Chapter 222: Have You Ever Seen a Boss Punch Fall from the Sky?
Looking for a job is like riding a donkey while looking for a horse, you're always hoping to find something better.
But some companies don’t really want talented people. What they want is cheap labor from fresh graduates.
In that case, each should go their own way peacefully. But when someone tries to gain self-confidence by stepping on these “cheap workers,” it just becomes a joke.
That recruiter clearly had done this many times before, using smooth words to convince a group of students to take tiring sales jobs. They work hard, get pushed around, get scolded, and right before they can become official employees, they get fired.
Perfect timing for the next group of students to come in and replace them. A perfect, endless cycle.
Sadly, the worst part is this. Too many students still believe in those lies like “sales will make you strong” or “all elites started in sales,” So they get tricked, work hard, suffer, and still feel thankful in the end.
But things are changing every year. Not all college students are naive.
Many, like Lin Yibai, have done part-time jobs and know how society works. She’s not buying their brainwashing tricks anymore.
And now, they’re blaming her, saying she made the whole school look bad? Lin Yibai wasn’t going to accept that.
She took a deep breath, looked the recruiter straight in the eye, and calmly walked to the front. She said, “Before I answer your question, I’d like to ask one first.”
The recruiter gave her a cold look and said, “Go ahead.”
Lin Yibai smiled and asked clearly, “Compared to other companies, your company pays only 1800 yuan a month. So what’s your advantage? Why should people want to work for you?”
The recruiter froze. They were just trying to find cheap workers, who cares about "advantages"? But of course, he had to keep up appearances.
“I think your way of thinking is wrong. Young people should focus on improving themselves. Our company gives you a stage to show your talent. Also, you’re just interns, do you really deserve high pay?”
“What a joke,” Lin Yibai replied bluntly. “I’ve been improving myself for four years in college. And even people who didn’t go to college don’t deserve the 1800 yuan your company offers?”
The recruiter was furious, his face turning dark. He shouted, "You… you're just like all the others, spoiled, unrealistic, thinking you're too good for the real world!"
Seriously? This was the kind of company she was dealing with?
So if she questioned them, she was “arrogant.”
If she didn’t, she was “easy to exploit.”
Either way, she loses?
Still, Lin Yibai stayed calm. She said slowly, “Since we’re on the topic of qualifications, let me ask this. After nine years of basic education, three years preparing for national exams, and four years of university, am I really supposed to throw all of that away just to fit into your company’s expectations?”
The recruiter got even angrier, and shouted, “You—!”
Lin Yibai laughed and cut him off, “You what? You don’t like being questioned?”
Anyone can play the blame game. So Lin Yibai threw the blame right back. The recruiter’s face started twitching, but he still acted like he was superior.
Lin Yibai smiled again and continued, “So before you accuse me of being spoiled, let me break it down for you. I’ve spent years studying and worked in all kinds of conditions. I’ve handed out flyers on the streets in the heat, worked in retail during the busiest holidays, sweated in maskot costume under the sun, traveled hundreds of miles for low-paying jobs, and yes, I’ve worked in air-conditioned offices, too. Now, you’re telling me I need to give up all that hard-earned experience just to work for you?”
Her voice was strong. Her words hit hard.
Are we young people really afraid of hard work? No, we’ve worked hard. We’ve suffered. It’s just that the pain doesn’t match what we’re being offered.
Then, Lin Yibai looked at the senior student who was said to have joined the company.
She asked, “Senior, how long did it take you to become a manager? And how much are you making now?”
The senior paused for a moment before softly saying, “Two… almost three years. My salary now is 4,800 yuan. But… classmate, why are you asking this?”
Lin Yibai replied, “It’s nothing. I just want to ask, do you think your salary is really worth all the suffering you went through? Well, no need to answer.”
Lin Yibai wasn’t a bad person. She didn’t know how much longer that senior would stay in that company. If she kept asking questions, it might make things harder for the senior in the future. But what she wanted to say, wasn’t it already clear?
Working on the front lines for nearly three years, and still earning less than 5,000 yuan a month, this truth was right in front of everyone.
If someone still felt excited to “gain experience” in such a job, then she had nothing more to say.
Sure enough, a bitter look appeared on the senior’s face. Her current pay really wasn’t high, just barely enough to survive in a big city.
The biggest income she got all year was probably the end-of-year bonus for going home during the holidays. But she couldn’t bring herself to leave. She had already invested too much time and energy.
The recruiter was furious now. He grabbed the microphone and shouted loudly.
“Slander! You’re making baseless attacks! All you talk about is money! Why don’t you talk about the platform we offer or the training we provide? I’m going to file a serious complaint with your school and stop recruiting from here in the future!”
Lin Yibai let out a cold snort and replied, “You want me to work without talking about money? What, am I doing charity work for you? You say you offer training and opportunities, but why do you make being a cheap worker sound so nice and noble? Your so-called training is just following an older employee for two or three days, and then we start working. What resources are you even offering? Nonsense. And you, can you even speak on behalf of your company?”
The recruiter slammed the table: “You!”
Lin Yibai said, “If we can’t talk like adults, then there’s no point. Goodbye.”
As she left, many students stood up and walked out with her. Maybe they were all just “cheap labor,” but they still wanted a job that didn’t feel like one. At least not a job where the company tried to dress up a low-level sales role in fancy words.
As expected, Lin Yibai was called in by the counselor that same day and was criticized. Students may not care much about reputation, but the school definitely did.
As long as the school could send students out to internships or jobs, they were willing to push students into bad jobs if needed.
Lin Yibai admitted everything she had said and asked, “So, teacher, what do you think I should do now?”
The counselor said, “Make a public apology and write a statement promising this won’t happen again, to protect the school’s image.”
Lin Yibai said, “Is that so?”
The counselor tried to persuade her, “Before they report this to the school leadership, this is really for your own good.”
Lin Yibai replied, “And what if I say no?”
The counselor frowned and warned, “Well… there could be consequences. If this turns into a big issue, it might delay your graduation.”
Lin Yibai’s eyes lit up, “Really? That good thing can happen?”
Counselor: “??”
Lin Yibai let out a long breath and smiled brightly, “Teacher, you just said it yourself. It’s really hard to find a job right now. If I can delay graduation, I can stay a ‘fresh graduate’ for one more year! That’s perfect!”
Counselor: “......”
What kind of student is this? Nothing works on her!
Just as the counselor was about to try another round of pressure mixed with kindness, Xia Changyu, who had already heard what happened, opened the office door and walked in.
He glanced at the pen and paper for the apology letter, his face full of anger, then stepped forward and tore the paper into pieces without hesitation.
He said bluntly, “Teacher, you might be right about one thing, this is already all over the school forum. So how about we ask that company to make a public apology first, before it damages my Xiao Bai’s reputation.”
Counselor: “!!”
Lin Yibai: “Eh… huh?”
This guy… is very sweet?
Xia Changyu’s bold, boss-like move landed right in Lin Yibai’s heart. In front of others, he acted extremely tough and protective.
If someone hits him, bullies him, he might tolerate it. But if they’re targeting his wife?
Then sorry.
No way.