After the Lantern Festival, various industries remained stagnant due to the epidemic, and the holiday began to extend indefinitely, with no clear end in sight.

Ao Xing, where Cen Jin worked, was naturally also impacted to some degree, but fortunately, most of their company’s clients were retainer clients, so the negative effects were still manageable.

However, the campaigns (short-term projects) were becoming mentally exhausting. All social media placements originally scheduled for the Spring Festival period had to be modified or delayed, shooting schedules were pushed back, and the scripts and decks Cen Jin had worked on day and night before the New Year were essentially wasted effort.

After reviewing the Brief that Yuan Zhen had just updated, Cen Jin felt her head was about to explode. Her colleagues weren’t faring any better, lamenting in the group chat.

Cen Jin tossed her laptop aside, took several deep breaths, and had a sip of water, before joining the newly opened department video meeting.

Teddy maintained his characteristic good temper and optimism: “I think we should all keep a positive attitude, at least the clients haven’t abandoned us, right? They’re just changing the form of cooperation.”

The Deputy Director laughed: “Not abandoning us means changing plans daily? I can’t even type fast enough to keep up with their revision requests.”

Everyone strongly agreed, joining in the laughter.

Teddy offered both comfort and motivation: “We can’t help it, clients are suffering, we’re suffering, everyone’s suffering, we can only be understanding of each other. But there’s good news – BN just sent us two POs (purchase orders) these past few days, both over 500,000 in placement, needing traffic directed to e-commerce. It shows they still trust us to create value for them. The harder things get, the more we need to prove ourselves to them.”

Cen Jin asked: “For Women’s Day promotions?”

“Yes,” Teddy confirmed: “See, this is why we’re creative.”

Lu Qiqi suggested: “We should form a women’s squad, no one understands women better than women.”

Teddy said: “We still need some testosterone, after all, it’s digital products.”

“Phones?”

“Earphones,” Teddy posted a product image to the group: “They’ve released this wireless earphone in pink.”

Lu Qiqi exclaimed: “Damn, it’s so cute.”

“But this time the direction is different from before – we need to be sincere, genuinely earnest, no trend-chasing, no memes, no gimmicks, no entertainment focus, yet still give people a fresh feeling. This will be an upgraded challenge for our creative team. I hope everyone stays energetic and doesn’t stop thinking just because we’re working from home.”

Someone quipped: “Is this earphone’s target consumer group Party members?”

“You can listen to Study Strong Nation while jogging.”

“Hahaha.”

Everyone started discussing animatedly.

…

After the meeting ended, Cen Jin closed her laptop and fell back against the cushions, physically and mentally exhausted, closing her eyes.

She unexpectedly thought of someone – Wu Fu, her former husband.

In all her years of working, she had never faced such a chaotic moment. She and Wu Fu used to share and bounce ideas off each other, their interactions generating endless inspiration. She could be the spark that ignited the fireworks of ideas, and Wu Fu could be the guide through the palace of thoughts, their nightly brainstorming sessions turning them into poetry-dueling literati.

But now, she had become the team’s brain center, forced to shoulder the burden of exploring, integrating, capturing those fleeting moments of inspiration, filling both sides of the paper to make concepts just right.

Three thorny projects intertwined and pressed against each other. Cen Jin’s mind buzzed like rice grains jumping around in a mill, until finally with a “beep,” the power was cut, leaving nothing but pristine whiteness.

Cen Jin let out a heavy sigh, springing to her feet and rushing to the balcony to find relief.

Li Wu, attending online classes in the study, saw a beige figure flash past the doorframe, accompanied by the urgent sound of slippers scraping the floor, growing fainter. He peered out the window, and from this angle could just see the woman’s back as she leaned against the railing, her hair scattered in the wind, occasionally raising her hand to pat her face.

Li Wu propped his chin up, no longer able to focus on the teacher’s words.

Fortunately, the class was nearing its end, and after assigning homework, the teacher turned off the livestream camera.

By then Cen Jin had also walked in, and as Li Wu removed his headphones, about to call out to her, the woman had already turned to face him, looking somewhat dejected.

She asked: “Done with online classes?”

Li Wu: “Mm.”

“Li Wu,” her tone suddenly became serious, her eyes brimming with envy: “Let’s swap souls, I’ll go to school, and you go to work.”

Li Wu: “…” He actually wouldn’t mind.

But if Cen Jin wanted to attend class, it wasn’t impossible. He immediately extended an invitation: “Next is English class, would you like to join?”

Cen Jin was speechless, her smile as cold as the wind: “I’m very busy, probably don’t have the time~”

Li Wu: “…Oh.”

Cen Jin floated back to the living room, forcing herself to face reality.

She reopened her laptop and asked the group: Is the BN earphone brief ready?

This time their “messenger” was no longer Yuan Zhen, but another male client executive named Yi Hao, who was Yuan Zhen’s intern and reportedly had deep knowledge of digital products.

Yi Hao replied: I’m still perfecting it.

Cen Jin asked: Have you used this earphone model?

Yi Hao: Yes.

Cen Jin asked: What are its advantages, how does it feel to use, can you describe it?

Yi Hao: Not inferior to Beats, Sony.

Cen Jin: ……………………

Seeing their senior copywriter about to flood the screen with ellipses, Yi “Little” Kang’s heart immediately began pounding: Gin sis, just speak directly, so many dots make me nervous.

Cen Jin tagged Lu Qiqi: Have you used BN?

Lu Qiqi: Ah? I’ve used the wired ones.

Cen Jin: Share your experience.

Lu Qiqi: The noise cancellation is especially good, doesn’t get uncomfortable even after wearing it for long periods, feels like there’s nothing left in the world except the music in your ears.

Cen Jin said: Haohao, this is a designer’s answer.

Yi Hao: …I was wrong.

Yuan Zhen hurried to rescue her apprentice: @Ao Xing-Gin, just wait and see how his brief turns out.

Half an hour later, Cen Jin received what looked like an “undergraduate thesis” – yes, a thesis that could be titled “Analysis of Advantages and Disadvantages of Major Brand Bluetooth Earphones in the Current Market.”

She tagged Li Fei in the group: Haohao could join your strategy department, it’s a waste to be an AE.

Li Fei laughed to tears: I welcome him anytime, we’re already swamped.

Yi Hao directly replied with a crying face.

Cen Jin exited the group chat and began browsing BN’s flagship store’s other products. Soon, the icon in the lower right corner flashed.

Cen Jin clicked on WeChat – it was a message from Yuan Zhen.

The woman’s words were all protective: Jinjin, everyone starts as a newcomer, not counting the New Year, Haohao’s only been with the company for a little over a month, so give the little brother some room to grow, don’t discourage his enthusiasm.

Cen Jin protested: How am I not giving space? I’m teaching him. He can’t go on like this.

Yuan Zhen: You’re not teaching, you’re forcing growth.

Seeing her defend him this way, Cen Jin saw through it immediately: If Yi Hao were even slightly less good-looking, there wouldn’t be this private chat.

Yuan Zhen didn’t deny it: Right, this is what I like. Who made him perfectly match my aesthetic from head to toe down to each strand of hair? I just love innocent fresh meat, why else would I have him handle female clients? Female clients like him too.

Cen Jin pinched her brow: Fine, I won’t try to be his teacher anymore. That brief of his, you explain it to him. The flagship store’s product details are written better than his work – I really can’t turn a pile of sand into a castle for him.

Yuan Zhen: Got it! Don’t be angry! It’s not worth it!

…

With Yi Hao’s brief sent back for rewriting, unable to count on this pretty boy who’d muscled his way into the team on looks alone, Cen Jin began searching everywhere for BN’s product information and previous advertising materials, hoping to draw inspiration from them.

She worked from afternoon straight through to evening, even eating dinner from the coffee table where Li Wu brought it to her.

It was the first time Li Wu had seen her this busy, completely focused, brows tightly knitted as she stared at the screen like she was facing a mortal enemy, occasionally rubbing her eyes or taking a sip of water.

Li Wu didn’t want to disturb her, and having finished his homework with nothing else to do, he started mopping the floor.

With a shadow constantly moving back and forth in her peripheral vision, left and right, front and back without rest, Cen Jin grew increasingly annoyed. She snapped her laptop shut, tucked it under her arm, and stormed off to her bedroom.

As soon as the door closed, the world became peaceful.

Li Wu watched this series of actions that seemed like a tantrum, utterly confused.

After hesitating in the living room for a while, he rewashed the mop, wrung it out, and carried it toward Cen Jin’s bedroom.

After a moment’s hesitation, he knocked on the door with the back of his hand.

The woman’s voice came from inside: “What?”

Li Wu asked: “Does your room need mopping?”

“Ah―” she let out a sharp scream, seeming on the verge of collapse.

Li Wu grew even more confused, awkwardly lowering his hand. Just as he was about to leave, the door opened from within, and Cen Jin, still clutching her laptop, walked straight past him back to the living room.

The great Buddha returned to the sofa, eyeing him imperiously: “Just mop the bathroom, and remember to use the vacuum on the carpet.”

Li Wu said nothing, just nodded slightly, and turned to get the cordless vacuum from the balcony.

Cen Jin’s bedroom was decorated more elegantly than the outside, with more style, and various light but not cloying fragrances mixing together, like a garden planted with invisible flowers.

Li Wu felt awkward looking around, so he focused on his cleaning task, only leaving after the floor and tiles were spotless, closing the door behind him.

He glanced at Cen Jin – the woman in the middle of the sofa was completely lost in thought, eyes tightly closed as if in meditation, but her expression was not peaceful, seeming on the verge of going astray.

Afraid of interrupting her train of thought, Li Wu didn’t dare speak to her, quietly putting away his tools before quickly grabbing his clothes and darting to the bathroom.

Only after locking the door did Li Wu let out a breath.

He turned on the shower, as usual soaking his changed clothes in the basin before stepping into the bathtub.

Ten minutes later, the water stopped.

Li Wu wiped his face and wet bangs pulled down a towel from the high shelf, vigorously rubbed his black hair, then shook his head to scatter the water.

He reached for his folded clothes.

The next moment, the youth’s eyes froze, and he suddenly became rigid.

Moving too hastily, he seemed to have brought two pairs of pants in with him.

Looking again at the thoroughly soaked shirt in the basin by his feet, fuck – Li Wu cursed in his heart for the first time in his life.

For the next quarter hour, Li Wu agonized in the bathroom almost to death, frantically thinking about how to go out shirtless.

The steam had dissipated, and even with the bathroom heater on, it was gradually becoming cold in this weather.

After listening at the door for a while, Li Wu gritted his teeth, deciding to dash out at top speed with his head down, praying that Cen Jin wouldn’t notice him passing by.

Click.

He turned the doorknob.

Outside, Cen Jin was completely focused on typing into a document. She wasn’t writing smoothly, probably due to lack of personal experience, when she suddenly had an idea.

From her peripheral vision, she noticed the freshly showered youth passing like the wind right in front of her, and Cen Jin quickly called out to stop him: “Li Wu!”

That figure stopped in trepidation.

“Could you get the headphones from my study…” she was saying casually, looking up from behind the screen.

Cen Jin’s voice suddenly stopped.

The living room atmosphere instantly froze.

The youth before her was shirtless, wearing only loose gray loungewear pants. Whether from surprise or something else, his shoulders, arms, and all the lines of his body were tensely drawn, in the dim light appearing taut and extremely powerful, especially his trim waist and abdomen, muscles compact and clearly defined, yet not excessive – he looked clean-cut and slender.

Cen Jin was completely stunned, unable to move her gaze, her tone becoming uncertain: “Where’s your shirt…”

The light wasn’t strong, and he visibly reddened from face to neck root in an instant. His gaze darted away as he stammered: “I- I brought the wrong ones into the shower.”

“Oh…” Cen Jin uncomfortably scratched the end of her eyebrow, taking a small breath before repeating her earlier words: “After you get dressed, remember to bring me the headphones from the study.”

“Okay.” The youth dropped this word, afraid of lingering any longer in her sight.

Once he left, Cen Jin collapsed back, blinking repeatedly, and finally, as if unable to contain herself and desperate to vent, she pulled out her phone, clicked on Chun Chang’s name, and exploded in a silent scream in the chat:

“Ah!”