Sorry to trouble you, Dr. Meng. See you tomorrow.
A rescue mission waits for no one. From accepting the personnel transfer order to landing in Xinhai, Jiang Ruoqi only took two days. The first day she handed over work and hung out with friends; the second day she packed and continued hanging out with friends.
On the morning of the third day, since Jiang Ruoqi herself hadn't shaken off her drowsiness, she didn't bother Ada and Sophia, who had to work, to see her off. Ada was emotional—she could burst into tears even during a meal. If she cried at the airport too, Jiang Ruoqi was afraid that after she herself took off and left, Sophia wouldn't be able to handle that crybaby and might end up abandoning her at the airport.
Besides, she would be traveling frequently between Gangcheng and Xinhai in the near future, and they'd see each other again in a few days, so there was really no need for a dramatic airport farewell.
Although the two cities weren't far apart and transportation was convenient, Jiang Ruoqi didn't actually land in Xinhai until afternoon. She had booked an early morning flight, but delays were routine, raising her anticipation for her return.
Xinhai was different from Gangcheng. In winter, the sky always darkened early. By three or four in the afternoon, the sunlight grew weak, and after five o'clock, the day was quickly shrouded in night. And today was particularly unlucky—outside the jet bridge, there was no sunlight, only a dreary gray. Both the weather and the sky matched Jiang Ruoqi's spirits after more than four hours of travel: listless.
But as she looked, a hint of contentment appeared on her face. Probably because Hangxiang wasn't far from Xinhai, so the weather shared the same unpredictable strangeness—everything felt familiar. And she liked the familiarity she could control.
Jiang Ruoqi hadn't been back to the mainland for a while. Counting from the end of the Spring Festival holiday to now. Her biological mother was always on the move, so her main reason for returning to the mainland had been, back when she first moved out of her stepmother's house, to save money by taking the subway to the other side to buy groceries. Of course, people's behavior is tied to their financial situation. Later, she got promoted and had money, so she became too lazy to move. It was either convenience stores or takeout, or if it came to it, she'd just skip a meal and call it dieting.
At the arrival gate, a personnel representative from the subsidiary was holding a sign, visible from far away. Jiang Ruoqi pushed her suitcase forward, and the person immediately approached: "Are you President Jiang?"
Her Cantonese was fairly standard, better than Jiang Ruoqi's, who had lived in Gangcheng for over a decade. But... it wasn't necessary for her. Jiang Ruoqi smiled and nodded: "Hello, just call me Seven. I'm from the mainland and went to Gangcheng, so you don't need to speak Cantonese with me."
The person was Ivy, the HR manager at the Xinhai company, responsible for training. She had been assigned to receive Jiang Ruoqi because she was originally from the southern coast and spoke fluent Cantonese. But they hadn't expected the group to send a fake Gangcheng native. This arrangement didn't make her feel welcome; if she were petty, she might even hold a grudge.
Hadn't the subsidiary received her resume and profile? Knowing she wasn't from Gangcheng yet arranging a Cantonese reception—wasn't that slapping her in the face?
"President Jiang, you've worked hard on the journey. The company has arranged a hotel for you, not far from our office building. Let me take you there first to familiarize you with the surroundings, and then we'll handle the onboarding procedures later."
The person insisted on calling her "President Jiang," which made Jiang Ruoqi, used to being addressed by her name, uncomfortable. She chalked it up to the mainland corporate culture and didn't press the issue.
"It's a bit late today. I'll come to the office tomorrow morning to report. Please let your boss know."
She pushed her suitcase and followed behind, her tone calm and clear. Even in the noisy airport, people could hear what she said.
"Don't worry, President Jiang. HR and admin have everything arranged. You're welcome anytime." Ivy turned to meet Jiang Ruoqi's gaze. Seeing her smile and nod, she relaxed a bit. "Follow me this way. The company sent a car to pick you up."
Jiang Ruoqi was startled, not expecting such thorough arrangements. She wondered whether it was an instruction from the group or a gesture of goodwill from the "local snake," but her expression remained unchanged as she calmly replied, "Alright."
A seven-seat commercial vehicle took over an hour, making Jiang Ruoqi, who never got carsick, feel nauseous. At first, she had the energy to chat with Ivy, but later she pursed her lips and stared out the window, afraid that if she wasn't careful, she'd open her mouth and vomit. The driver didn't dare delay; they only stopped briefly at the company building before quickly driving her to the nearby hotel.
The company office was in the city center, surrounded by well-known commercial streets and office buildings of major fast-moving consumer goods brands. Naturally, the hotel wasn't far. Jiang Ruoqi roughly estimated that the straight-line distance from the hotel to the company was about one kilometer. That meant even if she had to clock in at 9:30, she could still sleep until 9 and then get up. If cost weren't a factor, this perpetually sleepy office worker would really want to live here permanently.
Of course, cost couldn't be ignored. The hotel was over a thousand per night. The Bald Boss said accommodation expenses would be reimbursed, but capitalists are only generous on the surface. If she couldn't find a suitable apartment within two weeks, she'd definitely get some sarcastic remarks.
On her first night in Xinhai, Jiang Ruoqi was quite busy. She took a shower to wash off the fatigue and dust, then changed into light pajamas. Standing barefoot on the floor, in front of the huge suitcase full of clothes, she suddenly blanked out for no reason.
She didn't know what she was thinking. After removing her makeup, she looked very lost—every action required enough time to think through the steps. She took a few deep breaths, attributing her state to poor adaptability. After all, this was a completely new and unfamiliar city, with no friends or relatives, all alone. It was only natural to feel unsettled.
After zoning out for a while, she crouched down and pulled out the clothes she would wear tomorrow, then contacted hotel services to have her shirt ironed. Before she could settle down, she received calls from Ada and Sophia one after another, checking in on her.
Sophia was fine—she confirmed Jiang Ruoqi was safe, gave her some inside tips about the company, and then hung up when she heard how tired Jiang Ruoqi sounded.
Ada, however, was calling to take credit. She said that Su Yansheng had already contacted Meng Shang, guaranteeing that a handsome guy would accompany Jiang Ruoqi through the adjustment period, and at least help her find a satisfactory apartment.
Jiang Ruoqi listened, her expression calm, and for once felt no interest in someone she was usually intrigued by. She played along with Ada's excitement, but silently walked to the window, pulled open the curtains, and gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
Xinhai's night rivaled Gangcheng's. Neon lights as bright as day almost made her hallucinate that she hadn't left. Because she hadn't left Gangcheng, and she and her mother were still far apart—that was why she didn't want to see her.
After returning to the mainland, the first person Jiang Ruoqi informed was her mother, Jiang Yun. She didn't explain her situation too clearly; she only said she was now in Xinhai and asked which city her mother was in, suggesting they might meet this weekend.
When Jiang Ruoqi was young, her parents divorced, and she left home early. Seemingly mature and independent, she actually cared a lot about her biological mother, Jiang Yun. After the divorce, her father went south to do business, and she was raised solely by Jiang Yun. Before college, although they moved around various cities, it was truly just the two of them relying on each other.
Jiang Ruoqi admitted that she had once depended on Jiang Yun—only on Jiang Yun—but she never said it out loud.
Unfortunately, when she called, Jiang Yun was traveling with her sunset-years boyfriend in the southwest. The mountain roads were rugged, and she didn't have time to listen carefully; she just assumed Jiang Ruoqi was on a business trip. She expressed slight regret about the coincidental timing, told her to take care of herself, and said they'd meet next time.
Compared again, she was abandoned.
Jiang Ruoqi forced a smile, thinking she was used to it. She knew Jiang Yun really couldn't come back, but hearing that answer, she lost all desire to even find another chance to talk about her current situation. Perhaps that was the true source of her disappointment.
Jiang Ruoqi opened the balcony window. The cold wind howled into the warm room, the sudden drop in temperature enveloping her slender figure in front of the window. From behind, she looked terribly lonely.
She consoled herself: her mother, as she had wished, now had a life of her own, unrelated to her child. That was good. She shouldn't feel disappointed. The occasional melancholy came from loneliness. As long as she kept busy, she wouldn't feel lonely.
At worst, she could also fall in love.
She had to fall in love, preferably get married directly.
The luxury hotel bed was soft, but Jiang Ruoqi barely slept all night.
So the next morning, she washed up and put on makeup, spending an extra five minutes on concealer to hide the dark circles that had suddenly appeared overnight.
Stepping out of the hotel, she was met with a mouthful of wind. Xinhai's winter was notorious for its magical attacks, something Jiang Ruoqi had heard about. But wearing a thick cashmere coat and still being blown around by the evil wind under the high-rise office buildings, she felt she hadn't prepared enough mentally.
After a ten-minute walk, she arrived at the office building. She observed the surroundings before entering. The nearby office buildings and the adjacent mall were all owned by the same boss, whom she seemed to have seen at some banquet she attended with her stepmother in Gangcheng. She couldn't remember much else. Anyway, people involved in commercial real estate and gold jewelry often had ties to Hong Kong capital.
Their company was the same—the old brand primarily dealt in gold and jewelry, taking a steady, all-ages approach. Its sub-brand targeted young people with niche designer pieces. Given the recent surge in raw material prices, which suppressed purchasing desire, the group had set its sights on the sub-brand popular with young consumers.
There was a security gate at the ground floor entrance to the elevators. Jiang Ruoqi couldn't get up, so she messaged a local colleague and waited in the lobby for someone to pick her up. Soon, Ivy came out of the elevator holding an employee badge, picked up Jiang Ruoqi, and quickly held the elevator before it left without them.
The building had thirty floors in total. Their company occupied the 19th and 20th floors—a middle position, neither too high nor too low, much like the brand's overall status in the building. Jiang Ruoqi had observed earlier that there were many familiar brand names among their floor neighbors. The Bald Boss must have spent a lot renting this place.
"President Jiang, our company has two floors: 19 and 20. The 19th floor mainly houses HR, admin, IT, and sales. The CEO and CFO's offices are on the 20th floor, along with production design, finance, and legal departments. Your office is on this floor. Let's go through the procedures first, and I'll take you there."
"Liam..." Jiang Ruoqi stopped herself and switched to a more tactful title: "Are President Li and President He in the company today? I'd like to go say hello."
"President Li is on leave today and not in the office. President He is here."
Li Ruilin was the CEO of the Xinhai subsidiary—the one who had embarrassed the Bald Boss at the group meeting, leading to Jiang Ruoqi being sent back to slap his face. Jiang Ruoqi smiled, her tone regretful: "What a shame."
Whether it was truly bad timing or a deliberate show of power, everyone knew the answer. But Jiang Ruoqi didn't dwell on it; she just mentally noted it. They would be under the same roof, and there would be plenty of confrontations ahead.
"Your OA account has been set up. The account and password are your English name. The group email works universally—just log in directly."
After completing the onboarding procedures, she went to greet her new colleagues in the department. She specifically went upstairs to meet the CFO, a Mr. He, who seemed to have some connection with the Bald Boss but was primarily focused on accounting and rarely involved in internal factional struggles. So Jiang Ruoqi just chatted casually, mainly to get acquainted with various departments upstairs.
The morning passed quickly. After touring all the departments on both floors, Ivy led her into her office, and it was already past lunchtime. The department was empty—computers were on but no one was around, probably out for lunch.
Jiang Ruoqi entered, looked out the window, and confirmed the view was the same as from upstairs, so she guessed whose office was above hers. Of course, that office was twice the size of hers, but the window area overlapped. Hence, her office had an excellent view. The floor-to-ceiling windows faced south, and the warm afternoon sun easily spread across the floor. Only the opaque filing cabinets left patches of light and shadow in the brightness.
"Thank you for your trouble today. It's lunchtime—how about we grab a bite together? I'm not familiar with the area, so I'll rely on you to show me around."
Jiang Ruoqi shook out the cashmere coat draped over her arm, casually hung it on the chair back, and turned to Ivy with a sincere suggestion: "Don't stand on ceremony. The atmosphere in Gangcheng is usually relaxed between superiors and subordinates. Don't keep calling me 'you' with such formality—it sounds awkward."
"Alright. Jiang..." Ivy caught Jiang Ruoqi's gaze and stopped herself. "Seven."
Only then did Jiang Ruoqi look satisfied. She took Ivy by the arm and walked out of the office together.
Ivy was just an HR manager. Jiang Ruoqi got a general overview of each department from her, but Ivy didn't know much beyond her level. She did mention that the company had arranged a personal assistant for Jiang Ruoqi, but they hadn't expected her to arrive so soon; the assistant was scheduled to start next Monday. Recruitment wasn't Ivy's responsibility, so she didn't know whether the assistant was male or female, tall or short—it would be a blind box next Monday.
Jiang Ruoqi didn't dwell on it. She had other urgent matters at hand.
After lunch, she ordered dozens of cups of coffee as a gesture of goodwill. Then she rushed to meet with the product planning team. When she got the third version of the new product launch plan and the latest market data, a quick glance gave her a headache.
Time was tight and the task was heavy. Jiang Ruoqi temporarily lost any intention of cultivating talent. After all, if someone could really step up at a critical moment, they wouldn't have urgently transferred her here.
For two consecutive days, she worked late into the night, locking herself in her office to produce a fourth version of the new product launch plan based on the third version.
On Friday, after a hard week's work, everyone was eager to leave on time. But those outside Jiang Ruoqi's office were nervous, unsure of the newly arrived leader's intentions. Jiang Ruoqi didn't like overtime. Even though she was in the most overtime-prone department, she still disliked it. Moreover, given the current situation, keeping the department others around just staring at each other wouldn't help, so she might as well let them go home early.
To avoid panic, she took her work back to the hotel, becoming the kind of person she had always despised.
That evening, the plan was finalized. Jiang Ruoqi specifically asked Sophia to review it. When she finally looked at her phone, the lock screen showed a row of notifications. Ada couldn't reach her and had been calling, so she left messages on various apps. As for the main reason for her urgency...
Jiang Ruoqi opened WeChat, skipped Ada's chat, and tapped on a profile picture of a slightly incongruous kitten. It was a chubby golden-shaded British Shorthair, but the messages were incredibly sparse. Aside from the latest message, there was only a friend request notification.
[Meng Shang]: I'll be off the night shift tomorrow and have some free time. Want to go look at apartments?
His tone carried an inexplicable familiarity—no small talk, no asking why she was in Xinhai.
Jiang Ruoqi's fingers hovered over her phone keyboard. To be honest, she had been extremely busy this week, physically sore and low on energy. What she needed most was to sleep in over the weekend, to sleep for an entire day. She raised one hand to type while stretching the other arm overhead; the soreness in her body became more pronounced.
She tapped send.
At the same time, Dr. Meng, who was on the night shift at the hospital, received a reply.
[Seven]: I'm free. I'll just trouble you, Dr. Meng.
[Seven]: Then see you tomorrow.