Qin Zhi walked out of the room with her chin high.
Her steps were steady, but her hands were cold.
The moment the door shut behind her, she exhaled the breath she'd been holding since he said, "You start Monday."
She had the job.
She was officially the new secretary to Lu Shenyan.
The man who once told her she wasn't worth investing in.
The man who just hired her without even remembering who she was.
It should've felt like victory.
It didn't.
---
Outside, the sky had turned gray.
Qin Zhi walked through the city like she didn't feel the cold or hear the noise. Cars passed. People talked. A bus honked. But her mind stayed stuck in that quiet office with the glass walls and the man who looked through her like she was nothing.
Again.
By the time she reached home, her fingers were numb and her shoes were soaked through.
She pushed open the door to her apartment. The lock stuck, like always.
The lights flickered once before settling.
Her place wasn't much. A small one-bedroom. Peeling paint. A secondhand sofa. Dented walls. But it was warm. And more importantly, it was hers.
She dropped her bag by the couch and pulled off her shoes with a sigh.
A soft ding came from her phone.
She checked the screen.
Mom:
How did it go?
Qin Zhi stared at the message for a moment, then typed back:
"I got the job."
The reply came almost instantly.
That's great, Zhi-Zhi. I'm proud of you. Don't stay up too late, okay?
She smiled faintly.
Her mother didn't know who her new boss was. And Qin Zhi didn't plan on telling her. At least, not yet.
What good would it do?
Nothing could change the past.
But Qin Zhi could change what came next.
---
She didn't sleep much that night.
Her mind kept spinning with thoughts.
What kind of boss was Lu Shenyan now? Still cold? Still ruthless?
Would he remember her later?
Would it even matter?
She finally drifted off sometime around three in the morning, her alarm set for six.
---
Monday. 8:25 AM.
Qin Zhi stood in front of the Lu Corporation building for the second time in her life.
This time, she wore her cleanest blouse, tucked into a long black skirt that didn't fit perfectly but looked professional enough.
Her hair was tied in a low ponytail. No makeup, just lip balm and a little powder.
She couldn't afford to look expensive.
So she settled for looking neat.
She took a breath, straightened her shoulders, and walked in.
---
The receptionist didn't look up when she passed.
That was fine.
She didn't come here to be noticed.
She came here to survive.
She took the elevator to the 25th floor.
The executive floor was quiet. Too quiet.
No chatter. No noise. Just polished floors, glass walls, and tension in the air.
She found her desk right outside the door of the CEO's office.
It was modern and minimal.
A computer. A landline. A drawer. A calendar with a red pen already waiting.
She sat down slowly, placing her bag in the corner and opening her folder of personal notes.
She was fifteen minutes early.
Good.
---
At 8:59 AM, she heard the elevator ding.
Even before she turned, she knew it was him.
His footsteps were calm. Measured. Confident.
He passed her desk without stopping, without glancing at her.
The air shifted as he walked by.
His presence was cold, like walking past a shadow on a sunny day.
He entered his office and shut the door.
Qin Zhi stared at the closed black panel for a second, then turned back to her computer and began reviewing the day's schedule.
---
At 9:07, the phone rang.
She picked it up quickly.
"Yes, CEO Lu?"
"Bring in the day's schedule."
Click.
No "hello." No "please." No wasted words.
She grabbed the prepared file and stood.
Her heels made soft clicks against the floor as she walked to his door.
She knocked once.
"Come in."
---
His office was exactly like she remembered.
Dark wood. City view. A glass bookshelf on one wall, filled with black binders labeled in gold.
Lu Shenyan sat at his desk, tapping something into his tablet.
He didn't look up.
"Place it on the desk."
She walked over, set the file down neatly, and waited.
Still no eye contact.
"Sit."
She blinked.
Then quietly took the seat across from him.
He finished typing, then set the tablet aside and finally met her eyes.
His expression didn't change.
"You're here on a temporary contract," he said. "Thirty days."
She nodded.
"You'll handle my schedule, my calls, incoming files, and anything else I ask. I don't like repeating myself."
"I understand."
"You'll be on time every day. No excuses. No drama."
"Yes, sir."
"You speak only when necessary. You ask no personal questions. You don't get involved in things that aren't your job."
Her hands were folded neatly on her lap.
She didn't fidget.
"I can follow that."
He leaned back slightly.
"Good."
---
She stood to leave when he nodded.
But just before she reached the door, he spoke again.
"One more thing."
She turned halfway.
"Coffee. One cup. Black. No sugar. No milk. No second chances."
She almost smiled.
"I'll remember."
She left the office, closing the door gently behind her.
---
Back at her desk, she sat down and stared at the screen in front of her.
The lights above her hummed quietly.
The office was still. Polished. Professional.
And cold.
Just like him.
But Qin Zhi had made it through her first conversation with Lu Shenyan as his employee.
No shouting. No mistakes. No tears.
That was a start.
---
Still, she could feel something heavy in her chest. Not fear. Not pride.
Something in between.
Something that whispered:
Be careful.
This wasn't just a job.
This was a battlefield.
And she had just walked into enemy territory wearing a smile.