Chapter 2: He’s Here for the Interview Too

Meng Xingzhe did his best to manage his emotions, refusing to let the girl in front of him provoke him in public.

He glanced sideways. Bei Luonan was barely holding back his laughter, every strand of his hair radiating a shameless delight at witnessing a free spectacle.

Meng Xingzhe felt an urge to strangle him with his off-brand suit.

Adjusting his expression to appear nonchalant, Meng Xingzhe asked the ponytailed girl, “Is it ugly? I think it looks quite nice. Are you sure you don’t want to take another look?”

Yao Jia turned her gaze back to the logo not far from them.

Not ugly? It was definitely ugly. What was there to confirm?

“Is that logo depicting two mice fighting over something?” Yao Jia asked, looking at the logo.

Bei Luonan burst out laughing, nearly dropping his fried chicken.

“That’s clearly two people shaking hands,” Meng Xingzhe said, frowning, his voice stiff. When he caught the ponytailed girl’s look that seemed to say, “You claim you’re not from that company, so how can you be so sure?” he hastily added, “That’s just what I think.”

Bei Luonan, not caring about his image, continued to munch on his fried chicken happily, enjoying the show.

“Actually, I think it’s ugly too, really ugly, it does look like mice,” he chimed in shamelessly. Meng Xingzhe’s glare had already “killed” him a hundred times.

“Designing people to look like mice, the company’s boss must be born in the Year of the Rat,” Yao Jia speculated reasonably.

Otherwise, there was no explaining why the logo looked like that.

Bei Luonan almost spat out his chicken.

“The big boss isn’t a Rat, he’s a Tiger, the kind of tiger that’s a bit reckless,” Bei Luonan added, unable to resist, “I heard.”

Meng Xingzhe turned to glare at him fiercely, his eyes like needles sewing his mouth shut.

He turned back to the ponytailed girl, calming himself again, and explained kindly, “The logo has nothing to do with mice. It’s two people shaking hands, symbolizing unity and strength.” He added three more words, “That’s what I think.”

Yao Jia looked skeptically at the handsome guy trying hard to defend the ugly logo, thinking there was still warmth in the world, that even an ugly logo had someone to care for it.

Much better than her, who seemed like an adopted child. Yao Jia thought mockingly to herself.

“Did you come up with that symbolism?” Yao Jia asked.

Her skepticism seemed to provoke the handsome guy, who suddenly pointed at the logo and asked, “Haven’t you seen this trademark before? Are you that out of touch with life? This is an emerging brand of creative home appliances, a hot topic in the industry. If you checked their website, you’d understand the profound meaning behind the logo. If you just took a look, you wouldn’t think they were two ugly mice…”

“Have you looked?” Yao Jia suddenly asked.

“…Ah.” Meng Xingzhe frowned, feeling like he had left something unsaid.

“No wonder,” Yao Jia said. “You’ve seen it, so you know it’s two people. For someone like me who hasn’t seen it beforehand, it’s just two ugly mice fighting over something.” She looked at the logo again, shaking her head with genuine disdain, “It’s really ugly, so ugly it gives me a headache! Whoever used this design for a logo, I don’t know if the company’s boss is crazy or got scammed.”

Bei Luonan held back his laughter so hard his throat itched.

Meng Xingzhe was too angry to reason, delivering a direct conclusion, “I think it’s quite good. Maybe you just lack aesthetic sense.”

Yao Jia withdrew her gaze from the logo, looking directly at Meng Xingzhe, “No, I do have aesthetic sense.” She pointed at the trademark but kept her eyes on Meng Xingzhe, “But right now, I’m judging ugliness.”

“…” Meng Xingzhe frowned, “Could you not look at me when you’re judging ugliness? If I’m ugly, then this whole street has no good-looking people.”

Yao Jia looked at him, her mouth agape in shock.

How shameless can you be!

She couldn’t help but think to herself.

※※※※※※

Bei Luonan saw the ponytailed girl’s face, clearly saying “How shameless can you be,” and couldn’t hold back his laughter.

The next moment, he saw the girl abruptly end her conversation with them and dart towards the fried chicken shop line—the shop owner had just shouted, “There are ten servings of fried chicken left, we’ll close early once they’re sold out.”

Bei Luonan chuckled, patting Meng Xingzhe on the shoulder, “Dude, it’s the first time I’ve seen you lose to poultry.”

“Get your greasy hand off me!” Meng Xingzhe snapped, watching the ponytail bobbing in the fried chicken shop line, his tone fierce, “Don’t let me see her again. If I do, I won’t let her off.”

“Let me hear it, how won’t you let her off?” Bei Luonan pressed.

“I’ll make her fall hopelessly for me. And I,” Meng Xingzhe declared confidently, “won’t pay her any attention.”

Bei Luonan almost dropped his chicken again.

“You’re the most childish king of drama I’ve ever met!”

※※※

Yao Jia, using her own body as a battering ram, finally secured the last serving of fried chicken.

The elderly woman behind her sighed in disappointment, muttering, “Why is it so hard to buy? I traveled two hours to get here and still can’t get any. My poor granddaughter won’t get to enjoy it.” She shook her head, tapping her legs as she turned to leave.

Yao Jia watched the woman’s hunched back and slow steps, feeling a pang of sorrow. Even the green leaves seemed to turn yellow and fall in the wind. In her ears, she could almost hear the melancholic strains of “The Moon Reflected in Er-Quan” playing. She looked at the fried chicken in her hand and decisively turned back to the shop assistant, “Could you please split this into two halves?”

Then she quickly caught up with the elderly woman, pressing one portion into her hands. Ignoring her thanks, Yao Jia hopped on a shared bike and zigzagged away swiftly.

In the office above the fried chicken shop, Bei Luonan leaned against the windowsill, enjoying the view while devouring fried chicken, his mouth and fingers greasy. Suddenly, he turned to Meng Xingzhe, who was preparing to eat his own portion at the boss’s desk, and said, “Hey, Old Meng, that girl with the ponytail is really a kind-hearted soul! An old lady couldn’t buy any, and she gave away half of her own chicken and ran off without even taking money.”

Meng Xingzhe didn’t even lift an eyelid, his handsome face devoid of any expression. He sat upright in his leather chair, with a set of exquisite tableware laid out on the desk.

Like a prince attending a banquet in a palace, he picked up a knife and fork to cut into the fried chicken leg on a fine porcelain plate. His long, slender fingers were flawless, holding the utensils like works of art. Beside the plate was a bottle of 1982 Lafite and a wine glass with a thin layer of red wine. He managed to turn the act of eating common fried chicken into something akin to savoring foie gras flown in from France.

Under Bei Luonan’s gaze, which was long accustomed to such scenes, Meng Xingzhe slowly brought a piece of chicken to his mouth, took a small sip of wine, and his Adam’s apple moved up and down, exuding an inexplicable, restrained allure. He was so strikingly handsome, his movements so graceful, and the words that came from his thin lips were clear and distinct: “What does that have to do with me? These days, good deeds rarely bring rewards.”

※※※※※※

Yao Jia returned home and hid in her room to finish half a portion of fried chicken. The short video blogger hadn’t lied; this chicken was indeed so delicious it could make one cry. As she ate, she thought about her irritable father and his overbearing ways, and it was a wonder she didn’t cry while eating.

After finishing the chicken, she let down her tightly pulled ponytail, changed into pajamas, and crouched on a chair, leaning over her drawing tablet to continue the unfinished illustration from the day before. It was a job she had quietly taken on from the internet.

She drew until it was almost evening.

The illustration was at its most intricate stage, and Yao Jia focused intently, carefully sketching the lines, holding her breath to maintain precision.

Suddenly, there was a loud “bang” from the doorway.

Her pen slipped, ruining the drawing.

Yao Jia exhaled the breath she had been holding in frustration.

Turning around, she wasn’t surprised to see the door had been flung open by her father, Yao Bingkun, in a fit of rage.

It seemed her father had lost his patience first.

“Yao Jia, tell me, how long has it been since you graduated? Two months, and all you do is stay home and idle away. Aren’t you ashamed?!” Her father stood at the door, shouting like a thunderstorm. Despite his age, he yelled with the vigor of a young man in his twenties.

Her mother quickly followed, trying to calm him down. “Keep your voice down!”

Yao Jia got off the chair, her toes searching for her slippers but failing to find them, so she stood there barefoot.

“I want to go out and work, but you’re the one who won’t let me.”

Yao Bingkun, red-faced with anger, retorted, “What kind of work is that, huh? What kind of work?! Making money by drawing a few heads? Is that selling your art? I sent you to college to study management, and now you’re selling your art?”

Yao Jia muttered softly, “It’s called design.”

Her mother, Gan Yu, chimed in, “Alright, alright! If she doesn’t want to work, why don’t you send her abroad for further studies? She can accompany Xiao Hui, and after getting an MBA or something, she can come back and take over your business.”

“I won’t go,” Yao Jia suddenly declared firmly, “If anyone wants to go, they can, but I won’t.”

“Did you hear what she just said?” Yao Bingkun asked his wife, exasperated. “Look at her, so unambitious. Does she want to drive me to my grave? She’s more trouble than she’s worth! Ask her about the adult fund her grandfather left her. It was barely in her account for a few days before she squandered it.”

Gan Yu turned to Yao Jia, “Did you spend all that adult fund money?”

“…Yes,” Yao Jia admitted.

Gan Yu was also a bit angry, “That was a lot of money. What did you do with it? How could you just spend it all?”

“I invested it,” Yao Jia replied.

“In what, that required so much money?” her mother pressed.

Yao Jia thought for a moment and answered truthfully, “I met a team starting a mobile phone business. It seemed promising, so I invested.”

Her words set off Yao Bingkun. “Do you have any brains? The mobile phone market is nearly saturated, and you invested in phones?!” He was so angry he paced back and forth at her room’s entrance.

Finally, he stopped, his voice turning somber.

“When will you ever make me proud? When will you stop disappointing me time and again?”

Those words froze Yao Jia in place.

Was it that she didn’t want to make him proud? She did, but no matter how hard she tried, she never received praise or affirmation. No matter how well she did, all she got was criticism. So why bother trying to make him proud?

Did anyone in this family care about what she truly wanted to do? No one. She had always wanted to study art or design, but in a household where only one voice mattered, when did she ever have the freedom to choose?

Even her birth wasn’t by choice.

A rebellious spirit surged within her. She smiled indifferently, “Hey, maybe your standards for disappointment are too low. If you raised them a bit, wouldn’t we both be happier?”

“Useless!” Yao Bingkun’s voice was cold with anger. “What can you accomplish?”

Despite her tough exterior, Yao Jia was stung by his words.

She lifted her chin slightly and said, “If you let me do design, I guarantee I can succeed.”

“Forget it. You wouldn’t last three months as a customer service rep at the company, let alone design!” Yao Bingkun scoffed.

Yao Jia had been stung by such dismissive tones countless times, but this time, it fueled her determination.

“Then let’s do it your way. I’ll work as a customer service rep for three months. But if I succeed, you’ll agree to one request of mine, and then I can do whatever I want!”

Yao Bingkun agreed without hesitation, as if to say: you won’t last three months anyway.

Yao Jia scratched her head.

“But what if I go to the company as a customer service rep and someone recognizes me as your daughter?”

“Impossible,” Yao Bingkun said firmly. “Thanks to your lack of ambition, no one in the company knows you.”

Yao Jia chuckled, “Yes, I’m the daughter you’re too embarrassed to let others know about.”

Seeing Yao Bingkun about to explode with anger, Gan Yu quickly intervened, “You should say less. Your dad is about to pass out from anger!”

Yao Jia put on an innocent face, “Mom, don’t hold it against me, your adopted child!”

Gan Yu almost let go of Yao Bingkun and went inside to give Yao Jia a piece of her mind.

“Be quiet for a moment!” With that, she dragged Yao Bingkun away.

※※※※※※

After her parents left, Yao Jia sat on the chair, digesting the aftermath of her father’s rage. Not long after, her mother, Gan Yu, returned and knocked on the door.

She spoke to Yao Jia earnestly.

“Even though your dad is the Chairman and major shareholder of Kunyu Electric, you know his stubborn temper. He won’t help you. So, you need to rely on yourself to submit resumes and pass interviews. Since you made a bet with your dad, take it seriously. Prepare well, or you might not even get through the door and lose before you start.”

“And stop squatting like that. It looks bad, like you’re in a restroom.”

“…” Yao Jia replied that she understood.

After her mother left, she switched from squatting to sitting on the chair. She finished her drawings and sent them off, then opened a document to draft a resume.

Once the first draft of her resume was done, she reached out to her friend Ling Xiaoxin on WeChat, asking her to help refine and polish it.

Ling Xiaoxin, a year older, had just been promoted after a year of internship at a law firm. She was a childhood friend Yao Jia had “picked up.” At five years old, during her first runaway attempt, she met the six-year-old, directionally-challenged Ling Xiaoxin. Ling Xiaoxin had gotten separated from her family and was crying under a utility pole when Yao Jia, passing by, decided to “pick her up.”

Yao Jia found taking Ling Xiaoxin along a bit burdensome, as the older girl seemed even more timid than she was. After weighing her options, she decided it was best to take Ling Xiaoxin to the police station, hand her over to the officers, and then continue her runaway adventure. She had everything planned out perfectly.

But at the police station, after handing Ling Xiaoxin over and having the officers contact her family, Yao Jia was ready to leave when an officer grabbed her backpack strap.

The officer insisted on finding both Ling Xiaoxin’s and Yao Jia’s parents.

When both families met at the station, it turned out that Ling Xiaoxin’s grandfather was Yao Jia’s mother’s teacher.

That day, despite Ling Xiaoxin’s grandfather’s attempts to mediate, Yao Jia still ended up with a couple of smacks on her backside.

After that, she and Ling Xiaoxin became close friends. Yao Jia often reminded Ling Xiaoxin that she owed her a huge favor because if she hadn’t picked her up, she wouldn’t have been caught and brought back home, and she could have achieved her dream of escaping her strict father and gaining freedom at five.

From then on, Ling Xiaoxin was determined to repay her, never missing a chance to help.

Ling Xiaoxin quickly helped her refine a decent-looking resume.

“But why are you in such a hurry to make a resume?” Ling Xiaoxin asked softly.

Yao Jia recounted the recent battle with her hot-tempered father.

Ling Xiaoxin shook her head and sighed. She was used to the constant sparring between Yao Jia and her father.

But hearing about the bet surprised her.

“Jiajia, honestly, don’t you feel like you’ve been tricked? I feel like your dad’s outburst was intentional, to provoke you into working at the company.”

Yao Jia paused for a second, then slammed the table. “Now that you mention it, I do feel a bit tricked!”

Ling Xiaoxin shook her head, speaking softly, “The older, the wiser. Your dad is still your dad!”

Yao Jia stopped Ling Xiaoxin from boosting her dad’s morale while dampening her own. “Even if he provoked me, we’ve made a bet. As long as I stick it out for three months, he’ll grant me one wish. Then I can do whatever I want, and he can’t stop me from pursuing design!”

Ling Xiaoxin was a bit worried and seriously reminded Yao Jia, “Jiajia, but remember, you have to last the full three months.”

Yao Jia nonchalantly tossed her hair. “How hard can customer service be? Just wait for me to gain my freedom and start anew!”

※※※※※※

Perhaps it was the well-crafted resume, but Yao Jia soon received a call from Kunyu Electric’s Human Resources Department. The HR representative informed her to prepare for an interview and written test in three days.

After hanging up, Yao Jia was a bit taken aback. She hadn’t expected that even a small customer service position would require two exams. She thought after passing her college English exams, she’d never face another test that required her full attention. But now, she had to cram under Ling Xiaoxin’s guidance, swallowing all potential interview and test questions whole.

During those three intense days, Yao Jia felt like a balloon ready to burst, filled with questions from Fortune 500 company interviews and tests that she could barely remember.

Three days later, Yao Jia tied her hair into a neat ponytail, meticulously styled. She also changed into a professional outfit. As she was leaving, she ran into Yao Bingkun. Rarely, he gave her some encouragement: “Going for an interview? Don’t get eliminated in the first round and embarrass me.”

Yao Jia responded dutifully, “Don’t worry, Dad. If I pass, I’ll keep my mouth shut. But if I don’t, I’ll announce on the spot that I’m Yao Bingkun’s daughter.”

Yao Bingkun immediately turned as red as a tomato, so angry that even during the difficult morning rush hour, he refused to give Yao Jia a ride.

In the end, Yao Jia took the subway to Kunyu Electric. To her surprise, there were quite a few people there for the customer service interview, both men and women. They were all led to a waiting area outside a conference room, waiting for the HR representative to announce the start of the interviews and call them in one by one to meet the HR Manager and Customer Service Manager.

Chairs were arranged in the waiting area for the interviewees to sit temporarily. Yao Jia sat on one, idly picking at her nails. The space was filled with the soft buzz of conversations, not loud, but persistent enough to be annoying.

Most of the interviewees were quietly chatting with the person next to them, paired off in twos. Unfortunately for her, the number was odd, so she was left to amuse herself.

She overheard a girl next to her whispering to the person beside her, “Among the interviewees, the girls are quite pretty, but the guys are just average… Oh my god!!”

Suddenly, the girl exclaimed, startling Yao Jia.

“Oh my god! Look, look, that guy walking towards us is so handsome! Is he here for the interview too? Oh my god, I’m dead!”

Yao Jia patted her heart, which had jumped from the sudden outburst, and looked in the direction the girl was pointing.

A tall, handsome figure was approaching. His suit wasn’t a designer brand, not even a known label, but on him, every cut fit perfectly. His model-like frame gave the ordinary clothes an extraordinary elegance.

It’s not the clothes that make the man, but the man who makes the clothes.

As this thought flashed through her mind, Yao Jia realized that the man who had made the girl beside her swoon was the same shameless guy she had encountered outside the fried chicken shop. He was an interviewee too.

She suddenly felt that every step he took as he walked over was filled with an air of flamboyance.

——————

“The Moon Reflected in Er-Quan” is a famous Chinese erhu piece composed by the blind musician Ā Bǐng (Hua Yanjun) in the 1940s. It portrays deep sorrow, loneliness, and longing, inspired by the hardships of his life. The title refers to the Erquan Spring in his hometown Wuxi, symbolizing beauty seen through pain. It’s one of China’s most moving and iconic traditional melodies.

Link – https://youtu.be/kLDxj0pAJqw