A Graduation Gift

Cold sweats were running down Cassandra's forehead. She didn't know what to do considering that she was the center of attraction and everyone was staring at her. She stood awkwardly alone on the rostrum with her face as pale as the bare walls. Obviously, there was something wrong with her.

Arthur knitted his eyebrows in confusion and anxiously leaned back in his chair.

"What's going on with her?" he tilted his head to his assistant and asked.

His assistant, however, just shrugged his shoulder because he had no idea what was happening. Judging from their previous experiences in doing businesses with the Tang Group, they had witnessed what Cassandra was capable of and they dared not to underestimate her.

They had come and prepared for whatever Cassandra had in store for them, but now it seemed that it was the other way around. Something wrong was happening to her.

Rufus sensed the oddity in the way Cassandra held the flash disk on her clenched fist. He stood up without any hesitation, walked to the organizers and whispered something to them.

He was planning to ask them to give Cassandra another thirty minutes. That would buy Leo some time to go back and fetch a backup copy. He was surprised when Cassandra had braced herself and snapped back right away.

She waved up the flash disk for everyone to see and slowly explained her tight spot.

"It seemed that my flash disk has decided to leave me hanging alone, and it's not good timing," she spoke in no hurry as she shrugged her shoulders with a helpless expression on her face.

Everyone present in the room smiled at her frankness.

"The reason I bought this flash disk was that it got the coolest, most attractive, and had the most unique appearance amongst all the products of the same brand, but it turned out that it didn't serve its purpose. It has a nice appearance but of little use," she continued.

The room was filled with laughter.

Rufus straightened his back and fixed his eyes on Cassandra interestingly.

He was curious about what she would say next.

Then, she changed the topic.

"When I was a little girl, I thought that the most important thing in a certain design was an attractive appearance, but the longer I worked in this industry and the more I learned, the better I understand that the final purpose of design is practicality. The utility should not be sacrificed on behalf of beauty," she narrated emotionally.

The audience she was speaking to was a group of experts when it came to design and architecture. Thus everyone seemed to get the implication of her statement as they nodded their heads in approval.

They had seen the designs of both Tang Group and Dawn Star Group in the past. The former was conservative and practical while the latter focused on the novel appearance. To cover up the unexpected emergency brought about by her broken flash disk, Cassandra compared and contrasted the two design plans taking the example of her own experience.

In the next few minutes, she briefly introduced her design and the reasons behind such a proposal.

introductions and the small incident earlier, all the

flash disk and he handed it to Cassandra immediately. Finally, all the attendees were able to view a concrete example of

unfolding in front of them. They had been impressed by her description, and the pictures gave them another visual shock. They praised the design plan of Cassandra again and again, and it visibly stood out among the

no need for him to help her out. Cassandra's wit saved her and perfectly solved the crisis. Her misfortune turned out to be an actual blessing. Rufus was surprised to see the awe of impression on the faces of the

cracked on his face when he thought about the promise she made to him yesterday. He felt elated and the cause of it all

would be announced several days later. However, judging from the way they

ran to Cassandra and gave her a bear hug after she stepped down from the rostrum.

Cassandra! You're the best!" she exclaimed excitedly.

the back while casting

myriad expressions in his eyes, and it was

her eyes met Rufus'. Then she gathered up all her strength and started from her broken flash disk, changed the topic to her design and

it all turned out to be perfect. Almost everyone in the room recognized her efforts. All went well and

quality, but she wondered how

away from Cassandra and fixed them on Cloris. He looked at

him earlier that Cloris went to the ladies' room before Cassandra's presentation. She looked tense and was gripping something in her hands. Moreover, he

happen if Cassandralearned that her much-loved, sweet, little sister stole her flash disk from

her sister and reached out

give her a hug just like Cloris did in front of so many

reached out her hand, and he just went with the flow and looked at her with a cunning

her hand a

engineers to see if they can

to hear. He did

guilty that it almost ruined such a big occasion. So to make it up with what I have done, a good

scared that Rufus would learn the truth and was eager to take the disk with her. However, Cloris didn't

to Cloris and placed her hand

improper for

turned to

a souvenir, and this will serve as an important lesson for me. It'll remind me not to make the same mistakes in the future,"

confirmed what

deep breath of relief after hearing that Cassandra

aside, the smile on Cassandra's face was as bright as before. She had no idea that a storm was on its way to shake her

Arthur stopped in front of Cassandra with his hand extended to congratulate her.

I want to show you my appreciation. Congratulations!" he