Chapter 43 I Will Wither Away (43)

Chapter 43: I Will Wither (43)

"CEO Fu, Director Zhou has arrived."

Secretary Shang Qing, elegant and capable in her professional skirt, knocked on the door before ushering Director Zhou into the conference room.

Hearing "Director Zhou," Ji Yunyin felt a pang of awkwardness. She had intended to discuss the matter privately with Fu Nanyu, hoping he would investigate discreetly. She hadn't anticipated he would summon Director Zhou for a direct confrontation.

Bypassing Director Zhou to discuss project issues directly with Fu Nanyu was already overstepping her authority. She could have reported to Director Zhou first and escalated only if a reasonable solution wasn't found. Instead, she had impulsively gone straight to Fu Nanyu.

If Director Zhou decided to pursue this, Yunshang Technology's reputation would undoubtedly suffer, and future collaborations would be jeopardized. Therefore, she absolutely had to pin the blame on Lu Jingtang for obstructing the project, thereby justifying her own actions.

Director Zhou glanced from Fu Nanyu to Ji Yunyin, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. Why was the head of Yunshang here with CEO Fu? Was it a project issue? Logically, a minor project shouldn't warrant CEO Fu's attention.

"CEO Fu, did you need me for something?"

Fu Nanyu shifted his gaze from his computer, and without a word, handed him the project proposal. "No rush. Please review this proposal first."

Director Zhou sat down and began reading. The deeper he delved, the tighter his frown became. Ji Yunyin clenched her fists, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

The oppressive atmosphere in the conference room made Ji Yunqing squirm uncomfortably, her chair scraping loudly across the floor.

"Xiao Qing!"

Ji Yunyin hissed in a low voice, then cautiously glanced at Fu Nanyu. His expression remained cold and impassive, not even a flicker of an eyebrow.

After five or six minutes, Director Zhou had clearly reached his limit. He set the document down, his tone stern. "Ms. Ji, I already highlighted numerous flaws in this proposal during our last meeting. Yet, your company has made no changes. I fail to understand why Yunshang Technology repeatedly submits such garbage. Are you trying to test my patience?"

Ji Yunyin's face flushed with embarrassment. Before she could respond, Ji Yunqing interjected defensively, "My sister meticulously reviewed this proposal overnight and confirmed there were no issues before submitting it to Fu Corporation. Director Zhou, why are you repeatedly holding it up? Could it be that someone is deliberately making things difficult for Yunshang through you?"

Director Zhou almost laughed incredulously. He had no personal vendetta against Yunshang; why would he obstruct their project?

Exasperated, Director Zhou retorted, "Young lady, then tell me, who is making things difficult for you?"

"It's none other than Lu Jingtang! She can't stand to see my sister succeed. She's afraid that if my sister marries into the Fu family, she'll be kicked out. That's why she bribed you to trouble my sister." Ji Yunqing, tactless and impulsive, blurted out her thoughts without any regard for the situation.

Ji Yunqing's outburst stunned Director Zhou, and even Ji Yunyin's palms grew clammy with cold sweat. Before she could reprimand her sister, Fu Nanyu, who had been silent until then, let out a soft, mocking scoff. His dark eyes held a chilling glint of ridicule.

At that moment, the conference room lights dimmed, and the display screen cast a harsh white glow. Fu Nanyu sat at the head of the table, the interplay of light and shadow sculpting his features with divine precision. In that instant, he exuded a breathtakingly handsome yet chilling aura, like a deity.

Ji Yunyin's heart pounded violently. This was why she could never maintain her composure in Fu Nanyu's presence.

What followed only heightened her unease. The display screen now showed her proposal, with over a dozen issues specifically highlighted. Fu Nanyu was even more ruthless than Director Zhou. While Director Zhou had identified five or six problems, Fu Nanyu had meticulously exposed every single flaw.

Director Zhou didn't hold back, openly snorting, "Ms. Ji, now you see how merciful I was, don't you?"

A proposal with over a dozen issues was essentially fit for the trash.

Fu Nanyu rose, maintaining a polite yet distant demeanor. "I have another meeting. Please take your time reviewing this."

As he reached the door, he paused, adding pointedly, "Next time, it's best to consider whether the problem lies with yourself before blaming others. With this approach, if Yunshang hopes to go far, it will only be by relying on connections."

Fu Nanyu's words were a blunt indictment of her incompetence, implying that Yunshang's current standing was solely due to Grandpa Fu's influence.

Ji Yunyin naturally refused to accept this. Although Grandpa Fu had indeed secured many projects for Yunshang, she firmly believed that the company's success was built on her own capabilities, and his support was merely a bonus.

Ji Yunyin's fingernails dug into her palms until they bled. Why? Why was she always the one losing, while Fu Nanyu looked down on her from above, unwilling to spare her even a glance?

Lu Jingtang, oblivious to the storm brewing between the male and female leads, diligently went about her work, leaving promptly when her shift ended.

She wasn't concerned about the female lead setting a trap for her with Fu Nanyu. Unlike the original character, she hadn't done anything wrong. Fu Nanyu wasn't a brainless CEO from a novel who believed everything he heard; if there was an issue, he would investigate it himself.

Seeing Fu Nanyu had arrived even earlier than her, Lu Jingtang chuckled, "Big brother, cutting out early, are we?"

"The company belongs to our family. Why worry about leaving early?"

"Big brother, you're awesome!"

Lu Jingtang slid into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and pulled a small pack of biscuits from her bag, munching away. She even kindly offered some to Fu Nanyu, the driver, asking if he'd like to try her savory egg yolk cookies.

Fu Nanyu waved his hand. "No, thanks. I'm afraid you won't have enough and might start gnawing on my car."

"..." Lu Jingtang narrowed her eyes. "Big brother, if you lick your lips, would you keel over?"

Fu Nanyu: "..."

During the hour-long drive, Lu Jingtang's mouth was never still—biscuits, sausages, and even a bottle of yogurt for a mid-journey snack.

"Stop eating," Fu Nanyu finally couldn't take it anymore.

Lu Jingtang looked at him, recalling a certain elevator incident, and casually replied, "Are you scared?"

Fu Nanyu: "Aren't you afraid of giving yourself a stomachache from eating so much?"

"Not at all." Lu Jingtang shook her head like a seasoned scholar. "I have an iron stomach, forged for the motherland. It's my mission to eliminate junk food."

Fu Nanyu chuckled. "I think you're just famished."

"Big brother, you can't talk down to me like that," Lu Jingtang said pitifully.

Fu Nanyu asked, "What happens if I do?"

Lu Jingtang cupped her face in her hands. "I will wither."

"Girls are like flowers. You need to praise them more for them to bloom beautifully."

Fu Nanyu chuckled under his breath, then asked very seriously, "Then, may I ask, how can you perk up?"

"Just buy me a milk tea to nourish me."

"Dream on!"