Amy Johnson nodded. "Yes, that's fine."
Alex Parker said, "Good, let's review some details. First, regarding work hours: it's from 10 AM to 8 PM daily. It's best if you can work weekends fully. If you have any personal matters, you can take off on Mondays or Tuesdays."
Amy responded, "Got it."
"As for the salary, weekends and holidays are considered overtime, so I'll offer you $8000 per month, paid before the 5th of each month. But try not to take more than eight days off each month," Alex explained.
Amy was surprised. "Huh? That much?"
Typically, companies tend to squeeze the wages of interns. Even at prestigious universities, interns in the capital city usually earn around $5000 a month. Some industries that require frequent overtime may pay slightly higher, but still not exceeding $7000.
Interns generally only earn $8000 or more once they become full-time employees. Amy's expected salary was around $5000, so Alex's offer far exceeded her expectations.
Alex said, "If you think it's too much, we can reduce it, no problem."
Amy laughed, "Of course, I don't think it's too much."
In his previous life, Alex hated the haggling process during job interviews. It felt like a mind game between the applicant and HR, like bargaining in a market, which he found disrespectful to the talent involved.
For Alex, spending an extra few thousand dollars a month was negligible, considering each lottery draw cost $10,000. He believed Amy deserved that much money.
Alex continued, "Next, let's talk about overtime."
Amy quickly said, "Overtime is no problem. I'm currently in a learning and accumulation phase. If needed, I can even work overnight..."
Alex interrupted, "Oh, you might have misunderstood. I meant there's no need for overtime here. The work hours are from 10 AM to 8 PM, and there won't be any overtime."
"Huh?"
Amy was taken aback. This wasn't what she expected.
In Alex's previous world, the gaming industry had severe overtime issues, and he was expected to work without extra pay. In this parallel world, although not as mandatory, overtime was still prevalent.
Most game designers in this world were workaholics, often handling multiple aspects of the game themselves, leading to inverted work schedules during development phases.
Amy expected frequent overtime and was prepared for it. Alex's statement that there was no need for overtime was surprising.
Alex said, "Companies with frequent overtime either have unreasonable staffing or low employee efficiency. My company has neither issue."
Amy nodded, feeling a bit in awe.
Alex said, "You should know the general tasks of a receptionist. There usually aren't too many people, so you can do whatever you want at the front desk, like surfing the internet, playing games, or watching dramas. Occasionally, I'll give you some assistant work; just ensure it's done on time."
Amy said, "Okay, no problem!"
Alex continued, "Alright, go home and prepare today, and start officially tomorrow."
Amy nodded. "Got it. Please take care of me!"
They shook hands briefly, and Amy left very happily.
For Amy, this job was perfect: learning from an excellent designer, earning a salary far above other jobs, and having light duties without overtime.
The only downside was the potential clash in game design philosophy with the boss. But she thought, how bad could it get if the designer of "Plants vs. Zombies" wanted to make money, even at the cost of his reputation?
...
The next day at 10 AM.
Alex opened the store ten minutes early, and Amy was already waiting outside.
"Good morning, boss," Amy greeted.
Alex said, "No need to come so early. It's okay to be five or ten minutes late."
Amy replied, "That's not acceptable. I'm always punctual."
The store was empty since it had just opened.
The laptop and graphics tablet Alex ordered online had arrived. Both were high-end models, fully capable of meeting most game design requirements.
"Install the necessary software on the computer. In the afternoon, I'll send you some design documents to detail," Alex instructed.
Amy nodded. "Okay."
Alex gave a few more instructions and then went upstairs. With Amy at the front desk, he felt a bit redundant on the first floor.
Amy started downloading essential software on the new computer. These software packages were large, and despite the fast internet speed in the store, it would take some time to download.
Amy was a bit excited on her first day at work.
She stood up and walked around the first floor of the store.
The cleaning and daily maintenance were handled by professionals, so everything was spotless. The computer screens, keyboards, and mice were clean, and the seats were neatly arranged.
The small meeting room, the front desk, the snack rack, the sofas... Amy toured the entire first floor and felt that Alex's experience store differed from others she had seen. The overall atmosphere was more relaxed and comfortable.
Maybe it was the layout.
Amy returned to the front desk.
Not long after, around 10:15 AM, a slightly dark-skinned, thin young man walked in.
"Hello, welcome," Amy greeted politely.
Paul Wilder was stunned. He blinked and stepped back outside to check the store's sign.
Thunder Game Experience Store, he hadn't gone to the wrong place.
Paul looked around the store. Everything seemed unchanged, except the boss had turned into a cute girl.
Had he... become a she?!
"Um... who are you?" Paul asked.
Amy said, "I'm Amy Johnson, the new receptionist."
"Oh!" Paul suddenly understood. "Hello, hello. Where's the boss?"
Amy replied, "The boss is upstairs. Do you need me to call him?"
Paul quickly shook his head. "No, no, I'm just here to play for a while. It's fine."
Paul swiped his ID card and found a computer to sit at.
He sneakily glanced at Amy.
Paul thought, "Wow, I didn't come for two days, and the boss hired a cute girl as the receptionist. This is big news."
Paul took out his phone and sent a message in the promotions department group chat.
"Big news! The boss hired a cute girl as the receptionist!"
Soon, many lurking members were drawn out, all replying.
"What? Really? I was there yesterday, and there was no one!"
"I heard the boss was hiring. Had a few interviews."
"Already hired? Is she charming? How cute?"
"I don't believe it! No proof, no truth!"
"Right, post a photo!"
"Is she cuter than senior Lily?"
Paul was speechless. "Come and see for yourself!"
Jessica Thompson: "Don't let that cute girl leave; I'm coming immediately!"
The group chat exploded. The boss wasn't focusing on game development. Was he trying to attract customers with a cute girl because people haven't been visiting the experience store recently?
Outrageous, too outrageous!
What is this called? Shameful!
But... well done!!