Chapter 52 You and I can both get our hands on it…
As time went on, Zhou Yue's arrival stirred up a storm in the company that could not be ignored.
He possessed the sharp edge honed on Wall Street, with a keen and precise strategic vision and calm, decisive actions. Within just a few weeks, he proposed a series of restructuring plans, unhesitatingly challenging the system personally built by Xia Zhiyao.
He advocated a radical change, breaking the existing pattern and seizing market share with a tough and aggressive strategy. There was no lukewarm compromise or conservative transition; his thinking went straight to the core that she had pondered night after night and built brick by brick with her own hands.
This innovation caused an earthquake-like upheaval within the team.
The finance department staff whispered among themselves in the break room, "Finally, someone's serious." Meanwhile, veteran employees in the marketing department complained with long faces in the break room, "If things continue like this, all our previous client relationships will have to be rebuilt."
The debate in the meeting room was several decibels louder than usual. Some people were in favor, while others were questioning it. The air was thick with tension and unease.
Xia Zhiyao, however, could not easily express her opinion. It was the foundation she had built with her blood and sweat, every step of which was infused with her thoughts and perseverance. Now, however, it was crossed out by a few calm annotations in his pen, filled with resentment and pain.
What upset her even more was that she had to admit that many of his ideas were indeed reasonable. His accurate market judgment and decisive execution were exactly what she lacked at times.
She repeatedly told herself, "Keep public and private matters separate, and don't let emotions get in the way."
She knew that Zhou Yue's plans were impeccable, his data analysis was so accurate that it was impossible to find fault with them, his market entry points were decisive and sharp, and his execution was so efficient that it almost inspired respect.
She could even foresee that, once implemented, these changes would bring significant growth to the company in the short term.
But it felt like something was stuck in her chest.
What was crossed out and replaced was not just a few lines of text on the plan, but the logic she had painstakingly developed over the years, the judgments she made after countless late nights staring at the computer screen and using coffee to suppress her sleepiness, and the experience she and her team gained through trial and error and stumbles.
Now, all of that has been casually replaced by the phrase "needs adjustment".
Reason told her it was right. But her emotions questioned: if what she had built up over the years could be so easily overturned, then what was the point of all her perseverance?
She suddenly realized that this was not just a discussion of a business plan, but a discussion of her entire value as a person.
Accepting these changes is like admitting that your previous efforts were inefficient and not good enough; it feels like personally negating your past self.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in her throat, and forced herself to turn to the next page. The soft sound of the pages turning was abnormally clear in the quiet office, as if reminding her that Zhou Yue was right, but she wasn't wrong either.
However, their "right" is not on the same path.
Footsteps came from outside the door, and Zheng Xiaotian was discussing something in hushed tones with someone.
She heard him say calmly, "Reform always comes at a price; the key question is whether it's worth it."
Is it worth it? She suddenly realized that she couldn't answer that question immediately.
Xia Zhiyao opened her eyes, let out a long breath, and her gaze became clear and firm again.
No matter how much resentment and resistance welled up inside her, as a partner in the company, she knew that the company's interests would always come first, even if it meant having to personally overturn her own past beliefs.
The atmosphere in the executive meeting room was more tense than usual. Everyone knew that this meeting would determine the company's direction for the next six months.
The lights shone on the white projection screen, their cold reflection illuminating the man in front of him. Zhou Yue stood amidst the interplay of light and shadow, like a sword just drawn from its sheath, solemnly presenting his proposal—a new strategy that completely overturned old ideas.
He advocated abandoning the brand image that emphasized warmth and companionship in the past, and instead establishing a market positioning of "speed, power, control and discourse power". He wanted to use the sharpest approach to break through the market and take the lead, with a calmness and confidence that left no room for doubt, as if every word had been rehearsed countless times in his mind.
Xia Zhiyao listened quietly, her fingertips resting on the pen. Her gaze lingered on the data and keywords on the screen for a few seconds. She clearly sensed that eyes in the conference room were subtly turning to her, waiting for her response.
She finally spoke, her voice low but clear and firm: "A brand is never just a collection of battle slogans. What truly endures is the emotional connection between people."
She paused for a moment, her gaze fixed on Zhou Yue: "If you want to capture market mindshare, you need trust, not crushing it."
The two ideas collided like ice and fire, and one could almost smell the gunpowder in the air. They were ready to ignite at any moment, yet neither would give an inch.
As soon as the meeting ended, people in the room got up one after another, some with solemn expressions, some deep in thought, and walked out of the meeting room.
When Zheng Xiaotian passed by Xia Zhiyao, he paused for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just patted her on the shoulder and left.
Xia Zhiyao didn't move, still standing by the table, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.
"Could you wait a moment?" She didn't look up, trying to keep her tone calm.
Zhou Yue paused for a second, watched the last person leave, then turned and closed the door.
He looked at her, awaiting the impending storm: "What are you trying to say?"
Xia Zhiyao said calmly, "You're the investment director, so I have no problem with you managing capital planning. But you're going to interfere with strategy and branding as well?"
Zhou Yue's brow twitched; he could tell she was suppressing her anger. Her tone remained calm: "I'm just making a suggestion; the team will decide whether to adopt it."
“But you know perfectly well that this isn’t advice.” She looked him straight in the eye, her tone suddenly turning colder, as if she had finally shed the pretense she had put on in front of everyone. “You’re going to take matters into your own hands and change my entire system. You’re altering the brand’s tone, its positioning, and everything I’ve built up over the years.”
He was silent for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, before slowly speaking: "Because it needs to be changed."
This simple response was like a sharp blade piercing her deepest obsession, a mixture of pain and anger at being rejected.
"So you're using me as a stepping stone to advance?" She sneered, a hint of hurt flashing in her eyes. "You've always been good at that, haven't you? Precise, decisive, and ruthless."
Zhou Yue took a step closer, his gaze darkening. He could sense the hurt in her tone, but even more so, the anger: "Are you questioning my stance, or my expertise?"
"I'm reminding you." Xia Zhiyao's voice was devoid of emotion, only showing extreme restraint. Her hands were clenched into fists. "The company is not your battlefield alone. Don't treat this place like a merger and acquisition project you're in charge of."
He scoffed, as if finally unable to contain his long-suppressed anger: "And what about you? Aren't you too used to everyone revolving around you? Do you think your system is perfect and can't be touched in the slightest?"
She didn't reply, but just stared at him, as if he were looking at someone who was becoming more and more unfamiliar.
That look made Zhou Yue's heart tighten. He stared at her, but moved even closer: "We are partners now, it's not up to you to make all the decisions."
"Of course I know." Her tone rose slightly, but her eyes grew colder, and her chest heaved faster. "That's why I didn't refute all of your proposals on the spot today, but don't pretend you don't know. You're crossing my line."
“I didn’t step on you,” he suddenly smiled, but with a tired sharpness, and a complex emotion in his eyes that she couldn’t understand. “I’m saving the company, and I’m saving you by chance.”
Xia Zhiyao narrowed her eyes, as if watching a joke: "Save me?"
“You’ve become the brand itself. Once it fails, you won’t even have room to breathe.” He spoke slowly and deliberately, but every word was threatening, his gaze fixed on her eyes. “I can see you’re tired. The whole system can support the performance, but it can’t support you.”
In that instant, Xia Zhiyao felt as if she had been seen through, and a sense of naked exposure made her tense all over.
"Who do you think you are?" she interrupted him, her tone suddenly turning cold, anger blazing in her eyes. "You say I can't hold on? How many days have you been here? What gives you the right to criticize everything I do?"
A hint of anger finally cracked in Zhou Yue's expression. He took a step closer, and he could smell the faint scent of her perfume. He spoke in a low voice, "I'm relying on my years of experience, and you clearly know I'm right! I don't understand why you're still putting on a brave face..."
“You just want to win.” Xia Zhiyao stared at him, her voice almost cold, but her eyes held a suppressed anger and despair. “You’ve always been like this, Zhou Yue, always only caring about winning or losing, never asking about the cost.”
They were so close, their breaths mingling in the same space, their body temperatures almost touching, yet they seemed to be separated by that silent battle of the past.
Zhou Yue looked at her, that face so familiar to his very bones was so close to his eyes, yet it felt strange. He instinctively wanted to refute, but he couldn't say anything. Then, he suddenly realized something.
She changed her perfume; it was no longer the one she used to use most often, the one with a soft floral musk scent. The current scent was different—stronger, deeper, a blend of musk and sandalwood, carrying a cool and aloof quality that kept people at a distance.
That scent didn't belong to the past, nor to him. He suddenly hesitated. That night they were so close, almost touching skin, why didn't he smell it? Was she hiding it too well, or did he simply not notice?
When his consciousness caught up, it was like a belated slap in the face, making his ears ring and his heart tremble. It turned out that she had changed a long time ago, but he had always thought that she was still in the same place.
Intense emotions swirled in his chest, finally coalescing into a low murmur: "Because I... can't afford to lose." For Zhou Yue, it was a belated, almost shattered confession.
A flicker of emotion crossed Xia Zhiyao's eyes. She felt herself about to lose control, but she quickly suppressed her emotions.
She gritted her teeth and tried to keep her voice calm: "In the future, let's resolve these kinds of disputes after the meeting. Don't waste time in places like this."
She turned to leave, her back to him, her voice calm and clear: "And next time you want to get your hands on something, at least ask for my opinion first. After all, it's my hard work."
Zhou Yue suddenly laughed, not a light laugh, but a low, husky laugh with a sharp edge and provocation: "If you and I can both get our hands on something, what can't I get our hands on?"
Xia Zhiyao paused, then turned abruptly, her eyes sharp as knives. She raised her middle finger at him, making no attempt to hide her barbed contempt, and clearly uttered, "Fuck you!"
Seeing her action, Zhou Yue laughed even more unrestrainedly, the curve of his lips carrying a casual intimacy: "You just fucked me, didn't you?" His tone was blatantly provocative and ambiguous, as if he was deliberately grinding down her sore spot.
Xia Zhiyao was so angry that she tightened her grip, pushed open the conference room door, and slammed it shut. The loud noise echoed down the corridor, as if she was trying to block all his words behind the door, not giving him a chance to speak again.
Sitting in his office, Zheng Xiaotian felt increasingly uneasy. The company had been doing exceptionally well for the past two years, with projects progressing steadily and the figures on the books looking better each quarter.
Logically speaking, Zhou Yue and Xia Zhiyao, the two pillars of the family, should be more satisfied than anyone else, but he just felt that something was wrong with them.
During meetings, they cooperated flawlessly, and in front of clients, one played the good cop and the other the bad cop, making the job perfectly. But as soon as the door was closed, the atmosphere changed.
Zheng Xiaotian didn't rush to call the two of them together. Doing so would most likely lead to an explosion.
He first called Zhou Yue to his office and closed the door behind him. "So, what's been going on lately?"
Zhou Yue's eyebrows twitched, and his voice remained indifferent: "What? What happened?"
"Don't play dumb with me." Zheng Xiaotian leaned back lazily in his chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest. "To outsiders, you two seem to be in perfect sync, but when I, the boss, turn around, it looks like you're fighting cocks."
Zhou Yue didn't answer immediately. His gaze fell on the cigarette pack on the coffee table. He rubbed it between his fingers but didn't take it out. After a long silence, he said calmly, "I do want to get the company reformed as soon as possible."
Zheng Xiaotian narrowed his eyes: "Hmm?"
Zhou Yue looked up, his gaze meeting hers directly, his voice calm and unhurried: "You know, reforms always come at the cost of something. Look at Wang Anshi..."
Zheng Xiaotian chuckled and said, "Okay, okay, I understand."
Zhou Yue's lips twitched, but he didn't smile. He simply pushed the cigarette pack to the corner of the table and then pushed it back to its original position: "If we don't reform, the price may be even greater."
Zheng Xiaotian looked at him with his chin in his hand, as if he were looking at someone who calmly analyzed things even with a knife to his own throat, and said with a half-serious but half-joking expression, "You're really stubborn. I genuinely admire you."
After seeing Zhou Yue off, Zheng Xiaotian turned around and pressed the intercom: "President Xia, come here for a moment."
Xia Zhiyao came in carrying a stack of documents, which she casually placed on the table: "What is it?"
Zheng Xiaotian leaned back in his chair and said slowly, "Zhou Yue was with me just now. He said he wanted to reform the company as soon as possible, but you know, reforms always involve sacrificing something."
Upon hearing this, Xia Zhiyao let out a low scoff, her laughter tinged with coldness: "Does he think he's Wang Anshi? Is he mistaking me for Sima Guang? Reforms, new policies, spring breezes have turned the south bank of the Yangtze green again, when will the bright moon shine on my return?"
"Alright, alright, you two stop your lecturing here." Zheng Xiaotian waved his hand, as if afraid she would continue her barrage. "I think you're fine with things at the company, it's just that you're dissatisfied with him as a person?"
Xia Zhiyao raised an eyebrow: "Am I that obvious?"
Zheng Xiaotian smiled lazily: "You're asking me?"
This question immediately ignited Xia Zhiyao's anger: "You have no idea about his attitude..."
"Which attitude?" Zheng Xiaotian replied quickly, as if he really didn't understand the problem. "I think it's fine."
Xia Zhiyao's heart tightened, and she almost blurted out the words "his attitude towards me," but she stopped herself. "It's his businesslike attitude all the time." Xia Zhiyao's tone was impatient.
Zheng Xiaotian raised an eyebrow, didn't ask any further questions, just gave a few casual replies, and saw the person off.
He turned back to his desk, reached for the now-cold coffee, took a sip, and then stopped. After the conversation, he felt even more uneasy.
Zhou Yue was talking about "reform," his tone like he was deploying troops, while Xia Zhiyao was complaining about "business as usual," as if she were lamenting the lack of human connection.
Each side can justify their own explanation, but when you consider them together, if these two people have no objections to company affairs and things have gotten this tense, then it's not a business matter.
He gave a low hum, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Fine, it's purely a personal grudge."
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