“Love, Deadlines & Half-Cooked Coffee”

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Office Romance

Setting: Modern-day Shanghai in a busy marketing firm

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Main Characters

Lin Xiaoyu — 26

A creative, clumsy project coordinator who survives on instant noodles and caffeine. She secretly adores her cold, perfectionist boss but is too shy to confess.

Li Junhao — 31

A calm, handsome CEO who hides his warm heart behind a professional mask. He’s quietly smitten with Xiaoyu but doesn’t dare show it because she’s his employee.

Supporting Cast:

Mei Ling — Xiaoyu’s office bestie and gossip queen.

Chen Yifan — Junhao’s friend and business partner who keeps teasing him about “that girl from your team.”

Auntie Wu— The HR manager who’s secretly rooting for office love stories.

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Author’s Note

Dear pretty Readers,

Welcome to my newest story — a lighthearted love comedy drama filled with laughter, misunderstandings, and a sprinkle of heartwarming chaos.

This novel is a celebration of modern love — the kind that’s awkward, funny, and unexpectedly beautiful. You’ll meet characters who stumble through emotions, mix up feelings (and maybe a few text messages!), and discover that love often hides in the most ordinary moments.

As you read, I hope you smile, laugh out loud, and maybe even see a little bit of yourself in these imperfect yet lovable souls. Writing this story was my way of capturing the sweet mess of human connection — the typos, the timing, the tears, and all.

Thank you for picking up this book and giving it your time and heart. Your support means everything. So sit back, grab your favorite drink, and let the story make you fall in love — one page, one laugh, one twist at a time.

With love and gratitude,

Thank you so much for picking up my new novel. This story is a sweet blend of love, comedy, and drama — filled with laughter, little mistakes, and moments that touch the heart. It’s about how love often appears in the most unexpected ways and how a single smile (or typo!) can change everything.

I wrote this story with joy and hope that it brings the same warmth to you. As you turn each page, I wish you moments of laughter, lightheartedness, and maybe even a few happy tears.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Your support and love mean the world to me. I hope this story makes your day a little brighter and your heart a little softer.

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A sweet mix of love, comedy, and drama that celebrates the funny, awkward, and heartfelt moments of life. This story is about how love sometimes arrives with a twist, a typo, or a laugh you never expected.

I truly hope it makes you smile, warm your heart, and remind you that even the smallest moments can create the biggest memories.

Thank you for being here and giving this story a place in your time and heart.

Wishing you a happy and joyful reading time!

May each page bring a smile to your face and a sparkle to your day.

With love --

The elevator doors slid open with a metallic sigh, and Lin Xiaoyu burst out like a late-delivery courier.

“Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through—” she gasped, clutching a paper cup that was way too full.

Monday morning at Raheja Innovations Shanghai Branch was not kind to her. Especially when the universe had already conspired: the alarm failed, her roommate borrowed her hairdryer, and her train card got rejected — twice.

Now, all she wanted was caffeine and invisibility.

But fate had other plans.

As she darted toward her desk, trying to sip her latte, she didn’t see the tall figure turning the corner with a file in hand.

The collision was silent for half a second—then splash!

The entire latte decorated a crisp, white report folder.

She froze.

He froze.

Then he slowly looked down at his soaked sleeve.

Li Junhao.

Her boss.

The man who made power suits look illegal.

Xiaoyu’s brain short-circuited. “Oh—my—gosh— I’m so sorry! I didn’t— I mean— I saw—but not really—”

Junhao blinked once, calm as ever, his tone low and even.

“It’s fine, Lin Xiaoyu.”

He handed her the dripping report. “But I believe you owe me a new copy… and a coffee.”

Her heart stopped. He knows my name?

“Y-yes, sir! Right away! I’ll reprint the report. And buy—uh—coffee. What kind?”

He started walking away, voice casual over his shoulder.

“The same one you just wasted on my sleeve.”

He’s joking.

He just made a joke.

Oh no, he’s handsome when he jokes.

Mei Ling, her best friend and colleague, peeked over the cubicle wall as Xiaoyu slumped into her chair.

“You spilled coffee on the boss again?”

“Again?! That was one time—and it was iced tea!” Xiaoyu hissed.

Mei Ling grinned. “You’re either his nightmare or his destiny.”

Xiaoyu groaned into her palms. “Destiny doesn’t come with dry-cleaning bills.”

Two hours later, Xiaoyu arrived at Junhao’s office door clutching two cups of coffee — one black, one latte. She knocked softly.

“Come in,” came the smooth reply.

He was seated by the window, laptop open, sleeves rolled up, the city skyline reflecting off his glasses.

He looked like a magazine cover.

Xiaoyu placed the coffees on the table carefully. “Sir, here’s your coffee. And the new report.”

He glanced up.

“You didn’t have to bring me one too.”

“Oh! I—um—thought it’s polite?” she said, instantly regretting it.

He raised an eyebrow, half-smiling.

“Then you’re very polite.”

The silence stretched.

Her heart thudded.

She fiddled with her pen like it was a lifeline.

Finally, Junhao spoke.

“You’re doing good work, Lin Xiaoyu. I’ve noticed your ideas in the recent project pitch.”

Her eyes widened. “You… did?”

He nodded. “Next time, try to present them yourself. Don’t hide behind your team.”

His words were simple, but to her, they felt like a fireworks show.

Her mind screamed, Did he just encourage me? Compliment me?

When she left his office, she could barely walk straight.

Mei Ling caught her halfway down the hall.

“Why do you look like you just met a K-drama lead?”

Xiaoyu whispered dramatically,

“Because I think I just did.”

That night, Xiaoyu opened her WeChat and created a new private group:

[Operation Boss Crush 🫣💔]

Members: Mei Ling, and… well, just her.

She typed:

“Step 1: Don’t spill coffee.

Step 2: Don’t stare at him during meetings.

Step 3: Definitely don’t fall for him harder than I already have.”

She hit send and sighed.

Little did she know — in his penthouse office, Li Junhao was staring at the second coffee cup she left on his desk, smiling faintly.

He’d already added her to his favorite contacts list.

“She’s trouble,” he murmured.

“Adorable trouble.”

The next morning, Lin Xiaoyu woke up with the same sentence replaying in her head:

“You’re doing good work.”

She stared at the ceiling.

Was that real encouragement? Or corporate politeness?

Her roommate yelled from the kitchen, “You’re smiling at your phone again! Did your boss text you?”

Xiaoyu choked on her toothpaste. “Of course not! He’s my boss, not my boyfriend!”

Yet, ten minutes later, she checked her WeChat.

No message.

Tragic.

At work, she tried to act normal. That lasted four minutes.

As soon as Li Junhao walked into the office, tall and crisp in a grey suit, every neuron in her brain screamed don’t stare!

Mei Ling whispered, “You’re staring.”

“I’m not!”

“You’re smiling while staring.”

“I’m practicing gratitude!”

“For his face?”

Xiaoyu glared at her best friend. “I need professional help.”

📱 WeChat: Operation Boss Crush 🫣💔

Xiaoyu: He said I did good work. Do you think that means anything?

Mei Ling: It means you work there. 😂

Xiaoyu: What if he secretly admires my dedication and sense of aesthetics?

Mei Ling: What if he secretly thinks you spill too many beverages? ☕

During lunch break, Xiaoyu caught a glimpse of Junhao sitting in the corner café downstairs, typing on his laptop. Alone.

Her heart started doing that thing again — the dum-dum-dum-don’t-you-dare dance.

Mei Ling nudged her.

“You should talk to him. About, I don’t know… marketing?”

“Marketing what? My death wish?” Xiaoyu hissed.

Before she could escape, Junhao’s eyes lifted.

Their gazes met.

He raised his coffee cup slightly — a silent greeting.

Xiaoyu’s brain blanked. She accidentally waved with both hands. Like a malfunctioning robot.

He smiled — smiled! — and gestured for her to come over.

Mei Ling mouthed, Go! GO!

Xiaoyu took a deep breath and walked over, praying her legs wouldn’t betray her.

“Morning, Director Li,” she said, clutching her cup.

He looked up, voice calm but warm.

“Just Junhao outside the office. Sit down?”

She blinked. “O-oh. Okay… Jun—Junhao.”

He chuckled softly at her awkwardness.

“You don’t usually come here for lunch.”

“I, uh, was in the neighborhood.”

In the neighborhood of my own building. Genius, Xiaoyu.

He nodded, stirring his coffee.

“I read your draft for the client proposal. You have a unique perspective. I’d like you to present it next time.”

Her spoon clattered against her cup. “Me? Present? In front of clients?”

He smiled faintly.

“Why not? You’re the one who wrote it. Don’t hide behind your team again.”

Her heart did that exploding confetti thing.

She nodded too quickly. “Yes, I’ll do it! I mean, of course! I’ll… try not to faint.”

He laughed quietly — a sound so rare that everyone in the café turned to look.

“Don’t faint. That’s not in the company handbook.”

She blushed crimson.

That night, her WeChat pinged again.

Xiaoyu: He asked me to call him Junhao! 😳

Mei Ling: OHHH he’s definitely into you.

Xiaoyu: No, maybe it’s just “professional equality.”

Mei Ling: Equality my foot. He laughed at your joke. That’s love in corporate language. ❤️

Meanwhile, in his apartment overlooking the Bund, Li Junhao leaned back on his couch.

Chen Yifan, his business partner, was on video call.

“You’ve been smiling like an idiot lately. Who’s the lucky intern?”

Junhao shot him a look. “She’s not an intern. She’s… different.”

Yifan smirked.

“Ah. Different. That’s code for I’m doomed.”

Junhao sighed, glancing at his phone where Xiaoyu’s contact sat pinned at the top — he hadn’t messaged, but her status read:

‘Don’t spill coffee on your crush twice.’

He smiled.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I think I am.”