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.

all the

the company gave Leo another flash disk and he handed it to Cassandra immediately. Finally, all the attendees were able to

to see with their own eyes the things they heard slowly 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

her and perfectly solved the crisis. Her misfortune turned out to be

the promise she made to him yesterday. He felt elated and the cause of it all was no other

announced several days later. However,

gave her a bear hug after she stepped down

You're the best!" she exclaimed excitedly.

while casting a quick glance at Rufus.

myriad expressions in his eyes, and

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

perfect. Almost everyone in the room recognized her efforts. All went

quality, but she wondered how could it

fixed them on Cloris. He looked at

presentation. She looked tense and was gripping something in her hands. Moreover, he heard a weird tinkling of

Cassandralearned that her much-loved, sweet, little sister

towards them. Cassandra let go of her sister and reached out her hand to Rufus in an awkward

give her a hug just like Cloris did in front of so many people. The shaking

the moment she reached out her hand, and he just

gave her hand a

flash disk. I'll take it to the engineers to see if they can restore the data in it,"

loud enough for Cloris to hear. He

Cassandra the other day, and I feel so guilty that it almost ruined such a big occasion. So to make it up with what I have done, a

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

turned to Cloris and placed her hand over

this disk are important for our company and it's improper for you

turned to face Rufus.

I have saved other copies, it doesn't matter whether it can be restored or not. I'll just keep the disk as a souvenir, and this will serve as an important lesson for me. It'll remind me not to

and he had already confirmed what he needed to know. It made no difference if

noticed that Cloris took a deep breath of relief after hearing that Cassandra

face was as bright as before. She had no idea that a storm was on its way to shake her firm ground and the aftershock would be much devastating.

front of Cassandra with his hand

was thrilling and impressive, and I want to show you my appreciation. Congratulations!"