Chapter 645
First Entry into Xizhou
Even though it was already autumn, the first reaction after getting off the plane was the heat, the stuffy heat. It felt as if the world was one big rice cooker and I was just the rice inside, almost as if I would be steamed any moment.
Xu Ke took off the jacket he was wearing and rolled up his sleeves, feeling a slight relief from the oppressive heat.
The reason for Xu Ke’s sudden visit to Xizhou was very simple: just a business trip to briefly inspect the status of his own assets. The trip wasn’t long, only three days, so Xu Ke didn’t bring much with him.
Xu Ke wasn’t someone who liked to follow the rules. He had given the local subsidiary the notice that he would come in November, but in fact, he had set foot on Xizhou’s soil in October.
What Xu Ke wanted to see was the real situation of the company, not the beautified version.
Xu Ke hailed a taxi at the airport and went to the hotel he had booked in advance. After a brief rest, he went to the subsidiary for an interview. Yes, you read that right. Xu Ke had submitted a simple resume to the subsidiary, and the HR department notified him that the interview was scheduled for today.
He hadn’t been in charge of Xu Corporation for long, and the number of times he had met with local subsidiary heads could be counted on one hand. Moreover, he was interviewing for a low position, so the executives wouldn’t care about a new entry-level employee, and thus Xu Ke had no fear of his identity being exposed.
Dressed in a simple formal outfit, Xu Ke carried his pre-printed resume directly to the subsidiary.
“Hello, do you have an appointment?” The receptionist looked up at Xu Ke, her eyes scanning his outfit. Not seeing any notable brand, a hint of disdain appeared in her eyes, though she managed to not let it show too much in her actions.
“I’m here for an interview. The HR department informed me that the interview is today at 1 PM.” Xu Ke explained.
“Oh, go on up. The interview is on the sixth floor.” The receptionist said lazily, barely lifting her eyes.
At the entrance, Xu Ke was allowed in, and the elevator stopped on the sixth floor.
The first impression of the sixth floor was quiet, extremely quiet, making Xu Ke’s footsteps particularly loud. How does it feel to hear a dozen people in the office simultaneously look up at you because of your footsteps? If a novice entered, they might get scared and rush back to the elevator, thinking they had entered a haunted house.
Xu Ke frowned inwardly at this situation and asked, “Excuse me, I have an interview appointment today. Where should I go?”
But the office remained as quiet as ever, with no one answering Xu Ke’s question, as if they hadn’t heard him at all.
Xu Ke patiently repeated his question and was once again met with silence, although this time there was a sniffing sound from someone.
Xu Ke licked his lower lip and repeated his question again.
This time, someone finally looked up and addressed Xu Ke, “Are you done yet? Don’t you know you’re being noisy and disturbing our work? If no one notified you, just find a seat and wait. Why do you keep yammering? With your perceptiveness, I suggest you leave promptly. With no acumen, you won’t last here long anyway, so stop wasting time. Who in this company isn’t an elite? You’re only fit to work as a janitor; you’re not qualified for any other position.” The man rolled his eyes as he talked.
As soon as the man finishedspeaking, the office filled with laughter. The glances toward Xu Ke were filled with mockery, looking as if they were all about to grab sunflower seeds and small chairs to watch a show.
Xu Ke licked his molars and remembered the man’s face, but he didn’t respond.
“Even after I’ve said this, you still can’t utter a word of resistance. Are you dumb? Why don’t you say anything back?” The man disdainfully looked at Xu Ke.
“Come on, don’t bully him. It’s awkward if we end up as colleagues and have to meet regularly.” Someone tried to mediate from the corner of the office.
“What’s there to fear? Even if he joins the company, he’s still new. We, as seniors, teach the newcomers. If he doesn’t gratefully thank me, it’s fine; what’s he going to do about it? He won’t understand the company’s workings clearly unless he wants to quit; otherwise, what can he do to me?” The man nonchalantly said.
Hearing this, the person in the corner didn’t advise further because Xu Ke continued to remain silent. The office returned to its strange quietness as everyone uninterestingly turned back to their computers. The office resumed its eerie silence.
Xu Ke found a chair to sit on. Although the interview was supposed to be at 1 PM, he waited until 2 PM before someone called him for the interview.
In a fully enclosed room with only one door, a table, and two chairs were arranged. It didn’t look like an interview; rather, it seemed like a prison visit.
Xu Ke hesitated at the door for a moment before stepping in to sit at his allocated spot.
“What’s your name?” The interviewer, seated on the chair, admired her nails, not looking at Xu Ke from when he entered until he sat down.
“Xu Ke.”
“What position are you applying for?”
“Marketing Assistant. This is my resume.” After finishing, Xu Ke handed over the resume he had prepared, but the interviewer didn’t even take it, still examining her nails.
“The salary for a Marketing Assistant is 4,000-5,000 a month, working hours from 9 AM to 6 PM, with weekends off. Any other questions? If not, you can report to the marketing department tomorrow.” The woman extended her hand, nodding with satisfaction, speaking indifferently.
Xu Ke licked his molars again, noting down another point in his mental notebook. From entering this company, Xu Ke already felt deeply dissatisfied, especially since coming in, the interviewer hadn’t explained the delay and didn’t even glance at the resume, speaking in a perfunctory manner. If not for remembering his purpose, Xu Ke would have been tempted to reveal his identity on the spot and directly fire such a disruptive element in the company.
“No problem, I’ll start work tomorrow.” Xu Ke suppressed his anger and said.
“Hmm, wait a moment, take your resume with you. Don’t forget it here.” The woman gestured with her chin toward the resume on the table.
Xu Ke turned back, glanced at the woman, and reached out to take the resume from the table.