amaotonovel Chapter 1450 I'm done!
Chapter 1450 I'm done!
Chapter 1450 I'm done!
"Jingle Bell--"
The silence was shattered by the shrill ring of a cell phone. Luo Zijun glanced at the caller ID; it was Tang Jing. She hesitated for three seconds before pressing the answer button.
"How did the interview go?" Tang Jing's voice came through the receiver, sounding tired after a long day at work.
Luo Zijun bit her lip: "It's just like that."
"What do you mean? You didn't get a single job in any of the three interviews?" Tang Jing keenly noticed the evasiveness in her tone.
"If it's not a face-saving measure, it's not a face-saving measure. How would I know why?" Luo Zijun tried to brush it off with a lighthearted tone, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her pajamas.
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Tang Jing's voice became more serious: "Tell me in detail about the interview process, what questions they asked you, so I can help you summarize your experience. Summarizing, analyzing, and solving problems are essential skills in the workplace, and you'll use them in your future career."
Luo Zijun sighed, knowing she couldn't hide it from her best friend of over ten years.
"The first interview was at nine in the morning at that foreign trade company in Pudong. I set an alarm, but for some reason it didn't go off." Luo Zijun's voice trailed off: "When I woke up, it was already 10:30."
"What about the second one?"
"The second one was at 2 PM, but I was late and missed it at Jing'an Temple..."
The sound of Tang Jing taking a deep breath came from the other end of the phone. Luo Zijun could almost imagine her expression at that moment—her brows furrowed and her lips pressed into a straight line, which was her signature expression when she was angry.
"Surely you'll make it to the last one by now, right?"
"I made it in time," Luo Zijun stammered, "but I was wearing those limited edition Jimmy Choo heels, and they complained that I was too slow at work..."
"Luo Zijun!" Tang Jing's voice suddenly rose, her anger palpable even through the phone: "You went to a job interview wearing eight-centimeter heels? What company would hire a warehouse manager who can't even walk steadily?"
"I usually wear this height," Luo Zijun explained, feeling wronged.
"Normally? Luo Zijun, you're not Mrs. Chen anymore!" Tang Jing practically yelled. "No one's supporting you anymore. You need to learn to be self-reliant! If that's your attitude, then I don't need to worry about you anymore. Forget about Ping'er's custody. Even if Chen Junsheng takes pity on you and lets Ping'er live with you, do you expect him to beg on the streets with you?"
The name "Ping'er" pierced Luo Zijun's heart like a needle. She gripped her phone tightly, her nails almost digging into her palm.
"No, Tang Jing, I was wrong, I was wrong, okay?" Luo Zijun's voice was trembling with tears. "Give me another chance, I promise I'll do a good job this time."
"you promise?"
"I promise! I really promise!" Luo Zijun said urgently, as if this would convince Tang Jing of her determination.
Half an hour later, Tang Jing appeared at the hotel room door carrying a laptop and a takeout order. She was dressed in standard business attire—a white shirt, black suit pants, and her short hair made her look very capable. In contrast, Luo Zijun, wearing cartoon pajamas and with messy hair, looked extremely disheveled.
"Let's eat first." Tang Jing placed the takeout on the small coffee table, then turned on her laptop and sat in the only chair: "I'll eat and watch at the same time."
Luo Zijun obediently opened the lunchbox, which contained sushi and sashimi from her favorite Japanese restaurant. Her nose tingled with emotion. Tang Jing was always like this, saying the harshest things but always thinking of her in her actions.
“There aren’t many suitable positions for you.” Tang Jing stared at the screen, her fingers sliding across the touchpad: “No work experience, no professional skills, and your age isn’t exactly an advantage. I’ve screened through all the options, and these are the only ones I could find.”
Luo Zijun leaned closer to look. The screen listed seven or eight job titles: shopping mall sales assistant, receptionist, customer service specialist, administrative assistant. Each one looked so unfamiliar and distant. Not long after graduating from university, she married Chen Junsheng and hadn't worked more than a few days in total.
"Either is fine, just vote for whichever you think is better," Luo Zijun said softly.
Tang Jing turned to look at her, her eyes serious: "It's not what I think, it's what you think. This is your job, your life, and you have to make your own choices."
Luo Zijun stared blankly at the job descriptions. She had no idea what the jobs entailed, nor whether she was qualified. Finally, she pointed to a few randomly: "This one, this one, and this one."
Tang Jing sighed, but still submitted her resume as she had chosen: "Starting tomorrow, you need to get up at seven o'clock sharp every morning. I will call you then to keep an eye on things."
"Huh? So early? I don't have an interview tomorrow, can't I go later?" Luo Zijun instinctively resisted. In the past ten years or so, she had rarely gotten up before ten o'clock in the morning.
Tang Jing glared at her: "No. Keep your phone accessible tomorrow. If you get an interview invitation, go by yourself. I won't help you with route planning anymore. Just ask them where the shortest subway station is."
"Ah?" Luo Zijun groaned in exasperation. Shanghai's subway lines were like a maze to her; she used to travel by private car or taxi, and had never needed to plan her own public transportation routes.
"What do you mean 'oh'? I went through the same thing when I first graduated and was looking for a job. This is your first step towards self-reliance, keep it up." Tang Jing closed her laptop, stood up, and prepared to leave: "Show some spirit."
"Okay," Luo Zijun replied listlessly.
Tang Jing walked to the door, then turned back: "Zijun, I'm not forcing you, I'm helping you. You must stand up, for Ping'er, and for yourself."
The door closed softly, and the room returned to silence. Luo Zijun looked at the unfinished sushi on the coffee table and suddenly lost her appetite.
……
At seven o'clock sharp the next morning, the phone rang. Luo Zijun struggled to get out of bed, fumbled for her phone, and pressed the answer button.
"Get up, Ziju." Tang Jing's voice was clear and strong, with the sound of a coffee machine running in the background: "You might get interview calls today, so keep your phone on."
"I understand," Luo Zijun replied vaguely, her eyes still half-closed.
"Speak louder, I can't hear you."
"I understand!" Luo Zijun raised her voice, fully awake.
The phone remained silent; there was no interview notification. Luo Zijun finished washing up and changed into a simple T-shirt and jeans—the "job-hunting gear" Tang Jing had specially brought yesterday. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw no elaborate makeup, no designer clothes, just an ordinary woman in her thirties, nothing out of the ordinary.
……
Meanwhile, Tang Jing was putting on makeup in her apartment bathroom. She quickly completed a professional look, changed into the same suit as yesterday, only changing the shirt. At 7:30, she grabbed her briefcase, left, and drove to the company.
Tang Jing drove the car into the underground garage and skillfully found her assigned parking space.
Just as I was about to get out of the car, a familiar black Mercedes stopped in the parking space diagonally opposite.
Tang Jing hesitated for a moment, preparing to get out of the car to say hello. However, just as her hand touched the door handle, she saw the passenger door open.
Vivian got out of the car.
Tang Jing froze. She saw Vivian walk around to the driver's side, and after Qin Hao got out of the car, she affectionately took his arm and walked towards the elevator.
Tang Jing sat in the car, her knuckles white as she gripped the steering wheel.
After taking three deep breaths, Tang Jing pushed open the car door. The sound of her high heels clicking on the ground echoed in the underground parking garage; she tried her best to appear calm and composed.
As soon as he got off the bus, he bumped into Chen Junsheng.
When their eyes met, Chen Junsheng was clearly stunned, and an embarrassed expression appeared on his face.
Tang Jing completely ignored Chen Junsheng and headed straight for the elevator. However, the elevator hadn't arrived yet, and Qin Hao and Vivian were still waiting. For a moment, the atmosphere at the elevator shaft entrance fell into a deathly silence.
Chen Junsheng seemed to want to say something, his lips moved, but he finally spoke cautiously: "Is Luo Zijun... alright?"
These words were like a match, igniting the pent-up anger in Tang Jing's heart. She turned her head and glared fiercely at Chen Junsheng: "Very well! You think Luo Zijun can't live without you? Let me tell you, she's doing great. She's already looking for a job, and she'll soon regain custody of Ping'er!"
Chen Junsheng's face flushed red and then paled. He opened his mouth as if to explain something, but ultimately kept it closed. At this moment, Qin Hao gave the eager Vivian a warning look. Vivian pouted and swallowed back the words she was about to say, but her actions became even bolder, almost pressing her entire body against Qin Hao's arm.
The atmosphere grew even more tense, but thankfully the elevator finally arrived with a "ding".
The four of them entered the elevator one after another. The space was cramped, forcing them to move closer together. Vivian reluctantly let go of Qin Hao's hand—this was one of the three rules Qin Hao had laid down for her: she couldn't be too intimate at the company, since they were superior and subordinate, and it wouldn't look good.
The elevator slowly ascended, the numbers flashing. Tang Jing stared at the changing numbers, trying to calm herself. She could feel Chen Junsheng's hesitant gaze, and she could also see Vivian's subtle gesture of linking arms with Qin Hao out of the corner of her eye.
Finally, the elevator stopped at the floor where Chenxing Company was located.
"I'm leaving now," Chen Junsheng said in a low voice, nodded to Qin Hao, and hurriedly walked out of the elevator, his back looking somewhat disheveled.
The elevator doors closed again, leaving only three people. Tang Jing suddenly turned to Qin Hao: "Are you free? Want to chat?"
Vivian immediately tugged at Qin Hao's sleeve, her face full of reluctance. Qin Hao glanced at her, the warning in his eyes obvious. Vivian reluctantly let go, muttering softly, "Then hurry up, the morning meeting is about to start."
"Come to my office," Qin Hao said to Tang Jing.
……
After the door closed, Qin Hao walked behind his desk and sat down, gesturing for Tang Jing to sit. Tang Jing didn't sit down, but stood by the window with her back to him.
"You're not a child anymore, is this really funny?" Qin Hao's voice came from behind.
Tang Jing turned around and looked directly at him: "You'll have to ask her about that. Don't tell me she doesn't recognize my car. She deliberately got so close to you when she got out, wasn't she just trying to annoy me? Anyone can be shameless."
Qin Hao was speechless for a moment.
Tang Jing took a deep breath, walked to the desk, and softened her tone: "Could you do me a favor?"
Qin Hao raised an eyebrow: "Tell me what it is."
"You have a wide network of connections, could you help Luo Zijun find a job? She's divorced and needs a job to fight for custody of her child."
Qin Hao refused without hesitation: "No."
"Why? We were classmates after all."
"I didn't exchange more than ten sentences with her during college," Qin Hao said calmly. "Besides, she probably talked a lot about me behind my back back then, didn't she?"
Tang Jing was speechless.
“That’s all in the past. She really needs help now,” Tang Jing tried to persuade her.
Qin Hao shook his head: "Tang Jing, I know you value relationships, but Luo Zijun's problem can't be solved with just a job. She's been a full-time housewife for ten years and is long out of touch with society. You can help her once, but can you help her for a lifetime? She has to learn to stand up on her own."
"That's why I'm asking you to help give her a chance!" Tang Jing said anxiously.
"I can't give it to her." Qin Hao's attitude was firm: "My relationships are all built up little by little, and I can't just waste them. Besides, given Luo Zijun's current state, if I introduce her to a job, it won't help her, it will harm the person who uses her."
Tang Jing stared at him for a few seconds, knowing that there was no point in continuing: "Okay, I'll think of another way."
As Tang Jing walked out of Qin Hao's office, she deliberately feigned a happy expression, even smiling at Vivian who was waiting outside. Sure enough, Vivian's expression instantly twisted, but she dared not retaliate, only glaring angrily at Tang Jing's retreating figure, silently making a mental note of the incident.
Back in her office, Tang Jing closed the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. The Shanghai sky outside the window was overcast, much like her current mood. She walked to her desk, sat down, and turned on her computer, but couldn't concentrate on reading a single word.
After pondering for a long time, Tang Jing picked up her phone and dialed He Han's number.
The phone rang a few times before being answered, and a deep, slightly magnetic male voice came through: "A rare guest indeed, what brings you to call me?"
"Luo Zijun is divorced. She needs a job to win back custody of her son. Can you do me a favor?" Tang Jing got straight to the point without any pleasantries.
A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone: "She was dumped by Chen Junsheng? As expected. No, to be precise, the fact that Chen Junsheng has tolerated her for so many years is beyond my expectations."
Tang Jing said irritably, "Could your mouth be any more venomous?"
“The truth is always hard to hear.” He Han said in a relaxed tone, “Why did you ask me for help? Qin Hao’s influence is much wider than mine now.”
Tang Jing bit her lip: "He's on Chen Junsheng's side."
"Understood." He Han paused for a moment, then said, "Okay, send me Luo Zijun's resume and I'll give it a try, but I can't guarantee it will work."
"Thanks." Tang Jing breathed a sigh of relief.
"Just saying it isn't enough? You should at least treat me to a meal, right?"
"Okay, as long as the matter is resolved, I'll treat you to whatever you want to eat."
"That's really pragmatic. They won't invite you if you can't get things done?"
"You should be used to it by now," Tang Jing said, a rare smile appearing on her face.
He Han laughed on the other end of the phone, and the familiar, mentor-student-friend atmosphere between them seemed to have returned. But soon, He Han's laughter faded.
Half an hour after receiving Luo Zijun's resume, He Han called back.
"Tang Jing, are you kidding me? How can I present a resume like this?" He Han's voice was full of disbelief: "A gap of more than ten years? No work experience whatsoever? The skills section says 'skilled in shopping and styling'? Is this a resume or a personal ad?"
Tang Jing had anticipated his reaction and said sincerely, "That's why I came to you for help, because it's so difficult. Everyone knows that you, He Han, are a well-known problem-solving expert."
"Don't give me that." He Han wasn't buying it: "With Luo Zijun's character, any boss who hires her will lose a few years of their life. You're her friend, and you can put up with her, but that doesn't mean others have to."
"He Han, she's really at her wit's end." Tang Jing's voice lowered.
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, so long that Tang Jing thought He Han had already hung up.
“I’ll give it a try.” He Han finally sighed, “But I can’t guarantee it will be a good job, nor can I guarantee she can keep it up.”
"That's enough, thank you, really," Tang Jing said sincerely.
"Remember you owe me a meal."
"must."
After hanging up the phone, Tang Jing leaned back in her chair, feeling utterly exhausted. Outside the window, the sky over Shanghai remained overcast, but at least there was a glimmer of hope.
……
Over the next two days, Luo Zijun attended two more interviews, but still received no response.
Luo Zijun grew increasingly depressed. She kept the curtains drawn tightly in her hotel room, curled up on the bed, not even wanting to answer Tang Jing's calls. Then, on the third night, Tang Jing came to her door.
"Get up!" Tang Jing pulled back the curtains, and the afterglow of the setting sun stung Luo Zijun's eyes: "He Han has helped you find a job."
Luo Zijun sat up abruptly: "Really? What kind of job?"
"Sales position at a branded fashion store in a shopping mall." Tang Jing handed her a slip of paper: "Go for the interview at 10 a.m. tomorrow. The address is here."
Luo Zijun took the note, her excitement slowly fading: "Sales? Selling clothes?"
"What, you look down on people who sell clothes?"
"No... I just feel..." Luo Zijun stammered, "I used to buy clothes, so I might even know the sales staff there. Now I'm going to sell clothes..."
Tang Jing sat down beside her, her tone softening: "Zijun, this is the first step. He Han said the store manager is his friend and will take care of you. Just work here for now, gain some experience, and then you can get a better job later."
Luo Zijun looked at the note in her hand. The address was in a high-end shopping mall in the city center, a place she used to frequent. Life is unpredictable; she used to be a VIP customer there, but now she had to work there.
Perhaps out of fear of her new job, Luo Zijun didn't sleep well all night. In her dream, she was wearing a shop assistant uniform, standing in a brightly lit store. The saleswomen she used to know looked at her with mocking eyes, while the ladies who used to shop with her pointed at her and whispered. She tried to run away, but her legs felt as heavy as lead.
"Luo Zijun! Luo Zijun!"
Tang Jing's voice came from afar. Luo Zijun struggled to open her eyes and found that it was already dawn; her phone was vibrating on the bedside table.
"Get up right now, or you'll be late!" Tang Jing's voice came through the receiver, as energetic as ever.
Luo Zijun groggily washed up, looked at her haggard reflection in the mirror, and forced herself to put on some light makeup. She opened her wardrobe, which was mostly filled with her old clothes—glamorous but unsuitable for work. After rummaging around for a while, she found a relatively understated outfit, and remembering Tang Jing's advice, she specifically chose a pair of flat shoes.
The subway during rush hour was like a sardine can. Luo Zijun was squeezed in the crowd and felt the body temperature and breath of strangers at such close range for the first time.
Exiting the subway station, she followed the navigation for ten minutes and finally arrived at the shopping mall. The familiar fragrance, the familiar lighting, the familiar marble floor. But this time, she wasn't there to shop.
The property management center was on the fifth floor of the mall, in an inconspicuous corner. Luo Zijun stood at the door, took three deep breaths, and then mustered the courage to knock.
"Please come in."
Pushing open the door, she saw a woman in her forties sitting behind a desk, looking at documents. She glanced up at Luo Zijun and asked, "What is it?"
"Hello, I'm here for an interview." Luo Zijun carefully handed over her resume.
The woman took the resume, glanced at it, and gave a meaningful look: "Oh, have a seat."
The interview process was surprisingly simple, almost a formality. The woman—Store Manager Wang—asked a few basic questions: Can you accept shift work? Do you have sales experience? What are your salary expectations?
Luo Zijun answered each question, feeling increasingly uncertain. Finally, Manager Wang closed the resume and said with a smile, "Little Luo, this is the job. It's a sales assistant position in a branded fashion store in the mall. I think your style is quite fashionable, so you should be able to handle the job. There's a one-month probation period, four days off per month, a base salary of 3500 yuan, and commission on sales. Can you come to work tomorrow?"
"Yes, yes." Luo Zijun nodded quickly.
"Alright, report to the 'Fashion' brand store on the third floor at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. I'll be waiting for you there." Manager Wang stood up, as if to see the customer out.
Stepping out of the property management center, Luo Zijun stood in the corridor, her feelings a mix of emotions. She had found a job, her first in ten years. But for some reason, she didn't feel the excitement she had expected; instead, she felt a strange sense of loss.
Tang Jing came to see her after get off work that evening, and Luo Zijun reported on the interview.
"Four days off a month, base salary of 3500, plus commission on clothes sold. I checked out the fashion store in that mall, and the clothes are quite expensive." Luo Zijun tried to make her voice sound cheerful.
Tang Jing patted her on the shoulder: "Not bad, that's a good start. Keep up the good work!"
"Mm." Luo Zijun nodded, forcing a smile.
……
The next morning at eight o'clock, Luo Zijun got up. She carefully put on makeup and chose an outfit that was neither too formal nor too casual. Before leaving the house, she stood in front of the mirror for a long time, trying to encourage herself.
"You can do it, Luo Zijun. For Ping'er's sake, you must do it."
The mall opens at nine o'clock, but employees need to arrive fifteen minutes early. When Luo Zijun arrived at the 'Fashion' store at 8:45, three employees were already arranging the shelves. They all looked very young, probably around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, and were wearing matching uniforms—white shirts, black pencil skirts, and black high heels.
"Hello, I'm Luo Zijun, the new guy." Luo Zijun stepped forward and introduced herself.
One of the girls looked up and glanced at her: "Oh, Manager Wang already gave instructions. Go to the changing room and change. The uniform is inside; find the right size yourself."
Luo Zijun changed her clothes and walked out of the dressing room. The three shop assistants were already gathered together talking quietly. When they saw her come out, they immediately dispersed.
Store manager Wang arrived at the store promptly at nine o'clock. Upon seeing Luo Zijun, he nodded and said, "You're here. Xiao Liu, could you show her around and teach her the basic procedures?"
Xiao Liu was the girl who had just asked Luo Zijun to change her clothes. She reluctantly walked over and began her explanation: "From 9:00 to 9:15 in the morning is the time to organize the shelves, check for wrinkles and crooked tags. Before 9:30, the store must be cleaned, including the windows, floors, and fitting rooms. We officially open at 10:00."
Luo Zijun tried hard to remember every step, but the amount of information was too much, and she quickly became dizzy.
"Most importantly," Xiao Liu emphasized, "you must wear high heels during work hours, and you can't sit, squat, or lean against anything. If the store manager finds out, you'll be fined 300 yuan."
"Huh?" Luo Zijun exclaimed, "Three hundred each time? Wouldn't that mean if I was fined ten times, I'd lose a month's salary?"
Xiao Liu pursed his lips: "That's just how the store rules are. You'll get used to it eventually."
At 10 a.m., the mall opened, and customers began to enter. Luo Zijun was assigned to the greeter position at the entrance, where she had to bow and say "Welcome" to each customer. At first, it was fine, but after standing for an hour, her feet started to hurt. Two hours later, the pain turned into a sharp, stabbing pain. Three hours later, she felt like her feet no longer belonged to her.
Lunchtime is from 12:00 to 1:00, and the staff take turns eating. Luo Zijun and Xiao Liu are in the same group, and they bought the cheapest meal at a fast food restaurant on the basement floor of the mall. Luo Zijun almost slumped into the chair, and the moment she took off her high heels, she almost cried—blisters had formed on her heels, and her toes were squeezed and turned red.
"There are still four hours left in the afternoon," Xiao Liu said indifferently. "You'll get used to it. I was like this when I first came, but I got used to it after a week."
Looking at the unpalatable food on the plate, Luo Zijun had no appetite at all.
The phone rang for a long time before being answered. It was very noisy on Tang Jing's end; it seemed like she was in a meeting.
"What's wrong, Ziju? How's work going?" Tang Jing asked in a low voice.
"Tang Jing, I really didn't expect that a job that pays 3500 a month would be so hard." Luo Zijun's voice was trembling with tears: "You have no idea how perverted that store manager is. He kept staring at us. I couldn't even squat down to relax my legs."
The sound of Tang Jing getting up came from the other end of the phone, and the background noise became a little quieter: "It's normal to feel uncomfortable at first, you'll get used to it. When I worked part-time at McDonald's in college, I not only had to stand for ten hours a day, but I also had to do other work. It was much harder than what you're doing."
"Used? I don't want to do this kind of work for even a day anymore." Luo Zijun complained, "Tang Jing, can you ask He Han to give me another job? One where I can sit and work."
"Get rid of that idea as soon as possible." Tang Jing's tone became stern: "Do you think other jobs aren't tiring? Haven't you seen how late I stay up every day? Selling clothes is at least physical labor, but even if we're sick with a fever and our brains are all messed up, the plan can't have the slightest mistake."
Luo Zijun fell silent. She knew Tang Jing was right, but she really couldn't hold on much longer.
"Sigh, when will this ever end?" she sighed.
"When you get your first month's salary and buy Ping'er a gift, you'll know it was all worth it," Tang Jing said softly. "Alright, I have to go back to my meeting. Good luck, I'll treat you to a big meal tonight."
After hanging up the phone, Luo Zijun looked at her swollen feet, gritted her teeth, and put her high heels back on. For Ping'er's sake, she had to persevere.
……
There were more customers in the afternoon than in the morning, so Luo Zijun was transferred to a sales position, responsible for greeting customers and making sales. Xiao Liu gave her an iPad with all the product inventory and prices, and told her how to use it.
"Most importantly," Xiao Liu emphasized again, "we can't let customers leave empty-handed. For every person who comes in, let them try on at least three items of clothing. The more they try on, the more likely they are to buy."
Luo Zijun nodded, but she was unsure. When she was a customer, what she hated most was when shop assistants tried to sell her products aggressively.
Around 3 p.m., three female customers entered the store. They looked to be in their thirties, dressed fashionably, and carrying designer bags. However, Luo Zijun immediately recognized that they were fake.
"Welcome! Would you like me to recommend a place?" Luo Zijun forced a smile, trying her best to appear professional.
The three women glanced at her, and one of them said, "Let's see for ourselves."
Remembering Xiao Liu's instructions, Luo Zijun knew she couldn't let customers look at things on their own. She mustered her courage and picked up a dress: "This is one of our store's newest styles; it suits your personality perfectly. Would you like to try it on?"
The woman glanced at it, seemingly interested: "What sizes are available?"
Luo Zijun quickly checked the iPad: "We have sizes S and M. Size S should fit you."
"Then give it a try."
Luo Zijun was delighted and quickly led her to the fitting room. The other two ladies also began to choose clothes, and Luo Zijun busied herself helping them, recommending more than a dozen items. A line formed in front of the fitting room, and the three ladies took turns trying on clothes, while Luo Zijun continuously fetched clothes for them, hung them up, and suggested outfit combinations.
An hour later, the shelves outside the fitting room were piled high with clothes that had been tried on. The three ladies finally finished trying on the last item.
"So? Is there anything you like?" Luo Zijun asked expectantly.
The three women exchanged glances, and the first one to try on the clothes shook her head: "None of them look good. Let's look at other stores."
After saying that, they picked up their bags and walked straight out of the store.
Luo Zijun froze, staring at the pile of clothes that needed to be sorted, a surge of anger rising within her. As she sorted, she muttered to herself, "Trying on so many but not buying any? If you can't afford them, just say so. What's with the act?"
She thought the voice was very quiet, but one of the women had left her bag in the fitting room, and when she came back to get it, she happened to hear the words.
The woman's face flushed instantly: "What did you say? Who said you can't afford it? Say it again!"
Luo Zijun was startled and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."
"What do you mean by 'not that'?" The woman's shrill voice drew everyone's attention in the store. "Call your manager! I'm filing a complaint!"
Upon hearing the commotion, Manager Wang rushed over and, after understanding the situation, repeatedly apologized to the customer: "I'm so sorry, she's new..."
Store Manager Wang turned to Luo Zijun, his eyes stern: "Luo Zijun, apologize to the customer."
Luo Zijun recalled that she had once been such a customer, never treating the shop assistants like human beings. But now, she was the one who needed to bow her head. She gritted her teeth, trying to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.
"Apologize!" Manager Wang urged.
Luo Zijun's voice was stuck in her throat.
The woman became even angrier upon seeing this: "What kind of attitude is this! Is this the kind of employee your store hires? I'm going to complain to the mall!"
"No, no, no, please calm down." Manager Wang was sweating profusely as he turned to Luo Zijun again: "Luo Zijun, I'm saying this one last time, I apologize!"
Looking at Manager Wang and the amused glances of her colleagues, Luo Zijun felt a surge of anger rush to her head. Suddenly, she took off her work clothes and threw them hard on the ground.
"I quit!"