Chapter 435 - 156: The Green Tea Female Side Character in a Period Novel (43-2)
Chapter 435: Chapter 156: The Green Tea Female Side Character in a Period Novel (43-2)
Jiang Zishi shot a venomous glare at Jiang Yihua, who had woken up at some point and was now watching coldly from the sidelines. The fire in his heart burned so fiercely it felt like it could consume him entirely.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he was led away.
Among the many sent-down youth who had come to register for the exam, people hailed from every corner of Xiahua. There was no shortage of applicants from the Capital City, or even from the Kyoto General Hospital’s own residential compound.
His scheme had failed, and his reputation was in tatters. A black mark might even be placed on his permanent record. What future could he possibly have now?
In this era, the crackdown on malicious criminals was severe, especially on vicious individuals who incited public opinion.
Jiang Zishi thought he had merely staged a little scene and said a few words outside the restroom, yet he had been sentenced to two years! Before he could even take any real action, he was already being dragged off to a farm for re-education through labor.
The exam candidates were somewhat affected by the incident, but the members of the "Restroom Stall Alliance" quietly filled everyone in on the whole story.
It turned out that Jiang Zishi, resentful and jealous of Comrade Chi and her brother, had tried to use the "soft knife" of public opinion to ruin an outstanding female comrade.
They also made sure to emphasize how capable Chi Yun’er was.
Everyone sighed with a mix of pity and indignation, and they all angrily hoped that Jiang Zishi would receive the harshest punishment possible.
After their identities and information were verified, all the candidates entered the school grounds.
The three walls surrounding the Kyoto General Hospital had been converted into shops, which required a considerable number of service staff. Initially, there were over two hundred and thirty positions available, with an additional thirty to fifty spots reserved for temporary workers.
But there were more than nine hundred sent-down youth who had signed up for the exam!
When they had first decided to take the exam, they were full of passion, confident they would stand out, return to the city, and get a job.
But when they saw the dense, teeming crowd gathered on the athletic field, their hearts sank.
They had diligently solidified their fundamentals, studied over and over, and mastered every concept in their textbooks. With limited resources, they had done their best to learn how to apply their knowledge flexibly.
The sent-down youth who were able to come take this exam had all been top students back in their school days.
But even so, they didn’t feel like star pupils who could snatch one of the pitifully few positions from a pool of nine hundred people. Some immediately felt their resolve waver, wishing they could just turn around and leave to avoid the embarrassment of being just another face in the crowd, a mere statistic.
Chi Yun’er watched as the crowd went from high-spirited and confident to completely deflated in less than half an hour, losing their enthusiasm for life and their hope for the future.
With a faint smile, she gestured for the leadership of the Kyoto General Hospital to come forward and speak.
These leaders were all skilled speakers. One by one, they encouraged everyone to do their best on the exam, painting a rosy picture of just how wonderful the benefits and compensation for hospital employees were.
The future they painted for everyone was certainly grand and enticing.
But the crowd seemed to be listening distractedly.
After the leaders had finished their passionate speeches, the applause from below the stage was sparse and scattered.
They couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed and confused, wondering what had gone wrong.
’Could it be that this batch of kids, having gained experience farming in the countryside, now look down on a customer service job at the Kyoto General Hospital’s shops?’
The hospital director was the last to take the stage. At the end of his speech, he said:
"You may not believe me when I say this, but just three months ago, all the positions at our Kyoto General Hospital were already filled. We couldn’t even find spots for our own people, so how could we possibly hold a large-scale recruitment exam like this?"
"It was Comrade Chi, standing here beside me, who created this opportunity for all of you."
"Like you in the audience, she is a good comrade who eagerly went to the countryside, full of passion and enthusiasm, to help with rural development."
"Over a year of experience in the countryside didn’t make her shrink from the difficulties. Instead, it motivated her to find a way for more comrades to put their knowledge to practical use, rather than wasting their education with their backs to the sky and their faces to the dirt."
"And now, she has succeeded. She has provided all of you with a significant number of job opportunities."
"So now, let’s welcome Comrade Chi Yun’er, the current Director of the Kyoto General Hospital’s Welfare Department, to the stage to say a few words..."
The crowd below erupted in applause, much more energetic than before.
There were two simple reasons for this. First, they were grateful to Chi Yun’er. Although the competition for the jobs was fierce, the very existence of this competition was a hopeful and motivating thing. It made them acutely aware of their urgent desire to return to the city and unwilling to continue living their days in a daze.
Second, Chi Yun’er had similar experiences to many of them, yet she had succeeded. This allowed them to see themselves in her story, creating a powerful sense of connection.