5 THE JOB HUNT

"Next," the voice of the secretary of the Human Resources Manager of the Tanghu Modeling Agency echoed in the hall.

Clutching her portfolio to her chest, Xuan Tianmei stood up from her chair. She was the next person.

As she stepped into the manager's office, her slim, long legs caught the manager's attention. Lustfully, the manager imagined them wrapped around his neck and swallowed a gulp of saliva. The manager never hired on merit. He hired based on who captured his attention longer--and if he could solicit sexual favors from them.

Professionally, he invited Xuan Tianmei to take a seat as she greeted him.

"Can I see your portfolio?" he asked after she sat.

With a grateful nod and a big smile, she passed him the file.

He flipped through the pages of the portfolio, zealously nodding at each picture, intentionally raising her optimism.

Finally, he closed the file and slipped it back to her. "You're very talented, miss."

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

"Unfortunately, you're not quite what we're looking for."

She shook her head. "But the Ad says someone who can do special effects. And I can. Maybe you didn't see this--"

"I saw everything I needed to see," he cut her off, "but you don't have a University degree."

"That... That wasn't mentioned in the Ad," Xuan Tianmei muttered.

"No, it wasn't," the man said, a slick smile playing on the corners of his lips. "But we are a big company. Commonsense should already tell you we only employ university graduates."

In the past, Xuan Tianmei had done short-term jobs for big companies. None of them had required a university degree. Only a solid portfolio, which she had.

"We're not picky about what degree you have. As long as you have one," the manager said.

With downcast eyes and bitterness in her heart, Xuan Tianmei gave the manager a small nod.

The manager released a breath for her benefit. "You're a very beautiful girl. Have you ever considered acting? Or even modeling?"

Xuan Tianmei shook her head, "No sir. My only interest is make-up. And I'm quite good at it."

"I agree." Sighing, he said, "It pains me that you don't qualify enough for this job."

Biting her lower lip, she gave him a glance in appreciation of his sympathy.

He cleared his throat. "The good news though is that I'm totally in charge of recruiting around here. And if I do hire you, if you don't tell anyone, no-one will know you haven't fully met the requirements for hire."

Her eyes glistened at the hope his words promised. "I'll be pleased if you give me the job, Sir. I really need it."

"Like I said," the manager pushed himself up from his chair and walked to her side of the table, "I could give it to you." He perched his buttocks on the table. "The question is... What will you give me in return?"

Xuan Tianmei's eyes followed his lecherous gaze as it focused on her upper body.

Quickly, she stood up and gave him a hard slap across the face. Picking up her file, she walked out of the office.

Outside, she sighed deeply as tears stung her eyes. She was almost running out of savings. If she didn't get a job soon, she and Xuan Tianyi would starve. He had also gone job-hunting but that would turn out as a waste of time. No-one would hire him. She knew that much.

Xuan Tianmei picked up her phone. Reluctantly, she plucked out the card Shen Rui had given her and dialed the number on it. Almost instantly, the call connected.

"Shen Rui Corporations, you have reached the office of the CEO, Miss Shen Rui, how may I help you?" Shen Rui's secretary's voice echoed from the other end of the line.

Biting her tongue and her pride, Xuan Tianmei muttered, "I would like to speak to Shen Rui."

"Who may I say is speaking?" the secretary asked.

"Xuan Tianmei."

"Please, hold on for a minute," the secretary said.

Xuan Tianmei complied with the request. In seconds, Shen Rui's voice spoke to her, "I wasn't expecting your call."

"You said to call you if I ever need something."

"What do you need then?"

"A job."

Shen Rui paused. It would've been easier to ask for a check. "What kind of job are you looking for?"

Xuan Tianmei cleared her throat. "I'm a makeup artist."

"That's very good," Shen Rui complimented her. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Xuan Tianmei muttered at the other end of the line before disconnecting the call. She released a deep breath. If she didn't need to, she wouldn't do this.

Shen Rui smiled as she put down the phone. The proud girl must've had no choice but to ask for her help. She had no choice but to offer her help. Xuan Tianmei was her responsibility now. With a sigh, she called in her secretary. "Do we need a makeup artist?"

"No, ma," the secretary replied.

Shen Rui nodded. "Well, I want to give someone a job as a makeup artist. By tomorrow. I need you to find a way to make it work."

The secretary furrowed her brows. "Do you want me to fire someone?"

"I don't care what you do. Just make it happen."

"Okay, ma," the secretary nodded.

"Wait a minute!" Shen Rui said, stopping her secretary in her tracks. Xuan Tianmei was her responsibility, but that didn't mean she had to see her every day. "I don't want the person I'm hiring on this floor. Let her work on my son's floor or something."

The secretary rolled her eyes as she left the office. Shen Rui could be impossible sometimes and it saddened her that had become used to this.

The secretary sighed. She had to find a way to get Xuan Tianmei a job in the modeling agency before the next day.

***

When Xuan Tianmei got home, Xuan Tianyi was already home.

With low expectations, she asked, "Little Handsome, did you get a job today?"

He shook his head. "No-one wants to hire a person with no more than a high school certificate who has a shitload of bad employment history."

"Don't tell them about your history then."

"You want me to tell lies?"

Xuan Tianmei shrugged.

"You're a bad influence on me."

Xuan Tianmei scoffed. "I'm hungry and I don't have any money."

Sad and helpless, Xuan Tianyi shook his head. "How did your job search go?"

"No luck."

"Really? There were people better than you at that interview?"

Xuan Tianmei chuckled. Her brother didn't respect her job, but he had always believed she was the best at it. "A lot of people are better than me. But, the guy was a swine. He was offering me sex in exchange for the job."

"And you turned him down?"

"Xuan Tianyi!"

"No. I don't mean you should give him sex in exchange for the job. That's stupid. You wouldn't have actually earned it. But, you shouldn't have turned down the offer for some action."

Xuan Tianmei chuckled again. "You're stupid, man."

"Why?"

Xuan Tianmei said nothing. She just shook her head.

They both fell into silence. Clearing his throat, Xuan Tianyi called, "Pretty Pretty?"

"Huh?" she replied.

"I've been meaning to ask you a question."

"What question?"

"The night of the eve of Spring Festival. Why didn't you scold me for coming home late and why did you just let me go to my room when I asked?"

Xuan Tianmei gave him a small smile. "I... Had a bad night."

"Oh!" He muttered. When it came to her personal life, Xuan Tianmei never said more than was necessary.

Just then, Xuan Tianmei's phone beeped. It was a text message.

It read, "I made some inquiries. There is an open post for a makeup artist in my son's Branch. I told him you'll come tomorrow. HR might give you a tough time, but he won't. If he likes you, you're hired. Just don't be a minute later than nine. He hates tardiness. And don't tell him about our connection, he doesn't know and won't find out until he needs to. Good luck."

Xuan Tianmei stared at the text message with mixed feelings--Envious that Shen Rui adored 'her son' as much as she did. Incompetent as she could only get an interview through her connection to Shen Rui. Surprised that the reply came so quickly. But, she was mostly excited. If she got the job, she'll be doing makeup for big artistes in a big company for big pay. What more could she ask for then?

"Why are you smiling? Did your secret boyfriend just text you?"

"What secret boyfriend? I just got invited for an interview."

"At the company where the swine works?"

"No. At a much bigger company. Shenhua Corporations."

"No way! How did that happen?" Xuan Tianyi asked. His voice filled with excitement for her.

"I got a recommendation from someone I know who works there."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Jesus Christ, no!"

"Well, congratulations." Xuan Tianyi pulled his sister into a hug.

Hiding her guilt, she smiled at him. Xuan Tianyi deserved to know their mother had come looking for them. He deserved to know she was Shen Rui. Still, she was probably shading him from the pain of discovering his real mother was a ruthless, unfeeling woman who felt no remorse for abandoning them. If it wasn't that way, she wouldn't have wasted any time before she told him, she swore to herself. "You know what? Let's go out for breakfast. My treat."

"You didn't get the job yet and you're already spending big," Xuan Tianyi mocked her.

"It's been a rough couple of weeks. I just want to eat something nice for a change."

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "Moreover, I have a very good feeling I'll get this one."

 ***

If you are not reading this at Webnovel.com, then the content you're reading is stolen! Please support the author by reading the original work at https://www.webnovel.com/book/12670933606522105/BL---One-Night-In-Pingjing