Chapter 5

The day after her challenging dinner, Jessica awoke on a weekend, realizing she had forgotten to respond to Daniel's messages from the night before. She quickly sent a contrite message, expressing how awful she felt for drinking too much at the dinner.

He didn't reply.

Her next message was to her boss, inquiring if he had made it home safely, to which he simply responded, "I'm fine."

A few hours later, Daniel sent a message, slightly annoyed, questioning who had encouraged her to drink and why she was made to drink in the presence of so many men. Jessica explained everything in detail, sharing how she felt she had grown, how she had handled the social situation like a seasoned professional. Yet, she didn't realize that this growth had distanced her from the young, carefree girl Daniel once knew.

By Monday, returning to work as usual, Jessica was met with a cold reception from Vivian. Indeed, Vivian had worked tirelessly for two months, aiming for an opportunity to dine with the top executives, only for Jessica to unexpectedly be chosen for the dinner despite Vivian's superior performance. This situation puzzled both Vivian and Jessica, leading to a shift from a mentor-mentee relationship to one of rivalry.

Vivian started to undermine Jessica, seizing resources, spreading rumors, and making snide remarks in the office. Knowing she wasn't yet strong enough to confront Vivian directly, Jessica chose to focus on her work, ignoring the negativity.

Kevin observed all this. One morning, with everyone out meeting clients and Jessica fretting over her performance due to the stolen resources, Kevin approached her with a task. He asked her to visit a travel agency and speak to a contact named Matt, implying she was working on Kevin's behalf.

At the travel agency, Jessica found Matt, a warm and friendly young man of similar age. He introduced her to his colleagues as a friend, instantly warming them to her. Jessica's week-long effort of mingling and chatting with the staff at the agency resulted in a stack of signed contracts. The general manager even invited her for a chat, kindly inquiring about her personal life.

This experience taught Jessica the value of building relationships and became a key strategy in her client acquisition efforts. As she was leaving, she thanked Matt, who modestly brushed off her gratitude, suggesting she was too busy to bother with thanks.

Returning to the office early for the first time, with colleagues still out, Kevin teased her about the ease of making money. Jessica, sipping her milk tea, lazily agreed, thanking her boss. Kevin, with a glance that mixed disdain and encouragement, reminded her of the ongoing opportunity to excel and bring home the newcomer award the following month.

Jessica's spirits were high, knowing she had navigated the newcomer challenges successfully. Her perseverance, tolerance, and hard work were finally acknowledged. She had surpassed all newcomers and even some seniors, with only Vivian's family influence beyond her reach. But with Kevin's support and trust, Jessica now felt she could claim her share of success.