Chapter 5

There was a morning meeting today, so Wen Xin arrived at the company bright and early.

Shi Qianyu wasn’t there yet, so Manager Liu was stepping in to host. Morning meetings usually didn’t last long, but with several projects wrapping up soon, this was precisely the time to stay extra vigilant. As a result, Manager Liu inevitably went on a bit longer than usual.

Wen Xin kept her head down, diligently jotting notes in her notebook. The attitude and philosophy of a large company truly surpassed those of similar small and mid-sized firms. Even in just a short morning meeting, Wen Xin felt like she’d learned a great deal.

“Lend me your meeting notes later,” Gao Qiu murmured from the seat beside her. She was fighting off sleepiness— she’d stayed up too late binge-watching dramas the night before, not putting her phone down until after three in the morning. Now she looked like her soul had left her body.

“Sure,” Wen Xin nodded. She leaned in close and whispered, “You…”

She’d barely gotten the “you” out when Manager Liu suddenly called her name: “Wen Xin.”

“Here!” Wen Xin jumped, thinking for a split second that Manager Liu was about to reprimand her for daydreaming. Her heart raced as she looked up at Manager Liu’s face. “Is there something you need?”

“How was your first day yesterday?” Manager Liu asked, her tone surprisingly gentle. “Settling in okay?”

“Yes, I’m adapting well,” Wen Xin replied quickly, nodding.

“Good to hear.” Manager Liu smiled, then continued, “In that case, I can assign you some work. I believe you’ll hit the ground running. Fei Yuan’s project team is short a person right now—why don’t you join them directly?”

The project Fei Yuan was handling was the very one Gao Qiu had mentioned yesterday: producing derivative merchandise for a domestic animated series.

It felt like a surprise gift from the heavens. Wen Xin froze in shock.

Gao Qiu, on the other hand, snapped out of her drowsiness first. The sleepiness vanished in an instant. She nudged Wen Xin’s arm under the table and whispered excitedly, “Awesome!”

“Got it. Thank you, Manager Liu.” Prodded by the nudge, Wen Xin finally came back to herself and hurriedly expressed her thanks.

Manager Liu smiled and announced that the meeting was over. She gathered her files and left the conference room. Once she was gone, the other colleagues stood up one by one and filed out.

Soon, only three people remained in the now-quiet room: Wen Xin and Gao Qiu, plus Fei Yuan.

“You’re Wen Xin, right?” Fei Yuan walked over and greeted her with a polite smile. “I was swamped yesterday and didn’t get a chance to welcome the new colleague properly. Welcome aboard.”

“Gao Qiu, you’re sitting right next to Wen Xin, aren’t you?” Fei Yuan turned to Gao Qiu. “Mind sending her the project materials later?”

“Sure thing~” Gao Qiu flashed him a delighted OK sign.

“Once we’re back, I’ll add you on WeChat and pull you into our project group chat,” Fei Yuan told Wen Xin. “Make sure to accept it. We can discuss any questions or ideas there.”

“Okay.”

The three of them returned to the office. They had barely settled in when Fei Yuan’s friend request popped up, just as promised.

After accepting him on WeChat, Wen Xin was promptly added to the group chat. The colleagues inside sent polite welcome stickers, and Wen Xin replied in kind with her own courteous responses. Then she exited the chat, ready to dive into work.

But for some reason, before checking the materials from Gao Qiu, she unconsciously tapped into Shi Qianyu’s chat window first for a quick glance.

The reimbursement for yesterday’s lunch still hadn’t come through.

Wen Xin wasn’t sure if Shi Qianyu was too busy or what, but she clearly hadn’t remembered to collect it. Wen Xin wanted to remind her but was afraid of disturbing her. In the end, she could only sigh inwardly, hoping Shi Qianyu would think of it soon.

She didn’t want to owe anyone anything, even if it was just lunch money.

It was nearing ten o’clock when Shi Qianyu finally arrived, her high heels clicking against the floor.

Today, she wore a pure white sleeveless long dress, her beautiful wavy hair styled into an elegant braid that draped lazily yet gracefully over her left shoulder. The morning wasn’t as scorching as midday, but it was still warm. As Wen Xin glanced her way, she caught sight of a bead of sweat clinging to Shi Qianyu’s temple.

Even sweating looked exceptionally sensual on someone so stunning. Wen Xin watched, mesmerized, as the droplet traced a slow path down Shi Qianyu’s temple, along her neck, and finally dripped toward her chest—vanishing into some hidden crevice beneath the fabric. Shi Qianyu seemed oblivious, chatting amiably with a colleague nearby, a smile on her face. Sunlight streamed through the window, striking her features at just the right angle to create a perfectly artistic glow.

Wen Xin was captivated by the sight, unable to tear her eyes away. The design industry demanded a keen eye for aesthetics, an obsession with beauty and sensitivity to it. Shi Qianyu was undoubtedly a perfect fit—she pursued beauty, captured it, wielded it. And yet, she embodied beauty itself.

“Had breakfast?” As if sensing Wen Xin’s gaze, Shi Qianyu turned and met her eyes.

“…Yeah.” Wen Xin yanked her gaze away and answered curtly, though her reaction betrayed her.

The office colleagues were used to their beautiful director’s warmth and friendliness, assuming she was just looking out for the newbie. No one paid much attention as Shi Qianyu sauntered over and stopped at Wen Xin’s workstation.

She rested one hand on Wen Xin’s desk and leaned in slightly—intimate, but still within professional bounds. It looked like she was checking on Wen Xin’s progress.

Her voice dropped low: “Why the big reaction? Got a guilty conscience?”

“No.” Wen Xin inched sideways. Shi Qianyu smelled divine—that white tea scent she loved so much wafted over relentlessly, heating her cheeks and leaving her a little breathless.

Shi Qianyu gazed at her face as if reading her fortune, her eyes lingering. After a moment, she said, “You’re lying to me.”

“I’m not.” Wen Xin had no idea what she meant but denied it vehemently anyway.

“Wen Xin, come to my office later. I need to talk to you.” Shi Qianyu didn’t press the issue. She straightened up gracefully and walked off. Though she was gone, her fragrance lingered, leaving Wen Xin flustered and restless for a good while before she regained her composure.

Finally, Wen Xin stood and reluctantly knocked on Shi Qianyu’s office door.

“Come in.” Shi Qianyu’s clear voice rang out from inside.

With permission granted, Wen Xin entered and closed the door behind her at Shi Qianyu’s gestured indication. Shi Qianyu sat at her computer, scanning emails.

Then, unhurriedly, she got to the point: “I heard from Manager Liu that you’ve been assigned to Fei Yuan’s team?”

“Yes.” Wen Xin had braced for some idle chit-chat, but this was actually work-related. She straightened up professionally and answered earnestly.

“How do you feel about it?” Shi Qianyu blinked, her voice soft and warm but her tone serious. “Think you can handle it? The project’s tricky, and it’s only just getting underway. There’ll be plenty more challenges ahead. Plus, Fei Yuan’s team is mostly guys, which might make communication a bit trickier. If you have any concerns, just tell me. I can have a word with Manager Liu and get you reassigned.”

It sounded considerate, but for some reason, it irked Wen Xin.

Sensing her displeasure, Shi Qianyu smiled and pivoted sharply: “Of course, none of that matters in front of someone capable. I believe you can do great things—question is, do you have confidence in yourself?”

She propped her chin on her left hand, looking every bit like a lazy, beautiful cat.

Wen Xin looked up again. She hadn’t expected such praise from Shi Qianyu, and a spark of joy lit her up inside—even her eyes brightened. “I do.”

Fearing Shi Qianyu might doubt her, she repeated firmly, “I have confidence.”

“Good.” After a pause, Shi Qianyu sat up straight. “Wen Xin, come here. I have something for you.”

What could it be?

Wen Xin hesitated, then stepped forward. Shi Qianyu pulled a small box of pastries from her bag and set it in front of her. Wen Xin recognized the brand—it was from that super trendy viral shop lately. She’d been dying to try it, but every time she went by, there was a massive line. With her social anxiety, she never dared to join the crowd.

So far, she’d never tasted them.

Now, here was a box of them, beautifully presented and smelling heavenly, right in front of her.

“Director Shi, what’s this?” Wen Xin asked uncertainly, not daring to touch.

“For you to eat.” Shi Qianyu smiled, her lovely amber eyes locking onto Wen Xin’s. “You clearly skipped breakfast.”

“I ate.” Wen Xin’s voice lacked conviction. She had no clue how Shi Qianyu knew, but she hadn’t eaten. Her parents had been too busy when she was a kid, often neglecting meals, and breakfast had always been hit-or-miss for her—until she just stopped bothering.

Even as an adult, the bad habit persisted.

“You still haven’t taken yesterday’s lunch money,” Wen Xin reminded her softly. She didn’t want to be indebted to Shi Qianyu.

“I’ll take it once you eat,” Shi Qianyu replied with a grin, her tone laced with both threat and playfulness.

After a long moment, Wen Xin found herself stared down until she had no fight left. With a reluctant nod, she picked up the pastry, unwrapped it, and took a tiny bite. It was indeed delicious—exquisitely so.

“Remember to eat breakfast on time from now on,” Shi Qianyu added with a smile. “Otherwise, as you get a bit older, you’ll definitely end up with stomach issues. As your boss, I have a duty to look after my employees. If I’ve told you this and you still don’t listen, I’ll have no choice but to bring you breakfast every single day.”

“I’ll listen, I promise,” Wen Xin said hastily, nodding vigorously. “I’ll eat on time from now on, for sure.”

“Good girl.” Shi Qianyu rose to her feet and gently patted her head.

Wen Xin flushed with embarrassment. She looked away on instinct and changed the subject. “I heard this place has insane lines. How did you manage to get these, Director Shi?”

“Does it?” Shi Qianyu countered, her lips curving slightly. “I didn’t notice.”

She was lying. If Wen Xin hadn’t averted her gaze, she might have missed it entirely.

Wen Xin noticed that Shi Qianyu had swapped out her high heels for a pair of flats that clashed horribly with the rest of her outfit. Shi Qianyu held beauty to exacting standards; she would never compromise like that unless she was truly uncomfortable.

So Wen Xin concluded that she must have waited in line for a very, very long time.