Chapter 38: A Mere Junior Attorney

Melinda’s smile grew sweeter and more alluring as she rose, intending to step forward and greet Zehong Ye with a handshake. Yet the chill radiating from him froze her in place, making her shiver uncontrollably. She drew in a sharp breath and nervously sank back into her seat.

Luyao sat, ill at ease, watching Zehong Ye take the principal seat while her heart thundered in her chest. She had never expected Yingtang Ye would assign Zehong Ye to lead this project, nor had she imagined he would abandon medicine for business.

But on second thought, it all made sense. If he wanted to seize the helm of the Ye family, he would first need to take charge of the Ye Group’s core projects.

The proposal meeting formally began.

Driven by self-interest, Yi Liang arranged for Melinda to present first. After all, the proposal was lengthy and complex; by the time one side finished their explanation, everyone would be weary, making the subsequent presentation seem tedious and hard to endure.

Luyao listened attentively to Melinda’s proposal, jotting down notes on points worth learning. She planned to precisely highlight the advantages of her own proposal during her turn.

Throughout it all, Zehong Ye’s expression remained unreadable.

Melinda spoke with great caution, while Yi Liang listened anxiously. The rest of the attendees dared not make a sound.

At last, Melinda finished and returned to her seat with a sigh of relief, her heart pounding with anxiety.

Luyao took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. She opened her slides and delivered her presentation with grave seriousness, not daring to glance at Zehong Ye even once for fear of—

When she finally finished and looked up, she met those familiar, deep-set eyes, and her body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

Zehong Ye flipped through Luyao’s proposal and smiled. “Attorney Lu, for an acquisition valued at over ten billion, is your team represented by you alone?”

Luyao instinctively glanced at Melinda and the dozen or so assistants she had brought along.

Melinda smiled smugly, convinced Zehong Ye was picking at Luyao’s shortcomings.

Luyao replied awkwardly, “President Ye, I completed this proposal independently. I am thoroughly familiar with every detail. Handling it alone will not be a problem.”

Zehong Ye offered a faint smile. “One person’s capabilities are limited. On what grounds do you believe your proposal surpasses the one produced by a team of over ten?”

Melinda’s confidence surged at once, and her face bloomed with smiles. She believed Zehong Ye’s silence during her presentation signified his satisfaction.

Luyao stood there, visibly unsettled, staring at Zehong Ye, a bitter taste in her heart. He had said he would not let her win the proposal—was he using his position for personal reasons?

She glanced at her notes, lifted her chin, and, fixing Zehong Ye with a determined gaze, enunciated each word with measured clarity: “Compared with Dacheng Law Firm’s flashy add-on services, my proposal focuses on identifying potential risks during the acquisition and ensuring long-term resilience. By managing risks promptly, we can avoid unnecessary losses and maximize benefits. In addition—”

Before she could finish, Zehong Ye tapped the table. “As far as I know, Miss Lu, you have always worked on civil litigation at Wenjie Law Firm and rarely handled financial cases. How, then, did you assess these risks?”

The room erupted in hushed whispers.

Melinda’s heart soared at the sight of Luyao rendered speechless. She already pictured herself celebrating with a lavish meal once the meeting ended.

Seeing the expectant faces of the attendees, Luyao gripped the edge of the podium tightly, her eyes full of resentment as she looked at Zehong Ye and asked, half in defiance, “President Ye, aren’t you the one who knows best what I’m capable of?”

Zehong Ye chuckled softly.

His eyes sparkled with amusement as he countered, “And what makes you think, Attorney Lu, that I would go out of my way to concern myself with a mere junior lawyer?”