Seeing his flustered appearance, Xiao Xun waved his hand, "It's alright, it's all part of your job, I understand." After saying that, he swiped his card and walked to the front desk, picked up his takeout, and headed back.
The security guard stopped Xiao Xun, "So it was your takeout! You should have said so earlier, and I would have brought it up to you."
Xiao Xun couldn't stand people being so enthusiastic towards him, "It's fine, I was just a bit hungry and ordered a late-night snack."
The security guard said very politely, "You're still working overtime this late! That's tough. We brought some food from home, if you're not busy, would you like to join us?"
Seeing that Xiao Xun was unmoved, the security guard added, "Don't worry, it's all homemade, very clean."
Xiao Xun looked at the takeout in his hand. The security guard, with keen eyes, snatched Xiao Xun's takeout, "You keep this to eat slowly, eat ours first."
With that, he led Xiao Xun to the security room.
As soon as the security guards saw Xiao Xun, they all stood up, "Hello, Director Xiao."
Xiao Xun felt a little embarrassed by this address and pressed his hands down, "Everyone, don't be formal, please sit, sit."
He looked at the dazzling array of snacks on the table, peanuts, pig's head meat, spiced beef, and a roast chicken, with a large rice vat full of mixed cold dishes.
Two bottles of white wine and a case of beer.
The security guards crowded around Xiao Xun, seating him in the head position, handing him a pair of disposable chopsticks and a small bowl.
Xiao Xun, being tactful, didn't ask about drinking during work hours, as he was from the technical department, and the security guards belonged to the logistics department.
After a few cups of white wine, everyone started to chat freely, no longer treating this young man much younger than themselves as a leader, but they couldn't change their address and still called him Director Xiao.
"Director Xiao, they all say our general manager is your uncle? Is that true?"
Xiao Xun was a bit tipsy but maintained some clarity, "Whoever spread that rumor has no brains. If the general manager were truly my uncle, would he dare to 'airdrop' me into the company as a senior executive so brazenly? Then his position as general manager would be in question, whether he earned it through merit."
The security guards burst into laughter. Then, an older security guard asked, "Director Xiao, my daughter graduated from a prestigious university, and she still hasn't found a job after so long. Do you happen to need an assistant or secretary?"
Speaking of secretaries and assistants, Xiao Xun remembered Lei Wenxiu, "By the way, who hired that Lei Wenxiu? With her disposition, the former Director Zhang was willing to use her, which is quite strange."
One of the security guards craned his neck to look outside, ensuring no one was around, then lowered his head and whispered, "I heard from Xiao Li in HR that this Lei Wenxiu was directly placed here by the general manager. Some people saw her shopping with the general manager, so it's rumored outside that Lei Wenxiu is the general manager's 'mistress'."
Another security guard waved his hand, "What nonsense are you talking about? 'Mistress'? Lei Wenxiu isn't as good-looking as the women in the general manager's office. The reality is, Lei Wenxiu is the general manager's 'illegitimate daughter'."
A security guard next to Xiao Xun also nodded. "I also think she's an 'illegitimate daughter.' Look how alike they are!" The white wine was finished, and everyone switched to beer. Since the small bowls were too small, they were drinking directly from the bottles.
Without bottle openers, some used their teeth, and some used chopsticks.
Xiao Xun, who drank coke regularly, felt his teeth ache just watching them use their teeth, let alone the chopsticks. And one of his arms was still in a sling.
A security guard next to him noticed Xiao Xun's predicament. He raised his hand with a chopstick, and with a 'bang,' the bottle cap flew off.
Xiao Xun felt a sense of camaraderie with these security guards. If he hadn't found this job, he might have ended up as a security guard back in his hometown.
He asked the middle-aged security guard who had spoken earlier, "Uncle, you mentioned your daughter is unemployed. What prestigious university did she graduate from? What was her major?"
"Linjiang University in H City, majoring in the Maintenance and Repair of Atomic Bombs."
Seeing the security guard uncle say this with a serious face, Xiao Xun almost spat out the beer he had just drunk. "Uncle, are you sure that university has such a major?"
The middle-aged uncle's expression immediately changed when he heard this, "What? You don't believe me? I've seen that graduation certificate, the blue booklet, several times!"
Xiao Xun shook his head helplessly, "How about this! Tell her to come for an interview with me after work tomorrow. If she's suitable, I'll directly inform the HR department, alright?"
The middle-aged uncle immediately stood up, holding a beer bottle, "Then I thank you on behalf of my daughter, Director Xiao." After saying that, he 'chugged' down the entire bottle of liquor.
Xiao Xun held out his hand, "Don't thank me yet. I'm just interviewing her. If she meets my requirements and the company's hiring standards, then there's no problem. If not, there's nothing I can do."
Two security guards started to flatter Xiao Xun, "With your strong connections and high position, arranging a job for someone is just a matter of saying a word!"
Xiao Xun chuckled and chatted for a while longer. It was midnight, and the security guards had to start their rounds. They had also drunk most of the alcohol.
After the gathering dispersed, Xiao Xun didn't forget to collect his takeout order and then returned to his office.
A security guard who followed him to this floor curiously asked, "Director Xiao, since you're not working overtime today, why don't you go home and sleep?"
Xiao Xun couldn't possibly say he had nowhere to live, so he could only lie, "Anyway, I'm alone, so it's all the same wherever I sleep. Sleeping at the company saves me from being late and having to commute back and forth."
The security guard smiled and said, "Someone as young and promising as you, and all alone?"
Xiao Xun seized the opportunity and said, "My 'peach blossom luck' isn't strong, there's nothing I can do about it." He then retreated into his office. The alcohol started to take effect, and he lay on the sofa, feeling groggy, and fell asleep.
The next day, bright sunlight rose from the east, piercing through the thick floor-to-ceiling windows, and fell upon Xiao Xun.
He rubbed his eyes, woke up from the sofa, stretched, and looked down at his clothes, which he had been wearing for several days.
He took them off, sniffed them, and then put on a clean set of clothes.
The company had no strict dress code, as long as it was decent and not eccentric.
Xiao Xun looked around his forty-plus square meter office and muttered to himself, "It would be great if there was a private bathroom here."
He glanced at his watch; it was only a little past six. So, he took his old clothes and left the office. There were several small, independent offices next to his, possibly less than ten square meters, just enough room for a desk, a sofa, and two chairs, meant for department managers. Group leaders, like regular employees, had cubicles, and these cubicles were arranged in groups.
He went to the restroom, used the public liquid soap to soak his clothes, and then went inside to relieve himself.
The cleaning lady responsible for tidying up had arrived early. These ladies were hired through outsourced labor companies, and their monthly salaries were pitifully low.
"Who is this, taking advantage of the company's resources again? Can't they wash their clothes at home? Is their home lacking this much water? If the leadership sees this, they'll complain to me again!"