TES - 3

Shang Zhitao sat among more than twenty other campus recruits, facing a thick stack of contracts. While everyone else carefully read through the documents, she flipped directly to the last page and signed without hesitation. Her swift action seemed almost thoughtless.

What was there to read? She was just grateful to have been given this opportunity by L&M, a world-class advertising company. That alone was already incredibly cool!

Liang Xin noticed her putting down the pen immediately after signing and thought to herself how loyal this girl seemed to be toward the company. But she remained composed, quietly typing on her laptop as an assistant patiently answered others’ questions about the contract. After an hour, everything was finally settled.

L&M implemented a rotational internship system for new graduates, with each position lasting three months. If a candidate confirmed their preference for a specific department during a rotation, they could end the process early. Shang Zhitao’s first stop was the marketing department.

The person from the marketing department who came to pick her up was a woman named Lu Mi—tall, slender, and strikingly alluring. Following behind her, Shang Zhitao caught a whiff of her perfume.

“Where do you live?” Lu Mi asked casually, glancing at Shang Zhitao’s legs, which were so pale they almost glowed. “Is anyone really that white?”

“In the northern fifth ring road.”

“Wow, that’s quite far.”

The marketing department was located on the fifteenth floor, near the planning department. Lu Mi led Shang Zhitao to Zhang Ling’s office to check in. As the door opened, Shang Zhitao immediately recognized the stylish man she had seen earlier that morning sitting on the couch. He glanced up briefly, then lowered his gaze again.

“Alex, Shang Zhitao is here,” Lu Mi announced.

Zhang Ling stood up from his desk to greet her, extending his hand warmly. “Welcome, Shang Zhitao!” His enthusiasm made her slightly flustered. Lu Mi chuckled beside them. “It’s your first day; you’re probably not used to it yet. Our boss Alex is just like this—super welcoming.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“No need for formalities. We call each other by our English names here.” Zhang Ling gestured toward Luan Nian. “This is Luke, head of the planning department.”

“Hello, Luke,” Shang Zhitao said with a smile, turning toward him.

Luan Nian raised his eyes once more to look at Shang Zhitao, asking Zhang Ling indifferently, “Is this the one Tracy gave the green light to?”

Zhang Ling nodded but didn’t explain further to Shang Zhitao. Instead, he pointed to Lu Mi. “This is your mentor. She’ll assign your tasks. If you encounter any issues, feel free to approach her or me. Today at lunch, we’re having a welcome gathering for new employees—you’ll get to meet your colleagues.”

“Thank you, Alex.”

Luan Nian closed his laptop and rose from the sofa, addressing Zhang Ling. “That works. Let me know when it’s time to check the venue.”

He walked around the sofa, and Shang Zhitao instinctively stepped back to make way for him. She couldn’t quite explain why, but she felt intimidated by him. As Luan Nian passed by, his shadow briefly fell over her before vanishing.

Lu Mi noticed Shang Zhitao’s tension and whispered reassuringly, “Don’t worry—it’s not just you. I’ve been here for two years, and I’m still scared of him. Come on, let’s start your first day at work!”

________________________________________

Following Lu Mi, Shang Zhitao toured the company, finding it vastly different from what she had imagined. The entire office environment exuded artistic flair. There was a reading room, capsule rest areas, a gym, a coffee station with freshly ground beans, and even an employee cafeteria.

“L&M has a very open corporate culture,” Lu Mi explained. “Flexible working hours—as long as you complete your tasks, no one cares if you stay home lounging around.” She paused, coughing lightly. “That’s the official line, anyway. In reality, we’re all stuck pulling late nights. Leaving at seven or eight in the evening counts as early.”

Hearing this, Shang Zhitao burst out laughing. Her laughter was soft and endearing, like a kitten’s purr. Lu Mi clicked her tongue. “I hope you’ll still be able to laugh like that in a couple of days.”

After finishing the tour, they headed back to the workspace. Lu Mi pointed to a row of glass-walled offices. “Those belong to the big shots. The one at the end—you’d better steer clear of it. That’s Luke’s office. Creative people tend to have quirky tempers.”

“Creative people?” Shang Zhitao finally chimed in.

“Come on, we’re a top-tier global ad agency! Of course, we need creative minds. All those viral campaigns you’ve seen in recent years—they’re all his team’s work.”

“Oh.”

Shang Zhitao followed Lu Mi to her workstation, which was spacious. Her neighboring colleagues weren’t present because they were busy preparing for an upcoming product launch. Her desktop computer and laptop for mobile use had already been delivered. While IT set up her devices, she discreetly observed the office area. Her gaze swept past Luan Nian’s office, where she saw him standing by the window on a phone call. Even his silhouette looked commanding—his polo shirt fitting perfectly against his broad shoulders. Even from behind, he exuded undeniable style.

His profile was far gentler than his face-on demeanor.

As if sensing someone watching him, Luan Nian suddenly turned around. Through the transparent glass, he caught Shang Zhitao’s gaze before she could avert her eyes.

Her face flushed red instantly, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

She quickly lowered her head, pretending she hadn’t been staring. In a low voice, she asked the IT staff, “Excuse me, is my computer ready?”

“It’s ready. Give it a try.”

Flustered, Shang Zhitao hurriedly sat down, tucking herself into her cubicle. She hadn’t meant to stare—it was her first day, and she was curious about everything. She had only lingered on his silhouette for a few seconds. Unsure whether her action was impolite, she slouched lower in her seat, logging into the system to fill out her onboarding information, review cybersecurity guidelines, and complete two mandatory online training sessions.

Luan Nian was accustomed to being stared at and didn’t find Shang Zhitao’s glance particularly strange. However, her subsequent nervousness suggested something else entirely—he suspected she might have been ogling him.

“What?” the person on the other end of the call asked.

“Nothing.” Luan Nian replied curtly, then inquired, “Where’s the welcome dinner scheduled? Send me the address.”

“Got it.”

Though Luan Nian rarely attended departmental gatherings, newcomers’ welcome events were mandatory under company policy. Tracy insisted that managers respect corporate culture.

After finishing his tasks, Luan Nian grabbed his car keys and left the office, running into the campus recruit trailing behind Lu Mi.

“Good afternoon, Luke.”

“Hello.” Luan Nian nodded, briefly glancing at Shang Zhitao following Lu Mi.

Remembering her earlier embarrassment, Shang Zhitao blushed again.

Young campus recruits who blush easily… Luan Nian felt a flicker of disappointment toward the company. Was it coming to the point where they’d have to recruit en masse from labor markets? Still, he dismissed the thought and joined them in walking to the elevator.

Inside the spacious mirrored elevator, their reflections were clearly visible. Eager to showcase her mentoring prowess, Lu Mi broke the awkward silence. “Where are you headed?”

“I’m going to Qingyan.”

“What a coincidence—we’re heading there too!” Lu Mi smiled at Luan Nian through the reflective surface. Annoyed by such trivial small talk, Luan Nian ignored her, shattering her attempt at camaraderie. Lu Mi shot him a glare under her breath.

Once outside, they parted ways to retrieve their cars. Sitting in the driver’s seat, Lu Mi remarked to Shang Zhitao, “That’s just how he is. Everyone’s scared of him.”

“I can tell.” Shang Zhitao showed her palms, damp with nervous sweat. “It reminds me—I’ve interacted with him before. He was my third-round interviewer, but he didn’t say a single word.”

“Wow, so what did he interview?”

Shang Zhitao shook her head. “I have no idea.” They laughed together, watching a speeding car zoom past, its occupants barely visible. Lu Mi shrugged. “Even though the guy’s practically expressionless, he’s undeniably impressive.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Shang Zhitao erupted into uncontrollable laughter.