Chapter 520 Ambition Laid Bare

• “I…” Lin Nuannuan froze the moment he smiled like that, panic flashing plain as day. She didn’t have much real workplace experience to begin with. Everything she’d rehearsed in her head, she’d simply laid out on the table. If her “cleverness” backfired, that would be a real mess. As she wavered, Qiu Ke said, “Instead of choosing a plan that’s harder to carry out, we should stick to the original and do some simple tweaks.” He was already very satisfied with the original plan. So even if Zhou Wenhua backed her, he still spoke his mind boldly. “I think it’s impressive that a new colleague could grasp the ongoing project so well on her first day and offer a workable plan. That deserves some praise. I asked both of you here so you could learn from each other.” “If it’s doable, great. If there are gaps, we’ll hash it out and adjust.” Seeing her unease and nerves, Zhou Wenhua eased up a little. He had to admit, he saw a younger version of himself in Lin Nuannuan: gutsy, bold, bursting with energy. He didn’t want to waste that fire and sincerity, so he openly gave her the chance to ‘challenge’ her seniors. Whether she could seize it would come down to her own ability. “In that case, I have no objections. Mr. Zhou, you make the call.” Qiu Ke and Wu Runchun exchanged a glance and didn’t argue again, handing the final decision back to Zhou Wenhua. Clearly, after this round, he realized the person steering a plan change needed to be the one with more experience. When the three left the office, they were all smiles on the surface, but each had their own agenda. “This newcomer is worth keeping an eye on.” Wu Runchun watched her back for a long moment, then spoke like he’d reached a conclusion. “Looks like you and I have a rival in the company now.” Qiu Ke’s mindset was much calmer than his. With real strength in hand, even the most brazen newbie wasn’t scary. Lin Nuannuan, meanwhile, quickened her steps toward the bathroom. Only when the door shut did she suppress the anxiety clawing at her chest. She’d been too eager to win. She had almost exposed her ambition right in front of those two. That feeling of being scrutinized like a bug under glass sucked. Not landing the project wasn’t the end of the world. There’s still time. Just don’t become everyone’s favorite target. “Did you hear? That newbie, Lin Nuannuan—cocky on day one.” Before she could figure out her next move, two female colleagues walked into the restroom. And they were talking about her. “Heh. If she weren’t halfway decent-looking, Manager Wu would’ve torn into her already.” Both were Wu Runchun’s subordinates. They knew his temper inside out. Heat spiked in Lin Nuannuan’s chest. She was about to push the stall door open and confront them when she heard, “Girls like her are all fluff, no substance. Two days, tops, and she’ll quit on her own.” That made her yank her hand back. Clearly, it wasn’t just those two who thought that. The whole planning department, maybe the entire project team, probably had her pegged as someone desperate to show off. She absolutely couldn’t walk out now and make a scene. Even if she had a thousand retorts, she wouldn’t be able to explain herself to a crowd. If anything really blew up, she’d be the one crushed under their feet. And that was something her pride could never swallow. Thinking that, she forced herself to calm down and ignored whatever they were saying outside. She needed a cool head. No one was going to stop her climb. … The parent-child sports day at Shengchuan wrapped up too. Jovienne was never good at sports. If Hendrik hadn’t shown up today, Jovienne and Leonard would’ve placed dead last again. “Daddy, you were awesome today!” The little brat in the backseat sipped his milk and couldn’t stop bragging. And yeah, he wasn’t just hyping Hendrik’s performance on the field—he was also praising him for stepping in and standing up for Jovienne at just the right moment. “So how are you going to reward me?” Hendrik wasn’t fooled by the kid’s subtext. He met Leonard’s eyes in the rearview mirror and teased him on purpose. “Reward?” The kid blinked, totally thrown. First time he’d ever met a dad this shameless—asking his kid for a prize!