Chapter 28

The wine that night was not wasted. Two days later, Shen Kuo received a call from Director Fang, asking him to come to the company for the final interview.

If he passed this interview, the job at one hundred yuan per hour would be his.

Zhong Kai lent his only formal suit to Shen Kuo. The suit looked rather slim on Zhong Kai, but it fit Shen Kuo perfectly, mainly because of his well-built physique. No matter what he wore, he always carried himself with elegance.

Watching Shen Kuo in a suit, Zhong Kai couldn’t help but admire, saying, “Ah, look at you, young man. I can tell from your look that you’re destined to be a big boss!”

Shen Kuo rolled his eyes.

“Look, look at those little eyes rolling… The lone hero who’s awake while everyone else is drunk…” Zhong Kai chuckled.

Shen Kuo kicked him, and Zhong Kai nimbly dodged. Just as the two were joking around, someone nearby let out a soft snort—

“Country bumpkin.”

Zhong Kai looked over and saw a man wearing bell-bottom jeans, a striped shirt, and a leather jacket, sporting a middle-part hairstyle that had been very popular in the past.

Such a style was once all the rage, the “trendy” look that was popular across the country.

Although Zhong Kai admired his outfit, he couldn’t let him badmouth them, so he shouted, “Hey, buddy, watch your mouth.”

The bell-bottom jeans guy glanced at Shen Kuo, a mocking and dismissive expression on his face. “Come on, what era is this? You’re still wearing that old-fashioned suit.”

Zhong Kai wasn’t having it. “This suit may be old-fashioned, but it’s still formal wear. What’s wrong with wearing it to an interview? Look at your clothes, you’re definitely the one who’s going to be eliminated.”

The bell-bottom jeans guy sneered. “Before you come for the interview, at least learn about Meng’s company culture. Their ‘Proud Wolf’ line focuses on young, casual menswear. My outfit aligns perfectly with their product concept, whereas you two look like hotel lobby managers. No way you’re getting picked!”

“You… you’re too much! What’s wrong with being a lobby manager? You young people, I’ve seen plenty of you, so full of yourselves…”

Zhong Kai was about to step forward and argue, but Shen Kuo grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back.

He said in a low voice, “This is their company, don’t make trouble.”

Shen Kuo was always a man who knew how to restrain himself and didn’t easily engage in quarrels.

“Hmph, brat, you’re lucky.”

Soon, Director Fang entered through the main door, accompanied by a tall woman in a one-piece dress. The woman was holding a ^[1]“Motorola phone” refers to a mobile phone manufactured by Motorola, a well-known telecommunications company. It suggests a time when owning a Motorola phone was considered a status … Continue readingMotorola phone, speaking on the phone.

Shen Kuo knew this woman was none other than the CEO of Meng Group, Meng Zhining.

When Director Fang saw the young people waiting for their interviews, he immediately waved and signaled them to follow.

Meng Zhining entered the elevator, and Shen Kuo and the others quickly followed, standing behind her as they went upstairs.

Director Fang leaned in and whispered to her, “These young guys are here to interview for the ‘Proud Wolf’ project exhibition models. I’ll take them to the meeting room to wait for you…”

Before he could finish, Meng Zhining raised her hand, signaling for him to be quiet.

She was still on the phone—

“A young girl, what does she even know? This is all her mother’s doing. That woman… she actually set her sights on my son, using such underhanded methods.”

“Hah, I don’t care. If I did care, your dad would probably be more concerned about his wife.”

“Young mens are supposed to endure a little hardship. What’s the big deal? A real man should be able to endure. Tell your brother to hang in there, and wait for better days.”

—

After exiting the elevator, Meng Zhining went to her office, while Director Fang led the young guys to the meeting room.

Zhong Kai quietly said to Shen Kuo, “That’s the CEO of Meng’s, Meng Zhining. From the way she spoke just now, it’s no surprise that she’s the leader of the group.”

Shen Kuo responded indifferently, not saying much. He never discussed others behind their backs, whether the talk was good or bad.

Ten minutes later, Meng Zhining emerged from her office, changed into a formal blazer, and headed to the meeting room.

The guys immediately stood up to greet her. Shen Kuo stood at the front. Meng Zhining stared at him for a long time.

Although Meng Zhining had worked in the fashion industry for over a decade and had seen many types of handsome men, including numerous celebrity endorsers, Shen Kuo’s looks were still top-notch, even among the best.

With his appearance, not only could he easily serve as a background for Qin Yuyiao, he could even endorse an entire brand without any problem.

After seeing Shen Kuo, the other guys seemed dull in comparison.

When her gaze landed on the young man in bell-bottom pants and casual clothes, her brows furrowed. She turned to Director Fang and directly said, “Send him away.”

The young man in bell-bottoms didn’t understand what was happening and asked, “Why should I leave? I came all the way here!”

Meng Zhining said coldly, “What are you wearing?”

“W-well, a suit.”

“And what do you see me wearing?”

The young man in bell-bottoms was speechless. “I… I thought…”

He thought he understood Meng’s company culture, after all, this was a brand focused on young, bold, and distinctive styles.

Meng Zhining coldly replied, “You don’t even have the basic manners. I’ll take this as you not caring about this interview. If that’s the case, then I’m not interested in hiring you. Leave.”

The young man in bell-bottoms had nothing more to say, glaring at Shen Kuo in frustration before leaving begrudgingly.

Shen Kuo’s expression remained calm, without a trace of schadenfreude.

The other guys, dressed in casual clothes, felt a little uneasy, but fortunately, Meng Zhining didn’t seem to mind them. While they wore casual clothes, they weren’t as extreme as the bell-bottomed young man.

Meng Zhining gave Shen Kuo an approving glance and directly asked them, “Why do you want to interview for a modeling job?”

Their answers were all similar: they wanted to challenge themselves, to seize a good opportunity, and some even said they wanted to work for Meng’s Group…

When Shen Kuo mentioned that he was simply here for the 100 yuan per hour wage, they all looked at him with disdain.

Yes, it was a bit crass, doing it just for money.

However, Meng Zhining appreciated Shen Kuo’s honesty. Those who said they wanted to improve themselves would always be focused on whether the job would help them, but only those who came for the money would truly do the job properly.

So, Meng Zhining eliminated a few more candidates, leaving only five. Shen Kuo was one of them.

“The ‘Proud Wolf’ new product launch exhibition will be in two weeks. For the next two weeks, you’ll need to come every day to practice. Don’t make me look for you,” she said briskly.

After finishing, she didn’t delay. As she was leaving, she told her assistant, “Increase Shen Kuo’s pay to 300 yuan per hour. Let him take the main spot, standing right behind Qin Yuxiao.”

“Understood.”

After Meng Zhining left, Assistant Fang excitedly said to Shen Kuo, “Not bad, young man. Our CEO is very selective, and you’ve caught her eye. Your future is bright!”

Shen Kuo said politely yet with calm modesty, “It’s all thanks to Director Fang’s recommendation.”

Director Fang, seeing how well Shen Kuo handled things with such composure—completely unlike the brash, arrogant, self-centered behavior of many in his age group—smiled and patted his shoulder.

This kid might really amount to something in the future.

On the way back, Zhong Kai kept chattering to Shen Kuo, “You really hit the jackpot this time—300 per hour, my goodness! But that’s not even the best part. Meng Zhining actually had you take the main position, right behind the superstar Qin Yuxiao. Do you know what that means? When the TV commercials air, you’ll be on screen for the whole country to see!”

Shen Kuo wasn’t interested. He didn’t care about appearing on screen. His only hope was that they wouldn’t delay his pay and that it would be settled on a daily basis.

As they turned into a narrow alley and arrived at Shen Kuo’s doorstep, they saw a little girl in a pale yellow dress sneaking around, peeking her head through the lattice window and trying to peer into the dark room.

Zhong Kai laughed and waved goodbye, “I’ll be going now.”

“Mm.”

Shen Kuo pursed his lips slightly and walked straight up to Lu Yan, standing beside her to look into the house.

“What are you looking at?”

Lu Yan was startled, letting out a sharp scream and stepping back, “Why did you come out and scare me?!”

“You were sneaking around peeking in my window, and you say I scared you?”

“I wasn’t peeking!”

“Then why not knock and come in openly?”

“I was afraid you weren’t home, and if Uncle Shen was sleeping, it would be embarrassing to wake him up.”

Shen Kuo liked her for her thoughtfulness. Not all rich girls were spoiled and willful. Many of the girls raised in wealthy, nurturing families were unaware of hardship and were especially gentle and harmless.

He didn’t know why he liked her, but he did.

Perhaps, when trapped in a quagmire, one tends to yearn for the good in life.

He entered the house, turned on all the lights, and dispelled the cold and dampness inside.

“My dad should still be at the hospital for a follow-up. Come on in and sit.”

Lu Yan entered, standing by the wall.

Shen Kuo took his cup from the cabinet, rinsed it under the faucet for about three minutes, then filled it with water and handed it to Lu Yan.

In the scorching summer heat, Lu Yan was extremely thirsty, her lips dry and peeling. She grabbed the cup and drank it all in one go.

“Slow down.” Shen Kuo frowned slightly, feeling a bit sorry for her as he said, “Who told you to come over in the middle of the day?”

“I overslept. By the time I woke up, it was already noon.”

Lu Yan smiled awkwardly, put the cup down, and said, “I came to get my bike and, by the way, to talk to you about a really, really… big business.”

The last time she had given Shen Kuo a ride home while he was drunk, the chain on her bike had broken halfway. She had to push him home, with him sitting on the backseat, panting as she pushed. She had left the bike at his house.

Shen Kuo went into the room and brought the pink bicycle out.

“Why put it inside? The space is so narrow, it’s not convenient. You could just leave it at the door.”

Shen Kuo replied calmly, “There are too many kids outside, they might dirty it.”

“Oh.”

Lu Yan saw that the bike’s chain had been fixed and oiled, and the frame had been cleaned, looking brand new.

She exclaimed in surprise, “Leaving it here was like giving it a full maintenance check. I guess I’ll have to keep breaking my chain near your house so you can take care of it!”

“If you like, you can come anytime. I’ll help maintain your bike.”

When Shen Kuo said this, his gaze dropped, not looking at her. His voice was smooth and soft, like the mist of a humidifier gently brushing your face.

Lu Yan stared at him in astonishment, unable to believe that this sharp, prickly young man would say something like that.

She felt a little unaccustomed to it.

“What’s with you suddenly being so nice to me?” Lu Yan slapped his lower back playfully and joked, “It’s not like you at all.”

“What should I be like?”

Lu Yan thought for a moment. “You should be all grumpy and say, ‘If you keep coming uninvited, I’ll throw both you and your bike out.’“

Shen Kuo pressed his thin lips together, picked up the water cup she had used, and finished the remaining water.

“If you like, I could throw both you and your bike out right now.”

Lu Yan took a step back, eyeing him warily.

A faint, genuine smile spread across his lips.

It was rare to see such a sincere and pure smile on his face—one that wasn’t meant to flatter or mock, but one that was truly joyful.

“I’ve realized, you really look good when you smile.”

Lu Yan, as if discovering something new, walked over and lightly patted his cheek. “You know, you should be like this—less scheming, more sincerity. Slowly, everyone will like you, and you’ll have more friends.”

Shen Kuo allowed her to pinch his face and said, “I don’t need too many friends.”

“Wrong!” Lu Yan said with firm conviction. “My dad taught me that business can’t be done without friends. If you want to succeed and make a lot of money, you need friends who can help you!”

“What you’re talking about are just ^[2]“Fair-weather friends” refers to people who are only supportive, kind, or friendly when things are going well for you, but disappear or are unhelpful when you face challenges or … Continue readingfair-weather friends.”

“Of course, there are many fair-weather friends in business, but there are also those who genuinely want to help you. And those true friends will become your strongest support and most reliable backing in the future.”

Shen Kuo listened to her words in silence.

This time, if it hadn’t been for Zhong Kai connecting him, he would never have earned such a huge hourly rate from Meng Shi.

He casually ruffled Lu Yan’s hair. “You’re young, but you’ve got quite a few ideas.”

“This is the big business I wanted to talk to you about,” Lu Yan said mysteriously. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll treat you to a meal, and we’ll sit down and talk slowly.”

Shen Kuo touched his pants pocket, where he had the training allowance that Meng Shi had just paid him today, giving him some confidence.

He took off the black baseball cap hanging on the wall and pushed the bike out the door.

Seeing him willingly get on her bike, Lu Yan said, “Hey, you’re riding the bike while I’m walking? That’s not fair.”

Shen Kuo turned around, the brightest noon sunlight falling on his face, his deep brown eyes showing a hint of warmth.

“Get on, I’ll give you a ride.”

Lu Yan walked up to his side. “Seriously? You’re really this nice?”

“Mm.”

“You’re not going to throw me into a ditch halfway, are you?”

“…”

Shen Kuo took off the cap and placed it on her head, pressing the brim down. “Stop talking.”