Chapter 126 Field Trip
Chapter 126 Field Trip
"Huh? Me?” Susan Shelby could not help but be stunned.
Generally, the head would act on the department's behalf in this kind of situation.
She was still considered a newbie in Lanyard Construction.
The department head smiled and said, "You set down the groundwork of the design and you made the biggest contribution to this project so you should be the one explaining it naturally."
"Go, quick." Chance Hamilton gave her a gentle push.
Susan could not decline anymore so she was preparing to stand up when Julian Shaw took a glance at her ankle and said nonchalantly, "Susan hurt her ankle, so let her sit and explain from her seat. Alfred, bring up the design blueprint."
The assistant took on the task and brought up the design blueprint on the huge display screen.
The people shifted their gaze to Susan in unison.
Susan pursed her lips as she was a little unaccustomed to this. Then, she said, "Our concept is not quite similar to the Jenkins Corporation. The resort project is targeted at high-end rich and powerful people. However, even the rich and the powerful live very comfortable lives in their homes. N o matter how prestigious our design is, it can’t possibly give them a pleasant change of atmosphere. Thus, we are adopting the classic oriental design. The overall feeling involves the use of pavilions, traditional chambers, and curved paths. In the details, our crucial slogan is, 'Looks simple and unsophisticated but hidden elegance in reality.’ For example, the beds will be crafted from the top grade sandalwood but we will use the newest configuration for its design. For example, we will be adding temperature control for the beds... We believe that the combination of classic and modernistic themes will give the residents a pleasant change of atmosphere, also..."
Susan still felt rather anxious at the start.
However, Susan became more and more at ease as she continued presenting what she was most skilled in and her narration grew smoother and smoother as well.
It felt as if her body was glistening at this very moment.
The corners of Julian's lips curved into a soft smile without his notice.
Luke Jenkins was entranced by the charismatic Susan.
In his memories, Susan was still that recent-graduate designer.
It had only been slightly more than a year and she had already grown to this extent?
He could not understand design but he understood the rich and powerful.
Compared to the Jenkins Corporation's design, Susan’s design was far superior based on her creativity and details.
"That's all for my presentation, thank you," said Susan with a soft blush on her cheeks. 1
Julian looked at Luke with a spurious smile at once." The designs from both sides have already been presented. Are we going to do what we’ve agreed on originally, which is to choose ten wealthy people at random and send them the design sketches for them t o decide the victor and loser?”
Luke pursed his lips. "No need for that. You've won this time.”
Julian smirked instantly. "Thank you.”
Luke felt an ineffable bitterness in his heart.
He had been cultivating so many employees painstakingly and prepared in advance for such a long time and yet he still ended up being completely defeated today.
If the person who produced the design was not Susan but someone else, he would not have mixed feelings anymore.
Yet... It was Susan.
Rationally, Susan was only doing her job.
Sentimentally, Luke still found it hard to accept the reality that Susan helped Julian defeat him.
'Susie, have you really moved on already?’
Even though he was obviously aware that they could never be together anymore, his heart was still throbbing in pain for some reason!
The design incident came to a conclusion temporarily.
Julian sent off the people from the Jenkins Corporation.
The situation in the office boiled over as soon as they left.
"Oh oh oh, we won at last. I was so anxious throughout the entire day today until I couldn't even stomach my lunch."
"It's too early for you to relax because we will be facing an even bigger issue to perfect the details after our design has been chosen!"
"I don't care. I'm good as long as we defeat the Jenkins Corporation anyhow."
The group of people chatted noisily.
Susan could not help feeling relieved as well and cracked into a faint smile.
"Luke, why did you acknowledge your defeat so easily? Their design is pretty good, but if we let the wealthy people choose according to our original plan, we may not necessarily lose too!" Charlotte Jenkins debated.
She would not be so recalcitrant if she were to lose to Lanyard Corporation, but now she had lost to Susan.
How could she make peace with that?
Luke shot a glance at her. "If we follow the original plan, we will only embarrass ourselves! Alright, let’s not bother ourselves with this matter anymore. We will still need to discuss the contents of the agreement and carry out negotiations for the next few days. The most important task right now is for us to stay focused and prepare for the negotiation after this."
"Alright," Charlotte answered unwillingly.
She felt rather displeased about losing to Susan. However, she still could not refrain herself from smiling at the thought of meeting Julian again tomorrow.
An icy cold glint penetrated Luke's narrowed eyes.
'Julian, I've lost to you this time because you had Susie's help. However, the negotiation is not over yet. I will show you that I’m never weaker than you.’
The people from the Jenkins Corporation came to Lanyard Construction for three consecutive days.
Both sides engaged in heated negotiation for the full three days until they finally signed the agreement on the afternoon of the third day.
Both sides felt relieved immensely upon finally completing the agreement at last after three consecutive days of being in a highly stressful environment.
"Chairman Shaw, it's a pleasure to work with you." Luke reached out his hand.
"Same." Julian shook his hand calmly.
"So, shall we head for a field trip together tomorrow, Chairman Shaw?" said Luke.
"Sure." Julian nodding upon accepting the task.
The site selection for the mountain resort was on the hillside halfway up the mountain.
The hillside was surrounded by a small river and lakes with lush green trees. The scenery from nature itself was impeccable and it would look breathtaking with just some additional decorations.
In order to build up a modernized village here without destroying the beauty of nature, one had to head down to the field personally to examine the place.
The people from the Jenkins Corporation were unaware of the field trip, but it was a task that Luke had to take on.
From Lanyard Construction, there were many more people that needed to go on the field trip as the company was in charge of the majority of
construction and design.
At night, Julian was writing up the name list for the field trip tomorrow.
Susan walked over to take a look, and then her eyes lit up. "The holiday resort project has entered the field trip phase already?"
Julian nodded. "We're approaching the new year so w e must set down the scheme beforehand and we can immediately begin construction after the new year. W e are pressed for time here."
"You need people from our design department to join the field trip, right? Can I go?" Susan looked at Julian piteously.
Having the opportunity to see the situation on the field would allow her to have more confidence in planning her design too.
Julian stole a side glance at her. “No! You just sprained your ankle not long ago.”
"It was just a little swollen and it's fully healed now." Susan panicked.
"Still no." Julian continued to reject her.
Susan took a glance at him furiously. "Hey, I'm the main designer for this project. You should take me on the field trip anyhow, right? Julian Shaw, you can't not make a clear distinction between your public and private interests.” "Woman, since when have I not made a clear distinction between your public and private interests?"
"Don't think that I’m unaware of that! I bet you refuse t o let me join because you know that Luke is going too," said Susan in despair.
Julian grunted coldly. "You must be joking, why would I care about Luke?"
Susan took a glance at him. "Then I shall give Luke a call and see if he's up for a drink." Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.
As she was speaking, she took out her phone and made the call.
"Susan, how dare you!" Julian snatched the phone furiously.
He checked the screen and saw a phone number blinking on the phone. It was 10086.
"Do you really think that I'd call Luke?" Susan glared a t him in rage. "Julian, you lack the most basic trust in me.
She, Susan Shelby, had not stooped so low that she would court a married man!
Julian scoffed once. "This is not an issue with trust. It's obvious that Luke still bears unwarranted interest i n you!"
"Luke is already married." Susan said, "Moreover, Charlotte Jenkins is the one that bears unwarranted interest in you. Both of you engaged in the negotiation all day and I haven't gotten jealous, haven't I?"
Julian pondered in all apparent seriousness for a while before he asked, "That's right. Woman, this is a serious issue! Why aren't you jealous?"
Susan said,"... Why do you have to drift so far from the topic of the conversation? All in all, I will certainly join the field trip tomorrow. I'm heading to bed first. You should join me soon after you're done with work."
"Woman, you haven't explained why you didn't get jealous yet," Julian retorted.
Susan turned around and looked at her. "Julian, there has never been a middle ground for me in a relationship. When I didn't love you in the past, I didn't care at all. Now that I'm in love with you, I’m asking you to be in this wholeheartedly just like me. I will either trust you wholeheartedly or I will leave without the slightest hesitation. If I find out that there’s something between you and the other women, I won't choose to be jealous. I'll just turn around and leave."
There was a rarely seen seriousness in Susan's eyes.
Perhaps, her attitude in the relationship was a little bigoted. Yet, she refused to change that.
This was still her first time declaring her attitude so clearly and she wondered if Julian could accept that.
Julian stared at Susan calmly for a while before his lips suddenly cracked into a smirk. "Now that you’re i n love with me? How much do you love me?"
Susan:"..."
He was so capable of seizing the key point when he listened to someone's speech.
Susan waved her hand weakly to dismiss him while saying, "I'm hitting the sack first.”
Julian smiled as he watched Susan walk into the bedroom. Then he added Susan’s name to the field trip team.
'Hmph hmph, I shall let this woman join in view of her romantic confession to me.'
The next morning, the universal business vehicles were all set.
Susan and her colleagues from the design department were in the same vehicle.
Julian had his own personal driver.
Julian assumed a stern expression as he pondered how he could lure Susan to his vehicle.
All of a sudden, a coquettish voice was heard.
A female staff member suddenly twisted her ankle and tumbled toward him delicately. 2
'What the heck is this! There are so many places where you can fall yet she is falling toward me!'
The baffled Julian shifted himself to the side. 4
The female staff member fell onto the ground, landing on her buttocks with a loud clap!
"Tee-hee!" The people could not help laughing at her.
A colleague next to Susan was even laughing so hard that she was panting. "Hah-hah-hah, this is too funny. Susie, rumors are spreading in the company that Mr. Shaw has a tender heart for women due to the incident where you were caught by Mr. Shaw twice. They are saying that you can perhaps gain Mr. Shaw's attention by falling in front of him the next time. I truly didn't expect that someone would actually do that. Hah-hah-hah-hah."
Susan's eyes brimmed with radiating vigor as she looked at the female staff member on the ground.