Chapter 2 — After Ten Years of Silence, the Whole Industry Sees Me

The ability to do projects is only at a normal level. But there is a bravery that everyone recognizes. Very good at pleasing others. She wrote the script for hosting the company's year-end party. The flower basket for the boss's wife's birthday was ordered by her. She is present at every reception. If a leader's child passes the university entrance exam, her gift will always be sent to her the earliest.

"With her qualifications, she cannot handle a project of the same magnitude as Cam Hoa."

"I think so too."

Ha Than hesitated for a moment then continued:

"But teacher, she doesn't do it alone. I heard that she even brought in an outside studio, planning to propose a plan together."

"Which studio?"

"I'm not sure. It seems to be in Shanghai."

I nodded, didn't say anything else. Ha Than looked at me, wanting to say it again.

"Teacher, that Cam Hoa project... are you really not doing it anymore?"

"Don't do it."

"But... that's the customer you negotiated with yourself last year. General Manager Vuong even said he only recognized you."

"Then let Hua Uyen Thanh go get that recognition."

I opened the file next to me.

"Anyway, the company thinks anyone can do it."

Ha Than stood a while longer, sighed and then went out. As soon as the door closed, my document flipping stopped. Hua Uyen Thanh wants to receive the Cam Hoa project. Not unexpected. Last year, the project of Thuy Phong real estate was also my creative idea. But when it was time to award the prize, the person listed as the project team leader was actually her. I once looked for Tong Chi Vien to question him. He said:

"She does the creative, she does the strategy. This is collaboration."

I drew one hundred and twenty original image designs. She only wrote two pages of content framework. The day she received the award, she stood on stage. Wear the newly bought dress. Smile brightly as if you just won a resounding victory. And I sat in the third row below. No one introduced me by name. Two o'clock in the afternoon. Tong Chi Vien led two department directors to appear in front of my office door.

"Tham Nhuoc Tinh, let's talk."

I invited them to sit down.

"Project Cam Hoa, what is your attitude?"

Tong Chi Vien goes straight to the point.

"My attitude is very clear."

"Do not accept."

"Year-end bonus."

Dao Vu, Marketing Director sitting next to Tong Chi Vien, immediately interjected:

"Director Tham, year-end bonus is a year-end bonus, work is work. Two different things."

"General Manager Dao, I ask you a question."

I looked straight at him.

"Last year, the Minh Tuyen mineral water project that your team implemented had a revenue of 8,000,000 yuan. How much is your year-end bonus?"

Dao Vu paused.

"This... this has nothing to do with you."

"Okay, if you don't say it, let me say it instead."

"140,000 yuan."

Dao Vu's face immediately turned red. I continue:

"Your team generated 8,000,000 yuan in revenue, with a year-end bonus of 140,000 yuan."

"My team generated more than 100,000,000 yuan in revenue, year-end bonus of 32,000 yuan."

"General Manager Dao, do you think it's reasonable?"

The whole office was silent. Tong Chi Vien's fingers continuously tapped on the armrest of the chair at a very fast pace.

"Tham Nhuoc Tinh, don't bring up the past."

"The company has company regulations. It's not like you can fix it if you want."

"I didn't say I wanted to fix it."

I stood up.

"I'm just doing it work according to regulations."

"If the regulations say year-end bonuses are calculated according to position and seniority, then high-risk projects should also be divided according to position and seniority."

"I have ten years of service, the position is Creative Director, and the year-end bonus is 32,000 yuan."

"Hua Uyen Thanh has four years of seniority, the position is Strategy Director, year-end bonus of 90,000 yuan."

"It's clear the company values her more."

"So the Cam Hoa project, just let her do it."

Tong Chi Vien slammed on the table.

“Are you threatening the company?”

“Not a threat.”

I sat back down, my tone calm.

“It's minimizing losses.”

“The 32,000 yuan year-end bonus is not commensurate with the risk of a project worth 80 million yuan.”

"If I make a mistake, the customer will be held responsible, but the company will drag me to bear the blame."

“I've experienced something like that before.”

“I think President Tong understands better than anyone else.”

The face of Lam Dong, the human resources director who had been sitting next to him without saying a word until now, became extremely unsightly. He coughed lightly.

“Director Tham, please think more.”

"No need."

Tong Chi Vien stood up and adjusted his vest.

“If you don't want to do it, the company will find another way.”

They left. The door closed. I looked at the year-end bonus check placed on the table. The number on it was like a thorn stabbing straight into the eye, making the bridge of the nose sting. That afternoon, the atmosphere in the company changed. Ha Than came to me and said that Hua Uyen Thanh had won the temporary right to be in charge of the Cam Hoa project and was convening the team to open a kick-off meeting.

“Her ideas are completely misdirected.”

Ha Than lowered his voice.

"She still didn't understand the nature of Cam Hoa's brand so she quickly proposed to follow the national style. Last year President Vuong made it very clear that what he wanted was an international image."

“What she does is her business.”

“But Ms. Tham, if the plan fails and Cam Hoa withdraws, the loss will not only be the contract worth 80 million yuan, but also the reputation of our entire creative department.”

“That's what the company needs to worry about.”

I bowed my head and continued reading the manuscript in my hand. Ha Than stood in front of me for a long time. Finally left quietly. In the evening, Ms. Tan arrived. Tan Nha Chi, eldest sister of the general administrative department. She has worked at the company for thirteen years, with even longer seniority than me. That year when I went for an interview, she was the one who helped me dry a file of work that had been exposed to rainwater. She placed a cup of hot coffee in front of me and sat down opposite me.

“Nhuoc Tinh, have you heard the story?”

“Are you really not accepting the project?”