calmly: "Did you bring the plan? Put it on the table."

Xiao Yue put the folder on the table as instructed, but Manager Li just flipped through two pages casually and closed it.

"Did you make this plan yourself?" There was a hint of doubt in his tone.

Xiao Yue's heart tightened, but he still answered firmly: "I completed it independently."

"Really?" Manager Li smiled meaningfully, but said nothing more. He picked up the folder, stood up, and walked to the executive office on the other side of the office, leaving Xiao Yue standing there alone, feeling uneasy like a vine.

The door to the executive office was ajar. Xiao Yue could faintly hear Manager Li's voice coming from inside, "...This plan has a good idea, but it's not too..."

His voice was lowered a few degrees, and Xiao Yue couldn't hear what he was saying, but she could sense a hint of ill intention in his tone.

A moment later, Manager Li came out of the office with an elusive smile on his face. He said to Xiao Yue, "The senior management is very interested in your proposal and would like to discuss it with you in person. Please prepare."

Xiao Yue's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. She knew that her chance had come! She took a deep breath, tried to remain calm, and followed Manager Li to the upper-level office.

The conference room door slowly opened, and Xiao Yue immediately spotted President Wang, seated at the center of the table, flanked by several company executives. President Wang nodded, motioning for her to take a seat. As soon as Xiao Yue sat down, she felt several scrutinizing glances cast upon her, making her feel uneasy.

"Xiao Yue, we've all reviewed your proposal..." Mr. Wang said calmly, his tone unremarkable, "But we still have some questions..."

Before he finished speaking, colleague Wang, who was sitting next to him, suddenly spoke up with a barely perceptible sneer on his face. "Yes, there are some parts of this plan that seem..."

Wang deliberately dragged out the last word, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yue with a hint of provocation. "It seems somewhat similar to some of the ideas that have been circulating within the company before?"

His words were like dropping a pebble into a calm lake, and the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became tense. The scrutinizing eyes of the senior executives were now tinged with suspicion. Xiao Yue's heart tightened, realizing that colleague Wang was deliberately trying to trip her up.

Secretary Zhao, who was sitting next to Mr. Wang, also spoke up at this moment. She adjusted her glasses and said in a serious tone, "What Mr. Wang said is correct. The marketing promotion part of this plan does have some similarities with a plan that was previously circulated in the company's internal emails."

Xiao Yue immediately understood that these two people had clearly planned this and deliberately set a trap for her. An internal company email? She had never seen such a thing as an "internal email," let alone a "similar plan."

Mr. Wang's expression darkened. He slammed the plan in his hand onto the table and said sternly, "Xiao Yue, do you have any explanation for this?"

Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to suppress the anger in her heart. She knew she couldn't panic at this moment. The more she felt at a time like this, the more she needed to remain calm. She raised her head and looked at Mr. Wang with a firm gaze. "Mr. Wang, I can guarantee that this plan is my original work. There is no plagiarism or reference in it."

"Oh? Really?" Colleague Wang sneered. "Then can you explain why this plan is so similar to the one that was previously circulated within the company?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, 'a plan circulating within the company,'" Xiao Yue met Wang's gaze without flinching. "I've never seen a so-called 'internal email,' let alone come across any similar plan. From market research to design, I wrote every word of this plan myself, and I analyzed every piece of data myself. I stand behind every word!"

"You're just quibbling!" Colleague Wang slammed the table, stood up, pointed at Xiao Yue's nose, and angrily shouted, "How could you, a newcomer to the company, complete such a complete plan independently? You clearly plagiarized someone else's idea, and you're still playing innocent here!"

"Enough!" President Wang hushed his colleague's rant. He rubbed his brow, looking a little exhausted. He looked at Xiao Yue, a hint of doubt in his tone: "Xiao Yue, you said you completed this plan independently. So, what was your inspiration? How did you come up with these ideas?"

Xiao Yue took a deep breath and was about to explain when she was interrupted by Secretary Zhao's sharp voice: "Boss Wang, I think she is just stalling for time and making up excuses!"

Secretary Zhao said as he picked up the plan on the table, flipped to one of the pages, pointed at a line of words on it, and said in a sharp tone: "Look, what is this? You said you wrote this plan yourself, then explain why the content here is exactly the same as the report submitted by the marketing department before?"

Xiao Yue's heart sank. She clearly remembered that she had never seen a marketing department report, let alone plagiarized it. She reached out to take the plan from Secretary Zhao, but he dodged her.

"What? I was right, and you're feeling guilty?" Secretary Zhao sneered as he handed the plan to President Wang. "President Wang, take a look for yourself. The evidence is irrefutable. What else is there to say?"

President Wang took the proposal and began to study it carefully. His brow furrowed ever deeper, and his expression grew increasingly gloomy. The atmosphere in the entire conference room seemed frozen, oppressive and suffocating.

Xiao Yue's heart sank bit by bit. She felt as if she was in a fog, unable to see the direction or find a way out.

At this moment, President Wang suddenly raised his head, looked at Xiao Yue sharply, and said slowly: "This plan..."

President Wang suddenly raised his head, looked at Xiao Yue sharply, and said slowly, "This plan...is ingeniously conceived and very innovative."

The conference room was completely silent. Everyone was stunned, especially Wang and Secretary Zhao, whose faces were filled with disbelief. Xiao Yue was also a little surprised, but she quickly calmed down and waited quietly for what Mr. Wang had to say.

"I know you have doubts," Mr. Wang said calmly, looking around. "I've also carefully reviewed the originality of this proposal. Xiao Yue, tell me, what was the source of your inspiration?"

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, calmed her excitement, and began to speak. "Mr. Wang, leaders, my inspiration comes from an in-depth analysis of the current market situation and a precise positioning of the target customer group. I spent a lot of time conducting market research and visited many target customers to understand their real needs and pain points..."

She calmly explained her thinking, from market analysis to solution design and specific implementation steps, each step clearly and logically explained. She also highlighted several innovative points and used data and case studies to demonstrate their feasibility and effectiveness.

The atmosphere in the conference room gradually changed. The initial suspicion and doubt gradually dissipated, replaced by appreciation and admiration. Several senior executives nodded frequently, expressing their recognition of Xiao Yue's professional ability and dedication.

Colleague Wang and Secretary Zhao's expressions became increasingly grim. They had originally thought they could use this opportunity to strike a blow against Xiao Yue, but unexpectedly, it allowed her to demonstrate her strength in front of the higher-ups.

After listening to Xiao Yue's explanation, President Wang nodded with satisfaction. "Very good, your explanation is very thorough. This plan is indeed very valuable and fully meets the strategic needs of our company."

He turned to look at the other senior executives and asked for their opinions: "Everyone, do you have any other opinions?"

Several senior executives expressed their agreement, with one senior executive even praising it: "This plan is one of the best I've seen in recent years. It's not only innovative but also highly feasible. I believe it will bring huge benefits to the company."

Mr. Wang looked at Xiao Yue again, with a hint of appreciation in his tone: "Xiao Yue, you did a great job. I admire your efforts and abilities."

Xiao Yue finally felt relieved, and she smiled with satisfaction: "Thank you, President Wang, and thank you all for your recognition."

Mr. Wang paused and continued, "The importance of this plan is self-evident. Next, you will be responsible for coordinating with Shen's Enterprise to ensure the smooth progress of the project."

Xiao Yue's heart trembled. Shen's Enterprise? Isn't that Shen Ting's company? She had never expected that she would cross paths with him again in this way.

"I understand, Mr. Wang. I will do my best to complete the task." Xiao Yue answered firmly.

After the meeting, Xiao Yue walked out, took a deep breath, and felt a long-lost sense of relief and joy. She had finally made her mark in the workplace, but she knew this was just the beginning. The partnership with Shen's Enterprise presented both an opportunity and a challenge.

She was about to turn around and leave when she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her: "Xiao Yue, congratulations."

She turned around and saw it was Manager Li. He had a complicated expression on his face, as if hesitant, or... fearful?

"Manager Li..." Xiao Yue started to speak, but Manager Li interrupted her.

"There's something I want to talk to you about..." He lowered his voice, his eyes flickering.

Xiao Yue looked at Manager Li with a little doubt. The workplace was like a battlefield. Her relationship with her immediate superior had always been lukewarm. His abnormal attitude today made her a little puzzled.

"Manager Li, just tell me what you want to say." Xiao Yue's tone was calm, with a hint of alienation.

Manager Li coughed lightly, concealing his inner uneasiness. He lowered his voice, a subtle hint of flattery in his tone, "Xiao Yue, you've just arrived at the company, and you've already been recognized by President Wang. Your future is limitless! I also didn't know you well enough before, and there were some misunderstandings..."

Xiao Yue sneered in her heart. Manager Li had previously turned a blind eye to what colleague Wang and Secretary Zhao did, but now that she saw that she was in power, she immediately changed her attitude. It was really ridiculous how realistic she was.

"Manager Li, you're too kind. I'm just doing my job." Xiao Yue spoke in a neither humble nor arrogant tone, and did not let down his guard because of Manager Li's change of attitude.

Manager Li saw Xiao Yue's refusal to budge, and a trace of embarrassment flashed across his face. He chuckled dryly and continued, "Xiao Yue, I know you're capable. This cooperation project with Shen's Enterprise requires you! Don't worry, I will fully support your work!"

Xiao Yue sneered even more in her heart. Manager Li had been making things difficult for her before, but now he said that he would fully support her. He changed his face faster than turning the pages of a book!

"Thank you, Manager Li. I will do my best." Xiao Yue responded indifferently, not wanting to waste words with him.

Manager Li felt even more uneasy when he saw Xiao Yue keeping her distance. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately, nothing came out. He gave Xiao Yue a deep look, then turned and left.

Watching Manager Li leave, Xiao Yue felt a mixture of emotions. She knew she still had a long way to go in her career. This success was just the beginning, and many challenges lay ahead. The upcoming collaboration project with Shen's Enterprise was especially stressful.

The next morning, Xiao Yue arrived at the Shen's Enterprise Building, filled with anticipation. Sunlight streamed through the glass curtain walls, illuminating the city's prosperity and dreams. She took a deep breath, calming her excitement and trepidation as she prepared to begin gathering information about potential collaborations.

At the appointed time, she arrived at the project docking department and found Manager Liu, who was in charge of the project. However, Manager Liu simply glanced at her and said in a cold tone, "Please wait in the reception room for a while. I have something else to do." After that, he lowered his head and continued to work on the task at hand.

Although Xiao Yue was puzzled, she nodded politely, found a seat in the reception room, and waited patiently. Time passed by, and the reception room was so quiet that only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard.

An hour has passed...

Two hours have passed...