9 09 Numb but not Dumb

In one of the meeting rooms, sounds of discussion can be heard inside.

October leaned on her chair with crossed legs and arms rested on the armrest. She cast a boring look at Manager Bei who was trying to "reason" with her.

"Director, you need to think this through." Manager Bei half-shouted, almost glaring at October who was almost half his age. He was also angry at this young girl who acts like she knows everything. It hurt his pride to be under someone whose age was like his daughter. "We've already brainstormed to come up with this. Our proposal is almost as good as perfect."

October's ear twitched when she heard the word "perfect" then looked at the documents in front of her. How can this man say that this kind of proposal was perfect? Was he joking with her?

"Manager Bei." October straightened her sitting posture as she looked straight in the eyes, zoning on Manager Bei who almost bit his tongue from the pressure he received from her.

"Do you really think that these papers you handed to me can be called a "proposal?" October emphasized her last word.

"...Yes." Manager Bei answered. This plan was perfect. How can it be not?

"And this "proposal" is...perfect?" October grabbed the neatly compiled documents and raised it. She scanned her eyes over the team who was cowering in fear when her eyes landed on them. They lowered their heads, couldn't make themselves make eye contact to this "Ice Director." All but for one, Manager Bei, although he himself was already drenched with cold sweat.

"Yes! It IS perfect." He immediately affirmed as he straightened his back. "We've already revised this a thousand times and spent a lot of time on this. We took overtime just to work on this. Director."

"Really?" October cocked her head as she couldn't believe that this person who worked for years longer than her in this industry was giving her such a proposal which she couldn't stomach. It made her think how those years were wasted on this man. How really disappointing.

"Yes, really. You can't say it isn't just because you think it isn't. I'm already passed my naive age like yours and is far more experience on this field. Don't think just because you have the backing of Director Sheng that you can just do anything or everything you want. Without Director Sheng, you're nothing." He angrily spat while pointing a finger at October.

Right after he said that, his face paled and eyes widened in fright when he saw the papers flying towards him. Be it by his luck or not, intended or not, it just flew passed him beside his face, almost grazing his cheek. But that feeling he got when those papers grazed him made him shiver and turned his whole body cold. His haughtiness vanished, replacing it with just fear. Yes, he felt so scared at the person before him who was just sitting calmly on her chair, looking as if she did no such thing.

Silence.

An unnerving silence so quiet that it's suffocating. All of the employees inside the room were shaking in fear, even their breaths were held in as they were so scared to attract her and be the next target of this awakened demoness. If they were not sitting at first and were standing instead, they would surely grovel on the floor for their knees will gave out, losing the strength to carry their weight.

But for Manager Bei who was standing and was the one who experienced the ice demoness' wrath, well, the employees really couldn't even imagine what he was feeling. He just turned to stone, not moving an inch.

Some pitied him, but mostly cursed at him for irritating October. It was their first time to see and experience their Ice Director to do something like this.

"Ah. Sorry, my hand slipped." October said, still calm as ever. No frown, no change on the tone of her voice. No nothing. Just emotionless, expressionless.

When the rest heard her say this, they wanted to protest at her. What does she mean by slip? That was clearly an intentional throw. They shouted in their hearts and just swallowed their words.

October was also surprised at her actions as she looked at her own hand. She was good at control herself. This was a first.

October put down her hand and placed it back on the armrest.

"Manager Bei, I may lack on my emotions and is numb, but that doesn't mean that I am dumb." October said as she slowly rose from her seat, bringing with it the increasing heavy pressure she exuded filling every corners of the meeting room.

Even Yun Xixi was not spared as she felt that cold atmosphere her boss was releasing. She turned her attention to Manager Bei and his team. 'They deserved it. Who does they think they are to try and question the decision of her boss? Even questioning her capability.'

Not being able to withstand the pressure anymore, Manager Bei heavily dropped to his seat. He was shivering and his knees were shaking.

"Do you question Director Sheng? Do you question the decision of the other directors, Manager Bei? If so, I am urging you to make your haste and raise your complaint to them about me not having enough experience and skills to be in this position." October said as her cold voice reverberated in the room and seeped into their very bones making them quiver more in fear. She then started to walk slowly, with each and every step she took gave a cold and heavy presence.

October stopped just before she reached the door and said with her back on them, "Manager Bei, you're a competent and diligent man and I respect you for that, not because of seniority. Yes, the proposal may be almost perfect. But I'm utterly disappointed with how you don't trust your talented team to delegate them tasks and have their own research making you slip this 1 simple but major information, and that is,..." October slightly turned her head to them and continued, "...the proposal 12 years ago."

"...the proposal from 12 years ago...?" Manager Bei repeated as he looked at the back of the composed Director Park.

"Check on it and you'll know. By then, if you want, send another proposal to me or go directly to Director Sheng. Your choice, make another proposal or go through with your first proposal." October's chilling atmosphere slowly dissipated to her normal cold and calm self and turned to leave. "Xixi, let's go."

"Yes, Director." Yun Xixi happily followed her boss out while not forgetting to snicker at the remaining people in the room.

Yun Xixi almost gave her boss a thumbs up but stopped herself on time. She thought that her boss really was so cool and looked at the confident back of her boss with sparkling eyes. If her boss was a man, she'll no doubt fall for him because such a man was really one of a kind.