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墨書 Inktalez
When the newcomer, Xiao Liu, informed me that I had been removed from the project collaboration group, I didn't even furrow my brow.
"Li Siyue, you are no longer a member of the project team," Xiao Liu said, somewhat awkwardly.
"The Product Director has instructed you not to engage with any project-related content."
"Alright," I replied calmly.
He was taken aback by my compliance and left in a daze.
I got up and leisurely went to buy a cup of coffee.
The barista was enthusiastically introducing a new flavor, and I eagerly engaged her in conversation.
"Is the blueberry sauce in this blueberry latte homemade?" I asked.
"Yes, it's our shop's secret recipe," she said proudly.
Back in the office, I focused on organizing user feedback data.
The overlooked details were slowly taking shape into a clear outline in my Excel spreadsheet.
"Li Siyue!" Zhang Yuanliang and Wu Zhifeng approached me together. "What exactly are you doing?"
I looked up, expressionless. "Organizing data."
"What data? You're no longer part of the project team!" Wu Zhifeng nearly shouted.
"User feedback data," I said calmly. "This could be important for the company."
"Important?" Wu Zhifeng sneered. "You're just trying to stir up trouble!"
"Data doesn't lie." I pushed several charts in front of them.
"Take a look at this user feedback and usage data."
Zhang Yuanliang's expression began to darken.
Wu Zhifeng threatened, "If this continues, we will fire you!"
I maintained my infuriating calmness. "You're welcome to do so at any time. But before you fire me, I suggest you take a look at this data."
The atmosphere in the conference room instantly froze.
"What do you mean?" Wu Zhifeng suppressed his anger.
"Nothing much; refining the product isn't necessarily better when done quickly." I gathered my documents.
Before leaving, I turned to glance at them.
"By the way, the weather is nice today," I said with a smile.
06
The first time I walked through the doors of this internet company was in the winter of 2018.
At that time, I was only 23 years old, filled with a passion for products and dreams for the future.
The initial culture of the company was captivating.
Every week, the product sharing sessions were full of enthusiasm, with team members passionately debating user experiences.
I remember in the first quarter, the product optimization plan I proposed received unanimous recognition from everyone.
But the good times didn't last long. After facing difficulties in financing, everything began to change.
Management frequently shifted, and the original idealism was replaced by interests and short-term goals.
"Overtime is the norm," I told the newcomers. "The 996 work schedule is our way of life."
During those days, demands were repeatedly overturned, leading to countless revisions before we finally managed to finalize the first version.
Management would check in late at night, and the KPI assessments were so harsh they were almost unbearable.
Sometimes, even our bathroom breaks were meticulously timed.
I remember one time, for the sake of a product detail, my team and I worked continuously for 72 hours.
We slept on the company sofas, drank cheap instant coffee, and stared at our computer screens.
That was when I worked the hardest yet felt the most lost.
"Why do we have to work so hard?" a new intern asked me.
I smiled and said, "Because we believe that even if just one user benefits from our product, it will all be worth it."
The company's exploitation was nearly insane. Employees were consumed like cogs in a machine, devoid of humanity.
Yet I remained steadfast in my product philosophy.
Every detail, every piece of user feedback was sacred to me.
"You are too idealistic," my colleagues would say.
"Maybe so," I always replied.
The pressure from funding made the company increasingly impatient.
What once was a user-first approach had transformed into an investor-first mentality. The soul of the product was gradually being drained away.
But I did not compromise.
I continued to uphold my principles, even if it meant ongoing conflict with management.
Late at night, I gazed out at the city lights, contemplating my future in this industry.
I was at my workstation organizing data when I overheard my colleagues whispering about the upcoming project bonuses.
"I heard this time the bonuses are going to be cut again," Xiao Wang said in a hushed tone.
"Isn't it because of the delays in progress?" another colleague responded.
Wu Zhifeng's roar echoed from the office, shaking the glass partitions: "The Investor is extremely dissatisfied with the product timeline!"
Moments later, Wu Zhifeng summoned me, the Product Director, and the Technical Director.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense, as if a storm could erupt at any moment.
"Li Siyue," Wu Zhifeng called me out directly, "the delay in the product is entirely your fault! This has severely impacted our funding!"
I smiled and replied, "I'm sorry, but I'm no longer the project leader."
Zhang Yuanliang interjected, "But you are still responsible for the core functions. Li Siyue, you must take responsibility for the delay."
The Technical Director added, "Indeed, Li Siyue is most familiar with the core functions and should bear the primary responsibility."
I calmly opened my laptop and projected a detailed data report onto the large screen in the meeting room.
"Everyone, let's objectively analyze the true reasons for the delay," I said, my voice steady and assured.
A series of charts and data appeared on the screen: changes in product requirements, time spent on technical challenges, and costs for user feedback modifications.
"From the data," I explained.
"The changes in requirements were initiated by the product team, accounting for 37% of the total delay; technical challenges and architectural adjustments were handled by the development team, making up 28%; iterations based on user feedback accounted for 25%; while the portion I was directly responsible for only constituted 10%."
The meeting room fell silent instantly.
Wu Zhifeng's expression gradually turned unpleasant, while Zhang Yuanliang irritably adjusted his tie. The Technical Director gazed thoughtfully at the screen.
"So," I summarized, "the responsibility should be shared. It can't simply be blamed on one person."
Wu Zhifeng slowly spoke up, "This time we can discuss the distribution of the project bonuses. If you're willing to help resolve the issues, we can release the bonuses for all completed projects."
"That sounds fair," I replied with a smile.
As I exited the conference room, I could feel the complex gazes of my colleagues around me.
There was jealousy, admiration, and a hint of indescribable awe.
As evening approached, I packed my things and prepared to leave.
Passing by Zhang Yuanliang's office, I happened to overhear him on the phone.
"It's just a matter of delaying things a bit. The Investor is easy to deal with..."
I paused for a moment, a faint smirk playing at the corners of my mouth.
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