Chapter 2 — After my engagement was canceled, I went to Shenzhen and lived the most brilliant version

I replied. But the next time I submit it, I still have a very safe design. The director frowned.

“To Niem, do you have any concerns?”

"No. That's all my ability is."

He sighed and didn't say more. In the end, the plan was still approved. The customer reluctantly accepted, only giving one sentence:

“It's okay, but not impressive enough.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Chu Vi tilted her head and looked at me.

“You deliberately hid your profession, right?”

“I've been thinking a lot.”

“I believe you are new.”

One evening in the fourth month, I sat in my rented room continuing to draw a new series of paintings by "Niem Bach", a collaboration project with a domestic scented candle brand. Delivery deadline is very urgent. I worked hard until two in the morning. The phone screen suddenly lit up. Tran Duy messaged WeChat:

“To Niem, where are you now?”

I looked at the message for three seconds. Then click delete. The next morning, he sent another message.

“Next month you and Lam Duyet will get married.”

I only answered with one word. Then block his account. At lunch, Chu Vi saw that I was in a bad mood.

“Ex-boyfriend?”

“What are you saying?”

“Tell him he's getting married next month.”

Chu Vi placed her chopsticks firmly on the table.

"What kind of thing is that? You two just broke up four months ago and are already married?"

“Ever since he knew me, he has been having an affair.”

“Why didn't you say it sooner?”

Chu Vi was so angry that her face turned red.

“That kind of person…”

“Forget it.”

I smiled faintly.

“It has nothing to do with me anymore.”

But that night, I couldn't sleep. Not because I still love you. It's because of a feeling of unwillingness that is very difficult to name. Those four years... What I gave was not only love. That was also the most beautiful time from the age of twenty-four to twenty-eight. Countless times he refused painting orders just to accommodate Tran Duy's overtime schedule. Every time he utters a sentence:

“Can you support yourself by drawing?”

Then I quietly swallowed everything I wanted to say. He's about to get married. As for me, alone on the sixth floor of a village in the middle of the city in Shenzhen, diligently drawing on an old laptop. Three o'clock in the morning. I sat up again. Continue drawing. Draw until dawn. Later, that collaborative painting set became the brand's best-selling product. Partners proactively extend the contract for a whole year, royalties also double. But that's all about the future. At that time, I only knew one thing. Must move on. Never look back. By the fifth month, a new person appeared in the company. That afternoon, I was editing the plan when the reception area suddenly became noisy. Chu Vi stuck her head out to look outside, then immediately retreated.

“Co Dien is here!”

"That's our company's investor! Did you come in without reading the company introduction?"

Indeed, I have never read it. I only know that the founder Quan Chi is a famous senior in the design world, over forty years old, I thought the company was owned by him alone.

“What about investors?”

Chu Vi rolled her eyes.

"It's Co Dien! Vice President of Loc Minh Technology! Last year he poured five million yuan into his company. More importantly..."

She lowered her voice.

“Extremely handsome.”

I'm not very interested. Continue to bend your head to edit the design. About an hour later, the conference room door opened. Mr. Trinh, the founder of the company, brought a man across the work area to introduce himself to everyone. People. Come to me... I was still wearing headphones at that time. Chu Vi gently nudged his hand. I took off my headphones and raised my head. In front of him is a man wearing a dark gray shirt. About thirty years old. Tall and thin figure. The face is calm, almost expressionless.

“This is To Niem, the company's new designer.”

Mr. Trinh introduced. Co Dien nodded slightly. Say nothing. I just nodded in response. Then they kept going.

“That's it?”

Chu Vi looked at me with disappointment.

“Aren't you looking at anything else?”

“I saw it.”

“How do you feel?”

“I don't feel anything.”

I calmly replied.

“Being beautiful has nothing to do with me.”

Chu Vi shook her head and smiled.

“It's really beyond words.”

The next two weeks passed quite uneventfully. Until the project of the Thanh Tu brand encountered problems. Customers suddenly changed their entire orientation. The previously finalized image plan was completely destroyed. A new request was sent, requiring three complete plans to be presented within a week. The director began to get impatient. The five designers in the group worked overtime for three consecutive days. However, the designs still did not meet the customer's wishes.

“What do they want anyway?”

Chu Vi collapsed on the table, complaining. I looked at the design request. Some keywords appear clearly before your eyes. Oriental aesthetics. White space. Italian scene. Not too realistic. So familiar. That is the style of "Niem Bach". On the morning of the fourth day, the director called the group into the meeting room.

"If we lose the customer this time, the whole group's precious bonus will be considered lost."

Everyone looked at each other. No one spoke up. I sat in the corner of the room, silent.

“Does anyone else have any new ideas?”

The director's eyes swept around. The whole room fell into silence. I hesitated for two seconds then spoke.

“Let me try.”

The director looked at me.

“Your previous two options were both rejected by customers.”

“This time is different.”

“Where is different?”

“Because I haven't done it seriously before.”

The whole room turned to look at me. Chu Vi sitting next to him frantically blinked and signaled. The director frowned.

“What do you mean you've never been serious before?”

“So you're always lazy to work?”

"Not."

I consider how to express it.

“Just... a safe strategy.”

He stared at me for five seconds.

“I give you one day.”

"Before work tomorrow, you must submit your plan."

“If you can't do it... write yourself a resignation letter.”

I returned to my seat and opened the design file. Chu Vi immediately leaned closer.

"Are you crazy? You can do it in one day? That damn request of five people in the group working overtime for three days hasn't even come out yet..."

“Help me make a cup of coffee.”

“Black coffee. Thank you.”

Chu Vi opened her mouth to say something, but in the end she obediently went away. That night I worked overtime until eleven o'clock. Not because it's difficult. But because I'm calculating... How much of my true strength should I reveal? If you do too well, your identity will be revealed. If you do it too badly, it no longer makes sense. In the end, I chose an option that only used about seven of my abilities. Enough to surprise others. But not to the point where they immediately think of "Nien Bach". The next morning, I sent the plan to the working group. Five minutes later, the director called.

“Come to my room now.”

When I walked in, he was still staring at the screen.

“Is it really you who drew?”

“What about the previous versions…”

“Safety strategy.”

“I already said it.”

Him leaned back in the chair, looked at me for a long time.

“To Niem... you hid it really well.”