Goddess Development Plan

The people in the conference room had been waiting for a while before the remaining four finally arrived. One of them, a thin, bespectacled middle-aged man, spoke apologetically, "There was a traffic jam on the way, sorry for the delay."

After speaking, he took the lead and sat in the seat opposite the principal, followed by the others. The three who accompanied him didn't seem interested in who else was present. From the moment they entered, their eyes hadn't moved once.

The principal was a frail old man with white hair and beard. Once everyone was seated, he finally spoke: "Since everyone is here, let's begin the meeting. If any of you have thoughts about the upcoming literary competition, please share."

His gaze subtly swept over Li Mingxue, Wang Hao, the woman in her thirties seated next to Li Xiu'er, the thin middle-aged man, and a young man—clearly signaling them to speak first. After all, the contents of this meeting, though limited, involved major interests and the balance of multiple powerful factions. Caution was essential.

However, none of those under his gaze had any intention of speaking first. It was obvious no one wanted to be the early bird.

Under the table, Li Mingxue gently squeezed Chu Lian's left hand and playfully winked at her from time to time, as if to say: "I'm in no rush. I just want to admire my daughter and niece. You all talk."

Wang Hao, meanwhile, casually flipped through the documents in his hand, acting as though he were deeply absorbed in reading, ignoring the principal completely. He looked so much like a focused scholar that even at a meeting, he had to squeeze in some study time. His performance was so flawless it left people speechless. His acting was top-tier.

The thin middle-aged man adjusted the glasses on his nose, then lifted his left hand to check his watch, his expression slightly anxious. Anyone watching might think he was in a hurry. But they had just arrived—why would they leave before the meeting even began? Still, because of his unique status, no one called him out.

Then there was the young man. His eyes opened and closed slowly. In his right hand, a pen rested at an angle between his index and middle fingers, while his left hand supported his head, deliberately avoiding the school faction's gaze. Although he was the youngest of the key decision-makers present, he showed a calmness beyond his years.

The woman seated beside Li Xiu'er lightly turned her head, her gaze unintentionally meeting the man beside her. They exchanged a look, then both subtly shook their heads. Clearly, they too chose not to speak first.

Seeing this, the principal's previously clouded eyes seemed to brighten. He knew that if he didn't break the silence, no one else would.

While the first to speak had the advantage of setting terms, they also risked becoming a common target for the others' criticism—an outcome that would be detrimental in the upcoming negotiations.

So, after a silent pause, he turned his eyes toward Chu Lian, Li Xiu'er, Wang Shiyu, and the girl in the blue dress beside the young man, and offered a warm smile. "Since no one knows how to begin, why don't we hear from the young people?"

"Two of these girls are my current students, and two are my former students. I believe their thoughts hold some value. After all, anyone who enters our school isn't to be underestimated. Perhaps their opinions might even offer some unique insights."

As the principal spoke, he glanced around and saw the furrowed brows of those present. They clearly wanted to object, but didn't know how. After all, speaking first would inevitably paint a target on their back—making all their earlier caution meaningless.

There was one exception: Chu Lian's mother, Li Mingxue. Her love for Chu Lian ran deep—she always wanted her to be the center of attention, to let the whole world know how cute and brilliant her daughter was. Naturally, she supported the principal's decision. Meeting Chu Lian's gaze, she nodded gently, signaling her approval.

Li Xiu'er, seeing her aunt accept the principal's suggestion that Chu Lian give her opinion, immediately realized she couldn't avoid it either. Her instincts were sharp. Though they represented a different faction in the meeting, their respect for Li Mingxue meant they would ultimately lean in her favor.

The two girls nodded to Li Mingxue, and then the woman beside Li Xiu'er leaned close and whispered, "Don't worry. Just say what you think. The final decision doesn't rest on you. You don't need to argue with the others. Do your best and follow Chu Lian's lead. We'll handle the rest. Go on..."

Speaking in front of so many people—most either highly successful or much older—was nerve-racking. If not for her aunt and Chu Lian beside her, she might have fled the room already.

Elsewhere, the girl in the blue dress and the young man beside her, along with Wang Shiyu and Wang Hao, had reached a consensus. Since the major players weren't speaking, letting the supporting members take the floor might help ease the atmosphere.

The principal watched them all with a constant smile, nodding in satisfaction. Regardless of his current role here, as a principal, he could never separate himself from these students.

Seeing that they hadn't backed down and were bravely tackling such a thankless task brought him genuine joy. How could he not feel proud to have such outstanding students at his school?

As for why he didn't call on Wang Tingsi, who was clearly one of his students too—he had already seen through Wang Tingsi's current state. His mind was a mess. There was no way he could contribute meaningfully anytime soon. Rather than force him, it was better to pick someone else. She might not be the perfect choice, but she was the best option right now.

The girl in the blue dress slowly stood, adjusted her rimless glasses, and spoke with a serious tone: "First, we need to understand the core of this gathering to determine what we really need."

"1. The core purpose of this meeting is to discuss how to organize the first Sucheng Provincial Youth Literary Competition."

"2. We are gathered here to find a way to make this competition successful."

"With these two points in mind, I believe we need to define a clear goal: what kind of format will best attract participation?"

"My suggestion: limit the age group but not the genre. Give participants a central theme and allow them to express it freely."

"To achieve this, I think..."

She spoke fluently, almost nonstop. If not for her occasional glance at the file in her hands, others might have believed she was speaking entirely off the cuff. A graduate of Sudi High School, even if rigid, her thinking was clear and logical.

If her approach were followed, it might indeed yield a literary competition with strong results.

But not everyone was happy to let her shine.

Across from her, Wang Shiyu stood up gracefully. Clad in a light lavender dress, her tall figure and slightly raised chin commanded the room. After a pause, she finally spoke: "Do you really think such a rigid and dull plan would be effective? Age restrictions, a central theme but no genre limitations... I'm curious what sort of mind comes up with this."

"You..." The girl in blue was furious but about to speak when Wang Shiyu continued:

"Age restriction? It's already implied in the event's name. But what does 'youth' mean? Even someone in their thirties can be considered a young adult. Are they allowed to participate? If not, then age limits contradict the original intention of the competition."

"And allowing all genres under one central theme might seem clever, but in practice, it will produce a flood of similar works with repetitive perspectives. A few might be refined, but the majority will be dull and hollow. It might start strong, but eventually, it will feel like chewing on dry bones."

"I ask you this: if a competition can't sustain vitality, how can it attract truly talented participants in the long run? Without them, our goal will never be achieved."

"Heh, you've pointed out all the flaws in my plan. So may I hear yours? Let's see just how much better it is." The girl in blue had calmed down and seized the moment when Wang Shiyu paused to make her challenge.

Wang Shiyu was momentarily stunned, then chuckled. "Of course I have one. And it's much better than yours..."

"Let's just sit back and watch. No need for us to intervene for now. Seeing the two of them butt heads is quite entertaining. The seductive Violet Queen Wang Shiyu, and Xu Qingling with her signature blue envelope—both are formidable. No wonder they were once stars of Sudi High School..." Chu Lian smiled slightly, having recognized their identities.

Indeed, fated rivals always cross paths...