Chapter 52
On Monday, after the party ended, Lin Ting received a new task in Zhang Ying's office: a limited edition series was added to the winter collection—a series exclusively for Chen Zhiyi. To put it simply, she had to design clothes for Chen Zhiyi, and the team specifically requested that Lin Ting be in charge.
The reason is simple: he felt it was fate that he was chosen to dance with Lin Ting at the party, and he likes to collaborate with people he feels a connection with.
But Lin understood clearly that these were all excuses. No wonder he told her after the dance, "We'll see each other every day from now on." It turned out he had already planned it all along.
"I'm sorry, boss, I don't think I'm capable. Can you find someone else? There are many people in the department who are more capable than me." Lin Ting refused directly.
"You don't need to underestimate yourself. I know your abilities. Although you are the design assistant in the pants design group, you are actually the lead designer. And since you joined, the sales data for pants has been very good. I can see all of that."
"And do you know why we made an exception and hired you?"
This was also a major question in Lin Ting's mind. When she was in trouble, M Group extended an olive branch to her, so she was grateful and worked diligently and conscientiously all these years working here.
“I was also there at the design competition where you won the championship, but I didn’t make it to the finals. I was very arrogant back then and confident in my designs, but I didn’t expect to be eliminated in the semi-finals. So I was very unwilling to accept it. I wanted to know what kind of work could win the championship, so I went to the event. When I saw your design, I was completely convinced.”
“I don’t know why you only received your graduation certificate and not your degree certificate, but that’s not my concern. I always believe in ability, so I hired you despite the opposition during the interview. Of course, you didn’t disappoint me. In a market where everyone is copying each other in a fast-paced culture, you still insist on original design, which I really admire.”
Lin Ting suddenly realized that when she interviewed for M Group, the company was at the peak of the industry, and only graduates from prestigious universities were recruited through campus recruitment. The design department even required overseas backgrounds, neither of which Lin Ting had, but she still ended up joining M Group along with the best of the best.
In the eyes of others, Lin Ting was not qualified to work with them, so they disliked her. Only Song Xiaolei was willing to associate with her, and their friendship began from there. Lin Ting didn't care about being ostracized by her fellow college graduates; she focused on her work, studying diligently and working hard with almost no way out.
Zhang Ying saw all of this and always gave Lin Ting affirmative and encouraging looks. She was also willing to give her more opportunities to show herself, and Lin Ting always accepted them.
As a result, many people said behind Zhang Ying's back that Zhang Ying and Lin Ting were related.
What could be the connection?
It's simply that a person who recognizes talent is willing to give a chance to someone who is talented, hardworking, but lacks connections.
In this world where relationships are paramount, Zhang Ying still believes that ability is the most powerful weapon for gaining power.
So in the end, only Lin Ting and Song Xiaolei remained from this batch of college graduates; the others either resigned or were eliminated.
"Actually, with your performance data and abilities, you are fully capable of being promoted to the position of category lead designer. It's just that you're lacking in education. This is a good opportunity. If you successfully complete the task, I will apply to the president for an exceptional promotion to lead designer. As for the salary and benefits of a lead designer, you should know."
These conditions were extremely tempting to Lin Ting. In the design department of M Group, the hierarchy from bottom to top was: assistant designer, designer, and chief designer. It was a position earned through seniority and performance. There were only four chief designers in the entire design department of more than 30 people. Even his mentor, Lu Fan, who was in charge of one product category, was only a designer. The chief designer's level was equivalent to a manager, with an annual salary of six figures after tax, and the year-end bonus could be equivalent to an assistant's annual salary.
The key is that he has a lot of say in his own work, and he will join the curtain call after the annual order fair and the models walk the runway. He can stand in front of the stage so that others can see him when they see his work, instead of watching his work become a wedding dress for others to be cheered and applauded backstage.
Zhang Ying noticed Lin Ting's interest and hesitation, and wanted to add fuel to the fire, "I know your family situation. If you become the main host, I believe it won't be long before you can buy a small apartment in Haishi, and you can bring your mother to live with you, making it easier for you to take care of her. You can also schedule an appointment with a specialist to perform surgery on her as soon as possible. Haishi's overall medical level is among the best in the country."
Yes, she couldn't refuse now. Economic base determines superstructure, and this was her only and most likely opportunity to achieve upward social mobility. She shouldn't miss it because of other things.
Five years ago, she could remain clear-headed and independent; five years later, she still can.
Zhang Ying didn't say anything, but wrote down an address and phone number in her notebook, then turned the notebook to Lin Ting, "If you've figured it out, take the design draft to this address in three days to finalize the design plan with Chen Zhiyi's team."
Driven by self-interest and reality, Lin Ting finally tore up the paper and returned to his seat.
As soon as she sat down, Song Xiaolei leaned over and asked, "What did the boss want to see you about?"
Before Lin Ting could speak, Zhang Ying came out of the office, clapping her hands to signal everyone to put down their work and listen to her. "There's something I need to tell you all. A new series has been added to the winter collection. It's a limited edition in collaboration with Chen Zhiyi. The company has appointed Lin Ting as the main person in charge of this series. Please cooperate with her to finalize the design as soon as possible and send it to the factory for mass production. The company's upper management attaches great importance to this matter, so please make sure to provide all necessary support."
"One more thing, since this work arrangement was decided by the higher-ups, we can only obey. Even if we are dissatisfied, we have to swallow our anger and fully cooperate with Lin Ting's work. If I find out that anyone is deliberately delaying things, let me make it clear from the beginning, they will be severely punished."
It's obvious that this is to support Lin Ting.
"Congratulations, Lin Ting! Your design talent should have been discovered long ago." Song Xiaolei was genuinely happy for her.
Even Lu Fan came over and patted her on the shoulder to encourage her, saying, "Keep it up, my disciple. I'm very pleased."
Lin Ting smiled and said, "I'll do my best!"
Just then, a sarcastic voice rang out from the side. "She danced a little and suddenly she's a phoenix on a branch? She disappeared early from last night's party, who knows what she was up to?" Yao Yanyan, the designer in charge of online designs, leaned back in her chair and glanced at Lin Ting.
As her name suggests, she is a stunningly beautiful woman with a graceful figure.
Yao Yanyan joined the company a year later than Lin Ting, but she was naturally gifted. She was one of the company's top beauties, and more importantly, she had a sweet tongue and knew how to please the bosses. Therefore, she rose quickly and is now the designer in charge of the e-commerce platform. She manages hundreds of SKUs a year, of which probably over 90% are slow-moving items. But since she's a favorite of the bosses, everyone can only secretly scoff at her abilities behind her back.
Originally, although she and Lin Ting shared a large office, they rarely interacted and were practically unrelated. But now, in Yao Yanyan's eyes, Lin Ting was the villain who had threatened her interests. Such a beauty not only reigned supreme in her department but was also renowned throughout the entire company, even attracting the favor of senior management. Yao Yanyan was frequently invited to private banquets or high-end events hosted by upper management.
Of course, she herself also enjoys such gatherings of celebrities, chatting and laughing with ease. She thinks she is a VIP at the banquet, the focus of everyone's attention. In fact, she is the main course in the eyes of the opposite sex at the dinner table. After all, good food, good wine, and a beautiful woman are all indispensable.
Therefore, when recommending female dance partners to Chen Zhiyi, she was always included, and she even cultivated good relationships with relevant personnel to prioritize recommending her. She believed that becoming Chen Zhiyi's opening dance partner was a sure thing, and also the best opportunity to hook up with the big star. However, Lin Ting, whose looks, figure, and temperament were far inferior to hers, stole the spotlight. Now that this has happened, how could she not be angry?
Jealousy can distort a person's character, making them dislike everyone.
Lin understood the hidden meaning in her words, but she wasn't one to rush things, so she didn't reply and continued working.
But Yao Yanyan went even further, saying, "Silence means consent. Sure enough, some people who seem honest usually do shady things behind the scenes. Now they've finally gained both fame and fortune."
Song Xiaolei couldn't stand it anymore and stood up to confront her, but Lin Ting held Xiaolei down and looked at Yao Yanyan expressionlessly.
"If you think I stole your thunder at the party, it just means you were unlucky not to be chosen. Maybe if you talk less gossip, you'll accumulate more good fortune. Also, if you think that my being chosen to design clothes for Chen Zhiyi is blocking your way, the boss has his team's contact information. You can recommend yourself, and we'll each rely on our own abilities."
After listening, everyone lowered their heads and smiled, and Xiaolei even applauded in goodwill.
Yao Yanyan shut her mouth, but her face was still flushed.
Everyone knows perfectly well who the troublemaker is.
For the past three days, whenever Lin Ting started designing, she would think of the first time she drew a clothing design for Chen Zhiyi, his sudden appearance during the competition, the run in the snowy night, and the dazzling fireworks on her birthday. She would think of the decision made by the higher-ups, and how he had schemed to succeed. He forced himself to remember the past between the two of them, and he had indeed succeeded.
Scenes of laughter and tears unfolded before my eyes, and words of beauty and sorrow echoed in my ears. They pieced together the sadness buried deep in my heart, which I thought had been broken and disappeared. Longing crumbled, gradually devouring my strength.
She felt like she had fallen into a huge net, and Chen Zhiyi was the one pulling the net, tightening it step by step until she could never escape.
Lin Ting didn't finish the design until two or three in the morning on the day the deadline was due. To avoid seeing Chen Zhiyi, she asked Song Xiaolei to deliver the design to him. Xiaolei was overjoyed and took the design with her.
Lin Ting's sleep has gotten worse in recent years. She stayed up several nights in a row to work on this design draft, and was both mentally and physically exhausted. She took some melatonin and wanted to catch up on her sleep.
I had just fallen asleep when I received a call from Song Xiaolei, who sounded very anxious.
"Lin Ting, come over quickly. Chen Zhiyi is furious that I brought it here. He said the company is untrustworthy and the employees don't finish what they start. In short, he's very disappointed with the company and wants to terminate our cooperation. It's terrifying. I'll wait for you at the entrance of the community."
"What?" This situation was completely unexpected for Lin Ting.
"You'd better come over quickly. Their team is about to call the boss. The leaders are taking this project very seriously. If we mess it up, we'll definitely be in big trouble."
"I understand, I'll be there soon."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Ting threw her phone on the bed, furious. "Chen Zhiyi, what exactly do you want?" She then sat on the edge of the bed to calm her anger before grabbing her bag and phone and leaving the house.
As soon as Lin Ting got out of the taxi, she saw Xiao Lei waving at her, so she quickly crossed the road and walked over.
Song Xiaolei hurriedly stuffed the design draft into Lin Ting's hands, as if it were something so troublesome that the sooner she threw it away, the sooner she would be safe.
"Sure enough, the so-called idol is just someone you're not close enough to. I used to fawn over him every day, but you don't know, when he opened the door and saw it was me, his face instantly turned dark, and he started talking arrogantly, like I owed him a debt. Now my filter for him has shattered to pieces." Song Xiaolei quickly waved her hand, "I'm not worthy of such a good thing, you should go see him yourself." After saying that, she ran off.
Lin Ting knew she couldn't escape it anymore; he had her lifeline in his grasp, using official business to force her to meet him.
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