The design competition wrapped up in a whirlwind of emotions.
Ethan Yu had kept his usual calm throughout the judging process, offering a nod here, a short comment there. To those who didn't know him, it might've seemed like he wasn't paying much attention. But those who had worked under him for years knew better: when Ethan got quiet, he was thinking deeply.
And right now, his mind was working overtime.
When Lin Xin'er finally presented her design on stage, she had done it with confidence and a touch of theatrical flair. Her voice was clear, her explanation articulate, her tone warm with self-assurance—as if the grand prize was already within her grasp.
Ethan, however, sat still, expression unchanged.
He had asked her the same polite questions he'd asked the others. Offered the same neutral nods. Nothing more.
It was a stark contrast to how he had reacted to Hailey Tang's design earlier that day—when the flicker of surprise in his eyes had been impossible to hide. That small twitch at the corner of his lips when something genuinely impressed him? Absent when Lin Xin'er spoke.
She noticed.
The moment she stepped down from the stage, her high spirits dulled. There was no smile from Ethan. No warm praise. Just a polite thank-you, and a glance back to his laptop. Her heart began to twist with unease.
Why didn't he smile? He smiled last year…
Back then, when she had taken first place, Ethan had actually chuckled in admiration. His rare praise had fueled her for months.
But this time?
Nothing.
Lin Xin'er sat through the rest of the competition, her mind spiraling. She tried to convince herself it was fine—that Ethan was just tired or distracted. Maybe he was deliberately trying to keep things fair. Surely, he wouldn't overlook her brilliance.
Would he?
Then came the end of the event. Ethan and the senior executives huddled briefly to discuss the final rankings. The whole room buzzed with anticipation as they waited for the verdict.
Ten minutes later, the results were posted on the company's website.
Every employee whipped out their phones or laptops to check.
Lin Xin'er's hand trembled slightly as she clicked refresh. The page loaded.
She stared.
First place… not her.
Second… not her either.
Third… no.
Her name appeared next to the fourth-place ranking.
Fourth.
She blinked, hard. Refreshed the page. Again.
The name didn't change.
Lin Xin'er — Fourth Place.
"What…?" she whispered, her voice hollow. "This can't be right."
Around her, colleagues gasped and murmured. A few congratulated her cautiously.
"Hey, fourth place isn't bad! Congrats, Group Leader Lin!"
But the words sounded like mockery to her ears.
Last year she had taken the grand prize. She had been the golden girl of the design department, the star pupil under Ethan Yu's watchful gaze. Everyone had expected her to defend her title—some even whispered she might win again, back to back.
But fourth?
That wasn't just a loss.
It was a fall.
She felt the blood rush to her face, ears ringing with humiliation. Her fingers curled into fists as the words kept echoing in her mind.
Fourth place. Fourth place. Fourth…
It was like a slap. And not just from fate—from Ethan Yu himself.
Without a word, she stood up and left.
She needed answers. Needed to know what went wrong.
Because this wasn't about ego. This wasn't about the ranking.
This was about him.
She stormed toward the executive floor, her heels pounding against the tile, each step fueled by frustration and disbelief.
Ethan was exhausted. He hadn't slept the night before, pouring over designs and preparing for the competition. After the event, he felt the fatigue settle into his bones like cold lead.
Rubbing his temples, he pressed the intercom.
"Hold all calls for the next two hours," he said. "I need to rest. No interruptions."
"Yes, Mr. Yu," his assistant replied.
He had barely closed his eyes when the office door burst open with a loud crack.
Ethan shot upright. "What the—"
Lin Xin'er stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, her eyes glossy with emotion.
"Group Leader Lin," he said coldly, voice clipped. "Did you forget the meaning of knocking?"
Her eyes widened in embarrassment and panic. "I—I'm sorry, President Yu. I wasn't thinking— I just—"
She took a step forward, then hesitated. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just… I need to understand."
Ethan's jaw tightened. He hated being interrupted—especially like this—but there was a rawness in her voice that gave him pause.
"What is it?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.
Lin Xin'er lowered her head. "I just want to know… what I did wrong. That's all. I'm not here to argue. I just—" Her voice cracked. "I started preparing two months ago. I've revised my concept dozens of times. I poured everything I had into this design. I thought I was doing everything right."
She looked up at him, eyes shimmering with vulnerability. "But I didn't even make top three."
Ethan exhaled slowly. "I can see the effort you put in."
"Then why?" she whispered.
There was a long pause. Ethan's gaze darkened—not out of anger, but contemplation.
"You focused everything on being innovative," he finally said. "Which is commendable. But in doing so, you overlooked something fundamental."
"Such as?"
"Balance. Foundation. Soul."
He stood and walked toward the window, folding his arms. "You chased innovation so hard, it started to feel like performance art. Eye-catching, yes. But not lasting. Not… real."
Lin Xin'er flinched. "Are you saying my design was fake?"
"No," he replied, turning back to her. "I'm saying it was calculated. Clever, but not heartfelt. You designed to impress. Not to connect."
She opened her mouth, then shut it again. Because deep down—he was right.
She had thought about the judges. The trends. The expectations. She had tried to predict what would win, not what she believed in.
And worst of all, she knew exactly who had made her feel this insecure.
Hailey Tang.
That stupid, sweet, unpredictable girl with zero fear and too much charm. Her designs weren't perfect. They weren't even traditional. But they had something Lin Xin'er's didn't—
Life.
"Last year," Ethan continued gently, "you made something that was fresh because it came from you. This year, you made something that was designed to win. And that difference? I saw it immediately."
His words weren't cruel. In fact, they were laced with an honesty that hurt more than mockery ever could.
Lin Xin'er stood frozen. "I see…"
She backed away slowly, the fire in her eyes dimming. "Thank you for your time, President Yu. I… I won't disturb you again."
She turned and walked out, quietly this time.
Behind her, Ethan returned to his desk and sat down with a sigh. He knew the blow she'd just taken was heavy—but sometimes, disappointment was a better teacher than success.
Outside the office, Lin Xin'er clenched her fists.
She had fallen. Hard.
But she wasn't going to stay down.
Hailey Tang…
If her biggest rival was someone like that, then fine.
Let the game begin.