In the cool air of an early summer morning, I looked up at the CES Building, not too tall but still imposing. I had to use "Inner Strength" to suppress my trembling.
It was Monday, two weeks since I had devised the "Chase Him Plan." I was about to become a probationary employee at one of Asia's top three luxury brand agencies, with a probation period of three months. My clinic wasn't closed either, as I couldn't bear leaving the small animals without medical care, so I switched to opening in the evenings.
It would be tough, but since I couldn't have both desires and compassion, I just had to push myself. (Desire here refers to my goal of entering the CES company. Compassion refers to my sympathy for small, vulnerable animals.)
Since it was my first day at work, Mrs. Tu, who usually slept from 3 pm to 3 am, incredibly got up early to drive me there in her Cherokee. She could afford a more upscale car, but she chose it because it was sturdy and convenient to ram into things when annoyed. Hummers didn't have personality in her view, and she would have seriously considered buying a tank if it were legal to drive one on the street.
My house was far from the CES company. I didn't have a car or know how to drive, and it was impossible to take the bus or cycle in my outfit. I suggested taking a taxi, but Mrs. Tu thought it wasn't formal enough. Actually, she was worried I would bail at the last minute. In the two weeks since I had made up my mind, my intentions had wavered countless times. I vacillated between going for it and being timid, constantly struggling between chasing and not chasing.
At CES, except for the tea servers and the Old Lady who cleaned the toilets, everyone used cars as a symbol of their status. Even ordinary staff needed to appear different from ordinary employees of other companies.
"Later, I'll have Baby and Lao Bai take turns driving you," she yawned and said, "You don't need to buy a car, you mechanical idiot. Give it three months, at most half a year, to charm Lin Zexiu. By then, you'll naturally have a luxury car to ride in."
I didn't speak, just coughed, my throat tensing up.
Mrs. Tu glanced at me, smacking her lips, "It really is true that the clothes make the person. Don't be nervous, trust me, you do look pretty sharp right now."
Regardless of her lack of descriptive words, regardless of her punch-worthy facial expression, I still didn't move. For one, the outfit was both high-end and elegant, wrapping my body up tightly, and secondly, it was a gift from her—scarily expensive.
She, of course, didn't care about the expense, but it left me, a Cinderella too old for rich friends, feeling awkward and ill at ease, hardly fit for public display. As my mother would say, I wasn't afraid of dying but of falling into a ditch, because my clothes were worth more than my life.
A Prada black sports V-neck dress; Van Cleef & Arpels gold earrings and necklace; a Chanel black carved bracelet; Stella Luna white tied nude boots; an LV black square bag; and my short hair had been trimmed yesterday, costing me a hefty five hundred bucks. Mrs. Tu did my makeup herself in the morning, using a full set of top-notch makeup products she had gifted me. Unfortunately, my makeup skills were limited to drawing eyebrows and applying lipstick.
And my wardrobe, many of my favorite comfortable clothes were thrown out by Mrs. Tu. I had to beg and plead to keep a few outfits. The gifts from the three of them, along with the clothes, jewelry, and shoes I was forced to buy myself, filled up the closet. The quantity might be less than a tenth of my previous clothes, but looking at them, you could tell they were all luxurious—especially considering my financial situation. My years of hard-earned savings in the bank were now in the negative.
Money looked substantial when saved, but when it came to buying luxury, those zeros seemed awfully insignificant.
"Quality over quantity—you'll encounter many judgmental snobs at that fashion-savvy workplace. Considering your position, your entire outfit needs to be branded," UU told me with a sigh as I stared at my wardrobe. "Once you're firmly established, you can mix in some high-quality replicas without people noticing. That will reduce your financial pressure. But for now, it doesn't work that way. Our company has very little staff turnover; a newcomer gets lots of scrutiny. You must be prepared to feel like you're under a microscope. You managed to get in the company by chance when a new department was established. Moonmoon and I pulled some strings behind the scenes. Mrs. Tu's fabricated your experience and education so well—it took two weeks of struggle to get it approved."
"If something goes wrong, it won't affect you and Moonmoon, right?" I was really worried that the fabrication would cause trouble for my two good friends.
Although their capabilities and experiences were outstanding, and they'd attained high positions in major companies around the age of thirty, Yueyue also mentioned to me that the company policies were notoriously ruthless—if someone made a mistake, even if they were very important, they could still be fired. The job paid well, especially since UU needed to support a baby and couldn't afford to lose out.
"Don't worry, we won't let you get into trouble," Yueyue tried to reassure me. "Once you decide to do something, just go for it, don't look back and forth because that might actually lead to problems. If something truly unexpected happens, as your recommender and UU as the HR director, our faults might get overlooked. At most, you'll get a pay cut or demotion, but no one would dare fire us because it's Mrs. Tu who faked the documents. The company couldn't pin the blame on anyone outside."
"I would still feel very embarrassed," I once again doubted whether my decision was too impulsive.
"What's there to feel embarrassed about? We've been childhood friends, and are a bit older than you. Taking a risk for your dream now is worth it." UU patted my head like an elder sister. "Don't just be fierce when fighting hooligans; be brave with this too."
I was encouraged and felt my blood boil, so the next morning, which is now, I finally embarked on the path to the CES company, feeling a chill in my veins.
No sooner had I stepped out of the car, Mrs. Tu stuck her disheveled head out of the car window and with a fierce look told me, "Don't listen to Yueyue and UU, listen to me. Don't leave yourself a backup plan; that will make you reliant and prevent you from giving it your all. Do you understand burning your boats? Just think: I'll charm Lin Zexiu, succeed or perish trying! What about mixing genuine with counterfeit in a luxury brand? No need at all! If you charm that handsome guy with billions, you could even buy the whole world. Aim higher! We're not chasing him for his money, but it's a bonus if he's wealthy. Go for it!"
She shouted the last two words so loudly, almost scream-like, that I looked around, fearing others might think a murder had happened. Then she reversed her car, hit a small car, and triggered the alarm to go off continuously.
She didn't even bother to stop but sped away. I was so scared I ducked and ran, fearing people might think I was a criminal. I didn't stop to gather myself until I found a secluded spot.
The CES building stood before me. Although only eighteen stories high, it looked immensely oppressive from my angle. It was covered with a black shimmering façade and situated at the center of a T-junction, commanding presence from afar.
Noble, majestic, unique, it inexplicably evoked fear and submission, like a splendid hell that devoured everything yet was irresistibly tempting; I couldn't help but want to throw myself into it, even if it meant being shattered to pieces.
Who was it that said? Fashion is a drug, once addicted, no one can quit.
..................
..................
......Liu Liu has something to say.........
This afternoon there will still be updates at five and eight. Please support with recommendation tickets.
Qidian Chinese Network at www.qidian.com welcomes all book lovers to visit for the latest, fastest, and most popular serial works!