As Mark drove, he spotted a figure cycling far ahead. He wondered who would be hauling so much gear on a bike so early in the morning, and he accelerated, overtaking the cyclist.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Mark suddenly recognized Shi Man. He tapped the brakes and leaned out, puzzled. "Angel, why aren't you driving?" For someone who owned a car, why was she cycling with all that luggage today? He couldn't fathom it. Usually, she rode her bike even for short trips, even if she was only carrying a backpack. Could she be unwell?

Wang Qiqi saw the car stopped, inexplicably abandoning its smooth journey. She inwardly grumbled about that person’s inconsiderate parking. Qiqi had always considered herself fit—walking several kilometers daily, not to mention traversing the campus—but cycling felt much harder than walking, especially with a heavy pack slung over her shoulders. She deeply regretted not insisting on a ride from Shi Man earlier. But no matter how difficult it was, Qiqi could only grit her teeth and keep going. She had hoped to run into a kind colleague who could take her luggage, if not her and the bike, to the studio. Yet, perhaps due to bad luck, she hadn't encountered a single colleague, barely even seeing any cars pass by. Maybe she had left too early.

She certainly hadn't expected to run into Mark just as she neared the studio, and even more surprisingly, Mark actually got out of his car. This irritated Qiqi; if only they had met ten minutes earlier. "Hi, Mark. My car's being used by a friend, so I decided to cycle over for some exercise."

Hearing her explanation, Mark, quite nonchalantly, got back into his car and left. He still had plenty of time before the required assembly hour, meaning he could tidy his desk a bit more and prepare his sleeping bag. Ugh, he hadn't used a sleeping bag in ages; he wondered if he could still adjust. "Right, make sure you hurry up and get ready; we're going through a lot of coffee today." As assistants, they were often expected to arrive early. Naturally, whoever arrived first was responsible for brewing the coffee. But now that they had an assistant, they certainly hoped the assistant would handle these tasks, especially since the assistant was also expected to report early today.

Wang Qiqi panicked upon hearing that. Truthfully, she hadn't considered this aspect. Since becoming an assistant, she rarely had to arrive super early. Even when she did, sometimes the coffee was already brewed. Today was different: anyone without morning classes was required to report, and as the assistant, Wang Qiqi had to be there early. Realizing this, she furiously pumped the pedals. Fortunately, she had left early specifically anticipating the cycling trip. She quickly calculated that probably not too many people would have arrived yet.

Wang Qiqi pushed open the studio door to find the meeting table empty. She found it strange—Mark was here, so where was he? But that wasn't her priority now; she needed to brew coffee, fast.

She unceremoniously dropped her luggage by the office entrance and bolted into the pantry to start brewing. Thank goodness Wang Qiqi had cleaned one coffee machine before leaving yesterday; otherwise, she thought she might cry today.

Qiqi’s frantic washing and brewing drew the main group in piecemeal fashion. "Coffee’s ready," Mark said, walking into the pantry after tidying his things. He noticed Qiqi was sweating, her hands still scrubbing the machine. "Why aren't you using hot water?" The temperature was a bit low; washing things in cold water couldn't be good for her skin.

Wang Qiqi wiped her brow. While the cold water felt chilly, the combination of the long bike ride followed by immediately diving into cleaning meant the sweat was pouring off her; she barely felt the cold at all. "It's fine, it all works the same. I need to finish washing and brew the coffee." Everyone needed a cup, and that meant at least two machines would need to be emptied. She was relieved they had acquired a larger machine previously; otherwise, she would truly have been miserable. She didn't know how many times a day she had to wash the machines, and then colleagues who had their own work to attend to would still expect coffee. Wang Qiqi felt immense pressure.

Mark was busy too. He quickly poured and downed a cup of coffee, immediately refilled a second, and headed upstairs briskly.

Wang Qiqi watched as the first machine, only just finished brewing, was emptied again. She still had another machine to clean. Seizing a moment when no one was around, she sighed. She thought it would be best if they all just drank green tea—just keep the water cooler on, and they could make their own tea. She wouldn't have to constantly wash and brew the coffee. Although brewing didn't require her constant presence, cleaning the machines was no simple task.

After surviving the initial caffeine rush, Wang Qiqi was just getting a new pot on when she heard the BOSS call for a meeting. Yesterday there had been a brief announcement, but today’s morning session would cover the specifics.

Wang Qiqi sat with paper and pen, diligently listening as the BOSS laid out his plans and thoughts before opening the floor for discussion. Honestly, listening to the BOSS’s plan, Qiqi had little grasp of the situation. She hadn't delved deeply enough into what the BOSS was describing, and she had never handled this type of task before, so she didn't know what to contribute. Moreover, Qiqi worried that saying the wrong thing would be worse, so she decided it was better to listen to what the others said. In a setting like this, competence was required. Lacking both ability and experience, it was best to remain quiet.

Wang Qiqi listened intently to the input from the assembled elite and felt a deep sense of shock. The longer she spent with them, the more impressive they seemed. Given so little initial data, they could analyze it so thoroughly. Wang Qiqi realized that beyond their innate ability, they must diligently collect information regularly, reviewing even data they weren't currently using, so they could deploy it when needed.

Wang Qiqi felt that if Zhang Yan truly wanted to pursue a career in finance, she had a vast amount to learn. While coasting might be possible, her family’s insistence that she study a finance-related field likely meant they didn't want her to just drift along, especially after spending so much money for her to study abroad. They probably hoped she would achieve something significant. Wang Qiqi offered a silent, deep bow of respect to Comrade Zhang Yan.

Since this was the first formal meeting, after an hour, the BOSS finally announced its conclusion. As soon as the words were out, those who needed to return to school for classes grabbed their bags and left, while those without classes headed to the second floor to start working.

Wang Qiqi watched the conference table, just filled moments ago, empty in the blink of an eye. A sense of dread washed over her. She genuinely had no idea how to start collecting the necessary data. While Mark and the others might assist with initial collection, they certainly wouldn't have the luxury of time once a case officially launched. Yet, Wang Qiqi truly didn't know the proper method for data collection.

Asking Mark or the others seemed pointless; they were clearly busy—didn't she see they were all gone?

Wang Qiqi returned to the office with a glum expression. After a moment's thought, she decided to ask MAY for guidance. Although their time together was short, based on the few days they spent overlapping during the transition, Wang Qiqi felt MAY was quite approachable. Besides, the BOSS had assigned someone to be her supervisor, so regardless of the angle, MAY should offer some pointers.

Just as Wang Qiqi was about to email MAY to ask her questions, the office door swung open. Wang Qiqi initially assumed someone had run out of coffee and was coming to tell her to brew more. But when she turned, she found MAY standing there, holding a basket containing her very young, recently born baby.

Wang Qiqi rushed over immediately to help set the basket down on a nearby table. "MAY, you're here! Listen, I have a couple of things I need to ask you about." Wang Qiqi wasn't sure how long MAY would stay, especially since a newborn who hadn't even reached a month old might wake up at any moment, so she needed to quickly learn what her next steps should be. She noted that new mothers often don't look their best after giving birth; even though the baby was out, her waist still looked quite thick.

MAY had come specifically to discuss this. Honestly, MAY had been surprised when the BOSS informed her yesterday that Angel would be assisting with this operation. While it wasn't front-line fieldwork, it was a critical phase. Steven assigning her the data collection task didn't surprise her much; it fit her current situation. But why was she assigned as the assistant? After learning this, MAY felt significant pressure. She had hoped an assistant could slightly alleviate her burden; she certainly didn't have the leisure time she once did. Now, with a newborn, she needed to dedicate time to the baby. Therefore, how capable the assistant was became a key question for MAY. If she was going to be the assistant, MAY hoped it wouldn't require too much effort, though she didn't have high expectations for ease. Still, she silently prayed that the young woman Steven chose to give this opportunity would be competent enough.

MAY stared at Wang Qiqi for a long time without speaking, which made Wang Qiqi feel immense pressure. She sensed that MAY was likely not entirely satisfied with her. While their previous interactions had been pleasant, that was when Qiqi was merely a low-level assistant. Now that her role had been elevated, MAY's expectations would naturally shift. Wang Qiqi couldn't offer any guarantees that she would perform well. Foreigners valued execution over mere promises. Wang Qiqi straightened her back, projecting that she would handle the task efficiently and wouldn't disappoint anyone.

Seeing Wang Qiqi's serious demeanor, MAY paused slightly. "Well then, let's begin. You will be responsible for..." MAY quickly detailed the tasks assigned to Wang Qiqi.

Wang Qiqi diligently took notes. Frankly, if she had the option, she would have loved to record MAY’s entire explanation. But worried about potential confidentiality issues, she decided writing everything down quickly was the safer approach.

MAY spoke in one breath for quite a while. She habitually reached forward to grab her coffee cup but found the space in front of her empty. Wang Qiqi, having finished writing and waiting for MAY to continue, realized MAY had stopped speaking. Only then did she notice she hadn't poured her mentor a coffee.

Seeing the bare desk in front of MAY, Wang Qiqi silently cursed herself for not thinking earlier about getting her superior a cup. Wang Qiqi quickly set down her notebook and rushed to the pantry, grabbing MAY's previously used cup. Fortunately, Wang Qiqi frequently disinfected the mugs.

MAY watched as Angel, who had darted out like a whirlwind, reappeared moments later holding her cup. MAY understood immediately: the girl had gone to fetch her coffee. "Hmm, not bad. This girl has some observational skills."

MAY quickly took a few sips and resumed her detailed explanation to Wang Qiqi. While taking notes, Qiqi sensed that MAY seemed much easier to deal with than before, and her explanations were growing more thorough. Wang Qiqi concluded that whether in China or abroad, flattery worked wonders. A small, quick act like pouring a coffee resulted in such a positive opportunity—definitely a win.

Although MAY wanted to explain the specifics of the tasks to Wang Qiqi, time was a factor. Furthermore, no matter how clear and explicit her current explanation was, much of it would rely on experience and intuition later on. Angel certainly possessed dedication and seriousness; the rest would be up to her own development.

Finishing her coffee, MAY stated, "I've covered everything I can explain. How to specifically operate will depend on the problems you encounter. You can email me then, and I will reply or call you back as soon as possible."

Wang Qiqi understood MAY's implied request: avoid calling her unless absolutely necessary, given the baby. "Thank you, MAY. I will work hard."

MAY picked up Wang Qiqi’s notes. Looking them over, she remarked, "This looks almost like a codebook."

Wang Qiqi knew MAY must think what she wrote was gibberish. But what choice did she have? She had initially intended to write her notes in a mix of Chinese and English. However, mid-sentence, she forgot the Chinese character for a few words. Time didn't permit her to stop and recall them, so she wrote a few spots out in Pinyin, underlining them to indicate they were Pinyin, so she wouldn't misunderstand them later. Honestly, if Wang Qiqi had to review these notes tomorrow, she suspected she’d think they were written in an alien language. "I wrote it using Pinyin mixed with Chinese." There was no need to explain the 'why.'

MAY noticed the few words that were clearly not English but didn't comment. The important thing was that the girl could understand her own writing. "Very impressive. Like a codebook."

MAY quickly gathered her baby’s basket and departed as swiftly as she arrived. If not for the lingering smell of formula in the air, Wang Qiqi might have thought the visit was a dream. Regarding MAY’s parting comment, Wang Qiqi knew it wasn't a straightforward compliment; it likely carried a tinge of teasing, but so what? As long as she could read it, that was all that mattered.

Wang Qiqi spent considerable effort reorganizing the material MAY had covered. She took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Ugh, the pressure was immense. So many points to remember and processes to follow. She felt that while her notes looked like an enigma, the actual execution would likely present challenges just as steep. However, she reasoned that with repeated practice, it probably wouldn't be too difficult—at least the procedure wouldn't be difficult, though the actual work would never be truly relaxed. "Should I work first, or grab a coffee?" Although Qiqi preferred tea, she felt a cup of coffee was needed now to sharpen her focus. "It’s better to be alert before working; otherwise, feeling groggy won't allow me to do the job well."

Wang Qiqi carried her cup to the pantry and saw that the coffee brewed that morning was nearly gone. "Wow, did they all work late last night after going home?" Qiqi wondered. They had all left quite early yesterday; they shouldn't have stayed up too late resting. But judging by the morning’s consumption rate, she guessed they had all been burning the midnight oil. Wang Qiqi felt this was the only explanation for how meticulously they spoke earlier. "Sigh, success doesn't come easily." They had to study hard and work hard to earn money. Wang Qiqi truly admired them. She was just an assistant, doing relatively light work, often just sitting in the office reading or writing reports, and yet she already found the pace of work and study challenging. But they managed demanding jobs while keeping up with their studies, allocating their time perfectly between the two. Beyond intelligence and talent, it must be sheer effort. She truly couldn't compare to them.

Wang Qiqi washed another pot and started brewing coffee. Just as she finished one machine, a middle-aged woman walked in. Wang Qiqi froze, startled. Good heavens, a stranger was in the office. "Hello, who are you looking for?" Wang Qiqi asked, truly surprised. She hadn't heard the doorbell while she was washing up in the pantry; how had someone just walked in? Had the door been left unlocked? This realization startled Qiqi greatly. If a stranger had entered without notice, it was a major issue, far beyond just monetary loss.

After a moment of panic, Wang Qiqi suddenly reasoned that if the person were a thief, they wouldn't dare walk in so boldly, especially with a smile on their face. This thought brought her some relief.

"Hello, I’m Claire, I’m here to help," the woman replied with a warm smile.

Here to help? Wang Qiqi was very surprised. If someone was coming to assist, why hadn't she been informed? MAY hadn't mentioned anything when she visited earlier. "I usually come in to help when things get busy here," Claire explained. "Are you the new Angel?"

Although the woman knew her name, Wang Qiqi watched her cautiously. Despite being new, anyone determined could probably find out her name. While they stood in this standoff, Alex bustled in, holding a cup of coffee. "You're here."

Claire nodded. "You’ve lost weight. Haven't you been resting well lately? You need more rest."

Alex laughed. "Look how busy I am—when would I have time to rest?" He poured his coffee, preparing to leave, when he noticed the strange atmosphere in the pantry. Seeing Angel standing by the sink, he suddenly remembered that the two hadn't officially met.

Alex quickly made the introductions and left. Wang Qiqi realized the woman genuinely was there to help. Apparently, she only showed up when there was a huge order and the regular staff couldn't cope, working specifically from nine until four in the afternoon. "Hello, I'm very sorry about earlier." Wang Qiqi pinched her nose apologetically. She figured out why she hadn't heard the bell: Claire must have arrived just as Mark left for class.

Claire waved her hand, indicating it was fine. "I'll wash up. You go get busy." She knew that even though the current project was just starting, things would soon get hectic, so they shouldn't waste time. "From now on, don't worry about the cleaning. I'll handle that, and I'll also order lunch."

Although she was only there during the day, meaning Wang Qiqi would still need to clean the coffee machines when she wasn't around, this still offered significant relief. Wang Qiqi returned to the office and got busy. Even though MAY’s earlier explanation had been detailed, Wang Qiqi hadn't expected to run into problems right from the very start.

This left Wang Qiqi quite despondent, especially since this was only the beginning. Although MAY had said Qiqi could ask her if she encountered anything she didn't understand, Wang Qiqi felt that if she asked for help now over something basic, what would she have to do when facing truly difficult problems later? Wouldn't she just be constantly asking, essentially making herself no different from an infant? Besides, she hadn't even tried to find another solution herself yet, so relying on someone else immediately was not the right approach. Once or twice, MAY might patiently teach her, but after too many times, especially if the questions were simple, MAY would surely get annoyed. By then, even if she agreed to teach, she would be unhappy about it, and if she said anything careless in front of the instructor, Wang Qiqi felt she would truly cry herself to death.

"Pull yourself together, Qiqi, you can do this." Wang Qiqi clenched her fist, trying to rally her spirits. She had to have faith in herself. Hadn't she overcome all those hurdles before? Even though she was a reborn soul, the path she had taken—starting a purchasing agent business, going to university in Jingcheng—was completely different from her previous life. Aside from the overarching environment remaining unchanged, everything else was something Wang Qiqi had to figure out anew. For instance, coming to study in England was entirely her own doing, bearing no resemblance to her former self. If she could endure all that, then this current task was nothing more than a small case for her. RS