A few days passed in the suffocating "cold war".
A strange routine was established at the Luc family. At breakfast, Luc Bac Than and An Lac Vi would sit across from each other, silent like two strangers, while Luc Thien An happily sat next to his mother, chattering (using body language) picking up food for his mother.
After that, they "acted" as a happy couple, going together in a car to De Than.
An Lac Vi resolutely moved her office down to the 80th floor, the Design Department. She wanted to lead the Tinh Nguyet team herself. Luc Bac Than, after the "exile" of Co Minh Triet, did not object. He knew, the more he forced, the more she retreated.
But he still controlled.
Every 10am and 3pm, Assistant Zhang would bring "extra breakfast" and "afternoon tea" (all nutritious dishes) down to the 80th floor, under the name of "President Lu nourishing the entire Tinh Nguyet team".
But everyone knew that 90% of the food was reserved for An Lac Vi.
She was openly "raised", and thoroughly "isolated". No male employee dared to stand closer than 2 meters to her.
An Lac Vi ignored everything. She poured all her mind, soul, and even Vi Tien Tu's hatred... into the Tinh Nguyet project.
She had to win. This was her only weapon.
But, she had underestimated To Cam's cruelty.
That morning, as soon as An Lac Vi entered the Design room, she felt an extremely strange atmosphere. Everyone looked at her, not with fear, but... with suspicion, scrutiny, and a bit of contempt.
"What's the matter?" She asked.
A timid employee pushed an iPad towards her.
The front page of the International Design Magazine "DesignHub" - an extremely prestigious magazine.
Title: [SCANNY: Emperor God's masterpiece "Tinh Nguyet Vinh Hang"... Is it a copycat product?]
The article analyzed and dissected her logo sketch (a moon embracing a peach blossom), placed next to a sketch... almost 90% identical!
The "copycat" sketch was darker, more angular, but the core idea was the same. And it was signed "Ghost" - a famous underground designer who never revealed his face.
Most importantly, the date on the sketch of "Ghost"... was three months ago.
Before An Lac Vi even started the project.
BOOM!
The iPad fell from An Luowei's hand.
"No... impossible!"
This was Jiang Su Ru's plan! She had been caught, but... the time bomb she had set... had exploded!
"Lu... Madam Lu..." Section Chief Liu (who had been persuaded by her before) trembled. "This... what is this? This idea... is really not yours?"
"It's mine! It's clearly mine!" She screamed.
"But 'Ghost'..."
At that moment, the conference room door opened. Assistant Zhang's face was as cold as money. "Assistant An, President Lu has called you. Emergency meeting of the project's Board of Directors."
Conference room on the 108th floor.
Still the same "old fox" faces. But this time, there was no respect.
Shareholder Liu slammed the newspaper down on the table.
"LU MRS. LU! How do you explain this now? 'Forgotten memories'? So you 'forgot' that you... stole someone else's idea?"
"A scandal! So humiliating!"
"President Lu, did you see! I said this idea was too risky!"
An Luo Wei stood in the middle of the room, trembling. She was surrounded. She looked towards Lu Bei Chen, the only silent person, sitting in the main seat.
She hoped for protection. She hoped he... would believe her. Even though she hated him, he knew Su Jin's story. He must know this was a trap!
But...
Lu Bei Chen just calmly sipped his tea. He raised his head, looked at her, his eyes deep, without a trace of emotion.
"Assistant An." His voice was even. "You are making the Lu family lose face. Explain."
A bucket of cold water.
Cold to the bone.
He... didn't help her.
He... was just like them. Did he also doubt her?
No.
He knew. An Luo Wei suddenly realized. He knew the truth. He knew she was wronged.
But he... was testing her.
He was using this storm to "temper" her, to see how she could handle it herself. Just like the way he threw her into the Board of Directors meeting room last time.
The cruelty of the Emperor.
An Luo Wei clenched her fists. The fear disappeared. The disappointment in him... turned into a cold pride.
The pride of the Fairy Wei.
Okay, Bei Shen Jing. You want to see? I'll show you.
She raised her head. "Explain?"
She laughed, a brilliant, but icy smile.
"I don't need to explain."
The entire conference room was stunned. "What?"
"I told you," An Luo Wei stepped forward, picking up the sketch of "Ghost". "This idea is mine. The thief... is the one called 'Ghost'."
Shareholder Liu roared: "You're saying the opposite! The evidence is clear!"
"Evidence?" An Luo Wei looked straight into his eyes. "First, who is 'Ghost'? An anonymous person? You dare to use the honor of the Emperor God to trust an anonymous person? Tell him to come out! Come out and confront me!"
"Second," she held up her sketch. "My design, has something... that the copy will never have."
"What is it?"
An Luo Wei smiled, a mysterious and proud smile of the Flower God.
"It's the 'soul'."
She turned to Lu Bei Shen, who had been silently observing her all this time.
"President Lu. You want 'Eternal', right? I'll show you."
She tore up both sketches in front of everyone.
"What! You're crazy!" Shareholder Liu shouted.
"I don't need them anymore." An Luo Wei said. "Give me a board. Right now."
"I'll prove to you... what... is the 'original'."
She... will redraw it from scratch, right in front of them.
She will show them... the power of a Flower God.