Chapter 1

I woke up as the heroine of a torment-filled romance—but unlike everyone else who gets transported to another world, I brought every single coworker with me.

Now I have to take the entire company to the emperor's bed.

1.

Before all this, I was at the company year-end dinner. Management was onstage delivering a rousing speech; the rest of us were eating and listening.

Then the company building exploded.

And just like that, dinner became our last supper.

Let's not get into why the building exploded. The point is, I didn't die. I landed in a tragic romance as the female lead.

I was picturing all the physical and emotional torment the male lead had in store for me when I discovered that my coworkers hadn't died either.

They'd come along for the ride.

There was just one small problem...

Our entire company was sharing a single body.

And every night after midnight, control of that body passed to someone at random.

"Potatoes every day! I'm going to throw up!" the content writer howled inside my head.

"What's wrong with potatoes? Potatoes are delicious," said HR, shoving another mouthful of dressed vegetables into our mouth.

"Studies show that eating potatoes every day can easily cause poisoning." Our programming whiz was vehemently opposed, but in the end he still had to choke down another bite.

Everyone was screaming, but I was in charge of the body today. Whether they wanted to eat or not, they were eating.

I was Shen Qingqing, the youngest daughter of the wealthy Mr. Shen and the heroine of the wildly popular web novel Qingqing: Tears Like Snow. I'd entered the palace two months ago.

"It's fine. Hang in there a little longer. Once we get through today, we'll have something else to eat."

That perked everyone right up.

Because today was a very important day.

Today, we'd reach the scene where the heroine spent her first night with the emperor.

Once we got through it, that bastard would promote us.

And with a promotion, at least we wouldn't have to keep eating potatoes.

I took a deep breath and forced down another mouthful of rice.

"Come on, everyone. This is our last potato dinner. Eat up. We need to save our strength. It's going to be a long night."

Everyone immediately turned solemn.

Because...

All five of our senses were linked.

In other words, I wouldn't be the only one spending tonight with the emperor.

The entire company would be joining me.

When one person embarrasses herself, everyone else can laugh.

When the entire company does it...

That's corporate culture.

"But An An, can you actually pull this off?" HR asked anxiously.

As the heroine, Shen Qingqing naturally came equipped with a little plot armor.

In the original novel, her first night earned her three successive promotions and made her the envy of countless people for a long time afterward.

It wasn't just her stunning beauty that did it, either. There was also...

Ahem.

Her considerable skill in bed.

I thought it over.

I might not have any hands-on experience, but I'd certainly seen how it was done.

Anyone who doubted me was disrespecting my hundred gigabytes of classified research!

"Relax. I have an extensive theoretical background," I said gravely.

Silence.

Finally, the department head spoke.

"It's all right. I've been married. I've got more experience than you young things, anyway. I'll coach you through it tonight."

I nodded.

"We'll deal with whatever comes."

Night fell. My nerves in tatters, I was taken to the emperor's bedchamber and met the male lead for the first time.

He was tall, with sharply defined brows and brilliant eyes. An icy air hung about him, warning everyone to keep their distance.

He glanced at me with what looked like impatience, as if sleeping with me were just another mandatory assignment.

"You're here, Talented Lady Shen? I still have memorials to review. Wait over there."

I watched the candles on his desk burn down and get replaced, one after another.

He kept working, seemingly determined to ignore me.

By the sixth change of candles, I could barely keep my eyes open.

"What is this? Is he going to review memorials all night?" the content writer asked, bewildered.

"Surely not? Isn't this a scripted event?" The planning lead practically tore his hair out.

Management couldn't sit still either.

"If he doesn't sleep with us, how do we get promoted? Are we supposed to keep eating potatoes?"

At last, everyone grasped the gravity of the situation.

All traces of drowsiness vanished.

Nobody wanted two more months of potatoes! Nobody!

"An An, find a way to get us into his bed. Now!" The boss finally issued the highest possible directive.

I sat bolt upright.

The male lead remained unmoved.

At this rate, forget sleeping with him—we wouldn't even get close enough to touch a hair on his leg!

With my colleagues cheering me on, I decided to take the initiative.

"That's it! Show some spirit! Maybe he'll see you in a whole new light!"

"Yes! Straighten your back!"

"Chin up! Show him the indomitable spirit of a pure, innocent little heroine!"

I nodded.

Took a deep breath.

Whoosh!

I sprang off the bed, ready to walk toward him.

What I hadn't considered was that I'd been sitting so long my legs had gone numb...

I dropped straight to my knees in front of the emperor, back rigid, like a minister prepared to die protesting his sovereign's conduct.

"Ow!"

Every coworker in my head screamed in unison.

Maybe it was my tragic expression.

Maybe it was my ramrod-straight back.

Or maybe I'd just hit the floor really, really loudly.

Whatever the reason, the male lead finally looked at me.

There was even a hint of confusion in those icy eyes.

"Talented Lady Shen, what is the meaning of this?"

His voice was as cold as his heart. It hit us like a bucket of freezing water.

A savage, murderous glint was already creeping into his eyes.

Thinking fast, I summoned tears.

"Your Majesty!"

He stared at me.

"Seeing you work so tirelessly for your people, reviewing memorials so late into the night while I merely sit here resting... I simply couldn't bear it."

I knocked my forehead against the floor.

"Even if all I can do is massage your legs or grind your ink, please allow me to ease your burden!"

The male lead said nothing.

Neither did my coworkers.

Seconds dragged into minutes.

Just as my knees were going numb, the emperor actually put his memorial down!

"Very well. It's late. That's enough for tonight."

Expressionless, he walked toward me.

"Talented Lady Shen, attend me."

Oh my God!

Finally!

I'd done it!

Heaven knew this wasn't about sex.

This was a promotion!

This was the promise of new dishes beckoning to us!

He shot me an impatient glance.

"What are you staring at? Get up."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

I answered with delight.

But just as I was about to rise, a jolt of electricity shot through my brain.

Then...

I realized I couldn't control the body anymore!

"Oh my God, it's past midnight!" the artist shrieked.

"We're switching at a time like this?" HR gasped.

"Who's driving?" management demanded.

Everyone shouted over one another. Eventually we noticed that the only person not contributing to the chaos in my head was...

The programmer.

I remembered him as a handsome, aloof man who always wore white shirts and kept everyone at a chilly distance.

Reflected in the male lead's pupils, I saw his utterly blank expression.

"Talented Lady Shen?"

The emperor's brows drew together. He was clearly losing patience.

Our plan had gone catastrophically off course!

And two more months of potatoes were on the line!

"You can do it! You're a genius!"

"Yes, our great Yin! Just bear with it!"

"Every profession has its champions. You'll excel in this field too!"

"Think of the potatoes! Do you want two more months of them?"

At last, the terror of potatoes broke through the programming genius's psychological defenses.

Stiff as a board, he spoke in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty, I... I'm shy. Could we... put out the candles?"

The male lead nodded.

How very merciful of him.

The instant the candle went out, the programmer took on the look of a man marching to his death.

Clothes came off, matters got underway, and everyone in our head started giving him precise instructions.

"No, that position's uncomfortable. Lift your leg a little!"

"Oh my God, you're too tense! We can't work with this!"

"Come on! Deep breaths!"

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow owwww—"

"Cooperate a little! Make a sound or something! How's that bastard supposed to give us a promotion otherwise?"

2.

The next day, we were successfully promoted to Serving Lady Shen.

At lunch, everyone ate water spinach with tears in their eyes.

"Sob... I never knew water spinach could taste this good!"