Chapter 23: The Wager

Wan Ninghe must have an accomplice, and this accomplice just happens to be someone from the maintenance company that Huasheng partners with. Otherwise, none of this would connect, which also explains why Wan Ninghe dared to brazenly delete her files.

Yu Youchu returned to her workstation. Her stomach began to growl. Mindful of the heavy burden on her shoulders, she resisted the urge to eat a proper meal, instead tearing open a package of bread and nibbling on it while she typed.

By four o'clock in the afternoon, Yu Youchu had finished the two proposals and sent them to Cui Jing. She then rubbed her stiff fingers and headed to the breakroom. She desperately needed a cup of hot coffee to warm her spirits, even if it was just the company's instant variety. As she caught the scent of the coffee in her hand, she felt significantly more at ease.

But before she could step out of the breakroom, a voice drifted toward her from nearby.

"Why should we let one person hold back our entire team's progress?"

Hearing the sensitive phrase "work progress," Yu Youchu froze in her tracks.

Wan Ninghe’s voice followed immediately. "I don't know what Team Leader Cui is thinking, still covering for her like this."

Yu Youchu pursed her lips. It seemed that this dear mastermind behind the scenes couldn't wait to expose herself. She had only mentioned the issue with the draft to Cui Jing; Cui Jing would certainly never tell anyone else that her work progress was stalled because of Yu Youchu. Moreover, since she had only spoken to Cui Jing about the problem at noon, for Wan Ninghe to insist by the afternoon that it was Yu Youchu who was dragging them down—wasn't that just telling her and Cui Jing that she, Wan Ninghe, was the one who deleted the files?

Yu Youchu suddenly thought that Wan Ninghe was almost endearingly foolish.

"Back when we were in the intern group, Team Leader Bai was particularly fond of her. Now that we're in the project group, Team Leader Cui is biased toward her too. I really don't know what kind of love potion she’s fed them." Wan Ninghe continued to stir the pot. "But she shouldn't be able to rely on the team leaders' favoritism to make the whole team cover for her!"

The incited team members were indignant. As the voices drew nearer, Yu Youchu pushed open the door in front of her. The breakroom seemed to be a place of trouble; she had already crossed paths with Wan Ninghe here twice.

"Yu... Yu Youchu!" Wan Ninghe’s expression shifted for a moment before she quickly regained her composure.

"We were just talking about you! People without ability should get out of Huasheng as soon as possible instead of staying to plague others. That way, you won't have to worry about your oily, glib tongue failing to flatter your superiors one day and turning you into a common rat!"

Yu Youchu was quite surprised that Wan Ninghe could spout such a long string of words. "So fluent? You must have rehearsed that many times! Before this, you could never spit out anything decent." Yu Youchu covered her mouth with an exaggerated gesture. "But you are right about one thing: those without ability should get out of Huasheng immediately. If you can't compete with others, all you can do is use underhanded tactics behind their backs. Truly, one rat dropping ruins a whole pot of porridge!"

Yu Youchu mocked her mercilessly. Wan Ninghe predictably lost her cool. "What nonsense are you spouting, Yu Youchu!"

Yu Youchu rolled her eyes. She wasn't a wooden post standing there to be scolded. "I’m not talking nonsense. You know exactly what you’ve done."

Wan Ninghe’s face flushed with rage. Yu Youchu was clearly the one at a disadvantage right now! How could she be so confident?!

Wan Ninghe’s sharp voice exploded in front of everyone nearby. "It is clearly the whole team covering for you right now, yet you are so arrogant! Never mind that I’m just an intern brought in temporarily like you, but what about the other permanent staff in the team?"

"They have been working overtime day and night for this project, only to be dragged down by you, yet you have the nerve to stand here and use Team Leader Cui’s favoritism to shift the blame onto me!"

Yes, that was it. Yu Youchu had no evidence that she was the one who deleted the files! She was the one holding the chips. Wan Ninghe became more confident as she spoke, not forgetting to gesture toward the seniors around her. Sure enough, once these words were out, the permanent staff who had been watching the show were swayed, and the situation became increasingly unfavorable.

A glimmer of amusement appeared in Yu Youchu's eyes. It seemed Wan Ninghe wasn't as stupid as she had imagined. Her principle had always been: *I will not provoke those who do not provoke me.* However, if someone truly encroached upon her interests, she would pay them back even if it meant suffering a loss herself!

"How about this? Let’s make a bet." Yu Youchu’s composure stood in stark contrast to Wan Ninghe’s agitation, drawing everyone in to listen. "My work task is already completed, and I have already had it reviewed by Sister Cui."

*Impossible!*

Wan Ninghe rolled her eyes internally. Yu Youchu was still putting on a front even when the fire was at her eyebrows. She had already checked the chat logs between Yu Youchu and Cui Jing; no files had been sent, let alone reviewed! However, she chose to stay quiet and listen to what Yu Youchu had to say.

"However, after I handed my files to Sister Jing, they were maliciously deleted. I haven't found out who did it yet because the company's surveillance system is undergoing maintenance."

"But these past two days aren't scheduled for maintenance!" someone interjected.

"I know," Yu Youchu replied. "That’s why it’s suspicious. There is a fixed schedule for maintenance, so why would there be a sudden issue?"

Standing to the side, Wan Ninghe turned slightly pale upon hearing this. *It’s impossible for them to suspect me; I’m just an intern,* she comforted herself silently.

"But you already handed them in! What’s the point of deleting them? Are you just spouting nonsense to save face? This is just an excuse you’ve made up! The truth is, you simply didn't finish your work!" Wan Ninghe said coldly.

Yu Youchu scoffed at her words. "Believe it or not, the project will continue to proceed on schedule tomorrow."

Someone interjected at the right moment: "So, what is the bet?"

Yu Youchu held her coffee and, under the gaze of everyone, took a slow, unhurried sip. "If the work proceeds smoothly tomorrow, I need Wan Ninghe to apologize to me in person."

Wan Ninghe’s eyes flickered. There were only two short hours left until the end of the workday. In such a short time, it was absolutely impossible for Yu Youchu to submit three proposals... Thinking of this, a flash of malice and greed crossed Wan Ninghe’s eyes.

Yu Youchu caught every one of these expressions. The conditions and timing were ripe; this venomous snake, which had been lying in wait, had finally revealed its true face.

"And if it doesn't proceed smoothly? What will you do, Yu Youchu?"

Yu Youchu, of course, left this opportunity to set the stakes to Wan Ninghe herself. After all, the bigger she bet, the more miserably she would lose.

"I will leave myself to your disposal."

A bright smile bloomed on her face, warm enough to melt the ice and snow that had accumulated throughout the winter.

When Mu Chuan arrived, he happened to catch this smile of Yu Youchu’s. It was calm, confident, and utterly determined.