Chapter 111
Li Yundong slowly opened his eyes . A jet of white gas shot out from his mouth when he exhaled, vanishing in a poof the moment it collided with the living room’s wall . The sun was already up, which could only mean one thing . Well, two things to be exact: one, he had spent the entire night in a meditative state practicing Qi control; and two, he had to attend the job interview at Dongsheng Realtors in a couple of hours .
That job interview was the reason he ended up practicing Qi control for the whole night instead of lying in bed asleep . Not that he was antsy or getting cold feet about the interview or anything . He just couldn’t stop wondering how he would fare in the interview . His ceaseless rumination had then led to a bout of tossing and turning in bed where he couldn’t get himself to fall asleep . In the end, he gave up on sleep altogether and went into the living room to practice Qi control .
Now that he was awake, those pessimistic thoughts returned to his mind in full force . What if he didn’t get the job? What possible skillset could he even offer to a real-estate firm? He wasn’t well-versed in accounting or finance . Nor was he familiar with property deals or sales . Plus, he didn’t have a way with words . Nor was he an eloquent speaker . Unless he wanted to go down in history as the world’s most inept real-estate agent, this all sounded like a terrible idea .
Should he offer himself to become the firm’s security guard instead? But what if the people who ran the firm were sn.o.bs and ended up giving him the brush-off because he was some penniless university dropout? At some point, he began to wonder why he even care .
Who was he even kidding . He cared because he was broke .
Zhou Qin had literally thrown him a lifeline when she told him about the job interview . And he knew immediately that it was in his—and Su Chan’s—best interest not to screw it up . The pay was high, according to Zhou Qin . So he’d be a fool if he didn’t at least give it his best shot . Guess I’ll just have to find a way to avoid s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up then . Li Yundong stood up from the floor and did a quick stretch . Despite not having slept a wink, Li Yundong felt complete refreshed . Being a Cultivator was awesome .
Li Yundong lowered his arms and glanced towards Su Chan’s door, which was still closed . He wasn’t surprised that she was still asleep even though she was usually up by this hour . She’d spent the whole night watching over him when he pa.s.sed the Ningshen phase . Plus, last night had been an emotional night for her, so she must’ve been exhausted .
He padded to the kitchen and opened the fridge . Leftovers were never a thing in la casa de Yundong, not when it housed a girl with an healthy appet.i.te . Good thing he had some extra snacks stocked up then . There were a few apples and berries, a tub of Greek yogurt, some ice-cream, and a sandwich . Well, that takes care of Su Chan’s breakfast…
Satisfied, Li Yundong shut the fridge door and padded into the bathroom . He took a quick shower and brushed his teeth, then went to his room to get changed . From his wardrobe, he pulled out the same dark suit he’d worn to Zhou Qin’s party . He was pulling out all stops today . Go big or go home, he thought as he put on the suit .
Minutes later, he stood in front of the mirror and studied his own reflection . Some days he was still a little taken aback by how much his physical appearance had changed . And now with the suit, he couldn’t deny that he looked great . Alright, Li Yundong! You can do this! Go break a leg! Figuratively speaking, of course . He turned away from the mirror and crept towards his bedroom door, making as little noise as possible as he walked . He didn’t want to wake Su Chan up . Truth be told, he wanted to avoid having to deal with Su Chan’s tantrums once she found out that he wasn’t going to let her tag along to the interview . He planned to leave a note outside her door(Be home soon . Breakfast in the fridge . Love Yundong) and then sneak out of the apartment while she was still asleep .
Which, of course, was far too much to ask for .
They practically ran into each other outside Li Yundong’s bedroom—she was about to step in when he was stepping out . A split second after their bodies collided, Li Yundong hands shot out to steady her . Su Chan rubbed her eyes sleepily and then did a double take when she noticed his attire .
Su Chan stomped her foot and grabbed his arm . “Mmmm…” she whined, tugging his arm from side to side . “You were going to sneak out without me, weren’t you!”
Oh, s.h.i.t… Li Yundong chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck . “Well… I have a job interview, so…”
“Oh . ” Su Chan seemed contemplative all of a sudden . Li Yundong wondered what was going on inside that adorable head of hers .
“Um… What kind of job will it be Yundong?”
h.e.l.l if I know . Li Yundong cracked a smile . “I don’t know yet . They didn’t say . Like I said, it’s just an interview . ”
Su Chan pressed her index finger against her chin . “Washing dishes? Milking cows? Ooh! Counting coins?”
Li Yundong burst into laughter . Where the heck did she get all these weird ideas from anyway? Geez . He ruffled her hair, then pinched her cheeks . “I don’t know, princess . I have to pa.s.s the interview first . ”
Su Chan clung to his arm and stared up at him with her puppy dog eyes . “Take me with you . Please? Pretty please, please?”
Su Chan’s stomach growled .
Li Yundong laughed . “Looks like somebody is hungry . ” He stopped laughing . “C’mon . Be a good girl and wait for me at home, okay? There’s food in the fridge . ”
Su Chan’s pout was so huge that it almost gave her those ridiculous chipmunk pouches again . “Meanie, meanie, meanie! You promised me you wouldn’t leave me . ”
Li Yundong chuckled . “I’m not leaving you, okay? I’m just going to attend the job interview and then be home as soon as I’m done . ”
“R- Really?”
Li Yundong cracked a smile . “Yes, of course! I’ve got my best girl waiting for me at home . Where else would I go?”
Su Chan blushed . “Oh . T- Then… I’ll wait for you a-at home . ”
Li Yundong patted her head . “Good girl . I’ll be back as soon as I can . ” He glanced towards the kitchen . “There’s food inside the fridge . Should be enough to last you until dinner time . ”
They parted ways at the door, but not before sharing a long and warm embrace which turned his insides to mush . He wondered if this was what it felt like to be happily married .
When he stepped out of the apartment building, Li Yundong stopped beside the street and glanced up at the 20th floor . To his surprise, he saw Su Chan’s tiny figure waving at him from their balcony . Li Yundong mobilized a portion of his Qi towards his Shenting, and zoomed in with his telescopic vision . Su Chan was looking at him longingly as she waved, and she seemed to be holding back tears . Her lips were moving as well . Li Yundong sorted through the buzzing in his ears until he could hear her voice . “Come back soon, beloved…”
Li Yundong smiled and waved back at her . “I will,” he whispered, knowing that Su Chan could hear her too .
Yeah . Being a Cultivator rocked .
***
Li Yundong strode into Dongsheng Realtors’ main building with a confidence he didn’t know he possessed, smiling at the receptionist the moment he reached the front desk .
“Good morning, I’m here to see President Yin,” Li Yundong said politely . “I have an appointment . ”
The receptionist was a young—possibly in her early twenties—woman who was texting on her phone when he walked in . She returned his smile and lowered her phone . “Good morning, sir,” she said, reaching for the keyboard . “You said you have an appointment?”
Li Yundong nodded . “Yes . I’m here for a job interview . ”
“Alright . Please give me a moment to check . ”
Li Yundong smiled . “Will do . ”
The receptionist turned to her computer screen and tapped on the keyboard .
“So are you… Mr . Li?” she asked a few seconds later .
“Yes . ”
The receptionist smiled . “President Yin is waiting for you, sir . This way, please . ”
The receptionist led Li Yundong through a hallway . At the end of the hallway, they made a right turn which led them to an elevator lobby . When they stopped in front of the elevator, the receptionist pressed the elevator call b.u.t.ton .
“Thank you for your help,” Li Yundong said warmly . So far, he’d been treated politely and with respect . Returning the courtesy was the least he could do .
The receptionist smiled . “You’re welcome, sir . President Yin’s office is on the 19th floor . Make a right turn after you exit the elevator and you’ll see it . ”
Li Yundong nodded . “Alright . Thanks again . ”
***
Li Yundong adjusted his tie using the reflective surface of the elevator’s metallic wall as a mirror . After that, he smoothed his palms down his pants and watched the changing numbers on the elevator’s position indicator . He blew out a breath and began shifting his weight from foot to foot . d.a.m.n, he’d never been this nervous since… ever? How could he stare at the muzzle of a gun and remain unfazed yet be reduced to a nervous wreck by something as innocuous as a job interview? Admittedly, a huge part of his calmness during the gunfight was due to Qi control . But still, internal battles were almost always harder than external ones . The battle against the self is always the toughest to win . He reminded himself to move his Qi to his Lingtai later before he entered President Yin’s office .
The floor numbers continued to change . Li Yundong forced himself to stand still and stop fidgeting . On the elevator wall, his own reflection stared back at him, reminding him of how posh this entire building was—yes, even the elevators walls were that shiny . This entire building exuded a stylish and opulent air . Even the receptionist seemed very well dressed . But at least she didn’t seem sn.o.bbish . That was a good sign, right?
A loud ding made Li Yundong jump . He exhaled shakily . Geez Louise, he really needed to chillax . He was here for a job interview, not a cage fight . What’s the big deal? The doors slid open in a painfully slow manner . A whiff of feminine perfume a.s.saulted his nostrils . He raised his head and saw a tall—around 170cm—woman standing outside the elevator, waiting for him to step out . The woman was professionally dressed . Her dark business suit—pencil skirt, white blouse, and dark blazer—hugged her figure like a second skin . Li Yundong pushed away from the elevator wall and stepped out of the elevator, giving the woman a polite nod when their eyes met . The woman returned his nod and stared at him curiously for a moment . F*ck . Please don’t tell me I have something on my teeth…
Li Yundong hurried away from the elevator and took a right turn like the receptionist had told him earlier . Apparently, President Yin’s office occupied an entire section on the 19th floor’s ma.s.sive floor plan; shortly after he’d made the right turn, he stood in front of a huge section separated from the rest of the floor by tall gla.s.s panels . An automatic sliding door slid open the moment he stepped closer .
A silence fell upon the entire section the moment he pa.s.sed the automatic door . He strolled past desks where white-collar women were giving him curious stares . He fought down the blush threatening to bloom on his cheeks and kept walking .
He hurried past the desk until he reached a short hallway, where he made a left turn . The words “President” and “Yin Mengfan” carved onto the nameplate beside the door told him that he was at the right place .
Li Yundong approached the door and knocked .
The answer came almost instantly . “Come in!”
Here goes… Li Yundong closed his eyes and moved his Qi from his lower Dantian to his Lingtai . Calmness suffused him when he opened his eyes . He exhaled and pushed the door open .