Imperfect Desires

One would think that having no memories of the original owner, Xiu was given a chance to a clean slate to fill it with her own story. But only she knew how difficult it was to pretend to be someone you have no clue about. Being a professional actress, she knew how to immerse herself into a role but here she was clueless. There was no script or any impression of the real Bai Xiu.

She was lost. She was living with the burden of not knowing whose life she had snatched and why? All she knew was that she wanted to do justice for the departed soul. Even in these five years, she couldn't find a fragment of a memory that belonged to the real Bai Xiu.

After an hour-long bus ride, she finally reached the sky-high building of Spark International Group. The tall, glass building was intimidating in its own way. But it was not something that could wear down Xiu - the girl who had gone through death. And yet survived miraculously through rebirth.

She sniggered at the word 'rebirth'. It seemed so foolish to even herself even when she had experienced it first hand. According to her, this supernatural phenomenon was only suited for fictional stories and now, her own life had become like one.

But before entering the building, she took a turn to enter the cafe. She stood in the long queue waiting for her turn. The tv was playing in the background and she could faintly hear the current news playing.

"The Nominations for the Golden Phoenix Awards have been uploaded. It is reported that the voting lines will be open till the..."

Xiu zoned out the voices around her. Once upon a time, she was the winner of the Best Actress Award at that Golden Phoenix Awards for four consecutive years. She certainly made one green with envy with her achievements. However, it was just once upon a time kind of a fairytale.

Today's Xiu was nothing like that Goddess that people admired or scorned at the end. She didn't want to be that naive again. Perhaps that's why Xiu never even tried to look back or tried to find out what was going on in the Capital. After her rebirth, she had completely let go of the past that belonged to Chen Xiu.

She was fine being an ordinary girl in the An City. It was peaceful here with no one to point fingers at her again. It's easy to point fingers but those people could never understand what Xiu had to bear. People said Chen Xiu committed suicide. She would say, 'You all killed me. How could a coward like me even dare to jump? It was your accusations that pushed me down that balcony.' But unfortunately, she couldn't change the past.

And neither did she want to anymore. This wasn't her body and she had no right to solve her personal grudges when she couldn't even solve the ones the original soul left behind.

"Miss?" Xiu's thoughts were disturbed when the cashier called her asking for her order.

"One black coffee to go," she gave her order and paid with her mobile before leaving the cafe and entering the busy lobby of the company.

She entered the elevator and stood at the back while others filled in.

"You're getting new interns today," said the person standing next to her. Xiu didn't respond as she let the enthusiastic man beside her continue, "You feel the tension in the elevator. It's all your fault!"

"What did I do?" she inquired with a raise of her brow. 

Her kind but a talkative colleague pointed at the back of two people who were standing at the front of the elevator as she whispered, "That perky girl who looks really excited is actually Bo Jiu and that timid and shy boy beside her is Shen Li. They both are in your team."

"How do you know that?" Xiu knew he was nosy but why was he more familiar with her team than she was?

"Bo Jiu's cousin works in the Design Department and she was really worried when she learned that you'll be the Supervisor of new interns."

Xiu frowned slightly and seeing that he continued, "You have a reputation in not just our department. They call you Heartless in the Planning Department for a reason." He shrugged as he went on, "Besides, Ms. Bai Xiu, you're only twenty-three years old and still you've gotten double promotions in the past 3 years."

"So? Is it my fault for trying my best?" She really didn't care what others thought of her. But it really annoyed her when people brought up the topic of her promotions as if she had used some underhanded means to get there. Even though her hard work was all before their eyes.

"Of course, not. Your excellent performance is right before everyone. Besides, I think there is no one in our company who doesn't know that you're that girl who topped the college entrance exam during her batch and also managed to get the bachelor's degree within just two years."

Xiu was certainly satisfied to hear all this but she didn't show it on her face at all. Aye, I didn't know I was famous again. Seems like I wasn't born to lay low-key.

"But I think you should be nice to interns this time," said her colleague, Lu Jin with some sympathy on his face. "I know you love wearing the interns down but please, go easy. I think every intern must have already gotten the memo not to mess with you or you'll crush them like a piece of paper."

While Xiu was thinking, 'When did I crush someone like a piece of paper? I'm not a shredding machine!'

With a cardboard box in her hand, Xiu entered the meeting room where the interns were asked to gather for their briefing. Without even saying a word, she pulled out the business cards and placed it on the table to distribute.

"Let's skip the introductions since you must have heard a lot about me already." Her eyes lingered on Bo Jiu as she said those words making the poor girl cower back in her seat. "I'm Bai Xiu. And that's all you need to know about me. As for our rules, I'll say it once. Don't make me repeat myself." She paced around the meeting room passing behind each and every one of them like a looming death verdict.

"The first rule, I hate tardiness. Don't let me find you ditching work." Taking a brief pause, she continued, "The second rule, I hate excuses. Unless you're dying, don't let me hear you say that you want a day off." She dropped a thick file on the table making them flinch at the loud sound as she went on, "And the most important rule, mind your own business. The planning department hates gossips the most. Don't even dare to test my patience."

She was about to turn to leave when she halted to say, "Oh, let me enlighten you. I might not crumble interns like a piece of paper as you've gotten the memo but I love making their life hell." Her voice had turned stern at the end making everyone's heart jolt especially, Bo Jiu who was cursing her luck.