Translator: Xiaoxi
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2013, March
Rain drizzled, this year’s Nanfeng winter days seem to be quite cold. Spring had gone by, and many big companies were starting to recruit new people. For many Chinese literature students it can be said to be the most explosive recruitment news within the country was regarding the publishing house Yuan Yue Publishing. They even released a large recruitment quota, especially on the recruitment day. In fear of the weeks without work, Yuan Yue publishing was a publishing house that certainly allowed science, technology and business to enter and exit at will. It was a very exciting scene.
“Ai! From what you said, this time Yuan Yue Publishing’s enrolment seems to be due to the business wanting to get listed in order to get a good initial public offering so it can expand its staffing.”
“It seems the business will really expand. That’s why they are adding positions– in the past Yuan Yue publishing focused on partial literature, now they even want to have a share of novel readings…”
“OMG! Wasn’t fiction always what Xin Dun Publishing House, Yuan Yue Publishing is stealing sales–”
“Shhhh! Be quiet, I heard that Xing Gui (Star Trails) is a partial literature magazine. Yuan Yue Publishing has a new youth fiction monthly magazine called Moonlight. This being said it has already been done a few issues, they even invited Zhou Chuan…”
“My mother Zhou Chuan, is it the one that I know? The one who wrote Oriental Anecdote right? He is collaborating with Yuan Yue Publishing?!!!!!”
“Yes Yes Yes…”
Outside Yuan Yue Publishing conference hall, a considerable number of young people had been gathered. Within their hands they held the interview waiting number. At this time in groups of 3 and 5, they gathered together whispering with heads close together, chattering secretly throughout the corridor . The sound of wheels rolling on the ground interrupted them.
Everyone curiously raised their heads and saw a young girl of about 20 years old walking down the corridor. Her figure slim with short hair– her skin fair, perhaps because she was running her face was a little flushed. The tip of the nose was also frozen red, her five facial features exquisite. When put together they were unexpectedly no without merit, only the pair of abnormally clear eyes showed a trace of cuteness and vividness.
Even in the cold weather, she was wearing high heels, short skirt, and a long windbreaker on the outside. The whole person was thin like the box that she dragged behind her. At this time one of her hands was holding a completed resume, the other was holding a big luggage case. Rushing to the nearby employee who was handing out Yuan Yue Publishing number plates she stopped, releasing a relieved breath with a smile.
“My apologies, the trip from the train station had a lot of traffic jams. I came to attend the interview for Chinese literature for graduated university studenst, may you give me a number plate.” her voice rushed and breathless.
The worker with the number plates loitered for a while, raising his hand to glance at his watch before realising that she had not yet missed the time for the interview, before frankly pulling a number plate from behind him to give to her. Once she received the number plate she quickly glanced at her resume, this quick sweep was too hasty, only seeing the last name Lan and written in two large words CHU LI. On the surface it can be seen that she was not a shy little girl, she had a name that matched her person.
(T/N: Chu Li 初礼 means First rights/manners I think the author means that she is a very forthright person)
Once Chu Li got the number plate, within all the people around her silently watching her, she released a polite smile at the number plate giving worker before dipping her head in thanks. Then acting as if no one was present, she pulled the box away to a corner, then found an empty seat and sat down for the next fifteen minutes. The smile on her face disappeared replaced with a glimmer of nervousness. Chu Li put down her phone, opened up her phone’s QQ (Instant messaging app in China) and rapidly found a name called Disappearing L Jun before her fingers flew frantically typing out words.
[Monkey Invited Water Army: I have arrived the only interview spot! That dastard of a driver pretended to not know the road and took detours nearly making me late, Lao Zi directly opened up the navigation app and turned the volume up really loud–300 metres ahead turn left– hahahah I want to see if he still dares to drive around– ah it seems that all the people around are looking at me like a strange animal] As she was speaking, she raised her head, calmly scanning. She passed an eye over the few who were secretly looking back.
Chu Li’s lips hooked up with satisfaction when their eyes retracted– [Monkey invited Water Army: It’s like never seeing a beautiful lady with a windbreaker.”]
[Monkey Invited Water Army: Talking about those who keep on sneakily looking at me, will there be the Editor-in-chief
or some big shot pretending to be an interviewer while interrogating the interviewee and then pretending that you are fond of good seedlings– the stuff that Chicken Soup for the soul magazine writes about.
Once she finished typing, Chu Li seemed to have thought of something, lightly coughing and straightening her waist she pretended to ascertain the place by looking in all directions…. Chu Li patiently waited but didn’t wait for [Disappearing L Jun]’s reply before pouting slightly, bored. She guessed whether the other party was busy, she pouted again and put her phone into her pocket. Sitting at the edge of her seat, Chu Li was seated directly opposite the interview conference room. This was convenient for her to stare with her pair of clear eyes to scrutinise each batch of interviewee’s as they entered and left– this person gripped a wad of resumes were they ready to hand them out like flyers?
Aiyo this little sister seems to be pretty good looking, why be an editor? Just go an film a drama and be more popular then Liu Yifei (a popular actor) … I am relying on this one box of things. I can’t believe I am depending on a box of Xing Gui magazines– pretty amazing right? I am quite deep into the routine ah. The only one strength to defeat the opponents!
….
When Chu Li continued to keep up the expressionless expression after the thirty second appraised interviewee did their comparisons in text editing it was like a body building competition, it had already been seventy minutes. Just then, the number given to her by the employee was called out. Chu Li quickly stood up only to realise that everywhere was strangely quiet, everyone participating in the interview process that were left were gone…only leaving her last.
Awkwardly laughing with the employee, she raised her hand to knock the closed meeting room door, she heard the “Please Enter” before entering and handed over her resume. She glances at the five interviewers on the panel through the afterglow of the light, each of them without interest. It seemed to be quite annoying to work overtime on weekend and Laozi wants to go home and eat not maintain this patient mien.
Chu Li “…”
Calm. No Panic.
Head up, be strong. Chu Li sat down on the seat, eyes looked up and watched as she sat down for her interview. Within her mind quickly passed by noting down their possible statuses– but it was no use, all of them were just oldies.
Chu Li only noted there was one person with a slight smile. The bosses started to introduce themselves, after giving the basic information about herself, she started to go on about her love for traditional literature, love for Xing Gui (Star Trails) magazine–especially emphasising the depth of that love. It can be said that she was very excited and stood up to the interviewers passionately exclaiming: “If I can have the opportunity to enter Yuan Yue Publishing, don’t worry only eight… No 1500 yen! I would be happy.
(T/N: From now on I will refer to Xing Gui as just Xing Gui and not Star Trails)
… This salary isn’t enough to live in the big city, the only good enough to live in a ditch.
Yuan Yue Publishing is a big publishing house, how can they be willing to only give an employee 1500 a month ah!
Chu Li only though that according to the Japanese dramas, the procedures for the Interview panel should be passionately moved, but unexpectedly after the words were said, she heard the person seated most to the right. From the beginning to the end they had the expression of the most ruthless chicken, Chu Li suspected that she was already asleep until the interviewer asked: “1500 is too unreasonable, 1800 should be ok right?”
Chu Li “…?”
Once the woman’s words were finished, perhaps Chu Li was forced to change her face too quickly and didn’t react in time all the remaining interviewers all laughed. Chu Li suddenly thought that today she has met all sorts of bad people, from the driver to the panel of interviewers. However, she had a smile that could not be contained with the few words: “1800? I’ll do it.”
….
Ten minutes later, as the last person to be interviewed, Chu Li left the meeting room feeling that she was even more deserted than when she entered the meeting room, all the workers that were handing out number plates had become props and things like water. And even the interviewers that were walking out with the candidate information were talking and left in twos and threes. Chu Li walked forward a couple of steps before realising that the corridor only had her person.
It was the weekend, the whole Yuan Yue Publishing office level was empty that a ghost could come out from the corner– initially it was based off ” Well since I’m here..”, Chu Li was not impatient to leave, instead she should slowly walk around while pulling around the box that was prepared from Primary school of [Stories of Xiao Wang] to University [Xing Gui (Star Trails)] as well as various journals to accompany her as she grows to become an editor. She glances at them. The her in the interview room had said quite a lot nonsense, however the thing about liking Yuan Yue Publishing was not a lie.
Chu Li peered and snooped around, exploring around before walking past the stuck on [Xing Gui] Magazine Poster on a few of the offices, feeling excited. She walked around while looking and unknowing walked to the end of the corridor, there was an office, in fact this this office even had a beautiful light, the door was half open. Was there someone inside?
Chu Li shrank her neck, she pondered the idea of being polite and not disturbing the person within the office, as she decided to turn around and pull her box away in the diminishing light. However, she was not careful and saw that the doorway was blocked by a huge black board. She only saw that on the black board there were some words that looked like [Moonlight]’s magazine poster, the blackboard even had rubbish written on with chalk that said something about “Oriental Fantasy God Zhou Chuan has joined, a luxurious writer whose line up cannot be missed.”
“Xing Gui’s sequel Moonlight was a shocking attack.”
Waiting for the chaotic rubbish slogan…. Zhou Chuan?
This person Chu Li knew, not only did she know him she was also his little fan.
This guy was 17 when his [Oriental Anecdote] became famous, at 21 years old he truly became the domestic Oriental Fantasy top writer. He is young, handsome (apparently), rich and it has been said that he was born into a literary family. (Gen Zheng Miaohong’s scholarly master’s brother) His father is someone who made everyone in the Writer’s association stamp their feet.
(T/N: Seems to be names of really key figures in the industry)
The most amazing thing is that at a young age they got whatever they wanted this person’s personality was so good it is really amazing…
The rumoured Warm and smooth like Jade, Young Master Chuan.
In fact, Great God Zhou Chuan used rumours of his handsome face and golden hands to obtain the warm and smooth like jade personality which conquered a car load of female fans; then using his strength in writing to conquer another carload of young men.
Chu Li liked this author, she thought that if she really could enter Yuan Yue publishing. If she messed up it wouldn’t be good because she can’t see the God Zhou Chuan’s real appearance while conveniently getting a signed photo…Thinking about this Chu Li pulled the box away and smugly laughed,it was time to turn and leave, however just as she turns around she heard from within the office a deep voice that roared–
“First release thirty two thousand first prints to test the waters. TEST THE WATER! What great courage, do you dare to say this again? Are you treating Lao Zi as a beggar?!”
Chu Li “……”
Black question mark face.
Writer has something to say:
“mmmmmmmmmmh, the people who like to jump into the pit of fire are you, since you have let go of a big treasure, I’ll pick it up!
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