Zhan Xi has always been relieved about this matter. Her Xiaoyu is very well-behaved and has never done anything offensive to her since they fell in love. Their relationship is limited to holding hands, hugging and kissing.
Sometimes when they kissed too much on the sofa, Zhan Xi would shyly discover that Xiao Yu's body had undergone some indescribable changes. She knew that this was a normal reaction for men, so she pretended not to notice. Xiao Yu seemed to be even more embarrassed than she was, tensing up and not moving, and it took a long time for her to relax.
The next day, Zhan Xi and his colleagues took a bus to a scenic spot in the neighboring city for team building.
The HR arranged a very interesting team-building activity. We stayed in a resort, hiked in the afternoon, had a barbecue dinner in the evening, and went boating in a lakeside park the next day.
Everyone had a great time, but Zhan Xi encountered some troubles. Her colleagues always made fun of her and Lin Yan. When they were climbing a steep mountain road, someone even urged Lin Yan to pull her up.
They always brought up the incident in the previous year's expansion training when Lin Yan forced her to walk on a tightrope and made fun of it, which made Zhan Xi very embarrassed.
Lin Yan did not let them talk nonsense and spoke out to stop them several times. Zhan Xi felt that he was a very gentleman, but he didn't know when this wave of rumors would end.
Ever since Zhan Xi sent a photo of Xiaoyu holding a cat on New Year's Eve, Lin Yan never sent her "good morning" or "good night" again, and he never sent milk tea to HR after the Spring Festival. The two of them rarely communicated in the company. Zhan Xi realized that Lin Yan had already given up on her, but a group of annoying colleagues were not satisfied and insisted on pairing them up.
After returning to Qiantang, the provincial civil service examination admission announcement came out. As expected, the person who ranked first in the written test was admitted.
Chi Guilan didn't say anything. Perhaps because Zhan Xi had made great progress this time and stood out from the many candidates who passed the written test and entered the interview, she asked her daughter to work harder next time and maybe she would be able to pass.
Zhan Xi was very relieved. The next day after he found out the results, he formally submitted an application for transfer to Wenqin.
Wenqin was undoubtedly surprised. She closed the door and talked with Zhanxi for a long time in the office. Zhanxi told her about his career ideals very frankly. After listening, Wenqin pondered for a moment and expressed her understanding.
As Zhan Xi's department manager, Wen Qin must be resentful when her subordinate, whom she had worked hard to train for a year, said that he was not very interested in human resources work and wanted to transfer to another department. She felt as if she was betrayed.
But as the person in charge of the company's HR, she is well aware that the company has a complete transfer and promotion mechanism to encourage employees to keep making progress. When the young Zhan Xi joined HR, it was not his own choice, but she brought him in through a half-open back door. After working for a year, he knew what he really wanted to do. It is understandable that he has such awareness.
Therefore, Wenqin accepted Zhanxi's transfer application and reminded her that the interview would be in mid-to-late May and asked her to prepare well.
Wenqin said: "It's not easy to get into the planning department. The staff turnover is high. The salary is good, but the work pressure is also high. You often have to work overtime. You have to be mentally prepared."
Zhan Xi saw that she was not too angry, and his confidence increased. He smiled and agreed: "Yes! I will definitely prepare well! Thank you, Sister Wen."
Life and work have been very comfortable recently, and Zhan Xi feels that he has almost no worries.
Every day after work, she would go home to 1504 to be with Xiaoyu and eat the meals he cooked. After the meal, she would wash the dishes, and then the two would go out for a walk. After coming back, they would chat for a while, practice sign language, and play with kittens. Around 10 o'clock, Zhanxi would go home.
Spring is the season when kittens shed, and Liwu sheds a lot. Luo Jingyu combs its hair with a small comb for cats every now and then, vacuums the room every day, and uses a dust stick to clean up the cat hair on clothes.
Liwu now has snacks to eat, in addition to canned food, there are also cat strips, dried fish, meat sauce and the like, all bought by Luo Jingyu. He is at home every day, taking good care of Liwu, and Liwu is also very attached to him, competing with Zhanxi for favor. As long as he sees Luo Jingyu sitting on the sofa, he will jump up and nestle in his lap, and when Zhanxi comes over, he will scratch her with his claws and bar his teeth.
If you have a cat at home, your owner's hands are bound to get hurt. Liou is very well-behaved and knows to retract his nails when playing with Luo Jingyu, but he still scratches his hands occasionally.
Zhan Xi was so angry. She loved Xiaoyu's hand so much. She loved to hold it tightly when chatting. She slid her fingers over each of his fingers and compared the two hands. Sigh... the difference in appearance was so obvious. She was already heartbroken that such a beautiful hand was injured when making peony, and it was actually scratched by the kitten. Zhan Xi was so angry that she grabbed the gift and yelled at it.
Luo Jingyu laughed so hard that her shoulders shook and a series of vague "ho, ho, ho" sounds came out of her throat. She rescued the gift from Zhan Xi's hand and signed to her: I'm fine, my hand doesn't hurt, the gift is a child, don't scold it.
Zhan Xi sat on the sofa, watching his hands making a series of gestures in front of him. It was really interesting. These gestures had no meaning to her before, like a mysterious book, but now they had clearly turned into clear words, automatically appearing in her mind.
On weekends, they seldom have formal dates. Zhan Xi has sign language classes on Sundays, and Luo Jingyu has a lot of custom orders that need to be completed with guaranteed quality.
Zhan Xi also had to prepare for an interview. Changing jobs was not easy. In addition to the interview, there was also a written test. Fortunately, Luo Jingyu's workbench was very large. While he was working at one end, she was analyzing cases and taking notes on her laptop at the other end. They worked separately without disturbing each other.
Sometimes Zhanxi feels it is too quiet, so he plays some music to refresh himself, such as instrumental music, piano music, or lyrical songs. When he is in the mood, he will also play fast songs. Once, the roaring rock music scared Gift so much that he almost fell off the cat climbing frame.
Luo Jingyu couldn't hear, so she would watch her quietly across the table, watching her nodding her head to the melody and rhythm, occasionally singing a few words along, her lips slightly opening and closing, and a very happy expression on her face.
Luo Jingyu felt a strong sense of happiness in her heart.
Zhanxi once asked him if he could play songs, fearing that he would be unhappy. He thought it was very interesting, so why couldn't he play songs? He couldn't hear, so should Huanhuan also give up these little hobbies
He told Zhan Xi that she didn't need to worry too much about his mood, didn't need to be afraid of saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing, he wasn't that sensitive, she could do whatever she wanted with him, even go clubbing at home.
Zhan Xi asked him with a chuckle if she could cut her hair short? Luo Jingyu said yes.
She asked him what about shaving his head? He was confused and said it was okay, it would grow back anyway, but why should he shave his head? A bald head doesn't look good on a girl.
Zhan Xi asked him again, can she get a tattoo? Luo Jingyu said yes, as long as it does not affect her work at the unit. Some units will have requirements for this, and some people will also have prejudices against tattoos. It can be tattooed in invisible places.
Zhan Xi asked if she could smoke. Luo Jingyu laughed and asked what she was thinking. It was not that she could not smoke, but smoking was bad for her health and would make her teeth yellow.
Zhan Xi said she wanted to learn dancing, would she be too old? Luo Jingyu said she was not too old, if she wanted to learn, she could learn, age was not a factor in learning anything, only what she liked was important. Not to mention dancing, she wanted to learn to play the piano or sing opera, he supported her.
They often chatted childishly like this, saying random words, using their mouths, sign language, and mobile phones, chatting slowly but sincerely. Zhan Xi knew that none of Luo Jingyu's answers were perfunctory. For any of her wild ideas, he would think carefully, help her analyze, and finally give his opinion.
Finally, he always adds: It’s up to you.
You decide for yourself - this is really the most touching words for Zhan Xi.
During the May Day holiday, Zhan Jie and Zhan Xi did not go home, and they gave the same reason - they were too busy at work and had to work overtime.
Chi Guilan was very angry and called to scold her son and daughter separately. Zhan Xi thought that Luo Jingyu was going to Shanghai for a month and a half, so she invited her mother to stay in Qiantang for a few days in late May. The weather was neither too cold nor too hot at that time, and her job transfer interview was over, so she could accompany her mother to visit the tourist attractions.
Only then did Chi Guilan calm down and hung up the phone.
After the short holiday, Luo Jingyu finished all the orders that Fang Xu had taken and began to prepare to go to Shanghai.
Xu Qingyan went to Japan to study for two months in February. After returning, he arranged the course schedule according to the students' levels. The first one to be taught was the advanced course for Luo Jingyu's level.
After talking with Luo Jingyu, Zhan Xi found out that in China, there are only four people who have learned the embossing style that Luo Jingyu is learning, and have reached his level.
There are people with higher levels than him, but they are fewer in number. Xu Qingyan is three levels higher than Luo Jingyu. There are no people with higher levels than her in China, and there are only single-digit people in Japan.
No matter how unpopular this industry is and how few practitioners there are, Zhan Xi also knows that Xiaoyu's hot stamping skills are already top-notch in China, and there are only a few people who are better than him! What an amazing level! Top 10 level! It's her Xiaoyu - hot stamping master Luo Jingyu!
The first time she saw Luo Jingyu packing his luggage, she realized that he didn't bring many clothes. After all, he was going there for further studies, so he had to wash and change his clothes frequently. The most important thing was to bring a full set of embossing equipment, which could fill up most of the suitcase.
Zhan Xi squatted beside his box, patted his arm, and asked a question she had always been curious about: "Xiao Yu, how much is the tuition for further studies?"
Luo Jingyu was also squatting, and after seeing her lip reading clearly, she smiled and signed: Guess.
Now, "Guess" has become a formal sign language method.
Zhan Xi rolled his eyes and extended his index finger: "Ten thousand?"
She felt that no matter what she studied, the five-digit tuition fee was already very high.
Luo Jingyu shook her head and gestured: Guess again.
Zhan Xi asked very seriously using sign language: More? Less
Luo Jingyu frowned and curled the corners of her mouth, as if she made a "tsk" sound like an ordinary person. She pinched the thumb and index finger of her right hand and flicked the tip of her index finger with her thumb a few times, which meant: it's less.
Zhan Xi held up two fingers again: "Twenty thousand?"
Luo Jingyu shook her head again: Less.
Zhan Xi widened her eyes and asked, "It can't be 30,000, right?" She had already counted up the number by ten thousand!
Luo Jingyu shook her head again, thought about it, stood up, took a piece of white paper and a pen from the table, and settled the account with Zhan Xi directly on the floor.
Tuition is the biggest expense, and there are also fees for books, materials, hotel accommodation, meals, and miscellaneous expenses. All added up in a month and a half, it's nearly 100,000.
Zhan Xi was stunned.
"Oh my god!" She was so scared that she almost fell to the ground. Luo Jingyu grabbed her arm and she steadied herself. She shouted in disbelief, "It's so expensive? This is equivalent to my annual salary!"
Luo Jingyu nodded, smiled and signed to confirm: a lot of money.
After packing their luggage, Luo Jingyu and Zhan Xi sat on the sofa. He typed on his mobile phone, occasionally adding sign language, and told Zhan Xi the details of his further studies.
When the level was the lowest, the tuition fee was still several thousand. Later, it became more and more difficult to learn, and the level became higher and higher, and the tuition fee became more and more expensive, really jumping up by tens of thousands.
But he can really learn skills, and he gains a lot every time he goes, both in terms of concepts and techniques. He feels that the tens of thousands of dollars are well spent, just like recharging his battery once a year.
Luo Jingyu did not tell Zhan Xi about her past because it was a long story. He wanted to wait until she was more proficient in sign language and then tell her about it in sign language.
When he graduated from high school, he wanted to go to Shanghai to learn basic flower perm, which had been his dream for several years. The tuition and other expenses totaled more than 10,000 yuan, which was equivalent to Luo Xiaomei's two years of university tuition.
Yan Yajuan disagreed, because Luo Jingyu couldn't tell him what he could do after learning it. Isn't flower embossing just a handicraft? Why is the tuition so expensive to make an artificial flower
Later, Luo Xiaomei, who had already graduated and was doing internship, took out all the savings she had accumulated over the years and let her brother go to learn a craft. After the tuition was paid, both the siblings were scolded by Yan Yajuan. Luo Jingyu said that the money was a loan and he would definitely pay it back. Later, he did pay it back.
He had a hard time during those years. The handicraft industry requires a workshop, but he didn't even have a room in his parents' house. He had to sleep on a small bed in the living room. He couldn't work, so he had to rent a house.
At first, he shared a house with Chen Liang. Later, when Chen Liang got a girlfriend, he rented it alone in a farmhouse with a bathroom, paying four or five hundred yuan a month for it. He had a large workbench and a bed that was only one meter wide.
He worked day and night to make things, doing everything. He asked Chen Liang to sell at the night market, asked Maomao to sell at the online store, and helped Xu Qingyan make embossed flower accessories. In this way, he supported himself day by day.
After he had some savings, he still lived frugally, because the annual tuition was a huge expense, and he could only save money on food and clothing. He was so tall, but he once lost weight to more than 110 kilograms, just because he could only eat noodles every day.
At that time, he was still very confused about the future, and sometimes he would sit at the workbench in a daze. It was common for craftsmen to get hand injuries, and it was very painful. When applying medicine, he would feel a little aggrieved.
He wondered if hearing people didn't have to work as hard as he did, and if their lives were more colorful. His healthy peers had so many majors to choose from when they went to college, unlike the deaf, who only had a few schools and majors to choose from, and there were so many people competing for them across the country, and they didn't know if they could find a job after graduation.
The year he bought the house, he did not go to further studies because he could not afford the tuition, but he still chose to buy a large apartment.
Qingquemen is located in a remote area, and the housing prices were considered low in Qiantang at that time. When Luo Jingyu bought the house, he felt that he could live there until he was old, and when his parents got old, he could bring them in to live with him.
He lived alone for many years, in a silent world, busy yet lonely. He rewarded himself once a year by going out for a trip to relax, almost always to see famous mountains and rivers.
He likes the feeling of looking down on all the other mountains after climbing to the top of the mountain. He feels that compared with nature, human beings are really insignificant. Looking at the distant horizon, he will no longer worry about whether he can hear or not.
He also tried shouting loudly on a deserted mountaintop, startling a few birds. He didn't know what sound he made or how loud it was, he just felt extremely refreshed.
He never thought that one day he would meet a girl named Zhan Xi, just like the clouds and fog suddenly cleared up on a gloomy winter day, revealing a ray of dazzling sunshine.
He no longer thinks much about the hard days in the past and feels that things are good now. He has clearer goals for the future and feels full of motivation every day when he wakes up.
Huanhuan is also a person who is willing to work hard for her dream. He likes to see her studying hard. He thinks she will be able to transfer to another job successfully. Teacher Jidan is much smarter and more capable than him.
—
On the day Luo Jingyu went to Shanghai, Zhan Xi did not go to the high-speed rail station to see him off because he had to go to work.
She only went to 1504 once in the morning and had breakfast with Luo Jingyu.
The two agreed that the gift would remain on the 15th floor, and Zhan Xi could stay in any suite she wanted at night. Luo Jingyu told her not to forget to clean up the cat's fur and also asked her to help take care of the flowers and plants he raised.
He put a number label on each pot of flowers and plants, and wrote a flower-growing guide for Zhanxi. Some flowers need to be watered once a week, some once every three days, and some need to be fertilized. The guide clearly stated how to do it.
Zhan Xi asked: "When you went to study, who helped you grow flowers?"
Luo Jingyu smiled and signed: My sister, brother-in-law.
Before Zhan Xi went to work, the two hugged each other for a long time, reluctant to part.
After all, they have to be separated for a month and a half. Luo Jingyu said that the course is very tight and there are no rest days in between, because everyone has to stay in a hotel. Having rest days means that expenses will increase and time will be prolonged, so the students assume that there is no need to rest and just bury their heads in studying every day.
Wait for me to come back. Luo Jingyu used sign language to Zhan Xibi, time passed very quickly.
Zhan Xi had a sad face and his sign language was full of emotion: Time goes very slowly!
Luo Jingyu looked at her helplessly, his Adam's apple moved, and he lowered his head and kissed her, a deep and light kiss. After the kiss, he gestured: Waiting for your good news.
Zhan Xi clenched his fist towards him and used sign language: I can do it!
After Luo Jingyu left, Zhan Xi returned to his life alone. He went to get off work and came home, ate, studied and thought about Xiaoyu. At night, he practiced sign language and took care of the gifts. He had to chat with Xiaoyu on WeChat for a while before he could go to bed contentedly.
On the weekend, she met with Luo Xinran and Zhao Qingqing and told Zhao Qingqing about Luo Jingyu's situation.
Zhao Qingqing was extremely surprised. After a few seconds of reaction, she said, "Ah... It's okay, it's okay. As long as I think of his face, I'll be fine!"
Zhan Xi couldn't stop laughing and asked her, "Then do you mind if I bring him out to party with you?"
"Of course I don't mind!" Zhao Qingqing said, "I have a boyfriend now! When your boyfriend comes back from Shanghai, we can bring all the men out, and how about the six of us playing together?"
"Okay." Luo Xinran said, "Come on, let's take a photo and send it to the only single person to stimulate her."
The three girls got together affectionately and took a group photo and sent it to Yao Ying, which made Yao Ying so angry that she cursed and cried in the group and threatened to break up with them.
However, Zhanxi's life was not all smooth sailing, she also encountered a troublesome matter.
A week after Xiaoyu left, Zhan Xi received a call from Qin Fei. Qin Fei's tone sounded calm, but Zhan Xi could feel her anger burning.
Qin Fei said, "Zhan Xi, I don't want to communicate with other people in your family anymore. Please tell Zhan Jie that I will wait for him at the District Civil Affairs Bureau at 10 a.m. on May 28th. Tell him to come over and get a divorce. If he doesn't come, I will file for divorce."
Zhan Xi: "Sister-in-law..."
"Listen to me first." Qin Fei continued, "I have moved out for half a month, and Weiwei is here with me now. Your brother and I are very clear about finances. The house and car are not mine, and I don't want them. He doesn't have the face to come to me to settle the deposit. The problem now is Weiwei. He wants Weiwei, and I want Weiwei too. Weiwei has clearly stated that he wants to be with me, but if we sue, since I don't have a house for the time being, it is very likely that the house will be awarded to your brother. I just want one thing, he can have Weiwei, he can get custody, and the divorce agreement will stipulate how much child support I will give each month and how many visitation rights I have. Other than that, he can't use overtime, business trips, and no time to put Weiwei with me! Since he has obtained custody, please ask him to shoulder the responsibilities of a single father!"
Zhan Xi understood what Qin Fei meant.
Qin Fei: "On the other hand, it's the same if Weiwei belongs to me. I can guarantee that I will never let him help take care of the child for even an hour outside of visiting hours. If he can agree, then let the court decide. Whoever is awarded the child will own the child! I mean what I say. I'm getting a divorce! Don't try to threaten me with the child!"
Zhan Xi thought Qin Fei was so strong that he wanted to applaud her.
Finally, Qin Fei said, "Also, please tell your mother, ask her not to call me again! And my father! My mother! Don't try to rush to my company to cause trouble! I have clients, I'm not afraid of leaving, I can still do well in another company! Ask her to be more aware of the situation. Her son is a giant baby, with no ability but a big temper. Only she can treat him as a treasure. Ask her to find a docile, obedient and hardworking daughter-in-law for your brother. I don't want to serve these weirdos in your family anymore!"
Zhan Xi didn't know if he was one of the weirdos, and he was speechless.
Qin Fei snorted and hung up the phone.
Zhan Xi was very worried and angry. Zhan Jie obviously did not handle the matter well. His mother did not listen to his advice and seemed to be causing more trouble, which made Qin Fei even angrier. Things finally reached an irreversible stage.
The most pitiful one is Zhan Kaiwei. Zhan Xi knows that it would be better for him to follow Qin Fei, but if so, she will rarely have the chance to see her little nephew again in the future.
Zhan Xi didn't call Chi Guilan in the end, but called Zhan Jie to tell him everything. Zhan Jie listened on the phone without saying a word, and Zhan Xi didn't dare to comfort him or say anything else, and hung up the phone in a hurry.
A few days later, the time for Zhan Xi's transfer interview finally arrived.
She dressed herself up very carefully, put on light makeup, put on a professional suit, tied her hair into a ponytail, stood in front of the mirror, looked at herself in high spirits, clenched her fist and said, "Come on, Teacher Egg!"
Luo Jingyu sent her a WeChat message early in the morning.
What a big fish: Huanhuan, come on, come on, come on! [Come on]
Egg Pudding: Go for it! [Fist]
Yuan Sichen and others had known about this for a long time, and like Wenqin, they expressed their understanding. After all, Zhan Xi was not resigning, and they would still be colleagues in the future. Before she went to the interview, they all wished her a good performance and offered to treat her to a meal if she was successful.
There were only two people who applied to transfer to the Planning Department this time, and the other one was a colleague from the Business Department. Zhan Xi and he took the written test together. There were some case analysis questions. Zhan Xi studied the company's product and project knowledge, as well as the classic cases of the Planning Department very thoroughly, and felt quite good about himself when he handed in the paper.
Then came the interview. Again, Zhanxi was fully prepared and could answer every question eloquently. He emphasized the major he studied in college and that he had experience in planning work during his internship, so he was confident that he could do the job well.
Because it was an internal transfer, there was a PPT presentation assessment of the planning case, each person had ten minutes. Zhan Xi and another colleague only received the film the day before.
She studied it for an entire night and practiced it several times according to the time. Then she walked to the front of the conference room with full confidence. Looking at the four interviewers, including Wenqin, Zhan Xi began to explain calmly with a page-turning pen in her hand.
She was a little nervous at first, but the more she talked, the calmer she became. She was very green, but her performance fully demonstrated her careful preparation for the interview and her eagerness for the new position.
"That's all I have to say." Ten minutes later, Zhan Xi finished his speech with a smile and a clear voice, "Thank you everyone."
The planning department manager led the applause, but Wenqin looked at her meaningfully. Zhan Xi calmed his breath, ignored Wenqin's weirdness, and ended the interview.
After returning to the office, Yuan Sichen asked her, "How do you feel?"
Zhan Xi's heartbeat quickened at this time, and he put his hand on his chest and replied, "It's fine, I think it should be fine."
Yuan Sichen was very happy: "Our Xiao Zhan will soon be promoted and get a raise, and will be at the peak of his life! The day after tomorrow, when the results come out, treat me to some Japanese food!"
Zhan Xi laughed so hard that he couldn't close his mouth: "It's a problem!"
Two days later, Zhan Xi put on makeup carefully and came to the company full of anticipation.
In the afternoon, she was called to Wenqin's office. Before entering, Yuan Sichen and others smiled at her exaggeratedly. Zhan Xi herself was also very excited and almost trotted into Wenqin's office.
She sat down opposite Wenqin, and she never expected that Wenqin would say, "I'm sorry, Xiaozhan, your transfer application was not approved."
Zhan Xi was stunned, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Her face turned pale and she began to reflect on what she had done wrong on the day of the interview. Her mind was in a mess and no matter how she reviewed it, she couldn't find out where she had gone wrong.
She asked in disbelief: "Manager Wen, why? Can you tell me the reason? Where did I fail to perform well?"
Wenqin looked at her deeply, then stood up and closed the office door, blocking the girls outside from looking in.
She returned to her desk and sat down. After thinking for a moment, she said, "No, Xiao Zhan, you performed very well. We all approved of your written test and PPT presentation that day. Manager Li from the Planning Department likes you very much. It's just that..." Wenqin seemed to be in a dilemma. After struggling for a long time, she continued, "I don't know how to explain it to you. This matter is actually related to me. I want to apologize to you because your mother called me."
Zhan Xi was stunned and almost stood up and slammed the table.
Wenqin continued, "She asked me about your recent work performance and your love life. I don't know much about your private life, but I talked to her about your transfer to another department. I'm really sorry. I thought she knew."
Zhan Xi was about to collapse. Really, at this moment, she was about to collapse.
Wenqin's face was full of apology: "Your mother... After the Spring Festival, she called me once a month. She is my elder, and I thought she was worried about you working and living here alone, so I didn't think much about it and kept telling her that you were doing well. This time, after I told her about your transfer to another department, I didn't expect her reaction to be so big."
Looking at Zhanxi's almost pale face, Wenqin said, "She asked me what the planning department does, and I told her about it, and also mentioned the issue of work intensity. It is definitely harder than working in HR, overtime is common, and the pressure will be greater, but the income will be higher. After listening to me, she told me not to let you change positions, because you still have to take the civil service examination in the second half of the year. She said that you have entered the interview stage in the last provincial examination, and you are likely to pass the next civil service examination. If you change positions, you will have no time to review."
Zhan Xi stared at Wen Qin blankly like a piece of wood.
Wenqin sighed, "It's my fault. I'm sorry. I tried to persuade her, saying that I felt that you really wanted to change your position and that you were very interested in working in the planning department and that you were capable of doing it, but she didn't listen. She said that girls shouldn't do jobs that are too stressful. She... She also called my dad and got scolded by him. What do you think I should do?"
Zhan Xi asked: "Manager Wen, when did you receive the call from my mother? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Wenqin said: "Five days ago."
"Then why don't you come and communicate with me? Listen to my ideas?" Zhan Xi's lips trembled, and gradually, his body began to tremble, "Do you know how much time I have prepared for this job transfer? I started planning last year, I have read so many plans! I took so many notes! I, I prepared for the interview for several months, and now you tell me that I was eliminated because of a phone call from my mother? Why don't you come and ask for my opinion? My mother can't represent me, I have my own ideas!"
She was about to cry, and Wenqin couldn't bear it, so she comforted her: "Xiao Zhan, you are not eliminated. You are still in HR, and we have promotion channels here. I told you last time that I want to train you to do training. And you still have to take the civil service exam, so go ahead. If you pass, your mother will be relieved. It's so stable."
Zhan Xi was hoping for the best: "Manager Wen! Can we make amends now? Don't listen to my mother! Go talk to Manager Li! I want to go to the planning department! I really want to go! Don't listen to my mother!"
Wenqin said angrily, "Do you look down on HR jobs? This has already been decided. Another colleague is also doing well. You have to know that it is not certain that you will be successful if you apply for it. Although that colleague is not as well prepared as you, he is a man, and Manager Li seems to prefer boys."
Zhan Xi blurted out: "You are actually sexist?!"
"I'm not the one who makes the final decision!" Wenqin was really angry. "Why are you angry at me? You should have a good talk with your mother. Just take the civil service exam, don't look for another job while you're still working! What do you think of our company?!"
Zhan Xi blinked his eyes, holding back the tears that were about to burst out, and stood up and said, "Manager Wen, I want to take half a day off."
Wenqin waved her hand and said, "Okay, go home and take a rest, adjust your mentality, and have a good chat with your mother. Elderly people are like this, and as the younger generation, we should just go along with them if we can."
—
Zhan Xi hid in the stairwell, sat on the steps, and called Chi Guilan.
When the call was connected, Chi Guilan called her affectionately, "Huanhuan."
Zhan Xi asked straight to the point: "Mom, why did you let Sister Wenqin reject my transfer application?"
Chi Guilan paused for a moment and said, "What job transfer? What are you talking about, Huanhuan?"
Zhan Xi said coldly: "Don't play dumb, Sister Wenqin told me everything."
"Oh, do you want to change departments?" Chi Guilan laughed, "Huanhuan, mommy is doing this for your own good. You will definitely pass the civil service exam in the second half of the year. Wouldn't it be good to work here with your sister Wenqin? She can take care of you. Why do you want to change departments? I heard that the work in that department is very tiring and you often have to work overtime."
"Why do you have to care about my work?!" Zhan Xi yelled, "This is my own business! I can make my own decisions! I am not afraid of hard work! I am willing to work overtime! I just want to do planning work! What does it have to do with you?! Can you take care of yourself! Don't always care about my business! I have grown up! I don't like you always asking around! I have my own life, my own dreams, and my own friends! Don't always monitor me like a camera! You read my diary in elementary school, my schoolbag in middle school, and my mobile phone in college! I am 24 years old now, and you still want to read my mobile phone! Can you respect me? I am your daughter, but I am also an independent person! You are my mother, but do you know how much I hate you now? You make me feel sick! I don't want to be controlled by you anymore. I have been very obedient and well-behaved. I have listened to you about which university I go to and what major I study! Now I just want to do the job I like! You even want to control this! I am not a doll!"
After hearing her yell, Chi Guilan's voice turned cold: "Huanhuan, what's wrong with you? Why did you become like this? Do you hate me? Do I disgust you? Would mom hurt you? Mom cares about you! Wenqin and I have made it very clear that you want to take the civil service exam! You are suitable for a stable job, not for working overtime every other day. You are not the kind of person like Qin Fei."
Zhan Xi was already in tears, and asked with trembling lips: "What kind of person is Qin Fei? What's wrong with Qin Fei? My brother and Qin Fei are getting divorced soon, are you satisfied? Why do you like to meddle in our affairs so much? Why do we have to listen to you in everything? Why don't you ever feel that you are wrong? Why don't you understand what I want?!"
Chi Guilan's voice suddenly became louder: "Huanhuan! Do you know what you are saying? I am your mother! If I don't take care of you, who will?! Do you think you are grown up just because you are 24? You are still a child! You don't understand anything! I don't even know what you are angry about? I told you, in the second half of the year..."
"I will never take the civil service exam again!" Zhan Xi screamed, "If you want to take it so badly, go ahead and take it yourself! I've already said that I don't want to take the civil service exam at all! I have my own ideals! I can find a job by myself! I can support myself! I don't want to marry a man in the system! If you like me so much, go ahead and marry yourself! I'm fed up with you!"
Chi Guilan also shouted: "Zhan Xi! Are you crazy? Were you bitten by a mad dog? Mommy is doing this for your own good! Who else in this world cares about you more than me?!"
"Ah! I don't want this kind of concern! I don't want this kind of good for me! What do you want in exchange for letting me go? I'm too tired. I don't want to compete with you anymore. I beg you to let me go and stop caring about me. I..."
Zhan Xi burst into tears, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the security door open and a figure walked in.
She didn't want to lose her composure in front of her colleagues, so she whispered, "I'm going to hang up now. I'll say this one last time. From now on, don't interfere with my life anymore. Otherwise, I'll never come home again."
After hanging up the phone and muting it, Zhan Xi suddenly seemed to have lost his strength. He leaned his shoulder against the stair railing, lowered his head, bit his lip, and raised his hands to cover his face, hoping that the colleague who came in would be more considerate and leave quickly.
But she couldn't help it, and tears fell one by one.
She was so sad and disappointed, her disappointment was a thousand times greater than if she had not passed the civil service exam, because this was a position she had worked very hard for and had prepared for several months. She didn't fail to get it because of her ability, but because of her mother!
Her mother, Chi Guilan, an old lady in her late 60s, wiped out all her efforts with just one phone call, making her feel like a clown and a complete failure.
The stairwell was dimly lit and was a hidden corner that gave people a sense of security. But now because there was another person there, Zhan Xi couldn't cry or walk, so he could only huddle up with his knees hugged.
She suppressed her tears and cried silently, her heart filled with despair and a strong sense of shame.
What should she do? She would never take the civil service exam, she already had a psychological trauma, so what about this HR job? Should she continue to do it? Should she apply for a transfer next year? How embarrassing! People still think she is not capable enough, so is it meaningful to keep working hard
At this time, Zhan Xi heard a male voice calling her: "Xiao Zhan, it's me, Lin Yan."
Zhan Xi shuddered, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and looked up at him through his messy hair.
Lin Yan remembered how Zhan Xi looked when she went for the interview the day before yesterday. The young girl was pretty and energetic, with her ponytail swinging behind her head. She looked full of energy, and her smile was as bright as a sunflower.
And now? She was like a flower damaged by frost, sitting on the stairs in a dishevelled state, her hair dishevelled, her eye makeup smudged by tears, black eyeshadow and mascara mixed with tears, her face horrible with a red nose and smudged lipstick.
Lin Yan lit up a cigarette and asked, "Is it because of the failure to transfer to a new position?"
Zhan Xi sobbed quietly.
Lin Yan said: "The planning department is indeed under a lot of pressure. There are performance appraisals, which makes it busier than our technical department. We rarely get off work on time."
Zhan Xi spoke in a hoarse voice: "So what? Do you think I'm not up to the task?"
"That's not what I meant." Lin Yan leaned against the wall and took a puff of cigarette. "I just think you can look at the problem from a different angle. Staying in HR still has development prospects. You can still learn a lot, take exams, and get promoted. HR is a job that is very suitable for girls."
"Are you going to tell me what to do too? Who are you?!" Zhan Xi was furious. "Are you prejudiced against girls? Do you think we can only work from nine to five? Just want stability! Just want to marry a good man? Just want to be a good wife and mother? I'm telling you I'm not like that! I don't like being an HR! I don't like it! I hate your gender discrimination! I hate you interfering with my thoughts and decisions!"
She was furious, patted her butt, stood up and walked out. Lin Yan wanted to pull her back: "Xiao Zhan, calm down."
Zhan Xi shook off his hand: "Don't touch me!"
Lin Yan stopped touching her. Zhan Xi looked at him with a cold gaze: "I'm very calm. Take care of yourself."
She returned home with a stained face, washed her face and removed her makeup, then climbed into bed exhausted. Before falling asleep, she sent a WeChat message to Luo Jingyu.
Egg Pudding: Xiaoyu, my job transfer failed. I want to be quiet for a while. I won’t reply to your WeChat messages. You don’t have to worry about me.
Then, she fell asleep quietly.
It was already past 6 o'clock in the evening when Zhan Xi woke up. After getting up, he didn't want to eat at all. He felt depressed staying at home, so he went out alone.
She walked aimlessly on the street with her phone on silent mode. She didn't want to look at it or receive calls or messages. The only person she wanted to see was nowhere to be seen, and she couldn't talk to him even on video, so she simply stopped thinking about it.
Zhan Xi walked to Qiufeng Art and looked up at the second floor. The lights in the dance studios were all on. She went upstairs and looked through the classrooms. Teacher Qiu was teaching street dance in the third dance studio.
Zhan Xi stood at the door and watched for more than 20 minutes. When the get out of class was over, Teacher Qiu had already seen her and greeted her breathlessly: "Hi, Xiao Zhan! Long time no see. How come you have time to come here today?"
"I want to learn to dance." Zhan Xi walked up to her and said, "I want to dance today. Can I pay now?"
Teacher Qiu drank some water and looked at her: "Is this true?"
Zhan Xi looked at his clothes, sports suit and sneakers, and realized that he could dance right away. He nodded and said, "Really? Let me learn from you in the next class. I want to dance."
Teacher Qiu smiled and said, "Okay, I won't charge you for the first class. We have free trial classes anyway."
Then, Zhan Xi started learning street dance with six or seven other students in the classroom.
She had never danced hip-hop before, and she had no idea what she was doing. She danced in a flustered and chaotic manner. She just wanted to vent, to dance until she was exhausted, to sweat profusely, to forget what happened during the day.
She stretched her body to the utmost, and followed Teacher Qiu's movements carefully, jumping, falling, spinning, kicking, shaking her hair... She was so strong! She didn't even know how to regulate her breathing, and she jumped until her chest was stuffy and she was short of breath, and stars were in her eyes. She rushed to the corner, knelt on the ground, hugged the trash can and vomited.
She didn't eat dinner, and all she vomited was acid. Her ears were buzzing, and she felt like someone was patting her on the back and someone was chattering.
Teacher Qiu went to the shelf and took Zhanxi's coat and cell phone, and said, "Xiao Zhan, call your family and ask them to pick you up or take you to the hospital. You look so bad!"
Zhan Xi was still kneeling, hugging the trash can and retching, as if he couldn't hear anything. When Teacher Qiu was about to say something else, the phone in his hand lit up silently. He saw it was a WeChat video request from Haodayitouyu.
She glanced at Zhan Xi and picked up the phone. A handsome man with an anxious face appeared on the other side. Teacher Qiu said, "Hello, I am Xiao Zhan's friend. She is here with me."
She pointed the camera at Zhan Xi who was lying on the ground, still retching.
The man stared at the camera blankly, opened his mouth, and made a sound from his throat: "Uh ah ah ah..."
Teacher Qiu was startled and subconsciously wanted to hang up the video, but then she saw the boy gesturing with his hands in front of the camera, like... sign language
She remembered the deaf-mute boy outside the glass door when Zhan Xi came to dance in February. Was it him
At this moment, he disappeared from the camera, and the picture was shaking, as if the person holding the phone was running. Teacher Qiu did not hang up the video, and the vague voice from the other end continued, which made her feel uncomfortable, but she felt that the other party seemed to want her to know that he was there and asked her not to hang up.
Teacher Qiu waited patiently. After about a minute, a middle-aged man's face appeared in the camera. He asked, "Girl, who are you? Is Xiaozhan with you? Xiaoyu is looking for her and is getting anxious because she can't find her."
Teacher Qiu immediately said, "I am Xiao Zhan's friend. She is here with me now."
Father Gu asked: "Where is it? Give me the address."
Teacher Qiu told him, and Father Gu said, "Oh, it's very close, tell Xiao Zhan not to leave, Xiao Yu will go find her right away, thank you."
Zhan Xi was dizzy and treated the trash can in his arms as a lifebuoy, holding on to it and refusing to let go.
The exciting music sounded again, and those people started dancing again. She wanted to dance too, but she didn't have the strength to do so. Someone was still patting her back, and someone was feeding her water. She drank a few sips and felt dizzy again. She knew that she probably didn't eat anything, had low blood sugar, and was a little short of oxygen because she danced too hard.
She sat in a corner, her back against the wall, holding a trash can in her hands, watching the students dance. After dancing twice, she suddenly heard a burst of hurried footsteps.
Zhan Xi turned her head and felt a gust of wind. Someone almost slid to her knees. He seemed frightened, and he stretched out his hands to touch her cheeks, looking her up and down, with anxiety and concern in his eyes.
He opened his mouth slightly and made a soft "uh uh" sound. Zhan Xi looked at his face as if in a dream. His eyes felt sore, his mouth opened, and he burst into tears with a "woowah".
She threw away the trash can and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, scratching him, and crying breathlessly. She called his name: "Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu... I failed, wuwuwawa... I failed! I failed..."