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The news that Sun Yiqiu had been publicly reprimanded by Wu Kezhi spread like wildfire throughout the intern circle.

During lunch break, several interns gathered in the tea room and inevitably started talking.

"Have you heard? Sun Yiqiu from Group Four wrote a report, and General Manager Wu tore it up on the spot."

"Really? It's torn? That's brutal?"

"They said they were just copying a template, but they didn't know anything and were just pretending to know. Mr. Wu was furious."

"No wonder, Wu Kezhi is known for his strictness, he can't tolerate any flaws, he's not very capable, and he has the worst temper."

"Shh! Are you that bold? Daring to speak so highly of your leader."

"Tch! Bullshit! Everyone in the company knows that President Qu is suppressing him. If I were him, I would have left long ago."

"But Sun Yiqiu is really something, he dares to get involved even though he doesn't know anything..."

Gao Sicong happened to come in to pour water and frowned when he heard the discussion: "Alright, everyone, say less. There's an intern training session at 2 PM in the training room on the 19th floor, don't forget."

Although he doesn't like talking about people behind their backs, he always feels that doing so is really low.

However, he also disliked Sun Yiqiu's approach of forcing himself to do something against his will, which made him seem out of place in this place full of elites.

However, in his eyes, someone like Sun Yiqiu could not stay and he believed that Sun Yiqiu would soon leave Jin Chen Capital in disgrace.

Therefore, Gao Sicong did not want to make too many friends, nor did he want to antagonize him. On the contrary, he felt that the low-key Suning was more mysterious.

"Lan Qianyi, do you know anything about Su Ning from Group Four?"

"Not familiar with them! We've never interacted before."

“He was already here when our group of interns arrived, but he was going to intern with us, which means he got in through a special channel.”

"So what! Sun Yiqiu is in the same situation."

“It’s different! We all know Sun Yiqiu’s specific information, but do you know Sun Ning’s information?”

"What do you mean?"

"I heard that Suning's data is sealed off and no one has the right to access it, not even President Qu."

"how is this possible?"

"Therefore, the real big shots never show off their abilities."

"..."

……

At this moment, Sun Yiqiu was hiding alone on the company rooftop.

As he leaned on the railing, looking down at the pedestrians and vehicles below, which seemed as insignificant as ants, Wu Kezhi's sharp questions echoed repeatedly in his mind.

"You wrote this report, from beginning to end, just to prove yourself..."

"You've placed your pitiful personal pride and desire to prove yourself above the rigor and professionalism of your work!"

Every word felt like a needle piercing my heart.

But he felt wronged and embarrassed.

However, deep down, I vaguely knew that Wu Kezhi was right...

He was indeed eager to prove something, to shut up those who were laughing at him with a "decent" report, and to tell his mother that he hadn't worn the suit in vain.

But what was the result? The report was shattered, and his self-esteem was crushed even more.

Footsteps came from behind.

Sun Yiqiu quickly wiped his face, not wanting anyone to see his disheveled appearance.

"The view here is quite good," a cool female voice said.

It is Lan Qianyi.

She walked to the railing, standing a short distance away from Sun Yiqiu, and also looked into the distance.

Sun Yiqiu was a little embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

"Did President Wu scold you?" Lan Qianyi asked directly.

“Hmm…” Sun Yiqiu lowered his head.

"When I first interned at Goldman Sachs, my mentor scolded me so badly that I cried. I felt like a complete failure back then," Lan Qianyi said calmly, as if she were talking about someone else's story.

Sun Yiqiu looked up at her in surprise.

In his memory, Lan Qianyi was always calm, excellent, and at ease, so it was hard to imagine that she would be scolded.

"why?"

“Similar to you.” Lan Qianyi turned to look at him. “Stubborn. Trying to prove that you’re no worse than others, trying to prove that girls can do well in this industry. You took on a task that was beyond your capabilities, and you did it despite your difficulties, resulting in many mistakes that almost caused the team to lose a client.”

"and after?"

"Later, my supervisor scolded me for half an hour in front of the whole group, saying that I was 'vain, reckless, and lacked professionalism.'" Lan Qianyi's tone was flat, as if she were talking about something commonplace. "The report that I worked on for two weeks was thrown directly into the shredder."

Sun Yiqiu felt a deep resonance upon hearing this, as this experience was almost identical to his own today.

“Back then, I also doubted myself,” Lan Qianyi continued. “I worked so hard, wasn’t it all to prove my worth? Why was I so thoroughly rejected?”

"So... how did you come to that conclusion?"

Lan Qianyi was silent for a moment: "Later, my mentor spoke to me privately and asked me a question. He said: 'Lan Qianyi, is the value you're desperately trying to prove truly your own, or is it just a label you've imagined and hope others will recognize?'"

Sun Yiqiu was stunned.

“I thought about it for a long time afterward,” Lan Qianyi said. “I realized that my desire to prove myself ‘excellent’ and ‘no worse than boys’ was actually because I subconsciously felt that if I wasn’t excellent, I didn’t deserve recognition, and that girls were born to be looked down upon. What I was desperately trying to tear off was actually the label I had put on myself. But I proved it the wrong way. I didn’t try to tear off the label with real talent and ability, but instead tried to cover up my lack of confidence with a beautiful report and an outstanding grade.”

These words struck Sun Yiqiu's heart like a heavy hammer.

“Mr. Wu scolded you today not because you did a bad job,” Lan Qianyi said, looking at him. “It’s because your starting point was wrong. You gave a report not to understand the industry, but to declare to others, ‘Look how great I am!’ ‘I can do it too!’ But you don’t even understand the basics. This ‘greatness’ is just a castle in the air, and it will burst with a single blow.”

Sun Yiqiu's lips moved, as if he wanted to defend himself, but he found that he had no way to defend himself.

“Sun Yiqiu,” Lan Qianyi’s tone unusually warmed, “have you ever thought about what you’re so eager to prove? Is it to prove to your mother that you’ve found a decent job? Is it to prove to your colleagues that you’re not a nepotism hire? Or is it to prove to yourself… that you’re not a failure?”

These three questions were all sharper than the last, piercing straight to the deepest part of Sun Yiqiu's heart.

He opened his mouth, but his throat tightened, and he couldn't speak.

“If all you want to do is prove these things, you’ll suffer a lot on this path,” Lan Qianyi said. “Because external recognition can never fill the emptiness inside. Today you produce a report, tomorrow you’ll want a higher position, greater achievements. It’s never enough, you’ll always be anxious.”

"Then... what should I do?" Sun Yiqiu's voice was hoarse.

"Think clearly first, what do you really want?" Lan Qianyi said. "Do you genuinely love this industry, want to learn, and want to grow? Or do you just need a job, a respectable position, and a status that others can look up to?"

“I…” Sun Yiqiu was bewildered.

He initially came to Jin Chen Capital simply because his mother used her connections to help him get a respectable job.

He studied hard and tried desperately to keep up because he was afraid of losing face, disappointing his mother, and being looked down upon by his colleagues.

As for whether he likes this industry or not? He doesn't know.

He didn't even have time to think about the problem.

“You don’t need to answer me now,” Lan Qianyi said. “Think it through yourself. If you’ve figured it out and really want to work in this industry, then calm down and start learning from the basics. Don’t rush to prove anything; first, make sure you have real skills. If you just want to make a living…”

"That's understandable, but don't worry too much about what others think. Just do your job and get paid, that's good enough."

After saying that, Lan Qianyi patted his shoulder and turned to leave the rooftop.

Sun Yiqiu was left alone, staring blankly at the towering buildings of the city.

He recalled the feeling of being out of place and filled with apprehension when he first walked into the Jin Chen Capital building.

He recalled the expectant look in his mother's eyes when she bought him a suit.

I remember the frustration of being looked down upon when Wu Kezhi threw the dictionary at him.

I remember the false sense of accomplishment I felt when I stayed up for several nights to finish the report.

Lan Qianyi asked the right question: what exactly is he trying to prove?
How to prove you're not a loser?

To prove that I deserve this suit?
How can I prove that I can produce a "decent" report like Gao Sicong and Lan Qianyi?

But are these proofs really meaningful?

Even if Wu Kezhi praised his report today, what about tomorrow?
What about the day after tomorrow? Can he continue to get away with piecing things together and imitating others?

If even he himself doesn't know why he walked through that door, then who is he trying to prove to by desperately putting on a brave face?
Who am I proving this to? A breeze is blowing, and it's a bit chilly.

Sun Yiqiu slowly squatted down and hugged his head.

For the first time, he had such a clear suspicion…

Doubting one's motives, doubting one's direction, and questioning whether what one is desperately trying to grasp truly belongs to oneself.

……

2 PM, training room on the 19th floor.

The interns arrived one after another, sitting in twos and threes, chatting quietly.

The conversation inevitably revolved around the incident that morning when Sun Yiqiu was publicly reprimanded by Wu Kezhi.

"Do you think he'll come back this afternoon?" Zeng Hao asked in a low voice. "If it were me, I definitely wouldn't have the face to come."

"Hard to say, judging from his stubbornness usually." Li Xiaoxian shrugged effeminately.

Gao Sicong didn't participate in the discussion, but he also thought that Sun Yiqiu might ask for leave to avoid it.

Lan Qianyi sat by the window, her gaze occasionally sweeping towards the door, but then she would unconsciously look at the nonchalant Su Ning.

At this moment, Su Ning sat in the corner as if no one else was around, paying no attention to the gossip of these old women.

Anyway, they were all defeated by Sun Yiqiu, so they weren't worth the effort to befriend.

At 2:00 PM sharp, the trainer still hadn't arrived.

The door was gently pushed open, and Sun Yiqiu walked in with his head down.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment as many eyes fell on him, some with surprise, some with amusement, and some with curiosity.

Sun Yiqiu didn't look at anyone and silently walked to the corner of the last row and sat down.

A barely perceptible hint of approval flashed in Lan Qianyi's eyes—at least he didn't run away.

Soon, Yu Wenli, General Manager of the Technology Media and Communications Department, walked in.

She was around forty years old, with short, neat hair and sharp eyes.

"Hello everyone, I'm Yu Wenli. Today's training is very simple, focusing on just one question: What is your selling point?"

She wrote the words "selling points" in large letters on the whiteboard.

“Everyone, come up on stage and explain your core selling point in one minute. The people behind you will repeat the selling points of everyone before you. Just a reminder,” Yu Wenli pointed to the camera in the corner, “the group leaders can see this through the live stream. Let’s begin, starting with the first one on the left.”

Gao Sicong was the first to stand up and walk to the front of the stage, his demeanor composed.

"My selling points are clear: systematic financial training and solid research capabilities. I completed my undergraduate and master's degrees in finance at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, passed the CFA Level I exam, and had two internships in core departments of securities firms. I can quickly understand the industry, build financial models, and complete professional investment analyses."

He spoke with confidence, and he certainly had the right to be confident; many people in the audience nodded in agreement.

The second one is Zeng Hao.

“My selling point is my down-to-earth attitude and willingness to work hard. I know I’m not the smartest, but I’m willing to spend more time and do more solid work. During my university years, I worked on three projects at the same time, working more than fourteen hours a day, and I managed to pull through. Investing requires endurance, and I have that.”

When it was Li Xiaoxian's turn, he walked awkwardly onto the stage, gesturing exaggeratedly as he spoke: "Well, I think my selling point is... I'm really good at dealing with people! I'm super nice, everyone likes being friends with me. Plus, I have great taste, I'm knowledgeable about fashion and lifestyles, which is really helpful when looking at consumer products~"

Yu Wenli interrupted him directly: "Li Xiaoxian, investing isn't about making friends or a beauty pageant. Your so-called 'selling points' are worthless in the professional field. Get out of here."

Li Xiaoxian's face turned bright red, and he awkwardly stepped off the stage.

Lan Qianyi is the fourth.

She stepped to the front of the stage and said calmly, "My selling point is that I don't care at all whether I have a selling point or not."

These words sparked whispers among the audience.

Yu Wenli raised an eyebrow: "Explain."

"Because selling points are defined by others and are a reflection of market demand. I only need to ensure that I have the ability to solve problems and continuously learn and evolve. As for what kind of 'selling point' this ability is packaged into, that's something for recruiters or clients to consider, not for me."

Yu Wenli nodded without saying anything, but there was a hint of appreciation in her eyes.

Next came Qiu Shuang and others, each with their own version of events.

When it was Suning's turn, he walked onto the stage with steady steps.

“My selling point is mindset,” he began. “There are no undefeated generals in investing. I accept the possibility of failure, but more importantly, I have the mindset to learn from failure, reset, and start again. When problems arise, my first thought is how to take responsibility and solve the problem, rather than shirking responsibility or feeling frustrated. Because in my view, failure itself, if handled properly, is a more valuable experience than success.”

These words were spoken with composure and strength, a level of composure not typical of an intern.

Yu Wenli glanced at him a few more times. She had always heard that Su Ning's background was mysterious, and seeing him today, she indeed felt that he was different from others.

Finally, everyone's eyes fell on Sun Yiqiu in the corner.

He slowly stood up, and his steps were unsteady as he walked towards the podium, revealing his nervousness.

Lin Yuming stared at the live stream screen in his office, his heart pounding with anxiety. He hoped the kid wouldn't cause any more trouble.

Sun Yiqiu stood in front of the stage, took a deep breath, and raised his head.

His voice trembled slightly at first, but gradually calmed down.

“I…I didn’t go to university, I only graduated from high school. I have no financial background and no internship experience. To this day, I still don’t know…I don’t know how I got into the company. So I want to clarify first that I’m not someone with connections, nor am I deliberately hiding anything. I’m just…just an ordinary person.”

The audience was quiet; no one expected him to be so candid in revealing his shortcomings.

Especially the chubby Zeng Hao looked disappointed. He had originally placed his hopes on Sun Yiqiu's connections, but his enthusiasm had been misplaced.

“So, when Mr. Yu asked, ‘What are your selling points?’... I think the question of what my own selling points are is inherently flawed.” Sun Yiqiu’s speech quickened. “Because a ‘selling point’ is something that others need or don’t need. Just like when you’re selling something, you can’t just say ‘What are the features of my product?’ You have to first see what the customer needs. Right now... I don’t know what the company needs, what the market needs, and I’m still figuring out what I should learn. So it’s too early for me to decide my own selling points.”

"What I can do now is not to rush to package myself with selling points, but to figure out as quickly as possible what kind of people are needed here and what kind of capabilities are required for investment. Then, I will learn, practice, and become that person who is needed. Until then, I have no selling points to talk about."

After speaking, he bowed slightly and returned to his seat.

The training room was silent for a few seconds.

Yu Wenli was the first to applaud, a delighted smile on her face: "Very good! Sun Yiqiu, your answer actually demonstrates the qualities that a professional investor should have. It's not about talking to yourself, but about focusing on market demand and value matching. In this respect, you are more clear-headed than many self-proclaimed excellent people."

This was a very high compliment, and the other interns had varying expressions.

……

In the office of the fourth comprehensive team, Lin Yuming watched the live broadcast with a complicated expression.

He turned to Wu Kezhi and said, "Boss, look... Sun Yiqiu seems a bit different from what we thought. He's not that vain, and he's quite down-to-earth."

Wu Kezhi was also looking at the screen, his face expressionless: "What's the use of just telling the truth? Which of these interns isn't a chosen one? But how many of them can stay after their internship ends each year? Even those who graduated from prestigious universities and have impressive resumes might not be able to stay. What makes him, a high school graduate who doesn't know anything, stand out?"

"But……"

“There are no ‘buts’,” Wu Kezhi interrupted him. “The workplace is cruel. It won’t make an exception for you just because you said a few nice words. Think about it, how many of your batch of interns stayed?”

Lin Yuming knew Wu Kezhi was right, but he still couldn't help but say, "What about Su Ning? Look at what he just said, his mentality, his vision, he doesn't seem like a newcomer at all."

When Suning was mentioned, Wu Kezhi's expression became more serious.

“Sun Ning and Sun Yiqiu are completely different things,” Wu Kezhi said slowly. “Sun Yiqiu is a blank sheet of paper, requiring us to draw him from scratch, stroke by stroke, and even after much effort, he might end up with nothing but a piece of waste paper. As for Sun Ning…”

He paused for a moment, then said, "He gives me the feeling of a masterpiece that has already been passed down through the ages, but is temporarily covered by a veil. You can't see the whole picture, but you know that there's more to it than meets the eye."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that what Suning possesses—experience, mindset, and vision—is probably unmatched by any of the interns here. Although I don't know his specific background, he is definitely not simple. He and Sun Yiqiu are not on the same level."

Lin Yuming said thoughtfully, "So that's why you dared to let him do so many things?"

“Yes.” Wu Kezhi nodded, looking at the training session that had ended on the screen, his voice low, “And I always have a feeling… Su Ning might be another possibility for you and me, or even for the entire Comprehensive Group Four.”

"Another possibility?" Lin Yuming didn't understand.

Wu Kezhi didn't explain further, only saying, "It's just a premonition. Perhaps he can lead us down a different path."

He closed the live stream and started working on the files.

But that thought just wouldn't go away...

The appearance of Suning, and his words about failure and mindset today, gave Wu Kezhi a glimpse of a different way of surviving in the workplace than before.

It's not just about confrontation, nor is it just about compromise; it's about another possibility.

As for what this might be, he can't say for sure yet, but it's worth continuing to observe.

...(End of chapter)