MC - Chapter 7

That morning, after completing the onboarding procedures, Sun Lu took Zhang Rufan on a tour around various departments of the company, then showed her around the shopping mall and introduced her to some store managers.

OW is a local enterprise in Shangjing. While its national recognition may not match some chain malls, its quality service has made it quite famous locally. Moreover, OW has grown rapidly in recent years, with its second phase already under construction and expected to open next year.

The OW mall, including its surrounding plaza, covers nearly 20,000 square meters. The mall has four floors: the basement level houses a large supermarket, while the four above-ground floors are divided for retail. The first floor features spacious stores, mostly brand experience shops for cars, electronics, etc., with a central atrium area displaying glass counters selling gold and silver jewelry. The second floor is mainly clothing stores, the third floor is for dining, and the fourth floor has a cinema and an arcade.

While accompanying Sun Lu on the store rounds, Zhang Rufan happened to meet two colleagues from the operations department who were accompanying two influencer hosts livestreaming their store visit at a clothing shop on the second floor. This was the era of livestreaming, where high-traffic influencers held significant sway and often drove consumption—something Zhang Rufan had also planned during her time at Qingcheng Mall.

Sun Lu introduced Zhang Rufan to the two colleagues, and after exchanging polite greetings, Zhang Rufan stood aside to watch the hosts try on clothes. The two hosts were professional and diligent, showcasing each outfit from multiple angles on camera and providing detailed explanations.

Having worked as a host at her previous company, Zhang Rufan knew how difficult it was to remain composed on camera, let alone think on one's feet.

The management at Qingcheng Mall had always wanted to cultivate their own in-house influencer. When Zhang Rufan was first hired, they took notice of her looks and considered training her as a host, so they had her do a trial livestream. While the first few days drew some viewers curious to see the "beauty," in the following days, aside from staff, only one consistent viewer would regularly tune in to watch her broadcasts.

Her colleagues joked that the viewer might be an admirer, but after watching her livestream replays—where her performance could only generously be described as "terrible"—Zhang Rufan suspected the viewer was more likely there to watch her embarrass herself.

After a week of trial broadcasts, the management realized Zhang Rufan was awkward in speech, couldn't perform, and struggled with interaction, making her unsuitable for on-camera work. They abandoned the idea of training her as a host and let her focus on being a planner.

The marketing department had a tradition of welcoming new hires with a meal. At noon, Sun Lu gathered the team at a mall restaurant to hold a simple welcome for Zhang Rufan. Though Zhang Rufan instinctively resisted being the center of attention, she didn’t want to reject her colleagues' kindness and went along with the meal.

As the newcomer, Zhang Rufan was the subject of her colleagues' curiosity, and conversation revolved around her. She struggled to keep up, often leaving awkward silences, but fortunately, Yuan Shuang helped ease the tension, making the meal relatively pleasant.

On her first day, Sun Lu only asked Zhang Rufan to familiarize herself with the environment and workflow without assigning specific tasks. Not wanting to idle while everyone else was busy, Zhang Rufan asked Yuan Shuang for past marketing proposals to review.

As a local Shangjing mall, OW was known for its service and hosted many monthly events. Zhang Rufan had previously planned events targeting young audiences at Qingcheng Mall, but she noticed OW catered to all ages. Recent events ranged from down-to-earth community activities to niche subculture themes, covering a wide stylistic spectrum.

Beyond major holidays, OW organized a large monthly themed event. October had National Day, which kept the marketing department busy beforehand. Once the holiday passed, their focus shifted to planning November's theme event and the mall’s regular promotional activities.

Before the end of the workday, Liu Pinyuan held a meeting, which Zhang Rufan attended, to decide on next month's event theme. Several planners pitched ideas, but Liu Pinyuan wasn’t satisfied. After fruitless discussions, she dismissed the meeting and asked everyone to brainstorm new proposals.

Now that Zhang Rufan had joined, the task naturally fell to her as well.

"Having to come up with a proposal right after joining—are you feeling pressured?" Yuan Shuang asked Zhang Rufan after leaving the meeting room.

"It’s alright," Zhang Rufan replied.

"I’m under so much pressure," Yuan Shuang sighed. "Sister Lu has been mentoring me for six months, and I still struggle to write proposals."

Zhang Rufan wasn’t sure how to comfort her, but fortunately, Yuan Shuang quickly cheered up. Smiling, she asked, "After work, want me to show you around near the mall? This is when all the handsome guys get off work."

"No," Zhang Rufan refused outright, then paused for a few seconds before explaining, "I just moved and need to buy some things after work."

"Oh, you’re not living at home? You rented a place?"

Zhang Rufan nodded.
"Where?"
"Jinghua Garden."
"That’s a bit far from our company. Can you manage shopping alone? Need help?"
"No need, thank you. I can manage."
Hearing this, Yuan Shuang replied breezily, "Then see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."

After work, Zhang Rufan went to the underground supermarket. She had bought daily necessities the day before, and today she planned to pick up more household items and some groceries.

Zhang Rufan didn’t linger aimlessly—she was highly purposeful. At the supermarket, she followed her pre-made list, quickly located the right shelves, decisively picked items, and in under half an hour, had everything she needed.

Back at her rented apartment, she put everything away. Seeing it wasn’t too late, she decided to shower before making herself something to eat.

After her shower, the bathroom was steamy. Zhang Rufan dressed, wrapped her wet hair in a towel, tossed her dirty clothes into the hamper, and headed to the kitchen to cook noodles.

Just as she reached the kitchen, the doorbell rang. Frowning warily, she called out, "Who is it?"
"Your downstairs neighbor."

The voice sounded familiar. Zhang Rufan went to the door, peered through the peephole, and sure enough, it was Shen Mingjin.

Startled, she glanced down at herself and hurriedly said, "Wait a moment."

With that, she turned back into the room, threw on a random jacket, and since her hair couldn’t be dried quickly, she removed the towel, dabbed at it, and finger-combed it into smooth strands.

Once presentable, she returned to the door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

Shen Mingjin frowned slightly upon seeing Zhang Rufan.

The voice had sounded familiar earlier, but he hadn’t expected such a coincidence—Zhang Rufan lived right above him.

His gaze landed on her damp hair, flickered briefly, then he averted his eyes and said somewhat awkwardly, "Your bathroom seems to be leaking."

Zhang Rufan was puzzled. "Hmm?"
"It’s dripping downstairs."

Before she could fully process the fact that Shen Mingjin lived below her, she grasped the reason for his visit and asked urgently, "Is it bad?"
"My bathroom ceiling is seeping a bit."

It sounded serious. Zhang Rufan apologized sincerely, "I just moved in and didn’t know about this issue."

After a pause, she added, "I’ll get someone to check it right away."

"It’s too late today." Shen Mingjin checked his watch, then looked at Zhang Rufan hesitantly. "...Would it be okay if I came in to check?"

Feeling at fault, Zhang Rufan set aside propriety and stepped aside.

Shen Mingjin entered and glanced around. The layout matched his apartment: one bedroom, one living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Her place was tidy, the modest space feeling sparse—likely because she’d just moved in and hadn’t settled yet.

Without lingering, Shen Mingjin headed straight to the bathroom. Zhang Rufan followed, watching as he inspected the tiles and drain.

"The drain isn’t clogged; the water flows fine. It might be the waterproof layer or a broken pipe." Shen Mingjin turned and only then noticed how close Zhang Rufan was.

He took a step back, cleared his throat, and said, "If it’s really the waterproofing or pipes, you’ll need a professional to look."

Zhang Rufan’s brow furrowed slightly. Her first thought wasn’t about her own bad luck in encountering this issue right after moving in, but that she’d inconvenienced Shen Mingjin.

"I’m sorry. I’ll get the leak fixed as soon as possible."
"It’s fine, not your fault." After a pause, he added pointedly, "Since you just moved in, remember to contact the landlord for housing issues. They should handle it."
Zhang Rufan nodded. "Okay."

For a moment, neither spoke.

The bathroom was cramped, feeling even more so with two adults inside. Zhang Rufan had just showered, and the lingering steam carried a faint fragrance.

Shen Mingjin averted his gaze first, but it inadvertently landed on the laundry basket in the corner, where her discarded clothes lay—the top item a white bra.

His eyes burned, and he quickly looked up, forced to meet Zhang Rufan’s face again. Coughing, he said, "It’s late today. Have the landlord send someone tomorrow."
"Okay."

Shen Mingjin had come upstairs solely about the leak. He hadn’t expected Zhang Rufan to live above him, but it didn’t matter—they weren’t close, and with the matter settled, he had no reason to stay.

Zhang Rufan said nothing more, and Shen Mingjin took her silence as dismissal. With a final glance, he stepped past her to leave.

"I’ll go now."

He spoke hastily, with a faint note of fleeing, though Zhang Rufan didn’t catch it, assuming only that he had nothing more to say and was eager to leave.

"Shen Mingjin." Zhang Rufan followed him out of the bathroom.

"Hmm?" Shen Mingjin stopped and turned.

She’d called out to him but didn’t know what to say next.

Shen Mingjin had been polite since knocking. Zhang Rufan wasn’t upset by his aloofness—given the harsh words she’d once said to him, his restraint alone showed remarkable grace. She only felt slightly troubled.

She had recalled the full context of his confession—she’d misunderstood him entirely—and was hesitating whether to explain.

Words spoken couldn’t be taken back. Regardless of her reasons for rejecting him, the hurt was done. Now, any apology or explanation would seem trivial, even self-serving. And given his cold demeanor, he likely didn’t want to revisit the past.

"...Sorry for the trouble." After a silence, that was all she managed.

Shen Mingjin looked at her, nodded, and said, "I’m leaving."

Their brief exchange was strictly businesslike, devoid of familiarity. Despite once being classmates, they were now more distant than strangers.

After Shen Mingjin left, Zhang Rufan called the landlord about the leak. The landlord repeatedly apologized, explaining the apartment had been vacant for a while, so she hadn’t known about the issue, and promised to send someone the next day to inspect and fix it.

It wasn’t the landlord’s fault, so Zhang Rufan didn’t press further. After settling the matter politely, she hung up, returned to the bathroom, and used a dry mop to soak up the water, hoping to minimize the seepage downstairs.

Only now did she have time to process the fact that Shen Mingjin lived below her.

What a coincidence—but probably not one he wanted.

Recalling Shen Mingjin’s distant politeness, she guessed he likely wanted no further ties with her—not after the humiliation she’d once caused him.

She’d spent much of last night reflecting on Shen Mingjin having liked her in high school and still hadn’t fully accepted it. No matter how she racked her brain, she couldn’t figure out what about her high school self could have drawn his interest.

When she’d called out to him earlier, besides wanting to apologize, she’d also meant to ask why he’d liked her back then. But facing his eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to voice the question.

The day of the rally, she’d sternly rejected him. Now, asking why he’d liked her would seem malicious—like taunting or mocking him—and would be shamelessly presumptuous.

Zhang Rufan sighed softly, mildly vexed.

Now she knew why he no longer liked her, but she still didn’t know why he ever had.

After dinner, Zhang Rufan video-called her grandmother, updating her about the move and new job. The elderly woman reminded her to stay safe living alone, not to overwork, and asked after her father’s health.

Zhang Rufan only knew about her father Zhang Shengyi’s condition through her aunt Zhang Shengpin—he himself remained tight-lipped or downplayed it—so she wasn’t entirely clear on his actual health.

"He had surgery and is now recuperating at home," she could only reply based on what she knew.

"With heart issues, he should rest more normally," her grandmother said. "Your father’s the type who can’t sit still—you should urge him to slow down. When you’re free, go visit him."

"I will."

"Oh, your aunt also reminded me to tell you: don’t regress just because you’re back in Shangjing. She insists you mustn’t get tanned and should buy yourself new clothes, or she’ll fly over and drag you back to Qingcheng."

Zhang Rufan laughed—only with her grandmother did she smile so brightly. "She’s ‘supervising’ me from so far away? With all those models under her, isn’t she busy enough?"

Her grandmother chuckled. "She said guiding models is her job, but guiding you is her duty—non-negotiable."

Grandmother and granddaughter smiled at each other through the screen. Finally, the elderly woman added, "I know you don’t like socializing, but staying alone too much can make you ill. In Qingcheng, at least I could keep you company. Now that you’re on your own, don’t shut yourself in. When you have time, go out more, make some friends."

Listening to her grandmother’s advice, Zhang Rufan recalled her time in Qingcheng. Every weekend, the old woman would shoo her out, urging her to visit places with young people to absorb some vitality and not be so gloomy.

"Xiao Fan."

Zhang Rufan snapped back. "Hmm?"

"You’re still young—no rush to marry, but dating is fine," her grandmother said gently, with a hint of amusement. "Good relationships bring joy."

"What if it’s a bad relationship?"

"Life’s too dull if you avoid all risks just to prevent bad outcomes. You’re young—what does it matter if you hit a few bumps? Learn to open your heart, to meet people, to love."

Hearing this, Zhang Rufan suddenly thought of Shen Mingjin, her heart skipping.

"Grandma, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

After a pause, she asked, "If you once said something hurtful to someone and later realized it was a misunderstanding, what would you do?"

"Apologize," her grandmother answered without hesitation, then asked curiously, "Is this a difficult question?"

"He said no apology is needed."

"Who?"

Zhang Rufan realized she’d slipped up and inwardly chided herself. After hesitating, she admitted softly, "A high school classmate."

"Since there’s a misunderstanding, have you explained to him?"

"Not yet," Zhang Rufan said. "I’m afraid he’ll think I’m making excuses."

"If you’re wrong, apologize. If there’s a misunderstanding, clarify it. Don’t avoid it."

Zhang Rufan froze.

"Are you scared?" Her grandmother adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, her wise eyes seeing into Zhang Rufan’s heart. Smiling, she said, "Seems you care about that classmate."

"I don’t," Zhang Rufan reflexively denied.

"Oh?"

Zhang Rufan fell silent. She asked herself: If she didn’t care about Shen Mingjin, why not just clarify? Why this anguish?

1. 上京 (Shàngjīng) – The city where the story takes place (fictional).

2. 清城 (Qīngchéng) – The city where Zhang Rufan previously worked before returning to Shangjing.

3. OW  – The company where Zhang Rufan starts working, a well-known mall in Shangjing.

4. 企划部 (Qǐhuà bù) - Marketing/Planning Department, responsible for event coordination and promotional strategies

5. 主播 (zhǔbō) - Livestream Host, e-commerce influencers who demonstrate products in real-time broadcasts

6. 探店 (tàn diàn) - Store Exploration Livestream, a marketing format where hosts visit and review retail establishments

7. 京桦花园 (Jīnghuá Huāyuán) - Jinghua Garden Residences 

8. 地漏 (dìlòu) - Floor Drain, plumbing fixture relevant to the bathroom leakage issue

9. 防水层 (fángshuǐ céng) - Waterproof Membrane (critical construction layer for moisture prevention)

10. 房东 (fángdōng) - Property Owner/Landlord 

11. 网红 (wǎnghóng) - Internet Celebrity/social media influencers

12. 直播 (zhíbō) - Live Streaming

13. 策划案 (cèhuà àn) - Marketing Proposal (formal event planning documents)

Characters

章入凡 (Zhāng Rùfán) – The protagonist.

沈明津 (Shěn Míngjīn) – A former classmate who wrote Zhang Rufan a love letter in high school, in her copy of Anne of Green Gables.

章胜义 (Zhāng Shèngyì) – Zhang Rufan’s father. 

李惠淑 (Lǐ Huìshū) – Zhang Rufan’s stepmother ("惠姨 Huìyí").

章梓橦 (Zhāng Zǐtóng) – Rufan’s much younger half-sister (~18 years age gap). 

章胜嫔 (Zhāng Shèngpín) – Rufan’s aunt (father’s sister). 

程怡 (Chéng Yí) – Rufan’s close friend from middle school. 

谢易韦 (Xiè Yìwéi) – High school class monitor who is getting married, prompting the reunion.

杜升 (Dù Shēng) – Someone Zhang Rufan didn't want to add as a friend on WeChat at first.

刘品媛 (Liú Pǐnyuán) – The planning department manager at OW.

孙璐 (Sūn Lù) – Zhang Rufan’s direct supervisor at OW, who goes by "Sister Lu" (璐姐, Lù Jiě).

袁霜 (Yuán Shuāng) – A friendly coworker in the planning department.

Sevyn here ~~~

As mentioned before, I will be away, so releases were uploaded ahead of time. Here is the 2nd chapter for the week. Regular updates will resume 7/7.