Chapter 08: Distinguishing Directions, An Appointment for the Future

Startled, she looked up in surprise, and in an instant, a radiant smile blossomed on her face... At her side, she did not know when that senior had returned, one hand offering her ice cream while the other held an old popsicle, slurping it noisily without a care for decorum. He still wore that mischievous grin and gestured, "Hurry up and eat, what are you staring at?"

Wang Xue-na smiled, feeling a surge of words welling up in her throat, yet she hesitated to speak. Instead, she made a gesture, taking the box of ice cream with a grateful smile. She lifted the lid, took a small wooden spoon, and elegantly scooped a piece, placing it in her mouth with poise. The cool sweetness and refreshing sensation instantly dispelled the lingering displeasure in her heart.

The individual with the surname Shuai continues to submit resumes amidst the bustling crowd of the job market, just like most job seekers here, fully aware that the few pages of paper they hand over are likely to end up in the wastebasket... Yet, they remain with no other choice but to jostle and compete here, submitting that inflated resume

At the very least, in Wang Xue-na's heart, there is no extinction; at the very least, today she feels that the senior she encountered in the talent market is a good person. But why is it that good people are so easily missed?

The long braid and the small pimple, that pitifully slender figure and that youthful sweet smile, caused the handsome Lang, who had taken a few steps, to stop again. Tilting his head with a hint of foolishness, he quickly extended his index finger to his mouth and bit it... After nibbling for a while, he seemed to be savoring today's encounter... Hmm. This feels very much like the anxious and uncertain emotions of first love.

Gu Qingzhi smiled, and the scene of meeting the handsome young man early in the morning resurfaced in his mind. The impression this young man left on him was so profound that he certainly did not resemble a down-and-out unemployed youth. He had specifically called Huang Xiao to find the talent market and had come across this resume. After putting away the resume, Huang Xiao clearly did not agree with his mentor's judgment, shaking his head and smiling as he started the car. Gu Qingzhi casually asked, "Huang Xiao, how did you get this resume? He didn't notice, did he?"

"No need. The bus only goes a few stops; it's not far from here to Zhongda." Wang Xue-na smiled and shook her head, thinking to herself that this senior didn't seem to be entirely thick-skinned.

As she rubbed her legs and arms, Wang Xue Na pondered with the purest and kindest thoughts about the senior who had helped her. She stood up several times from a bent position, looking around, but all she saw were unfamiliar faces. The passersby were strangers coming and going. In this hot yet indifferent environment, Wang Xue Na found herself amplifying the image of that not-so-tall senior in her mind, making him seem larger and larger... the larger he became, the more frustrated she felt... The passersby were strangers coming and going. In this hot yet indifferent environment, Wang Xue Na found herself amplifying the image of that not-so-tall senior in her mind, making him seem larger and larger... the larger he became, the more frustrated she felt...

Father, how could you be interested in this little hetushu.com.com child

Noticing that Shuai Lang was scrutinizing her with some unmentionable thoughts, Wang Xue Na smiled and, appearing unconcerned by Shuai Lang's sensational remarks, said: "... you already said it, there has to be a first time for everything. Besides, there is still some time before the graduation recruitment, so it's just right to come out and gain some experience and get in touch with practice... Anyway, I’m not planning to do this long-term."

In perfect harmony, Wang Xue Na walked beside me. The resumes had been submitted, and no one wanted to stay in this place; it was best to go outside for some fresh air. As they walked, Wang Xue Na happily recounted the recruitment process, emphasizing the difference between "interview notification" and "interview time notification," speaking with great excitement, especially since it was her first time. However, upon hearing this, Shuai Lang, sucking on a popsicle, shook his head and began to lecture in a tone reminiscent of someone who had been through it all: "... you were blindly pessimistic when I first met you, not knowing where to start. Now, you are blindly optimistic. Just the other day, you submitted your resume to the Jiahe supermarket chain, which is looking for cheap labor in bulk. As long as you dare to submit your resume and are not too unattractive, you can get in. ... This job requires you to stand for seven to eight hours a day, with a daily wage of at most one hundred. Moreover, don’t expect labor laws to protect you; there’s no pay for breaks or leave, and if you lose something, you have to compensate for it. Not to mention, the boss might find reasons to deduct some of your hard-earned money. In the end, what you actually take home is a meager amount. Can you endure that?"

However, do not be too pessimistic; although truth, goodness, and beauty are on the verge of extinction, they have not completely disappeared.

However, Shuai Lang quickly reassured himself that since he was not very tall, being paired with such a petite and delicate girl would be a perfect match

... ...

As the person departed, the sunlight shone on the foolishly handsome Shuanglang, who waved his hand, frozen in the air, gazing at the bus moving further away on Zhongzhou Avenue. After a while, he slowly awakened from that smile, his tongue licking his lips with a smacking sound. He touched his phone, looking at that number, reminiscing about the smiles and frowns of this younger schoolmate. He couldn't help but question his own aesthetic judgment regarding women with ample figures; how could he be attracted to this unremarkable younger schoolmate?

Shuailang's eyes lit up; he finally found the source of his infatuation. Instantly, he thought of several possibilities for his next steps in pursuing girls. However, he was soon confronted with more questions. After all, he belonged to the category of the hardworking masses, lacking both talent and wealth, and not particularly handsome. It was quite challenging to genuinely pursue a girl. The more he thought about it, the more difficult it seemed, and he couldn't focus on biting his fingers in infatuation anymore. He touched his chin, finding it difficult; then he patted his leg, still difficult. ...? ... As he reached this point, he accidentally hit his bag, and an even more challenging matter came to mind. What was it? He thought about how, as someone not particularly handsome from the hardworking masses, it was quite difficult to genuinely pursue a girl. The more he thought about it, the more difficult it seemed, and he couldn't focus on biting his fingers in infatuation anymore. He touched his chin, finding it difficult; then he patted his leg, still difficult. ...? ... As he reached this point, he accidentally hit his bag, and an even more challenging matter came to mind. What was it? He then saw Shuailang lift his bag and touch a thick stack of resumes, suddenly jolting back to reality. Following that, he immediately dashed towards the talent market, cursing himself as he ran:

Do not be overly optimistic, as the probability is not very high, almost equivalent to the chance of winning a five million grand prize.

Where has he gone? ... I feel I can do it now, I have taken the first step, he helped me, and then he turned around and left gracefully ... or perhaps he is still busy with his own matters, it seems I heard him say that he is also unemployed ... How could such an outstanding senior, an alumnus, be unemployed? Is the current employment situation even worse than what the newspapers have alarmingly reported?

Handsome ... ... the handsome of handsome guy ... ... the character "Lang", meaning elegant and refined ... ... ''

"Just touch it... He was too busy chatting with a young girl to notice that one of the resumes was missing from his bag... I later thought that it probably wasn't even necessary to check his bag; the recruiting companies are selective as well. They keep the suitable candidates and don't bother taking the unsuitable ones back; they just throw them away at the job market. If it weren't for the time constraints, we could have even asked the cleaners for a job after work..." Huang Xiao said, reversing the car and getting onto the road. This remark elicited a hearty laugh from the instructor in the back seat, Gu Qingzhi, who did not offer any comments.

Wang Xue-na instantly understood the surprise in Shuai Lang's eyes; it was indeed somewhat inappropriate for such an expensive phone to appear in the hands of a poor student. She smiled shyly and said, "It's a counterfeit, there are plenty on Taobao, I bought it online."

It is said that there are four great gestures of kindness between people: giving a cotton coat in winter, offering ice cream in summer, providing a guiding light in the dark when lost, and adding a beacon. This morning, Shuai Lang has already accomplished two of these, winning many bright smiles from the junior sister. Standing face to face, one enjoying a popsicle and the other savoring ice cream, they were both delightfully silly. After being bumped into several times by passersby, it took Shuai Lang a while to realize the environment they were in. While pointing towards the entrance, he casually asked, "Shall we go? It's almost noon. How was it just now?"

Oh, indeed..." Shuai Lang withdrew his gaze, turning back to look at the bustling talent market, pointing to the second floor and introducing: "... We are on this level, which is for low-cost labor recruitment. The upper floor is for high-level and specialized talent recruitment, with higher salaries and stricter conditions. At the very least, the profession must match your degree, and you should have graduated no less than two years ago. Moreover, for someone like you studying market management, they will also consider your specific achievements and work experience. Once you reach that level, you will be considered a white-collar worker... If you do not take the civil service exam or enter a state-owned enterprise, you will basically have to come here often. Keep your eyes open; recruitment agencies can be quite deceptive, and they particularly like to take advantage of freshly graduated university students, making them work for free... Like the resumes you submitted today, you will definitely receive interview notifications from several companies. Pay attention: any request for registration fees, clothing fees, training fees, or any other documentation fees should be regarded as a scam. Do not engage with them; there are quite a few black companies making money this way... By the way, I will leave you a phone number; if you need anything, just contact me... What is your mobile number? I will call you...

With a faint smile, she gestured to the ice cream in her hand that she had not yet finished. Although it was a polite refusal, it did not evoke any feelings of annoyance. Shai Lang nodded and said, "Alright, no problem, I'll wait for you..."

"Well... I originally wanted to invite you to dinner, but it seems a bit inappropriate since we just met... How about we have dinner first and then head back..." Shai Lang smiled, expressing himself tactfully, afraid of causing any offense. Wang Xue Na, however, responded with grace, smiling as she replied: "I should have invited you, but today I have plans with my roommates. They are waiting for me to report the results of today... How about this, I will treat you another day... Thank you for the ice cream, it was really delicious"

At this moment, under the warm sunlight on the spacious street, leaving behind the noisy environment made Shuai Lang feel unable to express himself. Both of them were somewhat at a loss for words, as they had just met and knew very little about each other. They only exchanged a few trivial questions about school. Before they could say much, an oblivious bus came rumbling along. Shuai Lang hurriedly saw Wang Xue Na onto the bus. As she entered, he watched her happily wave goodbye from the window, the final image frozen in time was one of purity, restraint, and a radiant smile.

In the back seat of the car sat an elderly man, who, if Shuai Lang were to see him, would surely be taken aback. This was none other than the diviner he had encountered in the park. At this moment, Gu Qingzhi, the diviner, was holding Shuai Lang's resume, flipping through it with great interest. He did not respond to the words of the man in the front seat, instead smiling and countering with a question: "What’s the matter, Huang Xiao? After following for several hours, haven’t you discovered anything unusual?"

As Shuailang's figure disappeared once again into the crowd of the talent market, across the street, not far from the bus stop, a middle-aged man smiled at his silhouette, shook his head, and walked across the road in the opposite direction. Upon reaching the parking area on the other side of the street, he opened the door of a Buick, sat in the driver's seat, and handed a resume to the back of the car. Someone received it and then the person said with a smile:

Oh... are you using an iPhone?" Shai Lang exclaimed in surprise.

What is the probability of encountering a kind person willing to help you when you are out and about

... ...

Hehe, Huang Xiao, one must not generalize in all matters. This time I estimate you have misjudged; he is certainly not someone who is without resources at https://m.hetushu.com.com

Upon hearing this, Shuai Lang bit into his ice pop and, after finishing the last piece, tossed the stick aside and stepped forward. Wang Xue Na, with her lips pressed together in a faint smile, soon walked alongside him. They quickly left the bustling talent market, and not far ahead was the bus stop. After walking for a while, Shuai Lang suddenly realized that he had inadvertently taken the wrong direction, following Wang Xue Na's footsteps. This realization startled him, and he scratched his head several times, wanting to invite her to dinner. However, he hesitated to voice it, feeling shy in front of the younger girl he had just met. What if she rejected him? That would leave no room for further conversation... As they approached the bus stop, he mustered the courage to speak. Just as he was about to say something, facing the innocent gaze of the younger girl, he choked on his words, and what came out instead was a bland and polite remark: "I... how about I give you a ride home?"

The vehicle merged into the flow of traffic, leaving the talent market behind

As the pleasant ringtone sounded, Wang Xue Na pulled the lanyard from her chest out from behind the button, revealing that her phone was tucked away in that space. Shai Lang observed, contemplating the delicate size and depth of that area, but now he dared not show any lewd expression. Wang Xue Na pressed the reject button to save the number, and then, with a puzzled look, she raised her head to ask, "You still haven't told me your name"

"Not at all, it's just a bunch of novices here, all of them are just trying to make a living in this place. What could be so special about it?" The man with a beard turned back when Huang Xiao called him. He had a narrow forehead, high cheekbones, and a pointed chin, and upon closer inspection, he even had a slight cleft lip. Seeing Gu Qingzhi seriously reviewing the resume, he was even more surprised and smiled, saying: "Master, you wouldn't be thinking of taking on a closed-door disciple, would you?"

It did not take long to accurately tell the time from outside the crowd at the recruitment desk; it was merely Wang Xue-na who felt it was lengthy

While speaking, he observed the junior beside him, who was elegantly licking a small wooden spoon. Her actions were quite pleasing, revealing a row of neat and white teeth. If it weren't for the few pimples still on her face, this delicate, petite, and exquisite face, complemented by the long braid at the back of her head, would have been even more perfect. The only apparent flaw was her slightly short stature. With his sharp and discerning gaze, it was clear that her height was likely less than 1.6 meters, making her half a head shorter than him.

As they walked and talked, upon exiting the talent market hall, the refreshing air that greeted them invigorated their spirits. Shuai Lang naturally brought up this point, and while it was indeed a fact, he concealed his true intentions within. The motivation, of course, was encapsulated in that final statement. As he spoke, he casually took out his phone, pretending to dial, while Wang Xue Na, who was blinking and listening, also naturally recited a number: "139XXXX". He concealed his true intentions within, and the motivation, of course, was encapsulated in that final statement. As he spoke, he casually took out his phone, pretending to dial, while Wang Xue Na, who was blinking and listening, also naturally recited a number: "139XXXX"

Hehe... what’s wrong with that? The threshold in our line of work is the lowest... Oh? The conditions are quite good, look at Huang Xiao, this child is an outstanding student leader, an excellent member of the Communist Youth League, hmm? Surprisingly, he is even one of the top ten university students?" Gu Qingzhi raised his eyebrows, his black and white brows arching in surprise. However, Huang Xiao laughed and said, "Dad, you are outdated. This kind of thing is not trustworthy; more than half of it is just self-promotion. It’s not like it was in our day. Back then, you could occasionally see fakes, but now only the fakes are real, and only the deceivers tell the truth. Just grab a few resumes from the university students here, and they can boast themselves to the heavens. In reality, they don’t know anything. If you really threw them out on the street, they wouldn’t even have the ability to fill their stomachs..."

Oh... I see, when going out, do not use a high-end phone, as it may attract thieves

Yes, that's the feeling. Looking at someone is even more refreshing than chewing on an old popsicle, but I wonder if she has a partner... Will she ask me out? If she takes the initiative to ask me out, then there might be a chance... If she doesn't ask, should I take the initiative to ask her out? Will she come out?

During what seemed like an interminable period, Wang Xue-na was in a state of constant anxiety, her gaze searching restlessly. Each disappointment deepened her sense of frustration. Just as she was bending down to rub her legs, already feeling quite disheartened, a hand suddenly reached out in front of her, almost brushing against the tip of her nose. In that hand was a box of ice cream, a pale yellow container adorned with tiny droplets of water, freshly taken out from the refrigerator. In such a sweltering environment, even a mere glance at it brought a refreshing sensation to her heart.

Shuai Lang was quite pleased with himself, biting his ice pop with a smug expression, and introduced himself with his name. With a name like that and such an introduction, it was indeed a remarkable mismatch with his appearance, guaranteed to leave a deep impression. As expected, Wang Xue Na was momentarily taken aback, looking at the senior who was neither handsome nor charming, biting his ice pop with such satisfaction. Her eyes sparkled with laughter as she suppressed her amusement at this name that was both "handsome" and "bright." After finishing, she tucked her phone back into her shirt, only to find Shuai Lang staring intently at her, a droplet of water glistening at the corner of his mouth, leaving her uncertain whether it was from the melting ice pop or his desire. Following his gaze, she glanced down at her rather unremarkable chest, feeling a slight flush of embarrassment and displeasure. She discreetly covered herself and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Oh, without revealing any signs, everything falls into place naturally, the number is in hand, and Shuai Lang conceals his pride beneath a serious demeanor

Oh dear, I keep thinking about the girl and have forgotten about myself... I still haven't sent out most of my resume, and if I don't find something to do soon, I'll have to rely on my past achievements...