At the Yan family’s old residence, it was 4:30 in the afternoon, and Aunt Wang was bustling about in the kitchen, busy with her work.  

Hearing movement at the door, she paused slightly and turned to look.  

“Jiaojiao?” Aunt Wang’s face was full of surprise.  

Zheng Jiaojiao usually worked overtime and wouldn’t return home until six or seven in the evening. Today was unusual—she was back before five.  

Zheng Jiaojiao changed her shoes at the entrance, her face dark and gloomy. Her black eyes fixed sharply on Aunt Wang as she asked irritably, “Has Xu Xiaoyue come back yet?”  

Aunt Wang was puzzled and replied, “Huh? I haven’t seen her.”  

Getting her answer, Zheng Jiaojiao put away her shoes and headed upstairs.  

Once upstairs, the woman grabbed a pillow from the bed and hurled it to the floor again and again, as if venting her anger on the pillow as a substitute for Xu Xiaoyue.  

Zheng Jiaojiao thought about what Gao Yuan had told her—Xu Xiaoyue was clearly hiding her abilities on purpose. Gao Yuan had personally heard Manager Yan asking Xu Xiaoyue about the progress of her proposal and even offering to provide her with templates from previous years.  

But that day, when Zheng Jiaojiao had tentatively asked, Xu Xiaoyue had flatly denied it.  

Watching her act so smug and self-satisfied, that bitch Xu Xiaoyue must have been gloating inside.  

After venting her anger, Zheng Jiaojiao’s gaze fell on the locked drawer in Xu Xiaoyue’s room.  

Since Xu Xiaoyue dared to deceive her, she shouldn’t blame her for taking extreme measures and showing no mercy.  

…

Xu Xiaoyue walked back in a daze. When she reached the Yan family’s doorstep, she sniffled before stepping inside.  

Aunt Wang wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen. The first thing she noticed was the woman’s pale complexion and red-rimmed eyes—she looked like she’d been crying.  

“My, what’s going on today? Everyone’s in a bad mood. You’d think the sky was falling.”  

Xu Xiaoyue shook her head, her tone subdued. “It’s nothing, Aunt Wang.”  

“Young girls like you should take it easy. By the way, Jiaojiao was looking for you earlier.”  

“Looking for me?”  

She froze for a moment, then quickly changed her shoes and hurried upstairs.  

…

Zheng Jiaojiao had already burrowed under the blankets the moment she heard Xu Xiaoyue coming upstairs. Despite the sweltering heat, she wrapped herself up tightly.  

“Aunt Wang said you were looking for me?”  

Xu Xiaoyue approached and stared at the figure under the blankets, frowning as she asked.  

Zheng Jiaojiao shrank back slightly, pretending nothing was wrong. “No, I just asked casually.”  

“I’m not feeling well today, so I won’t be coming down for dinner. Let Aunt Wang know.”  

Her muffled voice came from under the covers, making it sound like she had a cold.  

Xu Xiaoyue’s almond-shaped eyes fixed on her. “Are you sick?”  

“Maybe. My head hurts a little. I need to rest.” Zheng Jiaojiao’s forehead was already sweating from being covered, but she refused to come out.  

Seeing her like this, Xu Xiaoyue deliberately stood there for a few minutes, watching as Zheng Jiaojiao’s face turned red from the heat and sweat trickled down her temples. Only then did she leave, satisfied.  

She was one hundred percent certain Zheng Jiaojiao was hiding something from her.  

…

Once she confirmed Xu Xiaoyue was gone, Zheng Jiaojiao pulled out several scattered sheets of paper from under the blankets. Her eyes darted over the densely packed text as she meticulously copied every word onto her own notebook.  

Then, without hesitation, Zheng Jiaojiao tore the papers into pieces and flushed them down the toilet.  

Watching the shredded, irreparable scraps disappear, the woman felt a surge of triumph. Now, let’s see what Xu Xiaoyue could use to compete with her.  

…

Early the next morning, Zheng Jiaojiao submitted her copied proposal.  

“Is this your proposal?” The woman in front of her had a stern expression, her eyes scanning the document repeatedly. Her tone gave no hint of emotion.  

Zheng Jiaojiao’s heart trembled. Her gaze also fixed on the paper—she had copied it in a hurry last night and had only skimmed through it.  

Had she copied something wrong? Or had Xu Xiaoyue just made it all up?

Manager Yan was genuinely surprised. She hadn’t held much expectation for Zheng Jiaojiao and had only asked about the proposal out of routine.  

Unexpectedly, the woman had submitted such a well-crafted plan.  

From product displays to promotional activities, including campaigns for new and previous product lines, even the methods of publicity—every aspect had been meticulously considered.  

“You’ve done an excellent job. It’s clear you put a lot of effort into this.”  

Unlike her casual praise last time, Manager Yan’s approval now carried much more sincerity.  

“Thank you for your recognition, Manager. I spent a long time working on this, and there are still areas that need improvement.”  

“Don’t be modest. This proposal is very well-written. I’ll speak to upper management about expediting your probation period.”  

“Really? Th-thank you so much!”  

This time, Zheng Jiaojiao was genuinely overwhelmed with excitement. She hadn’t expected Xu Xiaoyue’s so-called “nonsense proposal” to be so effective.  

The thought that it was Xu Xiaoyue’s work made her slightly uneasy, but then she reminded herself—she had thoroughly checked the drawers and shredded every piece of paper.  

Even if Xu Xiaoyue accused her of plagiarism, without evidence, what could she do?  

Manager Yan acted swiftly. The proposal was immediately submitted to higher-ups, approved, printed, and finalized—all subsequent activities would follow Zheng Jiaojiao’s plan.  

….

Holding the proposal in her hands, Xu Xiaoyue smirked. Zheng Jiaojiao might be useless at everything else, but she was quick when it came to stealing work.  

Liu Honghong didn’t understand proposals or planning, but hearing Manager Yan praise Zheng Jiaojiao emphatically during the morning meeting while ignoring Xu Xiaoyue filled her with secret delight.  

Now that she finally had a chance to mock Xu Xiaoyue, she wasn’t about to let it slip.  

“Well, it seems Comrade Zheng Jiaojiao is the reliable one. This so-called ‘proposal’ is so well-organized—unlike some people who only come to work to indulge in leisure, fussing over their looks all day.”  

Liu Honghong deliberately raised her voice.  

Her insinuation was so obvious that nearly all the workers’ eyes subtly flicked toward Xu Xiaoyue.  

Zheng Jiaojiao also looked in Xu Xiaoyue’s direction, her face betraying not a hint of guilt.  

Xu Xiaoyue paused mid-step. She had originally planned to go straight to Manager Yan and clarify the whole situation.  

But some people just couldn’t take a hint.  

Xu Xiaoyue turned around, her gaze locking onto Zheng Jiaojiao’s unflinching expression. “Zheng Jiaojiao, don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”  

“Sister Xiaoyue, what are you talking about? I don’t understand at all.”  

“Besides, this proposal was entirely my own work. Why should I explain anything to you?”  

Zheng Jiaojiao’s tone was innocent, but the slight upward curve of her lips and the undisguised provocation in her eyes betrayed her smugness.  

Liu Honghong sneered from the side, “Oh dear, Comrade Zheng, why did you have to write such a flawless proposal? Now some people are so desperate they’re resorting to baseless accusations.”  

“Liu Honghong, if you don’t shut up, will you die? Stop pretending to be innocent—you’re just a narcissus trying to pass as garlic.” Xu Xiaoyue lifted her eyelids lazily. If she dared to confront Zheng Jiaojiao, someone like Liu Honghong was hardly worth her restraint—insulting her was just a casual matter.  

“Xiaoyue-jie, maybe you should calm down. Just because Manager Yan said I could get an early promotion doesn’t mean you have to panic like this.”  

“Honestly, I’ve never seen someone so shameless, trying to steal credit like this.”  

“Look at her, always dressing up like a peacock—she probably can’t even read, yet she has the nerve to accuse others.”  

Amid the surrounding whispers and pointed fingers, Xu Xiaoyue remained composed. She only looked at Zheng Jiaojiao and said, “Do you really think playing dumb will get you off the hook? The proposal I worked so hard on naturally had safeguards.”  

“Since you refuse to admit it, let’s go to Manager Yan and have a proper discussion.”  

“Safeguards? What nonsense are you spouting?”  

For a brief moment, Zheng Jiaojiao’s face paled, but she quickly reassured herself—this was surely just Xu Xiaoyue bluffing.