To the best team at "North Star Light"

The next few days flew by in a mix of leisure and fun.

Day 4.

The group explored the rainforest hiking trails on the resort island, breathing in the fresh air and learning about various unique plants. Cui Xuyue was particularly amazed by a huge buttress tree.

The fifth day.

They rented bicycles and rode along the coastline, feeling the free sea breeze, discovering several secluded and beautiful bays, and taking countless group photos. In the evening, they enjoyed a local seafood barbecue feast, savoring the sunset and beer – pure bliss.

The sixth day.

Some people chose to go deep-sea diving to explore the underwater world more deeply; others opted for a spa massage to completely relax their bodies after days of playing.

Meng Yihe chose the latter.

Cui Yu accompanied Cui Xuyue on another snorkeling trip.

Before we knew it, it was the seventh day, the last day of the holiday.

Everyone unanimously chose the most relaxing way to spend the time—lying lazily on beach chairs, enjoying the last rays of sunshine, sea breeze, and the boundless blue sky.

Xu Rui and Wu Hao plunged into the sea for the last time; Lin Xueyue and Shen Xinyi read quietly, occasionally glancing up at the sea; Zhao Lei and Gao Yuan sorted through the massive amount of photos and videos they had taken over the past few days; Cui Xuyue was intently building a grand "castle" on the beach, trying to finish it before leaving.

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe lay side by side under the parasol, looking at the familiar yet soon-to-be-gone scenery.

Over the course of a few days, Meng Yihe's coldness seemed to have melted away considerably with the sunshine and sea breeze. Although she still didn't talk much, her brows had relaxed considerably.

"I'm going back tomorrow," Cui Yu said with a sigh, taking a sip of his iced drink.

"Hmm." Meng Yihe responded, his gaze still fixed on the shimmering sea ahead. After a brief silence, he unusually added, "These past few days have been pretty good."

It's quite rare to receive such a compliment from him.

As the sun began to slowly sink in the west, it dyed the sky and the sea into a magnificent golden-red hue. Everyone stopped and looked up at this breathtaking view, immersing themselves in this final, ultimate beauty.

The holiday seemed to reach its perfect climax at this moment, foreshadowing its impending end.

Tomorrow, they will return to the city, back to their busy work and the challenging "North Star Light." But this moment of warmth, relaxation, and the quietly shortened distance between them will become a precious reserve in their hearts, supporting them to face everything in the future.

The sun eventually sank below the sea level, leaving only a magnificent afterglow on the horizon.

The holiday is over.

The first day back at work wasn't as difficult as I'd imagined. Perhaps it was the lingering sense of relaxation from the holiday, or perhaps it was a greater sense of closeness to the team I'd worked with. Although the office atmosphere was busy, it exuded an efficient and harmonious tacit understanding.

Just as it was time to leave work, Zhao Lei suddenly stood up, clapped his hands, and attracted everyone's attention: "Everyone! Don't rush off! Something good is coming!"

Everyone looked over curiously and saw Zhao Lei connecting to the projector in the conference room, a mysterious yet excited smile on his face.

"I've organized all the photos and videos from our vacation!" he announced loudly.

"Sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone, let's all look back together?"

"Wow! We have to watch this!" Xu Rui was the first to jump up and respond.

"Quickly put it down!" The others laughed and echoed, stopping their packing and curiously gathering around.

The lights dimmed, and the projection screen began playing videos and photos that Zhao Lei had carefully edited.

At the water park, Xu Rui screamed and ran down the slide, while Wu Hao stood to the side, his face showing a mixture of disgust and amusement.

While snorkeling, a group of colorful little fish swam past the camera, behind which were half of Lin Xueyue and Shen Xinyi's surprised faces.

On the beach at sunset, people held sparklers, their smiles shining despite the blurred light and shadows.

In the surfing pool, Meng Yihe's slightly stiff but extremely serious figure as she successfully stood on the surfboard for the first time, and the slow-motion replay of her falling into the water the next second.

This instantly triggered a burst of laughter from the entire audience.

Only Meng Yihe didn't laugh.

His lips twitched very slightly, and he then looked away somewhat awkwardly, but he wasn't angry.

A close-up of the crooked sandcastle that Cui Xuyue built.

There are also group photos, funny snapshots, and beautiful scenery photos.

Every time an embarrassing or funny photo appears, the office erupts in laughter and groans.

"Zhao Lei! Delete that one! It's too ugly!"

"Haha, Haozi, your expression was absolutely priceless!"

Wow, this picture is beautiful! Send it to me! Send it to me!

At the end of the video, there are silhouettes of everyone's backs against the setting sun, facing the shimmering sea, and the screen displays the words: "To the best team at 'North Star Light' - Happy Holidays!"

The lights came on.

Everyone was still having a great time, laughing and joking with each other, discussing which photo was the funniest and whose embarrassing past was the most.

"How about it? My skills as a photographer and editor are pretty good, right?" Zhao Lei raised his eyebrows smugly.

"Awesome!" Xu Rui led the applause.

Everyone laughed and clapped along.

Zhao Lei sent a copy of the video to everyone. This trip not only relaxed their minds and bodies, but also brought these comrades who had shared both pressure and joy closer together.

Everyone chatted and laughed as they left the office one after another.

On the afternoon of their second day back at work, Cui Yu and Meng Yihe were summoned to the CEO's office together.

The two arrived at the office together.

The CEO's expression didn't seem like a simple commendation for the success of "Beichen Zhiguang"; instead, it carried a heavy, solemn weight.

"Sit down," the CEO gestured, getting straight to the point.

“‘North Star Light’ did an excellent job, proving your and your team’s ability to fight tough battles. Now, there is a challenging task that requires your immediate attention.”

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe exchanged a glance, both seeing wariness and focus in each other's eyes.

They knew that their relaxing vacation was completely over.

The CEO pushed a thick document in front of them, the cover of which bore the name of another subsidiary – “Xinghai Technology”.

"You may have heard of Xinghai Technology. It's a high-tech materials research and development company that our group acquired three years ago, and it was once highly regarded."

The CEO's tone was somber.

"But now, it's become a huge mess."

He paused, then listed the problems one by one, each one like a heavy stone: "The core R&D team has suffered a serious loss of personnel. In the past year, nearly half of the key members have left, taking with them unfinished technologies. The R&D direction is chaotic, burning through a lot of the group's funds, but several key projects have been unable to break through key technological bottlenecks and have no commercial prospects. Internal management is chaotic, morale is low, and the remaining employees are filled with anxiety."

“What’s worse,” the CEO’s voice grew even more somber, “we suspect that its current general manager may have serious financial problems and misconduct, and may even be involved in technology leaks, but there is no conclusive evidence at present.”

"Therefore, the board of directors has decided that the two of you will form a temporary management team and be directly parachuted into 'Xinghai Technology'."

"Cui Yu, you are responsible for the overall restructuring of operations, auditing finances, and stabilizing morale. Meng Yihe, you are responsible for evaluating all R&D projects, deciding which ones to cut, which ones to keep, and where to go in the future."

"I need you to provide me with a detailed assessment report and restructuring plan within a week. Within three months, I want to see the chaos at 'Starsea' completely contained and back on track."

"This is not a request, it's an order." The CEO's tone left no room for argument.

"This is harder than building a new project; it's rebuilding from ruins. Tell me, can you do it?"

The office was silent, with only the faint noise of the city outside the window.

This is undoubtedly a hot potato.

One wrong move and they could get covered in mud, which could even affect all their previous achievements in this arduous task.

Cui Yu took a deep breath, the usual relaxed smile on his face disappeared, and he looked at Meng Yihe.

Meng Yihe's gaze was equally cold and focused as he nodded to Cui Yu.

Cui Yu turned around and met the CEO's gaze, his voice clear and firm: "Understood, we'll take over."

Meng Yihe added succinctly, "I will give you a preliminary report in a week."

The CEO finally showed a satisfied expression: "Very good. Report directly to me what resources you need. From now on, 'Xinghai Technology' is yours."

Outside the conference room.

“It seems,” Cui Yu said, waving the documents in his hand, “that the real battle is just beginning.”

Meng Yihe's gaze had already fallen on the first page of the document, and she said coldly, "Go to 'Star Sea' first, now."

Without a moment's delay, Cui Yu and Meng Yihe drove directly to the park where "Xinghai Technology" was located.

The atmosphere inside the car was heavy and quiet.

Cui Yu quickly flipped through the heavy document the CEO had given him, his brow furrowing deeper with each page. The problems revealed in the document were far more alarming than anything described verbally: ambiguities in finance, significant loopholes in R&D projects, and doubts surrounding the ownership of core patents…

He explained the general details of the document to Meng Yihe, who was driving.

The Xinghai Technology Park is located in the city's high-tech development zone, a stark contrast to the bustling core area where Beichen Light is situated. The buildings here are newer and the layout is more orderly, but at this moment, there is an inexplicable sense of silence.

The security guard at the entrance seemed a bit listless, and the registration process was dragging on.

After parking the car, the two walked into the main office building.

The lobby was fairly bright, yet it inexplicably gave off a feeling of emptiness and lack of human presence.

The girl behind the counter was looking down at her phone. She only stood up hurriedly when they approached, her face showing a hint of panic and uncertainty.

"May I ask who you two are looking for?" Her voice was somewhat timid.

"We're looking for the general manager's office." Cui Yu showed his company ID, his tone calm but authoritative.

The receptionist's expression changed slightly when she saw the job title and company affiliation on the ID, and she became even more nervous: "Please...please wait a moment, I'll inform General Manager Liu..."

She began frantically dialing the internal phone line.

While waiting, Meng Yihe's sharp gaze swept across the entire lobby. The leaves of a potted plant were turning yellow and withered, and the promotional display board in the corner still showed technological achievements from a year ago, covered with a thin layer of dust.

An atmosphere of lethargy and decadence permeated the air.

The call seemed to have connected. The receptionist spoke quickly in a low voice, her tone respectful yet nervous. After a while, she put down the phone and said cautiously, "Mr. Liu would like to invite you both upstairs. His office is on the fifth floor, at the very back."

Neither of them spoke as the elevator ascended.

The advertising screens inside the elevator were still playing outdated company promotional videos, creating an ironic contrast with the scene before them. The fifth-floor corridor was eerily quiet; one could hardly hear the sounds of telephones, discussions, or keyboards that one would expect in an office setting. Only the footsteps of the two of them echoed in the empty corridor.

The door to the general manager's office was ajar.

Cui Yu knocked on the door and then pushed it open.

A man who looked to be around fifty years old, slightly overweight, with slicked-back hair but a glint in his eyes, immediately stood up from behind his desk, forcing a warm but barely concealed smile: "Oh, Director Cui, Director Meng! Welcome, welcome! What brings you here so suddenly? You didn't even give me a heads-up so I could have come down to greet you!"

He is Liu Ye, the current general manager of Xinghai Technology.

Cui Yu put on a business-like smile and shook hands with him: "Mr. Liu, you're too kind. The group arranged for us to come and understand the situation at the last minute. There's no need to make such a fuss."

His gaze swept casually across the office, noticing that apart from a teacup and a cell phone, there weren't many documents on the desk, and the computer screen was dark.

Meng Yihe merely nodded slightly as a greeting. His gaze, however, fell more directly on the dusty trophies on the bookshelf and the overly exaggerated performance growth chart on the wall.

He recalled Cui Yu's summary of the documents, which stated that actual performance had declined during that period.

"Want to know the situation? Great, great!"

Liu Ye's smile was a little stiff. He quickly invited them to sit down and personally went to pour tea.

"I wonder what aspect you two would like to know? Although Xinghai is not a large company, we have always worked diligently to contribute to the group..."

Cui Yu took the teacup but didn't drink it.

He simply placed the teacup on the table, his smile unchanged, but his tone carried an undeniable pressure: "We want to understand everything, especially the progress of several key R&D projects, as well as the current operational status of the company. Please arrange, Mr. Liu, that we need to review the original data of all projects, financial statements, and the employment contracts and confidentiality agreements of key personnel."

With each item he mentioned, Liu Ye's smile froze a little more, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead.

"Is it... in such a hurry? Some documents need time to be organized..."

Liu Ye tried to stall.

"Start organizing now," Meng Yihe's cold voice rang out.

"We'll wait here. Also, inform all department heads to assemble in the conference room in one hour."

Looking at the two powerful and clearly hostile imperial envoys from the group, Liu Ye's smile finally vanished, replaced by panic and feigned composure.

"Okay...okay, I'll go arrange it right away..."

Liu Ye almost staggered to his desk, his hand trembling slightly as he picked up the phone. He practically used both hands and feet to make the call, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly, as he incoherently gave instructions on preparing materials and announcing a meeting to the person on the other end of the line.

He would occasionally glance out of the corner of his eye at the two composed yet imposing "imperial envoys" on the sofa, wiping the sweat from his brow again and again.

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe did not urge them, but simply sat quietly.

Cui Yu casually surveyed the office layout and decor. Meng Yihe, on the other hand, picked up the document, scanned the key data, and silently compared it with everything she saw before her.

An hour later, in a slightly old-fashioned medium-sized conference room.

All the department heads of Xinghai Technology gathered together with trepidation.

Unease and speculation were written on everyone's faces. They whispered among themselves, discussing the two young but imposing directors that the group had suddenly sent.

Liu Yeqiang calmly sat in the main seat and attempted to introduce them: "Everyone, this is Director Cui from the Group's Operations Department, and this is Director Meng from the Strategy Department. They are here today to..."

Cui Yu interrupted him with a smile, taking over the conversation directly. Her voice was clear and steady, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone, I'm Cui Yu, and this is Meng Yihe. We've been assigned by the group to temporarily take over the management of 'Xinghai Technology' starting today. Our sole purpose is to clarify the problems, find a way out, and get Xinghai back on track," Cui Yu said, getting straight to the point.

A suppressed gasp rose from below.

Meng Yihe continued, without any preamble: "Next, I need the R&D department, finance department, human resources department, and project department to report separately in turn, starting now. The R&D department will stay here for now; everyone else, the meeting is adjourned, and we will await further notice."