Shi Yan’s temper flared instantly. “Manager Bai, the elders are all waiting. Is this what a manager should say?”
Quan Jiu leaned close to the phone and said sweetly, “Okay, okay, we’ll be right there.” Then, without further ado, she hung up on Bai Jing.
Bai Jing retorted unhappily, “Riding on someone else’s coattails. She, Che Fengqiong, isn’t even the director, yet she puts on such airs. What about the banquet at Houze? We’re only halfway through the meal.”
Quan Jiu took off her oil-stained gloves, and then a pair of clean gloves was handed to her. It was Chu Rong standing opposite.
She didn’t stand on ceremony. She wiped the oil from her hands with a tissue, put on the new gloves, and picked up a piece of succulent abalone. She took a big bite and mumbled, “Eat up. There’s so much, it’ll be a waste if we can’t finish it.”
Bai Jing looked at her with some surprise. After a while, she chuckled and continued eating.
It was half an hour later when this lunch was completely finished. During this time, Shi Yan called incessantly. Bai Jing answered every call, and no matter what Shi Yan said on the other end, she simply replied with “We’ll be right there” before hanging up and acting as if nothing had happened.
Shi Yan, having been toyed with like this, was furious and couldn’t help but roar at the interview site.
“Damn it, I’m swamped, and you’re not showing up!”
Yang Qi glanced at the time. “What should we do? We haven’t even had lunch, all so we could set up early for Director Che and Elder Lou. Because of them, we’re delayed until now. Director Che probably thinks we’re not being proactive.”
Hang Ding was also annoyed. “But not everyone has arrived yet. How can we call Director Che and the elders? We can’t possibly make them wait, can we?”
Shi Yan hated to say, “They’ve probably chickened out. I knew that idiot wouldn’t understand embroidery. She must have boasted and now regrets it.”
“This won’t do. We’ve prepared everything.” Yang Qi was anxious. After thinking for a moment, she decisively said, “Hang Ding and I will go look for them. Bai Jing definitely won’t leave the scene. If we find Bai Jing, then…”
Before she could finish, a cheerful voice rang out from the entrance.
“Oh my, we’re early. No one’s here yet.” Quan Jiu looked at the empty hall with delight.
Shi Yan’s face darkened. “You still have the nerve to say that? You were asked to come half an hour ago, and you’re only arriving now.”
Quan Jiu looked confused. “Didn’t you say the elders were waiting? Why aren’t they here? Did they go back? But it doesn’t matter if the interview is canceled, I was just playing around anyway.” With that, she turned to leave.
Shi Yan couldn’t let her go. She immediately said, “Come back. Do you think the Embroidery Bureau is a place you can come and go as you please? Manager Bai, is this the person you recommended? First of all, her attitude is a major problem.”
Bai Jing found it amusing. Quan Jiu really knew how to anger and handle Shi Yan.
“Since we’re here, let’s quickly have everyone come over.” Bai Jing sat down at her seat, not taking Shi Yan’s words to heart.
Shi Yan gnashed her teeth in hatred, glared fiercely at Quan Jiu, and then went with Yang Qi and Hang Ding to make calls to summon people.
Quan Jiu and Bai Jing didn’t wait for long before Che Fengqiong, Lou Mingfang, and five other elders arrived one after another.
Che Fengqiong understood the whole situation, but the other elders only knew that Bai Jing had recommended someone for an interview at the Embroidery Bureau.
Therefore, after the elders were seated, one of them asked Bai Jing, “I’ve never seen you recommend anyone before. Who is it that could make you personally recommend them?”
Another elder chuckled and said, “Bai Jing’s recommendation must be talented. The interview is just a formality.”
Lou Mingfang sneered, tilted her chin, and gestured in a direction. “That’s her.”
The other five elders followed her gaze. Upon seeing the person, all five were astonished.
Elder Xu couldn’t believe it. “Her? The one dressed so bizarrely? What kind of embroiderer is this?”
Lou Mingfang didn’t hide her sarcasm. “I don’t know, but Bai Jing insisted on recommending her. Perhaps she’s a true embroidery prodigy. Bai Jing is desperate to have her join the Embroidery Bureau.”
Elder Xu’s brows immediately furrowed. “This is unacceptable. This person looks like she wouldn’t even know how to thread a needle. And she’s wasting my time coming to interview her. I’m leaving. What a waste of my time.”
Che Fengqiong, upon hearing this, immediately advised, “Esteemed elders, please remain calm. Please trust Bai Jing’s judgment. I believe she wouldn’t recruit someone who knows nothing into the Embroidery Bureau. After all, the former director was her master, and this Embroidery Bureau is half her home. She is definitely considering the bureau’s best interests.”
Elder Xu paused before grudgingly sitting back down and saying to Elder Chen beside him, “It’s best if she truly has skills. Otherwise, if someone like this is recruited, Bai Jing’s judgment of people will also be questionable.”
Elder Chen stroked his beard with a serious expression. “Perhaps not only her judgment is questionable, but her management and work style also need to be considered.”
Lou Mingfang smiled triumphantly. Together with Elders Xu, Chen, and Liao, the four of them had identical expressions, clearly on the same side.
The two elders sitting on the far right shook their heads helplessly and said nothing more.
Bai Jing heard the voices from behind and couldn’t help but smile at Quan Jiu. “Che Fengqiong has gone to great lengths. Of the six elders, four support her.”
Quan Jiu shrugged indifferently. “As long as they don’t speak nonsense with their eyes open, I won’t provoke them.”
As she finished speaking, Che Fengqiong stood up and said, outwardly very amiable, “Since all the elders are here, the interview will now officially begin. Miss Quan, please come forward and introduce yourself.”
Quan Jiu rose gracefully and walked to the front. However, before she could speak, someone else spoke.
“Miss Quan, I hope you will show a proper attitude. Everyone here is a master in the industry. Although you just want to play around, the elders are not here to watch you fool around.”
It was Shi Yan speaking. She looked provocative, clearly seeking revenge for what had happened earlier.
Quan Jiu smiled slightly. “Everyone here is a senior I respect. Since I am sincerely here for an interview, how could I be disrespectful? Teacher Shi, what makes you say that?”
Her attitude changed from her previous innocent playfulness and indifference to a gentle yet firm, calm, and dignified demeanor. Coupled with her noble queenly aura, Shi Yan instantly felt as if she were facing a different person.
She felt a hint of panic, but she continued to put on a brave face. “You didn’t say that just now.”
Quan Jiu looked puzzled, then smiled again, not arguing with Shi Yan.
This scene, observed by the two elders by the side, caused them both to nod in approval.
“This demeanor reminds me of Wang Huiping. She was a true lady of nobility, with elegance in her bones.”
“That’s right. Every move she makes looks exactly like the young Wang Dajia.”
“What a pity. I heard she has already passed away.”
The two chatted in low voices.
Shi Yan, cornered at the front, could only swallow her anger. On her face, she wore a smile hiding a dagger. “I hope you can give us a ‘surprise’ later.”
Then she announced the interview rules. “This round of interviews consists of two parts: the interview and the practical test. Given the special nature of embroidery, we will focus mainly on the practical test. Now, please first introduce your achievements in the embroidery industry, so we can assess your skill level.”
*I’d like to see what achievements you have. You probably haven’t even held a needle in your life,* Shi Yan thought mockingly.
Quan Jiu nodded slightly. “I don’t have any particularly special achievements. I started a small company that does business in Chinese style embroidered clothing.”
As expected. Shi Yan deliberately laughed. “You started your own company, huh? Did you reserve a vice-general manager position for Manager Bai?”
Bai Jing’s expression darkened. “Shi Yan, please maintain a professional attitude befitting an interviewer.”
Quan Jiu smiled indifferently. “If your abilities can match Teacher Bai’s, my company can consider reserving a position for you.”