Please, esteemed readers, rest your minds here with peace of mind~
The reading background for this session has been switched to a parallel universe of 'Magical Realism'~
All illogical, unimaginable, and 'outrageous' plotlines are for the sake of the story and are unavoidable~
Please do not arbitrarily assault the author~~ Thank you for reading! Heart!
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"What the hell... is this piece of scrap paper?"
Wang Wenbin, the Human Resources Manager, was clutching a resume in disgust, practically fuming!
Outside the window, the steel forest of Shanghai's financial district, with its densely packed skyscrapers, flaunted the arrogance of money and power.
Inside the window, the four gilded characters "Fang Huan Investment" silently proclaimed the illustrious reputation of this top-tier private equity fund.
With an asset management scale in the hundreds of billions and a leading position in the industry, this was a sanctuary where countless financial elites, graduates of prestigious universities with numerous certifications, would sharpen their minds just to squeeze in!
And the resume in his hand—
---
Name: Su Hao.
Age: 25 years old.
Graduated from: Shanghai Ordinary Second-tier University.
Major: Business Administration.
Certificates: None.
Work Experience: None.
---
Wang Wenbin almost suspected that the printer had jammed, and a test page had been mistakenly sent over!
CFA, CPA, FRM... none of the essential certificates for financial elites were present!
Work experience was also blank.
Honestly, such a meager job application resume was truly a first in the history of Fang Huan Investment!
Should he just shred it directly?
Wang Wenbin felt like he would be insulting that expensive German-imported machine!
Yet, today, it lay so conspicuously on his desk as the Human Resources Manager.
"Manager Wang," the secretary's voice carried a hint of caution, "This resume... was sent directly from the Chairman's office."
"What?" Wang Wenbin shot up from his chair, an expression of disbelief on his face.
The Chairman who had single-handedly brought Fang Huan Investment from obscurity to the pinnacle of the industry, known for his sharp eye and meritocratic approach, and who detested nepotism the most?
Wang Wenbin clearly remembered that a year ago, a highly accomplished company veteran had tried to arrange for his nephew, who had just returned from overseas, to enter a core department.
As a result, the Chairman mercilessly rejected him in front of all the executives, completely shattering the veteran's dignity.
Since then, no one dared to cross the line in that regard.
But now, the Chairman himself had personally sent such an... 'unremarkable' resume?
This was no longer a hint.
This was an explicit instruction!
It was an order!
Could it be... a relative of the Chairman?
Unlikely, the surnames were different.
But who could say for sure?
"Did it... say which department to assign him to?"
"No, it didn't say, it was just thrown over like that."
"Heh..." Wang Wenbin gave a bitter laugh.
No instruction was the most difficult instruction.
That meant they in the Human Resources Department had to figure it out themselves...
Where could such an overly mediocre 'connected person' be placed to satisfy the higher-ups?
If placed in a core department, this resume would definitely cause an uproar!
If placed in a peripheral department, he was afraid of offending this 'distinguished individual'.
"Then..." Wang Wenbin pondered for a full thirty seconds, his mind turning eighteen corners, "Assign him to Trading Department One, starting as a Trading Assistant."
"Trading Department One..." The secretary looked troubled, "I'm afraid they might have objections."
Wang Wenbin waved his hand dismissively:
"Even if they have objections, they'll have to swallow them! This is someone the Chairman personally 'cared for'! Anyone who dares to make a fuss, tell them to come directly to me!"
Although Trading Department One was a core department, a Trading Assistant, to put it plainly, was just a general errand boy, the most peripheral position in the department.
The job content was nothing more than clicking the mouse on a simulated trading account, or perhaps serving tea and water, printing documents, running errands...
It was just like... having a freeloader.
This way, it would save the Chairman's face and prevent this 'distinguished individual' from causing any major trouble. Perfect!
Wang Wenbin sighed inwardly, it seemed that after a long voyage, the bottom of the company's great ship was inevitably covered with some barnacles and seaweed...
Human relations, after all, could not be escaped.
He picked up the resume, his gaze falling once again on the name—Su Hao.
What earth-shattering background was hidden behind this name?
What could make the Chairman break the rules like this?
This name, like a small pebble, "plop," was thrown into the seemingly calm but actually turbulent deep pool of Fang Huan Investment, quietly rippling out.
And the origin of this ripple, the young man named Su Hao, just a few hours earlier, was still experiencing a storm that could overturn his life in an inconspicuous corner of the city...
***
"Bang!"
The door was violently pushed open, emitting a dull thud.
Su Hao shivered all over and abruptly turned away from the computer.
In the dim room, only the screen emitted a pale light, reflecting his slightly pale and flustered face.
"Mom... Dad? When did you two get back?"
"What, playing games so much you don't even know when your parents walk in?"
His mother's voice was sharp and weary, carrying an anger that had been suppressed for who knew how long.
His father's face was dark, like a silent volcano, standing behind his mother, his gaze like a knife.
"Your dad and I are working ourselves to death outside to earn money! And you, you only care about playing games at home every day!"
"Old Liu next door's son, the same age as you, just got promoted last month and is already preparing to buy a house and get married!"
"Your sister! Three years younger than you! Her job is stable now, and she even sends money home every month!"
"And you? Are you planning to live like this, muddled, your whole life?"
His parents' long-accumulated resentment, at this moment, burst forth like a breached Yellow River, instantly turning into a raging flood that engulfed Su Hao.
Every word was like an awl, piercing his heart.
He knew everything his parents said was true, every word reasonable, leaving him no room to argue, only to silently endure.
Back then, he was also a passionate young man who graduated from a second-tier university, and he once harbored great ambitions.
But after failing to find a job for a long time and repeatedly hitting walls, he retreated, hiding in the virtual haven of games, for several years.
Living off his parents, escaping, self-numbing.
"A-Hao," suddenly, his mother's voice softened:
"Mom also wants you to play happily your whole life, but reality doesn't allow it! Your dad and I will get old one day, what will you do then? You have to think about your future..."
"...I know." Su Hao lowered his head, his voice hoarse.
"One last time!" His father's voice was decisive:
"We'll trust you one last time! This time, you must take some practical action to show us your change! Don't disappoint us again!"
The door closed heavily, leaving a room of dead silence.
Su Hao sat stiffly in his chair, the epic weapon that had just dropped on his game screen now seemed so ironic.
"Heh..." He let out a dry, self-deprecating laugh, his chest feeling tight.
Just a moment ago, he was still chatting and joking with his game guild buddies in the voice channel.
[Holy cow! A-Hao got an epic weapon!]
[A-Hao is mighty! How did he even get that? He's the Emperor of Luck himself!]
[A-Hao's Emperor of Luck physique is truly amazing! He's a chosen one!]
...
The channel was filled with exclamations, cheers, and worship, and he was smug, enjoying being surrounded and hailed as the "Emperor of Luck."
All of this stemmed from a mysterious ability he had recently discovered.
An extremely subtle "intuition."
About a month ago, he started to notice that when playing games involving pure luck and probability, like drawing cards or opening loot boxes, he could always capture an indescribable "sense of timing" in a very brief moment.
Sometimes, that feeling was like a faint current, suddenly shooting up from his fingertips, tingling all the way to his brain!
As long as he clicked the mouse at that exact moment, a miracle often happened!
Just like that epic weapon a moment ago, it was the result of him unhesitatingly clicking the mouse after capturing that fleeting "feeling."
This inexplicable "Emperor of Luck" ability was his last pride and his comfort in escaping reality.
But now, this pathetic pride and comfort seemed so pale and powerless in the face of his parents' heavy disappointment.
He let out a long sigh.
Yes, he couldn't go on like this anymore.
He opened the guild chat box, his fingers hovering over the keyboard for a long time before finally typing a line of text.
"To all my brothers, I'm sorry, I... might be quitting the game."
As the message was sent, the guild channel instantly exploded.
[What? A-Hao, you're quitting? Why are you suddenly quitting when you're playing so well?]
[Did someone make you angry? Tell us, and we'll help you beat them up!]
[Don't go! We're all old guys already, if you leave, there'll be even less vitality!]
Su Hao looked at the scrolling messages of retention on the screen, feeling both touched and bitter.
He briefly explained his family situation.
The channel was silent for a full ten seconds.
[So that's how it is...]
[Sigh... I understand. Your parents are right, it's time to find a proper job.]
[What a pity, A-Hao! Your Emperor of Luck physique... how will we get equipment without you in the future!]
Amidst the expressions of regret and consolation, a private chat window suddenly popped up with a "ding." It was the guild leader.
-- A-Hao.
-- Guild leader?
-- Kid, don't be in such a hurry to quit. I remember, you graduated from Shanghai University of Technology? Business Administration major, right?
-- Yes, guild leader. What's wrong?
-- How's your math foundation? Have you studied accounting?
-- It's okay, I've studied a little.
--...Alright, send me your resume.
-- Huh? Guild leader, why do you want my resume?
-- Don't bother looking for all sorts of random jobs, just come work at our company, it'll also save you from quitting the game. Damn it, if you leave, our guild will really become a sunset retirement home!
Su Hao was stunned.
The guild leader?
The one who usually called everyone brothers in the game, joked around, always rushed to pay the bill at offline gatherings, and drove a luxury car, the "big brother next door"?
He had always thought the guild leader was just a rich second-generation heir with a love for games.
He actually had a company?
And he wanted to hire him?
This plot was a bit fantastical!
-- Guild leader, are you... are you not kidding?
-- Do I look like I'm kidding? I know what kind of kid you are in the guild! You're reliable, loyal, and smart. You've helped me share a lot of the guild's messy affairs. Consider it me returning the favor! Send your resume to this email, and I'll have the Human Resources Department arrange it!
Upon hearing the guild leader's words, Su Hao's eyes instantly welled up.
Although they only knew each other from the game, he never expected the guild leader to be so loyal and righteous!
However... he still had some doubts.
What if... the guild leader's company was one of those... irregular shell companies?
No! Su Hao violently shook his head, throwing that thought out of his mind!
What time was it? Still being picky?
It was good enough to have a job!
Regardless of the company's size, regardless of the salary, just get a job first!
At least... he could give his parents an explanation!
"Let me see... the email address the guild leader gave is..."
He trembled as he typed the company name associated with the email into the search engine.
The search results popped up instantly—
[Fang Huan Investment]
[Top domestic private equity investment fund]
[Asset management scale exceeding hundreds of billions]
...
Su Hao's pupils contracted, his mind went blank, and he stood frozen as if struck by a bolt of lightning.
His mouth unconsciously opened, and he squeezed out two words through his teeth in a tone mixed with extreme shock, disbelief, and utter absurdity:
"Ho... ly... shit...?