Lisa sat at her new desk, tapping her fingers against the smooth surface as she took in her surroundings. The app development team was a mix of quiet programmers, energetic designers, and serious project managers. The open office space was filled with the soft hum of computers, distant conversations, and the occasional ring of a phone.
She was finally here, working at Z&K.
"Alright, Lisa," Mei said, placing a stack of documents in front of her. "Your first task is to review the new updates for our upcoming education app and make notes on any possible bugs or improvements."
Lisa nodded eagerly. "Got it!"
She opened her laptop and got to work, scrolling through the interface of the app. It was a language learning tool designed to help students improve their Chinese. As she tested different features, she couldn't help but admire the sleek design and smooth functionality.
Everything seemed perfect—until she reached Lesson 5.
The app crashed.
Lisa frowned and restarted it, but every time she tried Lesson 5, the screen froze before shutting down.
"A bug," she murmured.
She quickly documented the issue and drafted a suggestion for improvement. Once she was sure she had enough details, she turned to Mei. "I found a bug in Lesson 5. Should I report it to the lead developer?"
Mei blinked in surprise. "That was fast. Yeah, you can send a report. But be careful how you phrase it. We don't want to sound like we're criticizing the development team."
Lisa nodded. She carefully worded the email, making sure it sounded professional and constructive before hitting send.
She felt good. She had already contributed something on her first day.
But then…
A loud ding rang through the office.
Lisa glanced at her screen. A reply email had arrived—only three minutes after she sent hers.
Her stomach dropped.
From: Felix Zheng
Subject: Unnecessary Feedback
Lisa swallowed as she read the short, cold response:
"If you have time to point out problems, you should have time to fix them. Either provide a solution or stop wasting my time."
Lisa stared at the screen, her face heating up.
What the hell?!
"Uh, Lisa… is everything okay?" Mei asked cautiously.
Lisa turned to her with wide eyes. "Felix just replied."
Mei's expression darkened. "Let me guess… he didn't say thank you?"
"He basically told me to shut up if I don't have a solution."
Mei sighed. "Yeah, that sounds like him. Don't take it personally. He's like this with everyone."
Lisa clenched her fists. She wasn't expecting praise, but she didn't deserve this kind of response either.
If he wanted a solution, fine. She'd give him one.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her laptop again. If Felix thought she was just some clueless newbie, he was wrong.
Lisa stayed in the office long after most of her colleagues had left. She wasn't done yet.
She analyzed the problem in the app, tested different fixes, and rewrote sections of the code that seemed to be causing the crash.
By the time she finished, it was nearly 9 PM. Her fingers ached, but she felt proud.
She attached the revised code to an email and, without hesitation, sent it to Felix.
Subject: Fixed Lesson 5 – No More "Unnecessary Feedback"
She smirked as she hit send. Let's see what he has to say now.
Lisa entered the office feeling refreshed. She had proven herself, and now she could move on.
But the moment she sat down, Mei rushed over.
"Lisa!" she whisper-shouted. "What did you do?!"
Lisa blinked. "Huh?"
"Felix wants to see you. Now."
Lisa's heart skipped a beat. Oh no.
"Wait… what?!"
Mei nodded frantically. "The CEO's office. Tenth floor. Good luck."
Lisa gulped. What had she gotten herself into?
The tenth floor was completely different from the others. While the lower levels were filled with busy employees, this floor was quiet.
Intimidating.
Lisa's footsteps echoed as she walked toward a pair of large black doors. She hesitated before knocking.
"Come in."
She took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Felix sat at a massive glass desk, his sharp eyes focused on his laptop screen. He didn't look up when she entered.
Lisa felt a chill run down her spine.
"Lisa Okafor," he said, his voice cool and controlled. "You fixed the app."
Lisa straightened her back. "Yes."
He finally looked up, his dark eyes meeting hers. They were unreadable.
"You stayed late?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Felix leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the desk. "You're new. Most people wouldn't bother fixing something on their first day."
Lisa exhaled, her confidence returning. "I take my work seriously."
Felix tilted his head slightly. "So do I."
His voice was calm, but there was something dangerous underneath it.
Lisa refused to back down. "Then maybe you shouldn't dismiss your employees so quickly."
A flicker of something—surprise? Amusement?—crossed his face before it disappeared.
"Noted," he said simply.
Lisa blinked. That's it?
Felix stood up, towering over her. "Don't waste my time again."
And just like that, he turned his attention back to his laptop.
Lisa clenched her jaw.
"Then stop underestimating me," she shot back before turning and walking out.
As the doors closed behind her, Lisa let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
What was that?
She had just stood up to Felix Zheng, the feared CEO of Z&K.
And the most surprising part?
She wasn't scared anymore.