Chapter 33

Logically, since the contract has already been signed, the purpose of this online meeting is simply to determine the direction and theme of the event, and once an agreement is reached, subsequent work can begin.

Shi Xiyu estimated that the meeting would last no more than one hour.

With a clear product, clear objectives, and aligned interests, the direction should be finalized quickly, and the work should commence successfully.

A morning passed, and Shi Xiyu and Xiao Qiao were still unable to log out of the online meeting room.

The online meeting lasted for three hours.

This matter has already been relayed from the marketing department to the operations department.

The message also reached Chu Muchao's ears.

"Are they out of their mind? Do they really think they're the client? We have the backing of the MZ Group, so collaborating with us is a win-win situation for them!"

"What I'm concerned about is that this collaboration has only just begun, and we're already doing the planning and the results... I can't imagine what we'll do if we have to work several all-nighters to produce five or six proposals only to have them rejected, or if we have to revise the drawings sixteen or seventeen times without getting them approved..."

"What I suspect is that the other party approached our company for the collaboration, so how did we become the client when signing the contract? And why is it that our company is responsible for the planning and funding, but ultimately has to bear all the profits and losses? What benefit do we get from this event?"

"Isn't this just like a pro player paying to be a gaming companion or booster?"

“Investigate it. I suspect that company is giving Ah Dong kickbacks.”

"Hahaha……"

"Don't laugh, I genuinely have my doubts!"

Chu Muchao leaned against the window, listening to their speculations.

It turned out that she wasn't the only one who found it strange; everyone else did too.

Then everyone's guess must be correct.

Chu Muchao: System, what do you think?

Yes, that's true. Ah Dong and the event coordinator from the other company do have a very good relationship.

Chu Muchao: Tsk.

Chu Muchao: It's a pity that the person who decided to do the joint activity and signed it was also our company's general manager. It's all in black and white, so it's not easy to handle.

【^-^ Congratulations, Miss Mu Mu, you've learned how to answer questions quickly!】

That Ah Dong is really annoying.

Even though the person is leaving, they still leave the company with a problem.

-

At noon, Chu Muchao deliberately went to the marketing department's office early, intending to run into Shi Xiyu by chance and ask if there was anything he could do to help her.

Chu Muchao waited in the corridor for a while, and several colleagues from the marketing department came out one after another, but he still couldn't see Shi Xiyu.

I couldn't resist and just went to find it.

As Chu Muchao entered the office, he immediately saw Shi Xiyu sitting in front of the computer, frowning and deep in thought.

There were a few people in the office, and when they saw Chu Muchao, they eagerly went up to him to strike up a conversation.

"Miss Chu... are you here to see someone?"

"Are you going upstairs for dinner today? Or would you like to eat with us at a nearby restaurant?"

Chu Muchao shook his head: "No, I'll come over later."

Following Chu Muchao's gaze, the group immediately understood who she was looking for and explained the current situation.

“The project is difficult to advance. No matter what idea we put forward, the other party can find strange and particularly tricky points to refute it. But when we ask about their willingness, they say that everything is up to us and that we have relevant experience.”

"Sigh, they're obviously trying to drag it out. But what's strange is that their company has already promoted this event in advance, and many people know that the collaboration will be launched in the middle of next month, yet they don't seem to be in a hurry."

Chu Muchao nodded: "So this is a temporary break, and the meeting will continue this afternoon?"

"No. They've closed it. They said it's hard to explain over voice chat, and they want us to come to their company at a time to discuss it in person."

Chu Muchao pursed his lips and went around to the private elevator at the back.

This is just setting the theme.

In fact, it can't even be considered the first formal step in visiting an exhibition.

-

Go up to the top floor.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, two people approached them.

Wu Mi, who came to pick up Chu Muchao, was instead pushed to the back by the two of them.

"Miss Chu, you've arrived? I'll go to your office, Mr. Chu has already gone back to his office to wait for you to have lunch together."

Chu Muchao had some recollection of the most attentive person.

I stared at his face for two seconds and confirmed it.

This person was the assistant who told her to ask Chu Wen before making a decision when she inquired about the group's interference in the recruitment process.

Chu Muchao walked past him and stood in front of Wu Mi.

Wu Mi immediately understood: "Miss Chu, this way please."

Once inside the office, Chu Wen was still sitting at his desk, busy with work.

Hearing the door close, it took him a while to look up. His gaze quickly locked onto Chu Muchao behind him, and he pursed his lips before speaking.

"I'm a bit busy right now, you eat first, don't wait for me."

"What are you busy with?"

Chu Muchao was somewhat displeased.

She sat down on the sofa, crossed her legs, and rested her chin on her hand, looking at Chu Wen.

After a few minutes, Chu Wen sighed, put down the documents in his hand, and pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers to relax it.

"It's alright, it'll be taken care of soon."

Chu Wen glanced up and saw Chu Muchao's pouting lips, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Don't be upset, it's just some trivial matter, nothing serious, just a bit of a hassle. I didn't mean to hide it from you."

Chu Muchao was fairly satisfied with this answer.

"Alright, let's eat together when you're done with your work."

At the same time as her voice rang out, the system's gentle voice also rang out.

He's hiding something from you, Miss Mu Mu. Would you like to know?

Chu Muchao: ...You came out so suddenly, you startled me.

"You...clingy little girl. Fine, we'll stop now and eat together."

Chu Wen reluctantly got up and looked up to see Chu Muchao trembling, as if he had been frightened.

"What's wrong?" Chu Wen asked, frowning.

"It's okay, it's okay." Chu Muchao waved to him, "Brother, come here quickly, help me get the chopsticks."

Chu Wen chuckled, a hint of tenderness appearing in his usually cold eyes.

"Um."

He actually...

Chu Muchao: I'm not listening, I'm not listening. He said he'd tell me himself. He already said it's too much trouble, I don't want to listen, it's annoying to me anyway. I want to be happy and cheerful, nothing can affect my mood.

【^-^ Okay, have a nice lunch, Miss Mumu.】

Chu Muchao had absolutely no interest in Chu Wen's troubles.

The only thing that can annoy a workaholic is work itself.

*

The next day, Chu Muchao heard that Shi Xiyu had taken Xiaoqiao to the other party's company.

This time, as they said, face-to-face communication was indeed very quick.

In the same morning, we finally finalized the theme and direction, and could start planning.

Xiaoqiao organized the requirements according to the process, wrote an email, and sent it to the leaders of each department, as well as everyone in the operations department.

After receiving the email, Xia Ling spoke with the leaders of both groups and decided to entrust the event planning to Jiang Lan's group.

Chu Mu Chao's Group B cheered in unison.

"Very good!"

"Thank goodness it wasn't our group, that's great! Thank you, Jiang Jiang!"

Jiang Lan was so angry that she couldn't speak for a long time.

God knows! She didn't intend to steal this event! How did it end up being directed at them?!

-

The people in Group A are in charge of planning this event, and the colleagues in Group B can relax for a few days after finishing their work.

After finishing her only project, Chu Muchao returned to her leisurely, carefree life.

I'm so bored. I don't know how many days it's been since I used magic.

She really wanted to eat something delicious, something completely different from the bland and nutritious food at home!

Who can cause her some trouble?

well……

[This is really troublesome. Miss Mu is probably going to complain and be unhappy again.]

Chu Muchao: Tsk.

【^-^】

But trouble soon followed.

One day, Chu Muchao was passing by the tea room when he overheard some quiet gossip coming from inside.

"She actually became someone's mistress? Tsk tsk, you can't judge a book by its cover. She looked like a high-class beauty, but I never expected her to be such a bad person!"

"Shh, keep your voice down."

"What, is she someone the young lady also personally asked the big boss to get?"

"I don't know, I heard that we were all notified to come for interviews at the same time."

"I heard it's like this..."

They were talking about Xia Ling.

Chu Muchao confirmed it.

"It's said that her boyfriend got her a job at the company through an internal referral, but she wasn't satisfied and wanted a higher position. However, her boyfriend's girlfriend found out and kicked her out."

"Do you guys know who her ex-girlfriend was? She was the daughter of their company's boss!"

"Whoa—"

But why are these kinds of comments being spread?

If they hadn't been shopping and happened to see Xia Ling catching her cheating boyfriend, no one would have been able to judge what she was saying; she made it sound so convincing.

Chu Muchao carried the fruit platter he had just brought down from upstairs, walked in with a smile, and greeted the people inside.

"Hi, chatting?"

The people inside who were gossiping immediately shut up and gave awkward laughs.

"We didn't talk, we didn't talk."

"I'm off, I'm off. Sigh, I've been too busy lately."

Among these gossipy people, Jiang Lan happened to be one of them.

Chu Muchao's sixth sense told her that although Jiang Lan loved gossip and always liked to inquire about other people's gossip and private matters, this time was different.

Chu Muchao: System, system, I want to use magic.

【Um? 】

Chu Muchao: Can magic be used even when there are no problems?

【Miss Mu Mu could give it a try.】

Chu Muchao took out the black pen with the magic contract from his pocket.

Silently recite the transformation spell in your mind.

—The truth that cannot be escaped.

No matter what I ask, I require Jiang Lan to answer me with the truth.

[Successfully used the magic skill "The Inescapable Truth".]

Skill proficiency +20, Magic Points +20.

After seeing a glint of gold in Jiang Lan's eyes.

Chu Muchao asked directly, "Where did you hear this gossip from?"

Jiang Lan replied, "It happened during a break in an online voice conference with the client. They didn't mute their microphone, and I heard it from someone on their end, but I don't know who it was."

Chu Muchao: "Is there any other information? Is it a man or a woman? What impression do you have of this person based on their voice?"

Jiang Lan replied, "Woman, I have no other impression. She has never attended a communication meeting before, this is the first time I've heard of her."

That's really strange.

According to her resume, Xia Ling's previous company was not the company she was working with this time, so such dirty rumors shouldn't be coming from there.