Rebirth 04: Starting from Taking an Unconventional Approach

For Wang Yu, it all felt like a dream. The windows were open, and the corridor was filled with the warmth of a summer morning, the air fresh with the scent of plants. When Wang Yu called out "Good morning!", even the grumpy vice president of marketing had to smile at her.

Yesterday, after receiving her transfer notice from headquarters, she packed some clothes and cherished items into her suitcase. The last thing she put in was a painting above her bed, depicting a bird in flight. The music box her father had given her still sat on her dressing table. She had always been convinced she could never easily part with these things, but strangely, they now held little meaning for her. Her mother helped her pack, and the two of them listened to her father pacing in the living room as they reminisced about the past. It had been an awkward farewell.

Wang Yu entered her office, and Chen Zhengyuan and the newly appointed deputy director of product development stopped their conversation. Of course, this office no longer belonged to Wang Yu.

"Do you like this view?" Wang Yu kept her gaze fixed on the newly appointed deputy product director, hoping her tone would be natural. Her new position was filled by a mild-mannered, short, and stout middle-aged man. Wang Yu had never met him before, only knowing from his personnel file that he had been transferred from the headquarters' wireless business unit; she had forgotten his name almost immediately.

"Yes, Shanghai is always sunny and bright in August," the man said. "We'll have to get used to it eventually."

Wang Yu really wanted to ask him what he meant by "also", but when she caught a glimpse of Chen Zhengyuan nodding in agreement out of the corner of her eye, she swallowed her words.

"I'm explaining the staff and work situation here to Lao Zhao," Chen Zhengyuan said. "I'm telling him everything, you know what I mean."

"Ha, I get it, you two knew each other before."

"That's right," Chen Zhengyuan said. "Old Zhao and I used to be classmates. Back then, we were all in Guangzhou, working late into the night in the lab debugging bugs together."

"Your personnel file says you were transferred from the Wireless Business Unit," Wang Yu turned to look at Lao Zhao, "Did you know that General Manager Chen also worked at Wireless before?"

"I know," Old Zhao said with a smile, looking at Chen Zhengyuan. "Sometimes we meet at project review meetings and undermine each other during the defense session."

"I never expected this," Wang Yu said with a sly smile, "If President Chen is on the review committee, then he will be accused of abusing his position for personal gain."

Chen Zhengyuan gave a dry laugh and glanced at Wang Yu with a warning look.

"If you need to pack anything, could you please come back later, Wang Yu? We have something to discuss."

Wang Yu turned and left, walking to the far end of the corridor, where the steel blinds were half-drawn. A television hanging in the corner was playing a lottery program. Wang Yu watched the colored balls roll down the funnel. The television volume was low, but Wang Yu heard a woman's voice say, "Six, the number is six." Someone had won. Footsteps sounded behind her.

"Hey, Wang Yu, there's no one in your office anymore."

The speaker was Chen Zhengyuan.

"I understand," Wang Yu said.

"I just wanted a smoke." Chen Zhengyuan nodded towards the door leading to the terrace, which was actually used as a year-round smoking room. Chen Zhengyuan took two cigarettes from the pack and handed one to Wang Yu: "Want to join me?"

The view from the terrace was beautiful, but the air was just as stuffy as it was on the street. The morning sun slanted across the city, landing on the XH district.

"It will definitely be great."

"We'll see." Wang Yu took a deep drag on her cigarette. She didn't know what Chen Zhengyuan was referring to, nor did she know what her answer was.

"You'll like it," Chen Zhengyuan said. "It's just a habit."

"Was your return Mr. Ding's idea, or did you fight for it yourself?"

"What's the difference?"

"It makes no difference to me. But to you..." Wang Yu said, "The difference lies in whether you really want to prove something, or just don't want to lose too badly."

Chen Zhengyuan sneered: "Do you think I'm the kind of person who would admit defeat?"

"You don't seem like it," Wang Yu said, "but you seem like the kind of person who takes defiance as a sign of backbone."

Is there a difference?

"Yes." Wang Yu stared at the glowing cigarette in his hand. "Being unconvinced is competing with others, but having backbone is competing with yourself."

The two stood in silence. Chen Zhengyuan walked to the railing and leaned against it.

"Wang Yu, I know you still hate me, and I don't expect you to forgive me overnight." Chen Zhengyuan paused, "But we still have to work together in the future, so we have to turn the page. Maybe we should let our guard down a little more."

"Let your guard down?"

"Yes, doesn't that sound a bit risky?"

"A little."

Chen Zhengyuan smiled slightly: "I agree, but Wang Yu, neither of us are the type to bring personal emotions into our work, right? I have a card in my hand, and you have one too. I need your intelligence, and you need someone to verify whether your analyses are worthwhile. If you're willing, we can each compromise and treat the Qingniao matter as a purely business collaboration. Of course, if you feel that working with me will dirty your hands, I understand. But think about it, if I mess things up in Shanghai, what will President Ding think of your strategic suggestions? Your judgment will be tied to mine."

"Should we each take a step back?"

"Yes, you can ask me questions first. Ask whatever you want to know."

"What's your trump card...?" Wang Yu said, suddenly startled. She looked at Chen Zhengyuan, took a deep drag of her cigarette, and said in a low voice, "You've been quite active at Shanghai Normal University lately?"

Chen Zhengyuan raised his eyebrows, scrutinized Wang Yu for a long time, and then said, "You investigated me?"

"No need for investigation. Your methods have never changed. Finding people, making connections, giving them face, having a meal—you think that's skill, but it's just inertia."

Chen Zhengyuan reached out and touched the steel railing.

"So what, Wang Yu? You're making it sound like this is the only trick I know. Besides, it's called intelligence literacy. A skill I honed back in the day, crouching in the fire escape."

"I advise you not to do that," Wang Yu said.

"Why? Do you think this is something shameful?"

Wang Yu's cigarette fell from the railing and turned into a flame.

"How you play your hand is your business," Wang Yu said. "I won't get involved, nor will I endorse you. Our cooperation is limited to the publicly available information I can provide."

Chen Zhengyuan nodded and leaned against the railing: "Do you think President Ding gave me three months really so I could atone for my crimes?"

Wang Yu remained silent. When Chen Zhengyuan's hand touched her shoulder, she shuddered.

"That was giving me a chance to leave gracefully, Wang Yu. But I, Chen Zhengyuan, don't need a graceful exit; I need to win. You don't want to get your hands dirty, and I won't blame you. But in the end, I will definitely be the winner."

Wang Yu swallowed hard, trying to squeeze out a sentence, but her tongue refused to obey; her salivary glands seemed like a parched riverbed in Africa. Finally, she managed to utter, "Good luck."