Chapter 435: Chapter 244: Spring Rain and Autumn Waters Admiring River Plums

So straightforward? She came over to greet and introduce herself as soon as she saw He Kao, without any transition! I thought she’d only start work after the Spring Festival, yet it’s still half a month away, why is she here already?

How is Old Qian leading the team, not even giving a heads-up?

He Kao almost couldn’t hold onto his chopsticks properly, not out of fear but sheer surprise. Before hearing this voice, he hadn’t noticed anyone approaching the opposite side of the table. Though he hadn’t deliberately expanded his divine sense, it still shouldn’t be like this.

His expression remained calm; it’s just a Sect Law Hall Elder, not like he hasn’t seen one before. He not only knows several of them but often drinks and chats with them!

Looking up first, he saw a pair of hands. Those hands had just placed down a tray, almost entirely filled with vegetables, but Mei Guyu doesn’t completely avoid meat, as several dishes were vegetarian with a touch of meat.

Vegetarian with a touch of meat is also called flexible vegetarian, like the white celery in stir-fried pork or the green beans in stew with ribs.

He Kao didn’t notice the food but the hands, which were near-perfect and flawless. There’s a question: how long should a woman’s fingernails be, what proportions are best for appearance? The answer is not too long, just like hers is perfect.

The nails had no decoration, and no skincare products were applied on the hands, almost like a piece of art, yet full of dynamism. The fair skin showed a good circulation of blood and energy.

From the hands, his gaze slid forward. She was standing, allowing him to appreciate her figure from a usual angle. Her height was estimated between 1.68 to 1.70 meters, with a slender and balanced physique, seemingly gentle and graceful yet sturdy and strong.

There’s a stereotype that in large tech companies’ offices, all programmers are male, wearing checkered shirts, while the female employees wear professional suits, with white shirts underneath.

Stereotypes are often right, based on probability conclusions. At the moment, He Kao was wearing a checkered thin tweed shirt of dark and light grey, while Mei Guyu’s silver-grey professional suit also included a white shirt with a small collar.

She also wore the employee badge, colloquially known as a dog tag, on her chest, indicating she was a “Technical Manager” in the “Information Support Project Team,” a department that connects with He Kao’s work. Yang Lingxi once worked there for a while.

Although holding the title of “Manager,” a technical manager is actually two levels lower than He Kao now, belonging to the normal level for a master’s graduate just joining the company, turning permanent at P2 Level.

He Kao was also at P2 Level when he first joined, but now he’s at P4 Level, having been promoted almost one level more than normal within nearly two years, yet his position remains unchanged.

The focus wasn’t the badge but where it was worn, neither exaggerated nor subtle but perfectly appropriate, inexplicably reminiscent of a couplet: “Rain shrouds the spring hills where fine tunes are heard, wind blows the autumn waters revealing waves of pearls.” It couldn’t be more fitting.

Looking up again, only then did he see her face and felt as if she had stepped out of a piece of art in a gallery. The ordinary modern professional attire she wore emanated the aura of ancient Xianxia.

Beauty varies, some remind you of romance films filled with actions but devoid of romance; others inexplicably elicit thoughts of ancient Xianxia films, except the Xianxia doesn’t wear ancient attire.

Perhaps a misaligned thought from He Kao, he calmly nodded in response and simply said one word: “Sit.”

Mei Guyu sat down just like that, He Kao coming to his senses hesitated briefly, feeling his tone just now seemed somewhat like a leader’s.

Once seated, she started eating, having actively greeted earlier, now surprisingly quiet and chewing slowly, creating an atmosphere slightly awkward.

“Xiaomei, how old are you this year, and which school did you graduate from?” He Kao finally spoke, asking standard questions for new colleague introductions in such a setting.

Mei Guyu seemed to have a habit of not speaking while eating. After putting down her chopsticks and swallowing the food in her mouth, she replied, “I’m a year younger than you, graduated from Xijing University of Transportation with a master’s degree, same major as you.”

This response sounded okay but was unusual for a first meeting between new colleagues.

He Kao was twenty-six this year, and Mei Guyu was younger by a year, so calling her Xiaomei wasn’t misplaced. Actually, it was more of idle talk; he truly wanted to know her employment details, something he could see at Old Qian’s place.

He Kao: “How do you know my major?”

Mei Guyu looked up at him, surprisingly sending forth a divine thought. The content of the thought was somewhat extensive but quite simple in meaning: she openly introduced herself as the Sect Leader of the Alchemy Sect, Mei Guyu.

She not only introduced the Magic Sect, the Sect Law Hall, and her identity, but also included a personal resume… there was no need for He Kao to go ask Old Qian for her employment details anymore if he wanted to know the situation.

Today’s experts in the Magic Sect are no longer ancient hermits in the mountains; Mei Guyu attended school, studied up to postgraduate, and didn’t pursue a doctorate likely because she went into seclusion at the Immortal Pot Grotto Heaven.

Upon exiting seclusion this time, she remembered she had studied for so many years and felt it necessary to apply what she learned—like finding a job, so she decided to work somewhere.

She happened to hear about the events in Qi Yuan over the year, and about Jiang Daozhen’s experiences, which led to her decision…

This explanation is somewhat different from what He Kao originally heard, but it can’t be considered a lie. There are many reasons for working, and not wanting to waste years of education is certainly one of them.

However, the idiom “learning for practical application” sounds rather absurd when applied to a sorcerer.

Mei Guyu, known as Meihua Immortal, also has a nickname, Mei Jianxian, and she is said to excel in sword control, being a master swordsman. Could it be that after years of swordsmanship practice, one must apply it by finding people to kill?

Nevertheless, Mei Guyu did not shy away from stating the reason for choosing this company. She said, “There might be opportunities in turbulent places,” and she incidentally mentioned Jiang Daozhen, Lin Qingshuang, Qian Guran, and Meng Ya as examples.

She just named these few people without elaborating further. However, He Kao already understood, or at least he thought he understood.

Jiang Daozhen needs no mention. Lin Qingshuang had been stuck at Tier Three Perfection Cultivation for decades, and only after meeting He Kao in Qi Yuan did she break through to Tier Four. Qian Guran’s situation was a bit different from Lin Qingshuang, but he also became a high-tier sorcerer in this context.

These three examples are explainable, but Elder Mei actually went out of her way to mention Meng Ya, the inconspicuous one, clearly having thoroughly understood the situation.

Yet, she also emphasized that He Kao should not be regarded as some so-called opportunity tool. If one harbors such a mindset, they are destined to gain nothing… As to why, it’s difficult to express clearly even with divine thought.

He Kao himself shouldn’t see himself as such a tool, nor could he be one; in fact, many who encounter him don’t have great outcomes, and some even end up with ruined families.

So-called opportunities are mysterious and hard to articulate, and their meanings differ for everyone. One cannot force them or copy any experience. In the end, Mei Guyu told He Kao not to trouble himself about it and not to do anything special.

It’s up to her to decide what to do specifically, not He Kao. She really is just here to work, and He Kao should just treat her as a colleague…

This elder is quite straightforward, and since she said as much, He Kao simply tried to calm his mind, raising his hand to greet someone in the distance, “President Qian, why are you standing there in a daze? Come over and sit down!”

If it weren’t for the title ’President Qian,’ one might think he was calling out to Xiaoqian, like someone inspecting from the group headquarters.

Qian Guran personally came to the employee cafeteria for lunch, and he certainly saw Mei Guyu carrying a tray and sitting directly across from He Kao.

Old Qian was feigning nonchalance while filling his plate, moving slowly without seating himself, making a show of being approachable, smiling and nodding at colleagues who greeted him, but always keeping an eye on the movement around He Kao.

Hearing the call, he reluctantly brought his tray over, awkwardly saying with a smile, “Xiaomei, you’ve met He Kao already?” Speaking while he hadn’t even settled on the seat yet, he stood up again, “Haven’t you got soup? I’ll go get some…”

President Qian fetched three bowls of soup with the tray, placing one before each person, and finally sat down again beside He Kao. He understood why He Kao suddenly called for him, probably feeling upset for not being informed in advance.

But Old Qian had his difficulties. Typically, the recruitment list for spring hires would be finalized before the Spring Festival, but new employees usually report after the festival. However, Mei Guyu didn’t follow the common practice and requested to start before the festival; how could he refuse?

Mei Guyu came to report yesterday and immediately told Old Qian to treat her as a newly hired ordinary employee and not to mention any additional details to anyone; she would disclose what needed to be disclosed.

’Anyone’ naturally included He Kao; this was an order from the Sect Law Hall Elders.

Seeing Old Qian sit down, Mei Guyu naturally spoke up, “I’ve already introduced myself to He Kao; we will be colleagues now. President Qian, you don’t need to worry about anything else.”

Qian Guran: “Yes, yes, yes, colleagues! We should care for and help each other, whether in work or in life. If there are any difficulties, feel free to speak up, don’t hesitate.”

Mei Guyu: “I will; however ordinary colleagues act, I’ll act that way.”

Qian Guran: “Colleagues are not all the same. Some have great relationships, while others do not; as long as private matters don’t affect work, it’s fine. I hope you can adapt here.”

Mei Guyu: “There’s nothing I can’t adapt to. If it doesn’t work out, it’s not like I can’t resign.”

Such words in the workplace seem quite inappropriate, especially when just joining and speaking in front of a manager. Is this the tone and attitude of an ordinary employee? But then, He Kao thought further, there’s no rule that says employees can’t speak like this.

As they spoke, quite a few colleagues around kept glancing in their direction. A new colleague with such outstanding looks and temperament naturally attracts attention.

Gao Xue’e, sitting with a few female colleagues in the corner of the cafeteria, kept looking over and even inquired about the girl sitting opposite He Kao and her background.

However, those sitting near them gradually left. Someone sitting nearby earlier got up to get more food and took the opportunity to change seats slightly further away. Even Huang Xiaopang, who usually liked to sit close to He Kao, didn’t come over today.

**

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep