Desire of love (English Version)

“Sorry, but I don’t like you.”

How many times had she been rejected? So many that she’d lost count. Each time she approached a man she liked or admired; she always got the same response. Was it because she wasn’t beautiful enough?

Meiyi let out a sigh, stood up, and walked over to the mirror to look at herself. Sometimes she wondered if she should just give up on the idea of love altogether.

“Ugh! Why?!” She bit her lower lip as she glared at her reflection in the full-length mirror, spinning around to inspect herself from head to toe once more.

“Is love really that hard to find?!”

She muttered to herself as she walked back to the sofa and plopped down. Her face was full of frustration as her eyes wandered to the table, where a pile of beauty magazines lay scattered. She didn’t understand why famous models seemed to have men falling for them left and right. She wasn’t unattractive, was she? However, she had never experienced love—not even once. How unlucky could she be?!

The door to the room opened, and Ninghe, her roommate who had just returned from work, walked in, closed the door behind her, and sat on the sofa next to Meiyi. She sighed and glanced at her roommate, who looked utterly defeated.

“What’s wrong?” Ninghe asked.

Meiyi sprang to her feet and shouted at the top of her lungs, “I’m so frustrated!”

Ninghe leaned away instinctively, and once Meiyi sat back down, she cautiously adjusted her posture. “You’re okay… right?”

“Not really,” Meiyi replied, grabbing a pillow nearby and hugging it tightly. “I’m the most pitiful person ever!”

Ninghe looked at her friend rambling on and leaned in closer. “Did you get rejected again?”

Ouch. That hit the mark. Meiyi turned to glare at her friend indignantly.

“It’s just… bad luck, that’s all.”

“Bad luck?”

“Yes!” Meiyi had always thought love was about luck, and she was terribly unlucky in that department. She wasn’t beautiful; she was naïve, and it was no wonder no man liked her. Every time she tried to confess her feelings, she was rejected outright.

Heaven was so unfair!

“Meiyi… love isn’t just about luck,” Ninghe said, shifting closer to her friend.

“It’s about using your heart to feel it.”

“Your heart?” It sounded like she understood, but… she was still confused.

“You need to try truly loving someone,” Ninghe advised, looking seriously at Meiyi. “Then you’ll understand that love isn’t as random as you think.”

“Love someone?” Meiyi repeated, her expression falling before she burst out, “How is that even possible?! I’ve been rejected so many times!”

“I said to try loving someone, not to go out and beg them to date you. Use your heart to feel it! Haven’t you ever heard that love doesn’t need a reason?” Ninghe scolded, laughing. Meiyi clutched her head with her hands.

“Doesn’t that sound hard?”

“I don’t know. You’ll just have to give it a try.”

Meiyi looked at her friend and sighed. “Forget it! I’ve decided I’m going to stay single forever!”

Ninghe looked at her determined roommate and couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“I am!” Meiyi declared as she grabbed the pillow again and hugged it tightly. “This is just fine.”

“Well, suit yourself, but every woman dreams of experiencing love at least once in her life,” Ninghe said, gazing at Meiyi. “Don’t you want to know what it feels like?”

“Of course I do.” Meiyi desperately wanted to know what love was like.

“Then open your heart and find the right person,” Ninghe suggested.

Meiyi took a deep breath, stood up, and announced, “I’m going to find love!”

Ninghe gave her a nudge and muttered to herself that her roommate wasn’t just dreamy but also a bit… silly.

“Uh, before you go chasing love, how about finding a job first?”

Right. Aside from being loveless, Meiyi was also jobless. She dropped her hands and gave a sheepish smile.

“You’re right. I should find a job.”

.

.

The silence in the meeting room of the towering Luan Chen Group building in the heart of Beijing was palpable. Luan Chen Group, a leading name in the fashion industry, had earned its reputation as a premier clothing manufacturer and exporter.

“What do you think we should do?” The deep voice of Tang Feilong, the thirty-something young discussion leader, broke the tension. He had been reviewing last month’s market data, which painted a less-than-ideal picture. The new clothing line under the Deluxe brand, launched just a month ago, had failed to meet consumer expectations and had yet to break into the international market. It was a setback for the company.

Silence… none of the managers from the various departments, all of whom had collaborated on the project, spoke up. Even Chen Jinfu, the company’s director and Feilong’s younger cousin, hesitantly offered his thoughts.

“I think maybe the consumers haven’t been sufficiently informed about the product. Also, it’s only been a month since the launch.”

“Is that what you think?” Feilong narrowed his eyes, closing the black folder in front of him. “Let’s see how the sales look this month.”

Jinfu smiled and addressed the room. “Let’s work hard for the company. That’s all for today’s meeting.”

With that, everyone acknowledged his words and began filing out of the room. Only Feilong, his stoic expression intact, and Jinfu remained.

“What’s on your mind?” Jinfu asked.

“You already know the answer,” Feilong replied.

Jinfu was known for his capabilities and ability to manage difficult situations. However, this time, even he was at a loss. The new product wasn’t resonating with consumers. What could he do—force people to buy it?

“I think we need to reassess this together and analyze the statistics over the next two months to determine what needs fixing,” Jinfu suggested.

Feilong nodded, adjusted his suit, and left the room without another word. Jinfu watched him leave, chuckling and shaking his head. He was accustomed to Feilong’s cold and emotionless demeanor. Despite countless women vying for the chairperson’s attention, Feilong had no interest in dating, let alone sparing them a glance.

Jinfu gathered his documents and left the room. As he walked out, women passing by greeted him with sweet smiles. It was no surprise Jinfu was handsome, charming, and wealthy—the epitome of a perfect man.

“Find a Job!”

The phrase had been echoing in Meiyi’s mind for three days straight. Ordinary and naïve, she felt fortunate to have even graduated. After graduation, she had never held a job for more than three months before being let go. What company would want to hire her?

Her pretty eyes stared dejectedly at the newspaper in front of her. Red pen marks slashed through job postings one by one. Even when she called HR departments about open positions, the replies were always the same:

“The accounting position is filled. We’re sorry.”

It was like hearing a pre-recorded message. Some companies didn’t even bother responding to her emailed resume.

Sigh. Meiyi let out a heavy breath.

“It’s so hard to find a job!” She grumbled, crumpling the newspaper and tossing it into the trash. She walked to the fridge, grabbed a snack, and plopped onto the sofa to eat comfortably.

Hungry. She’d eat first and worry about the rest later.

The pudding in front of her fully captured her attention. She ate happily until the door opened, and Ninghe walked in, returning from her shift at the bookstore.

Meiyi glanced at her childhood friend, who set down a bag of takeout. “Meiyi, if it weren’t for your father asking me to look after you, I wouldn’t have let you stay with me.”

It was a request from Meiyi’s father before his passing earlier that year. Since then, Meiyi had been alone, and Ninghe had agreed to move in with her in Beijing.

Meiyi’s bright eyes sparkled with gratitude as she looked at her friend. “I’m trying to find a job, but it’s tough.”

“Really?”

“Yes!” she replied cheerfully.

“How long has it been since you got fired from your last job?” Ninghe asked.

Meiyi set down her pudding plate and scooted closer to Ninghe, giving her a pleading look.

“Not long. I’m sure I’ll find one soon!”

Ninghe chuckled, unconvinced. No wonder Meiyi was still single—she was a handful.

“Alright, let’s eat. I’m starving,” Ninghe said, shaking her head in mild exasperation.

At the Tang Family Home: Dinner

Jinfu glanced across the dining table at Feilong, who sat opposite him. Feilong’s expression was as unreadable as ever. He quietly ate, ignoring Jinfu’s probing gaze.

“Do you want to take a break?” Jinfu asked.

Feilong set down his chopsticks, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and looked at his cousin. “You go ahead.”

As always, Feilong turned down the offer. Visiting clubs or bars to watch women dance held no appeal for him.

“What about you?” Jinfu pressed, hoping for a change of heart. None came.

“I have more work to finish. Don’t drink too much; we have work tomorrow,” Feilong said, rising and leaving the dining room. Jinfu sighed as he watched him go.

If only Feilong would go out or try dating someone, his life might be more colorful. Jinfu didn’t understand his cousin’s disinterest in such things.

Beep beep beep!

Meiyi’s alarm blared early in the morning. She groaned, reached out to turn it off, and went back to sleep without caring what time it was.

“Meiyi!” Ninghe’s voice echoed from outside the room. Annoyed, Meiyi pulled a pillow over her head. Moments later, the sound of knocking forced her to stumble out of bed and open the door, her face grumpy.

“What is it?” she asked reluctantly.

“Are you going to sleep all day?” Ninghe snapped.

“In an hour, maybe…” Meiyi muttered groggily, blinking at her friend’s annoyed expression.

“By the way, the Luan Chen Company called earlier. They want you to come in for an interview.”

An interview!

Meiyi froze for a moment before slapping herself twice to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Luan Chen wanted to interview her?

“R-Really?!”

Her voice trembled with excitement, as if she had won the lottery.

“Yes,” Ninghe confirmed, handing Meiyi a note with the interview details. “It’s at 10 a.m. Hurry up. I’ve got to head to work.”

Meiyi beamed with joy and hopped excitedly. Closing the door, she rushed to get ready, determined not to let this opportunity slip through her fingers.

“Manager Yue, have you found a replacement for Ling Fang yet?” Director Jinfu asked the accounting department manager after finishing a discussion. Ling Fang’s resignation left a vacancy that needed to be filled promptly to avoid delays in departmental work.

“I’ve scheduled an interview for 10 a.m. today,” Si Lian replied.

Jinfu nodded in understanding before suggesting, “Let me handle the interview. There are a few questions I’d like to ask the new hire personally.”

“Understood,” Si Lian agreed, leaving the director’s office after their conversation. Jinfu leaned back in his chair, glancing at 9:35 a.m. In just 25 minutes, he would interview the candidate meant to replace Ling Fang.

Shifting his attention to the documents on his desk, including proposed designs for a new product line, Jinfu reviewed them thoughtfully. Something about the designs didn’t sit right with him, but final approval would depend on Feilong’s decision whether to revise or scrap them e