Chapter Twenty-Three: Why Can't She Seal the Deal?

When Shangguan Renran returned to City A, she delivered the signed documents as promised. She also reached an agreement with Director Wang, so, all in all, her first battle could be considered a resounding success.

Back at the company, she convened a meeting and delegated the necessary tasks. She intended to boost the sales department’s performance before the year’s end.

“So the department head managed to secure Director Wang’s company’s planning proposal, and from now on, the factory price will be ten percent lower?”

“That means our Qingran Studio can increase its stock, right?”

“Exactly. The department head is truly capable.”

Hmph. Bunch of opportunists. Now they all think Miss Shangguan is competent? Why didn’t they say so before?

“I’d like to know what everyone has accomplished in the past two days while I was away. Please report your work,” Shangguan Renran said, her fingers tapping the table, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

She wore a light green tailored suit today, cinched at the waist with a belt. Her shoes were almond-colored French heels with a single strap. Her flaxen curls draped over one shoulder, revealing an earlobe adorned with long, shimmering tassel earrings.

Ye Zuo and Ye Xin sat on either side, both impeccably dressed in business attire, their expressions equally grave.

“Department Head, I’ll go first. Over the past two days, I negotiated a partnership. They’re willing to apply for a patent for our high-end brand, provided its quality surpasses what we’ve delivered before—by a significant margin,” Ye Zuo said, standing up first.

“Anything else?” Renran prompted.

“And… and me,” a quiet voice piped up from a corner. It was an intern—her assessment period happened to be this month.

“I… I… negotiated—” she stammered. She was almost invisible in the company, usually only fetching tea, typing documents, or making copies.

“There’s no need to be nervous. Just tell us what you did,” Shangguan Renran’s voice was as soothing as a cello, distant yet magnetic, making people unconsciously want to draw closer.

“I negotiated a partnership for the next brand ambassador.”

“What did you say? How could you possibly manage that?” Before Shangguan Renran could respond, Shangguan Miaomiao exclaimed in disbelief.

She knew this intern—her name was Hu Ya.

Because she was just an intern, she was given only basic tasks. The ambassador negotiations had failed, so Miaomiao had tossed the job to her, thinking she could let Hu Ya take the fall if things didn’t work out.

Who could have guessed that the task she’d discarded, Hu Ya had actually managed to pull off?

“And why couldn’t she manage it?” Shangguan Renran countered.

“But Department Head, she’s never accomplished anything significant here. How could she possibly secure such a deal?” Miaomiao was incredulous.

“Then why hasn’t she accomplished anything here? Was it because no one assigned her meaningful work? Or did you only give her menial tasks? Is that why she hasn’t done anything noteworthy?” Renran looked her straight in the eye, as if seeing through her soul.

Damn it, the more she said, the more mistakes she made. Shangguan Renran had come back from her trip with an even sharper tongue.

“So, tell us—how did you secure this endorsement?”

“Well, the ambassador we approached for the next campaign is an actress whose temperament matches our upcoming brand. So, I spent the past two days at her film set…”

“What a joke. Just hanging around the set and you managed to get the endorsement?” Miaomiao scoffed. She’d been to the set herself, but the woman was such a diva that she’d only talk after filming, and Miaomiao didn’t have the time to wait around. She had so many things to handle. Later, when she tried again, the actress refused to discuss the contract. That’s why she’d kicked the task over to Hu Ya like a soccer ball.

“If you can’t do it, that doesn’t mean others can’t,” Shangguan Renran said, cutting straight to the point.

“Anything else? Or have the rest of you been idling these two days? Director Shangguan, why don’t you go next?” She lifted her gaze, her icy beauty carrying an unmistakable air of authority.

“I…” What else could she say? She’d been working on this very deal for two days, boasting about it before. Now what was she supposed to report?

“Director Shangguan, you owe it to the company that nurtured you, and even more so to your family name,” Renran said coolly.

The others might not understand, but Miaomiao knew exactly what Shangguan Renran meant—she was implying that her surname was a gift from the Shangguan family. Sooner or later she’d shed that name and show them all she could make it in City A without the Shangguan family’s help.

“I hope everyone here can deliver real results. This company doesn’t support idlers. Meeting adjourned.”