Jian Yan occasionally comes up with some odd ideas. Lin Zhen, who thought she had developed an unbreakable spirit, was still taken aback this time: "What?"
Jian Yan repeated herself: "I'm going to sell clothes at Starlight Department Store."
"Are you selling or buying clothes?"
"Selling clothes, selling clothes, selling clothes."
Lin Zhen: "…"
This time, she finally believed that Jian Yan wanted to sell clothes at Starlight Department Store.
"No problem." She felt like she couldn't understand Jian Yan's thoughts anymore. "Can you tell me why you want to go there to sell clothes?" Could it be to get closer to Master He? But wasn't she allergic to men?
Jian Yan said: "Didn't I mention before that in my new work, I wanted to draw a protagonist who sells clothes at a department store?"
"Yes, you did mention that." Lin Zhen nodded. All of Jian Yan's comics were related to fashion. The first protagonist was a fashion designer, the second was a model, and the third…was a salesperson. There was nothing wrong with that.
"So I decided to go and gather material on-site."
"…" Lin Zhen finally connected with her wavelength. "If you need to gather material, you could just interview a couple of salespeople, right? Is it necessary for you to do it yourself?"
Jian Yan's dark eyes gazed at her. Lin Zhen coughed once and said: "I mean, to sell clothes."
Jian Yan replied: "Of course it's necessary. Everyone has different feelings about things. How can what you distill from others' experiences be the same as experiencing it firsthand?"
She sounded so convincing that Lin Zhen almost believed her: "Alright, even if you want to sell clothes, Starlight is such a big company. Can you just walk in like that?"
"Oh, by the way, their HR manager is my college classmate. She said it's a busy time around the end of the year, so she can arrange for me to join them."
"…" When did all this happen? Lin Zhen composed herself and continued to persuade her: "But, can you actually sell clothes? Don't let your classmate down!"
Jian Yan proudly patted her chest: "Don't worry about that. Once I start, I'll become the top seller here. Hahaha."
Lin Zhen: "…"
Teacher, you seem to be enjoying this.
"Forget it, anyway, I gave you a month off, so do whatever you want." Lin Zhen put on her high heels that were by the door and left.
Jian Yan yawned, threw the milk carton into the trash, and went upstairs to sleep.
She had agreed with her classmate to start working two days later. That morning, she got up early, walking barefoot on the plush carpet to the wardrobe to pick out her clothes.
Since she was going to be a salesperson, she shouldn't wear anything too expensive. Jian Yan closed the front closet and turned to open the one behind her. This closet held more affordable clothes, though most of them still cost over a thousand yuan. She chose a blouse with a Peter Pan collar and puffed sleeves, a black patent leather sleeveless dress, and finally, a long coat with a subtle checkered embroidery.
After examining herself in the full-length mirror, Jian Yan tied her long hair up casually at the back of her head. After applying makeup, she went downstairs for breakfast and then headed out with her bag.
When she reached the garage, she hesitated for a moment—would it be too flashy to drive there to sell clothes? But if she didn't drive, she'd have to take the subway…
Thinking about the crowded subway, she frowned slightly and opened the car door. Her car was just for transportation and not a luxury vehicle—it should be fine.
Starlight Department Store was located in the most prosperous area of City A, where the constant flow of vehicles and bustling crowds were common sights. After arriving, Jian Yan parked her car and followed the address her classmate had sent her to find the HR department.
She lightly knocked twice, and someone inside called for her to enter.
Jian Yan pushed the door open and saw the familiar face from her memories: "Zhou Wenwen!"
She called out, and the person named Zhou Wenwen looked up, her eyes clearly showing surprise: "Goodness, isn't this beautiful Jian Yan? You're looking better than ever!"
Jian Yan playfully raised an eyebrow, accepting the praise from her old friend.
Zhou Wenwen stood up from her desk and scrutinized her: "You've been doing well these past few years."
Jian Yan waved her hand: "Oh, no, no. That's why I'm coming to ask for your help."
Zhou Wenwen smiled and handed her an employee ID: "Your ID is ready. Report to Dream Closet today."
Jian Yan's eyes widened slightly: "Dream Closet?"
Dream Closet was a unique section of Starlight Department Store where customers could buy any brand available in the store. The sales staff there were known for their keen fashion sense and expertise in styling.
The existence of this section solved many problems for customers—some didn't know what to buy, some didn't know how to style their outfits, and some simply didn't want to wander through every brand individually.
"The sales staff for each brand hire their own employees, but only the staff at Dream Closet are our company's employees," Zhou Wenwen explained. "Dream Closet was planned by Manager He himself, and he personally selects the employees."
Manager He? Wasn't he the famous Master He who was often rumored to be someone else's boyfriend? Jian Yan was a little curious, but the current focus wasn't that: "The employees at Dream Closet are personally selected by Manager He? How did I get through?"
Considering her connection with Zhou Wenwen, she had written her resume rather casually, even filling in "freelance" for work experience.
Zhou Wenwen said: "Actually, Manager He is out of town on a business trip these past few days. He hasn't seen your resume yet… But since you're recommended by me, he's letting you come in for a trial."
Jian Yan felt a heavier burden on her shoulders: "Don't worry, I will work hard and won't let you down."
Zhou Wenwen laughed: "Forget it, you're just here for research, aren't you? However, Manager He has good judgment. He might not keep you, and then I'll try to place you somewhere else."
"Sure, as long as it involves selling clothes."
"Alright, I'll tell you about the salary. Although the base salary during the probation period is lower than that of regular employees, the commission is similar. If you sell more, you might earn even more than regular employees."
Jian Yan's eyes lit up: "Then I'll work even harder."
Zhou Wenwen laughed: "Let's go to the sales floor."
After saying this, she led Jian Yan out. On the way, they encountered a male colleague who approached Zhou Wenwen with a suggestive look when he saw Jian Yan: "Manager Zhou, who's this beauty? Introduce us."
Zhou Wenwen said: "A new colleague, not in your department."
"It doesn't matter that we're not in the same department. We're all working at Starlight after all." The male colleague tidied his hair and extended his hand toward Jian Yan. "Hello, beauty. I'm Xiao Shao."
Jian Yan took a small step back and nodded: "Hello."
Xiao Shao's hand hung in mid-air, somewhat awkward. Zhou Wenwen coughed and said: "This female colleague doesn't like physical contact with the opposite sex."
Xiao Shao frowned at her questioningly. Jian Yan smiled gently beside him: "Actually, I'm much better now. In junior high school, I hit a male classmate and sent him to the hospital."
Xiao Shao quickly retracted his hand.
"Come on," Zhou Wenwen continued leading Jian Yan toward the sales floor. By this time, the mall had already opened. Zhou Wenwen took Jian Yan to Dream Closet and called over the team leader. "This is the new colleague, Jian Yan. I'll leave her with you."
The team leader sized Jian Yan up and nodded at Zhou Wenwen: "Okay, go ahead and do your work."
Zhou Wenwen encouraged Jian Yan again and then left the sales floor. The team leader asked Jian Yan: "Have you shopped at Starlight before?"
"Yep."
"Then you should know about Dream Closet. Here, the guides don't wear uniforms; they wear their own outfits. Only if you dress beautifully enough can you give customers confidence." As the team leader spoke, her gaze swept over Jian Yan again. "That outfit looks nice. Your previous job must have paid well, right?"
Jian Yan smiled: "I don't have many hobbies, except for clothes. Aside from daily expenses, I spend most of my money on clothes."
"You must be very knowledgeable about clothing." The team leader nodded. "We work in shifts in the mall. Since you arrived at this time, we'll still count it as a seven-hour shift for today, and you can finish at five. Come tomorrow at eight twenty, and I'll give you a schedule."
"Okay, thank you, Team Leader."
"Let me show you around the sales floor."
The team leader led Jian Yan around the sales floor while explaining the locations and styles of various brands. Jian Yan listened carefully and memorized them.
"A woman suddenly walked up to Jian Yan and said: "I want to buy the outfit you're wearing."
Jian Yan was a bit taken aback. Buy the outfit she was wearing? She thought for a moment and explained to the woman: "I'm sorry, but this is my personal outfit."
The woman said: "I don't mind. Just take it off and give it to me."
Jian Yan pursed her lips. Was her first customer at work going to be difficult?
The team leader didn't say anything and seemed to be observing how Jian Yan would handle the situation. It was the man accompanying the woman who stepped forward and pulled her gently: "She said it's her own outfit, why are you trying to buy it?"
The woman snorted coldly at him: "So what if it's her own outfit? I like the one she's wearing." She turned her head to Jian Yan. "Name your price."
Many people in the sales area were watching them. Jian Yan subtly sized up the woman in front of her. From head to toe, she was wearing the latest models from Bunny, Lily & Sa, and Biubiu, which added up to over fifty thousand yuan—a major customer.
Jian Yan showed a natural smile: "The clothes I'm wearing have been worn and washed several times. How could I sell such used clothes to a customer? If you like the style I'm wearing, I can recommend something for you. How about that?"
The woman raised an eyebrow: "Okay, but if what you pick doesn't look good, I'm still buying the outfit you're wearing."
Jian Yan smiled at her and started selecting clothes for her: "My outfit combines a vintage French blouse with a patent skirt and includes this year's popular embroidery elements." As she spoke, she picked up a black biker jacket and a pink A-line maxi skirt. "Black and pink are the easiest colors to create a fashionable look. The stylish biker jacket paired with the sweet pink maxi skirt creates a unique romantic atmosphere. The floral embroidery on the hem adds a touch of vintage."
She draped the two pieces of clothing in her hands and walked to the shoe and bag counter, picking out a pair of black high heels with diamond decorations and this year's popular bucket bag. "The black high heels complete the outfit, and finally, you need a distinctive tote bag."
She brought all the items back to the woman. The woman looked at them for a moment and then headed toward the fitting room. Jian Yan followed with the clothes, and soon the woman came out wearing the new outfit.
A small commotion arose among those who had been paying attention. Jian Yan admired her own masterpiece and smiled as she pushed the full-length mirror in front of the woman.
Seeing herself in the mirror, the woman was momentarily stunned. After a moment, she turned to Jian Yan and said: "Very good, I'll buy the whole outfit."
Jian Yan's smile became more sincere: "Thank you for your patronage."
While choosing the clothes, she deliberately picked the more expensive brands. This entire outfit was worth fifty to sixty thousand yuan. She really loved how profitable she was.
After sending off this major customer, Jian Yan's smile hadn't completely faded when she noticed a man leaning against the counter watching her.
From a purely aesthetic point of view, this man was handsome and dressed impeccably—he could be most women's dream lover.
Unfortunately, Jian Yan had misandry.
The man smiled at her and said: "You're the new employee? Not bad performance."