Chapter 320 - 322: Hiring
To the astonishment and disbelief of the crowd, An Ning pushed open the main gate and went inside, carrying steamed buns and soy milk.
As she closed the gate, she even smiled at the people outside and said, "We’ll start the hiring interviews as soon as we finish our buns."
With a CLANG, the gate shut.
"It’s over, it’s over, I’m done for!"
The girl who had just tried to stop An Ning was on the verge of tears. She looked fearfully at the girl behind her.
"Xiao Min, what do I do? Did I just offend her?"
The girl called Xiao Min looked troubled and said with a somewhat unnatural expression, "Xing’er, maybe you should just go home."
"What? Go home?"
At the mention of going home, Shan Xing’er’s brow immediately furrowed. The fear and worry on her face vanished, replaced by a surge of resilience.
"No! I’m not going back. If I go back, they’ll arrange a marriage for me. I still have three days before the deadline my mom set. I still have a chance."
Shan Xing’er turned around, a defiant spirit in her eyes, and stared at the gate.
"I have to go in. If I don’t, I’ll never know what might happen inside."
"I’m not leaving."
At Shan Xing’er’s words, Xiao Min, who was behind her, lowered her head slightly, a hint of resentment in her eyes.
But then she thought about how Shan Xing’er had offended the boss, while she herself had just spoken up for the boss. The corners of her mouth turned up, and she couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.
"Mom—we’re here!"
"I wonder if Sister An will be here?"
Tangtang arrived with Liu Yiyi.
The mother and daughter were the original owners of this house. For a while now, they had been stopping by from time to time to check on the renovation progress, and Liu Yiyi was still hoping to work here.
After selling the house, Liu Yiyi moved out with Tangtang on the third day, without any delay.
Within three days, she bought a small courtyard home. Although it wasn’t large, it was more than enough for the two of them and gave them a great sense of security.
Liu Yiyi’s abusive husband had been locked up; this time, he was sentenced to eight years.
In eight years, Tangtang would be all grown up.
A huge weight was lifted from Liu Yiyi’s heart.
During this time, Tangtang had been dragging her along to exercise every day. She drank herbal tonics to nourish her body and made sure to eat much better.
Every few days, the mother and daughter would buy a hen to make a nourishing soup for themselves.
In just over a month, Liu Yiyi’s health had improved so much that she no longer looked as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
Tangtang pulled Liu Yiyi to the back of the line, her little head constantly looking around, searching for any sign of An Ning.
In Tangtang’s eyes, An Ning was the great hero who had rescued her and her mother, a role model she wanted to emulate when she grew up.
The line of people outside the house grew longer and longer, while inside, the brother and sister quickly finished their breakfast.
After breakfast, An Ning and An Guoming brought out a table, chairs, paper, and pens. Once everything was set up, An Ning went to open the gate, letting An Guoming take the main seat.
She preferred to observe.
The gate opened again, and the noisy chatter from outside came to an abrupt halt.
An Ning, who had opened the gate, held a stack of paper and several pens. She stood on the steps at the entrance, cleared her throat, and prepared to speak.
"As the hiring notice stated, server applicants need an elementary school education, cleaning staff must be over forty, and warehouse staff must have the basic strength for manual labor. These are the minimum requirements to apply."
"If you do not meet these requirements, please leave now. Don’t try to bluff your way through."
After An Ning finished speaking, not a single person left.
She didn’t say any more on the matter, instead asking, "Who is here to interview for a server position?"
Many young women, and even one or two young men, raised their hands. An Ning held up the forms in her hand and said, "Come up and get a sheet of paper. Fill in your information according to the table on it."
Many people started to move, going up to get paper and a pen.
At that moment, a few people quietly left the line. They were illiterate and couldn’t write.
An Ning merely glanced at them but said nothing.
While the people outside were writing, An Ning spotted Tangtang and her mother.
"Liu Yiyi, you go in first."
"Okay."
Liu Yiyi emerged from the crowd. Tangtang followed her out, stopped at the doorway, and raised a fist, shouting, "You can do it!"
Liu Yiyi nodded, took a deep breath, and walked inside.
Many people outside were curious, and An Ning didn’t want to make Liu Yiyi’s future work life too difficult.
"Liu Yiyi is a manager we invited in advance. However, even managers need to go through the interview process."
Her words effectively dispelled the petty thoughts and speculations of many in the crowd.
Tangtang, standing at the door, might not have understood the intention behind An Ning’s words, but her senses were sharp. She could clearly feel the shift in the crowd’s emotions.
Especially after An Ning spoke, their hostility toward her mother had lessened significantly.
Inside, Liu Yiyi now sat quietly in a chair, writing.
She was working on the questions An Ning had prepared for her.
After she finished, An Guoming asked a few questions, and Liu Yiyi gave perfect answers to all of them.
"Very good. Please wait over there for a moment."
Just then, An Ning returned with the stack of papers. She took Liu Yiyi’s answered questions and nodded in satisfaction.
She extended a hand to Liu Yiyi and said, "Welcome. You’re the first store manager hired for our Green Land."
Liu Yiyi was a little taken aback, but she quickly composed herself.
"Thank you."
She hadn’t expected it to be so fast.
An Ning lowered her hand and explained, "Once a decision is made, there’s no need to hesitate."
"You’ll join us for the rest of the interviews today. The final decisions will be made by the three of us."
"I only have one requirement for you: be honest."
Liu Yiyi replied with a solemn expression, "I will."
Liu Yiyi sat down on the interviewers’ side of the table. The change in her status was so sudden that she needed a moment to mentally adjust.
An Ning called Tangtang inside to be a temporary little helper, making tea and serving water.
The interviews officially began.
An Ning called people in one by one. The interviewees answered some basic questions, performed some strenuous tasks, and were asked to wipe down a countertop.
Cleaners, salesclerks, warehouse workers—each interviewee received their result on the spot.
Some left smiling, some left cursing, and some left crying.
Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—the full spectrum of emotions played out at that one doorway.
Soon, it was the turn of the young woman who had tried to stop An Ning—Shan Xing’er.
Shan Xing’er walked in nervously. She suppressed her wildly beating heart with all her stubborn willpower, walked up to the interview table, and bowed.
"Hello—BONK—aghh—hsss—"
In her overly forceful bow, Shan Xing’er misjudged the distance to the table and smacked her head right on it.
"Are you okay?"
An Ning immediately stood up to help Shan Xing’er.
Shan Xing’er clutched her forehead, a bitter, embarrassed smile on her face.
"I didn’t mean to, I-I didn’t—"
"Don’t be scared. I don’t bite."
An Ning added jokingly, "Besides, you probably don’t taste very good."
Shan Xing’er, who was rubbing her head on the other side of the table, looked even more terrified.