Chapter 11
At Qiguang Trading, Jiang Yi arrived early in the morning and had barely settled in when Bai Zhen, the head of the Planning Department, came over with a broad smile and addressed everyone.
“There’s a major project. A real-estate developer plans to build a large batch of commercial housing in Lehua and needs a substantial amount of waterproof and mold-resistant coating, mainly for interior finishing—paint, waterproof barriers, and things like that.
“But as you all know, Lehua gets a lot of rainfall, and the terrain is relatively low, so buildings there are prone to leaks and mold. He isn’t satisfied with the ordinary waterproof and leak-resistant materials currently available on the market. Using them would drastically shorten the lifespan of the houses, so he specifically wants to find a special kind of coating.”
The others in the office went from excited to exchanging uneasy glances, and discussion broke out all around.
It was a huge project, which naturally meant a large commission. Everyone hoped they could secure it, but the client’s requirements clearly would not be easy to satisfy.
The coating alone was already a serious problem.
Where were they supposed to find something with exceptionally strong waterproofing properties?
Bai Zhen continued, “The developer’s buildings are still under construction and are expected to be completed by the end of the year. Renovation won’t begin until next year, so we still have a fair amount of time. The boss hopes we can win this project.”
“Minister Bai, apart from Qiguang, has the developer invited any other companies to submit proposals?” Lin Fei had worked there for several years and was experienced with this sort of thing. She immediately asked the key question.
For a project involving this much profit, there was no way the developer would put all his eggs in one basket.
“We certainly aren’t the only company competing. Jiayu and Pengting both intend to submit bids, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Qiguang is inferior to them.”
Jiayu and Pengting were both well-known trading companies.
Several smaller firms had originally intended to compete for the contract as well, but once they learned Jiayu and Pengting had joined the bidding, they abandoned the idea and voluntarily withdrew.
Only Qiguang’s owner had chosen to rise to the challenge. He accepted the tender documents, intending to create a miracle by snatching food from between the jaws of the two tigers, Jiayu and Pengting.
“Lin Fei, I’m assigning this to your team. Do your best—the boss has high expectations for all of you! He also said all transportation, accommodation, and meal expenses will be reimbursed!”
Bai Zhen handed the real-estate tender documents to Lin Fei, offered a few words of encouragement, then turned and left without another concern.
“Team Leader Lin, isn’t this a hot potato?” Ye Sixin, the newcomer, asked in confusion.
None of the other teams were competing for it. It had simply been thrown to their group alone.
Even a fool could understand that they might spend months working on it and still end up with nothing.
Yan Zhijie said, “It’s more than that. Do you know why our boss volunteered to take this tender? I suspect there’s a ninety-percent chance it’s because of that hardware-equipment project last time.”
Ye Sixin and Jiang Yi were both new and knew nothing about what had happened before.
Ye Sixin pressed, “What happened with the hardware-equipment project?”
Yan Zhijie shook his head.
“Jiayu swooped in at the very last moment and snatched it away from us. Our boss was so furious he kept howling about it and couldn’t eat for two days. That’s how the grudge between the two companies started.”
Otherwise, why had all the other small companies withdrawn the moment they heard Jiayu and Pengting were competing, while Qiguang’s president stubbornly insisted on accepting the tender?
Wasn’t it all just to fight for his pride?
“All right, all right. Yan Zhijie, say a little less.” Lin Fei did not want his discouraging words damaging the team’s morale. “The boss is also doing this to train us.”
“If we manage to win after he entrusted us with such an important task, won’t we have solid grounds to ask for promotions and raises at the end of the year?”
That was easy enough to say.
Yet after an entire morning, the office remained lifeless, without the slightest idea of where to begin.
“Since none of us can come up with a plan, why don’t we first investigate what Jiayu and Pengting intend to do?”
Someone suddenly made the suggestion, and it was like a sudden awakening.
“That’s right! Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll win every battle!”
“It would be even better if we could find out where they plan to source this kind of material. Then we could intercept the supplier first.” Yan Zhijie smacked his forehead as inspiration struck.
Ye Sixin asked doubtfully, “Wouldn’t that be unethical?”
“Business is war. There’s no merchant without a cunning side,” Yan Zhijie said. “Besides, unless they develop a brand-new coating themselves, if they have a major supplier they’re negotiating with, we can approach that supplier too. In the end, it’s only a matter of price and profit.”
Lin Fei could not help nodding. She thought his reasoning made sense.
“We’ll do as Yan Zhijie suggested. Let’s divide the work now. Who’s going to Jiayu, and who’s going to Pengting?”
“I’ll go to Pengting with Wang Yiwen. We’ve worked with them before, so we know at least a little about their situation,” said a male coworker sitting in the corner.
“That works. The two of you should take one newcomer with you as well.” Lin Fei looked around. “Ye Sixin, you’ll join Wang Yiwen and Li Huanran and investigate Pengting. As for Jiayu, Jiang Yi and Yan Zhijie will come with me.
“All right, it’s nearly time. Everyone go eat first.”
In the company cafeteria, Lin Fei, Jiang Yi, and Yan Zhijie sat at the same table.
“Team Leader Lin, how exactly are we supposed to investigate?” Jiang Yi asked after sitting down with her tray.
She had never used this sort of roundabout tactic in her previous job.
More importantly, Jiayu was Shen Siyun’s company. If they went there to investigate in person, wouldn’t their intentions be exposed?
“This is where you lack experience,” Yan Zhijie explained. “Another team handled the hardware-equipment project last time. It just so happens that I’m on fairly good terms with that team’s leader, so I learned how brutal the competition was.
“Tsk, tsk. Apparently, a dark horse suddenly emerged from Jiayu Commerce. They switched to a new proposal at the last minute, and that was how they won the hardware-equipment project. Otherwise, Qiguang’s proposal would definitely have taken first place.”
Jiang Yi asked, “Does someone in our group happen to know that dark horse?”
“You really guessed it.” Yan Zhijie smiled. “That dark horse was actually an intern named Yin Lei. In a few days, Jiayu will be holding its quarterly exchange and visitor exhibition. Companies in the same industry will send people to attend, and coincidentally, Yin Lei is one of the people in charge.”
Jiang Yi clicked her tongue after hearing this.
It truly was impressive that they had managed to uncover so much information.
Lin Fei added, “When the time comes, we’ll attend the exhibition and use the opportunity to ask Yin Lei a few questions. Ideally, we’ll coax some useful information out of her.
“And don’t underestimate her just because she was an intern. The hardware-equipment project earned her a direct promotion and raise from Jiayu’s president. She’s already a department head now.”
“You really can’t compare one person to another,” Yan Zhijie said, shaking his head.
On the day of the exchange exhibition, Jiang Yi, Lin Fei, and Yan Zhijie went to Jiayu Group.
As their car stopped near the outer grounds, they could already see many employees from other companies entering from a distance. Most of the men wore suits and leather shoes, while the women wore blouses and skirts. There were also newly hired interns, usually carrying notebooks and pens.
“Let’s go in,” Lin Fei said.
Jiayu Group was divided into five zones—A, B, C, D, and F—covering administration, research and development, reception, residential services, production, training, and other centers.
Tall buildings rose throughout the grounds, surrounded by flourishing flowers and trees.
Exchange exhibitions were generally held in the reception center, where designated staff introduced the company culture and shared business experience.
“Jiayu Group has a performance ranking. It’s displayed on the smart control screen up ahead.”
Lin Fei had visited before and knew her way around. She walked straight to the smart screen, swiped through it several times, and found Yin Lei’s personal achievements and photograph.
“This is Yin Lei, so you won’t fail to recognize her when you meet her.”
Once Jiang Yi and Yan Zhijie had looked, Lin Fei decided they should split up to search.
The three of them moving together would attract too much attention, and someone needed to register and sign in at the exhibition on behalf of Qiguang Trading.
“Yan Zhijie and I have both visited Jiayu before, so someone might recognize us. Jiang Yi, you should go take a look around the office building.”
“All right.”
Jiang Yi thought that since she had never visited Jiayu before, she should be able to gather some information as long as she did not run into Shen Siyun.
After the three separated, Jiang Yi headed toward the office building.
As she approached, she saw a professionally dressed employee explaining something while leading a group of more than ten people inside.
It was probably one of the exhibition’s guided branches.
Taking advantage of the guide’s inattention, Jiang Yi quietly slipped into the back of the group.
The guide spoke endlessly at the front, explaining the functions of the various departments, along with some of the bonus and performance-assessment systems.
From the explanation, Jiang Yi learned that the office building had eight floors. Every floor served a different function and contained different departments.
The president’s office was on the seventh floor—in other words, Shen Siyun’s office.
The Planning Department was on the fifth floor. Yin Lei should be there.
However, just as the group approached the reception desk, the guide suddenly stopped, bowed, and greeted someone.
“Good morning, President Shen.”
The people in the group were all employees sent by other companies to observe and learn. They followed suit and called out, “Good morning, President Shen.”
The greeting was impressively loud.
Jiang Yi immediately sensed trouble.
With so many people greeting her, Shen Siyun would certainly stop.
Sure enough, Shen Siyun did.
Standing beside her was another woman who looked somewhat familiar.
“Siyun, I heard Yin Lei became a department head. Are you trying to slap me in the face?” Thinking of how that wretched girl had looked down on her earlier that day, Xie Fulan held her forehead in frustration. “Don’t tell me you’re abusing your authority for personal revenge.”
All she had done yesterday was jab Shen Siyun once about her little lover running away with someone else.
Did Shen Siyun really have to be so petty and vengeful?
Shen Siyun did not deny it. Her red lips curved slightly.
“Xie Fulan, have you ever looked in a mirror? Do you have no idea how big your face is?”
“…”
Xie Fulan had known Shen Siyun would mock her in return, so she swallowed her anger.
Since direct revenge was now hopeless, she decided to take another route.
“Isn’t there an exchange exhibition here today? I heard Yin Lei is one of the people responsible for it.”
“Mm.” Shen Siyun nodded.
“Is Yin Lei going onstage to give a summary and participate in the exchange session?”
Xie Fulan rested her chin on one hand and thought for a moment, narrowing her eyes. After receiving another confirmation from Shen Siyun, she said, “I’ll help you supervise her. If she makes a mistake, I’ll point it out for you. Then you’ll have no excuse not to punish her, right?”
“Find a mistake first. Then we’ll talk,” Shen Siyun replied.
“Good morning, President Shen.”
“Good morning, President Shen.”
“Good morning, President Shen.”
…
The greetings rising one after another made Shen Siyun stop.
She gave a slight nod to acknowledge them and began walking toward the elevator.
Then, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a figure desperately trying to hide behind the crowd.
A few seconds later, once she realized who it was, Shen Siyun gave a cold laugh.
Jiang Yi knew she was finished the moment she saw the high heels stop on the floor nearby.
She regretted it bitterly.
Had she known this would happen, she would have hidden directly behind the sofa.
“Which company are you from?”
Shen Siyun’s cool, detached voice sounded above her, solemnly pretending not to recognize her.
Jiang Yi could not guess what she was thinking.
Looking at Shen Siyun’s exquisitely made-up face, she answered honestly, “Qiguang Trading.”
“Qiguang Trading?” Shen Siyun raised a brow. “Your boss sent you here to observe and exchange ideas?”
Jiang Yi nodded.
The next second, she heard Shen Siyun say with an unreadable tone, “Your boss is remarkably broad-minded.”
Jiang Yi: “……”
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