Chapter 2: Entering the Wrong Restroom

Lily of the Valley dampened a tissue, wiping at her clothes, but no matter how she tried, the stains wouldn't come off. Dirty water had smeared her hand, and her brow knit in frustration. Even worse, in her current state, she couldn't possibly attend the interview.

—This was the perfect opportunity to join their upper management; she couldn't let it slip by!

That voice echoed relentlessly in her mind.

She was at a loss, when suddenly footsteps sounded behind her. Lily looked up, startled to see a man's reflection appear in the mirror. "Ah!" she cried out in surprise, immediately turning away and hastily slipping on her clothes.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is the men's restroom," the man said casually, pulling some tissues as if nothing were amiss.

Lily froze, and in her distress, spun around in confusion. He handed her a tissue at just the right moment, and with a glance, indicated the stain she had missed. In her rush to change, dirty water had splashed onto her collarbone, tracing a slender arc that disappeared into her cleavage.

By the time Lily realized, her cheeks were already burning with embarrassment. Never before had she encountered such an awkward situation; she could only blame herself for her own clumsiness. Grabbing her résumé, she didn't even take the tissue, but hurriedly turned and fled.

"There were five candidates scheduled for the morning; the last one failed to arrive on time. Director Tang, shall we continue with the interviews?"

Lily had barely stepped out when she heard the woman's voice. The final candidate referred to was likely herself. Unluckily, her suit had been ruined, and by a twist of fate, she’d missed her slot. Lily turned back, intending to explain, and as her gaze met the man's from across the room, recognition dawned—was it him? The Director Tang the woman spoke of, Tang Pei, Chief Financial Officer of the "Sky City" Group?

Stunned, Lily bit her lip awkwardly, bracing herself as she walked back to them. She stopped before him, but before she could speak, Tang Pei addressed her, "Miss Lily of the Valley—"

She paused in surprise—how did he know her name? Then it struck her; he'd glanced at her résumé in the restroom, and as it happened, he was the chief interviewer. "I'm sorry, Director Tang," Lily murmured, "for meeting you under such circumstances. It was... just a small mishap, so I missed my interview time. I beg you to give me another chance!"

A faint blush lingered on her slender cheeks, along with a light smudge of dirt.

"Get Miss Lily a clean set of clothes," Tang Pei ordered.

Lily looked over, speechless.

"You won’t pass my round dressed like this," Tang Pei said with a subtle smile. "Or would you prefer... for the interview to end here?"

As he walked away, Lily withdrew her gaze. The woman handed her a brand-new set of work attire. "Change into these."

She accepted them, surprised that Tang Pei not only gave her another chance, but also helped her out of her predicament. The earlier mishap was finally resolved—the interview was still on.

The conference room was spacious. In front of the walnut-colored table sat three solemn figures in a row.

Tang Pei sat in the middle. When he looked up again, he saw the woman now impeccably dressed, her chic, mid-length hair softly curled at the ends, her eyes clear and bright as lacquer under gently arched brows. Without any makeup, she outshone those who wore it heavily.

Her narrow pencil skirt accentuated her curves; the black fabric didn’t look dull on her, but rather subdued her innate purity, lending her a quiet composure.

At last, her résumé was placed before him. Lily of the Valley, graduate of South River’s most prestigious university, majoring in Financial Management. Tang Pei questioned her about her field, and she answered methodically and confidently, showing deep understanding of "Sky City’s" current situation. There was no denying she had done her homework thoroughly.