Chapter 189: Indifference—Who’s Really Uncomfortable?

In another room, Chen Yisha was also conducting interviews. She said to a young man, “You have wind powers, right? Please use your ability to spin that ceiling fan. Follow my commands to speed it up or slow it down.”

Because they didn’t want anyone to guess the real purpose behind their recruitment, this job fair wasn’t just for water-type abilities. They were also looking for other ability users—after all, they might need to open ice factories, power plants, cement plants, or brickworks in the future. All kinds of abilities could come in handy; even wind powers might be useful someday—who knows when you’ll need a human super-blower?

Even if they didn’t end up using them, it was still valuable firsthand information.

They also needed regular strong laborers and business staff, but there were people specifically in charge of recruiting those. At the other end of the courtyard, Wu Dalang and Shadow were finally allowed out for some fresh air, keeping a low profile as they watched over the proceedings to prevent any trouble.

The young man with wind powers performed well—he could make the fan go faster or slower as instructed, and his aim and control were decent. But something about him felt off. When the interview ended, he sniffed and sidled up obsequiously, asking, “Hey, beautiful, why are you hiring so many people? I heard Dr. Bian from yesterday was looking at storefronts near the central bank. Are you guys opening a shop? Bet business will be booming!”

Chen Yisha frowned in displeasure. She was well brought up, so even if she didn’t like someone, she remained polite in public. “Your interview is over. Please wait for further notice. There are others waiting.”

The young man tried to edge closer, but Lin Rongrong, who was nearby, wasn’t so polite. She raised a stack of résumés to block his leering face. “If you’re done, leave! This isn’t the place for nosy questions!”

Today, Lin Rongrong was finally freed from her tedious research work, as Su Chensi had taken over for her.

Su Chensi, a stunning beauty with outstanding spatial abilities, was one of the best among her kind and worked well with Jiang Zhihuan and the others. She didn’t feel any frustration or resentment at being replaced; instead, she was happy to work alongside Bian Changxi and Chen Yisha. It was her first time as an interviewer, and she was excited—she took the job very seriously, eager to spot talent like a discerning recruiter. So when she saw this clingy, troublemaking guy, she immediately tensed up.

The young man sneered, slapped his pants, and stood up. “Acting like you’re so important. You think you women can handle big things?”

Lin Rongrong glared at him. Chen Yisha’s brow arched, but before she could respond, two burly men in security uniforms entered. With hands like iron clamps, they grabbed the young man on either side. “Disrupting the event and wasting everyone’s time. Out!”

Shadow had sharp eyes and, hearing the commotion, immediately called for the man to be removed. He took the résumé from Chen Yisha, glanced at it, and handed it to a scholarly-looking man with glasses beside him. “Blacklist him. Never hire.”

The young man heard this as he was being dragged out and started struggling. “Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to blacklist me? I’ve got skills! This is corruption!”

Somehow, he managed to break free, and with a howl, sent a gust of wind blasting through the room. Shadow didn’t even flinch. With a wave of his hand, the ink from an open bottle on the table twisted into the air like a sly little snake, spun a few times, then expanded into a large, thin disk that blocked the wind. When the gust finally dissipated, the black disk suddenly shattered into a mist, enveloping the young man’s head and body in swirling, eerie darkness. There were a few startled cries, and the man staggered and collapsed to the floor.

Everyone looked over. The man was soaked in ink, with “black blood” streaming from his nose, ears, and eyes. He screamed and wailed, but judging by his voice, he wasn’t seriously hurt.

The man accompanying Shadow was a manager from a state-owned enterprise, chosen for his people skills. Seeing Shadow’s cold, silent demeanor, he immediately barked, “Rude, arrogant, and showing off your powers before you even speak? We don’t need dishonest employees like you. Take him away!”

After this scene, the remaining candidates fell silent, realizing that the organizers were not to be trifled with.

No wonder—the people running things were all unfamiliar faces, and they hadn’t specified who they were recruiting for. They only mentioned the general salary and said the work would be easy but dull, so everyone assumed a factory was expanding. The only familiar face was Bian Changxi, but as a medical professional, what was she doing here? People figured she was just there to support the others.

In truth, Bian Changxi and the others kept their identities and intentions vague to avoid trouble. This way, at least, they didn’t attract too much attention.

Bian Changxi heard the commotion and came out, exchanging a glance with Shadow. “He wasn’t here to spy, was he?”

“No. Just stupid.”

Bian Changxi chuckled, glanced at the remaining candidates, and did a quick count. “That’s probably enough. Including those we’ve already interviewed, it shouldn’t be hard to pick a few dozen. No need to let anyone else in.”

She told Zhang Bubai, who she’d brought to help, to take down the sign at the door. Just then, a soft, delicate voice floated in from outside, as gentle as a newly sprouted willow branch: “Is this the place? But someone was just thrown out… Will it be okay?” The worry and uncertainty in her tone tugged at the heartstrings, making anyone who heard it want to see who was speaking.

A man’s voice came from outside as well. “Don’t worry. If it’s not suitable, we’ll just leave.”

His voice was low, so only those with sharp hearing caught it. Bian Changxi frowned slightly, then saw a man and a woman appear at the door.

The man was handsome, with layered black hair, a high nose, and a look of determination tinged with restraint in his eyes. The woman was cute and pretty, her long hair tied in a high ponytail that added to her lively charm. Her delicate face glowed with youthful radiance, and she clutched her crossbody bag, wide-eyed and curious, like a lost girl next door—instantly likable.

Bian Changxi looked at them coolly. Aside from initial surprise, her expression and posture didn’t change at all.

The newcomers seemed puzzled by the silence in the courtyard, not knowing if it was because everyone had been intimidated by Shadow or if it was their own entrance that had caused the hush. At first glance, it seemed like their arrival was a big deal, drawing all eyes.

A flicker of surprise flashed in the girl’s bright eyes, quickly replaced by a subtle sense of superiority and satisfaction—though she hid it well. Then she spotted someone standing on the steps. “Bian Chang… Changxi-jie, what are you doing here?”

She covered her lips in shock, glanced at the man beside her, then smiled and asked, “Changxi-jie, are you here to apply too? That’s great, we can keep each other company.”

Bian Changxi gave her a glance, then looked at Bian Kuang, her eyes lowering slightly to hide a trace of disgust.

Anyone who didn’t know Bian Wei’s true nature would think her every move and expression was natural, cute, and innocent. But to Bian Changxi, these seemingly natural reactions were all fake and exaggerated—downright nauseating.

But that was all—just a bit nauseating. She realized she felt surprisingly calm. The coldness and hatred she used to feel toward this person had faded; now, Bian Wei was just a petty clown, not an enemy.

She asked Bian Kuang, “You’re here for the interview too?”

Bian Kuang seemed surprised that Bian Changxi spoke to him, a mix of surprise and delight on his face. “Weiwei wanted to find a job. I came with her.”

Bian Changxi nodded. “Go sign in and fill out the form over there. Wait for your number to be called.” She told Zhang Bubai to take down the sign at the door and not let anyone else in, then called out, “Next!” and returned to her interview room.

Her position was now clear for all to see.

Bian Wei’s eyes widened. “Changxi-jie is the interviewer?” She seemed unfazed, as if it didn’t matter to her. This wasn’t what she’d expected. She thought that even if Bian Changxi had strong powers and powerful backers, when it came to family and Bian Kuang, she herself had finally beaten her. She knew how close Bian Changxi and Bian Kuang used to be; surely, deep down, Bian Changxi must be sad and upset, and now, in every other way, she was inferior. This was the one area where she could still claim victory.

But why didn’t she seem to care at all? Bian Wei had expected her to be cold and sharp as before, her attitude harsh and confrontational—that always gave Bian Wei a secret thrill, as if Bian Changxi was only hurting herself, like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum over a toy she couldn’t have. Wasn’t the winner supposed to be calm and composed?

How had things changed in just a few days?

Bian Kuang was also taken aback, then sighed. “Come on, let’s fill out the form.”

Lin Rongrong sneaked over to Bian Changxi’s desk. “Want me to quietly get rid of that woman?”

With a woman’s intuition, she disliked Bian Wei too—let alone the fact that Bian Changxi’s falling out with the Bian family was largely Bian Wei’s doing.

Bian Changxi saw the next candidate hadn’t arrived yet. “No need. We’ll follow procedure. Whatever’s supposed to happen will happen.” She paused. “Actually, Bian Wei is quite suited for this job.”

“Huh? You’re going to let her in? Isn’t that awkward, having to see her face every day?”

Bian Changxi smiled. “Awkward? Not really. Just treat her like air. Besides—” She twirled her pen, a sly glint in her eye. “Shouldn’t she be the one who feels awkward?”

Working under your enemy, after all.

Lin Rongrong immediately caught on, grinning mischievously. “Then let’s keep her! Ability users are being interviewed by you and Yisha, right? I’ll go tell Yisha.”

She happily slipped back through the door between the two rooms, as if she were the one with a grudge.

Bian Changxi stared ahead for a while, not moving her pen. In truth, she thought, all that past tit-for-tat was pretty silly.

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Thanks to Ziqi Shuijing for one, two, three... thirteen safety charms! You really scared me, sending so many at once—hope it wasn’t a system error? -_-! Anyway, thank you so much, kisses~~l3l4"