To complete her promotional plan, Xiuya asked Manager Zheng for a market research budget of 50,000 yuan, but he only approved 3,000. Just printing the questionnaires cost 2,000, leaving no money to hire people to distribute them. She decided to use the remaining 1,000 yuan to buy popular tea drinks from the supermarket, but ended up being persuaded by the sales lady to buy 50 salted duck eggs instead.
The supermarket was hiring part-time alcohol promoters, and Xiuya saw an opportunity. She applied and was successfully hired. Taking advantage of this job, Xiuya and Pang Jing distributed 400 questionnaires, but they still needed more help. Xiao Zou and Ma Chao were unwilling to lend a hand.
Zheng Hao had a business trip scheduled for the next day and would miss Xiuya’s birthday the day after, so he celebrated with her in advance at the office. While happy about the birthday celebration, Xiuya felt uncomfortable with Zheng Hao repeatedly referring to her as “his woman.” She didn’t say anything in public but privately asked him to stop. Zheng Hao didn’t take it seriously. Xiuya used her period as an excuse to decline his invitation to stay the night.
Later, she video called her friend and reflected on her relationship with Zheng Hao. He liked to lecture her and make decisions for her, but other than that, he wasn’t bad. Xiuya had intended to complete the promotional plan herself, but Zheng Hao found a friend, Zhang Peng, who specialized in planning promotional activities, to help her. He also asked her to make time to meet with Zhang Peng to discuss the details. Zhang Peng, in turn, outsourced the work and asked the subcontractor to communicate with Xiuya, but Xiuya didn’t want to work this way.
Xiuya didn’t recognize the subcontractor at first. It was only after he reminded her that she realized it was Shi Ye. Before leaving, Shi Ye said he took this job because he saw Xiuya’s name and wanted to see what she had become after ten years. He also honestly told her that he was disappointed by the change in her.
This unexpected encounter didn’t affect Xiuya’s work. She continued to work overtime on the plan, consulting with frontline sales staff and seeking their valuable opinions. Finally, she completed the promotion plan.
The chairman came to the company and saw the promotion plans from the Planning Department, Advertising Department, and Internal Publicity Department. He was very interested in the Internal Publicity Department’s plan and specifically asked for the department manager and the person in charge of the plan to be called over. However, Ma Chao overheard this first and deliberately found an excuse to send Xiuya away.
Ma Chao followed Manager Hu to the chairman and took credit for the plan. Xiuya received a message from Manager Hu and rushed over, but it was too late to speak. She could only listen to Ma Chao bragging to the chairman, implying that he had worked overtime to complete the plan. Xiuya was angry and publicly questioned Ma Chao about why he had sent her away. Ma Chao, known as the office slacker, denied taking credit and again brought up that Xiuya relied on Zheng Hao. He Xiaoli reminded Xiuya that Ma Chao said that because he didn’t want her to tell Zheng Hao. Xiuya decided to find Zheng Hao, but as soon as she arrived at the Marketing Department, she heard everyone saying that she got into the company because of Zheng Hao and that Zheng Hao had asked Zhang Peng to help with the proposal. Xiuya was instantly speechless.
On her way home, she happened to see Shi Ye and chased after him. She saw him enter a shop, take the stage for a stand-up comedy show, and use her story as material. Finally unable to bear it, Xiuya went up and grabbed the microphone, improvising a stand-up routine filled with吐槽 (Tucao – a form of humor that involves complaining and mocking) and humor.
The 26-year-old Wu Xiuya, amidst the cheers of the audience, finished her first stand-up comedy performance. Shi Ye sighed, “This is the real Wu Xiuya.”
