C10 It Was Not a Coincidence!

Miaojie sat at her desk, turned on her computer and drawing tablet, ready to dive into the latest comic sketches. After saying goodbye to Xiaofu, she was completely absorbed in the world of comics. For a cartoonist, late nights were just part of the routine.

This was Miaojie's first assignment at GM Cartoon Company, and she was determined to give it her all.

Knock, knock, knock... Miaojie was so focused on her drawing that she didn't hear the knocking until Ms. Yang walked in with a steaming cup of coffee.

"My dear granddaughter, still up?" Ms. Yang noticed the light in Miaojie's room and knew she must be drawing, so she brought her a cup of coffee.

Seeing Ms. Yang, Miaojie playfully buried her head in her grandmother's embrace.

"Aren't you a bit old for that? Drink this coffee and get some sleep. The news says young people who stay up late are at risk," Ms. Yang advised in her usual authoritative tone.

"Yes, ma'am, I will. I'll finish this coffee and head to bed. You should rest too."

Ms. Yang left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Miaojie looked at her sketches, feeling something was off, and decided to revise them once more.

The coffee worked wonders. Miaojie, who had been struggling to keep her eyes open, suddenly felt wide awake and ready to draw for hours.

Suddenly, Miaojie slapped the table, startling herself. Whether it was the coffee or not, a flood of ideas rushed into her mind. The sketches that seemed impossible to tackle were quickly completed with a few swift strokes.

Creativity, after all, thrives on inspiration, and when it strikes, there's no stopping it.

Miaojie took one last look at her creation, the result of an all-nighter, and nodded to herself with satisfaction. "Not bad. Lights out, time for bed. I'm exhausted." She yawned three times in quick succession.

Before drifting off, she set her phone alarm for 7 a.m., determined to get up early the next day. "I have to snag a parking spot," she thought.

The glowing screen showed it was already 2:30 a.m., and the world outside was pitch black. The entire house was silent, and Miaojie soon fell into a deep sleep.

At 7 a.m., the morning sun began to spread across the land, and Miaojie's phone dutifully sounded its wake-up call.

"What's that noise? It's so annoying," she mumbled, half-asleep, as she reached out to silence the rhythmic alarm.

"Xiaofu, go check on Miaojie. It's already 7:30, and she hasn't come down yet. She's just started at the company and can't be late," her dad instructed. Xiaofu quickly dashed into Miaojie's room.

Xiaofu, always eager to please, peeked at Miaojie, who was still buried under her covers, sound asleep. With a swift motion, Xiaofu yanked the blanket off. The bright sunlight hit Miaojie, but she just grumbled and turned over, showing no intention of getting up.

Xiaofu had to resort to her secret weapon. Leaning close to Miaojie's ear, a mischievous grin spread across her face as she shouted, "Wake up!" with all her might. Miaojie jolted awake, sitting up like a spring.

"Xiaofu, are you trying to get yourself killed? You know I hate being woken up. You're in big trouble today," Miaojie fumed, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at Xiaofu, who dodged it with ease.

"Hey, look at the time. It's already eight in the morning. Aren't you going to work?" Lin Xiaofu pointed at the clock, her expression filled with exasperation.

Tong Miaojie glanced at her phone's large screen, which showed it was 8:00 AM. She let out a scream like a banshee and tumbled out of bed.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Are we even friends?" Tong Miaojie grumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste as she brushed her teeth.

"With your morning temper, who would dare? It's like risking my life. I got special permission from your dad before coming over. I'm practically saving your family from disaster," Lin Xiaofu defended herself.

Tong Miaojie couldn't worry about anything else now. She rocketed through her morning routine—brushing teeth, doing makeup, and getting dressed—in just ten minutes.

"I've never seen you move so fast," Lin Xiaofu remarked, witnessing the whirlwind.

"Yeah, yeah, keep making fun. This stupid phone didn't even set off the alarm. I'm replacing it soon," Tong Miaojie muttered as she dashed to the garage, skipping breakfast.

"Eat something before you go," Ms. Yang sighed as she watched her daughter leave.

"You all eat; I don't have time," Tong Miaojie's voice echoed as she rushed out.

"Don't worry, missing one meal won't kill her," her dad commented, thankfully out of her earshot, or she'd be fuming.

Already running late, the city's traffic added to her frustration. A minor jam every three minutes, a major one every five. Ten minutes in, and she'd barely made it a mile from home.

The morning rush hour was in full swing, and as Tong Miaojie stared at the sea of cars ahead, she felt utterly defeated. What should have been a 20-minute drive took her a full 40 minutes.

Suddenly, Miaojie remembered the note from yesterday in the car. Before entering the parking lot, she made sure to ask the security guard at the entrance about the location of the regular parking area.

"You must be new here. Let me explain: our company's regular parking is in the west lot, while the executive parking is in the east lot," the security guard patiently informed Miaojie.

"Thank you so much. I am new here, and today is only my second day at work, so there's still a lot I don't know."

"You're welcome. It's my job. But just so you know, the regular parking area is already full today. Next time, try to come earlier. For today, you can temporarily park in the executive area," the guard kindly suggested.

Miaojie felt a bit stressed, but a glance at her watch showed it was already 8:50, just 10 minutes before work started. She thanked the guard and drove straight into the east parking lot.

As soon as she entered, Miaojie spotted an open space and quickly parked the car. She rushed to the elevator from the underground garage and headed upstairs.

Miaojie clocked in just as the clock struck 9:00. She felt a cold sweat on her back—it had been a nerve-wracking morning. Determined, she promised herself to arrive earlier the next morning.