Chapter Five: Complete Victory

“Of course not,” Zhao Chen chuckled softly, a sound laced with unwavering certainty and a hint of icy sarcasm. “The most brilliant counterattack isn’t about pulling your opponent down—it’s about standing even higher, making her plagiarism look foolish and laughable by comparison, and even... collapse under its own weight.”

“Standing higher?” Yu Ling asked, bewildered.

“Yes,” Zhao Chen affirmed decisively. “She stole your framework, but is her plan flawless? Does Zhang Wei really have the capability to execute ‘her’ plan well? Can she answer every data point, every detailed consideration behind the plan?”

Yu Ling’s mind raced. Her plan... indeed had room for improvement! Especially the risk contingency for implementation! And Zhang Wei was nothing but a buffoon, good only at stealing credit, clueless about details and data! Handing over the plan to her was bound to result in flaws!

“I get it!” Yu Ling’s eyes lit up instantly. “My plan can still be upgraded! Especially the execution details! If I can present a more comprehensive, practical supplementary plan at a crucial moment—say, at the project kickoff this afternoon? At the meeting...”

“Clever!” Zhao Chen praised generously. “The kickoff meeting is your battlefield. Zhang Wei, as the chief planner, will surely boast arrogantly. At her most triumphant, when the applause is loudest...”

“At her proudest moment,” Yu Ling caught the thread, her voice trembling with excitement yet her gaze sharp as a blade, “I’ll propose key supplements in the name of ‘better project implementation and refining details’—directly targeting the weak points in the plan’s core logic and execution risks! I’ll use data to speak! I’ll make her lose face in public! Expose her shallow understanding of the plan!” Her words quickened, her thoughts clearer than ever.

“Exactly!” Zhao Chen’s affirmation hit like a shot of adrenaline. “Remember, your tone must be humble; your purpose is ‘for the good of the project.’ But your questions must be precise and lethal! Leave her no room to justify herself! Publicly strip away her plagiarist mask! Let everyone see who truly embodies the soul of the plan!”

Zhao Chen’s words were like precise battle orders, illuminating Yu Ling’s path and pinpointing her firepower. Strength surged through her limbs.

“But...” Yu Ling furrowed her brow, envisioning the key challenge, “time is tight! The kickoff is at 2 p.m., less than three hours away! I need to find the flaws and produce more convincing upgrades... It’s impossible! The original plan was already my limit.”

A relaxed laugh came from the other end. “Don’t rush. Ling Ling, remember our agreement? ‘Mutual help.’ Coincidentally, I recently reviewed a similar project for a friend’s company. The consulting firm they hired had a breakthrough idea—its core might inspire you.”

Yu Ling’s heart leaped, a current shooting down her spine.

“Can I... see it?” Her voice trembled with barely concealed hope.

“Alright, I’ll organize the key points and send them to you immediately,” Zhao Chen said, then added, “Don’t skip lunch. I’ll have the roasted goose rice delivered by a runner—it’ll arrive in fifteen minutes. You need to eat well to fight well.”

The call ended. Yu Ling held her heating phone, palm sweaty. Despair gave way to exhilaration.

Almost simultaneously, a WeChat notification chimed: a PDF file titled “Reference Breakthrough Approach for a New FMCG Product Launch (Internal Draft).”

Yu Ling opened it.

After just a few pages, her breath caught. This wasn’t mere “inspiration”—it was a god-tier strategy tailor-made for the “Star Sea Project”!

It addressed fatal flaws in her original plan—the vague user segmentation, broken conversion funnel, and simplistic KOL evaluation—with logically rigorous, data-rich, highly operational optimizations! The suggestion of “small-scale A/B testing plus rapid iteration” to mitigate risks was sheer brilliance! Its professionalism and insight far surpassed any top-tier report she had ever encountered! What kind of “friend’s company” could afford such consulting?

That mystery pulsed fiercely again. But now, this was her lifeline.

She immediately printed the document, gathered all original files and data, and began feverishly integrating and refining! Time flew as she immersed herself, fingers flying over the keyboard, perfectly embedding the essence of the “reference approach” into her framework, creating a more lethal “upgraded supplementary points” document!

---

The fragrant roasted goose rice arrived; she devoured it in five minutes, then plunged back into battle. Her eyes were focused and bright, like a blade drawn from its sheath.

At 2 p.m., the large conference room.

The project kickoff meeting began. Director Chen opened, then handed the floor to Zhang Wei: “Now, let’s welcome Manager Zhang Wei, chief planner of the ‘Star Sea Project,’ to present the core plan! Applause, please!”

Amid the applause, Zhang Wei rose gracefully, walked to the screen, her confident smile dazzling. “Ladies and gentlemen, this plan is based on my deep market insights and precise user profiling, honed over months.” She smoothly explained core strategies, goals, channels... The PPT was beautiful, her tone rhythmic and compelling.

Yu Ling sat in the corner, bowing her head to “take notes,” a faint cold curve at her lips. Every word Zhang Wei uttered was Yu Ling’s own effort, slicing like a dull blade. She bit back her frustration.

Colleagues nodded frequently, their eyes admiring. Director Chen looked pleased, occasionally chiming in with praise.

“...In summary, we are confident in achieving our core KPIs!” Zhang Wei concluded passionately.

“Excellent! Very good!” Director Chen led the applause, which swelled warmly. Zhang Wei bowed slightly, scanning the room, her gaze settling on Yu Ling with disdain and triumphant arrogance.

“Manager Zhang’s plan is brilliant! Does everyone understand their roles? Any further comments before we adjourn?” Director Chen scanned the room.

Silence fell.

Just as Director Chen prepared to dismiss the meeting, a clear, calm voice rang from the corner:

“Director Chen, Manager Zhang, colleagues, I have a few preliminary supplementary ideas that might help ensure the plan’s smooth implementation.”

All eyes instantly turned—to Yu Ling.

Zhang Wei’s smile stiffened, turning wary. Director Chen frowned but nodded. “Xiao Yu, please proceed.”

Yu Ling stood, clutching several A4 sheets, and approached the whiteboard. She didn’t look at Zhang Wei, her gaze calmly sweeping the room before resting on Director Chen. Her tone was humble and sincere:

“Manager Zhang’s plan is grand with clear goals. I was inspired after studying it. To ensure flawless execution, I have a few supplementary points for your feedback.”

She picked up a marker and wrote fluidly on the board.

“First, precise targeting of the user base.” Yu Ling wrote key terms and quickly outlined critical data charts. “According to preliminary research, within the core 25-35 age group, 25-28 year-olds prioritize cost-effectiveness and social aspects, while 29-35 year-olds value quality and technology. A unified strategy would be ineffective. I suggest adding A/B test groups to the main channel placements, designing differentiated creatives and incentives, and iterating rapidly based on initial data to ensure precise resource allocation and avoid waste.”

The data was solid, the logic clear.

Zhang Wei’s expression shifted slightly. She hadn’t considered user segmentation at all.

“Second, aligning the online-to-offline conversion funnel.” Yu Ling continued writing, pointing to specific slides in the plan. “Online traffic driving to offline experience stores is crucial for conversion. Current guidance and incentives are weak. Referencing successful cases (source omitted), I recommend stronger guidance and immediate incentives, such as exclusive online-to-store coupons, redemption gifts, or double points, creating a closed loop to boost efficiency.”

This struck at a glaring flaw.

Director Chen stroked his chin, nodding. Zhang Wei’s fingers clenched the hem of her sleeve.

---

“Third, KOL collaboration effectiveness evaluation.” Yu Ling’s voice was steady and strong. “The plan currently uses only GMV as a metric, which is risky. Some KOLs attract price-sensitive users, which doesn’t benefit long-term brand building. I suggest adding brand awareness monitoring (topic discussions, search volume growth), user sentiment analysis (comment emotions), and repurchase rate tracking to form a multidimensional evaluation system for comprehensive value assessment and optimizing partners.”

Her points were sharp and to the core.

The room fell silent—everyone stunned by Yu Ling’s precise, deadly, and incisive supplements! Each addressed vital issues with practical solutions. Her professionalism and insight instantly reduced Zhang Wei’s vague presentation to rubble!

Zhang Wei stood by the screen, pale as death, sweating, lips moving but unable to utter a word! She wanted to argue but found Yu Ling’s points unassailable! She wanted to explain, but knew nothing of the data behind the plan! “Th-these details... will be improved later...” she stammered helplessly.

“Manager Zhang is right,” Yu Ling immediately added, her tone humble but words sharp as knives, “details determine success or failure. Clarifying these key risks and improvements during the kickoff aids collaboration and prevents wasting the company’s precious resources. After all, the ‘Star Sea Project’... is crucial.” Her final glance at Director Chen carried profound meaning.

Director Chen’s face darkened. He was no fool. Yu Ling’s supplements and Zhang Wei’s nervousness spoke volumes.

“Xiao Yu’s points are critical and valuable!” Director Chen slammed the table, eyes piercing Zhang Wei. “Zhang Wei! As chief planner, why are these execution details missing? You must strictly adjust and refine the plan according to Xiao Yu’s supplements! After the meeting, take the lead and work with Yu Ling to finalize the supplementary plan. Send it to me before the end of the day!”

“Director Chen, I...” Zhang Wei began.

“Execution must be flawless!” Director Chen cut her off sharply. “Meeting adjourned!”

The crowd dispersed. Gazes toward Yu Ling were full of surprise and respect; those toward Zhang Wei, contempt and coldness.

Zhang Wei froze, her face ashen, her carefully styled hair disheveled, eyes filled with hatred as she glared at Yu Ling gathering her things, wishing she could tear her apart alive.

Yu Ling met that gaze calmly, lifting her head to meet Zhang Wei’s stare. Her eyes were clear and open, neither joyful nor sorrowful, even revealing a faint, professional, unassailable smile.

“Manager Zhang, I look forward to collaborating on the improvements,” she said softly, clearly.

Zhang Wei trembled with rage, unable to utter a word, stomping away with heavy steps—her retreat pitiful.

Yu Ling exhaled deeply, feeling a great weight lift from her chest. She packed up and finally left.

The sunset’s afterglow streamed through the window at the corridor’s end, casting long shadows.

She took out her phone and opened Zhao Chen’s WeChat profile—the little whale with an apron looked especially endearing.

[Yu Ling]: [Photo: supplementary points written on the whiteboard]
[Yu Ling]: The battle is over—a complete victory. Thanks for ‘your friend’s company’s reference approach.’ What do you want for dinner? My treat! (Don’t blame me if it’s bad.)

[Zhao Chen]: [smile.jpg] Congratulations on your triumphant return. Dinner doesn’t matter. What matters is—I swallow whatever poison you make.