Chapter 2: A New Beginning
Ten Years Ago
At nineteen, Gan Qi made up her mind to leave the place she had called home for far too long. Ever since turning eighteen—the legal age of adulthood—she'd been quietly preparing for this moment. In truth, it had never truly been her home. Her parents had died before she turned five, and she'd lived with her aunt ever since, under someone else's roof, a shadow in someone else's family.
Her aunt, burdened with her own children and husband, had little patience left for an extra mouth to feed. Scolding, hitting, and venting her frustration on Gan Qi became the norm. Most of the housework inevitably fell on her shoulders.
Her aunt had supported her through high school—just barely. When Gan Qi graduated at eighteen, the support abruptly stopped. Her aunt had chosen to save whatever resources she had for her own children's future, especially their college education. Gan Qi didn't resent her for that. With no money and no degree, she started taking odd jobs around the village: waiting tables, mending clothes, babysitting for neighbors. People sympathized with this quiet, hardworking girl and often gave her a little something extra out of kindness.
After a year of scraping by, she managed to save up 5,000 yuan. It wasn't much, but to her, it was a ticket out. A chance to leave the countryside behind and chase a future in the big city. Call her naive or reckless—it didn't matter. She had no intention of staying in that village any longer.
Shanghai. The crowds, the bright lights, the bustling streets—it all hit her like a wave. Everything felt surreal, like a scene out of a movie. But reality came crashing in just as fast: 5,000 yuan didn't get you far here. Not even enough to rent a place for a month. Still, she refused to back down. She had seen too much hardship to turn around now. She was a real-life Cinderella, and she believed she could find her miracle.
She bought a local newspaper and sat down at a small restaurant to eat a simple rice bowl. As she ate, she scanned the job listings with a red pen in hand—her only tool in this tech-driven world. She didn't own a smartphone and barely knew how to use a computer. On the bottom corner of one page, in the tiniest of fonts, she spotted a listing: "Office Assistant Wanted. Female. Age 18–22. No degree required. Meals and lodging included."
The last part practically screamed her name. It was perfect for someone in her situation. Without hesitation, she dialed the number and was promptly given an address for an interview.
Gan Qi headed to a print shop and politely asked the staff to help her make a decent-looking résumé. Then she bought the cheapest white blouse she could find, paired it with a knee-length black skirt and some low-heeled black shoes. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, bangs softly framing her face. She looked neat, modest, almost like a college student.
Nervous and unfamiliar with heels, she stumbled slightly on her way to the interview location—a rundown apartment building on the outskirts of Shanghai. It was six stories tall with no elevator, and barely anyone seemed to live there. The job interview was on the top floor. She pushed past the pain in her feet and climbed all the way to the sixth floor. At door 602, she paused, took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and knocked gently three times.
The door opened to reveal a chubby middle-aged man in his fifties, balding slightly and dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt. He smiled warmly and said, "You must be Miss Gan Qi? Please, come in."
Relieved by his friendly demeanor, Gan Qi stepped inside. The apartment was sparsely furnished—just two desks with laptops and landlines. The dust on the furniture was thick enough to draw patterns in. The man coughed awkwardly and invited her to sit on the sofa. After asking her a few basic questions, his eyes started to roam—stopping, unmistakably, at her chest. The thin fabric of her blouse revealed faint outlines despite her conservative buttoning.
His lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. A chill ran down her spine, and a sense of unease crept in. Still, she didn't know where else to go. The man seemed to notice her discomfort and quickly said, "Miss Gan—no, let's call you Qi. You're even younger than my daughter, ha! So, you don't know how to use a computer? No problem. I'll teach you in the morning. Nowadays, you can't get any job without computer skills!"
His words made sense. And the fact that he mentioned having a daughter again reassured her—maybe he wasn't dangerous.
Trying to calm herself, she followed him next door to room 601. This was no ordinary room. It was a lavish suite, completely different from 602. A sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling, modern European-style sofas sprawled across the living room, and a massive painting of a nude Western woman took up an entire wall. Embarrassed, Gan Qi quickly averted her gaze and looked toward the open-concept kitchen. It was pristine, tiled in pearly white, with a luxurious spa bathtub in the bathroom. The bedroom featured a circular bed with matching drapes and velvet blue curtains. Candles were arranged in the shape of a heart on the floor, scattered with rose petals.
She was stunned. It looked like something out of a drama. Could this really be where she was meant to stay on her first night away from home?
The man laughed and explained, "This is my daughter's place. She decorated it herself after coming back from overseas. Young people, you know. She's not around right now, so you can stay here for now."
He mentioned his daughter again. Gan Qi pushed down the nagging feeling in her chest and agreed. The man soon left.
Gan Qi looked around the bedroom. The view stretched far into the distance.
Everything was spotless. A faint fragrance lingered in the air. The closet was filled with all kinds of lingerie—different colors, styles, and sizes—but there were no personal items. Not even a single photograph of the supposed daughter.
Even someone as naive as Gan Qi knew nothing in life came for free. But night had fallen, and she had nowhere else to go. This place was unfamiliar and remote. She decided she would leave early the next morning and even wrote a resignation note explaining she wasn't fit for the job.
She didn't sleep that night. At dawn, she folded the bed linens neatly, slung her small backpack over her shoulders, and tiptoed toward the door. She hadn't brought much when she left home. She was careful not to touch anything. But just as she was about to open the door, a knock startled her. She took a deep breath and opened it.
The man stood there, holding a tray of breakfast, smiling brightly. "You must be starving. You didn't eat anything last night. I figured you'd wake up early, so I brought you something warm."
Gan Qi had never been cared for like this before. Her heart softened. She had always been bad at refusing people. Quietly, she put down her backpack and hid the resignation letter, then sat down to eat with him. She wanted to believe this was sincere. She told herself she'd find another chance to leave.
After breakfast, the man kept his promise and took her to room 601 to teach her basic computer skills. The old laptop took several restarts before it worked. He placed her hand on the mouse, then covered it with his own. She sat stiffly. He soon rested his hand on her shoulder, rambling awkwardly about office software and email.
Midway, he stepped out to take a phone call. She finally had a moment to breathe. She overheard him say, "I've got something better now—no need to deal with that punk. Huh? Yeah, yeah. Fine. Got it, boss."
When he came back, he half-heartedly explained how to shut down the computer and told her they had a meeting that afternoon—he wanted her to come along.
Gan Qi could tell he didn't trust her not to run away. She didn't say a word and followed him to a nearby café. The sunlight outside dimmed as they stepped inside. He had her sit by the window and pulled his chair in too close.
She mimicked him and ordered coffee for the first time in her life. One sip, and she coughed violently. He gave her a mocking smile he tried to hide.
She pretended to enjoy the background music but was scanning the room for an escape route. Then, a young man approached their table and reached out to shake the man's hand.
"Manager Xue, right? I've heard so much about you. Boss Deng's been telling me to meet with you for a long time."
Manager Xue barely returned the handshake and didn't even introduce Gan Qi. He said flatly, "Look, kid, I don't give a damn about your so-called robot project. If Boss Deng didn't force me to meet you, I wouldn't waste my time. Go back and tell him you're not fit to handle this. And watch your mouth, or I'll make you regret it."
With that, he grabbed Gan Qi and stormed off. His entire demeanor had changed—rude, arrogant, domineering.
Gan Qi began to feel truly afraid of this man. She glanced back at the young stranger—thick brows, tanned skin, rough around the edges, and visibly shaken. He sat with his head in his hands, staring at a contract he hadn't even opened. She could tell he had pinned his hopes on this meeting.
From what little she overheard, she guessed that Boss Deng was the real power behind the scenes, but Manager Xue did all the front-end dealings, twisting the narrative however he liked.