Chapter 7

Are you kidding me? Did Lin Koukou actually pick that flashy, fraudulent old charlatan?!

Ye Xiang asked, “What was his name again?”

Meng Zhixing was also uncertain. “Yuan Zengxi?”

The two exchanged glances, feeling the world had gone a bit mad.

In the meeting room, Pei Shu and Sun Kecheng were also stunned for a long time.

Pei Shu could still control his expression.

Sun Kecheng’s jaw dropped as he stared blankly at the person who had ultimately remained seated before Lin Koukou.

Thirty-four years old, high school education, a stutter, timid demeanor—when asked about his skills, he claimed expertise in character divination, dream interpretation, face reading, and fortune telling!

Yuan Zengxi—

A slacker who had been with the company for two months, only helping colleagues fetch tea, pick up deliveries, and order takeout.

Even Yuan Zengxi himself was dumbfounded, unsure why he was the one left standing. He stammered, “L-Lin Consultant, did you… did you get the name wrong? Did you pick the wrong person?”

Sun Kecheng couldn’t stay seated either. He stood up and said, “Lin Consultant, you—”

But as he spoke, he hesitated, not wanting to embarrass Yuan Zengxi. Swallowing the words “didn’t make a mistake, right?” at the end, his expression twisted in discomfort.

Only Pei Shu remained silent, frowning at her.

Lin Koukou was utterly composed. “No mistake. I chose him.”

Sun Kecheng was baffled. What outstanding qualities did Yuan Zengxi possess?

Pei Shu asked, “Why?”

Lin Koukou turned to him.

Unlike Sun Kecheng, Pei Shu didn’t bother sparing anyone’s feelings. He was blunt and unapologetic: “From every angle, Zhang Tong is a hundred times better than this guy. You need an assistant consultant, not a consultant’s assistant. I’m curious—what makes him worthy of your pick?”

Yuan Zengxi, hearing this, didn’t seem offended. In fact, he nodded slightly in agreement, clearly endorsing Pei Shu’s assessment.

Lin Koukou smiled and countered, “Then I’m curious too. If he’s really so useless, why would someone with your style, Consultant Pei, keep him in the company for two whole months?”

Pei Shu met her probing gaze, his pupils contracting slightly.

He raised an eyebrow. “My style?”

As the saying goes, “The one who knows you best is often not yourself, but your enemy.” While Lin Koukou wouldn’t claim to understand Pei Shu, she was well aware of her rival’s methods.

Besides, hadn’t she witnessed them firsthand just last week?

She continued, “When Zhongguang Group sent you a collaboration offer, you refused because there was no upfront payment. That position at Jincheng Law Firm was for a partner, right? You told them to replace the candidate when there were objections. Clearly, you prioritize profit, and your style is uncompromising. Crossroads may not be large, but it’s unique and renowned in the industry. If Yuan Zengxi were truly that bad, I imagine someone like you would’ve fired him long ago. After all, even in the new talent pool, you’d still have to pay his salary for two months, wouldn’t you?”

Pei Shu hadn’t expected her to analyze things from his perspective. “So it’s because of me?”

Lin Koukou said, “You’re obviously not the type to hand out salaries for charity. So Yuan Zengxi is still here for only two possible reasons. First, you don’t have the authority to decide who stays or leaves in the new talent pool. Second, you actually have expectations for him and kept him around to observe further.”

Sun Kecheng immediately looked at Pei Shu in surprise.

Yuan Zengxi was utterly surprised, clearly never having expected that someone had been observing and anticipating his performance. For a moment, he even felt flattered.  

Pei Shu stood nearby with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.  

Lin Koukou studied him but then pointed at Sun Kecheng.  

She said, “Judging by the dynamic between you two, it’s clear that Consultant Pei has the final say on personnel decisions in this company. So, why wouldn’t I choose this person?”  

Pei Shu replied, “Aren’t you afraid of making the wrong choice?”  

Lin Koukou smiled. “Hiring isn’t a one-time deal. If I’m wrong, I can always switch to Zhang Tong later. Surely, Consultant Pei wouldn’t deny me a second chance?”  

Pei Shu gave her a long look. “Then I wish you luck—may your choice actually be useful. After all, if you’re wrong, it’s not my reputation on the line.”  

Lin Koukou graciously acknowledged, “I’ll take your kind words to heart.”  

One was sharp-tongued and sarcastic, the other unflappable and impervious. Their brief exchange was a clash of blades, but with these words, it finally reached a temporary ceasefire.  

Lin Koukou stayed in the conference room to continue her conversation with Yuan Zengxi.  

Pei Shu and Sun Kecheng, however, stepped out.  

The moment they reached the hallway, Sun Kecheng shot Pei Shu an extremely odd look. “Earlier, you said only one person in this batch was remotely interesting. You weren’t talking about Yuan Zengxi, were you?”  

“Does it matter?” Pei Shu frowned at his gaze. “What’s with that look?”  

Sun Kecheng said darkly, “I knew it. Normally, someone this obviously useless would’ve been kicked out by you long ago—no way you’d let them embarrass themselves in front of Consultant Lin today. You must’ve kept Yuan Zengxi around for a reason. And you almost made me take the blame for it.”  

Pei Shu chuckled, too lazy to engage.  

But clearly, the shock of Lin Koukou’s choice wasn’t limited to just the two of them.  

Ye Xiang and Meng Zhixing, seeing them emerge, immediately asked, “Boss, did Consultant Lin really pick Yuan Zengxi?”  

Pei Shu said, “Isn’t it obvious?”  

Meng Zhixing couldn’t wrap his head around it. “Why would she choose Yuan Zengxi?”  

Pei Shu replied coldly, “Back when you used to compete with her for the same cases, she often wiped the floor with you. After losing so many times, you should’ve learned something by now. Why don’t you analyze it yourself?”  

Meng Zhixing: “…”  

The sarcasm was palpable—his knees might as well have been shot through.  

Meng Zhixing wanted to say that he wasn’t even important enough to be “wiped the floor with” by Lin Koukou often. Given her standing in the industry, very few had the privilege of being crushed by her. More often, it was that damned He Chuang under her who had repeatedly humiliated him.  

But voicing that would only invite further humiliation, and there was no point saying it to Pei Shu.  

Wisely, he kept his mouth shut.  

Ye Xiang, however, hadn’t learned her lesson yet and remained puzzled. “I think Consultant Lin must have a deeper reason for this move, but I still don’t get it—why Yuan Zengxi? What are his strengths? He’s so lucky to be chosen by Consultant Lin…”  

Pei Shu caught the implication.  

He suddenly looked up at his capable subordinate. “Sounds like you’re envious?”  

Ye Xiang shuddered violently, shaking her head like a rattle drum. “No, no, not at all! My loyalty to you, Boss, is as steadfast as heaven and earth!”

Pei Shu stared at her for a few seconds, long enough to make her hair stand on end, before coolly withdrawing his gaze.  

Ye and Meng finally behaved themselves, not daring to ask another question.  

But Pei Shu turned back, lost in thought as he glanced toward the conference room.  

Inside, Lin Koukou and Yuan Zengxi’s conversation continued.  

“So, with your fortune-telling skills, you helped people with Feng Shui and worked as a real estate agent, doing pretty well?”  

“These days, there aren’t as many superstitious people, but they’d rather believe than not. Having someone give them a look, even if it’s just saying nice things, makes them happy. Selling houses became a lot easier.”  

“Then you stopped?”  

“Yeah, something happened. There was this school district house—great location, good lighting. When the family of three came to see it, they seemed happy, no conflicts, all well-educated. So I told them the Feng Shui was excellent, guaranteed smooth sailing for the family, harmony, and academic success for the girl. But a year later…”  

“The girl didn’t do well in school?”  

“No, a new policy came out. Multi-school zoning with lottery enrollment. The house they bought was useless.”  

Lin Koukou: “…”  

She’d been living in the mountains for a year—maybe she was out of touch.  

After a stunned pause, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, that doesn’t seem like your fault.”  

Yuan Zengxi muttered, “It kind of is. I promised the girl academic success, and she didn’t even get into a good school…”  

The parents came to the company and splashed a bucket of paint. Naturally, he was fired.  

Then Sun Kecheng happened to pick him up for Crossroads.  

As Lin Koukou talked with him, she noticed something new: “You don’t stutter at all when it comes to Feng Shui or fortune-telling.”  

In fact, he was downright fluent, a far cry from his nervousness during the interview.  

Yuan Zengxi smiled sheepishly. “I’m good at this stuff.”  

Lin Koukou chuckled. “I can tell you’re not lying.”  

But Yuan Zengxi still didn’t understand. “But this is all I’ve got—it’s not even a proper skill. Why did you pick me as an assistant consultant?”  

Lin Koukou, ever the one for an unorthodox approach, disliked conventional paths. She simply smiled. “Most people don’t have this skill. Special talents have special uses. Starting today, you’re with me.”  

Yuan Zengxi was dumbfounded.  

Lin Koukou asked, “In your two months at Crossroads, besides helping colleagues, have you had any other work? Any training?”  

“There was training, but as for work…” Yuan Zengxi hesitated, then cautiously admitted, “The company gave us a few dead deals to practice on.”  

A “dead deal,” as the name suggested, was one that was nearly impossible to close.  

Even a company like Crossroads couldn’t fill every position.  

Clients had varied demands, and some roles were just hard to fill. Every firm had its share of dead deals—Crossroads having a few was perfectly normal.  

Lin Koukou was curious. “What kind of dead deals?”  

Yuan Zengxi opened his mouth, about to explain.  

Suddenly, a loud shout came from outside—clear enough to be heard even through the soundproofed glass door:  

“Yuan, you old fraud! Get your ass out here!”

Yuan Zengxi shuddered violently upon hearing this, nearly jumping out of his chair in alarm. “Oh no, why is he here?”  

His first instinct was to flee.  

But glancing around, the conference room was too small—where could he even go? If he tried to leave, a quick look outside revealed the furious figure had already entered the company.  

The man was in his late twenties, his face twisted with anger. He wore a wrinkled suit, his eyes sunken, and his chin covered with a dark stubble, exuding exhaustion like someone who had just pulled an all-nighter.  

Most at Crossroads recognized him—  

Wang Liang, the recruitment specialist from Jiang Shangbai Liquor’s HR department.  

Two months ago, Pei Shu had filtered out some difficult or low-value “dead deals” and tossed them into the new talent pool for practice.  

Yuan Zengxi happened to pick the Jiang Shangbai assignment.  

This liquor company, established for seven or eight years, was looking for a market director familiar with the alcohol industry, offering an annual salary of 3 million. The headhunting fee was 30% of that—900,000.  

But since it was a dead deal, the chances of success were slim.  

Others took on such assignments with a mindset of gaining experience—merely engaging with clients and attempting to scout suitable candidates.  

Yuan Zengxi, however, had gone all out with empty promises, convincing the client he had the perfect candidate lined up, leaving them waiting for his delivery.  

Yet two months later, not only was there no candidate in sight—there wasn’t even a trace of one.  

Jiang Shangbai Liquor wasn’t a giant, but it was far from small. Leaving such a critical position as market director vacant was disastrous.  

Wang Liang had faced relentless pressure from his superiors.  

Today’s visit? It didn’t take a genius to guess—he was here to settle scores with Yuan Zengxi!  

The petite receptionist stood no chance of stopping him.  

Wang Liang stormed straight into Crossroads, scanning the office area—but Yuan Zengxi was nowhere in sight.  

His anger flared. “Where’s Yuan Zengxi?”  

The headhunters at Crossroads looked up but stayed silent.  

Meng Zhixing glanced over, quietly instructing a headhunting consultant from his team to step out and call security, anticipating trouble.  

Only Pei Shu, witnessing the scene, flickered his gaze and suddenly smirked.  

Narrowing his eyes slightly, he called out to Wang Liang, “Looking for Yuan Zengxi?”  

Wang Liang snapped, “Yeah, where is he?”  

Pei Shu lazily raised a finger, pointing directly toward the conference room down the hallway, his smile almost pleasant. “That way.”  

Sun Kecheng: ???  

He stared at Pei Shu’s pointing finger, utterly stunned.  

Wang Liang clearly hadn’t expected anyone to helpfully guide him. Suspicious, he shot Pei Shu a glance, but rage left no room for second thoughts.  

With a hurried thanks, he charged toward the conference room.  

Sun Kecheng was aghast, grabbing Pei Shu’s arm. “What are you doing?”  

Pei Shu gave him a bland look. “Pointing the way.”  

Sun Kecheng nearly stomped his foot. “Consultant Lin just selected Yuan Zenghi, and you’re already scheming to trip him up—deliberately humiliating him! If this blows up, how do we handle it? She’s not our opponent anymore; she’s our teammate!”  

Pei Shu let out an insincere “Oh,” then dismissed, “Really? Old habits die hard—can’t shake them off just yet.”  

Sun Kecheng was left speechless.

Pei Shu said, “Don’t be angry. Lin Koukou does have some skills. What if she can handle it?”

Sun Kecheng’s face darkened. “Do you think I don’t know how outrageous Jiang Shangbai’s case is? And this Wang Liang has a fiery temper. With all the internal and external pressures, a mere argument would be the least of our worries. I’m afraid they might start fighting inside.”

Pei Shu raised an eyebrow slightly. “Then I’m even more looking forward to it.”

Sun Kecheng: “…”

What’s the point of wasting words on this guy!

Seeing no use in further discussion, he turned directly to Meng Zhixing and asked, “Are the security guards here yet?”

Meng Zhixing replied, “Just got off the phone. They’ll be here any moment.”

Crossroads was on the 39th floor, a high level in the building. At this time of day, the elevators were busiest, stopping at almost every floor. Even if the guards came up immediately, it would still take a few minutes.

Sun Kecheng did a quick calculation in his head and silently prayed that things wouldn’t escalate.

He nervously glanced toward the meeting room, closely monitoring any movement inside.

Sure enough, as soon as Wang Liang entered, the sound of an argument erupted.

Strangely, however, the noise lasted only briefly before gradually fading.

Soon, those outside could hear nothing at all.

Sun Kecheng was baffled.

Pei Shu, on the other hand, looked at the meeting room door and smirked, as if he wasn’t surprised in the least.

A series of hurried footsteps approached from outside—the security guards they had called earlier had finally arrived. “Where’s the troublemaker?” they asked.

Sun Kecheng turned and quickly pointed toward the meeting room. “Over there, please—”

Before he could finish, the meeting room door suddenly swung open.

Sun Kecheng looked over and froze, unable to believe his eyes.

The person stepping out of the meeting room was none other than Wang Liang, who had entered earlier.

But whereas he had stormed in furious and full of resentment, now he emerged with reddened eyes, as if he had just been crying. He even bowed politely toward the room before wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes and walking out.

What the hell…?

He went in cursing and came out crying?

Sun Kecheng was stunned.

??