Sophia had thought she'd reached her limit with her so-called intern, Leonard Zhang. She had thought she'd seen the pinnacle of incompetence, the very Everest of office mishaps. But Leonard, it seemed, was determined to prove her wrong, to push the boundaries of her sanity into uncharted territories. He somehow found new and innovative ways to test her patience every day, like a scientist conducting experiments on the limits of human endurance. Whether it was his annoyingly relaxed attitude, his tendency to ask questions that made her question the very fabric of reality, or the way he always had a smirk ready, like he was privy to some cosmic joke she wasn't in on, he was officially the most frustrating assistant she'd ever had.
That morning, she arrived at the front desk, already bracing herself for whatever fresh hell he had managed to unleash. She expected to find the office in chaos, documents strewn about like confetti at a tornado's wedding, or maybe even a small fire started by his "innovative" use of office supplies. Instead, she found Leonard leaning lazily against the counter, chatting with a coworker, looking like he was auditioning for a "Most Relaxed Intern" award.
"Leon, did you send the client report I asked for?" Sophia asked, crossing her arms, her voice laced with suspicion. She was expecting an excuse, a convoluted story involving malfunctioning staplers and rogue paperclips.
He turned to her, looking mildly offended, like she had just accused him of stealing candy from a baby. "Of course, boss. I may be new, and I may have a talent for accidental office destruction, but I'm not incompetent. I'm a professional."
She narrowed her eyes at him, like she was trying to see through his layers of charm and find the chaos lurking beneath. Then, reluctantly, she checked her email. To her surprise, the report was not only sent but formatted perfectly, with clear summaries and concise bullet points. It was… impressive. She refused to admit it, of course.
"Don't expect a gold star," she muttered, clicking away from the email, trying to maintain her air of professional disdain.
Leonard chuckled, a low, amused sound. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'm just happy to contribute to the smooth functioning of this… well, this place."
Before she could throw another jab, a commotion erupted at the lobby entrance, shattering the fragile peace of the morning. A well-dressed man in a designer suit, the kind that probably cost more than her rent, was berating one of the receptionists. His voice carried through the room, sharp and entitled, like a rusty saw cutting through wood.
"I booked a suite, not some basic room with a view of a parking lot!" the man snapped, his face flushed with anger. "Do you people even understand customer service? I've been inconvenienced!"
Sophia sighed, stepping forward, feeling a headache begin to throb behind her eyes. "Sir, I apologize for the inconvenience. If you'll give me a moment, I'll personally handle your reservation. We can find a solution."
The man barely glanced at her, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. "Handle it? I've already wasted enough time. I don't have time for this!"
Leonard, who had been watching silently, like a casual observer at a zoo exhibit, suddenly stepped forward, his demeanor shifting from laid-back intern to smooth operator. "Mr. Li, right?"
The man blinked, caught off guard by the sudden interruption. "Yes, and you are?"
"Leon, intern," Leonard replied smoothly, his voice calm and reassuring. "It looks like there was a system error with your reservation. However, I noticed that one of our penthouse suites just became available due to a last-minute cancellation. We can upgrade you at no additional cost."
Mr. Li's frown wavered, a flicker of interest replacing his anger. "A penthouse? With a view?"
Leonard nodded, his smile disarming. "Of course. We appreciate your loyalty as a guest, and this is the least we can do to make up for the trouble. We value your time."
Sophia blinked, her jaw dropping slightly. Since when did this clueless intern know how to handle VIP clients? And more importantly, why was he making executive decisions like that? It was like watching a clown suddenly perform brain surgery.
Mr. Li seemed satisfied, his anger dissipating like morning mist. He nodded, his expression softening. "Alright. Just don't let it happen again. I expect top notch service."
Leonard smiled, his eyes twinkling. "We'll make sure of it, sir."
As Mr. Li walked off with a much lighter mood, Sophia turned to Leonard, suspicion in her eyes, like a detective trying to solve a particularly baffling mystery. "How did you know there was a penthouse available? And how did you just solve that problem?"
Leonard shrugged, his expression casual, like he was discussing the weather. "I read the reservation reports this morning. Thought it might come in handy. And I have a knack for problem solving."
Sophia frowned, her mind racing. "You pretend to be an idiot, but you're clearly not. Why? What's going on?"
Leonard flashed her a grin, a flash of white teeth and hidden secrets. "Keeps things interesting. Like a soap opera, but with more office supplies."
She didn't know whether to strangle him or start seeing him in a different light. One thing was certain—Leonard Zhang was not what he seemed, and that irritated her more than anything. It was like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces, and she hated missing pieces.