The small apartment felt suddenly heavier, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath alongside Mei Lin. The phone call had shattered the monotony of days filled with exhaustion and uncertainty, replacing it with a trembling thread of possibility.
She sat at the battered kitchen table, hands clasped tightly around a chipped mug of now-cold tea. Jia hovered nearby, folding laundry yet somehow managing to keep her eyes locked on Mei Lin.
"You're nervous," Jia said gently, breaking the silence.
"I am," Mei Lin admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "More than I've been in a long time."
Jia smiled knowingly. "It's normal. You're about to walk into a whole new world. But you've got this."
Mei Lin's thoughts drifted, swirling like the steam that had long since vanished from the tea. How had it come to this moment? Just a few weeks ago, her days were consumed by juggling the triplets, juggling jobs that barely paid, and fighting against the creeping tide of despair.
She glanced at Jia, whose unwavering presence was a balm to her weary soul. "You really think this will change things?"
Jia nodded with fierce conviction. "It has to. We can't live like this forever."
For the rest of the morning, Mei Lin was a whirlwind of activity. She tore through the tiny apartment, sweeping away the clutter, washing the scattered clothes, and organizing what little she owned with careful precision.
The triplets bounced around her feet, their energy infectious yet exhausting. Mei Lin smiled, despite the knot tightening in her stomach. They were her heart, her reason to fight harder.
Later, she pulled out an old notebook from beneath a pile of discarded papers—her makeshift journal where she jotted down thoughts, dreams, and plans. She carefully penned down notes, research about Li Corporation, and potential questions to prepare for.
Jia watched quietly, then plopped down beside her, tossing a small pile of borrowed business magazines onto the table.
"You should read these," Jia said. "They're old, but the articles cover the basics about Li Corporation's culture and leadership style."
Mei Lin flipped through the pages, absorbing every detail. The name Li Jinnian appeared repeatedly—cold, aloof, unyielding. A man who ran his empire with ruthless efficiency. A man who did not tolerate weakness.
It was intimidating, but beneath the surface, Mei Lin felt a curious pull—a challenge to be met.
As the day drifted into evening, Mei Lin stood before the cracked mirror in the bathroom, running her fingers through her hair. She had nothing fancy to wear, just a simple blouse and a pair of slacks that barely fit.
But for the first time in a long time, she felt ready.
Later that night, Jia and Mei Lin sat together on the creaky couch, the triplets finally asleep in their shared room. The apartment was quiet save for the faint hum of the city beyond.
"I'm scared," Mei Lin confessed, voice trembling.
"Good," Jia said firmly. "Fear means you care. Just don't let it stop you."
They talked late into the night about dreams, fears, and the promise of something better.
As sleep finally claimed Mei Lin, her mind was a whirlwind of hope and determination.
Tomorrow was the first step.
The morning light crept through the threadbare curtains, painting the small apartment with a pale, hopeful glow. Mei Lin woke with a start, heart pounding like a drum in her chest. Today was the day. The day she had been both dreading and dreaming about.
She lay still for a moment, breathing deep, willing the nerves to settle. But her mind raced, each thought louder than the last: What if I mess up? What if I'm not good enough? What if...
"Mei Lin! You awake?" Jia's voice called softly from the kitchen.
"Yes, I'm up," Mei Lin replied, pushing herself off the mattress and wrapping a thin sweater around her shoulders.
Jia was already bustling about, making simple breakfast a rare luxury given their tight budget.
"Eat," Jia insisted, sliding a plate toward her. "You'll need your strength."
The clatter of spoons and soft murmur of the radio filled the small space as Mei Lin forced herself to focus on the present.
After breakfast, Mei Lin meticulously checked her appearance in the cracked hallway mirror. Her blouse was clean, albeit faded. Her slacks were creased as best she could manage. She tied her long dark hair back in a neat ponytail. No makeup, just a touch of balm on cracked lips.
She looked like any other woman. But inside, she felt ready to face a lion.
The short walk to Li Corporation's towering glass building was surreal. Skyscraper walls gleamed cold and immaculate, the hum of city life buzzing around her like an unseen tide.
Inside the lobby, the air was crisp and scented faintly of expensive polish and electronics. Security scanned her bag with a polite nod. The receptionist directed her toward the interview waiting room.
Sitting there, Mei Lin felt the full weight of the moment. The soft murmur of other candidates, the rustling of papers, the distant clicks of heels on marble floors.
Time slowed.
When her name was called, her breath caught. But this was her second and final interview.
The interview room was sleek, all sharp lines and glass walls. The door clicked shut behind Mei Lin, and the sterile quiet of the interview room swallowed her whole.
Across the sleek desk sat Li Jinnian... the man she and Jia had quite literally beaten up not two weeks ago. The memory was still sharp in her mind: the wild flurry of fists, the slap that set Jia off, the crowd that parted when he stood there, calm and aloof like an untouchable iceberg.
And now, here he was. Looking every bit the cold, untouchable CEO. Not a flicker of recognition or was it carefully masked?
Mei Lin forced herself to meet his dark eyes. No use pretending she didn't know who he was. But if he recognized her, he was holding it all back like a pro.
"Ms. Mei Lin," Jinnian's voice was smooth, low, like a velvet blade. "Thank you for coming."
Her throat tightened. Don't let him see you sweat. She cleared her throat.
The interview began, questions coming rapid-fire: her work experience, how she juggled three jobs, how she handled stress.
Each answer felt like walking a tightrope over a pit of memories.
Like that time you both nearly knocked him out behind his own building... her mind whispered.
She bit back a smirk, recalling Jia's fierce roar, the slap, and the way Jinnian stood there, expression unreadable, not throwing a single punch.
"Your resilience is... impressive," he said finally, folding his hands. "Most would have broken under such pressure."
Mei Lin's heart thudded, but she played it cool. "I've never been one to give up."
There was a pause. Then a faint, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at one corner of Jinnian's lips. A flicker of amusement? Recognition?
She couldn't tell.
The interview ended as abruptly as it began. No grand speeches. No promises.
"Wait here," he said, standing.
As she stepped out, the memory of that chaotic night burned in her mind — the fight, the bruises, the humiliating yet strangely bonding moment.
This wasn't just an interview. It was a rematch of sorts, a collision of two very different worlds.
But Mei Lin was ready. Not just for the job, but for whatever came next.
---
Mei Lin pushed open the glass door and stepped into the wide marble corridor. The cool air bit softly against her flushed cheeks. For a moment, she let herself breathe, her heart still pounding like a drum in her chest.
The hallway was mostly empty now. A few suited figures passed by, eyes sliding over her with the detached indifference of the corporate world.
Yeah, right. Like you've never seen a desperate woman before.
She forced a small smile, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The sting of the bruises on her knuckles from the fight earlier still throbbed faintly.
Bet they didn't expect the new applicant to be the one who decked their CEO's assistant. Or the CEO himself, if the rumors were true.
Mei Lin chuckled softly under her breath, then turned toward the exit.
Outside, the city buzzed on as usual. Cars honked, vendors called, and somewhere a child's laughter rang sharp and clear.
Her phone vibrated. A message from Jia: Waiting at the café. Come quick. Need to hear the war stories.
She smiled, typing back, On my way.
The café was a modest place just around the corner, filled with the warm smell of brewing coffee and the murmur of tired workers.
Jia was already there, nursing a cup of tea, her eyes bright behind the rim of her glasses.
"Spill," Jia said the moment Mei Lin sat down. "How was it? Did you stab him with your resume or shoot daggers with your eyes?"
Mei Lin laughed, the sound low and dry. "More like trying not to implode when I sat across the guy I literally beat up a few weeks ago."
Jia nearly choked on her tea. "No way. You didn't..."
"Did. The aloof CEO himself. Didn't fight back, which was both impressive and annoying."
Jia grinned, "Typical CEO ego. Probably telling himself you were just 'some angry woman' and not the angry woman."
Mei Lin shook her head. "If he recognized me, he didn't say. Maybe he's the type to keep grudges locked up in a vault."
They both laughed.
"Honestly," Mei Lin said, voice softer, "I don't know if I want this job just to prove something to him. Or if I want it because I really need to build a better life."
Jia reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "You're going to kill it. Not because of him, but because you're Meilin. You don't quit."
Mei Lin felt the warmth spread inside her chest. The fight was far from over, but with Jia by her side, maybe, just maybe, the odds were shifting.
The city sprawled beneath Li Jinnian like a living organism, its veins pulsing with neon light and whispered secrets. Li Jinnian stood in the grand penthouse office perched high above the chaos below, the skyline a sharp contrast to the turmoil stirring inside his mind.
The night was quiet, save for the faint hum of traffic far beneath, the occasional siren echoing distantly, and the soft clinking of glasses from the lounge below where a few late-night guests lingered. But Jinnian's world was a different kind of stillness—tense, restless, charged.
He stood before the vast window, his silhouette framed by the towering glass, tall and rigid in his tailored black suit. The fabric clung perfectly to his lean, athletic frame, the sharp lines cutting a figure both commanding and aloof. His dark eyes reflected the city's shimmering lights, but they held none of its warmth. Instead, they were shadowed, deep pools of cold calculation mixed with something else, something rare and unsettling for a man like him: uncertainty.
The events of the past days replayed in his mind like an unfinished symphony, discordant notes clashing in the silence. The woman—the wild-eyed woman—who had crashed into his ordered world with fists flying and fierce words.
Mei Lin.
Her name echoed through his thoughts like a whispered challenge.
Who is she? The question was a thorn he couldn't pluck out.
Jinnian had always been a man of clarity. Decisions made swiftly, emotions kept under lock and key. Empires weren't built on whims or sentiment. They required precision, control, and an unyielding will. Yet here he was, unable to shake the feeling that Mei Lin was a riddle he had to solve.
His gaze drifted to the faint scars on his knuckles, remnants of that chaotic encounter. They throbbed gently, a physical reminder of how out of control things had become. Not just the fight, but the ripple it set off in his carefully maintained life.
Where had he seen her before?
He sifted through memories, peeling back layers of his past.
There were the grand family dinners, lavish affairs filled with polished smiles and hidden daggers. His father's sharp gaze, his stepmother's thinly veiled contempt. The quiet brothers, loyal and respectful, navigating the minefield of inheritance and expectation.
But none of that fit.
Mei Lin wasn't part of his world or so he thought.
Was she linked to his brothers? A secret from their stepmother's camp? No. They loved him too much, fiercely protective. No whispered warnings, no cautious glances.
He replayed the night at the bar, the haze of alcohol, the wild laughter, the dare from his friends to prove his masculinity with a stranger.
And there she was—Mei Lin, radiant even amid the chaos. Not polished, not refined, but real. Raw energy wrapped in a smile that defied the world.
He had been drunk then, reckless. But the memory was vivid.
And troubling.
Jinnian sank into his leather chair, the weight of the day pressing down on him. His office was a fortress of glass and steel, sleek furniture, and the latest technology. A testament to his empire's reach and power.
Yet tonight, it felt like a cage.
He flexed his fingers, eyes narrowing as he stared at the city below.
The phone on his desk buzzed, a sharp intrusion. He glanced at the screen an update about Wei, his former personal assistant, who had been conspicuously absent since the incident.
The message was short and cryptic: Unavailable. Will update.
Jinnian's lips pressed into a thin line. Wei's disappearance was another complication he didn't need.
But beneath the frustration, a darker question lingered.
What else was I missing?
He stood, walking to the shelves where photos of his family and childhood friends stood. Among them was a picture of two younger boys, his brothers and a third figure blurred in the background.
Could Mei Lin be connected to any of them?
He pulled the photo down, studying it closely. No hint of her.
The puzzle deepened.
Hours passed, the city shifting from night to the first hints of dawn. Jinnian remained restless, pacing, thinking, chasing shadows that slipped just beyond reach.
The name Mei Lin echoed louder in his mind, a summons he could neither ignore nor explain.