The finals of the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition was in full swing. Wen Xinya would visit the official page of the competition every day to check on her progress.
It had been three months since the competition started. Having passed the preliminary judging and the second elimination round, Wen Xinya’s results had been astonishing. Her entry into the list of finalists attracted the attention of the wider jewelry world. Everyone was very much looking forward to whether she could continue her standards during the finals and make it to the last round of the grand finals.
“Although the finals of the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition is your first real step onto the grand stage of international jewelry design and very important to you, you must not give yourself too much pressure. You are just 21 years old and possess an exquisite talent for jewelry design. No one doubts your skill. Even if you fall short, everyone will just say you are probably just too young. In the jewelry design profession, it is all too important to keep a positive attitude.”
Old Mr. Wen knew that his granddaughter must be very stressed when he noticed her absorbing knowledge on all types of jewelry design as if she had a desperate hunger for it. Actually, Xinya’s performance was already rather exceptional. According to what he knew about the finalists for this year’s Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition, Xinya was the youngest, while the oldest competitor was already 52 years old.
Xinya’s young age and stunning design skills had already received everyone’s acknowledgment. Her talent was undeniable. Even Yunyao did not achieve such success when she had been Xinya’s age.
“Grandpa, don’t worry. I know my limits. I have fallen far behind the jewelry design assignments set by Teacher Ji Shihan as I was worried about Grampy’s critical condition and focused on taking care of him. Although she has been understanding, I am her student and cannot keep on slacking like that. So I am making use of this time to catch up on the syllabus. The profession of jewelry design is like rowing a boat upstream—one cannot rest on one’s laurels even for a second!”
Wen Xinya was quite confident about this finals. Whereas for the grand finals, although she felt rather stressed, that pressure was not a stumbling block impeding her progress, but only served to motivate her to work harder.
Jewelry design was her dream of two lifetimes. She knew better than anyone how to walk this path and how to walk it well.
Gratified, Old Mr. Wen looked at her with a smile. “From a young age, you have shown great insight throughout your pursuit of jewelry design. I am proud of you, but my advice remains the same. Becoming famous at such a young age may not be a good thing, while slowly making a name for yourself may not be a bad thing. It depends on how you make use of your opportunities.”
Old Mr. Wen had met many extraordinarily talented youths who had shone brightly. They may have possessed dazzling auras, but it was a challenge to go far in this profession and achieve greater heights.
Jewelry design emphasized heavily on accumulation. Knowledge, inspiration, and essence of the spirit—all these could only be gained through the process of accumulation. The designers who were truly able to go far and attain lofty heights were those who were not especially famous but had accumulated the most.
Of course, with Xinya’s talents, she would not be affected much regardless of which route she chose to take.
Wen Xinya nodded. “Grandpa, I know what I am doing. No matter what, I am determined to continue my profession in jewelry design.”
She would not lose herself in pride and self-satisfaction just because of this one-time achievement.
All the more she would not be dispirited and give up her dream just because of a single failure.
Looking at the resolution in her eyes, Old Mr. Wen let go of his worries and changed the topic. “The arrangements for the heirloom sales strategy is nearly complete. You have done very well this time. Not only have you gained the approval of all the board members, but even the shareholders and employees have also acknowledged your capabilities.”
Since the moment this sales strategy was proposed, it had been unbelievably successful. Even Wen Haowen—who had feared that Xinya would stand out too much within the company and had used his status as the CEO and major shareholder to suppress her—had suddenly gone against character and didn’t interfere much with this project.
This went completely against protocol and there was only one reason behind it. And that was Xinya had made some behind-the-scenes arrangement, such that Wen Haowen had no misgivings about this strategy.
At this point in time, Wen Haowen was most concerned about the entertainment city project.
So Xinya must have managed to seize upon something major in the entertainment city project.
Wen Haowen was in charge of the entertainment city project while Ning Shuqian saw to its implementation. The entire project was carried out in an extremely secretive manner, such that even he was unable to interfere. But Xinya had the ability to seize upon something major in that project. Did this mean that Xinya and Ninth Si’s plan to go against the Korean-Chinese Alliance had progressed to yet another level?
“The main theme for the heirloom sales strategy is my mother’s legacy masterpieces. I must naturally do my best and not allow for the slightest mistake.” Wen Xinya knew that there were many pairs of eyes fixed upon her ever since Wen Haowen suggested letting her take over the heirloom sales strategy.
The fact that Wen Haowen did not get along well with his daughter and used his status within the Wen Corporation to hold her down was no secret within the Wen Corporation and their circles. Everyone was guessing that he probably had some hidden nefarious motive in letting her take over the project, and wished to use it to completely destroy her without any chance of revival.
As a result, many people were paying close attention to this matter, eagerly waiting to see how this drama played out.
The entertainment city project was progressing very smoothly, causing everyone’s jaws to drop in astonishment. Wen Xinya had ended up the winner in this crossing of swords. Whether or not she had done it via her own capability or through duplicitous means—she had triumphed over Wen Haowen. As a result, everyone held her in higher regard.
Old Mr. Wen smiled. “Today, I proposed for you to officially join the board. The shareholders have all voted for the motion to pass.”
Although he had previously granted Xinya special authority—to let her participate in board discussions in the name of learning the ropes—she was powerless without any official position. This time, he had taken advantage of the heirloom sales strategy to display Wen Xinya’s capabilities and let her officially join the board in her capacity as the heiress and not just an apprentice.
There was a huge difference between the two statuses.
As the heiress, it would prove that everyone had acknowledged Xinya’s capabilities. Her entry into the board would eventually lead to a leadership position. This would facilitate her gradually taking command of board matters. After taking command, she would have the largest voice and rights among the shareholders—only then would she truly be able to control the entire Wen Corporation.
If she was still of an apprentice status, Xinya would not have much chance to speak during board discussions. She would have to constantly yield to the other board members and be under their thumbs. There would be a long way for her to go and she would have to suffer a lot of hard knocks before finally attaining her goal.
This was not the result he wanted.
So all these years, he had never made use of his position in Wen Corporation to open a back door for her to enter the board. Instead, he had been patiently waiting for the right time.
And Xinya had wisely endured Wen Haowen’s suppression in silence.
Wen Xinya smiled. “In this way, it will be much more convenient for me to do things in the Wen Corporation.”
Although she already had quite a bit of sway with the board, it was not enough. She was still currently impeded in many matters and it was very challenging for her to implement her plans. It would be an entirely different situation for her to join the board with a proper status and her own abilities.