Wang Qiqi hurried to the professor's office door, just raising her hand to knock when the door opened from the inside. She immediately retracted her gesture, thinking how lucky she was. Looking up, she saw a refined young man with glasses, appearing to be around twenty years old.

Wang Qiqi searched her memory; he was definitely not a classmate. She steadied herself, "Excuse me, is Professor Steven here?" It seemed she was still five minutes early for their appointment, which meant she was ahead of schedule, though she wasn't sure if the professor had arrived yet.

Upon hearing Wang Qiqi's question, the person looked up and scrutinized her. Wang Qiqi found it rather strange; she was sure she didn't know him, and her attire wasn't overly casual. Why was he staring at her like that?

The other person studied Wang Qiqi for a long moment. Just as she was about to lose her temper, he extended a hand to introduce himself, "You must be Angel? I'm Mark."

He actually knew her. "Hello, Mark. I am Angel. Is Professor Steven in?" Although Wang Qiqi felt it was odd, she continued her inquiry. She wondered what this guy was playing at; he'd only introduced himself and hadn't confirmed the professor's presence.

"The professor is not here," Mark said, turning to close the door and gesturing for Wang Qiqi to follow him.

Wang Qiqi found this very peculiar. If the professor wasn't here, she could wait; why was he signaling her to leave?

"The professor asked me to wait for you. I actually thought you wouldn't show up because you were late," Mark explained. "I'll take you to see the professor."

Wang Qiqi was confused. Wasn't the appointment set for eight o'clock? She had arrived five minutes early. How could that be considered late? Yet, she didn't ask, thinking that if five minutes early counted as late, she would make sure to arrive fifteen minutes early from now on.

"The professor means eight o'clock is when work officially commences. You wouldn't know, being new, but you need to be present half an hour early from now on," Mark said. Though walking ahead of Wang Qiqi, he sensed her confusion. "You can do some preparatory work, update everyone on progress, and perhaps hold brief discussions. Even as an assistant, the burden isn't light." Mark still couldn't fathom why the professor had chosen this delicate-looking Oriental woman. He wondered if she could last, given that the previous few assistants had all fled. He hoped this one would stick around longer; life without an assistant was difficult.

Half an hour early—Wang Qiqi was startled by that requirement. That seemed excessively early, but it wasn't for her to argue. "I understand. I won't be late next time." Wang Qiqi knew he must have waited for her quite a while, so she needed to apologize. Qiqi realized that if she had bothered to inquire about Professor Steven's habits beforehand, she wouldn't have made this mistake. "I apologize for making you wait."

"It's fine." Mark couldn't very well say, 'You kept me waiting a long time; why didn't you check the schedule first?' However, he acknowledged that Wang Qiqi was a new international student in the UK and that not knowing the professor's rule was understandable. Furthermore, the professor hadn't mentioned the half-hour requirement yesterday, presumably assuming Angel would know the protocol. But Mark’s assumption had proven correct, and he admitted the girl wasn't bad, having at least arrived slightly early.

Wang Qiqi followed Mark downstairs. "Did you drive?"

Wang Qiqi hadn't intended to drive, but seeing the time, she decided to, and now she was grateful for the car. "I have my car." She hoped the destination wouldn't be too remote and would be easy to find.

Mark had only asked casually, not expecting the young woman to own a car. She was from China, wasn't she? Had the economy there become that robust? "Then follow me by car."

Wang Qiqi carefully followed Mark’s car, being diligent not because she was unskilled at driving, but because she needed to memorize the route. Mark would guide her this time, but not in the future. Thankfully, the location wasn't far from the school; it only took ten minutes by car.

Wang Qiqi had expected to be taken to an office building, but instead, they arrived at what looked like a private residence, which made her hesitate. She felt an urge to slap herself; this place clearly looked inhabited. She regretted not asking more questions—what if she encountered a dangerous person?

Mark parked the car without paying attention to Qiqi's internal turmoil. He walked to the door and knocked briskly. Soon, several people emerged. Wang Qiqi spotted her own Professor Steven among them, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief. At least she hadn't gone to the wrong place.

"Hello, Professor," Wang Qiqi quickly got out of the car and greeted him.

Steven glanced at Wang Qiqi and turned back inside. "Hurry up and come in; I’ve been waiting for you both." Honestly, everyone was so slow; didn't they realize time was money?

Mark offered no explanation. Having followed the professor for over a year, he knew the professor valued results over process. Wang Qiqi knew the lateness was her fault, and Mark was blameless, which made her feel deeply apologetic. She decided she should bake some nice pastries for Mark later; people in this line of work got too busy to cook, so providing food and drink was necessary.

Wang Qiqi tailed Mark inside and noticed a very large table in the hall that resembled a conference table—she said 'resembled' because she saw pizza boxes on it, making it feel more like a dining table.

When Wang Qiqi snapped back to reality, she found herself alone in the room. Mark and the professor had vanished, leaving her bewildered about what to do next. Wang Qiqi silently lamented that as a newcomer, no one was guiding her. There were numerous rooms upstairs and downstairs, but she didn't know where she was allowed to go. What if she overheard something she shouldn't? Worse, standing around like an idiot all day wouldn't look good.

Just as Wang Qiqi was feeling lost, a door on the ground floor opened, and a pregnant woman walked out, carrying a stack of documents. "Hello, you must be Angel? I'm May."

"Hello," Wang Qiqi said, finally relieved to see someone address her. Frankly, she had noticed people moving around upstairs but hadn't dared to speak, as everyone seemed rushed. "I'm the new one today." As soon as the words left her mouth, Wang Qiqi realized she'd said too much; since they knew her name, they should know why she was there.

May looked at the inexperienced Wang Qiqi and saw a reflection of her past self. "Hello. Just shadow me for the next few days to learn." Although this person looked like a university student, May wasn't sure if she could handle the pressure, but she had no choice; she couldn't wait much longer for someone new.

Learning from her—Wang Qiqi began to understand. Perhaps she was being brought in to replace this pregnant woman. But Wang Qiqi was curious why they only hired someone now when the woman was clearly close to giving birth. She wondered if the professor was too engrossed in official business to hire earlier. Thank goodness the pregnant woman hadn't gone into premature labor; that would have been a disaster, leaving them without any support staff when the time came.

"You'll be responsible for roughly this much," May said, walking around and outlining the tasks Qiqi would inherit. Honestly, she wouldn't learn much from these duties; they were mostly tedious errands—things like cleaning, ordering meals, and photocopying documents. Anything outside the core work was hers. However, May omitted one crucial detail: succeeding in this role offered a high probability of promotion. The problem was that the previous assistants hadn't stayed long enough to reach that point and had resigned. May didn't feel regret; most careers started at the bottom. Unless you had powerful connections or exceptional talent, you started as an assistant. Besides, without knowing Qiqi's character, they wouldn't assign significant responsibilities immediately. "Do you have any other questions?" Although May didn't know if Wang Qiqi would stay, she hoped she would. It wasn't about competence; May was due in two weeks and desperately needed coverage.

After May showed her around, Wang Qiqi’s first reaction was: assistant? Isn't that just a glorified errand runner? Cleaning, ordering food, running copies—anything not directly related to the real work. Wang Qiqi was reluctant; she wasn't penniless. Why do work that felt like servitude? But the words stuck in her throat. She had a feeling this assistant job wouldn't be permanent. Even if she wasn't privy to vital information now, overhearing something important could be lucrative.

After thinking it over, Wang Qiqi finally asked, "Do I have to stay here the whole time, or..." She needed to clarify working hours. She certainly wouldn't stay twenty-four hours a day; she'd refuse outright if that were the case.

"Working hours are flexible. Generally, if we need you here, we'll call or email," May said, then remembered something. "If you're going to be based here, I strongly suggest you buy a mobile phone. And you have a car, right? Because there might be times we need you to come in late at night."

"I have a phone," Wang Qiqi replied. The prospect of nighttime calls made her slightly nervous, but she decided to give it a try. She had to see if she could manage it. Besides, lingering around the professor constantly would leave a good impression. If she accepted the job and then simply disappeared when a call came, what would the professor think? After some consideration, Wang Qiqi agreed.

May noted down Wang Qiqi’s mobile number. "Then let's start today." What May had explained so far was general information. Now that Qiqi had agreed to stay, May led her to the office she previously occupied. "This will be your office now."

Wang Qiqi was surprised to hear she had her own office. Inside, she saw two desks, suggesting it was meant for two people. One desk was currently occupied by one person—had the previous occupant quit, taken leave, or been promoted? Wang Qiqi pondered this while surveying the room. Though not large, it was well-equipped: two computers and a laser printer on the desks, and a row of cabinets along the wall, likely for files. May, being established, would probably have access to sensitive documents, but as a newcomer, the professor wouldn't trust her with those. Wang Qiqi decided that was for the best; any future mishaps wouldn't be her responsibility.

After a quick scan, Wang Qiqi sat obediently beside May to absorb her instructions, taking notes diligently. Although May said she could ask questions if she didn't understand something, May was close to her due date and couldn't be constantly interrupted to answer calls about routine matters; she needed to focus on her baby. Therefore, Qiqi decided to ask as much as possible now and record the essentials, aiming to understand everything before May went on maternity leave, so as not to disturb her.

May didn't comment on Wang Qiqi diligently taking notes, but the slight smile on her face suggested satisfaction. While she didn't know about her actual competence or discretion yet, this attitude suggested she wouldn't be too bad. The only unknown was whether she met the professor's standards.

Wang Qiqi returned home after six in the evening. Shi Man had already washed the vegetables and was waiting for Qiqi to start cooking dinner. Seeing Wang Qiqi arrive, they offered brief acknowledgments. Shi Man informed her the vegetables were ready and the rice was in the cooker, then returned to her own task.

Wang Qiqi watched the focused figures, quickly changed out of her work clothes near the door, donned her loungewear, and headed to the kitchen to work. After a busy day outside, she still had to prepare dinner. Wang Qiqi felt increasingly like a housewife, returning home to a group expecting her to feed them—what a feeling.

After bustling about, Wang Qiqi prepared the yeast dough. She had noticed that the location they served often had limited stock, frequently placing orders via phone regardless of the hour; some places delivered immediately, others required coordination. Wang Qiqi thought bringing some pastries might help build rapport, though she wasn't optimistic about the outcome.

When Shi Man and the others heard Qiqi announce that dinner was ready, they slowly trickled into the kitchen. Shi Man noticed the flour. "Don't we have bread and cake at home?" If they had leftovers, making more seemed wasteful.

"I plan to thank someone tomorrow," Wang Qiqi said, remembering something. "I'll cover the cost of the pastry ingredients; that won't be included in the shared expenses." If it were just her and Shi Man, she wouldn't be so calculating, but with Zhang Yan and the others present, keeping things clear was necessary.

Shi Man remained quiet. In her opinion, Qiqi didn't need to be so precise. Shi Man drove them grocery shopping and never calculated gas money. But this was something Zhang Yan and the others could mention, while she couldn't, lest it sour their future relationship.

Zhang Yan also said nothing. From her perspective, the others had already taken advantage of Qiqi enough. Since Qiqi bought the car, she had driven them to the supermarket and for outings without charging for gas. Now, asking for reimbursement for a few pastries seemed excessive.

Shi Hongrui had intended to wait for others to speak before she did, but when silence persisted, she spoke up. "Actually, Qiqi, you don't need to calculate the money. You drive us around, and you haven't charged for gas." Everyone had noticed this. When they tallied weekly expenses, Qiqi only reported grocery costs, never gasoline. They noticed this. If she started calculating the cost of making cakes now, would she start charging for gas when driving to buy groceries later? Shi Hongrui mentally weighed the issue: the expense of making cakes was certainly less than the gasoline costs. Plus, she’d get to sample some of the pastry herself.

Wang Qiqi had worried Shi Hongrui might object, but since she spoke up as she did, the others felt at ease. Qiqi had previously suggested splitting gas expenses for supply runs, but upon reflection, how would that even be itemized? Furthermore, the gas consumption wasn't that high. Now, with future driving likely increasing, charging for gas was even less justifiable, especially if she was making occasional pastries.

Thus, everyone agreed that Qiqi shouldn't pay for the pastry ingredients. Their only request was that she try to make more varieties of baked goods. Of course, the task of cooking dinner shouldn't stop. Regarding their requests, Wang Qiqi could only promise to try her best. Although she was an assistant, after only half a day, Qiqi felt the burden was significant. May had said she could read in the office, but Wang Qiqi suspected she wouldn't get much reading done, dealing with one task after another. If she couldn't read there, she had to read at home. Qiqi had learned the assistant salary—it was quite generous, but the hours were long, so she wouldn't worry about living expenses. However, Qiqi couldn't let go of her translation work. She hoped to continue it indefinitely, but if she quit now, would the market for her skills remain in a year? Wang Qiqi seriously doubted it. Not quitting meant reducing her workload. Fortunately, Shi Man and Zhang Yan could cover some of her translation tasks, but Qiqi still had to handle the important contracts herself. Overall, Wang Qiqi calculated that her life would become as hectic as it was during her final year of high school.

Shi Man noticed Wang Qiqi's expression was sour and found it strange. Had Qiqi done poorly under the professor today? Had the professor scolded her, or had the team members been unkind to the newcomer? "Qiqi, how was your first day over there?"

Although their movements didn't stop while serving themselves food, everyone spared Qiqi a glance. They all wanted to know her first impressions of the job.

Even though the work she did was somewhat humiliating, Wang Qiqi felt no shame in speaking the truth. "I just feel like my life is going to be miserable; I'm going to be worked to death." Although May hadn't elaborated much, Wang Qiqi gathered from her occasional remarks that she wasn't the first person they had tried to hire. The previous assistants hadn't stayed long, some leaving after only a few days or weeks. Wang Qiqi remembered May joking that if Qiqi quit too, this group would have to associate with garbage. Because of the nature of their work, they only hired cleaning companies before Christmas or when finishing a major project and taking a few days off. Otherwise, the assistant handled the cleaning, with low standards—just keep it presentable.

After hearing Qiqi's confession, Shi Man immediately scoffed, "Oh, Qiqi, aren't you doing the job of a cleaner?" Cleaning duties, plus being on call—that sounded truly exhausting. "No wonder those others didn't want the job; they must have known the situation." True enough, Qiqi was new and ignorant of the details, while the locals likely knew everything.

"Does that mean if they call in the middle of the night, you have to go?" Zhang Yan asked with concern. She had assumed the assistant job was limited to daytime hours. The possibility of middle-of-the-night calls seemed excessive. The pressure was too high for just an assistant! If they were in a frontline team, how busy would they be? Would they never go home, spending all their time collecting data and analyzing market trends? But Qiqi was an assistant. What kind of essential garbage needed cleaning at 3 AM? Couldn't it wait until morning?

"Exactly," Shi Hongrui added, puzzled. "Why would they need you to cook for them in the middle of the night?"

Although there was the clause about needing to be available at all times, Wang Qiqi didn't believe an assistant like herself would actually be required to show up at midnight. "Maybe they just say that to scare people," Wang Qiqi admitted, though she wasn't entirely convinced. Why mention it if it wasn't a possibility? But she couldn't rationalize why a cleaner-like assistant would be needed for emergency midnight calls.

"Since you've chosen to do it, do it well. To celebrate Qiqi's successful start, let's have a drink!" Shi Hongrui exclaimed excitedly. Thanks to Qiqi and Shi Man, they always kept red wine at home, making spontaneous celebrations possible.

Shi Hongrui cheerfully fetched a bottle of red wine from the cabinet, and Shi Man deftly poured five glasses. "Cheers."

"Cheers."

The five of them raised their glasses happily, celebrating Qiqi securing the assistant position. "By the way, Qiqi, when do you get paid?" Shi Man asked the question she was eager to know as soon as she finished her celebratory sip.

"Paid at the end of the month," Wang Qiqi snapped back, annoyed. It was her first day; how could she possibly interrogate MAY about payday? It wasn't like she was living paycheck to paycheck. She rattled off the compensation figure casually, "The salary is actually quite good."

Shi Man mentally converted the amount into RMB, "Wow, a high-level nanny indeed. Sigh, why didn't this good fortune fall to me?"

Everyone present was quite startled by the figure Wang Qiqi announced. The assistant's benefits were almost too generous. However, when they considered the sheer volume and variety of tasks Qiqi would have to handle, they wisely kept quiet; the job was clearly demanding and messy.

"You absolutely must treat us to a proper meal," Shi Hongrui exclaimed excitedly. Regardless of future dynamics—even if Qiqi became difficult with them later—the priority was to get the food into their stomachs first. Besides, just because they let Qiqi off the hook this time, did that mean Qiqi would let them off when they eventually found jobs? Shi Hongrui certainly wasn't counting on that.

Wang Qiqi looked at the two excited women. The two others standing nearby hadn't joined the chorus, but the undisguised anticipation in their eyes had already given them away. "Fine, I’ll treat everyone once I get paid." This compensation was beyond her own expectation; a celebratory meal it was. Hmph, she thought, as if she wouldn't find ways to get even later. RS