Shanghai's morning air was crisp, carrying the faint aromas of roasted peanuts and fresh tea from nearby streets vendors. Li Mei's heart raced as she stood outside the gleaming glass doors of Phoenix Media Solution. Her hands trembled slightly, not from cold but from sheer nervousness.
"Okay, Li Mei," she muttered to herself. "Don't trip, don't screen, and don't spilled anything. You are going to get this job!"
Of course, the universe had it's own plans.
The moment she pushed open the door, a gust of cool air from the air conditioner greeted her - and almost immediately, she collided with a tall figure carrying a stack of files. Papers flew like startled birds in every direction.
"Ahh! Watch where you're going!" A sharp yet calm voice said.
Li Mei looked up, blushing furiously. " I-i'm so sorry! I didn't mean-"
The man, Zhang Wei, CEO of Phoenix Media Solution, raised an eyebrow. His piercing gaze, combined with the air of authority he carried, made her feel like a tiny ant at the entrance of a lion's den.
"It's fine," said, though the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth hinted that he was amused rather than annoyed.
Hwo Chen, Zhang Wei's assistant, appeared from behind a column, grinning from ear to ear. "Boss, she's definitely a live wire. Shall I get a net?"
Zhang Wei ignored him, though his eyes flicked back to Li Mei again. Something about her - messy hair, determined eyes, and slightly crooked smile - intrigued him.
Li Mei, meanwhile, scrambled to gather the papers. "I-I swear I'm not usually this clumsy," she muttered. She stuffed the last sheet under her arm and straightened her skirt.
"Next," Shouted a recruiter down the hallway, clearly frustrated from previous interviews. Li Mei swallowed hard and walked forward. Her friend's words echoed in her head - Lin Xia's mischievous grin, Zhao Rui's seriousness, Wang Lan's diva- style encouragement, and Chen yu's comforting smile: You've got this.
She entered the room and found three interviews staring at her expectantly. One of them, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, don't even brother to smile.
"Name?" She asked.
"Li Mei," she replied, to sound confident.
"Education?"
"University of Shanghai, Commonications and Media."
"Experience?"
Li Mei paused. Technically, she had internships and part-time jobs,but nothing substantial. "A few internships... in media agencies... assisting, research..."
The woman scribbled something and frowned "You seem... inexperienced."
Li Mei's heart sank. But before she cold panic, a loud voice rang from behind her.
"Oh? Inexperienced? Sounds perfect. We need fresh energy!"
Li Mei turned and froze. Zhang Wei was leaning casually against the wall, one hand in his Pocket, the other holding a coffee cup. The corner of his mouth curled that faint teasing smirk.
"You... you are the CEO?" Li Mei stammered, wide-eyed.
"Yes," he replied simply. "And you are the chaos I didn't know I needed."
Hao Chen chuckled from the doorway. "See, Boss? I told you! She's a live wire!"
Li Mei could feel the blood rushing to her face. She had never been complimented and mocked simultaneously in the same breath. "I... I assure you i can work hard!"
Zhang Wei raised a brow. "We shall see."
The interview began, and Li Mei tried to answer questions as best as she could. Her nervous, however, had a mind of their own. She knocked over a pen holder. Her notes flew across the table. When asked to present a small Media plan, she accidentally projected her phone screen instead of her slides - showing a Playlist of her favourite pop songs.
The interviewers gasped.
Zhang Wei leaned back in his chair, utterly entertained. Hao Chen nearly fell off hi chair laughing q. "Boss! She's natural performer!"
Li Mei wanted to vanish into floor. "I... I can start over..." sh3 mumbled.
"Stop apologizing," Zhang Wei said, standing and walking toward the windo. "Confidence comes from being yourself, not pretending."
Li Mei blinked. Did he just... encourage her?
Meanwhile, back at the cafe, Lin Xia, Zhao Rui, Wang Lan, and Chen yu had gathered for their "pre-interview gossip session." Lin Xia whispered loudly, "Do you think she'll survive the CEO? I heard he's... terrifying."
"Terrifying, yes. Handsome, definitely. But he's also strict," Rui added seriously.
"Strict? That's boring," Wang Lan said dramatically. "She needs fireworks!"
Chen yu smirked. "She's going to need us. Lots of us."
Back in the office, Li Mei had finally stabilized her notes. Zhang Wei walked over, picked up one of her papers, and studied it. "You're... messy. Unpredictable. But there's something... uniue about you."
Li Mei's heart skipped a beat. She had never felt so scrutinized - and somehow, it didn't scare her completely.
Hao Chen whispered, "she's going to be trouble... good trouble."
Li Mei finished the interview. As she walked out, papers slightly crooked, Zhang Wei's gaze followed her. He didn't know why, but he wanted to see her chaos again.
Outside, Li Mei exhaled, leaning against the building. "That... wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe."
Her friend's cheered on her phone call. Lin Xia squealed, "did you survive? Did he lough at you? Was he mean? Spill!"
Zhao Rui rolled her eyes. "Stop scaring her more. She needs to calm down."
Wang Lan: "I want details, Li Mei. Every gesture, every smirk, every smirk he didn't notice."
Chen yu: "Focus, girls. Job first, gossip later."
Meanwhile, inside Phoenix Media, jealous colleagues were already whispering. "Who is this girl? And why is the CEO looking at her like that?"
Li Mei's first impression had shaken the office. Chaos, humor, and curiosity combined in a way Zhang Wei didn't expect. And as the Lantern Fastival lights shimmering outside, both Li Mei and Zhang Wei couldn't have known how intertwined their words were about to become.
đź’«End Note (Episode 2)
Li Mei's clumsy but spirited first impression left the office in laughter, Zhang Wei intrigued, and the stage set for endless teasing, misunderstandings, and the slow burn of romance. The chaos has just begun.