Chapter 5 — After Ten Years of Silence, the Whole Industry Sees Me

He walked up to the award display wall in my office. His eyes glanced over each certificate of merit and each trophy in turn.

“Three years ago, your brand film Van Things Huu Thanh was the best work I've seen in the past five years.”

“There is no other work that can compare.”

“In Shanghai, I showed it to students no less than ten times.”

Outside in the hallway. Everyone was silent. Tong Chi Vien stood at the door. The smile on his face momentarily became forced.

“Before coming here, I thought about it.”

Chu Hac Minh turned his head to look towards him.

“At Thinh Hang Media, there is a creative director like Tham Nhuoc Tinh sitting here.”

“So the Jinhua project basically doesn't need to waste 1.2 million yuan to invite me.”

He turned around. His eyes went past me and landed straight on Tong Chi Vien's body.

“General Tong.”

“I'm really curious.”

“Your company has such an excellent creative director.”

“So why did you have to spend 1.2 million yuan to invite me?”

The entire hallway was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Tong Chi Vien's lips moved slightly.

“This... Teacher Chu... actually has some internal situations..."

“What is the internal situation?”

Chu Hac Minh's voice is not loud. But every word is extremely clear.

“Or is Tham Nhuoc Tinh not qualified to do this project?”

Tong Chi Vien glanced at me. I picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip.

“Master Chu.”

“It was me who refused.”

Chu Hac Minh looked at me. Wait for answer. Everyone is also waiting.

“Because…”

I stopped for a moment.

“Because of some personal reasons.”

Chu Hac Minh did not inquire. He just nodded and slowly said:

“Tham Nhuoc Tinh, the articles you published in the Creative Frontline magazine in the last two years…”

“You think no one reads it, right?”

I don't answer.

“Someone reads.”

“It's not just me.”

“In this year's list of nominees for the National Advertising Innovation Awards, there is one name.”

“Maybe you still don't know.”

He looked straight at me.

“That name is Tham Nhuoc Tinh.”

“She was nominated for the title of Best Innovator of the Year.”

I heard my heart beating. Best Creator of the Year. It is the most valuable individual title in the industry. Only given to one person each year. During the past twenty years, all past recipients have become leading figures in the industry. I never knew I was nominated. In the office. No one spoke up. Tong Chi Vien's face was sometimes red, sometimes white, as if someone had just slapped him in the face. At the back of the crowd, Hua Uyen Thanh clenched the notebook in her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“Nomination... since when?”

“Last month.”

Chu Hac Minh replied.

“When the jury discussed internally, I said so.”

“This year, there is no one more deserving of this award besides you.”

His voice was calm as if he was talking about something obvious.

“However, this has not been officially announced yet.”

"According to regulations, we have to wait until next month's awards ceremony to announce the final results."

He changed his tone.

“But I didn't come here today to tell you this.”

“So what did you come for?”

“To clarify one thing.”

Chu Hac Minh turned around. Facing Tong Chi Vien.

“A creative director is nominated for the House title The Best Creative of the Year refuses to accept your company's biggest project."

Chu Hac Minh looked at Tong Chi Vien.

“President Tong, don't you see that this itself is very unusual?”

Tong Chi Vien's throat moved slightly.

“Master Chu, the company's internal affairs are quite complicated and cannot be explained clearly in just a few sentences…”

“Not complicated.”

I interrupted him.

“Very simple.”

“Year-end bonus from 380,000 yuan was cut to 32,000 yuan.”

“Ten years of dedication is not equal to someone else's four years of seniority.”

“It's as simple as that.”

Chu Hac Minh finished listening. He looked at Tong Chi Vien for a long time. Those eyes were not offensive at all. But Tong Chi Vien seemed to be nailed to the spot, unable to move.

“Understood.”

Chu Hac Minh nodded. Then he turned to me.

“Tham Nhuoc Tinh.”

“Project Cam Hoa, you do it.”

“I will be your assistant.”

The entire hallway immediately exploded.