Chapter 35 The Butler
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is recruiting a large number of people, and the interviews are conducted in three batches. Lin Ke scheduled her interview for Friday. The interview process includes a psychological assessment, a written professional test, an oral test, and a final interview, taking up the entire day.
I set off early and arrived at the interview location ahead of time, but the waiting room was already almost full.
Sitting next to her was a handsome young man who struck up a conversation: "What direction are you going?"
Lin Ke politely replied, "Russian."
“I’m in English.” The boy sighed. “The competition for English is too fierce. The cutoff score for the interview is really high. And I heard that the real test is after you get in. There are round after round of tests and assessments, and you have to work overtime every day. They say you have to wait in line to quit.”
Lin Ke set her sights on working in the translation department since her freshman year of college. She knew all too well what it was like working there: frequent exams, heavy overtime, and mismatched pay deterred many people from even applying.
Teachers and senior students all said that if you don't have ideals, don't enter the magical world of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Fortunately, she has ideals and can endure hardship. She doesn't know what the future holds, but right now her heart is full of expectations and longings.
Seeing his complaints, Lin Ke laughed and said, "Then why did you even come for the interview?"
The boy fell silent.
Those who come here all have dreams in their hearts, after all, they want to become the top 1% by passing the written test.
After a series of tests, we finally arrived at the final interview stage. The room, which was originally full of people, was now reduced to just over a dozen.
They were randomly divided into two groups and entered the interview room in a structured leaderless group discussion format.
There were a dozen or so staff members in the interview room. Lin Ke quickly glanced at the row of interviewers in front of her, and when she saw the person in the center, she felt a chill run down her spine.
Yun Zheng, the deputy director of the Translation Department, is in charge of the Eurasia region. He is a rare male among the senior translators in the Translation Department, and he is also very young.
Lin Ke had also heard about this person from her senior, who said he had a bad temper and was extremely difficult to get along with.
He wasn't in charge of interviews when I was doing part-time work last year, but I saw him once from afar after I arrived in Moscow. He was scolding someone, and the little girl being scolded was almost crying.
Lin Ke took a deep breath. She was a little unlucky; the examiner was actually him.
Lost in thought, Yun Zheng looked over and lingered on her for a few seconds. Lin Ke quickly suppressed her thoughts and sat down with everyone else.
Lin Ke had practiced structured leaderless group discussions many times, and when he drew the topic, he felt relieved—it was something he had prepared for.
During the interview, she was not intimidated, nor was she afraid to argue with others, but she also did not try to show off, demonstrating a good sense of propriety.
After the interview, follow-up questions are asked. This is a traditional part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The questions are not fixed and are more like the interviewer asking whatever comes to mind.
The two people in front of Lin Ke were asked about their height, glasses prescription, whether they were single, and even whether they could cook.
The third one was her. The man in the main seat picked up a resume, glanced at it, and said in a deep voice, "Do you accept overseas assignments?"
Lin Ke: "I accept."
Why choose Russian?
“Give us your reasons for hiring you.”
These were all questions Lin Ke had prepared for, and she answered them fluently.
The last question is: "Have you considered the risks involved in being stationed overseas?"
Lin Ke calmly replied, "I understand the risks outside, so I will never put myself in danger, and I also believe that our country has the ability to protect us."
Yun Zheng put down the resume, his gaze returning to the present without any emotion. "Next."
As the interviews concluded, Lin Ke breathed a sigh of relief the moment she stepped out of the interview room.
Do your best and leave the rest to fate. Now we just wait for the result.
She drank some water before the interview, and now she needs to go to the restroom.
Unexpectedly, I ran into Yunzheng while washing my hands.
The man was tall, probably over 185 cm, with sharp features. When he looked at people, his almond-shaped eyes were narrowed, and he had a rather intimidating presence.
Lin Ke was so frightened that she dared not move, but she still maintained a smile on her face. "Hello, Director Yun."
Yun Zheng glanced at him coldly.
Just when Lin Ke thought he wouldn't say anything, she suddenly heard him ask, "Is Director Meng your friend?"
Director Meng, it should be Meng Jing, she nodded: "Yes."
But I won't say much, otherwise people will gossip about me trying to climb the social ladder.
Yun Zheng didn't ask any more questions, took a tissue to wipe his hands clean, and left.
......
It's Friday, and everyone in the company is still busy.
Although Si Yun hadn't worked for several years, she had prior experience, so getting started wasn't difficult.
She spent a week clarifying the current business, cooperation, and independent investment projects of Entropy Domain's various branches, and gained a comprehensive understanding of Entropy Domain's current business status.
The project team also has two vice presidents, but Si Yuming has only temporarily assigned her to oversee two cross-border cooperation projects under the Entropy Domain's technology subsidiary.
Shen Wan is the project director specializing in cross-border projects. She has done an excellent job in summarizing several projects. On this day, she called people in to discuss the new project plan that Entropy Domain is about to develop. Entropy Domain mainly focuses on artificial intelligence chips in the technology sector, and its next target is Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Si Yun turned the computer around and showed her the screen interface. "These are some of the more powerful artificial intelligence development companies in Central Asia. I need more detailed background research and market analysis."
"Okay, Ms. Yun."
"Also, check if they have any cooperative projects or offices in China, which companies they have partnered with, and their background information. I need all of this. If I can contact their person in charge, please arrange a meeting for me. If I can't, let me know and I'll figure something out."
Shen Wan quickly jotted down her notes. "Okay."
"I remember you had extensive cooperation with Moscow before?"
"Yes, Ms. Yun, the cooperation framework has been basically established, and we are currently filling in the details."
Send me a copy of the detailed materials.
Shen Wan took the phone and immediately used her work software to transfer several documents over.
Si Yun opened a document on her computer, read two pages, and was slightly stunned. Who else could it be but Lin Ke behind Si Yuming in the meeting photos?
When will Lin Ke start working for Yu Ming?
Seeing the date again, it became clear.
During that time, she was trapped in a failed marriage and had no energy to pay attention to what was happening outside. Maybe someone had mentioned it, but she had no recollection of it.
Si Yun raised her eyes: "Lin Ke is the translator for this project?"
"This is President Si's sister, and that's President Si's wife," Shen Wan quickly replied. "Yes, the wife is the head of our outsourced translation team."
The photo must have been taken in Moscow. Si Yun asked, "Didn't the Russian side prepare a translator?"
"No, it's because Mr. Si asked his wife to go with him. He doesn't trust the translators there."
The woman at the desk chuckled softly, then looked back at the computer, moved the mouse, and clicked on a video.
It's a meeting record. The focus of the image is on Si Yuming and the Russian company personnel. Lin Ke only appears in a small corner in the lower left of the image, but her voice is the loudest.
He said she flipped through it without a moment's hesitation or pause.
The two went back and forth, forcing the other company to retreat step by step.
She watched for two minutes, then turned off the video. "Okay, go out and organize the documents."
"Okay, Ms. Yun."
At six o'clock, Si Yun left work and went home on time.
When Si Xiaotie arrived home, he and Qin Mancheng were playing with a jigsaw puzzle in the living room. Upon seeing them, he immediately shouted, "Auntie, you're back!"
Si Yun went over to touch the two children and went to the kitchen to pour water.
A moment later, the door opened again, and this time the little girl ran forward, shouting, "Mommy's home!"
Lin Ke picked up her daughter, her smile gentle, "You're back."
"Then it's just Dad's turn. We'll eat when Dad comes back."
Si Yuming has been on a business trip to Shanghai for three days and won't be back until tonight.
Si Yun leaned against the dining table and quietly looked over.
Lin Ke patiently watched the children play with puzzles, occasionally joining in herself.
After watching for a while, the other person looked over and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Si Yun lowered her head to drink water, took a couple of sips, then looked up and asked in a flat tone, "How are you?"
She knew she had a job interview today.
Although I haven't taken these tests, I've heard that they're not easy, and that not everyone can get into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The woman not far away seemed somewhat surprised. "I think it's alright, but we'll have to see the final result."
Si Yun put down her water glass, crossed her arms, and carefully observed the beautiful and elegant people in the living room.
Meng Jing and his wife came over during the Chinese New Year. She noticed them a few times, and their behavior seemed normal, not like they had ever been intimate.
A pang of guilt welled up inside her.
But it wasn't fabricated out of thin air at the time.
Then I asked, "I didn't see any talent for languages when you were little, so why did you end up learning a foreign language?"
Lin Ke was even more surprised. Why was Si Yun interested in chatting with her?
I was asked a similar question during an interview today. My answer was official then, but I can't give a real answer now.
Why learn a foreign language? Because at eighteen, she wanted to leave the Lin family and the city, and learning a language might make that path easier.
Lin Ke answered half of the question, “I don’t have the background of Meng Jingge and Shu Xia. Studying finance, trade, or law would be very difficult on my own. But language is different. I don’t have to worry about anything else. I just need to study it well. Even if I don’t end up in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I won’t starve.”
Studying finance in Beicheng? If your family doesn't have much money, you'll only ever be able to work for the rich. The legal profession is a small circle; a girl with no power, influence, or background like her won't get ahead for at least ten or twenty years.
Si Yun seemed to believe her somewhat, but her expression remained calm. "If you pass the exam, have you considered the issue of being stationed abroad? Meng Jing has been traveling around for the past few years, and even now, after getting married, he can only come back for three or four days a month. What about you then?"
Si Xiaotie had somehow learned massage, and now he stood behind Lin Ke, pinching and kneading here and there with his little hands, using all his strength, but it didn't itch at all.
The soft, fragrant scent wafted behind her ear, making her flustered by the question.
After a long silence, he could only reply, "I will discuss it with Yu Ming."
Upon hearing his father's name, Si Xiaotie stopped what he was doing and asked, "Mom, when is Dad coming back?"
"They said six o'clock."
Looking up again, the woman at the dining table had already walked towards the study.
Lin Ke felt helpless, but turned around and pinched her daughter's cheek. "Thank you, baby."
At six o'clock sharp, Si Xiaotie started texting with his watch in a very serious tone: "Dad, it's six o'clock, and you're still not back."
Si Yuming was probably in the car and hadn't replied.
Si Xiaotie became even angrier and stood at the door waiting, pouting.
At 6:30, the car finally drove in.
After Si Yuming got out of the car, he saw the little girl at the door and reached out to hug her, but she wouldn't let him. She crossed her arms and turned to the side, saying, "Daddy's late."
Si Yuming laughed: "Sorry, baby, there was a traffic jam on the way."
"Hmph, the teacher said we can't make excuses."
"......"
Once inside, Si Yuming placed his briefcase in the entryway and casually tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa.
He turned around and met his daughter's furrowed brows, as if he had done something wrong.
Si Yuming was puzzled. He hadn't seen her for three or four days. Could something have happened?
He cast a pleading look at his wife, but Lin Ke just smiled and shrugged, indicating that she couldn't help him.
Looking at Si Yun again, Si Yun also avoided eye contact.
Why is it that, starting the day before yesterday, this little girl has become very "well-behaved"? She can't just throw her shoes away; they have to be neatly arranged in the closet. She can't just throw her clothes away either; dirty ones go in the laundry basket, and new ones are hung in the wardrobe.
You must throw your trash into the trash can promptly, clean up your own bowl after eating, and not let the housekeeper wash it. You must not talk or smack your lips while eating, otherwise she will seriously tell you that this is wrong.
It was as if a little housekeeper had suddenly arrived at the house. At first, Lin Ke thought it was some kind of task assigned by the kindergarten. She asked Teacher Bai Bai and found out that the little one had become the class monitor.
She thought it was good, but she was also a little worried and planned to wait and see.
Now, even dads returning from business trips are being "managed." The little girl says very seriously, "Dad, you can't put your clothes on the sofa."
Si Yuming was taken aback, picked up the clothes, and asked, "Where should I put them?"
Si Xiaotie pointed to the bathroom, "Put it in the basket."
"OK."
Si Yuming went to the bathroom, and the little girl's voice followed behind him: "You have to wash your hands before you can eat. You have to wash your hands for 20 seconds."
"......good."
Sitting at the table, Si Yuming instinctively reached out to serve her rice, but Si Xiaotie immediately hugged her bowl tightly, jumped off the chair, and said, "Do your own thing, Xiaotie has to serve herself."
The rice cooker, which usually sits on the cupboard, is now placed on a chair to accommodate the little girl's height. She scoops up a few spoonfuls herself, muttering, "The teacher said, only scoop out as much as you can eat, don't waste any!"
Si Yuming finally understood what was going on and asked Lin Ke, "Kindergarten homework?"
Lin Ke smiled and shook her head, "No, it's your daughter who became the class monitor."
"......"
So, under the supervision of the class monitor, the new "little friend" Si Yuming ate a meal carefully and even washed the dishes himself afterward.
However, while supervising others, the little class monitor also did a great job herself. After washing the dishes, she looked up at her mother and asked, "Mom, can I watch Animal World for half an hour today?"
"Okay, go ahead."
"Hmm~" Si Xiaotie took two steps and then looked back at his father. "Dad, you can't lie down after eating, otherwise the food won't digest."
Si Yuming smiled and said, "Okay."
Half an hour later, Si Xiaotie obediently turned off the TV and climbed the stairs upstairs.
Then she knocked on her mother's door and said, "Mom, I want to take a shower."
Si Xiaotie is still young and cannot bathe independently, so Lin Ke went to prepare the water for her and also found her some clothes.
However, the little girl can already dress herself. After washing, she dries herself with a towel and then puts on her pajamas.
Her little face, shrunk to the color of an apple from the hot water, twisted into a smile, revealing a few perfectly white teeth. "Is Daddy comforting me or Mommy comforting me?"
"Daddy comforts you."
"Okay~ Daddy, come quick."
Si Xiaotie put on her shoes and ran out of the bathroom. She climbed onto the bed, bent over, and pulled the blanket over herself.
Si Yuming came in quickly. He had already taken a shower and sat directly on the bed, taking the little girl into his arms. "What story does Xiao Tie want to hear?"
"I want to hear the story of the big lion. The TV host just introduced the big lion. It runs incredibly fast and caught the lamb and ate it in no time!"
"..." Si Yuming wondered if this was too bloody for a child, but when he looked down, the little boy's face was full of excitement, so he had to say, "Xiao Tie, did the TV show say that lions are dangerous animals?"
Si Xiaotie played with his little fingers and nodded casually, "I know, big lions, big tigers, and big whales all eat meat, so we can't get close to them, or we'll get eaten."
Si Yuming didn't know what to say. He thought that although his daughter was stubborn, she was now a little older and knew how to protect herself.
Since there were no storybooks about lions, he searched online and found the story of The Lion King, which he then told her.
After saying a few words, the little girl suddenly remembered something, sat up straight, and asked, "Daddy, where's my watch?"
Si Yuming took the watch from the bedside table and gave it to her.
Si Xiaotie fiddled with her little hands for a moment, then spoke to her watch in a childish voice: "Xiaoling'er, are you feeling better from your cold? Remember to wear lots of warm clothes tomorrow."
She sent it, then turned off her watch and put it aside, hugged her dad tightly again, closed her eyes, and prepared to continue listening to the story: "Okay~"
-----------------------
Author's note: Good morning! [Sprinkling flowers] One hundred little red envelopes~
Here's a similar pre-order: "The Gift of Bikini Bottom [Raising the Baby]", a story about a couple reunited after a breakup and a runaway baby. The synopsis might be revised again.
Copywriting:
Wen Jin and Lu Shinan, the young master of Beicheng, had a three-year campus romance, but their breakup was so public and undignified that it became widely known.
When they met again due to work, they both tacitly pretended not to know each other and didn't even look at each other.
After the meeting, Wen Jin and the person in charge were kept behind alone.
Her phone kept ringing, so Wen Jin had to answer it. She turned her back to her baby and spoke softly in a low voice, "Baby, Mommy is still in a meeting. You eat your food, okay?"
The man behind him immediately frowned.
...
When Lu Shinan was young, he was unruly, wild and rebellious. Even after he started working, he remained arrogant, cold and sharp-tongued. He never used foul language when he cursed people, and his employees would break out in a sweat after just one meeting.
The day I saw my daughter at the kindergarten gate, the timid little girl looked up at me with her bright eyes blinking like a moist little grape.
Lu Shinan lost his voice for the first time in his life.
Just seconds later, the girl threw herself into her mother's arms and whispered, "Mommy, I'm scared."
#ReunitedAfterBrokenMirrorsDribbleRunningWithBall
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com