Volume One, Chapter Four: The Contest of Wits

Wen Yang got caught in the morning rush hour on her way back to the city, arriving at the office an hour later than usual.

Yunxuan Design is a long-standing firm in Xuancheng. Neither large nor small, it is quietly tucked away on the sixteenth floor of an office building. As she stepped out of the elevator and pushed open the door, she ran straight into Wang Shuo, who was just heading out.

As luck would have it, they were enemies meeting on a narrow path. Wen Yang shut the door behind her, crossed her arms, and stood in the doorway, staring coldly at the seemingly refined man before her.

Wen Yang was famous in the company for two things: her stunning beauty and her icy, aloof demeanor. At this moment, the cold and indifferent beauty finally bared her thorns; her eyes were sharp as ice, captivating and chilling all at once.

"Wen Yang, I’m in a rush to discuss a project. Let’s talk about whatever it is online," Wang Shuo said, feeling a sudden, inexplicable sense of guilt as he met her cold, clear gaze.

"Manager Wang, you certainly have a way of forgetting things when it suits you," Wen Yang said, enunciating clearly. "Yesterday, at the dinner table, you kept plying me with drinks to get me drunk for the sake of the opposing party. I really wonder if the alcohol you drank went straight to your brain instead."

"Wen Yang, what nonsense are you spouting!" It was the first time Wang Shuo had seen her be so confrontational, and he raised his voice. "I haven't even blamed you for ruining that major project, and yet here you are, picking a fight with me!"

Staff members in the office area turned their heads to watch. Seeing the confrontation, Su Chiyu quickly stood up from her desk and trotted over to Wen Yang’s side, looking every bit the loyal friend ready to back her up.

"You’re just an intern. Is that any way to speak to your superior?"

As soon as Wang Shuo finished his sentence, Wen Yang replied coolly, "The design proposal taken to the resort yesterday was written by me—an intern—while pulling all-nighters." She glanced at the file bag in his hand. "And that design proposal for the new Xu Real Estate development you're holding? That’s the one I revised, too."

The arch of her brows held a hint of mockery, her tone aggressive. "You truly are a 'superior' in every sense of the word."

Wang Shuo’s eyes flickered, his fingers tightening awkwardly on the file bag. The surrounding colleagues all wore expressions of those watching a good show.

Wen Yang was an intern recruited during the spring hiring season, and Wang Shuo was responsible for mentoring her. A senior in university, she attended a top-tier institution and majored in a top-tier design program. Initially, he had only assigned her minor interior design tasks, only to discover that her professional skills were exceptional—not only was she highly efficient, but she always managed to produce eye-catching design highlights. At first, he simply thought the pretty girl was quiet and good at her work, so he gradually offloaded his own tasks onto her, happy to enjoy the leisure.

Now, being exposed in front of so many colleagues, sweat beaded on Wang Shuo’s forehead. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and argue, "What are you talking about..."

"Oh? Can you even produce the original drafts for these projects?" Wen Yang changed her tone. "I’m afraid Manager Wang only knows how to use underhanded tricks to 'discuss' projects."

"What underhanded tricks!" Hearing this, Wang Shuo lost his composure. He was used to pulling rank on others, and being suppressed by a newcomer was infuriating.

Su Chiyu had long despised his behavior. "What’s the matter? You dare to do it but can't handle others talking about it? I can testify that the new project you’re holding was done by Yangyang for you!"

As the three of them stood in a tense standoff, the general manager’s office door suddenly opened. Wen Zhe stepped out, his face stern and imposing. "Both of you, get in here."

The charged atmosphere fell silent instantly. Everyone immediately played the ostrich, burying their heads back into their own work.

Wen Zhe was the boss of Yunxuan Design and also Wen Yang's "father" in name. Wang Shuo walked into the office before her with a smug look, but was immediately met with a stack of documents thrown directly at his face. He was startled, the impact nearly knocking his glasses off his nose.

"Making a scene at the office door first thing in the morning—what does this look like!"

Wang Shuo had been with the company for several years and understood Wen Zhe’s temper. The boss never hid his moods and frequently resorted to throwing things in the office; the entire company feared him. The atmosphere in the office was suffocatingly oppressive under the boss's dark expression.

"Mr. Wen, the company has always valued the resort partnership. I kindly brought Wen Yang along yesterday to help negotiate, but who knew she would leave halfway through for no reason, causing us to lose any chance to further engage with Young Master Han."

"You tried to use sleazy tactics to send me to his room," Wen Yang countered coldly. "Why didn't you go into his room yourself to 'engage' with him?"

Wen Zhe had spent decades in the business world; he understood exactly what was happening within a few sentences. His shrewd eyes flickered between the two, choosing to skip over their personal conflict entirely. "So, was the resort project secured?"

Wen Yang pressed her lips together, feeling a mix of disappointment and speechlessness. As expected of a businessman—the process didn't matter, only the result. Perhaps yesterday’s incident even had Wen Zhe’s tacit approval.

She balled her hands into fists behind her back, her nails digging into her palms, feeling a wave of nausea.

From the question, Wang Shuo grasped the boss's stance. He adjusted his glasses, feeling a bit guilty, but pushed on. "The dinner ended abruptly, and Mr. Han disappeared, but after he looked at our proposal, I felt he was quite satisfied."

"Wang Shuo, you should be aware that this resort is backed by Xu Real Estate and the Pei Group. Both families have deep connections, and this resort will certainly cooperate with the government in the future."

"If we can secure this project, we might be able to ride this wave, and you would be the greatest contributor to Yunxuan."

Promotions, raises, empty promises—all delivered in one breath.

Drunk on the sweet talk, Wang Shuo felt as if he were on top of the world. "Understood, Mr. Wen. I will contact Mr. Han again and strive to win this project!"

After pledging his loyalty, Wang Shuo left the office with Wen Zhe’s tacit permission. Before leaving, he glanced at Wen Yang with a hint of triumph. "Wen Yang, don't talk nonsense if you don't have proof. Besides, compared to a major project, your so-called losses are nothing."

He was showing off, signaling that his actions aligned with the company’s "goals" and that Wen Zhe would never make things difficult for him over this.

The matter was brushed aside by them, but it was far from over for Wen Yang. As Wang Shuo left, she turned to look at Wen Zhe. "He drugged me yesterday, so you're just going to ignore that?"

In the small office, Wen Zhe sat in his leather chair behind the desk, his back to the light, his expression sour. The clock on the wall ticked rhythmically. She waited silently, but Wen Zhe only adjusted his posture, tapped his knuckles on the desk, and spoke with clear dissatisfaction: "At the company, I am only your superior, not your father."

"In business, I only care about results, not the process. If you have problems, resolve them privately."