The happy celebration banquet
The appointed time has arrived.
The small meeting room of the "Spark Program" project team was decorated in a simple yet professional manner.
Meng Yihe and Cui Yu sat side by side on one side of the conference table, with their core team members behind them. Everyone was neatly dressed, their expressions showing fatigue, but even more so, an irrepressible anticipation and focus.
The founder of the other brand arrived on time with two core team members.
The meeting quickly got down to business.
Meng Yihe opened the presentation, getting straight to the heart of the matter, and concisely reiterated the core positioning and unique value proposition of the revitalized "Xinghua Plaza," explaining why the other party's brand philosophy aligns so perfectly with this future blueprint. His language remained sharp and calm, yet full of sincerity and persuasiveness. His gaze was intense, as if one could see the vibrant future he was depicting.
Gao Yuan showcased a visual entry design tailored for his brand, seamlessly integrated into the overall narrative framework of "Xinghua Plaza." It was highly impactful and imaginative, perfectly demonstrating the potential synergy that could arise from the fusion of the two brands' styles.
When the founder asked about specific customer traffic and sales expectations, Cui Yu calmly took over the conversation.
He wasn't exaggerating. Instead, based on the detailed market data analysis report that Lin Xueyue and Zhao Lei had worked through the night to produce, and the financial model built by Wu Hao, he provided a conservative yet solid expected range supported by detailed data. He also clearly outlined the various support measures the project team would provide.
“We understand that any investment carries risks,” Cui Yu said calmly and confidently.
“But what ‘Star Plaza’ aims to do is grow together with brands like yours that have unique vitality, rather than simply having a leasing relationship. We will invest resources to market with you and tell your story to our target audience.”
When the other party raised some concerns about the details of the cooperation terms, Shen Xinyi immediately provided prepared and flexible alternatives, demonstrating great sincerity in cooperation and efficiency in problem-solving.
The entire meeting was like a meticulously choreographed chorus.
The two directors are the lead singers, working in perfect harmony; one outlines the dream, while the other lays the foundation. Their team members are the perfect harmonies, providing precise and professional support when needed.
The founder was clearly impressed.
He not only saw the project's enormous potential, but also the team's professionalism, high efficiency, and genuine sincerity. After the meeting, the team was invited to rest briefly and hold a short internal discussion.
Only our own people remained in the meeting room for the time being.
There was an almost palpable excitement. Everyone sensed the possibility of success from the expressions on each other's faces and the atmosphere of the meeting.
Cui Yu and Meng Yihe exchanged a glance. Although neither of them spoke, they both saw the same conclusion in each other's eyes—there was hope.
Sure enough, less than half an hour later, the other party's founder returned to the conference room with a smile on his face. He extended his hand directly to Cui Yu and Meng Yihe.
"Thank you all for your meticulous preparation and candid communication. We rarely see commercial projects with such a profound understanding of the brand and such thorough preparation. We are willing to join 'Xinghua Plaza' and become part of your 'Spark Program'. The team can work on the details later, but the general direction of the cooperation is set!"
In an instant, cheers almost erupted in the conference room.
Everyone couldn't help but smile with relief and excitement; the fatigue of the past few days had been rewarded in this moment.
With the successful signing of this highly representative brand, it's like toppling the first key domino, and the "Spark Plan" of Xinghua Plaza has entered an unstoppable phase of rapid advancement.
The confirmation of the core anchor tenant greatly boosted the confidence of other brands that were still observing. The leasing process then progressed smoothly, with an increasing number of brands that aligned with the project's image expressing their intention to move in.
With funding secured and a clear plan in place, construction has commenced in full swing.
Although I'm still busy, everything is going according to plan.
The CEO expressed high approval of the project's progress.
The project team received official commendation and substantial rewards from the group, and the efforts of every team member were recognized.
Cui Yu and Meng Yihe jointly funded and organized a team celebration banquet.
The celebration banquet was held in a private room at a barbecue restaurant known for its fresh ingredients and lively atmosphere. Instead of choosing a high-end Western restaurant or hotel, we opted for a place where we could relax and enjoy our meal.
On the huge round table, all kinds of grilled skewers, seafood, and vegetables were laid out, sizzling and emitting a wonderful aroma over the charcoal fire in the center. Iced beer and drinks were piled up on the side counter, and the atmosphere was filled with laughter and chatter as glasses clinked.
The young people on the project team completely let go of the tension of the past few days, revealing the liveliness and merriment that is appropriate for their age.
Wu Hao and Xu Rui, these two former "enemies," were now arm in arm, drinking and arguing about which part of the grilled meat was the best, as if their previous quarrel had never happened. Gao Yuan was taking pictures of everyone's "ugly" moments with his phone, threatening to turn them into memes and spread them on the company intranet. Shen Xinyi, unusually, also abandoned her usual composure. She played dice with Lin Xueyue and Zhao Lei, the losers obediently drinking, laughter filling the air, and Lin Xueyue watched the commotion with a smile.
Looking at his subordinates, who seemed like wild horses, Cui Yu couldn't help but smile with a relaxed expression.
He was clearly very comfortable in this situation.
He rolled up his shirt sleeves and skillfully flipped the meat skewers on the grill, controlling the heat, and occasionally sharing the grilled, sizzling, and fragrant skewers with the people around him.
"Come on, you've worked hard, eat more to nourish yourself."
He greeted them with a smile, his tone relaxed and gentle, like a patriarch, but he was actually the youngest in the group.
Meng Yihe appeared somewhat reserved. He wasn't used to such noisy occasions, so he simply sat quietly with a beer in his hand, watching everyone make a fuss. But compared to his usual cold and aloof boss, his expression was much gentler at this moment.
"Director Meng, try this!"
When Gao Yuan handed him a skewer of perfectly grilled chicken wings, he hesitated for a moment, but still took it and whispered, "Thank you."
It's unclear who started it, but they took turns toasting Cui Yu and Meng Yihe to thank them for leading everyone to a great victory.
"Director Cui! Director Meng! I salute you both! Working with you is exhausting, but it's really great! I've learned so much!" Wu Hao said sincerely.
“Yes! Although President Meng is usually incredibly strict, when I look at the plans I made before, I think they are all garbage!” Xu Rui echoed loudly.
"President Cui is really ruthless when it comes to cutting costs, but he's also incredibly helpful when it comes to securing resources for us!" Zhao Lei said with a smile, raising his glass.
When his subordinates offered him a toast, Cui Yu accepted it without hesitation, smiling as he clinked glasses with everyone.
"It's all the result of everyone's joint efforts."
"We'll have to keep working hard together in the future."
...
When it was Meng Yihe's turn, he looked at the group of subordinates in front of him with bright, respectful eyes and seemed a little uncomfortable. He silently raised his glass, clinked it with everyone, and then drank it all in one gulp.
Just when everyone thought he wouldn't say anything, he put down his wine glass and said in a low but clear voice, "You've worked hard these past few days, and you've done a good job."
These few simple words, spoken by Meng Yihe, were comparable to the highest praise.
For a second, the scene fell silent.
This was followed by even louder cheers and laughter, with some people even clapping.
They knew their boss's personality too well; getting a "not bad" from him was even more exciting than receiving a bonus.
Cui Yu watched from the side. His gaze fell on Meng Yihe's profile, which was trying to remain calm but revealed a hint of embarrassment. The smile on his lips deepened, and his eyes became somewhat profound and gentle.
As the dinner party progressed, some people started urging the two directors to have a drink.
Cui Yu generously filled two glasses of beer and handed one to Meng Yihe.
People around them were smiling and looking at them.
Meng Yihe looked at the glass of wine handed to her, then at Cui Yu. The glow of the charcoal fire danced in Cui Yu's smiling eyes. All around them were the good-natured cheers of his subordinates, and the air was filled with the aroma of grilled food and the malty scent of beer.
He took the wine glass.
Cui Yu gently tapped his cup against her own, making a crisp sound.
He didn't say any of those high-sounding platitudes, but simply looked into Meng Yihe's eyes, his voice a bit lower and gentler than usual: "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you, Director Meng."
Meng Yihe's heart seemed to skip a beat.
He met Cui Yu's gaze, and in that familiar yet always playful deep pool, he seemed to see something different.
All the surrounding noise seemed to disappear in an instant.
He pursed his lips, then finally raised his glass and gently clinked it against Cui Yu's again.
"It's a pleasure to work with you."
The two exchanged a smile and drank their wine in one gulp.
A round of cheers and applause immediately erupted from the surrounding area.
At this moment, there were no longer any barriers between superiors and subordinates, no longer any obstacles between departments; only a group of people who had gone through hardships together and shared the joy of victory. The air was filled with the aroma of cooking, laughter and cheerful voices; all the fatigue and pressure were completely released in this moment.
The celebration banquet finally ended amidst the noise.
Tomorrow is a holiday, and everyone drank quite a bit. Some people who can't hold their liquor are feeling dizzy.
Xu Rui had already started standing by the roadside, hugging a lamppost, and singing with great relish.
"Brother, give me a hug, and tell me what's on your mind..."
Wu Hao stood behind him and tugged at his clothes forcefully. "Disgraceful, still keeping these thoughts to yourself."
"How dare you speak to my brother like that?!"
The team members left in twos and threes. Some were still discussing the next banquet, while others were already yawning and just wanted to collapse onto their beds and sleep soundly.
The driver I hired hasn't arrived yet.
Cui Yu and Meng Yihe stood side by side at the entrance of the barbecue restaurant. The cool night air dispelled the smell of cooking oil inside, and the sudden silence made the previous hustle and bustle seem to be separated by a layer of membrane.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Alcohol relaxes the body, but it also amplifies certain subtle sensations.
Cui Yu turned her head and looked at Meng Yihe.
The soft light from the streetlights outlined his clear profile, which appeared gentler than his usual sharp features at the negotiating table. However, his brows were still furrowed slightly as usual, as if he were deep in thought.
"Tired?" Cui Yu asked, his voice lower and gentler than usual.
Hearing the sound, Meng Yihe turned her head and met his gaze. Perhaps due to the alcohol, he did not immediately look away.
"It's alright," Meng Yihe replied, his voice sounding more relaxed than usual; he hadn't drunk much.
“You did well today.” Cui Yu paused, then added, “I mean, you handled those toasts.”
His eyes were very serious.
Meng Yihe gave a soft snort, seemingly wanting to refute, but in the end she just pursed her lips and whispered, "...You're not bad either."
These words sounded like a retort, yet they also carried a hint of awkward acceptance.
A night breeze blew by, carrying a chill.
The weather here isn't as hot as in Haicheng.
Meng Yihe was only wearing a shirt and instinctively flinched. Cui Yu, almost without thinking, took off his suit jacket and casually draped it over Meng Yihe's shoulder.
The two of them froze the moment the action happened.
Meng Yihe's body stiffened. The sudden weight on his shoulders, along with the lingering warmth of Cui Yu and the faint scent of cedar, made him turn to look at Cui Yu, his eyes filled with obvious astonishment.
Cui Yu seemed to realize what he had just done; his hand was still on his coat, his fingertips able to feel the lines of Meng Yihe's shoulder blades. He met Meng Yihe's gaze and saw the panic in her eyes, a strange feeling flashing through his own heart. But he quickly regained his nonchalant expression and even patted Meng Yihe's shoulder.
“Wear it, Director Meng. You’re more likely to catch a cold if you’re exposed to the wind right after drinking. If you get sick, who will take over the later stages of the ‘Spark Project’? I can’t fight this battle all by myself.”
Just then, the headlights of the designated driver's car approached from afar, perfectly breaking the awkward and ambiguous moment.
Meng Yihe seemed to have been rescued. He quickly took his coat off his shoulder and stuffed it back into Cui Yu's arms. His tone regained its usual coldness: "Mind your own business. The car is here. Let's go." After saying that, he quickly opened the car door, got into the back seat, and didn't look at Cui Yu again.
Cui Yu held the coat, which still carried the warmth of the other person and a hint of cherry brandy, and watched the car drive away, a complex smile slowly curving his lips.
On a weekend morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the curtains.
The headache from the hangover made Meng Yihe feel unwell when she woke up.
He rubbed his temples, recalling fragments of last night—the team's laughter, the aroma of barbecue, the crisp sound of clinking glasses, and… the jacket suddenly draped over his shoulders, and the smiling eyes so close to his face. He shook his head, trying to dispel those inexplicably vivid details.
Just then, the phone rang, and the word "Mother" appeared on the screen.
Meng Yihe took a deep breath and answered the phone: "Mom."
The familiar voice of her mother came from the other end of the phone, her tone filled with obvious joy: "Xiao He! I heard that your big project was a success? That's wonderful! Your Aunt Wang saw the report on the financial news yesterday and called to congratulate us! You've really made your parents proud!"
Hearing her mother's praise, Meng Yihe felt little joy; instead, she subconsciously tensed up.
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