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The atmosphere was incredibly tense on the day of the assessment.

The interns went up to give their presentations one by one, with Hao Shuai and Sun Yiqiu being the last in line.

Looking at the people in front of them, some good and some bad, both of their palms were sweating.

The company's top executives all came—Qu Zhonghui, Yu Wenli, Wang Yunlai, Wu Kezhi, and General Manager Ma.

When Wu Kezhi entered, he specifically walked up to Lan Qianyi and said, "Speak well, I have the highest hopes for you."

His voice was loud enough that everyone around him could hear it.

Lan Qianyi is indeed very capable, and she is also peaceful and unassuming, which perfectly matches Wu Kezhi's expectations for his subordinates.

Lan Qianyi nodded without saying anything, but she felt much more at ease.

The assessment has begun.

As the first few interns spoke haltingly, General Manager Qu's expression grew increasingly grim, sensing that the quality of this group of interns was truly appalling.

One boy said he started learning chess at the age of five, won the provincial championship, but later gave it up.

Originally, he was trying to appeal to people's emotions to win them over, but President Qu interrupted him directly: "Why did you give up?"

The boy stammered.

Mr. Qu shook his head: "You can't even face your own failures. I don't see any resilience in you. Next."

These words were quite strong, and the conference room fell silent immediately.

Sun Yiqiu listened from the side, feeling as if he had been stabbed in the heart...

He once gave up his beloved Go, and that feeling was too painful.

Hao Shuai's condition was clearly not right.

His face was pale, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his fingers gripped the manuscript tightly.

Sun Yiqiu asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

Hao Shuai shook his head reluctantly, but his breathing was erratic.

On stage, it was Lan Qianyi's turn.

She walked to the front, opened the PowerPoint presentation, and began to talk about their "artificial intelligence medical imaging" project.

The explanation covers both the technical principles and market prospects in a clear and logical manner, with detailed data.

Halfway through the speech, General Manager Qu suddenly raised his hand to interrupt: "You just said that the hospitals' willingness to adopt your suggestions is key. So how many hospitals did you survey? Is the data reliable?"

This question came as a bit of a surprise.

But Lan Qianyi paused for a moment before pulling out a spreadsheet from the folder: "We interviewed twelve radiologists from eight top-tier hospitals. This is a summary of the interview records. The data sources include published papers and desensitized clinical data obtained through collaborative channels."

She handed over the form and continued speaking.

Beside her, Suning helped her pull up supplementary charts, and the two exchanged glances, their coordination seamless.

Mr. Qu flipped through the spreadsheet without interrupting, mainly because the project was perfect.

It's almost as if this project is ready for risk control review. President Qu muttered to Yu Wenli beside him for a long time.

It's obvious that both President Qu and Yu Wenli are very interested and will definitely work hard on this project in the future.

In conclusion, Lan Qianyi stated, "Therefore, this project is not purely technology-driven, but rather focuses on addressing clinical pain points and will be implemented in three phases..."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Suning.

Suning naturally followed up, adding two suggestions for dealing with policy risks.

The whole process was so smooth, it was as if it had been rehearsed countless times beforehand...

But in reality, they only practiced together three times.

After all, the project itself was solid, and Lan Qianyi's speech was excellent. Listening to it, Wu Kezhi also thought that the two of them were in a good position.

He whispered to Lin Yuming beside him, "The technology is amazing, and it also touches on people's hearts."

Lin Yuming nodded: "It seems that President Qu wants to continue to push forward this project, which is quite rare for an intern."

"Lan Qianyi and Su Ning are in the bag! This is what true strength looks like."

"Should we keep Suning here?"

"Suning's background is too mysterious! The decision is not up to our group four, so let's try our best to win over Lan Qianyi."

"Won't you give it a try?"

"Old Lin, the key to being a good person is to be practical."

"..."

Next up was Zeng Hao, whose voice trembled with nervousness, and he spoke haltingly.

Mr. Qu frowned as he listened.

It was finally Hao Shuai and Sun Yiqiu's turn.

When Hao Shuai stood up, his legs were trembling.

Sun Yiqiu helped him up, and the two walked forward together.

Hao Shuai's voice was ethereal as soon as he opened his mouth: "G-Greetings, leaders. The project we are researching is..."

He is stuck.

The words on the manuscript seemed to be jumping around, and he couldn't concentrate on reading a single one.

My mind was filled with my father's stern face, "You must get into Jin Chen" and "Don't embarrass me."

Cold sweat streamed down Hao Shuai's face. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

The audience was eerily quiet, and Lin Yuming, who was listening in, had already covered his face.

"I'm sorry..." Hao Shuai suddenly said, "Can I go to the restroom?"

Mr. Qu glanced at his watch: "Okay, but the time will be included in your presentation time."

Sun Yiqiu became anxious.

He took a deep breath, pulled Hao Shuai aside, and stepped forward himself: "Distinguished leaders, we are researching new retail models in the context of consumption upgrading..."

He wanted to salvage the situation, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he panicked himself.

The language was disorganized; the speaker clearly knew what to say, but the mouth couldn't keep up.

He couldn't even listen to himself anymore halfway through his speech; it was terrible.

Just then, Hao Shuai returned from the restroom.

His face was still wet with water droplets, but his eyes were much more focused.

He gently patted Sun Yiqiu on the back and stepped forward again: "Sorry, I wasn't feeling well just now. I'll continue now."

He took the microphone, took a deep breath, and spoke again, his voice steady: "Our core view is that the essence of new retail is not a simple combination of online and offline, but a data-driven reconstruction of people, goods, and places..."

Although it wasn't outstanding, it was at least a normal performance.

Sun Yiqiu listened from the side and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

……

The first round has ended, and it's halftime.

In the restroom, Sun Yiqiu rinsed his face with cold water.

Wu Kezhi walked in, stood next to him washing his hands, and said without looking up, "I was worried for you when you talked like that."

Sun Yiqiu lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Wu."

"What's the use of just apologizing?" Wu Kezhi turned off the tap. "The next round is to recommend the project to your partner and persuade them to invest. Do you know how to do that?"

Sun Yiqiu shook his head.

Wu Kezhi looked at him and suddenly said, "If you really can't beat them, then let's die together. Don't be afraid of losing, because if you are afraid, everything will be over. Anyway, you have nothing to lose, so you're not afraid of anyone wearing shoes."

Sun Yiqiu paused for a moment, then looked up: "President Wu, there's a saying in Go: 'Until the end, how can you know whether it's a win or a loss?'"

Wu Kezhi stared at him for two seconds, then smiled: "Okay, I'll remember that."

……

The second round begins.

The rules are simple: interns pair up and take turns recommending a virtual project to each other and persuading the other to "invest".

The investment amount may be virtual, but the persuasiveness and project value are what truly matter.

Gao Sicong and his partner went first.

Gao Sicong recommended a "shared office upgrade solution." While speaking, he kept observing the other party's expression and found that the other party was particularly concerned about "cost control," so he deliberately emphasized that the project could "reduce operating costs by 30%."

The other side was indeed tempted and surrendered.

But Wu Kezhi shook his head from the audience: "That's too opportunistic. Exploiting someone's weaknesses to set a trap isn't persuasion, it's scheming."

Next up were Lan Qianyi and Su Ning.

Lan Qianyi made the first recommendation.

She stood up and faced Suning: "Suning, I recommend a project to you: 'Sheyu' - an integrated platform for renting and job seeking specifically for working women."

She opened a simple page sketch: "Currently, the rental app market is chaotic, and women renting alone often encounter safety and privacy issues. Job search apps are overloaded with information and have low matching efficiency. 'Sheyu' combines the two, only certifying real listings and employers, introducing a female user rating system, and providing value-added services such as legal consultation and contract review."

She explained it in great detail, from market size and user pain points to profit models and risk control.

Finally, she said, "This is not just a simple rental app, but an ecosystem to help working women establish themselves in unfamiliar cities. Initially, we can pilot it in first-tier cities, accumulate positive word-of-mouth, and then quickly replicate it."

After listening, Suning asked, "Won't the verification cost be too high? How can we guarantee the authenticity of the property listings and employer information?"

Lan Qianyi replied, "We use an invitation system combined with manual review. We'd rather be slower in the early stages to ensure quality. We've already contacted three women's community organizations that are willing to serve as seed users and referral channels."

Suning nodded, then asked, "How long is the expected profit cycle?"

"It takes 18 months to break even and 24 months to start making a profit," Lan Qianyi stated, providing specific figures.

Suning was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I'll take it."

Some people in the audience whispered among themselves, "So decisive?"
When it was Suning's turn to recommend, he stood up and said calmly, "The product I recommend is: 'Chuyou'—a high-end skincare brand with natural ingredients."

He opened a market analysis report: "Currently, the high-end skincare market is monopolized by international brands, but young consumers are increasingly valuing ingredients, traceability, and brand philosophy. 'Chuyou' focuses on three points: first, all ingredients are publicly available and traceable; second, it uses modern purification of traditional Chinese plant formulas; and third, a certain percentage of each bottle sold is donated to a women's entrepreneurship fund."

He spoke calmly and deliberately, but every piece of data was supported by evidence: "Our research shows that 68% of women aged 25-35 are willing to pay a premium for 'ingredient transparency.' Brand stories can revolve around 'Eastern aesthetics' and 'female power,' which easily evokes emotional resonance."

Lan Qianyi asked, "How do you control R&D and production costs?"

Suning replied: "We have reached a cooperation agreement with a top domestic plant extraction laboratory and will jointly invest in the formula development stage. On the production side, we are considering acquiring a small factory that meets international standards, which will initially operate under a light-asset model."

What about market competition?

"Avoiding direct competition with Estée Lauder, Lancôme, and others, we will focus on niche markets... 'ingredient enthusiasts' and 'supporters of traditional Chinese style'. The first batch of products will be developed through platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Bilibili to cultivate seed users, without large-scale advertising."

Lan Qianyi thought for a moment, then looked up and said, "I'll throw."

She paused for a moment, then added, "But I suggest adding offline experiences, such as collaborating with high-end hotels and women's bookstores to create pop-up experience stores. Skincare products require tactile and olfactory experiences, and it's difficult to build complete trust purely online."

Suning carefully noted down: "The suggestion is excellent; it can be added to the next version of the plan."

The two spoke professionally and efficiently, without a single wasted word.

Below the stage, President Qu nodded slightly.

Mr. Ma turned to his lackey Zhao Boqian and said, "These two interns are quite interesting."

"Why don't we just take them all?"

"There are too many monks and not enough meat! We'd be lucky to get even one."

"Which one does Mr. Ma want?"

"secret."

……

After the internship, everyone had a week to wait for the results.

Suning didn't go anywhere and slept until he naturally woke up.

After having lunch, he thought about it and decided to go to Jianguo Group to take a look.

It's kind of funny, but during his long internship at Jin Chen, he almost never mentioned his family.

His colleagues at the company all thought he was just an ordinary graduate.

He himself was indifferent to the family business, mainly because he knew that it would be useless to care.

The headquarters of the Jianguo Group is located in Lujiazui, and the entire building is magnificent.

Suning didn't say hello and just swiped his card to enter the lobby.

The receptionist was taken aback when she saw him, then quickly stood up: "Mr. Su... what brings you here?"

"Just browsing." Su Ning waved her hand. "Is my dad home?"

"President Su is in a meeting, should we inform him?"

"No need, I'll just wander around."

He took the elevator upstairs.

As he passed through the office area, many people recognized him and whispered among themselves.

Jianguo Group started with import and export trade, and now its business has expanded to a wide range, from bulk commodities to daily consumer goods.

Actually, this was Suning's first time visiting Jianguo Group, after all, he was a lucky one who had been lost and returned.

Walk to the International Trade Department and look inside through the glass wall.

Dozens of people stared at their computers, the sounds of phone calls, keyboard clicks, and discussions mingling together. The large screen displayed real-time data on major global ports, exchange rate fluctuations, and commodity prices.

A middle-aged man wearing glasses hurried out, and when he saw Su Ning, he was startled: "Su Ning? What are you doing here?"

This is General Manager Zhang, a former subordinate of his father for over twenty years, who frequently visits the Su family mansion to report on his work.

Over time, although Suning had never visited Jianguo Group, everyone in the group knew of Suning's existence.

"Mr. Zhang, are you busy?" Su Ning smiled.

“Indeed, we just signed a big iron ore deal with Brazil last week, and this week we’re negotiating rubber in Southeast Asia.” Mr. Zhang wiped his sweat. “The chairman has been under a lot of pressure lately. The trade war has forced us to renegotiate many of our deals.”

Suning nodded.

While reviewing macroeconomic reports at Jin Chen, he noticed that the import and export industry was having a tough year.

"What's the profit margin like now?" he asked.

"It's almost two percentage points lower than last year," Mr. Zhang sighed. "Costs are rising, exchange rates are fluctuating, and customers are relentlessly pushing for lower prices. However, the chairman has come up with a solution and is moving upstream in the supply chain, aiming to acquire controlling stakes in several overseas mines and plantations to regain control."

Listening to this, Su Ning understood.

In his internship report, Jin Chen analyzed the transformation path of traditional trading companies, and upstream integration is indeed one way.

"By the way, you've finished your internship, right? I heard you're at Jin Chen?" General Manager Zhang asked. "How was it? Do you want to come back and help the chairman? Although he doesn't say it, he's actually hoping for it."

"We'll see," Su Ning said, not giving a direct answer. "I'll go check on my sister first."

……

Su Qing's company is in Zhangjiang and deals in drones.

To be precise, it mainly supplies parts and components to DJI, and also manufactures complete machines, but on a much smaller scale than DJI.

When Su Ning arrived, Su Qing was in the testing room watching the engineers debug a new prototype.

Upon seeing her younger brother, she removed her goggles: "Oh, Young Master Su has come to inspect the work?"

"Sis, I was just feeling pretty bored, so I was looking around." Su Ning smiled. "How's the company doing?"

"It's alright, same as always. DJI's orders are stable, and our own brand is slowly taking shape." Su Qing led him around the workshop. "Look at this one, it's our newly designed agricultural plant protection drone. Its battery life is 20% longer than similar products on the market, but we can't bring down the cost, so it's not selling very well."

Suning looked at the gray drone, with the "Qingkong Technology" logo printed on its wings.

"Isn't the marketing too good?" he said. "Having good technical skills isn't enough; you have to let buyers know."

“I know! But we don’t have the money to spend on advertising.” Su Qing shrugged. “DJI takes up most of the market. Small brands like ours can only rely on cost-effectiveness and niche markets to slowly chip away at our market share.”

She paused, then looked at Su Ning: "What about you? Your internship at Jin Chen is over. What are your plans now? Is Dad urging you to come back again?"

“That wasn’t mentioned,” Su Ning admitted. “Besides, I want to see how things go on my own. If I can get the job, I’d like to gain some experience at Jin Chen Capital.”

"Whatever you want." Su Qing patted his shoulder. "But I'm reminding you, you'll have to take over this family business sooner or later. Dad's getting old, and the group is under a lot of pressure to transform. He needs you."

Su Ning didn't say anything; he understood.

In fact, Suning understood better than anyone that Su Qing's words were more of a test, a probe into Suning's attitude toward the Su family's businesses.

After all, being born into a wealthy family is never easy, and even Su Ming, who is currently in high school, has a complicated mindset.

The reason why Su Ming always dislikes his older brother is because his appearance has overshadowed his brother's, and he will also have to compete with them for the Su family's property and inheritance rights.
-
……

They ate dinner at the Su family mansion that evening. Su Ning's mother, Li Xiuqin, had the servants prepare a table full of dishes and kept serving food to Su Ning.

"You must be tired from your internship, right? Eat more." She then changed the subject, "By the way, do you remember your Uncle Li Shensi's daughter, Li Shiyan, when he came to visit last time?"

Suning paused with his chopsticks: "I vaguely remember, what's wrong?"

“She works as a kindergarten teacher.” Li Xiuqin said casually, but her eyes were expectant. “Since you’re free recently, why don’t you go and meet her? Young people can chat more.”

Suning understood.

Li Shiyan is the daughter of Li Shensi, an investment tycoon known as the "King of Unicorns".

If the two families could form a marriage alliance, they could complement each other's businesses.

"Mom, I'm not thinking about that right now," Su Ning said.

“I didn’t mean for you to think about anything, just consider it meeting a friend.” Li Xiuqin insisted, “I’ve always liked Shiyan, she’s beautiful and has a good personality. Your Uncle Li also likes you quite a bit.”

Su Ning glanced at her father.

Su Jianguo lowered his head and ate without saying a word, but his tacit agreement was obvious.

"Dad, do you think so too?" Su Ning asked directly.

Su Jianguo put down his bowl and wiped his mouth: "Business is business, and feelings are feelings. But your Uncle Li does have some ideas, saying he hopes the young people will interact more. Our two families know each other well, which is better than those outside."

The meaning is quite clear now that things have been said to this extent.

“Okay, I’ll go,” Su Ning said. “But it’s just a meeting, don’t think too much about it.”

Li Xiuqin immediately smiled: "Okay, okay, I'll just meet him."

After finishing her meal, Su Ning returned to her room.

He stood by the window, looking at the city's night view, feeling a little annoyed.

His internship evaluation results haven't come out yet, but his family has already made arrangements for his next step...

Returning to the family business, befriending the daughter of a long-standing family friend, and preparing to take over the reins—a clear yet arduous path.

My phone vibrated; it was a WeChat message from Lan Qianyi: "What are you doing?"

Looking at those three words, Su Ning suddenly felt a little relieved.

He replied, "Just finished eating. What about you?"

"Watching a soap opera, getting so anxious waiting for the results. So boring," Lan Qianyi replied quickly. "Do you think we can make it?"

"It should work."

"You're so confident?"

"I have always had confidence in you."

After posting this, Suning paused and added, "Are you free this weekend? I'd like to invite you to a concert by the Philharmonic Orchestra."

About a minute later, Lan Qianyi replied: "Okay! Saturday afternoon?"

"Row."

Putting down her phone, Su Ning felt that the night view outside the window didn't seem so heavy anymore.

...(End of chapter)