Zhou Xi sat pouting slightly on the chair, flipping through the dry and tedious *The Imperial Heart Studies*. Still, even if the book was boring, just being beside Su Wei made Zhou Xi quietly happy. Working hard together, growing side by side—wasn’t this a kind of happiness too?

Su Wei, too, dove deep into study, absorbing knowledge without pause. She was never one to grow complacent over small wins. Next, she planned to upgrade SkyEye Bug Scanner. Right now, it only detected bugs. Soon, she’d add vulnerability scanning—a feature many small sites desperately needed. Countless tiny websites were riddled with shocking security holes. When hackers tampered with data, most owners could only turn a blind eye, hoping things wouldn’t get too extreme. Su Wei’s tool would save them real money.

Of course, bugs would never vanish. Vulnerabilities would keep multiplying with tech progress. Her software wasn’t magic—but it would help.

Meanwhile, Su Wei’s leave disappointed gossip-hunters. Candid photos of her circulated quietly. Within an afternoon, most of Zhaoge Royal Academy knew: a new female prodigy had emerged—and she belonged to the rising Jiucang Group.

News of Jiucang’s hiring spread fast. Learning its chairwoman was an alumna, many tried pulling strings—not to coast, but to secure an internship. Royal Academy grads rarely lacked offers, but *good* roles were always scarce. Jiucang offered solid pay, fresh momentum, and growth. Land a core role early? Future shares weren’t impossible.

Their logic wasn’t wrong. Jiucang (Great Britain) and future branches aimed for IPO and veteran retention. But Jiucang Group HQ? That was Zhou Xi and Su Wei’s unshakable foundation—never to be shared.

Two days later, interview day arrived. Su Wei waited calmly in the chairman’s office. Downstairs, the four candidates gathered in the lobby. Aside from the Chinese girl, the other three chatted easily on the sofa. All had over a decade in the industry; names or connections were familiar. They laughed warmly, rivalry nowhere in sight.

*Three spots. Four candidates. Besides us three… just that girl in her twenties. Jiucang wouldn’t hire a twenty-something as manager… right?*

Click-clack. High heels echoed. A slender woman with delicate features approached gracefully.

"You four are today’s interviewees?"

"Yes, yes!" All stood.

Qiao Yu smiled. "Hello. I’m Qiao Yu, Head of Human Resources."

"Ah—Manager Qiao, hello."

Surprise flickered in their eyes. *An HR head who looks like a supermodel? Shouldn’t tech execs be bald?* Polite smiles hid their confusion. They followed her into the elevator. She pressed "37." Four jaws dropped.

The Fanchuan Building’s top floor was industry legend. *Their* prospective boss rented it?

"Manager Qiao… is Jiucang really on the top floor?"

"Yes."

"May I ask the rent?"

Qiao Yu paused. "I wasn’t there during negotiations, but I heard… ten thousand Zhou Yuan per year."

"*Ten thousand?!*"

The bald East Asian man muttered, stunned: "Subletting could net millions yearly!"

Qiao Yu’s faint smile held quiet contempt. *If Chairwoman did that, Jiucang’s reputation would rot before it bloomed.*

The elevator doors opened. Eyes wide, they gaped around—this was the mythical 37th floor! Sealed off before Su Wei leased it. Even if rejected today, this visit was worth it.

Down the long corridor to the "Chairman’s Office," nerves tingled. Qiao Yu pushed the door. A suite. The outer area—normally the secretary’s post—was manned by Zhou Xi’s maid.

Seeing Qiao Yu, the maid sprang up.

"Is the chairwoman busy?"

"I’ll check!" She knocked. "Chairwoman, the four interviewees are here."

"Send them in one by one."

"Yes!" She turned. "Chairwoman says enter singly."

Zero secretarial training—just repeating orders. Qiao Yu sighed inwardly, then flashed a polished smile. "Ladies first? Shall this young woman go first?"

"Sure." No objections. Going first wasn’t necessarily safe.

"You three wait. Xiao Chen—tea, please."

"Yes! Mis—*cough*—Manager!"

Xiao Chen nearly said "Head Maid." Qiao Yu’s sharp glare made her swallow the words. *Or face "house punishment": tied to a chair, tickled on the soles.*

The young woman smiled faintly, nodded, and entered.

A vast desk. Two folders. Tiny ornaments. Dual monitors. In the executive chair sat a woman of ethereal grace. The academic prodigy froze—*Did I teleport to another world?*

"Hello?" Su Wei’s gaze held slight puzzlement. *I was curious after her resume… but this?*

"Y-You… hello…" Flustered, she stammered: "I’m Li Keqin. 23. Graduated from Zhaoge Royal Academy."

Su Wei’s expression cooled. She tossed the resume onto the desk, leaned back, and cut her off.

"Do you believe someone in *this* state is fit to be our manager? Or do you think applying here is… effortless?"