The afterglow of the setting sun draped the entire city in a layer of warm orange gauze, yet Lin Yu had no heart to appreciate the beautiful scenery. The heavy obstacles in the progress of the project, Zhao Qiang's deliberate concealment and misleading, and the leadership's harsh reprimand pressed down on his heart like three massive mountains, leaving him almost breathless. At this moment, he stood alone on the rooftop of the office building, holding a lit cigarette between his fingers. The smoke curled upwards from his fingertips, then slowly dissipated in the slightly chilly evening breeze.
Lin Yu's brow was tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with disappointment and bewilderment. He constantly reflected on whether he had truly done something wrong anywhere, and why the project had fallen into such a terrible state. The angry expression of the leadership and the suspicious glances of his colleagues continuously surfaced in his mind, stabbing at his heart like needles.
Just as Lin Yu was immersed in the pain of self-doubt, the rooftop door was gently pushed open. Su Yao was passing by the rooftop carrying documents when she inadvertently caught sight of Lin Yu's desolate figure. She paused slightly, a trace of concern welling up in her heart, and walked over gently.
"Lin Yu?" Su Yao called out softly, her voice gentle yet carrying a measure of care.
Hearing the voice, Lin Yu turned his head and saw that it was Su Yao. He managed to squeeze out a faint smile, though it could hardly conceal the exhaustion and disappointment in the depths of his eyes: "Ah, Su Yao, why are you here?"
Su Yao walked up to Lin Yu, looking at his haggard appearance with a heart full of sympathy. She slightly frowned and said softly, "I was just passing by and saw you out here alone, so I came over to check. What's wrong? Did you run into something upsetting?"
Lin Yu took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, and said with a bitter smile: "What else could it be? It's about the project. You know I've been in charge of that important project lately. I originally planned to work hard and achieve some results, but I never expected the data to have issues. That guy Zhao Qiang even deliberately withheld key information and misled me. Now the progress is severely lagging, and the leadership chewed me out terribly. I feel like such a failure, unable to even handle a single project." As he spoke, Lin Yu's gaze dimmed a bit more, his face written all over with frustration.
Su Yao quietly listened to Lin Yu's outpouring. When he finished, she gently patted his shoulder and said softly, "Lin Yu, don't talk about yourself like that. Who in the workplace hasn't encountered a few setbacks? When I first joined the company, I was in an even worse state than you are now."
Lin Yu raised his head slightly, looking at Su Yao with some surprise, his eyes full of doubt: "You? What setbacks could you possibly have had? I've always seen your work as quite outstanding."
Su Yao smiled, gazing off into the distance as she slipped into memory: "Back then, I had just graduated from school and didn't understand anything. As soon as I entered the company, I took over a small project. I thought it would be very simple, but once I actually started doing it, I found difficulties at every turn. I wasn't familiar with the operations, the data kept making errors, the leadership criticized me, and my colleagues pointed fingers at me behind my back. During that time, I lived in depression every day and even thought about resigning."
Lin Yu listened entranced. He hadn't expected that Su Yao, who always seemed to have such smooth sailing, had also gone through such difficult times: "Then what happened later? How did you pull through?"
Su Yao turned her head, looking at Lin Yu with a resolute gaze: "Later on, I figured it out: running away solves nothing. I started to calm down and sort out my work bit by bit. Whenever I didn't understand something, I asked my colleagues for advice and worked overtime late into the night. Gradually, I grasped the tricks of the trade, and the project was successfully completed. From then on, I understood that encountering setbacks in the workplace is completely normal; the crucial thing is to face them bravely and never give up."
Su Yao's words were like a beam of light shining into Lin Yu's dark world, stirring a trace of warmth and hope in his heart. He looked at Su Yao with eyes full of gratitude: "Su Yao, thank you for telling me all this. Hearing you put it this way, I feel like I'm not doing as terribly as I thought."
Su Yao smiled and encouraged him: "You were never doing terribly to begin with. You are very capable, you just ran into some unexpected circumstances this time. As long as you pull yourself together, you will definitely be able to handle the project well." A sincere and encouraging sparkle danced in Su Yao's eyes, and that gentle gaze seemed to possess a magical power, gradually lightening Lin Yu's previously heavy mood.
Lin Yu stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, took a deep breath, and said, "Mm, you're right. I can't just give up so easily. I'm going to reorganize my work, and this time I will definitely resolve all the issues."
Su Yao nodded and smiled, "That's the spirit! If you need any help, just say the word. Whatever I can help with, I certainly will."
Encouraged by Su Yao, Lin Yu rekindled his fighting spirit. He returned to the office, sat down at his desk, took a deep breath, and opened the project files. He decided to start from the most basic parts, systematically reorganizing item by item without letting a single detail slip by.
First, Lin Yu carefully studied the raw data, making detailed notes and cross-checking every single data source. When encountering uncertain data, he no longer blindly trusted the information provided by Zhao Qiang as he had before, but personally sought out relevant materials and personnel for verification. In the process, he discovered many previously overlooked details, and these very details could very well be the key to solving the data problems.
As his work deepened, Lin Yu encountered some technical difficulties that were difficult to resolve with just his own knowledge and experience. Remembering what Su Yao had said, he took the initiative to consult the technical experts within the company. Touched by his seriousness and persistence, the experts willingly lent a hand, providing him with valuable advice and solutions.
During the process of reorganizing his work, Lin Yu also adjusted the overall strategy of the project. He discovered that, misled by incorrect information previously, the direction of the project had deviated somewhat. He re-examined the goals and requirements of the project, and combining them with actual conditions, formulated a much more rational work plan.
After several days and nights of hard work, Lin Yu finally completed the preliminary organization of the project. Looking at the neatly arranged data and detailed work plan on his computer, he felt a strong sense of accomplishment. Although there was still plenty of work to be done, he had already seen the dawn of hope.
Throughout this process, Su Yao also kept a close eye on Lin Yu's progress. She would drop by from time to time to check on him, cheer him up, help him organize materials, and offer whatever assistance she could manage. Su Yao's care and support allowed Lin Yu to feel warmth and strength, further solidifying his determination to complete the project.
Lin Yu knew that the road ahead was still long and that all sorts of challenges awaited him, but he was no longer afraid. Because he had a friend like Su Yao by his side to support him, and even more so because he had regained his self-confidence and courage. He believed that as long as he persevered, he would surely overcome the difficulties, finish this project, and prove his capability to the leadership and his colleagues.