Before long, the bidding conference was announced to begin.
Over a hundred companies presented their proposals in order, elaborating on their design concepts.
Clearly dissatisfied, Mu Qianjue’s expression grew increasingly impatient, until he finally closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, impossible to tell whether he was even listening.
Even so, the company representatives at the conference continued to pitch their designs with all their might.
The man, resting his forehead against one hand, suddenly lifted his eyelids and slammed a file onto the table with a bang. “I’ve invested billions. This garbage is not what I want.”
Mu Nan stepped in. “The Crown Prince means that anyone without confidence in their proposal need not present—they may leave now.”
This bidding conference had already been arranged hastily, and it had been moved up to tonight at the last minute, so many companies hadn’t had time to prepare. Their proposals were rough and lacked any highlights.
Companies with self-awareness withdrew voluntarily.
Those still hoping to take a chance remained seated.
Once the crowd had mostly dispersed, Pei Zhizhou presented his design proposal, along with a detailed analysis of the problems that would arise in developing the Luanxing Bay project and their solutions.
The Pei family had prepared thoroughly, and their bid was airtight.
Mu Qianjue studied the Pei family’s design drafts for a long while, clearly quite satisfied with their proposal.
Yu Shengnian couldn’t help feeling anxious, lowering his voice. “The Pei family is our biggest competitor. Pei Zhizhou is well prepared this time—are you confident you can beat him?”
Yu Jingxi’s brow was deeply furrowed; the sense of crisis was clearly written on his face.
But having navigated the business world for so many years, he stayed calm under pressure. “Rest assured, Father. With Ni Ni here, the Pei family is no match for us.”
Yu Shengnian, in the end, still didn’t want Yu Ni to step forward.
With a Pei Zhizhou already entertaining thoughts of marrying Yu Ni, the way all the men in the room looked at her was predatory.
If she came out later, it would surely stir up another storm.
But without Yu Ni, they were certain to lose this bid.
Weighing the pros and cons, Yu Shengnian could only swallow his possessiveness. “When the bidding conference ends, you go negotiate with Mu Qianjue. I’ll take Ni Ni home first.”
Just as he finished speaking, the Pei family’s bid concluded.
The words Yu Jingxi had been about to say caught in his throat. He straightened his suit and stood up.
“Crown Prince, I am Yu Jingxi, president of Yu Corporation. I was delayed by some matters earlier and failed to meet with you in time. Please allow me to apologize.”
Yu Jingxi bowed respectfully, sincerity written all over his face.
The people around were greatly astonished.
The Crown Prince had just summoned the Yu family?
Could it be that he had taken an interest in them?
Just as everyone assumed Mu Qianjue would accept Yu Jingxi’s apology, they waited and waited, but Mu Qianjue said nothing.
Yu Jingxi held his bowing posture, his expression shifting again and again.
The atmosphere at the entire bidding venue was extremely stiff.
Yu Ni hadn’t expected it either—even the lofty and dignified Yu Jingxi could be left hanging like this.
It seemed this Mu Qianjue really was as cold and unapproachable as the rumors said.
As Yu Jingxi grew more humiliated and was about to say something more, the man directly across from him spoke in a flat voice. “The Yu Corporation, known as the business titan of Yungang?”
“That’s right.”
Yu Jingxi eagerly introduced his proposal. “We analyzed the terrain of Luanxing Bay and its surrounding environment, and concluded that it is best suited as a tourism development zone. If you would just take a look…”
Yu Jingxi spoke eloquently, his plans for Luanxing Bay thorough and well-considered, and he presented Yu Ni’s design blueprints, explaining every design highlight in exhaustive detail.
Mu Qianjue listened to the end, then had Mu Nan bring up the design drafts.
Yu Ni’s work was only half finished.
Mu Qianjue glanced over it as he took it, yet was still stunned by the delicate, unconventional design.
Yu Jingxi was skilled at reading people, and seeing this, he felt secretly delighted.
Yu Ni had real talent in design.
Works from her hands seemed imbued with a soul—unforgettable at a single glance.
He was determined to win the Luanxing Bay project.
A mere Pei Corporation wasn’t qualified to be his rival.
Mu Qianjue twirled the jade thumb ring on his hand.
But his gaze remained fixed on the design drafts.
He said nothing, and not a single person in the room dared to breathe loudly.
Unable to wait for an answer, Yu Jingxi was anxiously about to ask Yu Ni to step forward when the man suddenly sneered, “Bringing a half-finished piece of work—is this the sincerity Yu Corporation brings to the bidding?”
He casually tossed the design drafts aside.
The light sheets of paper fluttered through the air.
Under the lights, the white paper turned translucent, making the design lines on it appear even clearer and more three-dimensional.
Yu Jingxi panicked and hurriedly explained, “Crown Prince, please calm your anger. Although the work is only half done, I’ve brought the design—”
“The Luanxing Bay project can be discussed with any company, but it will not be Yu Corporation.”
Before he could finish, Mu Qianjue coldly cut him off.
Everyone around was shocked.
Yu Jingxi’s proposal was thorough and complete—they had all assumed Yu Corporation would be tonight’s winner, but no one expected Mu Qianjue to publicly humiliate Yu Corporation.
That sentence left Yu Corporation without even a sliver of a chance.
In other words, Yu Corporation had lost its eligibility to bid.
After the shock, what people felt most was schadenfreude.
Without Yu Corporation as a competitor, their own chances of winning were greater.
Yu Shengnian’s expression also turned ugly.
It was the Crown Prince himself who had requested the meeting, yet when they arrived, the lounge had been empty.
Mu Qianjue hadn’t shown up, and they hadn’t dared to leave midway.
They could only stand and wait—if Mu Nan hadn’t appeared to tell them they could go, who knows how long they would have waited.
Yu Jingxi, after his initial shock, took a long while to recover. “Crown Prince, our presentation isn’t over yet. Please give Yu Corporation another chance.”
He had worried beforehand that an incomplete design draft wouldn’t catch Mu Qianjue’s eye—that was why he had thought to bring Yu Ni along.
But what he couldn’t understand was this:
Even if there was a problem with the design drafts, Mu Qianjue shouldn’t have condemned the Yu family with a single stroke, leaving them no chance to compete at all.
“Ni Ni, present your design concept,” Yu Jingxi said in a lowered voice.
Then, smiling ingratiatingly at Mu Qianjue, he said, “This is Yu Corporation’s designer, Yu Ni, the creator of the entire Luanxing Bay proposal. Please, Crown Prince, give her a chance to supplement the concept behind the design blueprints.”
Mu Qianjue’s word was law.
Among the companies he had rejected, no one had ever dared to defy him.
He was just about to have Mu Nan clear the room when he suddenly saw a graceful figure rise from the crowd, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Her.
She was Yu Corporation’s designer?
Yu Ni calmly met the man’s sharp gaze, as if to say: surprised? unexpected?
Yet on her face hung a mischievous smile.
Like an innocent little white rabbit untouched by the mortal world.
Mu Qianjue tapped lightly on the table, his expression cold. “I’ll give you ten minutes.”
“Thank you, Crown Prince.”
Ten minutes.
Enough.
Yu Ni gave everyone present a polite smile, then spoke fluently about her design inspiration.
The entire composition was already in her head.
She didn’t need to think at all, laying out her understanding of Luanxing Bay with perfect clarity.