Confrontation

Little Huang was shocked too. "How could they make a mistake like that?"

Although Little Huang worked in HR, he mainly handled online recruitment. In-person recruitment wasn't his responsibility.

The more Yu Nian listened, the more his heart sank, and a bitter ache rose inside him. "I don't know either. No one came to get me."

Anyone who had wasted an entire day only to be completely forgotten would feel wronged.

"Hang on. I'll ask in the group chat and see what they say. I'm really sorry. I never thought they'd actually leave you out..."

Yu Nian knew this had little to do with Little Huang, so he didn't want to give him a hard time.

"Are you okay?"

The employee beside him looked at him with concern. "Would you like me to take you downstairs first?"

Yu Nian nodded and said hoarsely, "Thank you."

They took the elevator down, but when they reached the first-floor lobby, Yu Nian ran into the recruitment assistant from earlier-Assistant Su.

Yu Nian stepped forward and stopped him.

"Hello, Assistant Su. I'm here to interview for a gaming streamer position today. Could you tell me why you didn't arrange an interview for me?"

Assistant Su had been about to leave. When Yu Nian suddenly appeared, he gave him an irritated look. "You come up and ask me that right away? There were so many people interviewing. How am I supposed to remember who you are?"

Yu Nian was already angry. Seeing the man's attitude, he knew there was no need to be polite. "What do you mean by that? Didn't everyone interviewing get a number? Are you telling me you could match every number to a face?"

"I-anyway, the interviews are over now. There was absolutely nothing wrong with our arrangements. Who knows why you're the only one who didn't get interviewed?" Assistant Su looked him up and down. He looked like a student, someone easy to push around, and that made Assistant Su even less guarded with his words. "Maybe you left midway through and missed your number being called?"

Yu Nian hadn't expected him to act so self-righteous while singling him out.

If a normal person heard that someone hadn't gotten their interview, especially when it was their responsibility, they would at least check what had happened. They wouldn't immediately start making barbed accusations, as though they'd known this would happen all along.

He remembered the look Qinggang had given him before leaving.

Although the idea seemed absurd, once he connected the details, he understood most of what had happened.

"Yes, I did go to the restroom." Yu Nian stared steadily at him with his dark eyes. "But I was only gone for a few minutes each time, and always right after you'd called the previous person in. According to your process, each interview generally takes about thirty minutes. How could I possibly have missed my number?"

"And since you're responsible for the interview process, isn't it your job to keep track of how many people are interviewing, who's been interviewed, and who's still waiting?"

"Even if I did miss it, you had a duty to let me know, didn't you? So why wasn't I even told that the interviews were over?"

Assistant Su had thought he would be a pushover, not someone so persistent. Seeing employees from other companies coming downstairs after work, he didn't want to keep arguing. He waved a hand dismissively. "Then come back next time. The interviewers have already left today, and I'm getting off work too."

He started to leave, but Yu Nian stepped forward and blocked him again.

Annoyed, he was about to say something when he saw Yu Nian glaring at him, his eyes practically blazing.

"Ha. Next time? And when exactly is that?"

"I got here at ten this morning. Aside from half an hour for lunch, I waited until five thirty-seven whole hours. Does my time not count?!"

"Is this how your company handles things? You make a mistake and waste someone's time, then brush them off with 'next time'?"

"Or had you already chosen someone for this so-called interview? Were the rest of us just props in your little performance? Do we deserve to be treated like we aren't even people?"

"Hey, you little brat! What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Assistant Su hadn't expected the kid to be so sharp-tongued. Humiliated, he stepped forward to shove him.

Yu Nian wasn't afraid of him. If he didn't get a proper explanation today, he was prepared to make a scene. With so many people watching, it was the company's reputation that would suffer.

But a hand reached out from the side, caught Yu Nian by the wrist, and pulled him away.

Yu Nian stumbled, but fortunately, the hand holding him was steady and kept him from falling.

Yu Nian blinked. Before he could even register what had happened, Qin Yuheng came into view.

Yu Nian thought he must be dreaming.

He had only met Qin Yuheng once, but that face was hard to forget even after a single encounter.

Qin Yuheng wore a dark gray suit today, looking more understated and composed than before, but nothing could conceal the air of authority that radiated from him.

Assistant Su's hand met empty air. When he saw Qin Yuheng and the middle-aged man beside him, he hastily pulled it back, his face turning deathly pale. "P-President Qin, President Ding..."

Qin Yuheng had recently been visiting their company to discuss a partnership, and his striking looks and bearing made him easy to recognize. Everyone said that if Sea Star could secure a connection with Qin Yuheng, its future would be limitless. Its market value might even quadruple.

Assistant Su also knew that Qin Yuheng had come to Sea Star today, but he hadn't expected him to still be there, much less to witness something like this.

At the thought that he might have damaged Sea Star's reputation, Assistant Su instantly felt that he was already halfway done for.

"Brother Yu..."

Yu Nian called to him softly. He had never imagined he would see Qin Yuheng again.

Remembering his past with Qin Yu, he immediately felt awkward. Yet Qin Yuheng's presence somehow put him much more at ease.

Qin Yuheng gently released his wrist. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Qin Yuheng's palm was warm and dry. As he let go, Yu Nian could feel the warmth on his wrist slowly fading.

In its place came a chill. Qin Yuheng radiated a cold, austere air, like wintersweet in the depths of winter, with a faint, refreshing fragrance lingering around him.

It almost made Yu Nian wonder whether the warmth from his hand just now had been an illusion.

Clutching his résumé, Yu Nian shook his head. He didn't want to look too pathetic in front of someone connected to his ex, but before he could speak, his nose suddenly stung.

He found it strange. He couldn't-at least, he shouldn't-feel so wronged in front of Qin Yuheng. But it always seemed to happen this way: all the other person had to do was ask gently, and the hurt inside him would come rushing out.

Yu Nian thought perhaps it was because Qin Yuheng seemed so dependable.

Assistant Su hadn't expected Yu Nian to know Qin Yuheng. Cold sweat immediately broke out across his back, and he hurried to explain. "President Qin, President Ding, I-I didn't touch him!"

Qin Yuheng's cool gaze swept over him, his eyes seeming to flash with icy light. Assistant Su looked away, too guilty to meet his eyes.

Qin Yuheng spoke as though casually. "You work so hard day and night, President Ding. It seems employee training has been somewhat neglected."

President Ding glared at Assistant Su, then offered a cautious, placating smile. "I'm terribly sorry you had to see this, President Qin. I'll certainly strengthen their training. I guarantee nothing like this will happen again."

Seeing how panicked Assistant Su was, President Ding knew the mistake was most likely on his employee's side.

He wanted to smooth things over if he could. He had no desire to let such a minor incident cause complications.

He turned to Yu Nian and asked tentatively, "It seems you know this young man, President Qin. May I ask who he is?"

Yu Nian was furious. He could also hear that this President Ding wanted to brush the whole thing aside.

With the boss saying that, wouldn't pursuing it make me look petty? Like I was just making trouble?

But keeping quiet would leave him feeling terribly stifled.

These people were awful!

"Tell me what happened." Qin Yuheng lowered his gaze to Yu Nian.