The conference room was silent, except for the faint hum of the projector. Jiang Yuxi stood at the front, her hands steady despite the weight of a hundred scrutinizing gazes. The long table was lined with department heads, senior employees, and even a few representatives from the executive board. It was the largest meeting she had attended since joining Gu Corporation, and it was also her most important one yet.
She had spent the entire night preparing this proposal—crafting a strategic PR recovery plan for one of the company's biggest clients, whose recent scandal had sent their stocks plummeting. Yuxi knew this was her chance to prove herself, to finally step out of Gu Zeyan's shadow and be recognized for her own abilities.
But as she clicked to the first slide, she could already feel the tension in the room.
Liu Wen, her direct supervisor, sat in his usual seat, his arms crossed, his face unreadable except for the slight downturn of his lips—disapproval before she had even begun. Beside him, Meng Yiran leaned back, her polished nails tapping against the glass table in an almost rhythmic taunt. Further down, Zhao Liying sat with her usual poise, watching the scene unfold with silent amusement.
Yuxi took a breath.
"Focus. You can do this."
She began her presentation, her voice clear and steady.
"Our client, Xintai Corporation, has suffered severe public backlash due to recent allegations against their executive board. The negative media coverage has led to declining consumer trust and a substantial drop in investor confidence," she explained, clicking to the next slide. "Our proposed strategy focuses on three key areas—damage control, brand repositioning, and long-term audience engagement."
A few employees nodded, their expressions neutral. But just as Yuxi reached the midpoint of her presentation, a quiet chuckle broke the silence.
Meng Yiran.
"Miss Jiang, your strategy sounds… idealistic," she interrupted smoothly, tilting her head with mock curiosity. "But I noticed a rather glaring oversight."
Yuxi turned to her. "Which is?"
Meng Yiran picked up the printed report in front of her, flipping through the pages lazily before setting it down with a soft thud. "The issue isn't just consumer distrust. Xintai's investors are pulling out. Your plan focuses entirely on public perception, but you fail to address shareholder stability. Without financial backing, it won't matter how much public trust they regain—there won't be a company left to salvage."
A ripple of murmurs spread across the table.
Yuxi's jaw tightened.
She had accounted for investor concerns—she was planning to address it in the second half of her presentation. But before she could present that section, Meng Yiran had already painted her as incompetent.
The room was shifting against her.
Liu Wen sighed dramatically, shaking his head as if deeply disappointed. "I expected better, Miss Jiang. A PR crisis isn't just about public image. A real strategist would understand that financial stability is the foundation of corporate recovery."
"I did—" Yuxi started, but he cut her off.
"This is what happens when someone without experience is given responsibilities beyond their abilities." His voice carried through the room, addressing the entire team instead of just her.
Several employees exchanged glances, some whispering under their breath.
"She's clearly out of her depth."
"What did they expect? She's only here because of Gu Zeyan."
"She's not even qualified to be in this room."
Yuxi gritted her teeth.
This wasn't a mistake. This was a trap.
They hadn't given her this task to evaluate her skills. They had given it to her to watch her fail.
And now, in front of the entire department, they were proving their point.
Liu Wen leaned back in his chair. "This level of work is unacceptable. If you can't handle a project of this scale, then perhaps you should reconsider your place at Gu Corporation."
A sharp pain stabbed at Yuxi's pride.
She could feel their judgment weighing down on her, the whispers, the condescension, the certainty that she didn't belong.
For a moment, doubt crept into her mind.
Would it really be so easy for them to push her out?
Was this what they all wanted?
No.
She wouldn't let them win.
Lifting her chin, she met Liu Wen's gaze head-on. "Give me twenty-four hours."
The room fell silent.
Liu Wen frowned. "What?"
"I take responsibility for the weaknesses in my proposal," Yuxi said firmly. "But I can do better. If you allow me twenty-four more hours, I will revise the strategy to address every concern raised in this meeting."
Liu Wen looked almost amused. "And if you fail?"
Yuxi's hands clenched into fists beneath the table. "Then I will accept whatever consequence you decide."
A few gasps rippled through the room.
She was gambling everything on this.
For a long moment, Liu Wen simply stared at her, as if waiting for her to crack. But she didn't.
Finally, he exhaled through his nose. "Fine. You have twenty-four hours. Do not waste them."
With that, the meeting was dismissed.
As people filtered out, the hushed whispers returned.
"She's just dragging out the inevitable."
"She should've just accepted the failure."
"Does she really think she can turn this around?"
Meng Yiran smirked as she walked past Yuxi, her voice barely above a whisper. "You should've just walked away while you had the chance."
Yuxi ignored her.
Her pulse pounded in her ears, but she refused to let anyone see her falter.
As she gathered her documents, she felt a presence lingering nearby.
She turned slightly, and her breath hitched.
Gu Zeyan stood near the far end of the corridor, watching her.
His expression was unreadable, his sharp gaze locked onto her like a hunter observing his prey.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
His eyes flickered—not with anger or amusement, but with something else.
Something she couldn't decipher.
But he didn't approach.
Didn't speak.
Just watched.
Then, just as quickly, he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hall.
Yuxi exhaled, her chest tight.
She had twenty-four hours.
And she would not fail.