Chapter 949: Beauty and the Rogue

If possible, no one wants to work. Even those who spend their days drinking tea and reading newspapers in government agencies find it tedious. Only a tiny few—those who claim to have realized their life’s purpose and pursue their ideals—truly enjoy work, radiating energy and enthusiasm, and even spoon-feed their subordinates motivational platitudes and so-called positive energy.

But clearly, there is no such thing as “if possible”; most people are trapped by circumstance. Living in today’s modern world, even to guarantee the bare minimum of survival, one must earn at least a few hundred yuan a month for food. Aside from a handful who’ve truly become homebodies, living under their parents’ care, most still must toil hard.

To satisfy desires, to seize opportunities, to save up, to support a family, to care for aging parents, to cope with illness—these have become the very engine of societal operation. Upstream needs production, midstream needs sales, and the masses need to gain something.

People play various roles and fulfill different functions. Some earn a million a year and are irreplaceable; others make three thousand a month, and if you don’t do it, someone else will.

Talent markets exist in every city, established by local human resources departments according to national policy. They provide a platform for communication between job seekers and employers, helping laborers find employment.

With social progress and technological advancement, more and more online recruitment platforms have emerged, spending massive sums on advertising to attract users, inflate data, and raise valuations or stock prices.

Despite negative news claiming some job-seeking apps have become hook-up platforms, there’s no doubt this is a user issue, not a platform flaw. People always find ways to turn any product with social or communicative features into apps for hook-ups or special services.

But it cannot be denied that these apps have genuinely helped some job seekers, partially replacing the role of talent markets, making them less bustling and attracting fewer reputable employers—some have even become desolate.

As for why “partially”? Because someone once said, “There are no talents in talent markets,” and that’s true. The people here carry one label: “low-end labor force”—job seekers without solid skills, spanning every industry, wildly diverse.

Of course, people don’t rely on just one channel to find work. They can get referrals from acquaintances, ask around on the streets, or set up street stalls. The decline of talent markets isn’t the disappearance of the job market.

Nanning, as the capital of Guangxi Autonomous Region, a metropolis with over six million people and over three hundred billion GDP, naturally shares the same talent market conditions as other places nationwide. If there’s any difference, it’s merely because this is a cinematic world, with some influence.

For instance, Nanning’s talent market has many who come to gamble on luck or pick up odd jobs—it’s effectively Nanning’s flexible employment recruitment hub, relatively more lively.

Amid the noise, a tall, slender man with long, loose hair, wearing a military-green loose short-sleeve shirt, beige work pants, and casual sneakers, walked along the street of the talent market.

He slung a backpack over one shoulder; his exposed arms showed well-defined muscle contours, not contradicting his slim frame, because his clothes were loose—without the visible muscles, no one would guess he was tall and strong.

One of his arms was covered in colorful tattoos of ferocious beasts—beasts no one recognized. But it didn’t matter. Those who liked tattoos thought they looked great; the tattoo artist’s skill was superb. Those who disliked tattoos naturally kept their distance.

Wang Yan smoked as he watched passersby and the shop signs. There were many employment agencies here—job placement offices, or, put another way, intermediaries, but specifically for human labor.

If run well, these agencies could evolve into labor dispatch, headhunting, or consulting firms—all essentially the same thing. In short, still intermediaries.

As he wandered, he finally spotted a sign reading “Youth Employment Agency” in the distance. He stopped, crushed his cigarette in a roadside trash bin, and strolled lazily toward the agency…

Watching people pass by, Xiong Qingchun rested her chin on her hand, seated behind the desk.

She had short, curled hair, looking sharp and efficient. She wore a tight tank top and jeans, accentuating her curvaceous figure.

In an instant, it was another two days without a single client. Her mind churned through accounts: rent, food, water and electricity bills… The more she calculated, the more her heart tightened, the more despondent she became—life was so hard…

As she drifted into these chaotic thoughts, she couldn’t help but recall her boyfriend in England and his mother, who disapproved of her. But what did it matter? She didn’t dwell on it—she only remembered the sweetness of their time together.

As she thought, she spotted a tattooed man outside. She snapped back to attention. From her years of reading people, she didn’t need to see his face—just that colorful arm told her this man was trouble.

But she couldn’t understand: usually, men like this already had jobs—whether legitimate or not, they might not make big money, but small cash was never lacking. Especially this one, standing outside, looking about thirty, someone with such distinctive traits was typically well-off and wouldn’t come looking for work.

As she silently pondered, the man walked in with a smile.

“Hello, looking for work?” Xiong Qingchun kept her composure, sitting steady.

“If I weren’t looking for work, why would I come here?” Wang Yan tossed his backpack onto a broken sofa beside him, scanning the cramped room.

Nothing worth looking at—the setup was crude. One desk, a few plastic chairs, a broken sofa, a small-screen office computer, and a printer—all clearly secondhand.

Beyond the usual small talk like “Have you eaten?”, both the interrogative affirmative phrasing of questions and answers were equally annoying.

But Xiong Qingchun didn’t mind. She pulled a bottle of mineral water from under the desk and placed it on the table. “Sit down. It’s hot. Drink some water and rehydrate.”

Wang Yan complied, sitting on the plastic chair opposite her and twisting open the bottle to take a sip.

The treatment was decent—after all, even cheap bottled water cost a few jiao wholesale; not everyone could afford to drink this. It showed Xiong Qingchun’s attitude: she wanted to smoothly get rid of this Wang guy.

“Hello, what’s your name?”

“Wang Yan.”

“Alright, Mr. Wang, what skills do you have? What kind of job are you looking for?”

“I want to work here. No high demands—just feed me, water me, house me. And enroll me in social insurance. I need it for when I get sick—so hospital visits are cheaper.”

“Eh...” What kind of vicious phrase is that?

Xiong Qingchun’s eyes widened, but she forced herself to stay calm, not wanting to provoke someone who looked dangerous and bring trouble upon herself.

“Um…”

She carefully chose her words, politely saying, “Mr. Wang, you’ve seen my place—it’s so humble. Though the talent market looks crowded, few people like you come into my shop. To be honest, I haven’t made a single sale in two days. When I do, it’s just placing a nanny or security guard—earning a hundred or so yuan as a referral fee. I’m not lying. You probably don’t understand human resources. These days, it’s all online—people submit resumes digitally. Who comes to a tiny, shabby agency like mine? Mr. Wang, you clearly have great talent, but my situation is truly dire—I can’t even afford two meals a day. I have no intention of hiring anyone.”

“Not only are you beautiful, but you have great insight—you instantly recognized my talent. You’re impressive. I should prove my abilities to you, to show your judgment is spot-on.”

Wang Yan nodded approvingly, stood up, and took his backpack, pulling out items one by one.

“This is my National Computer Examination Level 4 certificate—qualified as both a Network Engineer and Database Engineer.”

“This is my Junior Accountant certificate.”

“This is my IELTS score of 8.”

“This is my Human Resources Administrator certificate.”

“This is my Level 3 Enterprise Human Resources Manager certificate.”

“This is my CMA—oh, your blank stare tells me you don’t know what CMA is. It’s the U.S. Certified Management Accountant certification. Originally, I planned to take China’s Certified Public Accountant exam, but because I have a criminal record, I couldn’t register, so I took the foreign version.”

“Huh?” Xiong Qingchun blinked. “Mr. Wang, I didn’t catch that—did you just say… you’re a criminal?”

“Yes. I just got out. Ran out of money. Wanted an easy job. All these certificates were earned in prison—I even got sentence reductions. But everyone looks at me with prejudice. They won’t hire me. None of them have your keen eyes. You’re the only one who sees talent. I’m disappointed.”

“Today I met you. I feel you’re not like them. You recognize talent. You won’t let talent slip away. Boss Xiong, you’ll give me a job with social insurance, food, water, and housing, right?”

“Um… heh… Mr. Wang, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you.”

Xiong Qingchun forced a polite, awkward smile. Instinctively on guard, she leaned back, perched lightly on the chair, ready to flee.

She said, “I wasn’t lying. Look at me—I’m barely surviving. I don’t even have social insurance myself. I can’t afford two meals a day. I truly can’t help you. Mr. Wang, Brother Wang, please have mercy. Don’t make things hard for me. With your talent, you can eat anywhere.”

She said, “I really wasn’t lying just now—look at me, I’m barely getting by myself, I don’t even pay social security, I don’t know where my next meal’s coming from, I truly want to help but can’t afford it. Mr. Wang, Brother Wang, have pity on me, don’t make things hard for me. With your great talents, where couldn’t you find a meal?”

“No, I’m staying here to eat.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“Are you hitting on me? Listen, you’d better leave now, or I’m calling the police. There’s a police station less than a kilometer away—they’ll be here in five minutes.”

Xiong Qingchun leapt up, slamming her hand on the desk, stepping back to the wall, and frantically tapping her phone screen, showing him the 110 dialing interface.

Xiong Qingchun sprang up in shock and anger, backing against the wall, then rapidly tapped her phone, showing Wang Yan the 110 dialing interface.

Wang Yan chuckled, took a sip of water, pulled out a Huazhi cigarette, lit it, and spoke calmly.

“Someone with insight must have some ability—at least a brain that isn’t stupid. Calm down. Sit. I’d give you eight balls to call the police, but you won’t. I haven’t done anything wrong, have I? At most, you’d get a verbal warning and a minor record—harmless. But if you offend me, aren’t you afraid of retaliation? Look—I’m tall, strong, tattooed, and just got out of prison. That computer certificate? Worthless. I know far better skills. Now I know your name, that you’re a registered individual business owner. You won’t escape me—not anywhere in the country, not overseas.”

Seeing Xiong Qingchun swallow hard, pressed against the wall, Wang Yan shook his head, amused.

“Scared? I was just kidding. Sit down. Let’s talk properly.” When she didn’t move, he dropped his smile. “I said sit!”

“Brother, come on, just sit. Don’t be so serious—I’m scared. I can tell you’re a good person. You must’ve been locked up for a reason. After all, wrongful cases are common, right? Brother, here’s three hundred yuan—let me treat you to food and cigarettes. That’s all I’ve got. Honestly, I don’t know how I’ll survive these days…”

Wang Yan shook his head. “Don’t assume I’m a thug just because I was in prison. Criminal law has many offenses—some are relatively mild. Honestly, I was just unlucky. I was driving normally when someone ahead crawled along. I wanted to overtake, honked to warn him—he got aggressive, kept switching lanes to block me.”

“I have a short temper. I couldn’t take the insult. I stomped the gas, hit his car, then got out to argue. He was a thug—flashy clothes, taller than me, fat, built like a bear, with a beautiful woman beside him, intimidating. Maybe he had his woman there and didn’t want to lose face, or maybe he thought he was strong enough.”

“We both got out. He came over and shoved me, cursed me. Oh, by the way, my background’s tragic—parents died early. You know how people curse—they bring up your family. He said awful things. So I beat him—caused cranial injury, broke five limbs, fractured six ribs, spinal damage. He’s done for. Never gets to flex again.”

“Then local police charged me with intentional injury. Sentenced me to five and a half years—locked up in Beihai. In prison, I behaved well, reformed actively, earned many certificates, got two sentence reductions, and was released a year early.”

Wang Yan droned on, then realized how dull it sounded—he’d actually served four years.

“Sorry, Brother, I still don’t get it—what does this have to do with you insisting on working here?”

Xiong Qingchun remained cautious. Two thugs fighting—one nearly killed—the winner isn’t a good guy.

“I’m explaining—I’m not a thug, not a bad person. You don’t need to fear me. As for why I insist on working under you…” Wang Yan sighed. “It’s simple. I’m thirty, not young, still single. I want to marry. You’re beautiful. When you passed by the door, I felt love at first sight. And you’re a small boss. Perfect fit.”

“I’m explaining to you—I’m not a thug, not a bad person, you don’t need to be so afraid. As for why I insist on working under you...”

Wang Yan sighed, “It’s not complicated. I’m thirty this year, no longer young, still single, and I want to marry a wife. I think you’re beautiful—I saw you pass by the door and felt an instant attraction. And since you’re a small boss, isn’t this perfect for both of us?”

“I have a boyfriend. We’re very happy. And I really have no money. I can’t offer you a job, Brother. Please let me go.”

“You can break up with him. Society moves fast. Hearts change quickly. Maybe you two will split soon—then it’ll be my turn. No problem. I can wait.”

“Look, you yourself said hearts change fast. You think I’m great now, but in a few days you might change your mind, right?”

“Then we’ll wait a few days.” Wang Yan pulled out his ID. “Now, process my employment. Enroll me in social insurance next month.”

“Brother, I really…” Xiong Qingchun nearly cried. This was pure thuggery. Did thugs really bully weak women like this?

“I know you still see me as a thug, still think I’m not good. I’ve given you a chance. If you keep dithering, I’ll turn into a real thug. Hurry up. Draft the contract.”

Xiong Qingchun flinched, picked up Wang Yan’s ID, and said carefully, “Can we skip social insurance for now? I can’t afford it. I can’t even pay you a salary. Feeding you and watering you is already hard—housing you? You’ll have to sleep here.”

“I don’t need anything else. Just enroll me in medical and pension insurance. A few hundred yuan. That’s final.”

Xiong Qingchun flinched, picked up Wang Yan’s ID card, and said carefully, “Can we not pay social security for now? I really can’t afford it. I have no money to pay your salary—I can barely manage food and drink, and as for lodging, you’ll just have to make do here.”

“I don’t want anything else—just enroll me in medical and pension insurance. It’s only a few hundred yuan. It’s settled.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll do it! I’ll draft the contract right now.”

Xiong Qingchun had no choice. Facing a real thug, no strategy worked. Unless she was strong enough to make Wang Yan fear her—which she clearly wasn’t. Even without special tactics, his daily, harmless harassment could drive her to nervous breakdown.

Reason wouldn’t work. She lacked the courage to refuse.

Having decided, she feared his temper flaring. She quickly printed a standard labor contract and signed it with Wang Yan, making it legally binding.

Wang Yan reviewed it, satisfied, and stuffed the contract into his bag.

“Boss Lady, I’m hungry. Two bottles of chilled beer would be perfect.”

Xiong Qingchun took a deep breath…

Boss Lady, I’m hungry—another two bottles of chilled beer would be perfect.

Xiong Qingchun took a deep breath…