Sitting lazily on her chair, Jia Xin stared helplessly at the mountain of files stacked on her desk. With a soft sigh, she turned her eyes toward Mien Mien, giving her the most innocent look she could muster.
"Why am I the one sorting these out? Isn't this your job?" she asked weakly.
Mien Mien folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you complaining?" she asked sharply.
Jia Xin immediately straightened her back and began sorting the files in a hurry. Seeing that, Mien Mien smirked, satisfied, and walked out of the office.
A few moments later, two other colleagues strolled to Jia Xin's desk with suspicious smiles. Jia Xin already knew what they wanted. Before they could say a word, she sighed and said,
"I'll go get you some coffee, just let me finish this up fir…"
Before she could complete her sentence, her male colleague interrupted, placing another stack of files in her hands.
"Mr. Yun wants these done before the end of the day," he said briskly, and returned to his seat.
Before Jia Xin could even react, Xiao Tan and Rou Rou, her two female colleagues, cleared their throats and smiled at her expectantly. Jia Xin looked at both of them and sighed in defeat.
"Alright, alright… I'll go get the coffee," she muttered, dropping the new pile of files and hurrying out of the office.
The two girls giggled softly and went back to their desks.
Jia Xin, twenty-three, could be described as a quiet beauty. Her figure was graceful, though her height wasn't particularly impressive. What truly stood out was her skin, smooth and fair like snow, as her best friend liked to tease.
She worked at one of the largest advertising companies in City K, a job she landed just a year ago. Since then, she'd been working hard every single day, maybe a little too hard.
By the time she looked up from her desk, it was already past 8 p.m. The office was quiet and nearly empty. Just as she began tidying up, Mr. Long, the elderly head of security in his late fifties, walked in.
"Jia Xin, why are you still here? Don't tell me you're working overtime again."
"No, Uncle," she replied with a soft smile. "I just had a few things to finish up."
"Office hours ended two hours ago," he scolded gently. "Well, hurry and pack up. I'll be turning off the lights soon."
"Okay, Uncle. Thank you!" she said cheerfully as Mr. Long walked out.
Meanwhile, at the top floor of the tallest skyscraper in City K, a man sat majestically in a sleek executive chair.
He flipped through a file lazily, his other hand toying with a pen. This was Wang Xi Yi, the city's most sought-after bachelor, strikingly handsome, impeccably dressed, and dangerously powerful. His background was as dazzling as his looks, making him the kind of man every socialite dreamed of meeting.
Standing before him was his ever-nervous assistant, Lang Zhi.
"Young Master," Lang Zhi began cautiously, "Old Madam has asked that you visit her."
"What is she up to this time?" Xi Yi asked flatly, still reading.
Lang Zhi swallowed hard.
"She said if you don't show up on Valentine's Day… then you should prepare for her funeral."
Xi Yi looked up with mild amusement.
"When did she become my lover?" he asked lazily. "Fine. Let's see what she's planning this time."
He stood, set the file down neatly, and walked over to Lang Zhi. His calm tone carried quiet authority.
"Don't worry. I won't ask you what she's plotting. I'd like to be… surprised."
Even though Xi Yi's words were smooth, Lang Zhi felt a shiver run down his spine. As soon as the door to the private lounge closed behind Xi Yi, he exhaled heavily.
"I'm going to die young if I keep hiding things from him…" he muttered, walking out of the office.
Back at her apartment, Jia Xin collapsed onto the pink-and-white sofa with a long sigh. Her home reflected her personality, soft, simple, and sweet. The two-bedroom apartment had a cozy, feminine vibe; everything from the curtains to the throw pillows glowed in shades of pink and cream.
From the kitchen, her best friend Tang Ning emerged, holding a steaming cup of coffee.
"You're back late again, Xin," Tang Ning said, raising a brow.
"I just had a few things to finish…"
"Stop right there," Tang Ning cut her off. "You helped your coworkers again, didn't you?"
"I'm fine, Ning, really. Don't be mad," Jia Xin said sheepishly, stretching her hands with a pout. "I'm starving!"
Tang Ning could only sigh, watching her friend disappear into the kitchen. Jia Xin's innocence was something she both loved and worried about, her best friend was far too kind for her own good.
The two had been inseparable since high school. Tang Ning was the popular, confident one; Jia Xin, the quiet genius. Tang Ning had come from a wealthy family, but unlike the other girls who sought her friendship for status, Jia Xin had been genuine from the start. That was enough to win Tang Ning's loyalty forever.
"Wow, Ning! You made soup!" Jia Xin exclaimed as she peeked into the pot.
"Don't eat it," Tang Ning sighed. "It tastes horrible. Let's just order takeout."
"Then let's call Mo Ting to join us! What do you think?" Jia Xin asked excitedly.
Tang Ning's expression soured.
"Do whatever you want. That boyfriend of yours is probably with another girl right now."
"Stop it, Ning! Those girls are just his colleagues," Jia Xin defended quickly, dialing Mo Ting's number.
The phone rang, then a woman's voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Good evening," Jia Xin said politely. "Please, could you pass the phone to the owner?"
Tang Ning folded her arms and took a long sip of coffee.
From the other end came a breathy laugh.
"Ahhn, stop it, President Mo, that tickles… Oh, President Mo is busy right now. Call back later~"
Then the line went dead.
Jia Xin froze, staring blankly at her phone.
"I told you he's a jerk," Tang Ning snapped. "Stop deceiving yourself."
"He's just busy, that's all," Jia Xin murmured, her voice small.
Tang Ning sighed again.
"Whatever you say. Come on, let's go get dinner."
She grabbed Jia Xin's hand, and together they left the apartment.
As they walked down the bustling evening street, Jia Xin suddenly smiled.
"Ning, I'm planning to surprise Mo Ting this Valentine's. What do you think I should do?"
Tang Ning shot her a sideways glance.
"Xin, you know I don't like that guy. Don't drag me into this."
"Hey, you're helping me, not him! Am I not your best friend?" Jia Xin pleaded, eyes wide.
"Of course you are," Tang Ning sighed, giving in. "Fine. Take him on a two-day vacation or something. It's Valentine's, after all."
"Wow! That's a brilliant idea! Thank you, Ning!" Jia Xin cheered, squeezing her friend's hand.
The two girls laughed softly as they entered the restaurant, ordered their favorite takeout, and walked home under the soft glow of the streetlights,unaware that this Valentine's Day would change everything.