This week, Bian Ying was finally no longer averse to going to work.
Though she still arrived at her desk right on the dot, her enthusiasm was much higher than usual.
She was waiting for her official employment notification.
However, by Friday, there was still no news regarding her regularization.
Looking at her supervisor’s tightly shut office door, she had a vague premonition that something was wrong.
Meanwhile, Zhou Haizhi knocked on the door of the Operations Department director’s office with a bitter expression.
“Come in.”
“Old Xu, what’s going on?
Even if Bian Ying can’t join the Operations Department, she should at least be able to get into the Field Department, right?”
Zhou Haizhi and Xu Hailin were old friends who had known each other for years.
With something weighing heavily on his mind, Zhou Haizhi couldn’t be bothered with workplace pleasantries.
He originally thought that since Bian Ying had made a major contribution during the recent Deceit incident, coupled with Tan Linyan’s recommendation, her official employment was a sure thing.
Yet, the paperwork he submitted had been stuck in limbo.
Just moments ago, upper management officially rejected her application for regular employment.
“Have a seat.”
Xu Hailin seemed to have anticipated his arrival and poured him a cup of tea.
“It’s rare to see you come to me on your own accord for a temp worker.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
Zhou Haizhi had no mood for tea and idle chat right now.
He had been hiding from Bian Ying for the past few days, not daring to face her at all for fear she would realize he had botched her regularization.
“Both you and Lin Yan think highly of Bian Ying, especially Lin Yan…
I’ve never seen him voluntarily mention another person in his reports.”
“I won’t hide it from you.
Have you seen her onboarding test?
She remains mentally stable when facing any Deceit outbreak scenario, which means she is barely affected by Deceit concentration!
“It’s incredibly rare to find someone who can maintain their sanity in extreme situations.
It means even if her teammates lose their minds, she has the capability to bring them back!
“Although she hasn’t undergone professional training, as long as she’s given a chance, she can definitely—”
Zhou Haizhi grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, his face flushing red with anxiety.
“Alright, Old Zhou.”
Xu Hailin sighed.
“I know you’re still hung up on…
but that was over ten years ago.
It’s time you moved on.”
Zhou Haizhi’s voice abruptly cut off.
He wondered how he could possibly move on…
If his will had been just a bit firmer back then, perhaps there wouldn’t have been a so-called “sole survivor.”
Zhou Haizhi lowered his head, his usually upright posture slumping.
An aura of desolate dejection emanated from him.
“Actually, I approved Bian Ying’s regularization application,” Xu Hailin shook his head helplessly.
“But my superior rejected it.”
“What?!”
Zhou Haizhi looked up in disbelief.
Xu Hailin’s superior was none other than the director of the Wuhai City Deceit Investigation Bureau…
Zhou Haizhi grew even more confused.
“Director Huo?
Why is he suddenly paying attention to a temp worker’s employment status?”
“I don’t get it either.”
Xu Hailin shook his head again.
“I asked Old Huo, and he merely said he has other arrangements for Bian Ying.”
Now, Zhou Haizhi was truly stunned. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Could it be that Bian Ying had caught Director Huo’s attention long ago?!
“Director Huo has always been a master strategist.
His decisions are never wrong,” Zhou Haizhi murmured.
But a headache quickly followed.
How was he supposed to explain this to Bian Ying?!
Back at the office, Bian Ying had already calmed down.
She sat expressionlessly at her desk, ready to slip away the second her shift ended.
After waiting for five days, she no longer held any hope for her supervisor.
Then, right before it was time to clock out, her supervisor arrived.
“Ahem, Bian Ying, come with me.”
Zhou Haizhi stood with his hands behind his back.
His face revealed nothing, but a flash of guilt flickered in his eyes.
He still didn’t quite dare to meet Bian Ying’s gaze.
Bian Ying stared intently at his back and followed him into his office.
“Bian Ying, great news!”
“My regularization passed?”
Bian Ying’s brow twitched.
Had she misunderstood her supervisor?
Zhou Haizhi’s smile froze.
Under her expectant gaze, he coughed heavily and shook his head against the mounting pressure.
“The higher-ups value you exceptionally and have decided to observe you a bit longer.
This means you have a boundless future ahead!”
“…Are all of you leaders this good at making empty promises?”
Bian Ying’s lips curled into a sarcastic arc.
If they weren’t going to make her official, they should just say so.
Why spout nonsense about valuing her exceptionally?
Zhou Haizhi could no longer maintain his smile.
Plagued by guilt, his imposing aura invisibly weakened.
“Although you aren’t an official employee, I still fought for some benefits for you.
From now on, not only will you receive overtime compensation like regular staff, but you’ll also be equipped with weapons and tools during fieldwork…”
“What about my salary?
And insurance?”
“It’ll be raised!
Of course it’ll be raised!
And we’ll buy you insurance too!”
Zhou Haizhi hastily agreed, terrified that Bian Ying would be dissatisfied.
“Fine.”
Bian Ying’s lips twitched.
Catching sight of the wall clock perfectly striking the end of the workday out of the corner of her eye, she turned around decisively.
“I’m off the clock.
Goodbye, boss.”
“Sigh—”
Zhou Haizhi watched helplessly as Bian Ying’s expression shifted in an instant before she left.
He rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on.
He wondered what on earth Director Huo was scheming.
Lately, Little Snail had been doing all the cooking, giving her a few days of blissful living.
But now that her regularization had failed, she was immediately knocked back to reality.
Whatever, she would just have to make do.
What else could she do?
She picked through the near-expired discount section near the door and brought her items to the checkout counter.
The store manager glanced at her.
“Didn’t get regularized?”
“Yeah, I got played.”
Bian Ying snorted lightly.
After paying, she carried her bag of groceries home.
“Mother~”
The moment she opened the door, tentacles swarmed forward, eagerly attending to her.
Bian Ying’s exhausted heart finally felt a trace of comfort.
“Is Mother unhappy?”
“Who is it?
Who upset Mother?”
The originally docile and joyful tentacles poured out a dangerous aura upon astutely detecting the micro-expressions on Bian Ying’s face.
Eight Evils’ voice was laced with anger.
“It’s nothing.
My official employment was rejected.
I won’t be able to take you to live in a nice house.”
Bian Ying felt somewhat conflicted.
At first, she had been terrified, afraid that once Little Snail returned to normal and discovered she was impersonating its mother, she would be silenced.
But she gradually realized…
Little Snail truly saw her as its mother.
Becoming a mother without the pain of childbirth was one thing, but to score a considerate, omnipotent good son on top of that?
Bian Ying had already learned to just kick back and enjoy it.
“Who dares to reject Mother?!”
“Reckless fools!
I’ll go devour them!”
“It’s okay.
Wherever Mother is, that’s our home~”
Eight Evils fumed while simultaneously comforting its mother.
The tentacles split into thread-like filaments, preparing to hack into the Investigation Bureau’s network once more.
Bian Ying hurriedly stopped them.
“Enough, if I didn’t get regularized, then I didn’t get regularized.
Behave yourself!”
If the Deceit Investigation Bureau found out she was secretly harboring a Deceit, let alone becoming an official employee, she would probably be eradicated as a heretic!
“You don’t need to cook for now.
I’ll just make do with something simple.
We’ll eat something nice next time I get paid.”
“How can we do that?!”
Eight Evils’ tone was intense.
The internet said that to keep someone around, you had to first capture their stomach!
It still needed to rely on its culinary skills to keep Mother here!
The resistance was futile.
Bian Ying was truly broke these days.