Morning came earlier than usual for Shen Yuqi.
Not because her alarm rang, she had woken up way before it, eyes opening on their own as if her nerves had been waiting for the sun. A pale, early light spilled through the curtains of her small bedroom, brushing softly against her face and filling the room with a muted glow. The world was quiet, peaceful even… but inside her chest, her heart fluttered like a bird trapped in a cage.
Her interview played again in her mind.
Her stumbling words.
Li Wei's unreadable expression.
That faint lift at the corner of his mouth—almost like a smirk.
Her cheeks grew warm just thinking about it.
She sat up, pushing her hair back, letting out a long sigh. "It's just a normal morning. Nothing is going to happen," she told herself. "Stop being dramatic."
But she didn't believe her own words.
When she stepped into the dining room, Haoran was already awake, munching loudly on a bowl of cereal while scrolling through his phone.
The moment he saw her, his eyes lit up with mischief.
"Someone woke up early today," he said, leaning his chin on his hand. "Nervous about your CEO boyfriend calling you?"
Shen Yuqi picked up an orange and threw it at him. "Haoran! Stop saying rubbish!"
He dodged it with a laugh, cereal almost spilling. "I'm just saying, jiejie, you look like someone waiting for love to call."
"It's not love! It's a job!" she snapped, though her cheeks said otherwise.
Her father, sitting at the head of the table with his glasses low on his nose, sipped his tea. "Haoran, don't tease your sister. It's an important time for her." Then he turned to Yuqi with calm seriousness. "But you do look nervous."
Yuqi groaned internally. "I'm not nervous… I'm just… cautious."
"Mm." Shen Jianguo lowered his newspaper. "Patience, Yuqi. Things like this take time. You did your best."
His confidence helped steady her heart, just a little.
Her mother, Lin Meiling, entered from the kitchen with a warm pot of soy milk. "Here, darling. Drink. It will help you relax." She set the cup in front of her and patted her shoulder gently. "No matter what happens, you worked hard. We're proud of you."
Yuqi's eyes softened. "Thanks, Mom."
But despite the warmth around the table, she couldn't shake the nervous flutter inside her.
The Waiting
After breakfast, the house gradually settled into its usual weekday rhythm.
Her father left for work with a brief nod.
Her mother hummed while watering the plants.
Haoran continued pestering her every few minutes.
Yuqi sat on the couch, laptop open on her lap, phone beside her. She refreshed her email. Then refreshed again. Then again.
Nothing.
She opened social media, scrolled.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Still nothing.
She checked her phone settings to make sure it wasn't on silent.
Checked her network.
Checked her email filters.
Her mother peeked into the living room. "Yuqi, sweetheart, you're going to wear a hole through that refresh button."
Yuqi groaned and flopped onto the couch dramatically. "What if they didn't like me? What if I did horribly? What if—"
"Shh." Lin Meiling sat beside her, stroking her hair. "Don't think so negatively. You prepared well. You answered honestly. And you didn't faint during the interview. That's already better than half the population."
"Mom…"
"Just be patient."
But patience was painfully hard.
Seconds felt like minutes.
Minutes felt like hours.
Her chest tightened every time her phone buzzed—only to realize it was Haoran messaging her stupid memes from his room.
"You're doing this on purpose!" she yelled.
His muffled laughter answered her.
At exactly 11:43 a.m.
Her phone buzzed once on the table. The vibration was small, barely noticeable—but to her, it sounded like thunder.
She froze.
Her heart stuttered in her chest.
She leaned forward slowly, afraid to breathe.
An unknown number flashed across the screen.
Her fingers trembled as she answered.
"H-Hello? This is… Shen Yuqi."
A polite female voice came through, smooth and professional.
"Good morning, Miss Shen. This is the Human Resources department from Luminous Corporation."
The world around Yuqi blurred. Her pulse hammered so loudly she could barely hear.
"We are pleased to inform you that your interview was successful. Congratulations—you have been selected as the CEO's administrative assistant."
Yuqi's breath left her body in a rush—like someone had pulled out the plug keeping all her anxiety trapped inside.
"I… I got the job?" Her voice cracked.
"Yes. We were impressed with your qualifications and interview performance," the HR woman continued, her tone warm but formal. "Please come tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. for your orientation. Bring a valid ID and the documents we emailed earlier."
"I… yes. Yes! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Yuqi nearly stood up from excitement.
"We look forward to working with you. Have a good day."
When the call ended, Yuqi stared at her phone, stunned. Her hands trembled.
She whispered, "I got the job."
Then louder: "I GOT THE JOB!"
Haoran crashed into the living room within seconds. "You WHAT?!"
"I got it, Haoran! I really— I got it!!"
He whooped, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her back and forth. "I told you he remembered you! See? See? I told you!"
"Stop saying that!" she said, hitting him lightly—but she couldn't stop smiling.
Her mother rushed in next. "Yuqi? What happened?"
"I got the job, Mom."
Lin Meiling pulled her into a warm, tight hug. "Oh sweetheart! I knew you would. Congratulations."
Her father walked in quietly, having come back to get a forgotten document, and paused at the doorway.
A small, rare smile touched his lips. "Good. Very good, Yuqi."
She felt tears prick her eyes, overwhelmed by relief and joy.
Preparing for Tomorrow
The rest of the day turned busy.
Her mother insisted on helping her choose an outfit.
Her father lectured her on workplace discipline.
Haoran made ridiculous suggestions like wearing sunglasses indoors "to look mysterious."
Yuqi spent the afternoon ironing blouses, organizing a neat folder, and practicing a confident greeting in the mirror—only to panic halfway through each one.
"What if he doesn't remember me?" she wondered out loud. "What if he acts cold again? Or—what if he does remember and thinks I'm that clumsy girl from the lobby?"
Her mother smiled gently. "If he is professional, it won't matter. If he is kind, it won't matter either."
"But he didn't seem kind," Haoran added, munching on chips. "He looked like someone who speaks five sentences a day."
"Haoran!" she shouted.
"What? That's a cool trait!"
Yuqi buried her face in a pillow.
A Night of Swirling Thoughts
By evening, the excitement had settled slightly, replaced by nerves again. She sat on her bed, staring at the city lights outside her window.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow she would step into a new world.
She would meet new colleagues.
Face new challenges.
Become… an adult, officially.
And she would see him again.
Li Wei.
The calm, quiet storm of a man.
The one whose eyes she couldn't forget.
The one who hadn't reacted at all to her embarrassment.
Would he recognize her tomorrow?
Would he pretend he didn't?
Would he look at her the same way—cold, distant, unreadable?
Yuqi pressed her hand over her pounding chest.
Whatever happened tomorrow… she wanted to be ready.
She turned off the lights, letting the moon illuminate her room softly.
And as she drifted to sleep, a single thought wrapped around her mind:
Everything begins tomorrow.