Nanjin was divided into five districts: the Old Town at its core, flanked by the North, South, East, and West districts.
Beitong Advertising was situated in the Tianbei District, right on the edge of the Old Town. This was the most expensive real estate in Tianbei; stepping out of the subway, the surrounding architecture still bore faint traces of the Old Town's heritage.
After walking straight for a hundred meters, Yang Yi arrived at his destination: the Nanjin International Trade Center.
A cluster of magnificent glass towers came into view, along with Nanjin's largest shopping mall. This place housed the city's only luxury boutiques—fashion, bags, jewelry—and high-end dining brands. There was also the sprawling Baitong Plaza, where most of the city's premier financial, trade, and cultural firms were headquartered.
Beitong Advertising was in Tower C. Yang Yi confirmed his bearings and headed that way.
As he approached Tower C, the crowd grew thicker. The pervasive sense of elite professionalism and fashion mirrored the Trade Center's aesthetic perfectly. Yang Yi felt a wave of self-consciousness, his heart quickening its pace.
Beitong occupied floors seven through fifteen. Yang Yi was heading to the Financial Business Unit, where Mao Lin worked. He checked the address in his text, cross-referenced it with the building directory, and confirmed the interview was on the seventh floor.
It was 8:40 AM—twenty minutes before the interview.
"I'm downstairs," Yang Yi texted Mao Lin.
"Register at the seventh-floor front desk and wait for instructions."
By the elevators stood several women in heavy makeup, whispering and pointing at Yang Yi. Noticing the Beitong logo on their lanyards, Yang Yi guessed they were from the Media Department. It was just like back at Tianchen: the women in the Account Department rarely wore heavy makeup, opting for a sharp, professional look. In contrast, the Media Department recruited beautiful women who didn't usually have to face clients, so they tended to dress up as much as the company code allowed.
Feeling that his outfit might look a bit provincial to others, Yang Yi instinctively straightened his back and brushed his bangs aside.
Once inside the elevator, someone tapped Yang Yi's shoulder twice with their fingertips. Even through his suit jacket, he felt a slight pinch of pain.
"Hey, hi! Which department are you in?"
Yang Yi turned halfway and looked at the female colleague behind him, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"I'm going to the Financial Business Unit." In over a year of working, no strange woman had ever approached him like this—let alone a beautiful one, and there were several of them.
After answering, Yang Yi froze in the elevator, his face flushing from his ears to his cheeks. There were at least a dozen people in the elevator, though fortunately, the others paid him no mind.
"Wow, how high-end," one giggled. "Yeah, totally high-end."
"Um..." Yang Yi had no idea how to respond. He hadn't encountered this in school, and certainly not after graduation. He could only mutter a single-word reply.
Fortunately, the elevator stopped at the seventh floor. Yang Yi gave another nod over his shoulder and stepped out. As he did, he caught a glimpse of her ID badge. Though her long hair partially obscured it, he could just make out the name:
"Yuan Bochao."
The badge was perched high on her chest. At such close range in the elevator, it was hard for Yang Yi not to see it clearly.
Could that really be a girl's name? Yang Yi was baffled. Looking at the positioning of the badge again, he decided she either had the wrong badge on or his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"Bye-bye!" the women chirped from the elevator. Yang Yi could only turn halfway again and nod toward them.
Two half-turns—he wondered if that counted as a fateful encounter.
The glass doors to the Financial Business Unit were shut tight. Yang Yi stood there, peering inside.
A petite girl walked past, carrying a mug toward the water dispenser. She wore a tight black miniskirt and a white blouse; black stockings disappeared into a pair of chunky Marten boots.
She looks great, Yang Yi thought. The top button of her blouse was undone, perfectly framing her collarbones.
As she walked back with her water, she noticed Yang Yi and immediately understood, swiping her badge to let him in.
"Thank you." This time, his "thank you" was a whole two words longer than his previous "um."
The girl smiled, revealing two small canines, then turned and left.
The reception desk was empty, but as Yang Yi drew closer, he saw a girl crouching underneath, apparently looking for something.
"Hi, I'm here for an interview."
"Who are you seeing?" she asked, standing up.
"Xu Maolin."
"Xu... Maolin?" She frowned, picking up a clipboard and scanning the list, not even stopping to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead.
"Yes, he said there's an interview today and told me to register at the front desk."
"Go to 'Vienna' over there and fill out the form." Without looking up from the list, she placed a form in front of him. She expertly clicked a ballpoint pen against the desk and handed it over.
A true professional at a top-tier agency—nothing wasted, efficient enough to command respect.
But what on earth was "Vienna"? Following her gesture, Yang Yi's sharp eyes caught a small meeting room with the word "Vienna" etched in reflective film on the door.
A few minutes later, as Yang Yi finished the form, the receptionist returned, followed by a middle-aged man with center-parted long hair. Yang Yi's gut told him this was his future boss.
In the hallway, Mao Lin walked past with some files. He stood on his tiptoes to peek into the room, flashed a smile, and kept going.