Chapter 1

The dazzling incandescent lamp, the small and stuffy meeting room, and the terrifying sound like thunder hitting the wall and echoing.

"Young people who have not entered the society always think that making money is easy. Everyone is arrogant and asks for thousands or tens of thousands. The question is, are you worth this price? At this stage, you should not think about the salary, but what you can learn from work!"

"Does it cost us money to train you? We usually reimburse working meals and let you borrow the companys equipment. Isnt it giving you the opportunity to exercise? This is something that many people cant ask for. Why are you so short-sighted and only think about making money?"

The sudden strong wind swept into the house, blowing Chu Duxiu, who was sitting at the table, stunned. Opposite her were a man and a woman. The man was Mr. Wang of the company, and the woman was the companys HR. Both were interviewers today.

As God knows, Chu Duxius euphemistic probing of the probationary salary made Mr. Wang, who was big and strong, so angry that his face turned red. He jumped up from the chair with a bang, threw down his resume and began to roar with his hands on his hips. The few hairs on his head were about to stand up in anger, like a tusked wild boar that was provoked.

HR also didnt expect the middle-aged man to explode at the slightest touch. She looked embarrassed and whispered to stop him: "Mr. Wang..."

Helpless, her persuasion was useless, and Mr. Wang continued to go crazy.

"What is a company? It is a place to create benefits! But you are still a student and cant do anything. How can you create benefits for the company? There is no way to create benefits. Even if the company really offers you a high salary, are you embarrassed to take the money!?"

Faced with the accusations, Chu Duxiu was confused for a moment. She couldnt understand why Mr. Wang, who was quite normal in the first two rounds of interviews, became crazy like a Sichuan opera face-changing after the money was mentioned, as if any random words could hit his pain point.

Perhaps the current situation was too outrageous, she gradually calmed down and took a deep breath: "Its okay, dont worry, you can offer a high salary. I am thick-skinned and I am embarrassed to take the money."

"..."

As soon as these words came out, the restless air suddenly stopped.

Mr. Wang punched cotton and was choked by her frankness.

There is no doubt that the interview failed.

After a while, HR sent Chu Duxiu out of the meeting room. She stole a glance at the boss in the room and explained apologetically: "Duxiu, this time it is really unfortunate. Mr. Wang just finished talking to someone in the morning and was a little excited in the afternoon. Dont take it to heart."

This was Chu Duxius third round of interviews. The first two rounds went very smoothly, but todays timing was not good. The company has had many people resign recently. Mr. Wang had a quarrel with the resigning person in the morning, and the other party left because he didnt get enough money. Chu Duxiu ran into the gun again in the afternoon. It was a bit unlucky.

HR looked around and made sure that there was no one around. She comforted him: "Dont be sad. He has always been that temper and doesnt think before speaking. There must be a better job waiting for you."

HR was quite regretful. Although she thought Chu Duxiu was suitable for this position, Mr. Wang, who was fussy, would never agree. He probably had to look for the next candidate for the interview.

Chu Duxiu held the resume in his hand, and his fingertips left marks on the flat paper. She was extremely speechless about Mr. Wangs unreasonable and absurd words and deeds. It was hard to believe that a company boss had such a lack of vision, but facing the cautious HR, it was not easy to vent her anger on others. In the end, she could only squeeze out one sentence.

"...Thank you, sister."

The two said goodbye at the door of the company. Chu Duxiu turned around and took only two steps. The light around them dimmed. There were few people in the secluded office building. The area nearby was rented by other companies, but now none of them turned on the lights, making it even more desolate and bleak.

To get to the elevator, you have to go through the corridor. The doors of the office area you pass by are closed, and you can vaguely see the inside through the glass wall. The waste A4 paper on the ground, the tangled black wires, and the crooked cubicle tables and chairs seemed to be swept by the turbulent wave of bankruptcy.

This place is like a gloomy cemetery, with company skeletons everywhere. I dont know how many employees blood and sweat were gathered before the decline. Whats even more tragic is that she graduated as a senior this year, and she studied for four years at a 211 undergraduate school. She sent out resumes widely during the autumn recruitment, but she couldnt find the grave of her youth.

Before the interview, Chu Duxiu made up her mind to perform well. After all, its not easy for fresh graduates to find jobs, and the economic environment is extremely sluggish.

However, in the end, she was still young and hot-tempered, and she couldnt hold back and retorted.

She knew that if she kept silent, she might be able to turn the page. Asking about the probationary salary was not like killing the whole family. After Mr. Wang had vented his anger in the morning, she would talk to HR about this matter privately. Maybe there was still room for maneuver. There was no need to provoke menopausal men.

But she just couldnt swallow this breath.

Why should I let my boss vent his anger? Why is he a boss with unstable emotions? Shouldnt he go home and take Chinese medicine to regulate his body?

Chu Duxiu suppressed his resentment, took out his silent mobile phone, and wanted to complain to Chu Shuangyou, but unexpectedly, the other party got there first.

The other party just sent a message: [My mother called me. ]

This line of words was like a death notice, and it instantly made people gasp.

The next second, the phone screen turned black, the WeChat page disappeared, and only the frightening call remained.

[Mother]

Chu Duxius heart skipped a beat, and he quickly answered the phone: "Hello, Mom."

"I just called your sister. Lets discuss it. Lets hurry up and take the exam at home! Take the civil service exam, the teaching exam, and everything you can. Your sister said to check what positions you can apply for. It seems that many of them have professional restrictions now..."

Although the phone was not turned on, Chu Lans voice pierced the sky, and her words were like thunder, shaking my head.

She said awkwardly: "...Mom, why are you looking for my sister? Im looking for a job."

"Why are you looking for a job? Youre unemployed two days after you found one. Its like a joke! I gave in once when you applied for the college entrance examination. Its useless to say it this time! Hurry up and go home to take the exam, find a stable job, and stop being a child!"

After saying that, her mother hung up the phone without giving her any chance to refuse.

This attitude is like its easy to get a stable job in her hometown, but she didnt know that there are many people from Tsinghua and Peking University on the list of public announcements in recent years.

The elevator arrived with a ding-dong sound, and the metal door slowly opened. There was a full-length mirror in front of her, reflecting her collapsed face.

Chu Duxiu walked into the elevator and looked at herself in the mirror. She had a delicate and quiet appearance, and her long hair was messy and messy. Even if she wore formal clothes for the interview, she still liked to use a backpack. She exuded the youthful and rustic air of a school student, and even her face was left with the innocent atmosphere of "Im easy to bully".

Why cant she get rid of this student spirit?

If she had a fierce face and muscles all over her body, and could knock down a strong man with one punch, I dont believe that Mr. Wang would dare to get angry at her.

Or she could be as capable and intellectual as Chu Shuangyou, who is intimidating without getting angry and shows the style of an elite while chatting and laughing.

In this way, she doesnt need to disturb her mother to find a job.

But she is neither of those. She is just like this.

Chu Duxiu winked at the full-length mirror, trying to drive away the confusion on her face and pretend to be calm and rational, but no matter how she pretended, she still looked silly.

She is 21 years old this year. She doesnt know what other people look like when they graduate. Is it similar to her, or is it just because she is useless that she encounters many problems.

She only knows that at this age, she is not yet free and independent, but has already tasted the roomless life.

*

The wrinkled resume was folded casually and fell into the empty trash can like a paper airplane.

When Chu Duxiu walked into "Taiwan Crazy Transit", she had already sorted out her messy mood. As usual, she chose a seat by the window, threw her backpack on the table next to her, took off her dark formal coat, and buried herself in the soft sofa, breathing in the soft music of the bar.

This is her favorite place to go, a bar run by a young couple, not far from the school, named "Taiwan Crazy Crossing". There is a neon sign hanging in the inconspicuous alley. If you walk fast, you will miss the entrance of the bar. There is not much space after entering, and there are only two tables by the window.

Although the sparrow is small, it has everything. The bar is filled to the brim, from the bar to the stage. The long cabinet is full of beautiful wine bottles, shining in the warm yellow light. The female boss often mixes drinks here, surrounded by all kinds of bottles and jars, and then pours the crystal clear wine into the glass.

Chu Duxiu never drinks, but she often watches the cocktails being mixed. She likes the crowds of "Taiwan Crazy Crossing", which makes people feel safe and secure.

There are not many people in the store now, and the seats are basically empty. There is no one on the stage, only the upright microphone.

The female boss was busy at the bar, and greeted Chu Duxiu after seeing her. She has short hair and a silver earring on her left ear, and she has a cool sister temperament. She walked to the table with the menu: "Same as usual? Honey chicken chop rice?"

Chu Duxiu is a frequent customer in the store, but she never orders any alcohol. She prefers honey chicken chop rice. Tender and juicy chicken, fresh and delicious salad, and snow-white rice sprinkled with sesame and thick sauce. It only costs 32 yuan to have happiness beyond the cafeteria, which is a cure for her when she is depressed.

She had just failed in an interview and decided to splurge. She nodded and said, "Yes."

The female boss drew a circle on the menu with a pen: "I havent seen you for a long time."

"Ive been looking for a job recently."

The female boss looked surprised: "Are you graduating soon?"

"Im a senior this semester." Chu Duxiu glanced at the stereo microphone on the small stage and asked curiously, "Are there any activities tonight?"

"Yes, open mic." The female boss scratched her head, as if she didnt know how to explain, and added, "There are more people coming today."

Chu Duxiu only learned what open mic was during the "Taiwan Crazy Crossing". There were no talk shows at that time. The first time she experienced this magical activity was when she was dining in a bar and saw a big brother from the Northeast go on stage to tell jokes. A beam of light, a microphone, talking nonsense from all over the world, making everyone laugh.

She didnt know what a talk show was at the time, and had never heard of stand-up comedy. She just thought that the big brother from the Northeast was funny and bold, and dared to go on stage alone. Later she found out that he was a male boss. "Taiwan Crazy Crossing" is both a bar and a talk show club, and it holds performances from time to time.

In the past two years, all the actors were friends of the boss, and the audience could not fill the bar, and no ticket money was charged. Last year, a talk show variety show was launched, which caused some waves on the Internet and also affected the offline open mic. Since then, the "Taiwan Crazy Crossing" open mic will charge 20 yuan for tickets, and give the audience a glass of craft beer, and the format has become more formal.

The ticket price is not expensive, the bar can accommodate up to 30 people, and an open mic is not profitable at all. Chu Duxiu learned from the female boss that the ticket charge is to urge the audience to attend. In the past, there were always people who did not come at the last minute when they got free tickets, and the venue was too deserted to interfere with the actors mentality.

The bar served dishes very quickly. In addition to the steaming honey chicken chop rice, there was also a glass of white foamy craft beer. The mellow liquor was full of small bubbles, which were constantly bubbling up.

Chu Duxiu was stunned: "I didnt order this."

"This is for you." The female boss said, "Youve been here for a long time, happy senior year."

Chu Duxiu was stunned and hurriedly said: "Thank you."

The female boss waved her hand, said nothing more, turned around and left.

Chu Duxiu blew away the foam on the top and took a sip of the cold liquor. The fragrant and slightly sweet taste spread between her lips and teeth, and slid down her throat softly and refreshingly. This made her, who tasted alcohol for the first time, quite surprised. Unlike the ordinary beer she had tried before, craft beer had a unique and refreshing taste.

She held the glass of beer with mixed feelings, not knowing whether to regret that she had tasted it now, or to be sad about the female bosss farewell. Obviously, they had not spoken a few times in several years, and they didnt even know each others names, but she inexplicably felt a little regretful.

After graduation, she should not come to the bar again, let alone stay in this city. The female boss and the honey chicken chop rice will also become symbols of her college memories, drifting away in the boring work day after day, perhaps bubbling up like bubbles on a summer day, and then disappearing with a crackle in an instant.

Chu Duxiu didnt want to be too pretentious, so she took another sip, trying to use beer to extinguish her sentimentality.

Before long, more and more customers came to the bar, and it was rare that all the seats were occupied.

The light around dimmed, and a strong light hit the stage. After the rapid and cheerful music, a burly man jumped onto the stage. It was the male owner of the bar. He held the microphone, looked around, and spoke with a funny Northeastern accent: "Hello everyone, I am Nie Feng, and I am also the host of this show. There are enough people here today. It seems that our open mic, which no one cares about, has finally caught up with the popularity of the show..."

Sporadic laughter sounded in the room, and the audience turned their eyes to the stage.

Chu Duxiu had not watched the talk show variety show mentioned by Nie Feng, but her college roommate often ate with the show, and once came to the bar to watch the open mic. However, after the roommate came once, she was no longer interested because "there are no good shows offline."

"Before we start, let me say a few words. Some of you may not have experienced offline open mics. In fact, there are not many rules. If you find it funny, laugh out loud. If you find it not funny, please clap your hands. Give us some encouragement for our young actors. No recording or video recording. We will take a group photo after the performance." Nie Feng said, "I wish you all a happy night. Now, please welcome the first actor, Xiao Cong!"

The boy in the plaid shirt came on stage after hearing this. He took the microphone and bowed to greet him: "Hello, everyone, I am Xiao Cong!"

After the applause, the talk show officially began.

"Dont be too nervous today. Everyone can relax. Lets chat for a while. Is this audience here alone? What do you do for a living?"

"Oh, he said he didnt want to tell me..."

The lights gathered on Xiao Cong, and Nie Feng took the opportunity to quietly leave the stage. In the dim light, he moved on tiptoe, not wanting to disturb the audiences interest. He glanced up and saw the man in black, and his face was surprised.

At the bar, the young man leaned on the edge of the table, wearing a black shirt, which made him look taller. He wore a watch on his left wrist, which shone silver in the dark. Apart from that, he had no other accessories and was dressed very simply.

Nie Feng recognized him and hurried over: "How did you find time to come here?"

The man in black stared at the stage, his face expressionless: "I came directly from the airport. I think I can make it in time."

Nie Feng didnt know whether to laugh or cry: "I thought they were just talking nonsense, but I didnt expect you to come to all places. Arent you tired?"

Nie Feng always felt that Xie Shenci was a strange man. If you just look at his face, he has nothing to do with humor. But this man is particularly concerned about talk shows. In recent years, he has been working hard for the development of the industry and has gradually become influential in China.

Xie Shenci: "There are less than ten clubs in the country now, and there are no more than a hundred talk show performers in total. Just watching a few performances, whats tiring."

On the stage, Xiaocong wore black-framed glasses and held the microphone awkwardly, but sweat broke out on his forehead. His first two jokes didnt work, and he quickly tensed up.

"I told my girlfriend at the time that if I couldnt be Iron Man, I could pretend to be his friend, and I would be called Iron Blind..."

After a short silence, the audience clapped sparsely, and the atmosphere continued to drop.

Chu Duxiu listened in a disjointed manner, quickly finished his meal, and slowly drank the remaining beer. She had watched many open mics, and it was normal for actors to be awkward or forget their lines. It was indeed not always funny, and the nature was similar to opening a blind box. For example, Xiaocong did not perform well today.

She had seen his performance before, also in the "Taiwan Crazy Transit" bar, and he was very energetic at that time, but this time he was confused.

Although the seats were full, the audience was very dull and kept their guard. This caused Xiaocongs voice to become more and more dry, and the subsequent performances were stuck from time to time.

Nie Feng: "The place is a bit cold today, so its not easy to start."

Xie Shenci: "His style is good, but his mentality needs to be improved. The audience didnt pick up the jokes in the beginning, so the rhythm was messed up all of a sudden."

Halfway through the performance, Xiaocong noticed that the atmosphere was stagnant, and decided to turn the tide, using his trump card, and wanted to interact on the spot. He raised his hand and waved, calling on the audience to come on stage.

Unfortunately, the place was not hot, and no one responded, and only embarrassment was pervasive.

"Are there any friends willing to come up? No one raised their hands?" Xiaocong was unable to get off the stage in the face of the cold atmosphere, and said dryly, "Let me see..."

Chu Duxiu was sitting by the window drinking, until she bumped into Xiaocongs eyes, and inexplicably had an ominous premonition. Xiaocongs eyes wandered around the whole place, and finally fell on her unconsciously, like a tracking device, and quickly locked accurately.

Her scalp suddenly numbed, and she subconsciously lowered her head to avoid it.

No way? You cant call on her just because no one raised their hands, right?

Dont order it, dont order it, dont order it.

Chu Duxiu prayed madly in his heart, but what he feared came true.

"How about asking the girl sitting by the window?"

"..."