"No, that's not what I meant. I meant that your temperament is different from your sister's and your brother's." I quickly explained, almost adding, "It's also different from your parents'."
"Maybe it's because I studied hotel management in Shanghai for a few years."
"Oh? What school?" I guessed it was some kind of adult education program, like a vocational high school or technical secondary school.
To my surprise, Ah Lian mentioned the name of a prestigious university with a dazzling signboard, which startled me: "No wonder, it's so easy to find someone like me who is 'presentable in public and capable in the kitchen'. Turns out, she's a top student."
"Ah Zhong is not bad either. He also graduated with a bachelor's degree in automation and owns a shop in the computer mall."
"No way, I thought he was selling pirated DVDs at the computer mall." I blurted out, then realized that even considering the box of rice cakes, it was still too rude to say that. But I didn't know how to take it back, so I could only grin and chuckle awkwardly.
Fortunately, Ah Lian smiled and said, "I really like your honesty."
I quickly steered the conversation to something else: "With your high level of education, why did you come back to work on the island? Wouldn't there be more opportunities outside?"
"Don't underestimate our resort. It's a hotel built entirely to international standards, and we're currently applying for a star rating, so all our staff have been rigorously screened by the group."
"I don't care about the stars or not. If I could live here for free, I'd really be willing to stay here for the rest of my life." I stretched.
"You want to stay on the island? Won't you get bored? Living here is completely different from vacationing here."
"No, I feel very peaceful and calm here. I don't feel as restless as I do when I'm outside." This is what I really think.
“Not necessarily. Where there are people, there are bound to be people and things. This place may not be as simple and peaceful as you imagine.” A-Lian frowned as she finished speaking, then shook her head as if she really wanted to shake something off. “If you stay here, what will happen to your original job?”
"I've been unemployed for a while." Just thinking about it gives me a headache. I've rested enough, it's time to go back to the game.
Ah Lian's eyes suddenly lit up, and she asked me if I was interested in working at the resort, as they were hiring.
"Great!" I thought it would be fine to stay here for a while, even if it was just a temporary arrangement. The position was secondary; at least I wouldn't have to live off my savings. Besides, I was reluctant to leave after a week's vacation.
Fortunately, I didn't have anyone to turn to in Guangzhou, so I carried all my graduation certificate and other documents with me. I wrote my resume, submitted copies of my three certificates… and things just started moving inexplicably like that. To find a job while eating rice cakes on the first day of the Lunar New Year, I can't imagine what strange things I might not encounter in my life.
In the end, I got a job as a publicity assistant in the resort's public relations department, starting on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. I used this time to rent a room by the sea, and then went back to Guangzhou to pick up Pizi. Pizi was in heaven this time—the most abundant and cheapest food here was fish. We ate a different kind of fish every day for a week without repeating a single dish. He was so happy that he slept in the same position as a person—limbs outstretched—he was so full.
My body had almost fully recovered, and on my first day back at work, I got up early and went for a half-hour run on the beach. After showering at home, I wanted to find a more professional outfit in my closet when I suddenly found a white Prada dress stained with coffee. My heart skipped a beat, and I gently ran my fingers over it, inexplicably feeling a warm sensation. The scene of me bumping into Aunt Zhang and getting stained with coffee seemed like it happened hundreds of years ago. Involuntarily, I buried my face in the dress, and suddenly smelled a faint scent of lilies! I was startled, and sniffed more carefully, but the scent was still lingering. I never wear perfume, so how could my clothes smell like this? I was completely baffled.
After reporting for duty, Ms. Guo from the administration department took me to the public relations department. First, I met the department manager, Yu Lishui. Yu Lishui was from Guangzhou, in her thirties, with strikingly defined features. Her large eyes had much more black than white, and the corners of her eyes were upturned towards her eyebrows, giving her a very energetic look. She spoke quickly and loudly, and I tried my best to keep up with her train of thought, my palms sweating with nervousness. Yu Lishui then introduced me to the deputy manager, Ren Xiaoqi, who was my direct supervisor. To my surprise, Ren Xiaoqi was also very beautiful! But her beauty was different from Yu Lishui's; she was younger and much more alluring, but strangely, I found Yu Lishui to be more womanly. Faced with these two beauties, I could only feel disheartened: being surrounded by beauties in the public relations department was truly disheartening for someone as plain-looking as me!
Suppressing my inner turmoil, I nodded and bowed politely, "Hello, Manager Ren. I'm new here and don't know anything, please take care of me." Ren Xiaoqi said, enunciating each word in her not-so-standard Cantonese, "Don't mention it, we're just working together." Her smile was very warm and genuine, but she chose a condescending posture with her arms crossed, her upper body comfortably leaning against the door frame. Yu Lishui casually remarked, "Manager Ren, like our general manager, is a Hakka."
"Hakka? Is that from Meixian?" I racked my brains before finally managing to utter this question.
Ren Xiaoqi shouted as if she had been kicked, "It's not Meixian, it's Meizhou City!"
"Oh, right, it's Meizhou City. Meizhou City is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery." I flattered her, and Ren Xiaoqi beamed as if she'd been tickled: "Yes, Meizhou City is the center of Hakka people's settlement, and from this center radiates outwards..."
"Let Xiaoqi tell you about the customs and culture of Meizhou," Yu Lishui said, giving me a slight nod before walking away with a solemn expression. I could only stand there obediently, listening to Xiaoqi's long and detailed account of Meizhou's past and future, as well as the tragic history of the Hakka people in Guangdong. I stood there for an hour; if I hadn't received a phone call saying there was a meeting, I don't know how much longer I would have stood there.
There are four or five other colleagues in the public relations department. Apart from a boy named Tao Zui who is in charge of graphic design, the rest are all girls. There are three of us, including a girl named Zhou Yuhong, a girl named Hu Saifeng, and myself, who are in charge of planning and publicity.
Zhou Yuhong was not very talkative. After nodding and greeting me, she went back to her own business. Hu Saifeng, however, told me my seat while enthusiastically introducing me to the people and things at the resort. I realized that there's always room for people like this, no matter where you are. But I kept in mind the saying, "Those who gossip are themselves gossips," so I never chimed in unless absolutely necessary.
"Did you know? Our Manager Yu and Deputy Manager Ren are both having affairs with the General Manager! Our PR department is a melting pot of new and old flames." Hu Saifeng suddenly lowered her voice and said mysteriously to me. I was so startled that my eyelids twitched, and I quickly pretended not to hear and said, "Oh, I wonder how many dishes and soup they have at the cafeteria for lunch?" Turning my head, I heard Hu Saifeng walking into the manager's office and praising Ren Xiaoqi's stockings color as very tasteful—"You are truly a perfect woman"—I just wanted to run away with my head in my hands. I never thought that I would be scared by something that wasn't a ghost in this day and age!
I had just gotten my lunch when I ran into A-Lian, who was eating alone in the small canteen for management. As soon as she saw me, she quickly invited me to sit down and asked in a low voice, "How's it going? First day at work, all right?"
I gave a wry smile: "A vacation is still better!"
Ah Lian smiled and said, "Just remember to keep your head down and get to work, and don't pay too much attention to the people around you."
"If it weren't for this free lunch, I wouldn't have made it through this morning," I said irritably.
"The public relations department is a bit complicated. Do you regret staying?" A-Lian asked with a worried look.
“When I paid the deposit for the apartment, we agreed to rent it for a year. I can’t possibly lose out on those two months’ rent. I think I can manage to endure a year.”
Hearing what I said, Ah Lian breathed a sigh of relief: "I was really afraid I would scare you away!"
"Why are you reluctant to part with me? You haven't fallen in love with me, have you?" I said with a grin.
"To be honest, I'm also very troubled by this issue," A-Lian said seriously, frowning.
"screw you!"
While at work in the afternoon, Hu Saifeng grabbed me again and asked, "Are you very familiar with Zhou Rulian from the housekeeping department?"
"What's wrong?" I asked, puzzled.
"You don't know yet, do you? Zhou Rulian is having an affair with the heir of the head office. You've found a powerful backer!" Hu Saifeng said with envy.
I looked her up and down and said, "You have two legs too, and they're not bad-looking, just a bit too hairy." Hu Saifeng stormed off, and I finally got some peace and quiet.
Part Two, Chapter Six
My first assignment was to plan a spring tourism project. It's common knowledge that summer is the peak season for beach tourism, while spring is typically the off-season. However, the company wanted us to make the most of this off-season to minimize wasted resources. Yu Lishui assigned the three of us to each create a plan, and then we'd have a meeting a week later to discuss and choose the best one to implement.
I got some materials from A-Lian and finished the work in four days. Zhou Yuhong was hunched over her desk writing proposals the whole time, and even after work she wouldn't leave. The stack of materials was half a person high, which made me secretly gasp and wonder if my work attitude wasn't serious enough. However, seeing Hu Saifeng wandering around all day, even more idle than me, made me feel a little better.
On the day of the meeting, Zhou Yuhong's proposal was discussed first. As expected, Zhou Yuhong's proposal was lengthy and extensive, but it had only one theme: to utilize the resort's own resources, such as the bowling alley, gym, and VIP sauna rooms, to primarily target the group and conference consumers.
Hu Saifeng's proposal, "Hu Yitui," left me utterly in awe: she somehow copied a proposal from somewhere and actually planned to hold a spring fashion show and a royal costume exhibition at the resort! I don't know what makes her think that anyone would be crazy enough to travel thousands of miles by car and boat to the island to see a show of swaying hips that you can see in any city square!
Yu Lishui's face remained expressionless: "Hmm, very imaginative. Let's take a look at Li Hao's plan now."