Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Recruitment
After the Tomb-Sweeping Day ancestral rites.
April 7th, approaching noon.
Jiang Miao and Ke Yong drove to Liantang Village in the city district.
The north side of Liantang Village.
The pickup truck slowly drove through the main gate of Shanmei Vocational Technical College. He had already spoken with the college administration a few days prior, so their entry was unimpeded.
They parked the car on the roadside near the cafeteria.
Opening the doors, Jiang Miao and Ke Yong unloaded a folding table and chairs, a recruitment banner, and other items.
They found a spot with a pavilion near the cafeteria and set everything up.
As it was almost noon, many students had finished class and were heading toward the cafeteria in small groups.
Once the recruitment banner was unfurled, many students passing by took notice.
Jiang Miao and Ke Yong were dressed very formally, which piqued the interest of many graduating students.
「A short while later.」
Three students worked up the courage to walk over.
Ke Yong quickly stood up and handed them a recruitment flyer. "Hey, students. If you’re interested, you can email your resume to us or interview right here on the spot with your resume."
"Hiring one person each for finance, purchasing, logistics, legal, secretarial, and sales? Requirements as follows..." One student read for a moment, then decided there was nothing suitable for his major.
Soon, more students came over to inquire.
This time, it was two pretty girls.
One of them, a girl with glasses, held up a flyer and asked, "Your company is hiring for a finance position. There’s no work experience requirement, right?"
Jiang Miao smiled. "Coming to a college to recruit and still demanding work experience? Isn’t that asking for the impossible? What’s your major?"
"I’m a junior, majoring in Big Data and Financial Management," the girl with glasses replied quickly.
"Are you interested? If so, you can fill out some basic information." Jiang Miao handed her a blank resume form.
Just as the girl with glasses took it, her long-haired friend whispered a reminder, "Meijing, you’d better think this through. Magong Town is not in the city."
"I want to give it a try. After all, it’s hard to find a job right now."
Seeing the determined look on her friend’s face, the long-haired girl didn’t press the issue. "Alright, then!"
A moment later, the girl with glasses had filled out her basic information.
Jiang Miao took it and glanced through it.
[Ye Meijing, 21, from Meicheng, Lingnan Province. Major: Big Data and Financial Management...]
"Your qualifications are good. You saw our company’s compensation: 4,500 yuan, includes the ’five insurances and one housing fund,’ and room and board are covered. If you have no questions, I can process your onboarding paperwork right now. However, you’ll need to find time this week to get a pre-employment physical. The company will reimburse the fee."
"Huh? I’m hired?" Ye Meijing was completely baffled, clearly not expecting to be hired so quickly.
Jiang Miao asked directly, "I’m very busy and don’t have time for games. What’s your answer?"
"I accept," Ye Meijing nodded.
"Good. You’re semi-hired then. Take these flyers and go hand them out." Jiang Miao passed a large stack of flyers to her.
Ye Meijing hadn’t expected work to start so immediately. She dazedly accepted the flyers.
「An afternoon passed.」
Jiang Miao had finished hiring the employees he needed.
They were: Li Wenna, secretary, 21, from Chaozhou, whose major was secretarial studies.
Wang Feng, purchasing, 20, from Xu Wen, with a major in business administration.
Kong Guocai, logistics, 21, from Lu River, also with a major in business administration.
Li Zhou, sales, 21, from Putian, with a major in marketing.
He hadn’t found anyone for the legal position yet because Shanmei Vocational Technical College didn’t offer a law program. He would have to see if he could recruit a suitable candidate online.
「As the sun set.」
The five new hires, along with Jiang Miao and Ke Yong, packed everything up.
"To celebrate everyone joining Hailufeng Company, I’ll treat you all to dinner. Afterward, I’ll take you to the company’s office so you know the way."
"Thanks, Boss!" The group of new employees already knew that Jiang Miao was the boss.
Since there wasn’t enough room in the pickup’s cab, Li Zhou and Kong Guocai had to ride in the truck bed.
Jiang Miao didn’t choose a place too far away.
On nearby Red Sea Avenue, he found a food-stall-style restaurant called Xinming Garden and got a private room.
After ordering, Jiang Miao raised his teacup. "I’ve just started this business, and you’ve all just started your careers. The company is still in its infancy, so the salary is just average. I hope you don’t mind. I’m not going to make any grand, empty promises, but I guarantee I won’t shortchange you on food and lodging."
"You’re too kind, Boss," Li Zhou said with a smile, taking a sip of his tea.
"Boss, what exactly does our company do?" Kong Guocai asked, a bit curious.
"We’re in aquaculture and aquatic product processing. Right now, our main product is eel."
Just then, a server came in with a large platter of braised eel.
Jiang Miao picked up his chopsticks. "This is the fish."
"Eel? Is this the same fish used for the unagi at Japanese restaurants?" Ye Meijing asked, adjusting her glasses.
Li Wenna chimed in, "It must be. Eel is supposed to be expensive. I had it once at a Japanese restaurant, and it was fifty or sixty yuan for just five or six small pieces."
The meal helped everyone get to know each other a little better.
「Past 8:00 PM.」
The group arrived at the main entrance of a resort hotel in Magong.
Old Ke saw the pickup truck and knew the boss was back. He quickly raised the barrier gate.
"We’re here."
After getting out of the truck, everyone looked up at the "Resort Hotel" sign in confusion.
Jiang Miao explained, "The company just leased this place. It’s currently being renovated. The sign will be changed in a few days."
They walked into the lobby, and Ke Yong hurried over to turn on the lights.
The brightly lit lobby was filled with various renovation materials and tools.
The five new employees looked around everywhere, like curious children.
Jiang Miao led them up to the third floor.
After more than a week of renovations, the 12 rooms on the third floor were mostly finished. All that was missing were things like cabinets and beds.
"Wang Feng, Guocai, tomorrow you two will start procuring a batch of metal bookshelves, metal bed frames, mattresses, and bedsheets for all 12 rooms."
"Meijing, you need to start getting the finances in order."
Already getting into her role, Li Wenna was standing to the side, taking notes in a small notebook.
"Boss, is it okay to order them online?" Wang Feng asked.
"You can, but make sure the quality is good."
"I’ll definitely pay close attention to the quality," Wang Feng nodded.
Jiang Miao turned and gave another instruction, "Wenna, I’ll transfer ten thousand yuan to Meijing in a bit. You take them—and Ah Yong—to the hospital to schedule their physicals."
"Okay, leave it to me."
After settling a few more matters, the group went for a walk on the beach behind the hotel.
In a pavilion on the coastal dike.
Li Wenna felt the cool, salty sea breeze. "This place isn’t bad. It’s quieter than the city, and the scenery is lovely."
"It used to be a resort, so of course the scenery is nice," Ye Meijing said, stretching.
"This place is perfect for retirement," Wang Feng joked with a laugh.
Ye Meijing adjusted her glasses. "But the boss seems pretty well-off, renting such a nice place right from the start of his business."
Li Zhou, however, was a bit worried. "The eel industry is a tough business. A lot of people in my hometown raise eels, and the profits are just so-so."
"Let’s not worry about it. That’s the boss’s problem," Wang Feng said with a shrug.
A little after 10:00 PM, Jiang Miao had Ke Yong drive Ye Meijing and the others back to the college in the city.
Meanwhile, Jiang Miao rode his own small electric scooter back to his family home in Xinxiang.
When he got home,
he saw his uncle’s family, who had returned from the Xiangjiang River for the ancestral rites.
"Uncle, Auntie, long time no see."
His uncle, Jiang Dahe, asked with a hint of reproach, "Ah Miao, last time you came to the Xiangjiang River, why did you leave in such a hurry?"
"Didn’t I tell you something came up? Dad! Mom! You keep Uncle and Auntie company. I’m going to take a shower."
His father knew he didn’t particularly like his aunt, so he just waved his hand. "Go on!"
