The originally noisy classmates suddenly quieted down. So felt pity for those who had tried to sneak in, while those who truly wanted to work hard were exceptionally motivated.
Manager Li continued, "In Stone Garden, we don’t care about background because the people working here are like the boss’s own family. Everyone has a background, so please adjust your attitudes accordingly. However, I still congratulate you for having Director Jing as a stepping stone. If it wasn’t for Director Jing, we wouldn’t have considered you, as Stone Garden already allocates most of its labor to the governnt and no longer needs high-cost temporary workers."
Jing Shu nodded. Manager Li, from human resources, might speak arrogantly and strictly, but in the end, she managed to offer a slight complint. She certainly knows how to handle people.
Many people sighed.
Manager Li extended a finger. "Stone Garden now has three categories of workers. First, permanent staff. They work ten hours a day, receive two als of white rice and vegetables daily, can bring two family mbers into a single room, earn an extra Virtual Coin salary, get one day off per month, and undergo a weekly assessnt. Those who fail will be demoted to temporary workers.
Second, temporary workers. They work ten hours a day, enjoy one al of white rice and one al of rice mixed with insect al daily, receive a vegetable supply once every seven days, stay in a double room, may bring one family mber depending on the situation, and receive no extra Virtual Coin salary or days off. Those who fail twice will be dismissed.
Third, governnt-recruited laborers. They work eight hours a day, receive two als of red worm cake provided by the governnt daily, and are not managed by Stone Garden. However, anyone not performing well can be reported for a reward of 0.1 Virtual Coin."
"That’s the situation," Manager Li said, spreading her arms. "Those with special skills, stand on my right. Those with only strength, on my left. Special skills include excellent breeding, planting, handicrafts, and so on." Everyone quickly started moving; however, few possessed special skills.
Nevertheless, Manager Li was still sowhat satisfied. Pointing toward a large stone nearby, she said, "Every day, we need to transport many large stones like this and move them to places machines can’t reach. The assessnt is to transport an irregular large stone to the other side within two minutes. Pass, and you can start work today."
Temporary work was all about physical labor. Many classmates gave up right away, but so, not wanting to miss out, decided to try. After all, the conditions for temporary workers were still good. For the sa work, the governnt only provided two als of red worm cake, while Stone Garden offered one al of white rice plus a mixed al. Crucially, one could live inside Stone Garden—a real sanctuary, free from earthquakes and deafening roars—and even bring a family mber to live with.
While so people attempted to move the large stones, Manager Li turned her head, her interest piqued, and asked the few standing to the side, "What special skills do you all have?"
The first to speak was Mu Xiaoxuan. Jing Shu rembered her as the shy girl who had given her Bodhi Tree seeds. Mu Xiaoxuan now looked relatively clean and well-dressed despite her patched clothes, unlike the others with their gaunt, sallow faces.
"My family has traditionally grown various types of peach and fruit trees, as well as a wide range of dicinal trees," Mu Xiaoxuan said, speaking confidently about her planting skills. "I have extensive experience and skills. Even during the apocalypse, my family managed to keep a peach tree alive. I can also cultivate peaches in these tis."
Manager Li clapped her hands, pleased. "You are exactly the talent we need! Go directly to the agriculture and planting departnt to report for work. You’ll beco a permanent worker as long as you pass the weekly assessnt. If you bring your family’s peach tree, you can even beco a manager directly. I’ll have Xiao Wang discuss a partnership with you. Stone Garden has a better environnt and can produce superior fruit. When the ti cos, your family will still own the rights to the peach tree; we’ll consider it a rental."
Mu Xiaoxuan nodded excitedly. The weather is too cold, and without electricity to power sun lamps at ho, finding a good place for her peach tree is urgent, or they might all die. But she can’t bear to sell them; they’re crucial for her future food supply!
Her classmates looked at Mu Xiaoxuan with envy, never imagining that a poor peach grower from before the apocalypse could beco so valued now.
"I ran a tailor shop and can make clothes," soone offered.
Manager Li shook her head. "Your skill isn’t professional enough. Next."
"I was a chef at a five-star hotel. Would that be suitable?" another asked.
"Go to the restaurant departnt to report and take the assessnt," Manager Li instructed. "If you qualify, you’ll work as a temp. If one day your cooking surpasses that of the permanent staff, you’ll be promoted."
Surprisingly, Polygonum multiflorum was also among the crowd. Jing Shu hadn’t noticed him. Who would have thought he’d be here looking for a job?
It was well known that Polygonum multiflorum’s family grew ginseng. After the apocalypse, the governnt had consolidated all dicinal material dealers and growers into the dicinal Materials Association.
Jing Shu hadn’t seen Polygonum multiflorum for a long ti. He had been absent from recent class reunions and group discussions. Now, he appeared with a face full of sorrow and lancholy, a stark contrast to the sunny, wealthy young man he once was. His clothes were a clear indication of his hardship: multiple layers wrapped around him like a beggar’s, all completely filthy.
"What about you? Any special skills?" Manager Li asked Polygonum multiflorum.
"I grow ginseng, perhaps?" Polygonum multiflorum said tentatively.
Manager Li looked at him doubtfully, voicing the sa question Jing Shu had. "The governnt consolidated all dicinal resources and talent a year ago. Didn’t you report to the dicinal Materials Association? They offer quite good conditions over there."
Jing Shu raised her eyebrows, finally speaking. "Yes, I rember seeing in the group chat that during the apocalypse, your family had a lot of ginseng. Even giving one root to the governnt could earn a lot of Virtual Coin."
Polygonum multiflorum ground his teeth. "Don’t ntion those days," he said. "Things were indeed better when we traded so during the apocalypse, but then we were targeted. Last New Year’s, we were robbed—those people had guns and cars. They even threw Molotov cocktails, setting our house on fire, killed my family, and took all the ginseng..."
As he spoke these last words, his lips began to tremble. The mory conjured up his most painful recollections, and he seed to plunge deep into them. He continued, his voice heavy, "I wanted to avenge my family. I reported it, and they checked massive amounts of data but said those people used dual identities and couldn’t be tracked down. I figured I had to better myself to have the ability to seek revenge, so I went to the dicinal Materials Association. But unfortunately, ancestral heritage didn’t count, and my imdiate relatives—my parents—had no such cultivation records, so I couldn’t get into the dicinal Materials Association."
Jing Shu frowned. So that was it. She too had been robbed last year. The perpetrators had died, but their accomplices, who had apparently used dual identities, were never found.
"But I really can cultivate," Polygonum multiflorum insisted. "My family has grown ginseng for generations. I’ve been involved with it since I was three years old..."
Just as Manager Li was about to say that she sympathized but still required a series of assessnts, Jing Shu interrupted, "Manager Li, my classmate here really does grow high-quality ginseng. Don’t miss out on such talent."
Manager Li then asked, "Polygonum multiflorum, is it? Go directly to the dicinal cultivation departnt and report."
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