Shanghai's morning sun reflected off the glass towers, painting the streets with golden light. Li Mei clutched her bag tightly as she approached Phoenix Media Solution again. Today was her first day, and her nervous were doing somersault.
"Breathe, Li Mei. You survived the interview... barely, but you did," she whispered to herself.
The lobby of Phoenix Media wasn't buzzing with activity. Employees hurried past with coffee cups, laptops, and thick files. Hao Chen appeared almost instantly, grinning at her.
"Good morning, live wire," he teased. "Ready to survive your first day?"
Li Mei forced a smile. "As ready as I,ll ever be."
Hao Chen guided her through the office corridors, introducing her to various departments. Some colleagues smiled politely, while others whispered with an unmistakable tinge jealousy.
Zhang Wei, meanwhile, sat in his corner office, observing the flow of employees. He notice Li Mei weaving her way clumsily through the desks, papers slipping from her folder, but she kept her head high and smiled at everyone. He leaned back, letting out a quiet chuckled.
"She's going to be trouble," he muttered, almost to himself.
Li Mei's first task was simple: organize a set marketing reports for a client meeting. She bent over her desk, attempting to arrange the papers neatly - only qforher pen to roll under a colleague's chair.
"Excuse me!" She said, reaching under,knocking over a small plant pot in the process. Soil scattered across the floor.
"Careful, new recruit," a colleague whispered, clearly unimpressed.
Hao Chen appeared just in time with a mop. "Don't, Boss said she's a natural performer."
Li Mei groaned, "I hope he doesn't mean in front of the client."
Zhang Wei decided to intervene, stepping out of his office. "Li Mei," he called calmly, though the corner of his lips curled mischievously. "Organizing chaos is an art form. Let me show you."
He knelt beside her, gathering papers with swift precision. She watched, mesmerized by his efficiency. But just as he handed her a neatly stacked set, she sneezed - scattering the papers again.
"Oh no!" She exclaimed.
Zhang Wei simply raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk appearing. "You certainly keep life interesting."
Meanwhile, across the office, Li Xia, Zhao Rui, Wang Lan, and Chen Yu had logged in via video call, watching Li Mei's antics unfold.
Lin Xia whispered loudly, "She's adorable! But that boss... ooh, so strict and handsome!"
Zhao Rui nodded seriously, "He is evaluating her every move. But she's holding her own."
Wang Lan clapped her hands, "I want to see sparks fly!"
Chen Yu chuckled, "Just don't get her fired, ladies."
Back in the office, a small incident with coffee machine erupted into full-blown chaos. Li Mei accidentally pressed the wrong button, causing coffee to spray across the break are. Zhang Wei walked in, eyebrows raised, only to find Hao Chen slipping in the puddle while trying to catch the mess.
Li Mei froze, mortified.
"Looks like a battle zone," Zhang Wei said dryly.
Hao Chen laughed, "Boss, it's controlled chaos... mostly!"
Li Mei's cheeks burned red, but Zhang Wei simply shook his head with a slight chuckle. "You really do brighten the office, Li Mei."
As the day went on, Li Mei's charm slowly started to win over a few colleagues, while jealous ones whispered quietly. Zhang Wei found himself drawn to her perfectly ordered world.
Lunch came, and Li Mei joined Hao Chen and a few friendly colleagues. Between bites, Hao Chen teased her relentlessly. "So, Li Mei, when are you going to drop another plant pot? Or is this your strategy to become unforgettable?"
Li Mei laughed, "One at a time, please. I'm trying my best!"
Zhang Wei, walking past with his assistant, caught the tail and of the conversation. He didn't comment but made a mental note of her laugh-carefree, bright, and impossible to ignore.
The Lantern Festival preparations began in the office courtyard. Coored lanterns were hung, and small decorative lights were strung across. Li Mei's eyes sparkled. "I've never seen so many lanterns at work!"
Hao Chen nudged her playfully. "Watch out, you might start a fire with that excitement of yours."
Zhang Wei observed quietly, his usually stern face softened by the sight of Li Mei laughing while trying to untangle fairy lights.
By the end of the day, Li Mei had:
• Spilled coffee once
• Knocked over three pens and a plant pot
• Confused a client via a forwarded email mix-up
• Yet somehow, survived her first day impressively
Zhang Wei, sitting back in his office, reflected on the day. "She's chaotic... unpredictable... and somehow she fits in."
Hao Chen smirked, "She's going to drive you crazy, Boss. And you'll love it."
Outside, shanghai's skyline glimmered under the lantern the lights. Li Mei walked home with a tired satisfied smile. She had survived the first day- barely- and felt oddly exhilarated. She didn't know it yet, but her life was about to become turned upside down in ways she could never have imagined.