Nguyễn Triều Dương, whose name embodies the ambition of the “morning sun,” had always felt her life was a series of lucky breaks. From a small third-tier city, she was lucky to squeeze through the narrow gate to a university in Beijing, lucky to graduate, and lucky to find an internship. Today marked her moment of truth: the day to sign her official contract.
She clocked in, heart pounding from nearly being late, and cheerfully brought coffee to Ms. Vương, her mentor. The celebratory mood was immediately crushed by a suffocating tension in the office.
“Ms. Vương, this is the coffee I bought for you. Thank you for guiding me…” Ms. Vương, visibly strained, waved her hand: “I’m in no mood for coffee. The company is about to have a massive layoff today.”
Just then, a man in a sharp black suit entered, radiating cold efficiency, escorted by Director Trình. “This is a man invited by the Chief Strategy Consultant from Maen,” Ms. Vương whispered, trembling. “He’s here to ‘optimize the organizational structure.’ ” Rumors painted him as a corporate executioner: 40 people fired in one day at the Shenzhen branch.
The anxiety was palpable, especially for Ms. Vương, who was burdened by elderly parents, young children, and a mortgage. Triều Dương attempted to reassure her, drawing on her recent success: “I passed the company’s defense round last week. They evaluated my performance highly; I’m definitely going official today. It won’t be my turn.” She clung to the belief in her own merit, but a quiet dread settled in.
Triều Dương’s self-assurance was shattered by the summons from Manager Trần.
“Triều Dương, after careful consideration, the company has decided not to sign a contract with you.”
The shock was immediate and profound. Her luck had run out. She had to fight back.
“May I ask the specific reason for my optimization?”
The answer came not from Manager Trần, but from the cold-eyed man in black—Director Trình, or Nhan Hoài Châu—who had just entered. He looked straight at her, his voice a surgical instrument, reducing her hard work to useless data:
-
“Your job role has an overlap ratio of up to 37% with other positions.”
-
“The market data report you compiled… your data and methodology are two cycles behind the competition.”
-
“I therefore believe this position is not necessary to retain. This is my professional opinion.”
Her sleepless nights, her innovative proposals praised by Ms. Vương, were now “a string of cold, useless data.”
Manager Trần quickly interjected, reminding her: “Since you haven’t gone official, the company doesn’t need to pay compensation. This month’s salary will be fully paid.”
The true objective was clear: exploiting her non-official status to dismiss her without severance.
Triều Dương instantly counterattacked, her eyes burning with resolve: “My internship ended last week; today was only for contract renewal. If the company chooses to dismiss me, according to labor law, the company must pay me N+1 compensation. If treated unfairly, I will choose labor arbitration.”
Manager Trần shifted to soft threats: “Young people should think long-term. Litigation will affect your background check. Think carefully.”
Triều Dương played her trump card: “I can speak directly with Elsa. After all, I still have the contact information for General Manager Vương at the supplier, Bách Phương Tích.”
The mere mention of Bách Phương Tích made Manager Trần’s face go ashen. Triều Dương knew he was involved in bribery.
Manager Trần hastily ushered her out: “Triều Dương, you step out first. We need to discuss.”
Behind the closed door, his voice trembled to Director Trình: “Don’t be fooled by her baby face. She’s a thorn in the company’s side; she never takes a loss.”
Triều Dương refused to accept Director Trình’s “obsolete” verdict. She cornered him in the hallway: “Director Trình, I know you’re busy, but could I please have 10 minutes?”
He glanced at his watch, his eyes sharp and challenging: “You only have 5 minutes.”
She cut straight to the core: “You said my reporting method was obsolete. I want to know exactly where the issue lies.”
He pointed out: “Part three, competitor analysis. Your data collection method is still using 2018 industry standards. The sample error rate is 23% higher than the current optimal solution.”
Triều Dương immediately retorted: “That’s not right. That was the trial version from three months ago. I stayed up all night to redo it afterward. The official version should have been updated last week.” She highlighted the discrepancy on the old report: “The standard deviation here was deliberately exaggerated by 40%.”
Director Trình sensed the cover-up. He looked at Triều Dương, his face impassive but internally re-evaluating her.
“5 minutes later, bring your official report to the top floor office.”
Triều Dương ran, the only thought in her mind: “I’ve been given a second life.”
Exactly 5 minutes later, she stood before him: “Director Trình, this is my official report.”
He slowly flipped through it: “This data report is indeed much more rigorous than the trial version. However, the overlap between your position and Vương Khiết’s is an objective fact. The company will choose one of you.”
The image of Ms. Vương, her family burdens, her kindness, and the steamed bun she shared, flashed in Triều Dương’s mind. She knew Ms. Vương’s name was on the layoff list, a harsh reality. She made her decision:
“I can leave, but I must receive the severance pay of a full-time employee. My record must state truthfully that I left the company not due to personal incompetence. This is crucial for my future background checks.”
Director Trình smiled, a rare, challenging expression: “With your degree, you wouldn’t even pass the resume screening for Maen. Take this and find HR. They will give you a chance at the written test.“
Maen—the top consulting firm, second only to MBB, a titan that only recruited Masters from Tsinghua, Peking University, and the Ivy League.
“Do I even qualify to go?” Triều Dương was stunned.
“Whether you pass or not depends on your capability.” He was definitive.
After securing her rightful severance, Triều Dương did the unexpected: she sent photos and videos of the bribery evidence to HR and Manager Trần’s arch-rival. “You were right. I, Nguyễn Triều Dương, never take a loss.”
With the precious chance in hand, Triều Dương entered a new battle. She took Maen’s grueling written test, facing a daunting case question to estimate the market capacity of ready-to-drink coffee in first-tier cities. She applied all her logic and reasonable assumptions to arrive at the estimated figure: 3.5 to 4 billion cups per year.
She failed. Tôn Minh Bác was called for the interview. “It seems all hope is lost.”
Life continued. Triều Dương returned to her parents, caring for her sick father and being scolded by her mother for “eating instant noodles.” She continued to earn a living by dog walking—a strenuous job her parents worried about.
One day, while walking the dog, Alpha, she fed it ice cream and taught it her “three-legged limp” trick. Alpha vomited and had to be hospitalized with pancreatitis. Triều Dương was racked with guilt and fear. She called the owner.
A familiar voice answered: “Nguyễn Triều Dương.”
Alpha’s owner was none other than Director Trình (Nhan Hoài Châu).
He arrived at the veterinary hospital and saw Triều Dương weeping: “Stop crying. Will your tears cure it? I’m afraid.”
Triều Dương offered to care for Alpha free of charge to atone. During the days of tending to Alpha, she frequently visited Nhan Hoài Châu’s luxury apartment, observing his relentless work ethic.
She brought her revised Maen written test, asking for his critique, “In consideration of my friendship with Alpha.”
Nhan Hoài Châu was blunt: “It only meets the 6-point standard at best, but Maen requires 9 points. Low efficiency is due to a lack of training system and insufficient practice.”
“Then, can you teach me exactly what I need to do?”
Triều Dương, no longer the timid young woman, faced Nhan Hoài Châu with newfound ambition: “Director Trình, your sudden appearance gave me a dream. I also want to stand at the pinnacle of the consulting industry like you… Please believe me. I am that one in a million.“
Nhan Hoài Châu accepted: “I return from my business trip next week. We’ll test then.”
A week later, Nhan Hoài Châu tested her with a real-world simulation: “A new energy vehicle company is entering the Southeast Asian market and needs to decide between Thailand and Indonesia within 10 minutes. Write your market analysis and decision.”
His review: “The main points are correct. Reading wasn’t a waste of time. At least now I don’t need to chase you out.”
Then, an email arrived. An interview invitation from Maen. Nhan Hoài Châu had “rescued” those who scored 6 points on the written test.
In the group interview, Triều Dương was rejected by two Ivy League candidates due to her “domestic school background.” She partnered with Lâm Mặc and Yumi, also considered underdogs. Despite being harshly criticized by Nhan Hoài Châu (now revealed as Partner Nathan) as “extremely poor” and their report as “garbage,” her team passed the final training.
At the post-training dinner, the group saw Nhan Hoài Châu (Nathan), Party, and Jason Sơn. He bought them coffee and even paid for their dinner.
Finally, Triều Dương received the news: “Congratulations on passing the Maen interview.”
She texted Nhan Hoài Châu: “Director Trình, I got into Maen. Thank you. I’d like to treat you to a meal.”
As she officially began at Maen, sitting across from elites from Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia, she fired back at the snide comments about her “third-tier” school with fierce confidence:
“That’s right, I’m from that small university. It is an immense honor for Nguyễn Triều Dương to sit equally with all you prestigious talents… I hope no one assumes that your peak was at 18, and the rest of your life is insignificant.”
Nhan Hoài Châu, now introduced as the China Regional Partner Nathan, stood before the new intake, beginning his speech:
“I’ve looked through your previous interview profiles. How should I put it? Extremely poor. This training is your final opportunity. Only those who pass will truly join Maen. The rest will be eliminated.”
Triều Dương’s team, hardened by their unconventional mentor, understood his rules: absolute logic, no sentimentality. They were ready for the next round of survival at Maen.
Disclaimer : This content may be created by AI for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or places is coincidental.
