"Ladies and gentlemen, after careful deliberation, we have selected our partner for this project. It is none other than Xingyue Group..."
"Ms. Zhou Xin!"
As the name was announced, the others let out sighs of disappointment.
Bai Xining slowly loosened her clenched fists...
She had lost!
Zhou Xin stood up with a smug look on her face. "Thank you! Thank you, Longyue Group, for your appreciation! I knew you all had good taste!"
"Bai Xining, did you see that? This is what true strength looks like! Trash like you shouldn't come here to make a fool of yourself. The ultimate winner is still me!"
"My proposal was simply the best!" she jeered triumphantly.
Bai Xining was speechless, biting her lower lip in silence...
Emboldened, Zhou Xin pointed directly at Bai Xining. "Everyone here is among the elite. Of course..."
"Except for her..."
She gestured toward Bai Xining and laughed with utter contempt. "This Ms. Bai gave birth to two bastards straight out of high school and never even went to college, yet she actually dared to come here and compete with us..."
"Tell me, has anyone ever seen anyone so shameless and brazen?"
Astonished gazes swept across the room toward Bai Xining.
"Never went to college?"
"An unwed mother!"
"Such people still exist today..."
"What a disgusting woman!"
"Where on earth does she get the confidence to sit with us?"
Whispers erupted throughout the conference room.
Stung in her most vulnerable spot in front of everyone and subjected to their judgmental stares...
Bai Xining wished she could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it!
It felt as though she had been stripped naked and exposed to the gaze of the crowd...
It was too humiliating, too degrading.
What should she do?
Just as the conference room descended into chaos, a voice rang out: "The Chairman has arrived—"
Everyone's heart skipped a beat.
A stern-looking middle-aged man walked into the conference room, accompanied by his secretary.
Upon seeing Jiang Haosheng, Fang Huazhen's heart jolted. He rushed forward and bowed obsequiously, "Chairman, you're here—"
"Hmm."
Jiang Haosheng gave a cold, indifferent nod. "Has the partner been chosen?"
"Ch-chosen, yes!" Fang Huazhen wiped away a cold sweat.
"Mr. Jiang!" Zhou Xin immediately stepped forward, curtsied, and smiled. "My name is Zhou Xin. I'm so thrilled to have earned your company's appreciation!"
Zhou Xin?
Jiang Haosheng's expression shifted.
It wasn't Bai Xining?
How was he supposed to salvage this situation?
How could he possibly mess up something Xiao Zining had explicitly instructed him to do?
"Bring all the proposals over here. I want to review them personally!"
"Ah? This..."
Fang Huazhen was startled.
"What? Is there a problem?" A heavy aura of authority radiated from Jiang Haosheng.
"N-no problem at all!"
Guilt-ridden, Fang Huazhen didn't dare utter a single syllable of dissent.
From the back of the room, someone chimed in, "Yeah, Manager Fang, make all the proposals public! Let's see if this winning proposal truly lives up to its reputation."
"A large corporation like Longyue Group wouldn't rig things behind the scenes, right..."
"We demand that the results be made public."
Several other voices joined in.
Zhou Xin sneered derisively. "You people just can't accept losing! A bunch of losers, full of yourselves..."
Confident and arrogant, she declared, "Today, I'll make you eat your words! I'll show you all what a truly brilliant proposal looks like!"
With that, she took her proposal straight to the projector and switched it on.
"No..." Fang Huazhen's heart quaked.
"Let her display it!" Jiang Haosheng said with a frigid tone. "Or is there something you're hiding?"
Fang Huazhen shut his mouth immediately!
Cold sweat poured down his face.
Yet, he quickly formulated a countermeasure...
The proposal was registered under Zhou Xin's name anyway. What could Bai Xining possibly achieve even if she exposed the truth? He would simply deny it to the bitter end!
The Chairman wouldn't take the words of a nobody to heart.
He would definitely believe him instead!
The moment the proposal flashed onto the projection screen, many people froze in place...
Zhou Xin was dumbfounded.
Han Hanzhong was utterly stunned.
Bai Xining's eyes widened in disbelief...
This!
This was...
That was clearly her proposal!
Why was Zhou Xin's name on it?
Fang Huazhen's legs turned to jelly; one wrong move and he was finished!
*Isn't this proposal mine?* Zhou Xin's mind raced with a hundred question marks.
Could Manager Fang have had someone polish it and put her name on it?
Manager Fang really was thorough and considerate.
She briefly skimmed through the document; the proposal really was well-made...
"Look!"
"This is the project proposal I created!"
"Well-deserved!"
"Are you convinced now?"
Zhou Xin wore an air of supreme triumph. Seeing the dumbfounded expressions on everyone's faces, her vanity was thoroughly gratified!
Her words and demeanor oozed superiority!
She turned her hostility back toward Bai Xining. "Bai Xining, you should take notes and learn a thing or two. Stop making a fool of yourself in public!"
"I feel ashamed just having been your classmate..."
"You've completely disgraced the Bai family!" Bai Ting muttered under his breath.
"Get out—" Bai Yuexin barked angrily at Bai Xining.
However...
Bai Xining's expression remained completely calm. She took a deep breath and slowly stood up...
Jiang Haosheng narrowed his eyes. *What is Madam up to?*
Under everyone's gaze, Bai Xining spoke, enunciating every single word clearly: "I object to the results!"
"Because..."
"This proposal was written by me!"
In an instant, everyone's expressions twisted in shock, followed by a burst of mocking laughter.
*Has this woman lost her mind?*
*She wrote it?*
*The author's name is clearly Zhou Xin!*
*How can someone be so shameless? She's lying so much she's actually starting to believe it herself!*
However...
Upon hearing those words, the hearts of Jiang Haosheng, Fang Huazhen, and Zhou Xin skipped a beat!
"Shut up!"
Pointing directly at Bai Xining, Fang Huazhen roared, "Stop spreading malicious rumors here!"
"Someone!"
"Guards!"
"Throw this troublemaker out immediately!"
"No, call the police and have her arrested! I'll make her pay for her words and actions!"
However...
Jiang Haosheng fixed a glacial stare on him and delivered a sharp slap across his face. "Let her speak! What? Feeling guilty?"
Terrified by Jiang Haosheng, Fang Huazhen didn't dare utter another word, clutching his cheek as he lowered his head.
Zhou Xin snapped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Bai Xining, what the hell is wrong with you, you bitch? Are you out of your mind? What proof do you have that this proposal is yours?"
"This is the fruit of my labor!"
"Are you blind? My name is right here! Zhou Xin! Do you see it?"
"Such claims are a violation of my reputation rights! Kneel down and apologize right now, or else things won't go so smoothly once the police arrive."
She puffed out her chest, radiating aggressive self-righteousness.
Han Hanzhong also abruptly stood up, saying in a deep voice, "I demand an immediate apology!"
"Otherwise..."
"We will sue you for defamation and you can spend the rest of your life behind bars!"
"Yeah, exactly! You claim this proposal is yours, where's your proof?"
"I've truly never seen anyone so thick-skinned..."
"Can't step down gracefully now, can you?"
"People like this are just driven by jealousy! Jealous of anyone doing better than them!"
"You make me sick..."
The rest of the crowd echoed the sentiment with looks of utter disdain.
Their gazes toward Bai Xining were dripping with scorn and contempt.
Seeing this, Han Hanzhong's mouth curled into a smile. Seizing the opportunity, he stepped forward and said, "Mr. Jiang, she's just talking nonsense out of jealousy because my girlfriend won this project. Please don't take it to heart."
"My name is Han Hanzhong, from the Han Family..."
"Snap!" Jiang Haosheng lashed out with the back of his hand. Han Hanzhong was sent crashing onto the table, his head bleeding. "A junior of the Han family has no business telling me how to do my job."
His stern gaze shifted back to Zhou Xin. "I'll give you one chance. Tell me with your own mouth—whose proposal is this, really?"
"It-it's mine!"
Zhou Xin gritted her teeth and insisted.
Seeing her reaction, Jiang Haosheng was completely certain of the truth.
With a gentle tone, he looked toward Bai Xining and said, "Ms. Bai, I will certainly get to the bottom of this and clear your name!"
"Since you both claim this proposal is yours... very well. Recite the contents of the proposal. The truth will be obvious the moment you speak."
Zhou Xin's face turned ashen.
How could she possibly know what was written in the proposal? She had only skimmed through it earlier!
"You go first!" Jiang Haosheng stared at Zhou Xin, his voice imposing.
"I-I..." Zhou Xin stammered, unable to squeeze out a single word.
Bai Xining straightened her back.
"This proposal is the culmination of my blood, sweat, and tears. I know it backwards and forwards."
With that, she proceeded to meticulously detail every single aspect of the proposal, word by word, with absolute confidence.
Silence fell over the entire room!
In an instant, the whole truth was laid bare!
The very people who had just been mocking Bai Xining turned ghostly pale!
Bang!!
With a face full of wrath, Jiang Haosheng slammed his hand onto the table, his formidable gaze sweeping across Fang Huazhen, Han Hanzhong, and Zhou Xin.
"The three of you, give me an explanation!"
"You have some damn nerve!"
His roar cracked like thunder, terrifying the three of them so much that their legs went weak...
"I..."
"I..."
Fang Huazhen looked like he was about to wet his pants.
At Longyue Group, Jiang Haosheng was practically a god. Fang Huazhen was merely a lowly manager, and that crushing authority made it impossible for him to breathe.
The Chairman was furious!
This was a massive crisis!
"You're fired," Jiang Haosheng stated flatly.
*How dare you bully Lord Xiao's wife?* If not for Lord Xiao's warning not to make things too obvious, he would have loved to beat this bastard to death!
"No... please don't..." Fang Huazhen dropped to his knees with a heavy thud. "I beg the Chairman, please give me another chance..."
How could he possibly accept losing a job with an annual salary of several hundred thousand?
How could he cope with that!
Jiang Haosheng remained expressionless. "Fraud and deceit have brought shame upon Longyue Group. Firing you is already the greatest leniency I can show."
Han Hanzhong spoke up. "Mr. Jiang, please grant the Han family some face. No matter what, I must have this business deal! Furthermore, Manager Fang was only implicated because of me, so I demand to protect—"
"Get lost—" Jiang Haosheng laughed out of sheer anger. "Who the hell do you think you are? You dare ask me for face? Even the head of your Han family wouldn't dare demand favors from me here."
"And you!" Jiang Haosheng turned his gaze toward Zhou Xin. "You are permanently blacklisted across every major industry in Fengcheng. Anyone who dares hire you will be making an enemy of Longyue Group."
"Swish—"
Zhou Xin's face drained of all color. With that declaration, her future was truly over...
"Mr. Jiang, I-I was wrong... Please spare my life..."
"Begging me is useless. Beg Ms. Bai."
He was standing up for Bai Xining. Since this woman had cursed Bai Xining with such vicious enthusiasm earlier, how could he let her off without a profound lesson?
At these words, Zhou Xin scrambled across the floor on her hands and knees toward Bai Xining, dropping to her knees with a loud thud. "Xining, my dear friend, we were classmates..."
"For the sake of our past friendship, please spare me! I have elderly parents to support and a child to raise. If I really get fired... wails... I won't be able to survive..."
Her current salary wasn't low; if she was blacklisted, how would she buy luxury goods in the future? How would she maintain her upper-class lifestyle?
She couldn't bear the thought of a life in poverty!
"Who did you call a bitch just now?" Bai Xining asked coldly.
"I'm the bitch! I am!"
Zhou Xin slapped herself across the face repeatedly. "I'll punish myself, I apologize to you..."
"Who did you call a bastard?" Bai Xining returned the slap with one of her own.
The blow left Zhou Xin's face swollen!
"You can insult me all you want, but you will not insult my children."
"I'll let you off this time. Next time... you might not be so lucky."
Zhou Xin scurried away in disgrace.
No matter how resentful Han Hanzhong felt, with Jiang Haosheng standing right there, he had no room to act presumptuously.
As for the fired Fang Huazhen, Jiang Haosheng had his men throw him straight out the front gates!
He had lost every shred of dignity...
"Ms. Bai, congratulations. This project from Longyue Group is officially yours to complete." Jiang Haosheng addressed Bai Xining politely.
"Thank you, Mr. Jiang!" She was pleasantly surprised, feeling quite overwhelmed.
"You're welcome. You earned this through your own strength," Jiang Haosheng replied.
Envy filled the faces of everyone else in the room...
A fifty-million project!
That was certainly no small sum!
"She actually managed to pull it off? What beginner's luck!"
"I'm so pissed!"
Bai Ting and his sister were utterly vexed. They had come together, yet Bai Xining was the one who had secured the project.
Didn't that mean they were inferior to Bai Xining?
"Here is the project contract," Jiang Haosheng said, producing the document. "Let's sign it right now. Ms. Bai, you just need to sign your name here."
"Okay." Tremendously excited, Bai Xining picked up a pen and swiftly scribbled her signature...
This was the first business deal she had negotiated entirely on her own merit!
Her sense of achievement was boundless!
Furthermore...
With this contract in hand, getting her two children transferred to that kindergarten was finally within reach!
Bai Ting and Bai Yuexin were so mad they felt like vomiting blood. Seeing Bai Xining basking in the spotlight in front of so many people left a sour taste in their mouths.
"Idiot! So what if you secured the project? Aren't you just doing the work for our benefit?" Bai Ting sneered under his breath.
"To think she actually believed she was someone special!" Bai Yuexin mocked.
With the matter concluded, Jiang Haosheng inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he had executed everything according to Xiao Zining's instructions.
Clutching the contract, Bai Xining departed with a thrill of excitement.
Bai Ting and her brother hurried after her. "Well, look at that, you actually got it! Seems your luck isn't bad after all. You've finally done a good deed for the Bai family."
Their tone was dripping with bitterness.
"It's fine." Bai Xining truly didn't want to deal with them; they were absolute pests.
Back at the Bai residence, Bai Tianhe sat drinking tea, feeling rather anxious.
Could this project and investment actually be secured?
Once secured, that meant tens of millions in profit!
The three of them walked into the main hall.
"Grandpa, we've secured the contract." Bai Xining appeared somewhat excited.
"What?"
A look of pleasant surprise immediately spread across Bai Tianhe's face as he sprang to his feet.
Bai Xining handed him the contract. "A fifty-million contract! Signed between Longyue Group and our Bai family, and I am the representative!"
Bai Tianhe hastily flipped open the contract, then burst into hearty laughter.
"Good! Good! Good! Excellent..."
"Truly my good granddaughter!"
"Well, you've all worked hard!" he said with a casual nod. "Xining, you've had a tiring day, go get some rest first."
He waved his hand dismissively, his tone nonchalant.
"Grandpa," Bai Xining asked, "what about those two spots for Longhao Kindergarten..."
"Oh, those? I already sent Xiaodong over there. There are no spots left now."
He spoke offhandedly.
"What?" Bai Xining gasped in shock. "Didn't we agree..."
"Agreed on what? I never agreed to anything." Bai Tianhe's expression darkened. "Are you questioning my decision?"
"I... Grandpa, I wouldn't dare."
Bai Xining lowered her head in bitter disappointment.
"Alright... Xining, you've rendered great service to the Bai family this time, very well done, go get some rest first," Bai Tianhe said indifferently. "Consider this as making up for your past mistakes."
With a single sentence, he effortlessly wiped away all of Bai Xining's contributions!
This was a contract worth tens of millions in profit!
Bai Xining felt a deep, piercing sense of injustice...
The entire Bai family's annual net profit was probably only around ten million!
She had made such a massive contribution to the family, yet this was how they treated her? A chill settled deep in her heart!
Bai Ting sneered, "Bai Xining, what daydreams are you entertaining? Longhao Kindergarten is the most prestigious kindergarten in our city!"
"What qualifications do those two bastards of yours have to enter? Only my Xiaodong deserves it!"
"That's right." Bai Yuexin wore an expression of utter contempt. "Why don't you take a look at yourself in the mirror? Don't you even know your own worth?"
"Did you not hear us? Get lost—!!"
Bai Yuexin gloated triumphantly, "Still, we must thank you for securing this project for the Bai family. We truly appreciate it..."
"However, if you think you can take anything away from our Bai family, I'm terribly sorry..."
"Keep dreaming!"
Bai Xining glanced at Bai Tianhe, but she saw no trace of guilt on his face.
As for the Bai siblings, they looked as though they couldn't wait to drive her out immediately!
And she...
Having toiled painstakingly for days over a proposal that brought tens of millions in profit to the Bai family!
This was how they repaid her?
She bit down hard on her lower lip, fighting back her tears as she walked out of the Bai family residence in a daze...
Meanwhile, Xiao Zining, who had been quietly monitoring Bai Xining's movements, saw her emerge and immediately drove up, stepping out of the car.
"How did it go?"
"Did you get the project?"
Though he already knew the outcome, he asked anyway.
To his surprise...
Bai Xining suddenly threw herself into his arms and burst into soft sobs...
Stunned, Xiao Zining could only gently pat her back and offer soothing words, "What's wrong?"
"I got the project, but they went back on their word. They gave the Longhao Kindergarten spots to Bai Xiaodong... They probably never intended to keep their promise in the first place."
"I worked so hard to create those results, why should they get to reap the rewards for free?"
"They are just too much!"