Wei Xing hesitated, then finally pressed the answer button.
"Wei Xing!" Mrs. Zhao's furious voice crackled through the line, so sharp it made her flinch. "What happened to you? Why didn't you read it properly? What do we do now?"
Wei Xing's grip tightened on her phone. "I… I'm sorry, ma'am." Her voice was small, cornered. "Then… what should I do?"
"What is there to do?" Mrs. Zhao snapped, her tone dripping with anger. "Whatever it costs—you must keep a close eye on Zhou Yu."
Wei Xing's body went cold. She froze. "…What? Zhou Yu?"
"What? You didn't even know why you went there?" Mrs. Zhao's voice climbed higher.
Wei Xing swallowed, words tumbling out in a rush. "That's not what I meant! Mr. Chen didn't tell me anything about him."
But her explanation fell useless against Mrs. Zhao's relentless scolding.
"Then tell me this—who was the actor you interviewed for?"
Wei Xing faltered. "…I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Another storm of reprimands poured through the phone.
Wei Xing clenched her teeth, forcing herself to endure. Finally, she managed, "The company… they set that rule. Only after you're selected do they disclose the name. I wasn't hiding it."
Mrs. Zhao's voice cooled, but only slightly, sharp as a blade. "Fine. Call me this evening and tell me whether you're selected as Zhou Yu's assistant. If not—you'll go do that cleaning job."
The line went dead.
Wei Xing dropped her phone onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands. "Bad luck all day… just bad luck!"
Ruo Mei, who had been listening quietly, tilted her head. "What do you want to do then?"
Wei Xing sighed heavily. "Just wait, I guess. But of all people… the one I have to investigate is Zhou Yu." A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "How sad is that?"
Ruo Mei blinked. "Haa… really?"
Wei Xing nodded, lips pressed tight in frustration. "I don't know what to do anymore. Maybe… maybe I should just accept the cleaner job. At least then I can avoid him completely."
She slumped back, covering her face. "It's better if I just become the cleaner. At least then I won't embarrass myself in front of him."
Ruo Mei tilted her head, curls bouncing lightly. "Why don't you just pretend like nothing ever happened?"
Wei Xing peeked through her fingers, despair plain on her face. "How can I? He clearly saw how I was… mesmerized by his charms. He'll think I'm only there because of him. What if he asks me? How could I even face him?"
Ruo Mei burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "Hahaha, that's true too!" She leaned back with a grin. "Alright then, let's just wait and see. The results aren't even out yet. No need to die of shame before it happens."
Wei Xing sighed, lowering her hands. "Still… Mrs. Zhao is really hard to deal with."
"The lady you spoke with—has she always been like that?" Ruo Mei asked curiously.
"Yes," Wei Xing admitted, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "She has a kind heart but a cursed mouth. She scolds endlessly, but she isn't really bad. I've gotten used to it."
Ruo Mei hummed. "That's good then."
A pause followed. Wei Xing glanced around the quiet café, then asked softly, "But what about you? Why isn't your café doing well? Is everything okay?"
Ruo Mei's shoulders slumped. "Mm… it's just no customers. Even though we're on the main street, I don't have enough workers. And the place still needs development."
Wei Xing frowned. "Why don't you just go home for now?"
"No." Ruo Mei shook her head quickly. Her eyes lowered, a shadow dimming them. "I don't want to be with my dad. He doesn't believe in me."
Wei Xing's chest tightened. It won't be okay if she keeps carrying this alone… but I shouldn't make her sad now.
So she reached forward, her voice firm but gentle. "Alright. Don't worry—I'll support you. This month, I'll start getting double payments. I'll invest in your café."
Ruo Mei blinked, then laughed in disbelief. "Invest? You're already struggling with your own work!"
But Wei Xing only smiled, shaking her head. "I'm serious." Then her expression darkened again. "But… if I really did get selected in that interview… and if it's really for Zhou Yu…" She trailed off, covering her face. "No… no, I can't even think about it…"
The two fell silent. Outside, the evening light filtered through the café's glass windows, painting shelves of books and flowers in soft gold.
Then—ding!
A new email popped up on Wei Xing's phone. Her heart jumped.
She opened it quickly.
Congratulations! You have been selected as the new assistant for the actor Zhou Yu.
We believe you will fulfill this role with dedication and professionalism. Please remember this position requires maintaining strict boundaries between personal feelings and professional responsibilities. Protecting the actor's image is of utmost importance, and we expect your full cooperation, even during difficult circumstances.
Further details regarding your duties and schedule will be shared in the orientation meeting. We look forward to working with you.
Wei Xing froze.
"Ahhh!" A sharp scream tore from her throat, startling the quiet café.
Ruo Mei nearly dropped the tray in her hands. "What happened?"
Wei Xing slammed her phone on the table, burying her face in her palms. "I shouldn't have said it earlier… now it's come true!"
Ruo Mei's eyes widened. "Wait—really? You mean you're… Zhou Yu's assistant?"
Wei Xing flung her hands up dramatically, almost knocking Ruo Mei over. "What should I do?! How can I face him?!"
Ruo Mei smirked suddenly, an idea lighting her face. "Simple. Change your face."
Wei Xing lowered her hands slowly, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean—you've only met him once. How can you be so sure he'll even remember you? And even if he does, just change your style—your look, your whole vibe. Make it so different he won't recognize you."
Wei Xing's lips curved into a cautious smile. The panic in her eyes softened. "You're right… why didn't I think of that? That's actually… brilliant."
Ruo Mei puffed up proudly. "Of course! While I'm here, you don't need to be scared of little dramatic things like this."
Finally, a soft chuckle escaped Wei Xing. For the first time all day, her shoulders relaxed.