Chapter 24
Next Monday will be here soon.
Yu Xia, who had just received the final payment from Yu Bai Studio a couple of days ago, came to Yu Bai for an interview today with her bag.
Yu Xia had a good impression of Yu Bai Studio.
Aside from the crucial payment Yu Bai sent last night, another reason was that, during her interactions with Yu Bai's studio, Yu Bai gave her the impression of being efficient and having few tasks.
At least for Yu Xia, this already satisfied her needs. She's someone who loves freedom and doesn't like working in one fixed position for long periods. If she absolutely had to find a job temporarily to solve an immediate problem, she would be happy to work at Yu Bai.
When Yu Xia arrived at Yu Bai Studio, there were two other girls ahead of her in the interview. Just as Yu Xia arrived, the first girl in front of her came out, and the last girl went in.
Yu Xia found a seat and planned to use this time to look up some experience posts online.
After all, her work experience was quite limited. She had only interviewed at an unknown studio when she first arrived in Beicheng, and she got the job by sheer luck. At the time, only four people applied to that studio, and only two showed up. One of them even left on the spot after receiving news that her family had found her a job. So, Yu Xia got the offer without any surprise.
But this time it's different. Not only is the studio not a small one, but there are more than one person who came. They might all be very capable elites. What do I have to compare with them?
However, Yu Xia wasn't too worried. Perhaps it was her upbringing that shaped her easygoing personality. She didn't have the attitude that she absolutely had to have everything. Instead, she would take what she could and let go of what she couldn't. She didn't force it.
Therefore, she has always been quite open-minded, and she believes that as long as she does her best, that's enough. As for the outcome, she leaves it to fate.
Yu Xia watched from outside for a while, and then the people inside came out.
When the other person came out, they saw Yu Xia, smiled at her, and greeted her. They seemed to be doing well, so they must have performed quite well.
Yu Xia breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed the questions wouldn't be too difficult. She didn't know why, but even though she told herself it didn't matter whether she got it or not, she still couldn't help feeling a little nervous whenever she was about to undergo an assessment.
Yu Xia smiled back at the other person in response, then picked up her printed resume and pushed open the office door.
Yu Xia was stunned the moment the door opened.
Besides Fu Ze and another person Yu Xia didn't recognize, there was another person sitting in the office, next to Fu Ze.
—Gu Yubai.
What's he doing here? Does the boss really need to come in person for recruitment?
Yu Xia was stunned for only a moment. She quickly regained her composure, walked to the desk, sat down, and handed over her resume: "Director Fu, hello, I am Yu Xia."
"I know." Fu Ze smiled, took her resume, and opened it.
"You graduated from S University?" Fu Ze asked.
"Ah, yes."
“What a coincidence, you went to the same school as our CEO Gu.” Fu Ze glanced at Gu Yubai.
Gu Yubai had no expression.
"Ah... really? That's quite a coincidence." Yu Xia smiled awkwardly.
This is an interview, isn't it? Why are you bringing this up? She caught a glimpse of Gu Yubai's icy face out of the corner of her eye and felt even more embarrassed; he clearly wasn't going to pay any attention to her at all.
Oh my god, that's so embarrassing...
Yu Xia quietly picked at her trouser leg.
"Why do you want to interview at our company?" Fu Ze clasped his hands together on the desk, looked up at Yu Xia and asked.
Seeing his serious expression, as if he cared a lot about the answer to the question, Yu Xia twitched the corners of her mouth inwardly, thinking to herself: Didn't you send me a message a couple of days ago asking me to come?
However, Yu Xia smiled and said, "I understand your company's profound and unique insights into artistic creation. All the works your company has produced in the past have been very bold, innovative and impactful. My creative philosophy is very compatible with your company's. In addition, the corporate culture advocated by your company is very humane, which makes me feel that your company is a platform that focuses on its own development. Therefore, I hope to develop and progress together with your company."
After Yu Xia finished speaking, she smiled rather "humbly".
She looked at Fu Ze.
How about that, is it up to standard?
That's a template answer I just found outside. What else do you have to say?
Fu Ze burst out laughing.
? ? ?
What are you laughing at? Did she answer incorrectly?
Fu Ze didn't know which funny thing he had touched, and he laughed so hard that his shoulders were shaking: "I thought you were going to say 'Didn't I invite you?' The way you said it was like a good student giving a standard answer, so official, I don't know what to say."
Yu Xia: "..."
Thanks for the invitation; that was exactly what I wanted to say.
But wouldn't that be too disrespectful to your company...?
After laughing enough, Fu Ze finally got to the point: "That's enough of the formalities. Let's skip the fluff and get straight to the point."
He pulled a sheet of drawing paper from the folder and handed it to Yu Xia, along with a pencil: "Come on, it's time to show your skills."
It would have been better if we had done this earlier.
Yu Xia took the paper and pen and asked, "What are you drawing?"
Fu Ze took out three more slips of paper from the table and said, "Draw one."
Yu Xia randomly drew one.
Open, blank.
Yu Xia raised her head.
Fu Ze looked at her without saying anything.
Yu Xia put the note back, paused for a few seconds, picked up her pen and started drawing.
Yu Xia draws very quickly, almost without thinking. The pen becomes muscle memory in her hand; one second she's laying the foundation, the next it's complete. So, the painting was finished in no time.
"That's enough. Is there anything else to test?" Yu Xia handed over the painting and asked.
“That’s it, that’s the end of it,” Fu Ze said with a smile as he took the painting. “Ms. Yu, you can go back and wait for our notification. The results should be out by tomorrow afternoon.”
"Okay, thank you." Yu Xia said, stood up, and left.
After Yu Xia left, Fu Ze glanced at the painting.
The drawing on the paper is very simple, just a veil. The veil covers the entire paper, without any complicated or flashy techniques, just a simple and direct line drawing. The brushstrokes are very light, each stroke seems to be in the void, light, ethereal, and mysterious, giving a feeling of wanting to touch it but being unable to, floating and inspiring imagination.
Fu Ze raised an eyebrow, drew a blank slip of paper, and was impressed that he could come up with a framework and theme in such a short time and finish it so quickly.
Wow, that's some skill.
No wonder that dog Gu Yubai has his eye on her.
"Hey, Gu Yubai, tell me, should we use connections or follow the fair, just, and transparent procedures?" Fu Ze waved the painting in front of Gu Yubai, asking with a deliberately provocative smile.
Gu Yubai glanced at the painting and said calmly, "Put it back. Do what you need to do."
"You're quite confident." Fu Ze put the paintings from the test into a pile. "If you don't get selected in the blind selection, you can just cry."
Gu Yubai gave him a cold look, said nothing, and got up and left.
But in those eyes, two words were clearly written: No.
Fu Ze shrugged, then couldn't help but smile.
They're quite confident.
—
After her interview, Yu Xia took the bus home.
For this interview, she specially dug out her best business attire, one set after another. With the weather so hot outside, the shirts underneath were sticking to her body, making her very uncomfortable.
If she weren't so impolite, she would have loved to just wear a T-shirt and athletic shorts—that would have been so much more convenient. She could already feel a layer of sweat seeping from her back and thighs, trickling down her spine and thighs.
When she got home, the auntie who runs the stall downstairs saw Yu Xia return and called out to her, "Hey, Xia, you're back?"
"Hey, Auntie! I'd like a bowl of ice jelly to go." Yu Xia walked up to the stall.
"Okay," the auntie skillfully scooped ice jelly into her bowl, "The usual."
"Um."
When Yu Xia first moved here, she wasn't familiar with many things, and she often couldn't even tell which way was which. She would often wander out and then not find her way back. Fortunately, the people in this neighborhood were quite friendly. When they saw Yu Xia wandering around outside, they knew she was lost again, and they would laugh and tease her, saying, "Xia is playing in a maze again. Go back quickly, turn left at the intersection ahead, and you'll be at your house if you keep going straight."
The alley is secluded, isolated from the hustle and bustle, giving it a truly idyllic feel, almost unreal in this bustling city. The people in the alley mostly run small businesses, setting up stalls in front of their shops. They buy things from several vendors, going from one to another – if I need rice today, I'll buy from you; if you need tools tomorrow, you'll buy from me. The shops are small, not thriving, but they have everything they need.
The neighbors all know each other, and when they see each other, they greet each other with smiles like family, asking if they've eaten. If anyone needs help, they're there before you even ask, rolling up their sleeves and getting to work without a word. Afterwards, they wipe the sweat from their brows and tell you not to bother coming back. When they have a spare moment, they chat about everyday things, and that's how the day goes by.
Just a few families, year after year, repeating the same routine, made up this alleyway in countless ordinary days.
Although small, it exudes warmth in every corner.
Yu Xia really liked this feeling.
A feeling of sincerity and genuine emotion.
Very pure.
It's very comfortable.
"Xia, come here, I've packed it up for you."
"Okay, Auntie," Yu Xia replied.
"Xia, you're dressed so formally today, are you going for a job interview?"
"Yes, Auntie, I'm looking for a job. I'll starve if I keep streaming." Yu Xia scanned the QR code to pay.
"Oh dear, look how hot you are, all sweaty. Auntie will get you a fan. My daughter bought it for you; it'll keep you cool when you wear it around your neck." With that, the auntie started walking into the store.
"Hey, no, Auntie! No need, I'm going upstairs to take a shower right away, don't bother, don't take it." Yu Xia called out quickly after scanning the code.
Afraid that the aunt would actually take it, Yu Xia quickly grabbed the ice jelly and retreated after calling out, saying, "Auntie! Don't take it, I'm going upstairs to take a shower! You should close up shop early after you've sold out, it's so hot!"
The aunt came out with a fan and saw Yu Xia running away, rushing forward with a handful of ice jelly in a flustered manner.
"Hey! Slow down, be careful not to fall!" the aunt called out to Yu Xia's retreating figure.
"Hey, I wish you get that 'nest powder' thing, what's it called again?" The aunt didn't know what 'nest powder' was, but she'd heard her daughter shout "Mom! Mom! I got the offer!" at home when she got her job. She didn't understand what 'nest powder' was for, but it was a good thing, and getting it meant a job. So, she waved her hand behind her with a fan and shouted, "Xia, I wish you get 'nest powder' soon!"
"Okay! Thank you, Auntie!"
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