Rolling Beauty

Chapter 3: Sister Zhou Xiaoyi

Before Shi Xiaofeng walked into Ningjia Building, he touched the MBA degree certificate in his briefcase and immediately felt a surge of pride.

Ningjia Business Consulting Co., Ltd. — this is my next stop, the place where my successful life begins! Come on! He clenched his fist, silently encouraging himself.

The Human Resources Department, responsible for recruitment, was on the second floor. As he climbed the stairs, he noticed two girls descending with frustrated expressions. A man with glasses who had walked up alongside Shi Xiaofeng greeted them.

"Hey, how come you two are out so soon? Did you fail the application?"

"Who can survive that old maid? Damn it, are those questions even humanly possible? They're clearly trying to make things difficult!" one of the girls exclaimed indignantly.

"Brother Chen, you're an old employee. Can you help us talk to Manager Zhou?" the other girl pleaded.

"That 'Ghost-Seer'? I wouldn’t dare mess with her." The man with glasses stuck out his tongue and added, "Recruitment should be handled by the recruitment supervisor. Why is she meddling in everything?"

"The hiring manager is on sick leave. Besides, the HR manager has the final say on recruitment decisions," one of the girls replied bitterly.

Shi Xiaofeng had carefully browsed Ningjia's official website and knew that the manager of the Human Resources Department was named Zhou Xiaoyi. Such a nice name, but apparently, she was rumored to be an "old maid" and a "ghost-seer."

Shi Xiaofeng wasn’t afraid of a challenge; he was confident in his abilities. But dealing with a harsh, older woman? That was something he wasn’t looking forward to.

"She can be old, but I hope she’s not old and ugly," he thought wryly.

The moment he entered the Human Resources office, he sighed softly. There was only one person inside: an older woman who wasn’t particularly attractive.

"Manager Zhou, hello! I’m here to apply for a job. I’ve passed the initial review on your company’s website. Please take a look at my information..."

The older woman smiled and interrupted him. "Haha, young man, I’m not Manager Zhou. I’m here to meet her too. Please wait; she’ll be back soon."

Shi Xiaofeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief but also felt ashamed for judging based on appearances.

Sure enough, within five minutes, the older woman stood up and greeted someone who entered the room. "Manager Zhou, I’ve finally caught you this time!"

Shi Xiaofeng turned to see a tall woman, at least 1.67 or 1.68 meters tall, with neat short hair, fair skin, and bright eyes that shone even behind her black-framed glasses. Her professional attire was impeccable, and her demeanor exuded authority.

"Is she Zhou Xiaoyi?" he wondered, stunned.

She was nothing like he had imagined. Far from being an "old maid" or "ghost-seer," she was a strikingly beautiful and confident young woman.

She glanced briefly at Shi Xiaofeng before turning her attention to the older woman. He barely noticed their conversation, lost in thought.

Moments later, the older woman left, and Zhou Xiaoyi seated herself at the manager’s desk. She turned her sharp gaze toward Shi Xiaofeng, who felt a twinge of nervousness under her scrutiny.

"I’m sorry, Manager Zhou... I’m here to apply for a job. I’ve passed the initial review on your company’s official website. Here’s my resume," he said, handing over his documents.

Zhou Xiaoyi accepted the papers, scanning them carefully. Meanwhile, Shi Xiaofeng took the opportunity to study her features: a mature and intellectual air, an elegant figure, and a face that balanced softness with strength. Her aqua lipstick and nail polish added a subtle touch of vibrancy to her professional appearance.

"Shi Xiaofeng, 23 years old, MBA from ** University. Not bad," she commented without looking up. "This is the highest academic degree among the applicants in recent years."

Pride swelled in Shi Xiaofeng as he straightened his posture, preparing to respond.

But before he could speak, she raised her head and locked eyes with him. Her tone turned icy. "However, no matter how high your education is, you’ll have to start from scratch in this company. And let me remind you—you have no right to stare at women so boldly in this office."

The smile froze on his face, replaced by awkwardness. He hadn’t expected her to be so direct. This was his first real taste of Zhou Xiaoyi’s intimidating demeanor.

Fortunately, she didn’t linger on the reprimand and smoothly shifted topics. "Our company is a comprehensive, large-scale commercial enterprise and a leader in its field..."

"Of course, I know. Ordinary companies aren’t worth my application," he interrupted with confidence.

Zhou Xiaoyi’s expression turned colder, and she stared at him intently. The intensity of her gaze made him uneasy, reminding him of a strict teacher from his school days.

"You’re confident, which is good," she finally said, "but you also need to respect your superiors. Interrupting your boss while they’re speaking is very rude."

Her words hit him like a reprimand, and he nodded silently.

She continued, "As an MBA graduate applying here, can you explain to me—clearly and concisely—what an MBA represents?"

Eager to prove himself, Shi Xiaofeng launched into an enthusiastic explanation. "MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. It originated in the United States and is a professional degree designed to train mid- to senior-level managers..."

He went on for a while, only stopping when he noticed her slight frown.

"That’s detailed," she remarked. "But can you tell me—what does MBA really mean? What does it represent? What does it indicate? And what percentage of executives in the top 500 U.S. companies hold MBAs?"

Her unexpected questions caught him off guard. He stammered, "I... I don’t know. Is that a standard question for applicants?"

Zhou Xiaoyi smiled, a hint of amusement in her expression. "No, it’s my personal question. Our company needs multi-talented individuals, and I take the hiring process very seriously."

Her sharp wit left him momentarily speechless.

She then provided the answer herself, her tone crisp and commanding. "MBA stands for outstanding ability, courage, and morality; it represents wealth, status, and honor; it indicates hope, success, and glory. Eighty percent of executives in the top 500 U.S. companies hold MBAs."

Her words erased any lingering underestimation he might have had for her.

The interview continued, with Zhou Xiaoyi scrutinizing his resume and questioning his past job experience. Despite feeling tested at every turn, Shi Xiaofeng held his ground, impressing her enough to secure the job offer.

As he left the office, he turned back and cheekily said, "One last thing, Manager Zhou—I just realized your smile is far more attractive than your frown."

Without waiting for her reaction, he hurried out, grinning. For the first time, he understood why she was called "Ghost-Seer," but the "Old Maid" label remained a mystery.