With her already prepared schedule for the new day, Shi Nian arrived early at the company.
"Good morning, Director Shi," Secretary Shang greeted from behind.
Faintly nodding in response, Shi Nian walked to her office.
Returning to BaiYue after her two-day leave, Shi Nian quietly approved of how well Bei Chuan had handled things in her absence.
BaiYue's rapid growth was something she truly looked forward to. Rather than thinking it was all due to her own hard work, Shi Nian only had praise for the people Cheng Yuemin had chosen to work with.
Such a woman was worth meeting, Shi Nian mused.
"Director Shi!" Bei Chuan's excited voice rang from outside the office.
Seeing Shi Nian already inside, he hurriedly entered.
"Director Shi, you won the RainCloud investment! The department just received the appointment email a few minutes ago!" Bei Chuan's eyes were filled with admiration.
He had received Shi Nian's earlier notification about a possible appointment with RainCloud, but he hadn't dared believe it.
Everyone in business knew RainCloud's standing in the corporate world. Yet their director had secured this chance herself!
Seeing Bei Chuan's excitement, Shi Nian couldn't help but say lightly, "The chance was given, alright."
She knew that if not for that man, BaiYue would've lost the opportunity.
Shi Nian didn't bother questioning why he had helped her. Memories or not, he was her man.
She accepted his help with peace of mind.
"It's a good thing the appointment email came early. Quickly prepare the required documentation; we'll be discussing the contract tomorrow."
Shi Nian's words immediately snapped Bei Chuan out of his reverie.
"Right away, Director Shi!" Bei Chuan hurried off as quickly as he had come.
Secretary Shang, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was surprised but quickly masked his expression.
He was conflicted, uncertain whether to report this news to Shi Wang or not.
"Secretary Shang, you'll also be accompanying us to RainCloud tomorrow. After the brief morning meeting, we'll head to—"
Shi Nian noticed the flicker of conflict in his eyes but ignored it. It wasn't important.
For her, Secretary Shang was efficient at his job, and that was enough. She placed him where he was useful nothing more.
…
BaiYue had the practice of organizing daily morning meetings. This was introduced by Cheng Yuemin to encourage harmony and better communication among the researchers.
Shi Nian, seated at the officiating seat, didn't think it helped much.
BaiYue did look better in some aspects, but the internal relations among the researchers had only grown more strained.
Looking at both teams glaring at each other as if ready to ignite, Shi Nian had the urge to lock them in a room and let them fight it out.
Shaking off the thought, she signaled for the meeting to commence.
Ding Shun and his team began first.
Their progress this time genuinely surprised Shi Nian, they had made a major breakthrough.
The product that had nearly ruined BaiYue had now been upgraded almost to perfection.
That was her initial impression, though in her eyes, it still needed work.
Han Meimei stepped forward from the group, eager to seize the opportunity to showcase their skill.
"Director Shi, our team, led by Team Leader Qing Bai, worked tirelessly to bring this product to life."
Shi Nian nodded seriously. Indeed, they must have worked hard to achieve such progress.
Han Meimei smiled proudly, brushing her hair aside as she approached the podium.
Ding Shun felt a strong urge to rush forward and sew her lips shut.
She never quits, does she? he thought irritably.
Among the researchers, Han Meimei was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful.
Among the researchers, Han Meimei stood out for her refined beauty — clear eyes, soft lips, and fair skin that carried a natural glow.
But to Ding Shun, her beauty faded the moment she opened her mouth.
As she flaunted her charms before Shi Nian, he could only sigh inwardly.
"There's something your team may have overlooked," Shi Nian interjected calmly during Han Meimei's presentation.
"Director Shi, what might that be?" Ding Shun asked, still confident in their progress.
"Team Leader Shun, has your team proceeded with the composition trials for your formula?" Shi Nian asked.
Ding Shun frowned, thinking carefully. "No, Director Shi," he admitted, uncertain where she was going with this.
Without keeping them in suspense, Shi Nian continued,
"The formula X in your product does enhance the overall quality, but when it comes into contact with formula XY at room temperature, it will cause the product to melt."
"Have you considered preventive measures? Also, the quantity of formula X you've used would ruin the product entirely."
Ding Shun and his team looked stunned.
They hadn't conducted large-scale tests yet, but their smaller trials had succeeded.
Formula X had seemed like the key to their breakthrough.
"Director Shi, how are you able to tell? You haven't done any experiments yourself. We carried out a minor test using a prototype skin and succeeded," Ding Shun said defensively.
He had put a lot of effort into developing that prototype, and Shi Nian's words felt too harsh.
He concluded inwardly that Shi Nian must be trying to suppress them because of his past loyalty to Shi Wang.
She probably never intended to give them a chance.
"I don't need to conduct an experiment to know this," Shi Nian replied evenly.
"That's why I said your team may have overlooked something."
"From your report, the minor test you conducted was on a freshly mixed batch that wasn't sealed. My point is, while the product remains fresh and unsealed, it performs well. But once sealed and exposed to room temperature—"
"The product disintegrates," Han Meimei cut in suddenly, her eyes widening in realization.
"The formula X breaks down the molecular structure at room temperature."
Shi Nian nodded in approval. At least they can still think under pressure.
Now she saw that Ding Shun's team truly was an elite group of young researchers.
Especially Han Meimei, she had a bright future in the field.
Han Meimei blushed under Shi Nian's approving gaze, though she didn't want to admit it, Director Shi was, in fact, right.
She quickly led her team back to their seats, whispering hurriedly among themselves about their product.
Ding Shun felt a quiet sense of relief. It was fortunate the issue had been discovered early.
Across the room, Qing Bai's team fidgeted nervously, afraid Shi Nian would replace them after witnessing their rivals' progress.