It’s easy to be bad, but hard work is tiring

On stage, Ming Shuyan spoke passionately, earning nods and applause from the audience.

Still, she split her focus, casting glances at Ming Shuzhen below.

She saw her distracted, eyes wandering blatantly.

Ming Shuyan’s smile remained polished, lips curved in a gentle arc.

But beneath it, a sharp edge pierced through, aimed at Ming Shuzhen.

Prompted by Han Shuyu’s nudge, Ming Shuzhen looked up, meeting Ming Shuyan’s gaze.

She didn’t realize the boss was watching *her*.

Used to skipping glasses, she assumed Ming Shuyan ditched lenses or contacts to ease stage nerves, preferring a hazy view.

She figured a nobody like her wouldn’t catch the boss’s eye.

After a brief stare, Ming Shuzhen looked away first.

The opening ceremony wrapped quickly, and experts were ushered to the booths.

Ming Shuzhen trailed Han Shuyu, starting at the first booth.

The group moved in two S-shaped rows, ensuring space and efficiency without crowding.

Booths were well-spaced, avoiding overlap.

“This system adjusts production parameters based on real-time data…” a presenter explained at a data analyzer booth.

Ming Shuzhen listened, then turned to Han Shuyu. “Shuyu Sister, is this analyzer using AI algorithms? Are we adopting AI?”

Han Shuyu gave her a cool glance. “You know AI?”

“Nope,” Ming Shuzhen said earnestly. “That’s why I’m asking.”

“Oh,” Han Shuyu faltered.

She preferred silence, disliking wasted energy, but Ming Shuzhen’s sincerity softened her.

“For standard layouts and data, AI’s more efficient and frees up manpower. But we mostly handle disaster-damaged or unique houses. Like people, houses vary by location, age, climate, humidity—AI alone can’t account for that.”

“Mm,” Ming Shuzhen relaxed. “So we won’t lose our jobs.”

Han Shuyu shot her an odd look, amused by her quirky logic.

“AI’s just a tool. Our boss is strict about data ownership. Check company news—Red Brick invests heavily in data protection tech.”

Hearing “heavily,” Ming Shuzhen muttered, “Heavily? Is that precise?”

Her voice was soft, but Han Shuyu, close by, caught it and cracked a smile. “Heh, not precise.”

“Oh,” Ming Shuzhen nodded seriously, then giggled at herself.

Han Shuyu continued, “Red Brick often trains staff on cybersecurity—phishing, data tampering, that stuff.”

“Check the company website for events,” she added, cold-faced but kind, mentoring the newbie. “No one starts out perfect. Spend time honing skills and industry knowledge, and you’ll catch up fast.”

“Really?” Ming Shuzhen was skeptical. “That easy?”

Could she adapt, master equipment, measure data accurately, and boost analysis skills so simply?

“It’s that easy,” Han Shuyu said, her single eyelids steady like a boat on shimmering water.

Ming Shuzhen stayed quiet, knowing many things just needed effort. Truly hard stuff—requiring talent, luck, or resources—was rare.

As Han Shuyu said, time and focus made most things doable.

The challenge was doing it. Slacking was easy; effort was exhausting.

Sighing softly, Ming Shuzhen rallied to tour the booths.

Many equipment steps baffled her, but expert demos clarified why certain steps came first, couldn’t be skipped, or why some data could be estimated while others couldn’t.

After a few booths, her brain felt stuffed with new info.

Then she ran into Green Sister and Xiao Fang, the bag-strap duo from the van.

“Green Sister, know anything about pile foundations? This isn’t child’s play—you can’t just use any stump,” Xiao Fang said.

“I’ve been in this longer, with stronger fundamentals. How wouldn’t I know? *Because* I know, I think minor details can be overlooked. Xiao Fang, stop meddling. You tour, I tour—let’s stay out of each other’s way,” Green Sister snapped.

Hearing their familiar, barbed tones, Ming Shuzhen glanced over.

“They’re like frenemies,” Han Shuyu said, unusually chatty.

“They won’t actually fight, right? Talking like that won’t get them punched?” Ming Shuzhen asked, worried for their safety.

“Probably… fine,” Han Shuyu said, recalling their dynamic—verbal sparring, no fists.

“Look, drama,” Wu Zhengyu, Team One’s leader, strolled over.

His focus was clearly on Green Sister and Xiao Fang.

“You two at it again?” he said, rolling up his sleeves to flash a chunky silver watch.

“Peace makes wealth, you know. All this bickering wastes energy you could put into work, right, Xiao Fang?” he said, picking the softer target.

Xiao Fang smiled. “Right, Wu Leader. Green Sister’s obsessed with designer bags and luxury necklaces. No effort in work. Years here, no progress—good thing you’ve got her back.”

“Yeah?” Wu Zhengyu, flattered, rubbed his chin, eyeing Green Sister for her turn.

Green Sister stepped forward, nudging Xiao Fang aside.

“Wu Leader, we’re uni alumni. Don’t side against me. Xiao Fang’s just got family money, bought a foreign degree. Would she be here talking to you otherwise? We both know what those overseas degrees are worth. Our uni didn’t tolerate slackers—you know that. As your alum, my skills are on your level.”

Their flattery spun Wu Zhengyu dizzy, his ego soaring.

Ming Shuzhen, puzzled, asked Han Shuyu, “Wu Leader doesn’t seem *that* old. Why the formal ‘you’?”

It was just a team leader—colleagues didn’t need such deference. The “you” grated.

Han Shuyu shrugged. “He likes it.”

“…Oh,” Ming Shuzhen said, respecting but not getting it. “Some people care about titles.”

“Heh,” Han Shuyu chuckled. “You really can’t spot sarcasm.”

“…” Ming Shuzhen’s lips twitched, voice flat. “I got it.”

“Oh? Explain.”

Challenged, Ming Shuzhen lifted her chin to prove herself. “Xiao Fang’s got a gilded degree, Green Sister’s Wu’s alum. They seem to clash, always jabbing, but they actually respect each other. They fawn over Wu, acting deferential, but deep down, they look down on him.”

“Mm, go on,” Han Shuyu said, using up her week’s worth of words.

Ming Shuzhen, enjoying the tease, rubbed her nose. “Wu’s probably incompetent, scared of subordinates outshining him, so he squeezes them. Xiao Fang and Green Sister are clearly stronger—don’t know their skills, but they seem sharp.”

“How’d you figure?”

“Uh…” Ming Shuzhen pondered. “They’ve got strong presence, confident voices—signs they trust their abilities.”

“Oh… pfft,” Han Shuyu stifled a laugh, exhausting her week’s expressions.

“So!” Ming Shuzhen’s voice rose, animated. “Since Wu’s talentless and jealous, Xiao Fang and Green Sister act like rivals to ease his paranoia. He thinks they’re too busy feuding to threaten his spot.”

*Clap, clap, clap.*

Ming Shuzhen froze, turning to see Wu Zhengyu’s sour face.

“Brilliant. Shame you’re not writing novels. Wasted talent at Red Brick,” he sneered.

“Haha,” Ming Shuzhen forced a laugh, mortified at being caught gossiping. “Not really, heh. I’m honored to be at Red Brick…”

She spun around. Wu Zhengyu didn’t know her.

On the van, he sat up front, ignoring her in the back.

So… if she bolted, he couldn’t pin her down, right? He led Team One; she was Team Two—no leverage to punish her.

She dashed off—only to crash into something soft.

Ugh, today’s cursed—stuck teeth, bad omens. Whose *chest* did she just face-plant into? Mortifying, humiliating, horror-movie-level bad.

Tearing up, she looked up into a refined face staring daggers.

A familiar scarf fluttered, sapping her last shred of strength.

“B-Boss…”