Chapter 493
Early the next morning, Su Hongchen specifically drove Su Xiaoxiao to the school entrance.
This time, the two factories were hiring a total of 500 employees—200 for the Steel Mill, 200 for the Machinery Factory, and the remaining 100 positions were open to the whole of Shanghai.
With so many people involved, the city had specially arranged for all applicants to take their exams before the students returned from their break.
“Don’t cause any trouble, Xiaoxiao,” Su Hongchen warned, giving his younger sister a stern look. “If they say anything, just ignore them.”
He had dealt with some factory leaders before. The good ones were like their father—pragmatic, always thinking about how to get things done. But there were plenty of others who liked to speak in official tones, acting as if their leadership status entitled them to everything. They believed anyone who didn’t listen to them was immature or ignorant, focusing only on their own small concerns instead of the greater good.
“Why would I get into a conflict with them?” Su Xiaoxiao replied proudly, raising her chin in defiance. “These factory leaders aren’t like the people in the brigade or the staff in the family dorms who like to argue about everything.”
To truly get under their skin, she’d need to focus on what mattered most to them, strike them where it hurt, and that would really make them angry.
“Alright, just don’t get tricked by them. Don’t follow along with whatever they say,” Su Hongchen continued, his concern still evident.
Though Su Xiaoxiao was already married and living in the countryside, to him, she was still that young girl who had just graduated from high school, with little experience dealing with complex human interactions.
“Don’t worry, brother. I won’t let them fool me,” Su Xiaoxiao promised confidently.
Seeing that she had agreed, Su Hongchen didn’t linger any longer. He still had to drive to a neighboring city, and wouldn’t be back until late in the evening.
Before leaving, he gave Jiang Yexun a meaningful look.
“I’ll stay with her, don’t worry,” Jiang Yexun immediately assured, not wanting Su Hongchen to feel uneasy.
Only then did Su Hongchen finally seem satisfied, getting into his car and driving off.
Because it was an exam, Jiang Yexun, as an outsider, had to wait downstairs by the teaching building.
Su Xiaoxiao, on the other hand, didn’t need anyone to guide her and went straight to the first examination room, where employees for external recruitment were being tested.
The room was initially noisy and chaotic, much like a marketplace, but as soon as Su Xiaoxiao stepped in, it immediately fell silent.
Many people looked at her, furrowing their brows in confusion, suspicion, and even disgust.
Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t concerned with what they were thinking. After taking just a couple of steps into the classroom, someone voiced their displeasure. “Wasn’t it said that no women would be hired this time?”
“It doesn’t say that anywhere in the announcement,” Su Xiaoxiao responded calmly, brushing off the accusation.
However, her voice, no matter how serious it was, came out soft and somewhat childish, which made her seem less authoritative.
Several people immediately began to object, “It wasn’t stated outright, but most of the work in the Machinery Factory involves blacksmithing. How can a woman have that much strength?”
“Women might not be as strong as you guys, but that doesn’t mean it’s absolute,” Su Xiaoxiao countered directly, looking back at them.
At this, many people laughed mockingly. “So what, are you saying you’re stronger than the men?”
If she had been a large, muscular woman, they might have believed it. But looking at Su Xiaoxiao’s slender arms and legs, they couldn’t imagine her having any real strength. They figured a slight breeze could blow her over.
“Wait a second. I think she’s the Steel Mill manager’s daughter. I went to the same high school as her,” someone finally recognized her.
At the mention of this, some others seemed to recall something.
“Wasn’t the Steel Mill manager’s daughter sent to the countryside in response to the national call for support?”
It was well known that because of this, the Steel Mill manager had been praised by the city and even featured in the newspapers.
At this point, no one spoke, but everyone’s attitude changed. They all seemed to understand the situation now.
They had once believed that the Steel Mill manager was a good comrade, but it turned out he had played his cards smartly. He first sent his daughter to the countryside, received awards and recognition, and then, once the attention died down, brought her back to work. In just five months, they managed to establish a good public image, and the daughter didn’t have to stay in the countryside any longer.
Realizing this, the expressions on the faces of those around Su Xiaoxiao became even more resentful.
Su Xiaoxiao didn’t bother explaining herself. She rolled up her sleeves instead.
“If you think I’m not strong enough, come and try me. Pick three of you, and we’ll have an arm-wrestling match,” she challenged.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” someone said, excited.
“Of course!” Su Xiaoxiao nodded firmly.
Those who had spoken up immediately gathered to discuss it. After a while, they selected the three largest men from the sixty or so people in the room.
Su Xiaoxiao casually found a desk to sit at, while the selected three sat across from her.
As they were about to shake hands, someone interjected, “Since it’s a competition, there should be some stakes, right?”
“What kind of stakes do you want?” Su Xiaoxiao asked nonchalantly.
“If you lose, you’ll have to withdraw from today’s recruitment exam,” someone immediately proposed, and many others agreed with him.
Su Xiaoxiao glanced around at those who agreed, then said, “Fine! But there are 62 people here, including me. I need 31 people to agree to these terms.”
When she said this, all those who had been egging her on fell silent.
They wanted to get rid of someone who might take their job opportunities, but they didn’t actually want to openly offend the Steel Mill manager.
Su Xiaoxiao sneered at them, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Weren’t you all shouting just now? Did you think I wouldn’t notice you?”
Those who had spoken out earlier suddenly turned pale with shame.
At this point, they knew they had angered her beyond repair.
Since things had already escalated, they had nothing left to lose.
They had come for the Machinery Factory’s positions, not the Steel Mill’s. They figured they might as well go all the way, so the people Su Xiaoxiao had pointed out earlier stood up.
“Yes! We don’t believe you’re stronger than the men, and we don’t like that you’re using your father’s connections!” one of them shouted.
“Right! You’re undermining socialism!” another added, clearly emboldened.
They spoke loudly, as if they were prepared to report Su Xiaoxiao to the authorities at any moment.
“If I win, you all have to withdraw from this recruitment exam,” Su Xiaoxiao said, raising her chin in a challenging manner.
Their faces changed once again. They had been waiting for this recruitment opportunity for so long, and they weren’t about to give it up easily.
However, they also knew that if they didn’t agree, they would lose all credibility, even if they managed to pass the exam.
After a brief discussion, they reluctantly agreed. “Alright! But you have to beat all three of these men.”
They believed that with her slender frame, Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t possibly win even a single round, let alone all three. They figured that even if she won once, she’d be too exhausted to win the next two rounds.
Su Xiaoxiao, however, had already seen through their plan. She sneered at them in a mocking tone.
The men, embarrassed by her reaction, stiffened but didn’t back down.
Su Xiaoxiao didn’t object. She nodded and said, “Alright, we’ll do it your way. If I lose, I won’t take the exam, but if you lose, the 31 of you can’t participate.”
“Deal!” they agreed decisively.
The first man raised his arm confidently.
Su Xiaoxiao met his hand with hers. As soon as he started to apply pressure, everyone around them began chanting “Go!” She suddenly pushed with all her strength, slamming his hand down onto the desk in less than five seconds.
The classroom, which had been noisy just moments before, fell completely silent.