Chapter 11: A “Coincidental” Promotion  

“Don’t be nervous.” Lin Wei smiled slightly, her expression seemingly capable of seeing right through people. “I just arrived and need to quickly familiarize myself with the department’s situation. The ‘Star Ocean Project’ is currently the top priority, and I’ve reviewed the project materials and the recent… well, less-than-ideal data.”  

She paused, her gaze fixed on Yu Ling. “Director Chen Ming’s handover report specifically mentioned you. He said you have strong execution skills and a deep understanding of the project, particularly in grasping the finer details of implementation. The key points you added during the last kickoff meeting were very valuable.”  

Yu Ling was taken aback. Director Chen had actually praised her in his resignation report? This was completely unexpected. She quickly replied modestly, “You flatter me, Director Lin. I was just doing my job.”  

Lin Wei gave an ambiguous smile, her sharp eyes seemingly piercing through appearances. “Whether it was just your job or not, I know the truth. Right now, the project has hit a bottleneck, and time is tight. I need someone who truly understands the front-line situation to give me the most honest feedback and the most direct solutions.”  

Her tone grew serious. “Yu Ling, forget the formalities and excuses. Tell me—based on your deep involvement in the project and your understanding of the data—what do you think is the core issue behind the Star Ocean Project’s rocky start?”  

No small talk, no pleasantries—just straight to the point! This decisive, pragmatic, and efficient approach sent a jolt through Yu Ling. Looking into Lin Wei’s all-seeing eyes, she knew any attempt at evasion would be futile.  

Taking a deep breath, she set aside all distractions and reservations, organizing the conclusions she and her team had debated and analyzed repeatedly over the past two days. She presented her most genuine observations and judgments clearly and methodically:  

“Director Lin, we believe the core issue lies in three key areas. First, there’s a deviation in the precision of our user targeting. We’ve relied too heavily on traditional demographic labels, overlooking the deeper contextual needs and emotional triggers within our target audience…”  

As she spoke, she opened her tablet and pulled up the data charts and key user interview insights she had prepared, showing them to Lin Wei.  

Lin Wei listened intently, nodding slightly from time to time. Her sharp eyes darted between the data and Yu Ling’s explanations, occasionally posing one or two incisive questions that forced Yu Ling to think deeper and clarify further.  

The entire debrief felt less like a subordinate reporting to a superior and more like a high-level professional discussion. Lin Wei’s profound understanding of the business, her keen insight into data, and her ability to strip away layers to reveal the core issues left Yu Ling both awestruck and under immense pressure.  

“…So, based on this analysis, our team’s preliminary recovery strategy is twofold. First, urgently launch small-scale, multi-dimensional A/B testing to quickly validate and optimize our user outreach approach. Second, restructure the user conversion funnel, embedding strong guidance and instant incentives at critical touchpoints…”  

Yu Ling laid out the key points of the team’s proposed solution one by one. Though she knew Director Chen had dismissed these ideas as “superficial,” she had done her best.

Lin Wei listened quietly, her fingers tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop, producing a rhythmic sound. The office fell into a brief silence. Yu Ling’s heart rose to her throat as she awaited the new director’s verdict.

A few seconds later, Lin Wei looked up, her gaze settling on Yu Ling’s face once more. This time, there was no trace of the earlier scrutiny in her eyes—instead, they held something unmistakably like… appreciation?

“Clear thinking, and you’ve pinpointed the issues accurately,” Lin Wei said, her voice carrying unmistakable approval. “Especially your analysis of users’ deep-seated needs and emotional touchpoints—very insightful. Better than I expected.”

Yu Ling could hardly believe her ears! She was being praised?!

“However,” Lin Wei’s tone shifted, remaining steady but carrying greater intensity, “the rescue strategy you proposed is on the right track, but it lacks sufficient depth and impact. It’s more of a temporary ‘symptom-relief’ solution, missing the systematic, root-cause thinking needed to truly break through.”

Yu Ling’s heart sank again.

Lin Wei stood up and walked to the whiteboard on one side of the office, picking up a marker. Her movements were crisp and decisive, radiating a confidence that commanded the entire situation.

“If we’re going to break through, we need the courage to make bold cuts and a more forward-looking vision.”

Lin Wei swiftly sketched out a framework on the whiteboard. “User positioning deviation? Then we need to completely abandon the old labeling system! Build a Dynamic User Model based on real-time behavioral data and contextual needs! Can the tech support it? I’ll coordinate the resources! Broken conversion paths? No more patchwork fixes! Redesign the User Journey Map, embedding irresistible Value Hooks and emotional resonance points at every potential drop-off point! Creativity, technology, and product must break down silos and collaborate at the highest level!…”

Lin Wei’s sweeping strokes on the whiteboard, her agile thinking, grand vision, and razor-sharp strategies left Yu Ling utterly stunned! Every point she raised precisely targeted the weakest, most unexplored areas in Yu Ling’s team’s proposal—and she offered solutions that were more systematic, innovative, and actionable! The level of insight and depth was something Director Chen could never hope to match!

What shocked Yu Ling even more was that some of Lin Wei’s core ideas and key models bore an uncanny, fundamental resemblance to the “reference ideas from a friend’s company” that Zhao Chen had previously shared with her! Except Lin Wei’s version was more mature, more structured, and more incisive!

Was this just a coincidence?!

As Yu Ling stared at the fluid framework on the whiteboard and listened to Lin Wei’s precise, forceful explanations, that speculation about Zhao Chen and Lin Wei’s relationship surged uncontrollably to the forefront of her mind once more!

Just how much had Zhao Chen mentioned her in front of Lin Wei? Had he shown Lin Wei those “reference ideas”? Was Lin Wei’s current “guidance” truly mentorship for a newcomer, or was it some kind of deliberate… “special treatment”?

“Well? Can this approach be executed?” Lin Wei set down the marker and turned to Yu Ling, her gaze blazing with intensity—both commanding and faintly evaluative.

Yu Ling snapped back to attention, suppressing the storm of emotions in her chest and forcing herself to focus. As she looked at the crystal-clear breakthrough blueprint on the whiteboard, a long-lost sense of determination and excitement ignited within her!

“Yes!” Yu Ling answered resolutely, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. “Director Lin, the direction you’ve outlined is crystal clear! We’ll immediately refine the execution plan based on this approach! I guarantee we’ll deliver results within your required timeframe!”

She felt as if a fog that had been clouding her vision had suddenly been dispelled by Lin Wei’s powerful searchlight!

“Good.” Lin Wei nodded in satisfaction, a faint but genuine smile of approval appearing on her face. “Submit a report directly to me for any resources you need—I’ll personally approve them. You now have full authority to execute this project. I’ll handle matters with Zhang Wei.”

Her final sentence, though delivered in a calm tone, carried undeniable decisiveness, instantly elevating Yu Ling to the position of project lead!

“Me?!” Yu Ling was stunned once again. Directly in charge of execution? Bypassing Zhang Wei?!

“Yes, you.” Lin Wei looked at her with sharp yet trusting eyes. “I’ve reviewed your supplementary proposal and your analysis just now. You have both the capability and the sense of responsibility. Go ahead—I only care about results.”

She paused, her tone softening slightly as she added, “Also, for the project retrospective report, structure it around the core issues you just analyzed, emphasizing breakthrough strategies and execution plans. Chen Ming’s report, which skirts the real issues, can be tossed.”

This wasn’t just simple support—it was absolute trust and empowerment! A surge of warmth flooded Yu Ling’s chest, bringing both pressure and the exhilaration of being recognized and entrusted with such responsibility!

“Yes, Director Lin! I’ll complete the mission without fail!” Yu Ling straightened her back, her voice firm and resolute.

“Go ahead.” Lin Wei waved her hand dismissively, settling back into her office chair and picking up a document to review, as if she had just handled the most mundane of matters.

Yu Ling stepped out of the director’s office with indescribably complex emotions. The moment the door closed behind her, she leaned against the cold wall and let out a long exhale, feeling as though she had just survived an intense brainstorming session—her back was drenched in sweat. Excitement, exhilaration, pressure, and that lingering, enormous question mark… all these emotions tangled together.

She pulled out her phone and tapped on Zhao Chen’s WeChat profile picture. The little whale wearing an apron now seemed to radiate an inscrutable mystique.

**[Ling]**: [Image: Partial framework diagram Lin Wei drew on the whiteboard]  

**[Ling]**: New director parachuted in with thunderous authority! She put me directly in charge of project execution! Her thinking is incredible! Also—her resume says she was an investment director at Star Capital? [confused.jpg]  

**[ZhaoC]**: [smile.jpg] Oh? What a coincidence. Vivian Lin? We did work together at Star Capital for a while—she’s highly capable. If she recognizes you, it just proves how outstanding my Lingling truly is. What do you want for dinner tonight? Let’s celebrate. (And no saying “whatever” this time.)  

Reading Zhao Chen’s reply—still gentle and slightly smug—Yu Ling felt the cloud of suspicion in her heart thicken rather than dissipate. “What a coincidence”? “Worked together for a while”? This casual tone was identical to how he’d previously explained “a friend’s car” and “the landlord’s furniture”!

The project showed signs of a breakthrough, and the future seemed bright. But Yu Ling knew the real storm might just be beginning. That man wearing the Little Whale Apron, with his gentle and harmless smile, and the unfathomable “Star Capital” behind him—like a vast, invisible net—were silently closing in around her.  

And Lin Wei’s appearance—was it a blessing or a curse? A helping hand or another unseen force pushing her along? She had a growing sense that her quiet “marriage of convenience” was being swept toward the center of a whirlpool by some powerful, unpredictable force.