Chapter 11
A young woman with a name tag helped Lin Qianqian with the onboarding process. Lin Qianqian heard the receptionist call her “Sister,” so she politely followed suit, even though she didn’t know the woman’s name.
After receiving her access card and completing facial recognition, she was given an employee handbook to review at her assigned workstation.
Surrounded by women who greeted her warmly, Lin Qianqian quickly realized that almost everyone around her was an intern, there for the work experience and then gone.
No wonder the turnover rate was so high. Lin Qianqian wasn’t optimistic about her job prospects.
Lunch break was at noon. By the time she finished onboarding and settled in, it was almost eleven. After a bit of chatting, the workstations around her emptied out.
Lin Qianqian wasn’t one to get hungry easily, especially after a relaxing morning and a full breakfast.
She scrolled through her phone.
Ming Yao, knowing she had started the job, messaged her to ask how it was going, adding that she had already spoken to the boss. Lin Qianqian froze for a second, then sent Ming Yao a barrage of angry emojis.
She couldn’t have the boss think they were close on her first day!
As expected, she was called into the boss’s office that afternoon.
The boss, Xu Sui, seemed about her age. She chatted with Lin Qianqian about their previous encounters through Ming Yao and reassured her that the work wasn’t too demanding.
Even without prior work experience, Lin Qianqian had encountered various personalities during her years abroad. It seemed the boss saw her as a connection to Ming Yao, or perhaps it was just polite small talk.
She didn’t dwell on it. So far, her impression of the company was positive.
Her task for the afternoon was to continue reading the employee handbook. She asked her supervisor for further instructions, but the supervisor said there wasn’t anything else for now and proceeded to chat with friends on WeChat.
Shortly after, Lin Qianqian filled out a form for afternoon tea, and the office buzzed with excitement.
She finally understood the high turnover rate. First, most of the employees were interns who left after a month or two. Second, the small company struggled to attract experienced employees. Recent graduates quickly realized the lack of career advancement opportunities and left for better prospects.
Those who stayed were either financially secure and looking to kill time or, like Lin Qianqian, lacked ambition, content with a relaxed work environment and a paycheck that covered their expenses.
Whenever the company had a filming project, Xu Sui personally oversaw it. The most demanding task was sifting through gigabytes of footage and editing it for the company’s social media accounts.
Although shy at first, Lin Qianqian thrived in comfortable environments and quickly integrated into the workplace.
Within a day, she had found a lunch buddy, someone whose conversations revolved around the crucial question, “What are we eating?” Lin Qianqian believed that following such a person guaranteed good food and avoided culinary disasters.
Ten minutes before closing time, the office erupted in mock outrage. “Who hasn’t turned off their computer yet? Secretly working overtime, are we?”
“Whoever’s working late, I’m reporting them to the boss!”
They peeked at the boss’s office. The lights were already off.
Lin Qianqian had been smiling all day, incredibly satisfied with her new job.
It exceeded her initial expectations.
But she hid her enthusiasm when she got home. She couldn’t let Lu Yin see how much she enjoyed the job, or she might be encouraged to move out sooner.
Lu Yin came home late that night. Lin Qianqian was slumped over the table, staring dejectedly at an empty instant noodle container, even the broth consumed.
“Not happy with the job?” Lu Yin asked, hanging her jacket on the back of a chair.
Lin Qianqian nodded glumly, watching Lu Yin wash her hands and dry them with a paper towel. “By the way, is your institution hiring…?”
Just as she was about to assume Lu Yin wouldn’t answer, Lu Yin spoke. “Classes are starting soon. We’re looking for teaching assistants. Must have art experience and be available to start immediately.”
“What do you think of me?” Lin Qianqian blinked, trying to appear competent.
“Do you have a portfolio?” Lu Yin played along.
Lin Qianqian hesitated. “A portfolio…well…”
“Any prior experience as a teaching assistant?”
“Teaching assistant experience…”
“Where did you intern? For how long? What were your responsibilities?”
Lin Qianqian couldn’t answer a single question. Clutching the empty noodle container, she declared, “I refuse to work at your institution.”
Why this sudden interrogation?
The interviewers and bosses she had met had all been friendly and approachable, only to reject her later with a polite but impersonal message.
And Lu Yin knew she didn’t have any of the required qualifications. Why bother asking?
“You can always practice,” Lu Yin said, preparing chrysanthemum tea. “For example, practicing how to write more neatly on orange peels.”
Lin Qianqian was speechless, glaring at Lu Yin.
She should perform a midnight ritual at Lu Yin’s bedside, chanting, “Which demon has possessed my sister? Return my kind and gentle sister!”
She remembered the bag of oranges. They were too sour for her liking, and she hadn’t eaten many. Looking in the bag, she noticed it was significantly lighter.
She had only eaten one segment that morning. It was obvious who had eaten the rest.
“You ate my oranges,” Lin Qianqian finally found something to retort. “A lot of them.”
“Is there a problem?” Lu Yin looked at her, her expression questioning the significance of this revelation.
Lin Qianqian’s intended words caught in her throat. “…But they’re so sour.”
“Sour is good.”
“Really?” Lin Qianqian peeled another orange. The sourness made her teeth ache, but she swallowed it with a forced smile. “See? I knew you loved sour things. I bought these especially for you.”
She broke the orange in half and offered a segment to Lu Yin. “Here, Sister.”
She stared at Lu Yin’s lips, hoping she would open her mouth.
Lu Yin took the orange and ate it. “Thank you.”
Lin Qianqian wiped her hands on her pants, tied up the bag of oranges, and put it away.
She sat down, picked up the empty noodle container, and pretended to drink the remaining broth, her actions as foolish and pathetic as her earlier attempt to feed Lu Yin.
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