Volume One, Chapter 18: Why Must Women Make Life Difficult for Each Other?

It was the same business van as before; the seats were dry and the air fresh. All traces of earlier chaos and grime had vanished.

As she got out, Sang Wan thanked the driver repeatedly.

He smiled politely, “It’s my honor to serve you!”

By the time she returned to her room, it was already past six.

She had no appetite, her head was spinning; after a simple wash, Sang Wan hugged her pillow and burrowed into the covers.

Sure enough, she developed a fever in the middle of the night. She found the medication prescribed by the doctor and swallowed a few pills before drifting off again.

Come morning, she was woken by her phone ringing.

Forcing her eyes open, she saw it was already past nine.

A strange landline number flashed on the screen.

Sitting up, Sang Wan answered, “Hello?”

“Is this Miss Sang?... This is Diligence Architectural Design Co., Ltd. Do you have time for an interview today?”

The woman’s voice was polite and gentle. After a moment’s daze, Sang Wan came to her senses.

She scheduled the interview for two in the afternoon, then stared blankly at the silent television for a long time.

She knew of Diligence.

As one of the leading architectural design firms in the country, buildings designed by Diligence dotted provinces and cities nationwide.

She had applied to Diligence on her first day of job hunting, but after a week with no response, she assumed she’d been passed over.

She never expected a door would open when she thought all hope was lost.

Suddenly invigorated, Sang Wan forgot all about her dizziness and fever.

She leapt out of bed and washed up quickly.

With ten minutes to spare before two, Sang Wan walked into the lobby of Diligence.

The corridor on the interview floor was already filled with over a dozen people.

A glance revealed nervous fresh graduates and composed, steady middle-aged men.

After registering with the interview coordinator, Sang Wan found an empty seat and waited quietly.

Candidates were called in one by one. By the time it was Sang Wan’s turn, an hour had passed.

As she entered the interview room, she locked eyes with the woman seated at the center.

White blouse, black skirt suit.

The nameplate before her read: Tao Lingxin, Director of the Design Department.

A woman’s intuition told Sang Wan that Tao Lingxin disliked her—intensely.

Or rather, she was strongly opposed to her.

As though Sang Wan had some notorious past.

But she hadn’t.

Ignoring the inexplicable feeling, Sang Wan handed over her résumé. “Director Tao, my name is Sang Wan. I graduated from the Department of Architectural Design at Imperial University. Here is my résumé.”

Tao Lingxin’s gaze lingered on Sang Wan’s face for several moments before she glanced down at the résumé.

A cold smile played on her lips.

An outstanding Imperial University graduate.

A year’s experience at Lu Corporation.

Six years as a full-time homemaker.

After a cursory scan, Tao Lingxin mentally labeled her: an out-of-date, lovesick housewife.

In Tao Lingxin’s eyes, candidates like Sang Wan should have been eliminated in the initial screening.

But the boss had given instructions—Sang Wan would be hired in the end.

Not only was this unfair to Diligence’s current architects, but even more so to those excellent candidates just now who were about to be rejected.

“Miss Sang…”

The HR Director asked a few questions, to which Sang Wan responded fluently.

Tao Lingxin sat up straight, arms folded. “You saw the eleven designers before you, didn’t you? Compared to the graduates, you’re not as young. Compared to the other architects, you don’t have as much experience. And you have the additional burden of a family. So, tell me, why should I hire you?”

In other words, what advantage did she have over the others?

Sang Wan had none.

But this hard-won opportunity was not one she would give up easily. “My graduation project at Imperial University was realized in Si City. During my year at Lu Corporation, I completed two design projects bearing my name. I believe that’s proof enough of my capability.”

“Those six years as a full-time homemaker were my personal choice, but I never stopped learning. Over the past six years, I’ve followed and studied renowned architects and their works, both domestic and international. Compared to recent graduates, I have more life experience and knowledge; compared to the other candidates, I’m younger.”

With quiet dignity, Sang Wan returned Tao Lingxin’s challenge.

Tao Lingxin raised her brows. “Go home and wait for our notice.”

Which, in effect, was a polite rejection.

Resigned, Sang Wan sighed inwardly, thanked them, and left the room.

Ten minutes later, Tao Lingxin brought the sorted résumés to the boss’s office.

“President Qin…”

She set two résumés on Qin Baichuan’s desk. “I’ve interviewed Sang Wan, as you requested. She’s unremarkable, hardly worth keeping, but compared to her, I believe the other candidate is much better. Please have a look.”

“Unremarkable, hardly worth keeping…”

A cold voice spoke from the side. Tao Lingxin turned and saw a young man lounging on the sofa by the window.

Lou Ye stood up lazily, a sardonic smile on his lips. “If she truly were unworthy, would her résumé have made it to your boss’s desk? We’re all women here—why make things so difficult for one another, isn’t that right?”

“President Lou…”

She hadn’t expected her subtle intent to be so easily seen through by Lou Ye, much less voiced openly in front of the boss.

It was as good as a public slap in the face.

Tao Lingxin’s expression faltered for a moment.

Without giving her a chance to explain, Lou Ye strode out.

“Lou Ye!”

Qin Baichuan hurried after him, only to see Lou Ye already stepping into the elevator.

He recalled Lou Ye’s earlier question: since he cared so much, why not simply hire Sang Wan into Lou Corporation?

Lou Ye had said, “She’s too proud a person to ever accept a backdoor entrance.”

Finally given a chance to descend from his lofty perch, the so-called crown prince barely had time to cherish it before a clever subordinate messed it all up.

Qin Baichuan turned back to Tao Lingxin, his face cold with a mocking smile. “You’d better wash your neck and pray!”

Tao Lingxin was taken aback.

Qin Baichuan’s tone was grim. “Pray that you never cross paths with Sang Wan at a bidding conference in the future.”

What?

How could that be?

To even attend a building project’s bidding conference, one had to be a senior architect and a company executive with signing authority.

Sang Wan—a full-time housewife?

Even after returning to her own office, Tao Lingxin was still bewildered.

She wasn’t sure if she’d misheard, or if the world had simply gone mad beyond her imagination.

“Senior!”

As a familiar voice called out, Sang Wan was standing dazed by the roadside.

Just a minute earlier, she’d received a call from Diligence’s front desk, informing her she’d been hired and was to start work next Monday.

But… how was this possible?

Tao Lingxin had radiated rejection and disdain from every pore, clearly looking down on her.

How could they have hired her?

Sang Wan looked up, just in time to see a black Ferrari roll to a stop in front of her.

The wing-like doors slid open.

In the driver’s seat, Lou Ye took off his sunglasses, feigning delighted surprise. “What a coincidence…”