Chapter 59: Internship

“Meet the parents?”

Min Rui’s eyes widened, and she forgot to eat the egg waffle in her hand.

“Did Xiao Zhi propose to you?”

Propose…?

He had only been gone for a day, and Yin Mengxi’s mind was still a chaotic mess. At that moment, she couldn’t fully grasp what his final words meant. She could only remember asking Min Rui to lower her voice so the other customers at the snack shop wouldn’t keep turning their heads to look at them.

“Not really…” she hesitated before denying it. “It’s just telling our respective families…”

“How is it not?” Min Rui urgently helped analyze. “Who randomly meets the parents while casually dating? Jin Yang wants to take me to meet his, but do you see me agreeing?—Senior must be serious. This is an indirect proposal!”

“Jin Yang wants to take you to meet his parents?” Yin Mengxi was surprised to hear this juicy gossip. “Did you two get back together?”

They’d broken up and reunited seven or eight times from freshman year until now… Was he roping her back in again?

“Why are you dragging me into your story,” Min Rui said awkwardly, frowning and pretending to be assertive. “This is definitely a proposal! He wants to settle things with you!”

The emphatic statement was tempting, and Yin Mengxi wanted to believe it was true. But her personality made her lean toward more cautious assumptions to avoid potential heartbreak in the future. She said, “Not necessarily… Maybe he thinks he’ll be away for a year and doesn’t want me to worry too much.”

“Hmm… That’s also possible,” Min Rui rubbed her chin, following Yin Mengxi’s train of thought. “It’s like giving you peace of mind, telling you he has no intention of breaking up.”

After a pause, her excitement returned. “But if it’s really a proposal? What would you say if it were? You’d be over the moon, Yin Xixi—marrying your first love, going from campus to wedding dress—it’s a dream come true!”

Marriage…

A new topic suddenly emerged, one that not only promised new happiness and sweetness but also concealed new crises and challenges—how would she meet his parents? What if they didn’t approve of her family background? Compared to her, there was Tang Fei, the daughter of the university’s vice secretary. Wouldn’t such a gap make anyone uncomfortable?

What kind of people were his parents? Would they secretly slip her a check behind her back, saying something like, “Here’s five million yuan to leave my son alone”? She didn’t want five million yuan; she only wanted Xiao Zhi.

If his elders opposed her, would he stand up for her? Right now, he didn’t even know about her family situation… What if he also…

…She didn’t dare to think further.

What to do?

How could she solve this problem?

Was there any way to quickly make money? Or at least give the impression that she could earn a lot soon—she needed to reach for a star, and even if she didn’t have a plane, she should at least prepare a ladder.

In the summer of her 19th year, Yin Mengxi grew up in an instant. The trigger wasn’t conventional hardship or suffering but rather extreme happiness and sweetness. She began thinking seriously about her life and future like a real adult—what career to pursue, what skills to learn, what goals to achieve by a certain age. One misstep could ruin everything. She needed a clear checklist of life goals, ticking off each item perfectly on time.

—The first step was finding an internship.

She had thought it through. The job couldn’t be random; it had to align with her major. A media system like a TV station was the top choice. The reputation of A University’s School of Journalism was powerful enough to make HR notice her among the sea of applicants. Moreover, she had some interesting work experiences—experience in the university’s Youth League Committee publicity, producing the school anniversary play, and winning first prize in the provincial Challenge Cup entrepreneurship competition…

—Finally, she believed that hard work paid off. Every step she had taken left footprints. All her previous efforts hadn’t been wasted; they were being exchanged for job opportunities right in front of her. If she seized them properly, they could turn into money and tools to improve her family’s situation.

She received many interview invitations. The newspapers and new media companies she interviewed with quickly offered her internships. The message from A City TV Station arrived last but was the one she anticipated most. Coincidentally, that summer they were launching a new variety show, and the production team urgently needed interns, which was why they released additional slots in July. Otherwise, such summer internships usually closed applications months earlier.

That year, the station hadn’t yet moved to its new location, but even the old building seemed dazzling to a college student who had never stepped out of campus. “Enterprise,” “company,” “TV station”—each term carried a sense of novelty, vastly different from school. It was a place where proper working adults belonged!

On the day of her interview, she registered at the security gate and waited for quite a while before HR came down to fetch her. The employee ID badges worn by full-time staff gleamed in her eyes. Only with them could one move freely in a place frequented by celebrities and entrepreneurs. They symbolized success, stability, and glamour—benefits too numerous to count.

She had to get one. During the interview, she gave her all, putting forth 120% effort. There were thirty or forty people waiting outside the conference room, and only two would ultimately be hired. When it was her turn, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. To her surprise, the three interviewers across the table didn’t challenge her much. They nodded frequently while reading her resume, asking about difficulties she faced as an executive producer of the drama and how she resolved them. Then they inquired briefly about her entrepreneurial project before smiling and telling her to wait for their decision.

She didn’t have to wait long. The next day, HR called to inform her to report to the program center on Monday and find a director named Chen Chen, who would be her mentor. Yin Mengxi was ecstatic; she hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. After hanging up, she paced around her now-empty dormitory for ten laps, barely managing to calm herself before calling her parents to tell them she wouldn’t return home this summer. Instead, she would intern in A City and come back during winter break.

“Not returning?” Her parents’ voices sounded distant over the phone, but their concern and longing remained undiminished. “…Not coming back for a whole year? Only returning for the New Year?”

Such a poignant question. Perhaps at a certain age, everyone gradually detaches from their parents. Children who fly far away often silently bid farewell, while their parents silently watch over them.

“This year is special…” Yin Mengxi’s voice softened slightly. Her initial excitement faded, replaced by a bittersweet sense of guilt. “Things will get better later…”

When I secure my job.

When I obtain A City residency.

When I earn a lot of money.

When I buy a spacious and comfortable house.

—At that point, I’ll bring you both here, and we’ll live happily ever after.

…Okay?

Xiao Zhi naturally learned about her internship plans soon after.

They had already agreed to talk daily at three fixed times—7 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 7 p.m. her time. Other times were flexible; they’d contact each other whenever possible. Both were making efforts to combat the small struggles brought by distance and time differences.

“Internship?” His voice came through the receiver. Though unseen, she could imagine him raising an eyebrow in surprise. “So early?”

She was only a sophomore… Internships were usually prepared by juniors and seniors.

“Mm… Well, since I’m free anyway, why not do something productive?” She didn’t tell him the truth, offering instead formal-sounding reasons. “Our field is practical, so getting experience early will help when looking for jobs later.”

He fell silent for a moment, contemplating something. After a few seconds, he asked, “What are your plans after graduating? Start working directly, or pursue graduate studies?”

This question…

She hadn’t decided yet. Her family certainly hoped she’d continue studying, and she had planned to do so. But recently, she wondered if working directly might be more economically advantageous…

“Graduate school…” she lied, her tone hesitant. “Maybe.”

He hummed in response, seemingly relieved. “Pursuing graduate studies is a good choice. Even if you don’t follow an academic path, it gives you three more years to plan your life—you’re still young, so you don’t need to rush decisions.”

“Oh…” she murmured awkwardly, unsure what else to say.

“But trying things out now is also good—it adds more experience for reference.” His tone lightened, remaining as gentle as ever. “Just don’t overwork yourself. TV station jobs tend to be stressful.”

She obediently nodded here, realizing afterward that he couldn’t see her and added a soft “Okay.” Overcoming the challenges of distance wasn’t easy. She realized how much she wished to see him immediately.

“I can’t believe you’ve only been gone for a little over a week…” she complained softly. “It feels like forever…”

Clingy words always pleased him, and his low chuckle on the other end gave her the illusion he was still nearby. A while later, he sent photos—a corner of Princeton’s campus bathed in radiant sunlight, lush green lawns dotted with students of various ethnicities chatting and resting.

“What about you?” she pouted. “Why can’t I see you in the picture?”

“Aren’t you the one who took plenty of pictures?” he sighed, exasperated. “It’s only been a week—what could possibly change…?”

“But I still want to see you,” she coaxed sweetly. “Come on, hurry up.”

He couldn’t resist, sending over a hastily snapped photo without much attention to angles. Still, it looked stunning—better than the unnamed celebrity she’d bumped into at the audition hall.

“I wish it were already next year…” she murmured naively, knowing it was impossible but still wishing fervently. “You’ll be back… and I’ll…”

I’ll have earned money, and then confidently go with you to meet our respective parents.

…Wouldn’t that be wonderful?