Chapter 347: Chapter 188: The Secretary’s First Interview
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September 9, 2025, Wednesday.
64°F–79°F, light to moderate rain, gentle southeasterly wind, 65% humidity.
8:00 AM.
In her small, rented apartment, Xu Lei slowly awoke in her bedroom.
She could faintly hear the sound of running water.
It came from two directions—the bathroom and the world outside her window.
Xu Lei sat up and pulled open the curtains. Her mood instantly soured at the sight of the gloomy, overcast sky.
When she was little, she used to eagerly await rainy days. The joy of playing in the rain with her friends was beyond compare.
But ever since she’d grown up and started working, Xu Lei hated rainy days more with each passing year.
Damp, dreary.
It was depressing.
"*Sigh*—!"
Xu Lei ran a hand through her messy hair. Just as she was about to get up, her boyfriend, Zhang Xu, suddenly pushed the door open.
Their eyes met for a moment before they both looked away, their expressions complicated.
Because last night, Xu Lei and Zhang Xu had a huge fight.
It wasn’t just about work, but also about marriage.
In any case, they had many little conflicts and had yet to come to an agreement.
"What on earth are you thinking?"
Zhang Xu’s brow was furrowed.
"Don’t you know what a sleazy profession being a secretary is? You have a perfectly good career as a programmer, so why do you insist on taking a job that has nothing to do with your degree?"
"Because I want to! I feel like it! I like it! So what?"
Xu Lei retorted.
"Why can’t I be a secretary? Programming is exhausting and doesn’t even pay that well, so why shouldn’t I change careers?"
"Then just find another programming job."
"Give me a break! The tech industry is totally saturated. I can’t get into the big companies, and the small ones work you to death. On top of that, I only have a bachelor’s degree. How am I supposed to ’just switch’? You make it sound so easy. If you think you can do better, then you find me a new job!"
"..."
Zhang Xu was struck speechless by her tirade, which only fueled her resentment.
"I’ve told you before, my current company is a mess. I need to find an exit strategy, or I could be out of a job any day."
"I finally managed to get an interview, and instead of being happy for me, you’ve been grumbling about it all day. It’s so annoying!"
"I’m only saying this because I’m worried about you! Don’t you think this is all very suspicious?"
Zhang Xu argued, laying out his reasoning.
"A new company, not even a month old, is offering a monthly salary of 20,000 to hire a secretary? And one with zero experience, like you? Does that sound reasonable to you? This is obviously a setup to be someone’s sugar baby!"
"I can decide for myself whether it’s a setup or not. I don’t need you to worry about it."
Xu Lei crossed her arms and snorted coldly.
"If you were really worried, you would’ve taken the day off to come with me to the interview, not just stand here feigning concern."
"I’m busy with work. I couldn’t get time off."
"Then just hurry up and go to work! Stop hovering around me! You’re so damn annoying!"
Xu Lei grabbed a pillow and threw it at Zhang Xu, who sighed in exasperation.
"Fine, I’ll come back at noon, then. How about that?"
"..."
When Xu Lei turned her back to ignore him, Zhang Xu could only put the pillow back on the bed. He tried to hug her from behind, but she coldly dodged out of his reach.
"Don’t touch me!"
"*Sigh*—!"
Zhang Xu let out a long sigh and turned to leave.
After hearing the CLICK of the door shutting, Xu Lei felt a surge of indignation, and her eyes grew red.
’Why do I have to work so hard?’
’Other girls have boyfriends who dote on them. Why do I have to bear all this alone?’
’My career is a mess, my relationship is a mess...’
’It’s so frustrating!’
Xu Lei fiercely raked her hands through her hair. After venting her frustrations, she had no choice but to once again face the hardships and troubles of her life.
She rolled out of bed, washed up in the bathroom, and then carefully selected a sophisticated professional outfit from her closet.
A simple white blouse, a black pencil skirt, black stockings, and high heels.
Paired with a pair of mature-looking, black-framed glasses, the whole ensemble gave her the perfect secretarial look.
After getting dressed, Xu Lei sat at her vanity, straightened her hair, and meticulously applied her makeup. Only after confirming there were no flaws did she get up to leave.
However, the rain outside seemed to be getting heavier.
The autumn rain was coming down hard, and a chilly wind was blowing.
Standing at the entrance of her apartment building, Xu Lei couldn’t help but shiver, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself.
’It would be so nice to have a car right now!’
’Even if not, it’d be great if Zhang Xu were here to go with me to the interview!’
’Is work really more important than your girlfriend?’
’It’s not like I asked you to take several days off!’
The more Xu Lei thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Opening her umbrella, she stepped out into the rain. She went to the scooter shed, got on her beloved little electric scooter, pulled on her raincoat, and rode out of the complex toward the subway station.
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10:20 AM.
Xu Lei arrived at the entrance of the Shennan Pet Society twenty minutes after her scheduled appointment time.
While it wasn’t a long delay, for a job interview, it was a fatal mistake.
’You don’t even have a sense of time. How can you possibly apply for a secretarial position?’
Xu Lei already braced herself for the inevitable rejection, a bitter feeling spreading through her.
To make matters worse, her clothes were spattered with rain, and her stockings were partially soaked.
This combination of physical discomfort and mental frustration made Xu Lei want to just give up.
’Forget it!’
’To hell with it all!’
But since she had come all this way, she figured she should at least apologize.
Xu Lei closed her umbrella, left it outside, and pushed open the main door of the Shennan Pet Society.
TING-A-LING—!
As a bell chimed crisply, Xu Lei stopped in her tracks, stunned by the sight of the enormous, warm, and beautiful Cat Cafe before her.
’The decor is gorgeous!’
From the layout to the charming decorations befitting a cat cafe, everything complemented the autumn rain outside, creating a cozy atmosphere.
Xu Lei’s frustration melted away in an instant, and she instinctively took in her surroundings.
Just then, she heard a soft, gentle laugh near her ear.
