The atmosphere in the office could not be any tenser.
Shen NingXin lifted her head from behind the computer to take a peek, then quietly withdrew, typing on the keyboard like everybody else.
Internally, she was filled with shock.
KeRui was a company that mainly produced and sold reflective glass beads. It had a long history of establishment, a unique location, a prosperous future, and excellent working conditions.
It was a large company that many graduates would make every effort to try and enter. If it weren’t for her cousin Dong Shu’s recommendation, who worked in HR, Shen NingXin, a graduate from a regular university, would probably never be accepted.
However, her qualifications were still lacking to enter the Domestic Trade Department, so after some thought, Dong Shu sent her to the Foreign Trade Department instead, which had been established for less than two years.
“KeRui has only started to expand into the foreign market in the past two years, so everything is still in the developing stage. There are also fewer customers compared to the domestic trade side, so overall, it’s less hectic, a perfect environment to train new graduates like you.” In the classy cafe, Dong Shu lightly patted Shen NingXin on the shoulder. “Work hard.”
Shen NingXin nodded obediently and immediately expressed that she will put in her best effort, treat the company as her own home, and strive to be on the front line.
“That’s not really necessary.” Dong Shu laughed at her response. “It’s not as busy as you think. Even if you wanted to work, there may not be much to do.”
And she was right.
There were a lot of people in the Foreign Trade Department, but since it was still in the developing stage, there weren’t many customers, so even the senior employees had little work to do.
Not to mention a new intern like Shen NingXin. Aside from creating documents and printing, she spent much of her time idling around.
Therefore, this was the first time she faced such a tense atmosphere. Apparently, it was because Qiu YiBai, the President, who had been on a business trip for nearly a week was returning today.
Shen NingXin took a deep breath and listened silently to the quiet conversations around her as she organized the documents.
“Wasn’t she going to stay there for half a month? Why is she back already? I still haven’t finished sorting out the documents I need to send to customs!”
“Who knows! I haven’t even started my task. We’re definitely doomed and going to get yelled at!”
“. . . . . .”
That is kind of miserable.
Shen NingXin took in their words and after a moment, turned around and smiled. “Is there anything I can help with?”
She had a pair of apricot-shaped eyes and shallow dimples that formed on her small white face. Her smile was very sweet and she looked completely harmless; anyone who looked at her would like her.
The colleague behind her was taken aback when she heard those words, then her eyes lit up, and she clasped her hands in a pleading gesture. “Help me copy the documents! After it’s over, I’ll treat you to a meal!”
“No worries.” Shen NingXin smiled, took the files, and walked toward the printer. Subconsciously, though, she glanced to the side, looking at the office behind the glass door.
That was the President’s office.
Although she arrived less than two days ago, she had already heard plenty of rumors regarding the President.
She was young yet already climbed to such a position, had studied abroad, did things swiftly and vigorously, and aside from all of that—was a remarkable beauty.
As someone with an appearance complex1, Shen NingXin had long wanted to see just how beautiful this President could possibly be.
Could she be as beautiful as . . . the woman she saw on the bus this morning?
Remembering the person from this morning, Shen NingXin paused in her movement of copying the documents, and a blush soon made its place on her face.
—
The whole morning was spent in a tense atmosphere.
The moment noon arrived, the workers took out their phones to clock out and then collapsed on the chairs, as though they had no energy to move even a little.
After Shen NingXin finished organizing the copied documents, she handed them to the colleague behind her. As soon as she sat down, Wang Xi walked over and asked, “Do you want to have lunch together?”
Wang Xi was the team leader. She had worked at the company for many years and seemed to be in a position of receiving a promotion soon. Ever since the manager and President went on the business trip, she had been taking care of all the affairs in the office. She was a warm-hearted older sister and the one who helped with the procedures when Shen NingXin first joined the company.
Seeing her come over, Shen NingXin immediately smiled. “It’s alright, Wang Jie2, you can go. I brought lunch with me. I’ll just warm it up with the microwave later.”
“That’s fine, too,” Wang Xi nodded in response. “Then I’ll leave first.”
Shen NingXin hurriedly waved goodbye to her.
After watching her leave, she also said goodbye to the colleagues who were going to eat in the cafeteria. Shen NingXin then took out her finely made bento, placed it on her desk, and opened the group chat on her phone.
Group Name: Beauties’ Water Cave
She smiled, and with a couple of quick taps with her fingers, sent a message that said “Girls, I’m off work” over. Almost immediately, responses arrived from the group of friends.
World Beauty Meng YaoYao: “You’re off work already? I just woke up.”
Heart’s Rose Jiang YueYue: “Add another one to ‘just woke up’.”
Celebeauty3 Li ShanShan: “I’m different from you all, I just came back from Night Talk, and have! not! slept!”
The Night Talk Li Shan mentioned referred to the popular Les bar located nearby. It was open 24 hours a day and had a party atmosphere at night. Sometimes there were even singing and dancing performances that took place.
In fact, Shen NingXin met Li Shan and the others at the bar, and because of how often they saw each other, had the same sexual orientation and got along well, they soon became good friends.
After chatting for a while, the conversation soon turned to Shen NingXin.
Heart’s Rose Jiang YueYue: “I just remembered something I’ve been forgetting to ask for the past few days. XinXin, are there any pretty-looking ladies at your workplace?”
“Technically yes.”
Shen NingXin lowered her head to type.
“But none of them are my type.”
She tilted her head and contemplated for a moment before finally reporting her morning experience to her friends—
“Although I did meet a very attractive person on the bus this morning.”
Even now does Shen NingXin still remember that person’s appearance.
The woman was dressed in a crisp, white suit, and had long black hair, long eyelashes, warm-colored eyes, fair skin, and lips tinted a gentle red. She was simply gorgeous.
Even her hand that was holding the armrest, with those long fingers and clear joints. It was the most attractive hand she’s ever seen.
When Shen NingXin gave up her seat to the elderly that came on the crowded bus, she saw that person after looking up, and ever since, she could not look away.
Because it was the morning rush, the bus made sudden movements, and once it shook so badly that a nearby man accidentally bumped into Shen NingXin, causing her to lose her balance and stagger a few steps to the side.
It was then that she crashed into that person’s arms and fell into the embrace of a light fragrance.
Shen NingXin’s face reddened immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized and stood upright, her tone filled with embarrassment. “I didn’t stand firmly and accidentally bumped into you. Are you alright?”
That person laughed as soon as her voice fell.
“I’m alright” She shook her head, her voice soft and pleasant. “How about you?”
“I’m okay, too,” Shen NingXin responded, raising her lips to smile at her as her heart began to beat frantically.
She’s acknowledged herself as someone with an appearance complex for so many years and has seen many beautiful people, but she’s never met someone who could make her heart beat like this. It’s as though all of her features suited her aesthetics completely.
That woman was no doubt an incredibly attractive person.
Shen NingXin typed as she recalled the morning, complimenting the person from the inside out.
Li Shan interrupted her: “Putting her up so high, did you ask for her contact information?”
“Not yet.”
Shen NingXin answered truthfully.
“It’s my first time seeing her, how am I supposed to ask for her contact information?”
Li Shan soon responded with an emoji that expressed a sigh of regret.
Shen NingXin smiled and with her head down, confidently typed: “But I believe we’ll definitely meet again in the future~”
—
Lunch break quickly passed, and after clocking back in, the tension in the office returned.
The President rumored to be coming back still hasn’t arrived yet, so the group of workers, nervous and frightened, continued to frantically type on the computer and rushed to finish their work.
She was the only one left idling around.
Although it was said that it was more relaxed at the Foreign Trade Department than the internal one, because of how each transaction involved customs, freight forwarding, factories, fleets, and other factors, there were more records involved, and along with how most documents were in English, the work wasn’t actually all that easy once an order came through.
All that can be done was work repeatedly, practice repeatedly, and become familiar with it as soon as possible.
So for the next hour or so, Shen NingXin kept on practicing.
Time quickly passed as everyone worked.
Suddenly, at some point, a meaningful cough rang through the originally silent office.
After that, from the corner of her eyes, she saw all of the workers uniformly straighten their slouched backs and sit upright.
Shen NingXin quickly understood what this meant. The President has returned.
She quietly raised her head to take a look and saw a short woman in black walk in first. Everyone greeted, “Manager Liu.”
Shen NingXin called along with the rest of them. “Manager Liu.”
After that, a taller woman in blue came in, and everyone called, “Assistant Han.”
Shen NingXin also greeted, “Assistant Han.”
Assistant Han nodded and walked forward quickly as though there was some urgent task at hand. About a minute later, a woman in white walked in.
This time everyone’s voices took on an obviously more serious tone, and they loudly greeted, “Hello, President!”
Shen NingXin also called along, but before she could finish the last word, she was suddenly stunned.
Before her stood the gentle and beautiful woman she had just met on the bus this morning!
She’s the President, Qiu YiBai?!
Shen NingXin was shocked, her gaze stuck on the woman.
She saw Qiu YiBai nod slightly, walk a few steps forward, and pause at Xiao Yang’s seat for a long time.
Xiao Yang was frightened, even his hand holding the mouse was shaking.
“President Qiu,” he began, opening a folder on the computer to show Qiu YiBai, “This is what you told me to do in the email last night. I finished it, can you see if it’s okay . . . . .”
“What do you think?” Qiu YiBai scrolled through with the mouse and asked after a moment.
She didn’t smile and even furrowed her brows.
“It doesn’t, um, seem good,” Xiao Yang murmured and immediately nodded and indicated that he will change it.
“Change it then,” Qiu YiBai responded, standing upright again. “The resources provided to you are enough. Look at the data carefully. You can refer to the work from last year.”
“If you still can’t do it well, don’t think of leaving tonight.”
This was completely different from the gentleness this morning!
Shen NingXin was shocked to the point her jaw almost dropped.
“颜狗“ (yángǒu) is a specific term used to describe someone who judges/focuses on appearance, thus “appearance complex”. “Jie” is used to describe an elder sister figure here. The original is “石原里美清河分美李珊珊” and I’m not exactly sure what the description in front of the name means. The first part is the name of a Japanese actress (Satomi Ishihara), so I assume it’s a comparison of how beautiful she is and just wrote “Celebeauty” instead.
The atmosphere in the office could not be any tenser.
Shen NingXin lifted her head from behind the computer to take a peek, then quietly withdrew, typing on the keyboard like everybody else.
Internally, she was filled with shock.
KeRui was a company that mainly produced and sold reflective glass beads. It had a long history of establishment, a unique location, a prosperous future, and excellent working conditions.
It was a large company that many graduates would make every effort to try and enter. If it weren’t for her cousin Dong Shu’s recommendation, who worked in HR, Shen NingXin, a graduate from a regular university, would probably never be accepted.
However, her qualifications were still lacking to enter the Domestic Trade Department, so after some thought, Dong Shu sent her to the Foreign Trade Department instead, which had been established for less than two years.
“KeRui has only started to expand into the foreign market in the past two years, so everything is still in the developing stage. There are also fewer customers compared to the domestic trade side, so overall, it’s less hectic, a perfect environment to train new graduates like you.” In the classy cafe, Dong Shu lightly patted Shen NingXin on the shoulder. “Work hard.”
Shen NingXin nodded obediently and immediately expressed that she will put in her best effort, treat the company as her own home, and strive to be on the front line.
“That’s not really necessary.” Dong Shu laughed at her response. “It’s not as busy as you think. Even if you wanted to work, there may not be much to do.”
And she was right.
There were a lot of people in the Foreign Trade Department, but since it was still in the developing stage, there weren’t many customers, so even the senior employees had little work to do.
Not to mention a new intern like Shen NingXin. Aside from creating documents and printing, she spent much of her time idling around.
Therefore, this was the first time she faced such a tense atmosphere. Apparently, it was because Qiu YiBai, the President, who had been on a business trip for nearly a week was returning today.
Shen NingXin took a deep breath and listened silently to the quiet conversations around her as she organized the documents.
“Wasn’t she going to stay there for half a month? Why is she back already? I still haven’t finished sorting out the documents I need to send to customs!”
“Who knows! I haven’t even started my task. We’re definitely doomed and going to get yelled at!”
“. . . . . .”
That is kind of miserable.
Shen NingXin took in their words and after a moment, turned around and smiled. “Is there anything I can help with?”
She had a pair of apricot-shaped eyes and shallow dimples that formed on her small white face. Her smile was very sweet and she looked completely harmless; anyone who looked at her would like her.
The colleague behind her was taken aback when she heard those words, then her eyes lit up, and she clasped her hands in a pleading gesture. “Help me copy the documents! After it’s over, I’ll treat you to a meal!”
“No worries.” Shen NingXin smiled, took the files, and walked toward the printer. Subconsciously, though, she glanced to the side, looking at the office behind the glass door.
That was the President’s office.
Although she arrived less than two days ago, she had already heard plenty of rumors regarding the President.
She was young yet already climbed to such a position, had studied abroad, did things swiftly and vigorously, and aside from all of that—was a remarkable beauty.
As someone with an appearance complex1, Shen NingXin had long wanted to see just how beautiful this President could possibly be.
Could she be as beautiful as . . . the woman she saw on the bus this morning?
Remembering the person from this morning, Shen NingXin paused in her movement of copying the documents, and a blush soon made its place on her face.
—
The whole morning was spent in a tense atmosphere.
The moment noon arrived, the workers took out their phones to clock out and then collapsed on the chairs, as though they had no energy to move even a little.
After Shen NingXin finished organizing the copied documents, she handed them to the colleague behind her. As soon as she sat down, Wang Xi walked over and asked, “Do you want to have lunch together?”
Wang Xi was the team leader. She had worked at the company for many years and seemed to be in a position of receiving a promotion soon. Ever since the manager and President went on the business trip, she had been taking care of all the affairs in the office. She was a warm-hearted older sister and the one who helped with the procedures when Shen NingXin first joined the company.
Seeing her come over, Shen NingXin immediately smiled. “It’s alright, Wang Jie2, you can go. I brought lunch with me. I’ll just warm it up with the microwave later.”
“That’s fine, too,” Wang Xi nodded in response. “Then I’ll leave first.”
Shen NingXin hurriedly waved goodbye to her.
After watching her leave, she also said goodbye to the colleagues who were going to eat in the cafeteria. Shen NingXin then took out her finely made bento, placed it on her desk, and opened the group chat on her phone.
Group Name: Beauties’ Water Cave
She smiled, and with a couple of quick taps with her fingers, sent a message that said “Girls, I’m off work” over. Almost immediately, responses arrived from the group of friends.
World Beauty Meng YaoYao: “You’re off work already? I just woke up.”
Heart’s Rose Jiang YueYue: “Add another one to ‘just woke up’.”
Celebeauty3 Li ShanShan: “I’m different from you all, I just came back from Night Talk, and have! not! slept!”
The Night Talk Li Shan mentioned referred to the popular Les bar located nearby. It was open 24 hours a day and had a party atmosphere at night. Sometimes there were even singing and dancing performances that took place.
In fact, Shen NingXin met Li Shan and the others at the bar, and because of how often they saw each other, had the same sexual orientation and got along well, they soon became good friends.
After chatting for a while, the conversation soon turned to Shen NingXin.
Heart’s Rose Jiang YueYue: “I just remembered something I’ve been forgetting to ask for the past few days. XinXin, are there any pretty-looking ladies at your workplace?”
“Technically yes.”
Shen NingXin lowered her head to type.
“But none of them are my type.”
She tilted her head and contemplated for a moment before finally reporting her morning experience to her friends—
“Although I did meet a very attractive person on the bus this morning.”
Even now does Shen NingXin still remember that person’s appearance.
The woman was dressed in a crisp, white suit, and had long black hair, long eyelashes, warm-colored eyes, fair skin, and lips tinted a gentle red. She was simply gorgeous.
Even her hand that was holding the armrest, with those long fingers and clear joints. It was the most attractive hand she’s ever seen.
When Shen NingXin gave up her seat to the elderly that came on the crowded bus, she saw that person after looking up, and ever since, she could not look away.
Because it was the morning rush, the bus made sudden movements, and once it shook so badly that a nearby man accidentally bumped into Shen NingXin, causing her to lose her balance and stagger a few steps to the side.
It was then that she crashed into that person’s arms and fell into the embrace of a light fragrance.
Shen NingXin’s face reddened immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized and stood upright, her tone filled with embarrassment. “I didn’t stand firmly and accidentally bumped into you. Are you alright?”
That person laughed as soon as her voice fell.
“I’m alright” She shook her head, her voice soft and pleasant. “How about you?”
“I’m okay, too,” Shen NingXin responded, raising her lips to smile at her as her heart began to beat frantically.
She’s acknowledged herself as someone with an appearance complex for so many years and has seen many beautiful people, but she’s never met someone who could make her heart beat like this. It’s as though all of her features suited her aesthetics completely.
That woman was no doubt an incredibly attractive person.
Shen NingXin typed as she recalled the morning, complimenting the person from the inside out.
Li Shan interrupted her: “Putting her up so high, did you ask for her contact information?”
“Not yet.”
Shen NingXin answered truthfully.
“It’s my first time seeing her, how am I supposed to ask for her contact information?”
Li Shan soon responded with an emoji that expressed a sigh of regret.
Shen NingXin smiled and with her head down, confidently typed: “But I believe we’ll definitely meet again in the future~”
—
Lunch break quickly passed, and after clocking back in, the tension in the office returned.
The President rumored to be coming back still hasn’t arrived yet, so the group of workers, nervous and frightened, continued to frantically type on the computer and rushed to finish their work.
She was the only one left idling around.
Although it was said that it was more relaxed at the Foreign Trade Department than the internal one, because of how each transaction involved customs, freight forwarding, factories, fleets, and other factors, there were more records involved, and along with how most documents were in English, the work wasn’t actually all that easy once an order came through.
All that can be done was work repeatedly, practice repeatedly, and become familiar with it as soon as possible.
So for the next hour or so, Shen NingXin kept on practicing.
Time quickly passed as everyone worked.
Suddenly, at some point, a meaningful cough rang through the originally silent office.
After that, from the corner of her eyes, she saw all of the workers uniformly straighten their slouched backs and sit upright.
Shen NingXin quickly understood what this meant. The President has returned.
She quietly raised her head to take a look and saw a short woman in black walk in first. Everyone greeted, “Manager Liu.”
Shen NingXin called along with the rest of them. “Manager Liu.”
After that, a taller woman in blue came in, and everyone called, “Assistant Han.”
Shen NingXin also greeted, “Assistant Han.”
Assistant Han nodded and walked forward quickly as though there was some urgent task at hand. About a minute later, a woman in white walked in.
This time everyone’s voices took on an obviously more serious tone, and they loudly greeted, “Hello, President!”
Shen NingXin also called along, but before she could finish the last word, she was suddenly stunned.
Before her stood the gentle and beautiful woman she had just met on the bus this morning!
She’s the President, Qiu YiBai?!
Shen NingXin was shocked, her gaze stuck on the woman.
She saw Qiu YiBai nod slightly, walk a few steps forward, and pause at Xiao Yang’s seat for a long time.
Xiao Yang was frightened, even his hand holding the mouse was shaking.
“President Qiu,” he began, opening a folder on the computer to show Qiu YiBai, “This is what you told me to do in the email last night. I finished it, can you see if it’s okay . . . . .”
“What do you think?” Qiu YiBai scrolled through with the mouse and asked after a moment.
She didn’t smile and even furrowed her brows.
“It doesn’t, um, seem good,” Xiao Yang murmured and immediately nodded and indicated that he will change it.
“Change it then,” Qiu YiBai responded, standing upright again. “The resources provided to you are enough. Look at the data carefully. You can refer to the work from last year.”
“If you still can’t do it well, don’t think of leaving tonight.”
This was completely different from the gentleness this morning!
Shen NingXin was shocked to the point her jaw almost dropped.
“颜狗“ (yángǒu) is a specific term used to describe someone who judges/focuses on appearance, thus “appearance complex”. “Jie” is used to describe an elder sister figure here. The original is “石原里美清河分美李珊珊” and I’m not exactly sure what the description in front of the name means. The first part is the name of a Japanese actress (Satomi Ishihara), so I assume it’s a comparison of how beautiful she is and just wrote “Celebeauty” instead.