Chapter 1 – "The First Meeting"
[Opening Scene – Hook in First Line]
Shou Lin's hands trembled slightly as she stepped out of the elevator. This is it… my first day at Ming Corporation.
She clutched her tote bag closer, trying to calm the nervous butterflies in her stomach.
It's just an internship… in the country's biggest company… owned by the most terrifying CEO… who also happens to be incredibly handsome.
Okay, maybe calming down was impossible.
[Bubbly FL Introduction]
Shou Lin had always been the kind of girl who smiled at strangers, danced in the rain, and believed that coffee could solve almost any problem.
She had worked hard to earn this internship, but no amount of preparation could erase the rumors she'd heard:
Ming Xu — the coldest man alive. Never smiles. Fires employees for the smallest mistakes.
Shou Lin wasn't the type to be intimidated by people, but the way her classmates had described him… she wondered if he even knew how to say "good morning."
[First Encounter with ML]
She reached the top floor, where the CEO's office was located. The atmosphere here was different — quieter, colder, and… tense.
Employees kept their heads down, typing furiously, as if one wrong move could get them in trouble.
A deep, stern voice broke the silence.
"You're late."
Shou Lin turned — and almost forgot how to breathe.
Standing before her was a tall man in a perfectly tailored black suit. His dark eyes were sharp as glass, his jawline sculpted, and his presence so commanding that she felt like a small rabbit in front of a lion.
"M–Me?" she stammered.
"Yes, you," he said, his tone clipped. "Interns are expected to be here at 8 a.m. It's 8:05."
[FL's Bubbly Response]
Shou Lin blinked, then gave him her brightest smile.
"Oh! But five minutes isn't too bad, right? And technically, I was already in the building at 8, so—"
His eyebrow twitched. "So… you believe excuses are acceptable here?"
"No, no! Of course not!" She quickly shook her head, then added, "But… you know, smiling is good for health. Maybe if you try it, your blood pressure will go down?"
The entire floor seemed to freeze. Someone actually dropped a pen.
[ML's Reaction]
For a moment, Ming Xu simply stared at her. His gaze was unreadable, but the faintest curve tugged at the corner of his lips before it vanished.
"Follow me. Now."
She followed, half-wondering if she'd just impressed him… or signed her own termination letter.
[Cliffhanger Ending]
Inside his office — a sleek, minimalistic space with floor-to-ceiling windows — he turned to her.
"From today, you'll be working directly under me."
Her eyes widened. "Wait… you mean… as your assistant?"
He didn't answer, just handed her a thick file.
"Rule number one: Don't talk too much. Rule number two: Don't be late. And rule number three…"
He leaned closer, his voice dropping.
"Don't think you can change me."
Shou Lin grinned. We'll see about that, Mr. Cold CEO.
End of Chapter 1