MLMD -Chapter 194 My Name is Yue Yang

Mingzhu East District Talent Market

In China, talent markets have always been among the most crowded places—without exception. Especially during graduation season, no matter which talent market it was, it would be packed. As the country’s most economically developed city with the largest population, Mingzhu City’s talent market was even more crowded.

Although it was already November and the temperature in Mingzhu had dropped to around five or six degrees Celsius, the open-air talent market, swarming with tens of thousands of people, was almost unbearably hot with excitement and anxiety. Here, countless companies, businesses, and factories had permanent recruitment points. The prime spots in the market were all taken by these larger companies, while those who arrived later had no choice but to set up booths in inconspicuous corners.

Amid the surging crowd, a tall girl of about twenty-two or twenty-three clutched her bag protectively over her chest with one hand while pulling another girl through the throng with the other, cutting through the crowd like a ship through waves. She occasionally glanced back and spoke to the girl behind her.

“Xiaoxiao, hurry up! If we get separated, it’ll be a nightmare trying to find each other in this place!”

“I know, Shengnan! You’ve said that eight hundred times already!” the girl behind replied impatiently.

After much effort, the two of them finally squeezed their way to a recruitment booth. They handed over their resumes, only for the recruiter to ignore them and call out, “Next!”

Half an hour later, the two girls, drenched in sweat, retreated to a quiet corner and plopped down on the steps, fanning themselves with their hands.

The tall girl pulled a bottle of water from her bag, twisted off the cap, and gulped it down. She let out a long sigh and complained, “This place is hell—no one should have to be here. The crowds here make the Spring Festival travel rush look tame. Just thinking about spending a few more days here makes my heart sink.”

“Come on, stop complaining.”

The shorter girl pushed her lightly with a smile. “Who asked you to be so unlucky? If you had agreed to that request from Manager Wang last time, you’d be driving a BMW by now and wouldn’t have to suffer here with me.”

The tall girl’s face froze at that, and she spat, “Ugh… don’t remind me of that Manager Wang! Just thinking about his hundred-kilogram body and age that could make him my dad makes me want to puke. Even if I wanted to be a mistress, I wouldn’t pick him! At least it has to be a guy in his twenties driving a BMW.”

“Hehe, alright then, I’ll keep an eye out for a handsome rich guy in his twenties for you,” the other girl teased with a laugh.

They laughed for a while, then the tall girl’s gaze happened to fall on a nearby sign. Her face showed surprise as she slowly read aloud:

“Recruiting several assistants, male or female, no experience required. Requirements: capable, hardworking, willing to take responsibility! Salary: 5,000 RMB/month during probation, 8,000 RMB/month after, with social insurance and housing fund provided.”

The tall girl couldn’t help exclaiming, “Wow! That’s a pretty good deal! Is this for real?”

The shorter girl came closer to look, her eyes widening. Such a salary in Mingzhu City was already very decent. Ordinary workers here earned around three to four thousand RMB per month. Five thousand during probation and eight thousand after, plus social insurance and housing fund—that was comparable to some foreign or joint venture companies. But why weren’t more people lining up?

Curious, the shorter girl peeked behind the sign to see the desk. Behind it sat a young man, around twenty-one or twenty-two years old.

He had shoulder-length hair tied casually into a ponytail with an elastic band. He wore a well-fitted casual suit and sat there quietly, observing the crowd.

“No way… still with long hair in this day and age? Is he some art school dropout doing performance art?” the tall girl muttered.

The shorter girl grabbed her friend’s hand and put a finger to her lips. “Shh… Shengnan, look carefully. I feel like this guy isn’t like everyone else.”

“Hmm… let me see!”

The tall girl scrutinized him again and nodded. “Hey… Xiaoxiao, you’re right. He really is different from others.”

Although the young man wore a casual suit and had no flashy accessories, appearing somewhat fresh-faced and ordinary at first glance, a subtle but distinct aura surrounded him.

His posture was unlike anyone else’s. Modern people usually slouch comfortably in their chairs, leaning back. But he sat upright, his expression calm yet exuding a quiet authority. When their eyes accidentally met, the tall girl felt a subtle but undeniable sense of respect emanating from him.

This aura, though not overtly imposing, made some hesitant applicants pause. His desk remained empty.

“Xiaoxiao, should we give it a try?”

The tall girl tugged on her friend’s sleeve, whispering after observing him for a while.

“I… Shengnan… maybe not. I feel… a little scared,” the shorter girl hesitated.

“Scared of what? There are so many people here. He’s not going to eat you,” the tall girl rolled her eyes.

“Well… okay. You go first… I’ll follow!”

The shorter girl timidly nodded and stood behind her, earning another eye-roll.

They gathered courage and approached him. The tall girl spoke first. “Hello, sir. Are you recruiting assistants here?”

The young man finally focused on them. His gaze, carrying a subtle and indescribable authority, fell upon them.

He nodded calmly. “Yes, I am recruiting assistants. Are you here to apply?”

“Of course! Why else would we be here? Are you that handsome?” the tall girl silently thought, but didn’t dare say it. Normally a tomboy, she felt an invisible pressure in front of this young man, who seemed even younger than her by a year or two.

She respectfully handed over their resumes, diplomas, and ID cards. “Sir, here are our resumes, diplomas, and IDs. Please take a look.”

He glanced at them and said casually, “You’re both recent graduates from the Management Department of Mingzhu University. You are Liu Shengnan and Zhang Xiaoxiao, from Liaodong Province and Lingnan Province, respectively.”

He handed back their documents, which made the girls’ hearts sink. They thought, Great, here comes the usual “Sorry, we don’t have positions for you” line.

But before they could speak, he asked, “Do you have any salary or benefits requirements?”

“Uh… this…”

The question stunned them.

Seeing them hesitate, he raised an eyebrow and leaned on the desk. “I’m asking if you have any requirements for salary or benefits.”

“Ah… no… none…”

Their faces flushed red. Oh no, we spaced out during the interview. No employer would want someone like this.

They stood side by side, hearts pounding like seventeen or eighteen deer racing around, nervously awaiting his response.

He scrutinized Liu Shengnan, the tall girl. Secretly nodding, he noted her 1.7-meter height, long legs, slender waist, ample chest, oval face, fair skin, and sharp eyes—put her in a business suit, and she’d be the image of a professional career woman.

Then he looked at Zhang Xiaoxiao, the shorter girl, and frowned slightly. At around 1.6 meters, she had delicate features, a rosy complexion, and a cute apple-shaped face. She looked like a sweet, approachable girl-next-door. A good girlfriend, maybe, but would she handle this job well? He hesitated.

Seeing the slight frown, Liu Shengnan quickly said, “Sir, Zhang Xiaoxiao is my classmate. Don’t let her petite appearance fool you—she’s very capable and was even our class’s youth league secretary.”

The young man glanced at her and asked doubtfully, “Really?”

Liu Shengnan nodded vigorously. “Absolutely!”

“Alright then. Congratulations—you’re hired.” He extended his hand. “First, let me introduce myself. I’m your boss. My name is Yue Yang.”