Chapter 78: We Have the Upper Hand Now, I'll Teach You How to Turn the Situation Around
What is a true top-level expert?
A true top-level expert is someone who is really skilled and has special abilities in a certain area. Real experts are welcome wherever they go.
But fake experts?
At least in Lin Yibai’s eyes, the proud-looking man standing in front of her didn’t look like a true expert at all.
Instead, he seemed like someone who was only good at talking big.
A "PPT expert"!
Meaning, someone who goes around showing off a fancy PowerPoint presentation, talking smoothly, and tricking people into giving them money. If they have good speaking skills, they can actually fool quite a lot of people.
Of course, this was a big project they were dealing with. Lin Yibai felt both worried and serious about it.
After all, she was still just a university student who hadn’t even graduated yet. This was her biggest weakness. No matter what she said, she could easily be mocked, ‘You’re just a useless student, what do you know?’
As she flipped the bank card between her fingers, her mind was spinning with different thoughts.
It wasn’t until the so-called expert, with anger on his face, started walking toward her that she finally made up her mind and said firmly, "I seriously doubt whether you actually have the skills you claim.
Maybe you’re just someone pretending to be great?"
Whatever, she was ready to go all out.
So what if she was still just a student?
Back at university, when she worked on assignments with her professors, she had also helped complete real business projects brought by companies.
Being a university student didn’t mean she was just buried in books.
If a professor was good enough, they would take on company projects and let students help.
The better professors would even pay the students a little money for their work.
From what little experience Lin Yibai had, she could already tell, this "top expert" Mr. Zhao had serious problems.
At this moment, the man had walked right up to her.
Zhao Hailin, the so-called expert, looked very unhappy and said in a deep voice, "When have I, Zhao Hailin, ever been insulted like this? And you, just a small assistant, dare to talk to me this way?"
Right after saying that, Zhao Hailin tried to move closer, forcing his way forward.
Zhao Hailin was a very big man. He reached out, trying to snatch back his bank card and also teach this little assistant a lesson, to show her who she could mess with, and who she absolutely could not.
After all, he was a top-level expert!
Other managers and executives would always treat him politely when they met him.
But this assistant?
How dare she question him right to his face?
Just as he was about to touch Lin Yibai, Xia Changyu appeared and grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Mr. Xia, what do you mean by this?" Zhao Hailin asked.
"I don’t mean anything," Xia Changyu replied calmly, though there was a slight frown on his face. "But on my territory, I don’t think it’s right for you to lay a hand on one of my employees."
"I’m just trying to teach her a bit of respect!" Zhao Hailin said.
"Respect?" Xia Changyu chuckled coldly, starting to sound more unfriendly. "Mr. Zhao… I called you 'Mr.' out of politeness, but honestly, you don’t deserve it."
"Mr. Xia, you—" Zhao Hailin started.
"What?" Xia Changyu cut him off. "Was I not clear enough? If you dare to touch either of them, then don’t blame me for touching you first."
"Mr. Xia, no, Xia Changyu, aren’t you afraid this will ruin your reputation in the e-commerce world?" Zhao Hailin warned.
"Ruin it?" Xia Changyu laughed again, even more annoyed. "At worst, I’ll just quit doing business in the local market. But if you lay a finger on them, I’ll deal with you first."
There was no need for more words. The people he cared about could never be treated badly.
If making money meant letting the people he cared for be humiliated, then what was the point of making money at all?
Zhao Hailin’s forehead veins popped out in anger. He stormed out, furious, mumbling to himself, "With all my skills and resources, how could I be treated like this?"
Lin Yibai glanced at Xia Changyu. Seeing how firm and serious her "annoying rival" looked, she let out a small sigh of relief.
At the same time, she also felt a little more confident.
It was exactly because this small company didn’t belong to her that Lin Yibai had so many considerations.
But now that things had already fallen apart, why should she keep putting up with that arrogant fool?
If Zhao Hailin was really a skilled expert, Lin Yibai would have respected him. But if he was just the type who only knew how to show off with a fancy PowerPoint and trick people for money, then no way.
"Wait a second," she finally spoke up.
Zhao Hailin glared at her angrily. Even Xia Changyu and Xia Zhilan turned to look.
"You actually dare to talk about your 'skills and resources'?"
Lin Yibai couldn't help but laugh out loud in such a serious moment.
"My skills and resources are well-known and respected," Zhao Hailin said stiffly.
"Oh really?" Lin Yibai smiled, pulled out the PowerPoint file, and tossed it at him. He failed to catch it, and it fell to the ground, making him feel even more humiliated.
"You’re going too far!" Zhao Hailin snapped.
"How exactly am I going too far?" Lin Yibai asked calmly.
"You’re just a little assistant! How dare you!" Zhao Hailin shouted.
"Ah, no, please!" Lin Yibai quickly waved her hands and said, "If you really had the skills you claim, I would never dare to question you!"
"You’re doubting me?" Zhao Hailin said angrily.
Lin Yibai shook her hands again and said, "I wouldn’t dare doubt you. I'm just a little bit confused, that’s all."
Zhao Hailin: ?
The problem with this so-called expert was hidden in that fancy-looking PowerPoint, which actually had a lot of flaws.
After all, who can’t talk big when needed?
Still, Zhao Hailin became even more confident. He lifted the PowerPoint file proudly and said, "This file shows several online stores that I personally helped! Each one was a great success, that's something everyone knows. What more is there for you to question? Hahaha!"
Lin Yibai replied, "Then may I ask a question?"
Zhao Hailin snorted coldly and said, "Ask. Go ahead, let’s hear it."
Lin Yibai smiled and said, "I admit, when you first worked on those online store projects, they did seem very popular at the beginning. But why is it that right after you left, those stores quickly failed?"
"......"
"..."
Zhao Hailin’s mouth twitched a little. He felt like she had hit a weak spot, but he stayed calm.
He confidently gave his explanation, "Have you ever thought about it this way? Maybe it’s because I left that those stores couldn't survive. Because they lost my skills!"
Not only was he defending himself, he was even praising himself. His shamelessness was truly impressive.
But actually, what he said was full of contradictions. It was like he was just a hired gun, someone you pay to do a project.
If a project only works when he’s around, and collapses once he leaves, then what’s the point?
In other words, if a project can't last, it's basically a loss, not real success.
Lin Yibai immediately threw his words back at him.
"Then have you thought about this? If a project falls apart the moment you’re not there, then what’s the point of hiring you in the first place?"
She was getting closer and closer to exposing the truth.
Zhao Hailin started to panic. His voice got faster as he said, "That's their own fault! Their management skills are bad. It’s not my problem!"
Lin Yibai calmly replied, "If it were just one store that failed, maybe that would make sense. But if every project you worked on ended up failing, don’t you think that’s suspicious?"
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Zhao Hailin snapped.
"Me?" Lin Yibai shrugged and said innocently, "I don’t mean anything. After all, I’m just a little assistant working for Sister Xia."
As she spoke, she nudged Xia Zhilan’s side with her elbow, secretly telling her, "Quick, show the evidence!"
Now that the situation was in her favor, it was time.
This time, she was going to teach him how it feels to have his face slapped properly.