Very much in sync, Emily Thompson followed by his side. After submitting their resumes, neither of them wanted to stay in this place; it was best to get outside for some fresh air right away. As they walked, Emily Thompson happily recounted the recruitment process just now, especially emphasizing the difference between a “job interview notice” and a “job interview time notice,” speaking with great excitement—after all, it was her first time. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Shawn Lawrence, sucking on his popsicle, shook his head and, in the tone of someone with experience, began to lecture: “...I’m not trying to discourage you, but when I first met you, you were blindly pessimistic, not knowing where to start. Now, you’ve swung to blind optimism. That Jiade Supermarket chain you just handed your resume to—they’re just looking for cheap labor in bulk. As long as you dare to hand in your resume and don’t look too shabby, you’ll get in... That job will have you standing for seven or eight hours a day, and the daily wage is at most a hundred. And don’t expect any protection from labor laws—no pay for breaks or leave, and if anything gets lost, you’ll have to pay for it. That’s not even counting the boss finding excuses to dock your hard-earned money if he doesn’t like you. Whatever you actually get in hand is a tiny fraction. Can you really handle that?”

As he spoke, he sized up the junior student beside him. Her reserved way of licking the little wooden spoon was quite pleasing to the eye, revealing a row of neat, white teeth. If it weren’t for the few pimples still lingering on her face, this delicate, petite, exquisite face paired with the big braid at the back of her head would be even more perfect. Perhaps her only flaw was that she was a bit short. With Shawn Lawrence’s sharp eye, he judged that this girl was less than 1.6 meters tall, half a head shorter than himself.

But Shawn Lawrence quickly comforted himself in his heart: I’m not that tall either—wouldn’t I be a perfect match for such a petite and exquisite girl!?

Unaware that Shawn Lawrence was scrutinizing her with some unspeakable thoughts, Emily Thompson smiled and, unconcerned by Shawn Lawrence’s dire warnings, replied, “...Didn’t you say everyone has a first time? Besides, there’s still some time before the graduate recruitment season. It’s a good chance to get some practical experience... I’m not planning to do it long-term anyway.”

“Oh, that’s true...” Shawn Lawrence withdrew his gaze, looked back at the still bustling job market, and pointed to the second floor, explaining, “...We’re on the floor for cheap labor recruitment. Upstairs is for high-level and specialized talent—the pay is higher, but the requirements are much stricter. At the very least, your major has to match, and you need at least two years since graduation. For someone like you, who studied market management, they’ll also look at your specific achievements and work experience. When you reach that level, you’ll basically be a white-collar worker... If you don’t take the civil service exam or go into a state-owned enterprise, you’ll have to keep coming here. Keep your eyes open—nowadays, recruiters are really good at scamming people, especially fresh graduates, getting them to work for free... Like the resumes you handed in today, you’ll definitely get several interview notices. Remember, any company that asks you to pay a registration fee, uniform fee, training fee, or any kind of materials fee—whatever it is—they’re all scammers, don’t bother with them. There are plenty of shady companies making money off this now... Oh, let me give you my number. If you need anything, just contact me... What’s your phone number? I’ll call you now...”

They chatted as they walked out the doors of the job market hall. The rush of fresh air instantly refreshed them. Shawn Lawrence naturally brought up this topic—though he was telling the truth, he kept his real motive hidden, which was, of course, that last sentence. As he spoke, he casually took out his phone and pretended to dial, while Emily Thompson, blinking as she listened, just as naturally recited a number: “139XXXX”

Well, without a word, everything fell into place—the number was his. Shawn Lawrence kept a straight face to hide his satisfaction.

A moment later, a pleasant ringtone sounded. Emily Thompson pulled the lanyard from behind her shirt button, revealing that her phone had been tucked in her cleavage. Shawn Lawrence watched, guessing at the size and depth of that delicate spot, but now didn’t dare show even a hint of lewdness. Emily Thompson pressed the reject button to save the number, then looked up in confusion and asked, “You still haven’t told me your name?”

“Shawn Lawrence... ‘Shuai’ as in handsome... just the single character ‘Lang,’ as in ‘junlang’ (handsome and bright)...”

Shawn Lawrence felt awesome, pursing his lips in satisfaction as he announced his name. With a name and introduction this impressive—so much more than he actually was—he was sure to leave a deep impression. Sure enough, Emily Thompson was a little surprised, looking at the not-so-handsome or bright senior as he bit into his popsicle. Her eyes crinkled with laughter as she tried not to laugh while entering this “handsome and bright” name. After saving it, she tucked her phone back into her shirt, only to find Shawn Lawrence staring straight at her, a sparkling drop of water hanging from the corner of his mouth—who knew if it was melted popsicle or drool. Following his gaze down to her rather unremarkable chest, Emily Thompson blushed slightly and felt a bit annoyed. Covering herself with her hand, she asked calmly, “What is it?”

“Oh... you use an iPhone?” Shawn Lawrence asked in exaggerated surprise.

Emily Thompson instantly understood the surprise in Shawn Lawrence’s eyes. Such an expensive phone was indeed a bit out of place in the hands of a poor student. She smiled shyly and said, “It’s a high-quality knockoff, bought online from Taobao.”

“Oh... I see. When you’re out and about, don’t use too nice a phone—it attracts thieves...”