Which way to go is the road?

When Xiang Fei woke up the next day, Lao You had already gone to work. He felt dizzy and didn't want to get out of bed. Perhaps it was because he rarely drank alcohol. After all, he used to be a student, and his mother was strict with him, saying that drinking was bad for his brain and not good for his studies.

They drank until very late yesterday, and by the end, Xiang Fei didn't know exactly how much he had drunk, or whether Zhang Fang and Lao You had drunk the same amount as him. He only remembered going to the toilet five times. That unlucky public toilet actually charged a fee, one yuan each time. He took out five yuan and still had 150 yuan in his pocket.

In a basement, electricity is the most essential resource; the lights must be on as long as someone is there, except when sleeping. The most frustrating thing is not knowing the time of day; you could wait a lifetime and never see the sun on your backside, unless there's an earthquake. For those who prefer a leisurely lifestyle, this might be a good thing, allowing them to sleep in until they naturally wake up; but for those who urgently need to work and earn money, and who are in a race against time, this can cause extreme tension and panic.

Fortunately, there's another biological clock that prevents you from sleeping in too much: hunger. Xiang Fei didn't feel particularly hungry yet; it shouldn't be noon, but it was time to get up.

After getting dressed and quickly washing up, Xiang Fei turned off the lights, locked the door, and walked out of the basement.

The dazzling sunlight made it hard to open one's eyes for a moment. After blinking a few times and adjusting to the light, Xiang Fei strolled out of the residential area and alley and onto the main street.

The bustling crowd was filled with all sorts of faces and a variety of expressions, but without exception, everyone was in a hurry, lacking the composure and calmness one would have during a morning or evening stroll. Everyone was busy, with a destination and their own tasks, but Xiang Fei was on his way to find a job, unsure of where to go or where he could finally find something to do.

Xiang Fei didn't take the bus, because he didn't know where to get off. So he walked on the right side of a north-south street, where the buildings to the east would provide shade and block the increasingly scorching sun.

How should he look for a job? Xiang Fei didn't know either. He just walked around looking for work, and whenever he saw a shop with a "Job Opening" sign, he would go in and try his luck. So far, he had tried five times: four clothing stores and one restaurant.

He didn't understand why he went to the clothing store; he just felt that since it was a job, he should give it a try, and besides, he had good communication skills, so he shouldn't be too bad at selling clothes! But after going into four stores, he was rejected by smiles each time. Later, a kind older woman told him that clothing stores usually only hire women. The restaurant waiter position seemed suitable, but they had already filled all their positions and tore down the job posting right in front of Xiang Fei.

While crossing the overpass, Xiang Fei spotted a watch stall. The various colors and styles of digital watches were quite attractive, and several girls dressed as students were browsing. Xiang Fei went over to them as well.

"How much is this watch?"

"Which one do you want? The prices are different depending on the watch."

"This one looks pretty exquisite!" Xiang Fei asked, holding up a blue and black digital watch with straight edges and corners, somewhat resembling a Transformer.

"Young man, you have good taste! This is the latest model, with voice time announcement. The alarm clock doesn't make that ticking sound anymore; it plays pop songs!" The vendor said, demonstrating the feature.

"It is your warm gaze that makes me look forward with determination, reminding me that I should not give up when I fall..." The digital watch started to sing as the vendor fiddled with it.

"I wasn't lying to you, was I? It's still a Beyond song, 'Carrying the parents' wishes to the world,' how wonderful."

"How much?"

"50!"

"Would you sell it for 20?"

"Fine, take it!"

"..." Xiang Fei raised his hand and slapped his own mouth.

"What's wrong, buddy?"

"It's nothing, my tooth hurts!"

"Oh, a toothache isn't a disease, but it can be excruciating when it hurts. Go get it treated! Here, your watch!"

Reluctantly, Xiang Fei took out 20 yuan from his pocket, gritted his teeth, and handed it to the vendor. Holding the watch, he walked forward angrily. Well, now he only had 130 yuan left.

However, this digital watch is the most urgent thing for him to buy right now. When Lao You isn't home, at least he'll know the time and won't have to run out of the basement to check the sun. "It's a bit pricey, but so be it!" Xiang Fei consoled himself.

Passing by a newsstand, Xiang Fei saw that they were selling maps, so he went over and bought a map. While buying the map, he glanced at the newspaper and was attracted by a job advertisement, so he bought a newspaper as well, spending a total of five yuan.

After emerging from the basement, Xiang Fei hadn't eaten anything; perhaps the alcohol from yesterday had numbed his stomach. He didn't feel hungry either. It wasn't until the sun shone on him from the other side that Xiang Fei realized it was already past one o'clock, time for lunch. He happened to see a Lanzhou noodle shop, so he went in and ordered a bowl of noodles.

Soon, the ramen arrived. Xiang Fei ate his noodles while reading the newspaper. Various job postings filled two pages, with simple and clear requirements for age, education, gender, and other aspects.

Xiang Fei looked at the job carefully and found that being a restaurant waiter was quite suitable for him. It did not require education or work experience, and they needed 5 men and 8 women. However, it was a job that anyone could do, with little creativity. It was just like picking corn during the autumn harvest, and the simple, mechanical, repetitive labor made him feel too bored.

A planning position at a media company piqued his interest. Xiang Fei was absolutely confident in his writing skills, but the requirements for education and work experience gave him a major headache, and the path seemed long and arduous. However, often people develop a liking for a person, a thing, or even a job precisely because of its challenge. What's the point of something so readily available and easily attainable?

After paying the bill of ten yuan, Xiang Fei set off. Following the directions on the map, he took bus number 6, got off at Xinhua Street, transferred to bus number 34, got off at Renmin Road, and transferred to bus number 60... He transferred to a total of four buses.

Because it was rush hour, Xiang Fei stood for almost an hour and a half. When he finally managed to find a seat, he gave it to a grumpy old man.

Xiang Fei was admiring the scenery outside the window and didn't see the old man get on the bus. On this hot day, he suddenly felt a cold wind whistling behind him. When he turned around, he was met with the old man's sharp gaze. Seeing that the old man was getting angrier and angrier, looking like he wanted to beat someone up, he quickly got up and moved aside. The old man then sat down with an air of self-righteousness and gave Xiang Fei a fierce glare.

Xiang Fei quickly scurried inside as if avoiding a plague, thinking to himself, "I really don't know if old people have become bad, or bad people have just grown old!"

Putting aside the winding roads, the crowded shoving on the bus, and the unreasonable rudeness, I finally arrived at the place I wanted to be.

The media company is called Yufeng Media Co., Ltd. It is located in a very tall office building. After taking the elevator to the 18th floor, I did not immediately see the company's logo. I asked around and walked forward, and finally saw the sign for "Yufeng Media Co., Ltd." inside. There was a general manager's office, a manager's office, and an area for ordinary employees next to it.

There weren't job seekers lining up in the hallway like in the movies, sitting there waiting for interviews and competing for positions. Instead, I was holding a newspaper, just like in the movies, except I also had a map with me.

Xiang Fei hesitated in the hallway, unsure of who to tell about his job application. He was standing on tiptoe to peek into the general staff area when the door to the manager's office suddenly opened. A short, sharp-looking man in his thirties with a buzz cut walked out. Seeing Xiang Fei's somewhat furtive appearance, he cautiously patted him, which startled Xiang Fei.

Who are you looking for?

"Huh?...I'm here for a job interview. Aren't you hiring male game designers? Uh...one of the requirements is strong writing skills, and I'm a pretty good writer! Give me a topic, and I'll write an essay for you in 30 minutes!"

"Oh, our recruitment isn't like the college entrance exam, you don't need to write an essay! Come with me," the short man said, leading Xiang Fei into the general staff area.

"The end of the month is almost here. Anyone who hasn't met their client targets, hurry up! I need the results by the day after tomorrow at the latest. Anyone who drags their feet, don't blame me! Oh, and Xiao Sun, why don't you interview him and see how it goes? Let me know if he's suitable, and I'll take a closer look!"

"Okay, boss, I also have a case I'd like to discuss with you!"

"Then come to my office."

Xiao Sun followed the short man into the office with a fawning smile. Despite being quite tall, he walked with a stoop, as if afraid of offending the boss by appearing too tall.

Xiang Fei had no choice but to stand near the door and wait. There were actually many chairs in the general staff area, but a newcomer to the job interview didn't dare to sit down casually. Standing at the door also seemed to be affecting everyone's entry and exit, so he had to retreat to the aisle.

A moment later, a woman with a plump figure, short hair reaching her ears, and green-rimmed glasses emerged from inside. Her face bore the weariness typical of someone who did writing. She stretched her arms and body at the doorway, trying to shake off her fatigue. Seeing Xiang Fei in the hallway, she went over and started chatting with him.

Where are you from?

"A native of Hebei."

"Oh, we're from the same hometown! I'm from Tangshan, Hebei!"

"Really? I'm from Xingtai, Hebei!" Xiang Fei's face lit up with unusual joy when he heard the other person take the initiative to acknowledge him as a fellow townsman.

"Oh, that's quite far. By the way, which university did you graduate from? What did you major in?" The voluptuous woman was very friendly and asked patiently, giving Xiang Fei the illusion of meeting an old friend in a foreign land, as if they had known each other for a long time.

"I failed my college entrance exam and didn't get into university. I saw this job posting for a male planner, which requires strong writing skills, so I thought I'd try my luck. I always scored over 50 points on my college entrance exam essays!"

"Oh, every time? How many times have you taken the college entrance exam?"

"Three times. I did quite well in junior high school, and my high school was a key high school in our county, but..." Xiang Fei briefly recounted the hardships he had faced in his college entrance examination.

"Oh! That's a pity. Well, wait a bit, Brother Sun will be out soon!" With that, the fellow villager walked in without looking back, poured a cup of hot water and placed it on his right, then bent over his desk and continued writing something.

Repeating something three times makes it taste bland. Xiang Fei had already told Dong Lu, Lao You, and Zhang Fang about his experience twice, which garnered their sympathy and comfort, causing the atmosphere of the conversation to become rather somber.

Xiang Fei repeated his story to a strange woman again, and even he felt no satisfaction. What was the point of repeating it to others? To gain sympathy? To make others understand the hardship of not going to university? Or to make others look at him, a failed student who never went to university, with more respect? Was it meaningful? Xiang Fei finally decided: he would never mention failing the college entrance exam to anyone again.

After a while, Xiao Sun came out of the manager's office with a dark face and his brows furrowed. When he saw Xiang Fei, he called Xiang Fei inside.

"Don't bother, he didn't even go to college, he doesn't meet our hiring requirements, let him go as soon as possible!"

Neither Xiang Fei nor Xiao Sun spoke, when the plump, short-haired woman from Tangshan suddenly broke the silence. Xiang Fei stared at her with astonished eyes, while Xiao Sun glared at Xiang Fei with intense anger.

"You didn't go to college, what are you doing here applying for a job? Don't you know our time is precious? Do you think everyone's like you, just wandering around aimlessly? Get out of here!"

The unexpected job offer caught Xiang Fei off guard and left him speechless. He obediently walked out of the office, and as soon as he stepped out the door, he heard the cursing continuing inside.

"Wang Xia, mind your own business from now on. I'm interviewing people, why should you interfere? I'll be the one kicking them out, you don't need to say a word!"

Xiao Sun was already indignant after being mistreated by the manager, and now that someone with less seniority was exercising his authority on his behalf, he was even more furious. He didn't forget to curse Xiang Fei at the end.

"This idiot is ridiculous! Didn't the newspaper say he has a bachelor's degree or higher? Is he blind?! He's wasting my time!"

Driven by anger, Xiang Fei, who had been standing outside, went back to the staff office and, barely suppressing his rage, said to Xiao Sun, "I've come to get my newspaper!"

When Xiang Fei went to get the newspaper from his desk, he accidentally knocked over a water glass, spilling half a glass of water all over Xiao Sun. Xiang Fei quickly went to find a rag to wipe the water up, but his elbow accidentally brushed against the water glass of a short-haired, voluptuous woman, spilling a cup of hot water onto her loose clothes. Then, he accidentally knocked over folders and various ornaments all over the floor.

At first, Xiang Fei kept apologizing, but when he saw that the time was right, he turned and walked out, while the two who were in the same boat were still cursing and swearing.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Xiao Sun said viciously, watching Xiang Fei's retreating figure.

"Guess!" Xiang Fei turned around, raised an eyebrow, and replied angrily!

If that young Sun dared to make a move, Xiang Fei's anger would definitely erupt. But a sycophant like young Sun wouldn't dare to be forceful, and Xiang Fei was confident he could handle him! He sneered, turned and walked out. As he turned, he clearly saw a girl inside secretly give him a thumbs up.

Once outside, Xiang Fei glanced back at the tall building. Compared to the exhilarating feeling of revenge earlier, he now felt a sense of helplessness and bitterness. He turned and walked towards the bus stop, his figure gradually shrinking into a tiny black dot amidst the towering buildings of the city.

Following the job postings in the newspaper, he went to a restaurant to apply for a waiter position. But what right did Xiang Fei have to choose a job based on his preferences? Earning money to fill his stomach was more important than anything else at that moment.

But when you think you're being forced to do a job you look down on, that job might not actually be waiting for you.

Xiang Fei entered the restaurant through the main entrance. The waiters treated him like a customer, being warm and courteous. However, after he explained his purpose, a layer of coldness immediately settled on their faces, and he was told he should enter through a side door. He went back out and entered through the side door, finally finding the manager in charge of recruitment. The manager, full of apologies, said, "We've already filled all the male waiter positions. You could have come half a day earlier! Sorry, try somewhere else!"

Although he didn't find a job, Xiang Fei wasn't discouraged. At least he had gained some basic respect, and he remembered the manager's kindness for a long time afterward! — We're all out here to work and earn money; life is hard. Saying a kind word doesn't cost money or effort, so why be rude?

……

When Xiang Fei dragged his tired body back, it was already 8 p.m. He bought some peanuts, chicken feet, and sausages from the convenience store by the door, and carried four bottles of beer into the basement. Lao You was already back, half-lying on the bed watching TV. When he saw Xiang Fei carrying the things back, he quickly got up and unfolded the folding table. The two of them didn't use cups, but drank from the bottle, taking turns sipping.

"Have you found a job?"

"No, jobs are much harder to find than I imagined!"

"It's much easier than I imagined; the key is to be able to find the right opportunity. Where have you been today?"

"I can't even remember the name of the place. Anyway, I've tried all sorts of jobs: planner, waiter/waitress, sales clerk... I'm almost ready to ask the street sweepers if they need anyone!"

"You even applied for a game planner position at Google? What did they say?"

"They chased me back, they were practically ready to unleash their dogs on me! But I didn't let them get away with it..." After explaining how he dealt with the unscrupulous fellow villager and that young man, Xiang Fei took a bite of ham in a huff.

"Alright, you're talented and a bit of a rascal, you've got what it takes!"

The bottles clinked together with a crisp sound, and then another large portion of the beer went down. The carbonation mixed in with the beer went down the esophagus into the stomach, where it turned into carbon dioxide upon heating and was expelled, taking some of the body's heat with it. The fatigue was swept away by the refreshing coolness that seeped into the heart, leaving an indescribable feeling of comfort.

"You're the only one who admits I'm talented. When I tell them I always scored over 50 on my college entrance exam essays, they ignore me and only care about how I failed the exam three times and never went to university!"

"Who doesn't encounter some scoundrels when they come out to work? Who hasn't been looked down upon? It's nothing, just a minor incident, wait a minute!" As he spoke, Lao You took out 600 yuan from his pocket. "This is a loan from Dong Lu and me. Don't rush to pay it back. We'll talk about it after you find a job and get paid."

"Aren't you afraid I'll run off with the 600 yuan? We've only known each other for less than two days!"

"You won't get rich with 600 yuan more, and we won't get poorer with 600 yuan less. It doesn't matter. Besides, I trust Dong Lu's judgment, and I trust my own feelings!"

"Let's drink!" Xiang Fei hesitated for a long time, not knowing what to say, so he simply raised the bottle and clinked it with Lao You's, then drank the rest of the wine in one gulp.

"Hey Xiang Fei, I do have a job, but it's a bit dirty. I don't know if you'd like to take it?"

"I'll do it! As long as I can make money, I'll definitely do it!"

"Dong Lu and I work at the same internet cafe, right? We're short a cleaner right now—basically, someone who cleans the place! The previous person just left because of some family matters, and we can't find anyone for this dirty and tiring job right now! You can give it a try if you're interested!"

"Okay, I'll do it!"

"Alright, you'll come to the internet cafe with me tomorrow. I'll introduce you to the boss. Our boss is pretty capable, so be prepared!"

"Okay, impressive? It's alright. You can't hit a smiling face. I'll just keep smiling like this at the internet cafe. I don't believe he can hate me that much!" Xiang Fei grinned as he spoke, his two big front teeth making their presence felt.

"Alright, stop laughing, it's kind of scary! Go laugh again at the internet cafe tomorrow. Who are you laughing at now?" Old You thought to himself: This smile is perfect for hanging on the door during the New Year to ward off evil spirits!

……

While sleeping at night, Xiang Fei was awakened by a painful yet pleasurable groan. Xiang Fei had never encountered such a situation before. His drowsiness was dispelled, and his inner desires were stirred. He listened carefully to the "Concerto of Life" played by his neighbors. The performance ended after more than ten minutes, but the audience was still not satisfied. They could only seek the long-lost spring in their dreams.