Qin Yue stepped into the bus with a deep breath, the encouraging words of Qing Feng still echoing in her ears. Her fingers gripped the strap of her bag tightly as she found a seat near the window. The city sped by outside—a blur of noise, colors, and motion—while her thoughts drifted far from the view.
Her phone buzzed again. A message from the job portal:
"Your application has been reviewed. Unfortunately—"
She sighed. Another rejection.
Was everyone right? That education mattered more than ability?
The bus stopped in front of a tall glass building. People in suits and heels poured out. Qin Yue couldn't help but watch. She imagined herself walking through those doors, confident, respected, and finally… not invisible.
Her stop came next. She got off and began walking slowly toward a small bookstore café where she sometimes helped part-time. It wasn't much, but it kept her going.
Just as she crossed the road near the corner coffee shop, a black luxury car sped around the turn and screeched to a halt inches from her feet.
She froze.
The tinted window rolled down, revealing a man in his mid-twenties. Sharp jawline. Cold eyes. Perfectly styled hair. He looked irritated beyond measure.
"Are you blind?" he snapped.
Qin Yue blinked, stunned. "I was crossing at the green—"
"You shouldn't be on the road if you can't watch your step."
She frowned, the earlier stress boiling over. "And you shouldn't be driving like the road belongs to your ancestors."
He stared at her, not used to being talked back to—especially by someone in worn-out sneakers and bookstore dust on her sleeve.
Then, without another word, he rolled up the window and drove off.
Qin Yue stood there, heart pounding.
Who was that arrogant man?
She had no idea that this stranger—rude, rich, and ridiculously attractive—would soon turn her life upside down.