113. Just a project

Ling Ling did not completely agree with Yu Chuanbei's point of view: "But, this job that I love gives me a sense of value. This feeling makes me confirm that I always have a skill. Even if I am denied in other aspects, I will still have a sense of security. This is something that is easily swayed by emotions. Love does not have it. Indeed, I feel very satisfied when I am cherished by you, but it is not enough. I am still a three-dimensional and complete person walking in society, so it is reasonable for my private time to be occasionally occupied by work." Seeing that he could not convince her, Yu Chuanbei had to say: "Well, okay, I hope you can really clarify the boundaries between work and life. Then I can only hope that your private time will be occupied by work 'occasionally' as you said." Ling Ling smiled ingratiatingly, kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear: "Next is our purely private time. I have just received education from President Yu, and now I want to go home and receive President Yu's caress. Is that possible?" Yu Chuanbei couldn't do anything with her. He frowned and pinched her chin as a punishment. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ling Ling had never imagined that after working tirelessly on the Aujet project for over a month, she wouldn't even make it past the initial screening. Upon hearing the news early in the morning at the office, she was overcome with frustration and lost in thought when Mei Xiao suddenly stood before her. She quickly stood up, expecting a barrage of reprimands, but to her surprise, Mei Xiao replied with a friendly smile, "It's okay, Ling Ling. This is our business, so whoever wins the bid wins." "Sister Mei, what do you mean?" she asked, puzzled. "How could you not know? It was Ever who won the bid for this project, and it's a three-year service contract. I think it's a bit presumptuous to call us just runners-up or cannon fodder. We've been waiting foolishly for the initial screening results all these days, and they've already finalized the contract." "You mean... Ever?" Ling Ling couldn't believe her ears. Mei Xiao spoke calmly, "Yes, Lingling. I've only heard fragmentary information, but I can already infer the full story. Yu Chuanbei, being a mid-level executive at Ever, should have foreseen the outcome from the start. I don't know the extent of your intelligence sharing. You'd better review whether you've violated your non-compete rules these days. I don't want our team to lose such a key player like you." With that, Mei Xiao feigned regret and left. Lingling stood there, absorbing the truth she had revealed. She didn't want to sit here like a fool and feel sorry for herself. She had to know the truth. From Yu...

Ling Ling, however, didn't completely agree with Yu Chuanbei's point of view: "But, this job I love gives me a sense of value. This feeling confirms that I still have a skill. Even if I'm denied in other aspects, I still have a sense of security. This is something that is easily swayed by emotions in love that is lacking. It's true that I feel very satisfied when you cherish me, but it's not enough. I am still a three-dimensional and complete person walking in society, so it's reasonable for my personal time to be occasionally occupied by work."

Seeing he couldn't convince her, Yu Chuanbei said, "Well, okay, I hope you can really clarify the boundaries between work and life. Then I can only hope that work will take up some of your personal time, as you just said, 'occasionally.'"

Ling Ling smiled flatteringly, kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear: "From now on, it's our pure private time. I just received Mr. Yu's education, and now I want to go home and receive Mr. Yu's caress. Is that possible?"

Yu Chuanbei couldn't do anything with her, so he frowned and pinched her chin as a punishment.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ling Ling never expected that after working on the Aojie project day and night for more than a month, she still couldn't even pass the initial screening.

After hearing the news early in the morning at the company, she was feeling deeply frustrated and was dazed in her office when Mei Xiao suddenly stood in front of her. She quickly stood up, expecting a beating, but to her surprise, Mei Xiao said kindly, "It's okay, Lingling. This is our business, so whoever wins the bid doesn't win."

"Sister Mei, what do you mean?" She was confused.

"How could you not know? It was Eivor who won the bid for this project, and they signed a three-year service contract. I think calling us just runners-up or cannon fodder is a bit presumptuous. We've been waiting foolishly for the preliminary screening results these days, while they've already finalized the contract."

"You said...Ever?" Ling Ling couldn't believe her ears.

Mei Xiao said calmly, "Yes, Lingling. I've only heard fragmentary information, but I can already infer the full picture. Yu Chuanbei, being a mid-level executive at Ever, should have foreseen the outcome from the beginning. I don't know to what extent you two have exchanged intelligence. You'd better review whether you have done anything beyond the scope of your non-compete clause these days. I don't want our team to lose such a key player like you."

After saying that, Mei Xiao pretended to be regretful and left. Ling Ling stood there, digesting the truth she had said over and over again.

She didn't want to sit here and wallow in self-pity like a fool. She had to know the truth, the truth from Yu Chuanbei's mouth! She stormed out of her office, crossed the corridor, and headed across to Eivor, but at the door, she hesitated. This was, after all, a public space between the two companies; she shouldn't act drastically. Although their offices were on the same floor, they had previously agreed not to engage in any intimate behavior in public areas. Furthermore, Mei Xiao's words had already hinted at another meaning: Tuo Wu's defeat gave her every reason to suspect Ling Ling of leaking information to Yu Chuanbei.

She walked to the corner, called his cell phone, and asked only one question: "Where are you now?"

It seemed Yu Chuanbei knew everything. He hadn't gone to work that morning, waiting for her at home. He must have anticipated an unseemly scene, one that wouldn't be visible downstairs at the office or in a coffee shop, unless it were at home. He truly was a considerate man.

Ling Ling entered the house and saw him standing in the middle of the living room, waiting for her in a stable manner.

"You always knew that Aojie would choose Ever instead of Tuo Wu this time, right?" Ling Ling walked up to him and questioned him with her head raised.

"Yes. Aojie and Ever have always had business dealings overseas, and their business scope can cover this project, so it is in line with business rules not to use the bidding method this time. Tuowu is just a second-rate advertising company in China, and it has been impossible for it to win any cases related to Aojie in the past two years." His calmness at the moment stimulated her anger even more.

Her voice was trembling, but she didn't want to cry like a loser. "So you knew I hadn't eaten, drunk, or slept all day, and was being played like a fool, but you didn't want to remind me at all?"

"I've warned you many times that this project isn't worth the effort, but you insisted on going your own way. In fact, the announcement issued by Aojie isn't a bidding in the strict sense of the word; it's just a solicitation of opinions for an industry publicity campaign. It was Mei Xiao who hid it from you. The contract between our company and Aojie is still confidential, so I can't reveal it to you under any circumstances."

Yu Chuanbei's calmness made Ling Ling feel that she was being unreasonable. "It's just a project, and you hid it from me so harshly."

"Yes, this is just a project. Whether it succeeds or fails, it's just a project. It has no right to destroy our relationship!"

Hearing Yu Chuanbei say this, she just thought it was asshole logic. It was enough for her to know the truth and she didn't want to make a fuss anymore, otherwise it would only make her look ignorant.

Ling Ling gave up the argument dejectedly and turned around to go back to the company.

Yu Chuanbei stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and said in a sad voice, "Ling, I've had it no harder than you these days. I know the truth but I can't tell you. I knew Mei Xiao was trying to alienate us but I couldn't clearly warn you. I'm sad too. But I think this is just a project and it shouldn't affect us. I believe that once you know the truth and calm down, you'll understand me."

Ling Ling shook off his hand and said weakly, "I already understand you. Thank you for teaching me another lesson."

Ling Ling returned to the company and sat on a chair to clear her mind. She didn't know what she should do now to avoid looking like a joke.

Bai Yihuan suddenly came over to tell her to go to the CEO's office. Looking at Bai Yihuan's malicious expression, it didn't seem like a good thing.

She walked into Fang Tuowu's office with trepidation and saw him sitting upright at the desk in the middle, while Mei Xiao was sitting on the sofa beside him with his legs crossed, playing with his phone.

"Sit down." Fang Tuowu gestured for her to sit on the chair opposite.

Ling Ling sat down politely and felt that the atmosphere in the office was a bit weird.

Fang Tuowu spoke first, "Lingling, I've seen you've been working very hard on the Aojie project recently. Thank you for your hard work."

Ling Ling quickly stood up and responded, "No, Mr. Fang, this is what I should do. But it's a pity that I didn't win the bid and couldn't contribute to the company."

"Then do you know which company won the bid?" Fang Tuowu asked.

Before answering his question, Ling Ling looked at Mei Xiao, hoping to get some hints, guidance and help from her, but she seemed to be detached from everything that was happening in the room. She was completely immersed in her mobile phone, swiping the screen gracefully.

Ling Ling swallowed and told the truth, "Ever won the bid. My boyfriend, Yu Chuanbei, works as the Director of Data Analysis at Ever. But until Sister Mei told me the result today, I was completely unaware of it and didn't reveal any project details to him."

"But you told him that our company is bidding for Aojie's project, right?" Fang Tuowu asked expressionlessly.

"Yes." Ling Ling admitted.

Fang Tuowu continued to ask: "Then how do you explain it?"

Ling Ling didn't know how to explain herself away, so she said, "I don't have the ability or energy to come up with a perfect explanation right now. I can only tell the truth. Over the past two months, I've indeed told my boyfriend more than once that I'm desperately preparing for the project that Aojie is bidding for, but I had no idea that their company was a competitor. After Sister Mei told me the truth today, I just had a fight with him. He said, 'Aojie and Evergreen have long-standing business dealings overseas, and their scope of business covers this project, so not resorting to a bidding process is in line with business rules. Tuowu is only a second-rate domestic advertising agency and hasn't been able to win any projects related to Aojie in the past two years. This announcement from Aojie isn't a bidding process in the strict sense of the word, but simply a solicitation of opinions for an industry promotional campaign. And the contract between Evergreen and Aojie was still confidential, so he couldn't reveal it to me under any circumstances.' So, Mr. Fang, I suggest you take a closer look at Aojie's offer to us."

"So - you agree with Yu Chuanbei's explanation?" Fang Tuowu asked back.

"I don't agree with his statement that 'Tuowu is just a second-rate advertising company in China.'"

After hearing Ling Ling say this, Fang Tuowu showed a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

Ling Ling glanced at Mei Xiao again and saw that Mei Xiao had stopped scrolling. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes stared back at her, brimming with undisguised anger. At that moment, she knew she had done the right thing.

"I understand. You can go back to work first." Fang Tuowu said in a steady voice.