"Seems like you missed your way, pretty?" One of the guys said, genuflecting dramatically in front of her, arms resting on his thighs like he was preparing to propose.
Ivy chuckled, taken aback by the absurdity. "You obvi—"
"Or are you one of those new rookies looking for a celebrity to cling to?" interrupted a guy with beautiful brown curls, his tone teasing.
Ivy burst out laughing, the unexpected jab catching her off guard. "Well, which band is this? I haven't seen your faces before, and I'm a loyal fan of music! Are you new?"
The guys exchanged glances, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance washing over them. A tall, striking guy with a guitar slung over his shoulder stood up, exuding a model-like aura that could probably sell anything from cologne to cereal.
'Why am I so weak when it comes to handsome guys? Ivy thought, biting back a smile. 'I can't wait to start my job and see beautiful faces every day.'
"Well, we're The Eagles," the handsome one said, flashing a charming smile that revealed adorable dimples. "We are a new band, though. Did you get lost? Are you an actress or a staff member here?"
"Hmm, nice meeting you, Mr.?" Ivy replied, her curiosity piqued.
"Ling Xuan," he said, still smiling.
Ivy felt an impulse to ruffle his tinted ginger hair but restrained herself, reminding herself that she was supposed to be a professional.
The other guys exchanged bewildered looks, clearly confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere.
"Well, Mr. Ling Xuan, can you be a gentleman and help me up, please?" Ivy asked, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.
Ling Xuan nodded, extending a hand to help her up. Ivy stood and quickly dusted off her dress, pretending to be oblivious to the way the guys were looking at her, as if they were about to start a "who can stare the hardest" competition.
Just then, her phone buzzed, and she heard Pearl's voice loud and clear. "Ivy!!!!!!!"
Ivy's heart sank. *Gosh, I forgot I was on a call with Pearl! That means she heard everything!*
"Hey, babe! I got in the wrong place. I'm okay! I even fell into the studio of a band named The Eagles!" Ivy said, trying to keep her voice light.
"Oh, okay! You can just tell one of them to lead you out. Okay? Bye-bye, baby. You made me burn all the pancakes I'm making!"
Ivy smiled, shaking her head at Pearl's antics, and ended the call, realizing the five guys were still watching her with rapt attention.
"Seems like I'm quite the entertainment today," she joked, shooting them a wink.
Ling Xuan stepped closer, curiosity in his eyes. "Since you lost your way, I volunteer to help you out. Can I?"
"Sure, I'd appreciate that!" Ivy said, smiling back. As they started walking, Ivy stole a glance at the remaining four. She bowed slightly without saying a word, leaving them behind, still stunned.
"Did she just bow?" one of them whispered, while another just stared, mouth agape.
As Ivy and Ling Xuan approached a set of stairs, he suddenly turned left. "So, are you an actress or staff?"
"You can guess; I won't tell you," Ivy replied playfully, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Not even your name?" he probed, looking genuinely curious.
"Okay, fine. My name is Xu Xiao, but you can call me Ivy," she said, grinning.
"Oh, cool! Can I have your number?" he asked, looking hopeful.
Ivy paused, arching an eyebrow. "My number?"
"Yes! I hope you don't mind," he replied, sounding sincere.
"Are you trying to shoot your shot?" Ivy asked, winking at him mischievously.
Ling Xuan laughed out loud, and Ivy's cheeks flushed a little at his reaction.
"What's so funny?" Ivy crossed her arms, feigning indignation.
"You are! Asking if I'm trying to shoot my shot at you? I don't do short girls," he teased, chuckling again.
"Excuse me? You don't know if your soulmate is short!" Ivy shot back, a playful smirk on her face.
"And I don't wish. You wish," Ling Xuan countered, sticking his tongue out at her.
"Ohhh, whatever," Ivy laughed, shaking her head. "So, when we enter this elevator" Ling Xuan pointed to the elevator in front of them "we're going to the third floor. Just so you know, our company's floor numbers count down. Like, 50th to 1st floor."
"It's so obvious! I know," Ivy said, rolling her eyes dramatically.
As they stepped into the elevator, Ling Xuan continued, "When we get to the office, please be quiet. The CEO hates noise. And you should know this if you're a contracted artist, actor, musician, staff, or worker. We all know he hates noise a lot."
"Sure, okay. Can I have your phone?" Ivy asked, taking his phone and entering her number.
"Thank you! I'm so lucky to have a celebrity helping me," she teased, trying to hide her excitement.
"Oh, don't say that! Even if you're one of the top ten best actors ever, the rule is to help everyone in this company because we're all colleagues, working together for the growth of this place," Ling Xuan replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Cool!" Ivy said, nodding enthusiastically.
The elevator dinged, indicating they had reached their floor, and Ivy was surprised to find that the men and women had separate offices.
*Why does this place feel so strange?* she wondered, eyeing the layout with curiosity. *Why are men and women working differently? This doesn't even look like an entertainment industry!*
As if sensing her confusion, Ling Xuan nudged her gently, pausing her thoughts. "Well, this office is different from others. This is where our staff works—where they plan for the future and growth of this company."
"Sounds serious!" Ivy replied, nodding.
"We have floors for our managers too. Floors for the CEO's secretary, and eighty percent of them are men. Some floors are rooms for dressing and makeovers. You haven't told me your role here," he added.
"Well, I'm the new assistant of the CEO," Ivy replied, a hint of pride in her tone.
They walked in silence for a moment, with eyes on them from all sides. A few ladies stood up, trying to catch Ling Xuan's attention. Ivy couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"Seems like celebrities hardly pass this office," she observed, amused.
"Yeah, if not for you, I'd have no reason to be here," Ling Xuan quipped, glancing at the hopeful girls. "It's obvious they're trying to attract my attention."
"Most girls do that. Even though we're a new band, we have quite a fan base. I'm surprised when you said you don't know us," Ling Xuan added, looking genuinely curious.
"Hey, you're not saying anything about me being the personal assistant of the CEO," Ivy pointed out, smirking.
"I'm surprised! But I haven't heard of the boss having a personal assistant," he admitted.
"Hmmm… well, I just got the job today, and I felt like exploring this company a little before heading home," Ivy explained.
"Congratulations!" he said, genuinely happy for her.
They entered another elevator leading to the top floor.
"So, we're friends now, right?" Ling Xuan asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Yeah!" Ivy replied, her voice enthusiastic.
"I'm having a show soon, my group and I. If you're less busy, I can give you a very important personal card so you can watch us from the front row. What do you think?" he asked, excitement lacing his voice.
"When is it?" Ivy asked, intrigued.
"Next week Friday," Ling Xuan said, grinning.
"I would have loved to come, but I don't know the nature of my job yet. You know, I was told the boss is pretty strict," Ivy said, sounding a bit disappointed.
"That's true. I wish you the best of luck," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.
"So, have you seen his face before?" Ivy asked, curious.
"Who?" he replied, looking puzzled.
"I mean the CEO," Ivy clarified.
"Obviously, I haven't seen his face. He's always wearing a mask. There are rumors that he has a mark on his face that he's ugly. You know those kinds of rumors," Ling Xuan explained.
"He's so anonymous, right?" Ivy mused.
"Yes! You have to be careful around him; you definitely don't want to see his angry side," he cautioned, a playful grin on his face.
"Sure, thanks for the heads up!" Ivy said, half-jokingly.
They entered the last floor, and Ivy and Ling Xuan departed, waving goodbye. Ivy sank into her grandfather's car, letting out a sigh of relief as she rested her back against the seat.
'Such a long day. I met a top-notch celebrity today, and he's even my friend now! I should have taken a picture with him. But why is the CEO hiding his face behind a mask?'
'He is the most handsome man have ever laid my eyes on or is he trying to hide his beauty?'
Ivy's eyes lit up about that thought and she laughed crazily as she drove.