Applying for the Job

The moonlight shone brightly into the room, yet Su Ke still felt no urge to sleep. This night was destined to be a sleepless one for three people: Su Ke was one, Li Feifei—who was feeling indignant after being groped twice—was another, and the third was Wei Lan, who had been rescued by a hero.

Yesterday, while Su Ke was looking for a part-time job, a thought had flashed through his mind. He felt there was a job that suited him perfectly, but he couldn't quite recall what it was.

Riding his bike to school the next morning, Su Ke glanced casually at the roadside halfway there and suddenly came to a stop. By the side of the road stood a beauty salon that had opened not long ago, named "Fangfei Yiren Beauty Salon."

The salon had four floors, and the storefront was decorated with extraordinary luxury. On the signboard at the entrance, a recruitment ad was posted: "Seeking a pianist. Excellent benefits."

"A pianist!" Su Ke muttered. It seemed this was the very thought that had crossed his mind yesterday. The ad had been posted for half a month, so they likely hadn't found a suitable candidate yet. But was he actually up to the task?

Suddenly, a prompt sounded in his mind. Sensing that the Flower Picking System had changed again, Su Ke entered the interface and saw a new task on the electronic screen:

"Task: Pass the beautiful boss's assessment; Reward: 500 RMB!"

"Five hundred yuan?" This was the highest monetary reward Su Ke had seen so far. Did this mean the task was somewhat difficult?

Thinking that he truly needed a legitimate part-time job to explain how he could conjure up money from time to time and to put his parents' minds at ease, Su Ke made a silent decision and turned to leave.

The moment he stepped into the classroom, Su Ke could clearly feel several burning gazes fixed on him. He turned his head to see Wei Lan resting her chin on her hand, tilting her head to look at him with a smile, her two dimples making her look exceptionally cute.

He smiled back at Wei Lan as a greeting, only to notice another intense gaze coming from the sports committee member, Wang Xiaogang. With his burly build, square face, and thick eyebrows, Wang Xiaogang's look was even more scorching than Wei Lan's.

Su Ke suddenly shivered. Does this guy have some kind of "brokeback" tendencies? The look Wang Xiaogang was giving him was incredibly soft and warm, filled with affection as if he were looking at a lover. The longer he looked, the more awkward Su Ke felt.

He hurried to his seat, but just as he pulled out his textbook, he saw Wang Xiaogang sneak over. With flickering eyes, Wang leaned over Su Ke's desk, his head thrust forward until it was almost touching Su Ke's face, startling him into leaning back. "What are you doing?"

In the entire Class 8 of the senior year, not a single student was close to Su Ke. He was like air—no one noticed when he came or went—so Wang Xiaogang's intimate gesture left him feeling completely at a loss.

"Su Ke, you were so cool yesterday!" Wang Xiaogang's voice was very low, and he kept glancing at the surrounding students as if afraid of being overheard. "I never expected you to be hiding such skills. Your Military Boxing is amazing! Please forgive me for anything I did wrong in the past; I sincerely want to be your friend!"

As he spoke, Wang Xiaogang extended his right hand. Indeed, the scene at the school gate yesterday had shocked him deeply. He had always looked down on Su Ke, yet Su Ke had actually saved Wei Lan. Watching it had made his blood boil, as if he were the one who had beaten off those thugs.

Looking at the hand extended toward him, Su Ke remained stunned, leaning back slightly and frowning. "What did you say?"

"I said I want to call you 'Boss'!" Wang Xiaogang's voice rose, uncontrolled and significantly louder. Every student in the class stopped what they were doing and stared at them in unison.

Even Wei Lan turned her head, frowning, thinking Wang Xiaogang and Su Ke were having another conflict. However, she saw Su Ke reach out and shake Wang Xiaogang's hand.

"We are students, not—"

Wang Xiaogang thought Su Ke was snubbing him and his face flushed red, but Su Ke's next words immediately put him at ease.

"But we are friends!" A smile appeared on the corner of Su Ke's mouth as he gripped Wang Xiaogang's hand.

Wang Xiaogang didn't seem to notice that Su Ke's demeanor had changed; the once timid boy was now full of confidence.

"Yeah, we're friends. But Su Ke, you need to be careful about those three thugs you handled yesterday. They'll definitely come back for revenge. You beat them black and blue in front of so many people; if they don't get their payback, they won't be able to hang around this area anymore!"

Suddenly, Wang Xiaogang turned very serious.

"Thanks for the warning!" Su Ke nodded. Wei Lan had already told him this yesterday, and hearing it again from Wang Xiaogang made him take it seriously. Although his Military Boxing had reached the level of proficiency, it was easy to dodge a spear in the open but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. It was very possible those thugs would resort to some underhanded tactics.

The morning passed without incident. Su Ke was not a student who drew attention, so as long as he didn't act out, no teachers bothered him.

Keeping the part-time job interview in mind, he ate a quick lunch and rode his bike toward Fangfei Yiren Beauty Salon. As he left the school gate, he paid special attention to his surroundings, but the three thugs did not appear.

Su Ke walked into the Fangfei Yiren Beauty Salon, finding it strangely quiet, though the decor was beautiful and luxurious. The first-floor lobby was filled with exquisite shelves displaying various skincare and beauty products. Facing the entrance at the front desk, a girl in professional attire was looking down at something.

"Hello!" Su Ke kept adjusting his breathing. By the time he reached the front desk, his heart was racing, and his voice trembled slightly. The moment the two words left his lips, he felt a wave of relief.

"Hello!" The girl, dressed in a silver professional suit with "Fangfei Yiren" embroidered on the left side of her chest, wore light makeup. She stared at Su Ke with large eyes, perhaps finding it strange for a man to enter the salon.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" The girl's professional smile didn't feel fake; instead, it struck Su Ke as sincere. He struggled to organize his words and finally managed to squeeze out a smile.

"I'd like to apply for the pianist position here!" After saying this, he watched the girl nervously.

"Did you bring a resume? And your piano grading certificates? Our boss isn't here right now, but I can pass it on for you. Are your certificates amateur or professional?" The girl seemed very experienced in dealing with applicants and spoke fluently.

Su Ke froze on the spot. He opened his mouth nervously, not knowing how to respond.

"Uh... is it okay if I don't have any certificates?" He asked, waiting anxiously for the answer.

At that moment, the electronic screen of the Flower Picking System suddenly changed.

"Task: Pass the beautiful boss's assessment; Reward: High School Mathematics Proficiency (Intermediate)."