After everyone else had left, Wang Xiaoke remained outwardly calm, but her palms were still sweating.

She was, after all, just a rookie in the workplace. Forced by the pressure to survive, she had no choice but to take this bold step.

If it had been in the past, she could never have imagined possessing such courage within herself.

In Feng Jin’s private office at the Wang Group:

“Mom, how could you say that to Wang Xiaoke? What if she actually succeeds? Wouldn’t all our efforts be for nothing?” Feng Ning asked, her large, charming eyes filled with confusion as she looked at her mother.

Feng Jin’s lips curved into a faint smile, her demeanor calm and collected. She gently stroked her daughter’s hair and replied slowly, “Don’t worry. The reason I said those words was simply to make everyone see her incompetence. She can’t possibly succeed.”

Feng Ning still seemed unsure of her meaning. “Mom, you mean…”

“Don’t forget, she’s just a little girl who barely knows anything. She’s only recently picked up some knowledge about winemaking and thinks she’s ready to spread her wings? That might have been possible when Chengyao was still around. But now…”

Feng Jin gave a smug smile before continuing, “She’s far too naïve. She doesn’t realize that navigating the workplace is an art. Knowledge alone isn’t enough—connections are often the key to winning or losing.”

Her gaze turned cold. “This time, I’ll make sure she never dares to mention taking over Wang Group again.”

—

At a café:

Su Man had already ordered a cup of coffee and was waiting patiently.

When she saw Wang Xiaoke approaching, she immediately asked with concern, “How did it go?” Right now, Wang Xiaoke’s challenges felt just as personal to Su Man as if they were her own.

“Feng Jin wouldn’t dare take over Wang Group without my agreement,” Wang Xiaoke said, taking a sip of her coffee. Finally, she exhaled a little, slightly relieved, as she held the cup in both hands.

“She said if I can secure the deal with Chen Corporation and prove my ability, she’ll let me take over Wang Group, and no one else will object.”

Hearing this, Su Man frowned. “She agreed so easily? What’s that woman scheming now?”

“Who knows? For now, I can only take it one step at a time,” Wang Xiaoke replied, her tone heavy with worry. She, too, knew Feng Jin must have some tricks up her sleeve. With her ambition, why else would she make such an offer?

“You can’t afford to be so passive! You need to act immediately, got it?” Su Man, always one to take action, couldn’t stand seeing Wang Xiaoke looking deflated. Worried she might back down, Su Man quickly urged her.

“I know,” Wang Xiaoke replied. She could never say no to her enthusiastic friend.

After some thought, she shared her plan with Su Man. “I’ve already obtained contact information for a few grape suppliers. If the quality of their grapes is up to standard, and we move quickly on the harvest, we should be able to get this batch ready in time.”

“Alright, I’ll go with you,” Su Man said without hesitation.

“As much as I appreciate that, are you sure you have time?” Wang Xiaoke asked, her large eyes filled with doubt.

Without even thinking, Su Man replied, “If I didn’t have time, I wouldn’t have offered to help. Hold on, I just need to run to the restroom first.” She was even more enthusiastic than Wang Xiaoke.