Chapter 379 - 139: The Green Tea Female Supporting Character in a Period Novel (26)
Chapter 379: Chapter 139: The Green Tea Female Supporting Character in a Period Novel (26)
However, because Mr. Chi held a high position at the general hospital and it was such a sensitive era, the entire family was careful to avoid any appearance of favoritism. On the surface, they acted like nothing more than ordinary colleagues. They could only meet secretly in their old hometown to maintain their family bond.
They also occasionally mailed letters to each other within the city. Even this was done with great care—they had to go to other districts to mail the letters, which were then delivered directly to their homes.
Over the past ten or twenty years, their cautiousness ensured their relationship remained a complete secret. Not only did no one at the hospital know, but even their next-door neighbors were unaware they were related.
One could only wonder what great deeds Chi Yun’er had performed in her past lives. In this life, not only was she an only daughter, but among all the relatives on both sides of her family, every cousin her age was a boy. She was the sole, treasured flower in the greenhouse.
Who wouldn’t adore her?
Chi Yun’er smiled, her lips pursed. Blinking her eyes, she gave a demure bow and greeted her, "Hello, Director Gu. I’m Chi Yun’er, here to report for my first day."
Although Gu Nianchi was her aunt, her father had changed his first child’s surname to honor his wife’s family, grateful for the support and opportunities they had provided him.
The husband and wife had a wonderful relationship. After some friendly back-and-forth, they decided she would take her mother’s surname. They then named her Nianchi—"Thinking of Chi"—as a symbol of their deep love for one another.
Gu Nianchi was the Director of the entire hospital’s Human Resources Department. She was exceptionally capable and perpetually wore a frosty expression, which intimidated anyone who met her.
The Human Resources Department offices were quite large, taking up half a floor. Gu Nianchi had her own private office with an attached lounge. Outside her office were three other rooms, and across the hall were a conference room and a records room.
However, to maintain strict discipline, the entire department had only one entrance. Furthermore, the window of the director’s office was level with her desk, and its huge pane of glass offered a crystal-clear view of everything outside.
Her subordinates all trembled under Director Gu’s leadership. Behind her back, they called her "the Ancient"—a pun on her surname, Gu—implying she was as rigid and hidebound as someone from ancient times.
So they were aghast to see "the Ancient" absolutely beaming at the new employee—rumored to be the vice director’s daughter. They couldn’t help but mutter amongst themselves. ’Who said the Ancient was so incorruptible?’
’Turns out she knows who to suck up to, too!’
The office had poor soundproofing, so the aunt and niece could only catch up briefly.
"So you’re back from the countryside. What was it like?" Gu Nianchi asked, occasionally looking up from her paperwork with a smile.
It was a Monday and she had a lot to do, so she couldn’t afford to waste much time.
"Life was hard. A lot of people didn’t have enough to eat or warm clothes to wear. A single meal with meat made them as happy as if it were the New Year. I realized I truly didn’t appreciate how good I had it before."
Chi Yun’er reported earnestly.
"Good. That kind of awareness means you’ll know to cherish what you have now," Gu Nianchi said, raising an eyebrow with a smile. "You had good grades and graduated from City No. 1 High. You’re smart and eager to learn, so for now, you can be my assistant."
"Work hard for a year or two, and if you do well, I’ll apply for a university spot for you to pursue further education. I won’t let your talent go unrecognized."
Chi Yun’er was slightly taken aback. ’Hasn’t my aunt planned things out in a little too much detail for me?’
Seeing the girl’s expressive face, Gu Nianchi couldn’t help but smile and add in a low voice, "Don’t worry. I’ll recommend you to a real, legitimate university where you can study advanced human resources management. It’s not just about getting a fancy credential for show."
"Back in the day, I graduated from Imperial University, just like your boyfriend. Now that the national college entrance exam has been canceled, many so-called universities will accept anyone with a recommendation, even if they only have an elementary or middle school education. What can you possibly learn in a place like that?"
"They either just coast by, or they learn some simple technical skills. Even if you tried to cram intellectually demanding subjects into their heads, they have to have the capacity to understand it, right?"
"A person’s time is precious. We have to climb higher one steady step at a time..."
Chi Yun’er felt a little ashamed. ’Back then,’ she thought, ’I was one of those people who just coasted. I had no plans for the future. I figured having a job arranged by my family and just living a mediocre life until retirement would have been perfectly fine.’
’It was only later that she had decided to get her act together, and that was just to make Jiang Zishi and Bian Yumin burn with envy when they eventually returned to the city.’
’She had the advantage of knowing the future from her rebirth, yet she’d never once considered the bright path of going to university!’
’She had been thinking too small. Life was meant to be lived for oneself, not as a show for others!’
"Director Gu, you can rest assured that I will work hard and not disappoint you," Chi Yun’er said with determination.
Gu Nianchi smiled. "My expectations for you aren’t that high. I just hope that in the future, when we older folks aren’t around to look after you, you’ll still be able to live the life you want for yourself."