Shine on Me

This is a kind of wisdom—I wonder if anyone understands it.

It's like, even though I'm fully prepared to put in a lot of effort, I only say I'll try a little. That way, if I fail, it's not too embarrassing, and if I succeed—wow! It's a pleasant surprise.

...My brain is filled with useless wisdom like this.

Back at the company, though the work remained the same, my attitude had shifted to a more proactive one, and the difference in my demeanor was obvious. Within a few days, Xiao Dai noticed my "abnormal" behavior.

It was a Saturday. Early in the morning, I dragged myself out of bed to follow Xiao Dai to inspect the newly completed factory area, preparing for the upcoming inspection by the relevant departments next week and making arrangements for the installation of the new production line.

Speaking of the new production line, it wasn’t actually new—it was second-hand equipment bought from a photovoltaic module manufacturer in Chengdu. Of course, there was nothing wrong with the equipment itself. Purchasing domestically was not only cheaper but also saved a hefty overseas shipping fee.

Come to think of it, most production equipment for photovoltaic modules is currently imported, much like high-end medical devices. But things will get better eventually—at least the supporting equipment has already been localized.

After a busy morning, Xiao Dai and I had lunch together at the factory, eating boxed meals. Too lazy to go to the factory management center, we just found a relatively clean step in the workshop to sit and eat—very unrefined.

Xiao Dai kept peeking at my lunchbox with ill intentions, so I moved away and shielded it with my hand, warning him, "Men and women should maintain proper distance."

Xiao Dai looked wronged. "I just wanted to see what you're eating. Why are you making such a fuss? What if President Lin misunderstands? Even if he doesn’t, what about my reputation?"

No matter what he said, I scooted even farther away.

After a few bites, Xiao Dai suddenly remarked, "Little Boss, I’ve noticed you’ve been a lot more serious these past few days."

"Was I not serious before?"

"Before?" Xiao Dai scoffed. "Sure, you attended meetings, but you spent the whole time doodling cats and dogs in your notebook."

"..."

"Observing your boyfriend, and incidentally drawing a misshapen version of him."

I couldn’t let that slide. "President Lin looks so handsome in meetings—how can you say he’s misshapen?"

"I meant your drawing was ugly," Xiao Dai fired back, switching to full critique mode. "See? All you care about is how good-looking he is. You didn’t listen to a single word President Lin said."

"Don’t slander me! I learned a lot!"

I didn’t want to engage, but after a few more bites, I couldn’t resist turning to Xiao Dai and declaring, "Just you wait. I’ve decided to prove that this top-tier A University graduate is better than you J University folks!"

Xiao Dai looked up from his lunchbox, momentarily confused, then widened his eyes in shock. "Are you declaring war?"

"Yes!"

He set down his chopsticks, lost in thought for a moment, before asking, "Little Boss, did President Lin ever tell you I came to Shanghai from a remote mountainous area in the west?"

"No."

"My hometown..." His gaze grew distant. "There was nothing there. It took over an hour just to walk to elementary school. When I was little, both the school and my home often had no electricity. You can’t even imagine it... Don’t pity me."

I paused, then quickly shook my head. "No, no, I swear I don’t pity you at all—not in the slightest. Besides, you’re all polished and energetic now. There’s nothing to pity!"

Xiao Dai: "..."His melancholy mood couldn't sustain any longer, so he wrapped it up hastily: "Anyway, you people born in good places and good families wouldn't understand. I've calculated my own path, but I still have parents and a younger sister to support. If I don't push myself, what else can I do? Working at that foreign company before, the pay was good and the work was easy, but there's a clear ceiling for Chinese employees there. Might as well take a shot at something bigger!"

With that, he shoveled a big mouthful of rice into his mouth.

My expression was indescribable for a moment: "Even so, we're a legitimate company. 'Taking a shot' might not be the best way to put it."

"My bad, my bad. Boss, I'm just saying—compared to me issuing a challenge, your efforts pale in comparison. Our President Lin sleeps four or five hours a day. How much sleep do you think I get?"

Me: "...I was just joking. Let's eat, don't take it seriously."

I really was joking earlier, but now...

Hmph! Looking down on me? Just wait—I'll secretly work harder when I get back!

Just then, Chen Jie, the technical supervisor from the new factory area, came over with her lunchbox and sat down on the steps with us. She was poached from Chengdu along with the production line—a spirited older sister in her thirties who had already become a fan of the company cafeteria within just a few days.

Sure enough, after one bite, she praised: "This twice-cooked pork is authentic. Our company cafeteria is really good—my figure is in trouble."

"Chen Jie, you don't need to diet," I complimented before immediately crediting my boyfriend. "The cafeteria only improved after President Lin arrived last year."

Xiao Dai was hearing this for the first time too. "Really? Seems our President Lin cares a lot about employees' quality of life."

"Maybe he's just a foodie himself?"

"Good point. We shouldn't overestimate human nature."

Chen Jie: "...Corporate culture?"

Uh...

Chen Jie's shocked expression quickly turned into understanding. "Got it. Message received."

Even Xiao Dai noticed I'd become more diligent, but Lin Yusen took his sweet time realizing it, which annoyed me. That evening, after Lin Yusen finished his work and took me to his place for dinner, I chattered away at the table about my competition with Xiao Dai before confronting him: "Haven't you noticed how hard I've been working lately?"

Lin Yusen was unfazed. "Of course I noticed."

"Then why are you so indifferent?"

"Who said I was? I was secretly delighted."

"..." If only there was even a hint of "delight" on your face.

My expression must have looked somewhat wronged because Lin Yusen couldn't help but laugh. "I prepared a reward for you. I'll give it to you after dinner."

A reward?

Having a boyfriend is the best. I wolfed down my food and waited eagerly for my prize. But when Lin Yusen handed me a thick stack of "rewards"...

Only one thought crossed my mind.

Romance... is dead.

I took a deep breath and looked up at Lin Yusen. "Do you know what this gift is equivalent to?"

Lin Yusen raised an eyebrow.

"It's equivalent to gifting someone 'Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulated Tests' when dating in high school, or 'Must-Pass CET-6 and Postgrad Entrance Exam Guides' in college. So tell me, with what mindset did you give me this—"

I held up the bound booklet in front of him. "'Shuang Yuan's Five-Year Development Proposal'?"

"How is that the same?" Lin Yusen, completely unrepentant, actually tried to justify himself. "I wrote this myself. Those things you mentioned are just mass-printed materials.""What does it matter if you wrote it yourself? It's not a love letter!"

"And didn’t you just say you wanted to secretly work hard to beat Xiao Dai? Isn’t this like giving a martial arts manual in a wuxia novel to help someone win a fight?"

Hmm…

I was somewhat convinced.

Silently, I lowered my raised hand and looked at the thick booklet in my hand again. It felt completely different now. It gleamed like gold, titled Three Days to Become the Company Boss and How to Handle Your Boss as a Newbie .

"Fine."

I turned and commandeered the most comfortable sofa in his house, immediately starting to read.

Unexpectedly, Lin Yusen seemed thrown off. He stood there for a few seconds before coming over. "That’s it?"

"I’m just very gentle, very kind, very easy to please… Ugh, go away, go do your own thing." I couldn’t even be bothered to glance at him, pushing him away with one hand.

But my push failed, and instead, my hand was caught. "At least hear the backstory of this proposal."

"Okay, go ahead."

A woman determined to focus on her career is aloof—even if her hand is still being held.

"This is the proposal I submitted to Shengyuan a month after joining Shuangyuan last year. After reading it, Grandpa immediately agreed to increase investment and expand production."

"Wait! Didn’t you say you wrote this for me? Tricking an innocent girl?"

"The original was about twenty pages. Look how many pages it is now."

I flipped to the end—fifty-three pages.

"So these past few days, while you were working, I added a lot of content. Take your time reading it."

Having expressed his earnest intentions, he finally walked away satisfied to attend to his own tasks.

Sigh… Boss Lin isn’t cold and mysterious at all anymore, except occasionally during work.

Sometimes, I even miss it a little…

I began reading the proposal seriously.

The opening still covered the history of photovoltaics and the company’s operational status. Thanks to my recent studies, I breezed through this part. It wasn’t until the future outlook and strategic layout sections that I slowed down.

As I read, I finally understood why Lin Yusen said he had added a lot these past few days. Whenever I encountered something unclear and was about to ask, the next line would invariably contain his annotations. Grandpa Sheng, a seasoned veteran of the business world, obviously wouldn’t need these explanations—only a business novice like me (for now) would.

After skimming through it once, I closed the proposal, somewhat awed by the ambition Lin Yusen had revealed in it. Increased R&D investment, expansion into the western regions…

While digesting the content, my mind wandered to other aspects.

Lin Yusen said this proposal was submitted to Grandpa Sheng last year, who promptly agreed to additional investment. That meant Grandpa shared Lin Yusen’s judgment about the industry’s future. So, when Grandpa gave Lin Yusen shares in Shuangyuan, it wasn’t just a token gesture? As for why the rest of the Sheng family was happy, it was probably because they saw Shuangyuan’s declining performance and assumed it had no future.

But their thinking wasn’t entirely unreasonable. For a company like Shengyuan, how could Shuangyuan ever grow to match its scale?

Come to think of it, the name "Shuangyuan" is a bit tacky—clearly a mashup of "Shengyuan" and my dad’s company name. Their influence is heavy.My thoughts kept wandering when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck me. Excitedly, I suggested, "Lin Yusen, should we consider renaming the company? Shuangyuan sounds a bit outdated—it just seems like a mashup of Shengyuan and Yuancheng."

Lin Yusen looked up from behind his desk. "Shengyuan and Yuancheng are two major banners in the Yangtze River Delta region. There's no need to draw such a clear line."

"That makes sense, but it's still a bit of a shame. Just now, I had a sudden brilliant idea for a name—one that feels incredibly auspicious."

Lin Yusen grew intrigued. "What is it?"

"Guangyu," I emphasized, explaining, "It's a combination of our names since we're the ones doing the work. Ladies first, so my name comes before yours—absolutely no intention of overshadowing you here."

Without even a moment's hesitation, Lin Yusen immediately agreed, "Sure, let's change it."

I secretly laughed to myself. "No more waving the big banners? Did you change your mind because I put our names together?"

"You're overthinking it. It's purely because the name fits perfectly," Lin Yusen said with a straight face. "'Light' is energy, and 'island' is the vessel. 'Guangyu' can be interpreted as an island that absorbs and stores light, which aligns well with our industry. Hmm, Xiguang, you have a real talent for naming things."

My eyes widened.

Whether I had talent or not, I couldn't say, but you certainly have a knack for spinning nonsense!

And so, my days at the company became active and fulfilling. Of course, I was just an ordinary college graduate—there was no way I could accomplish anything earth-shattering overnight. But bit by bit, I was making progress.

After a period of busy work, one day Lin Yusen suddenly asked me, "Didn't you mention last time that Sheng Xingjie got together with your college roommate?"