But the project team was not hiring.
And this “not hiring” was confirmed personally by Lu Chen, a senior in the project team—there was no chance it was false.
He Xiaoyuan immediately wondered: if they’re not hiring, how could he get in?
Could a management trainee be assigned directly to the project team?
Full of determination, he set off almost immediately for the HR department.
The HR manager, seeing him, assumed he had come to ask about Qin Chengfei’s identical 9.2 score and the 400,000 reward—who would finally get it. But instead, He Xiaoyuan opened his mouth about the company’s president’s subordinate: the project team.
Project team?
The manager was taken aback.
“You want to join the project team?”
Sitting across the desk from the very earnest-looking He Xiaoyuan, the HR manager was a little caught off guard.
With He Xiaoyuan’s performance and ability, almost anywhere would welcome him—but the project team…
He asked directly: “Can management trainees even go to the project team?”
It wasn’t entirely impossible—Qin Chengfei had gone…
The HR manager couldn’t explicitly mention that Qin Chengfei had been assigned there, so he said cautiously that while it wasn’t unprecedented for a trainee to join the project team, the requirements were extremely high. Good rotation performance alone wasn’t enough; the trainee needed an outstanding resume, notable achievements like patents, or participation in important projects during internships, etc.
He Xiaoyuan immediately understood.
Leaving the HR office, he didn’t feel discouraged. But knowing that Qin Chengfei could join the project team, he couldn’t help but feel a little envious. Truly capable people got assigned to the best places.
He Xiaoyuan did not give up—he kept thinking of ways to get into the project team.
Before doing that…
Back at the office, he sat down at his computer, opened the internal messaging system, and carefully considered his words before privately messaging Lu Shishi from the PR Department:
“Director Lu, thank you for your appreciation. After careful consideration, I have decided not to join the PR Department.”
Lu Shishi, evidently busy, replied an hour later with just three words: “Meet me.”
Soon after, He Xiaoyuan found himself in the same tea corner beside Office Group One, again with only Lu Shishi—but this time he was speaking, and she was listening.
Lu Shishi realized that He Xiaoyuan would never consider the PR Department. She crossed her arms, fixed her gaze on the young man, and said, “It seems salary isn’t a factor in your decision.”
It wasn’t a question—it was a statement, firm and certain.
With her strong, commanding presence, she continued: “Then future development and promotion aren’t factors either?”
He Xiaoyuan met her gaze earnestly. “Director Lu, the word ‘future’ is something none of us can guarantee.”
Lu Shishi’s tone was resolute. “If you join, I can guarantee it.”
She even added, “Rest assured, what I promise is real. I’m not painting empty dreams.”
He Xiaoyuan responded calmly, patiently: “Director Lu, I am simply not suited for it.”
Curious, Lu Shishi asked, “What makes you think you’re not suited?”
He Xiaoyuan answered decisively: “Many things.”
He elaborated: “The most obvious is that I’m not particularly skilled at dealing with people. From what I know, any role in the PR Department requires interacting with people.”
Lu Shishi didn’t interrupt, studying him silently.
He Xiaoyuan continued: “Moreover, the kind of ‘people skills’ needed in PR is very different from other departments. It requires both skill and personality strengths, which I don’t have.”
He added, “I’m also not good at or fond of socializing—I don’t do, and don’t like, business dinners or drinking.”
He Xiaoyuan looked her squarely in the eyes: “Director Lu, you can promise me the ‘future,’ but if I actually join the PR Department, how would you ensure that your promise is fulfilled? How can you guarantee I won’t need to engage in socializing for business purposes?”
He Xiaoyuan asked, “Or… Director Lu, do you think people can adapt to their environment, that I would change, and once I went there and adapted, I’d be able to get used to changing myself?”
He said gently, “I’m sorry, Director Lu, I really can’t do that.”
He analyzed himself very honestly: “To be frank with you, Director Lu, I’ve actually always been a rather ‘dull’ person. Apart from having a decent appearance, everything else has required me to work much harder than others just to keep up.”
He continued, “Even now, standing here speaking to you, none of these words are improvised—I’ve thought them through in advance, carefully weighed them, just so that it comes across as coherent in this conversation.”
He Xiaoyuan concluded firmly, “Director Lu, thank you for your appreciation, but I can’t join the PR Department, and I have no intention of doing so.”
Hearing this, Lu Shishi’s anger sank to the bottom of her chest. She was about to persuade him again when He Xiaoyuan beat her to it:
“Director Lu, I really don’t want to be a male PR.”
His gaze was earnest, his expression straightforward—his words left Lu Shishi momentarily stunned.
…
Walking along the long corridor, Lu Shishi’s posture exuded beauty and pride.
But as she walked, she couldn’t help but think back to the sentence, “I really don’t want to be a male PR.” She felt a mix of irritation and amusement, a touch of nostalgia in her brows and eyes.
After all these years, she had finally heard a true, candid statement—something she had thought but never dared to say herself: I don’t want to be in PR.
Who the hell wants to be in PR?
She silently cursed in her mind.
Then she couldn’t help but think: if she had had the courage to refuse back then, if she had been able to stand up and say to her own leader, “I don’t want to be a female PR,” would things have been different?
She laughed at herself: there is no “if.” There is no alternative past.
There were only two completely different paths—her past, and He Xiaoyuan’s present.
Lu Shishi was not one to dwell on regrets, and she quickly let it go. At the same time, she quietly smiled, feeling a sense of respect for He Xiaoyuan’s steadfastness and his polite refusal.
She accepted his decision, and a part of her became curious: He Xiaoyuan said he was dull—was he really?
Observing him, she found him incredibly sharp.
She appreciated He Xiaoyuan, and even felt a bit fond of him.
Curious, she wondered which department he would ultimately choose.
Prideful by nature, she felt the PR Department could have elevated He Xiaoyuan to heights no ordinary department could.
Her thoughts turned to one place: the President’s Office. And then to someone He Xiaoyuan could emulate in terms of career path—Qiao Sixing.
Lu Shishi admired and liked He Xiaoyuan, and instinctively thought: maybe he could become a second Qiao Sixing?
She smiled, thinking she could watch and see.