My Dongguan Love Story

I met Li Jie's confident gaze and couldn't help but say, "No matter how good-looking you are, it's useless. We're hiring security guards here, not a beauty pageant. A pretty face won't get you anywhere."

After saying that, I started walking into the duty room. Li Jie saw this and hurriedly reached out to stop me from outside the door, but he was too late and could only follow me in dejectedly.

I sat down at the table and my gaze fell on the twin girls sitting opposite me. I had previously guessed that the "pretty" Li Jie mentioned was probably just an ordinary girl like Cuihua from the village, but when I saw them with my own eyes, I couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Looking at the twin sisters in front of me, they were truly striking. They were only in their early twenties, radiating vibrant youthful energy. One had a neat single ponytail, while the other had playful double ponytails. Apart from their hairstyles, their facial features were almost identical, making it impossible to tell them apart. It was the first time I had seen them, and I could only distinguish them by their hairstyles.

I glanced at them; both girls had their heads down, looking timid and avoiding my gaze. I took the opportunity to look at them a couple more times. Their skin wasn't fair; it was a wheatish color from years of sun exposure, even a bit darker. It was clear they often worked hard outdoors and had endured a lot of hardship.

Although her skin is on the darker side, her features are very delicate, and her small face is pretty and doesn't look rustic at all.

The two were dressed simply, in black short-sleeved shirts and black shorts, and their shoes were washed until they were almost white, so it was clear that their family was not well-off.

Even dressed so simply, she still has a pretty and pleasing appearance, and a particularly good temperament.

No matter how good-looking they are, they still don't meet the recruitment standards for security guards. I pondered for a moment, my original intention was to send them away directly, but since Li Jie had already let them pass the first test, as the person in charge of the second test, it would be a bit unreasonable for me to just kick them out without saying a word.

I composed myself and softly called out, "Chen Siyao, Chen Siqi?"

The two sisters looked up at the sound of her voice, their eyes crinkling into bright, sweet smiles, and replied, "Hello, Captain."

Their smiles were so radiant, they were incredibly pleasing to the eye, and I was completely mesmerized. I turned to look at Li Jie next to me, and he secretly gave me a wink, his intentions crystal clear.

Now I finally understand. No wonder Li Jie was so concerned and insisted on keeping the two sisters here.

I coughed lightly to steady myself, and after calming down, I asked, "Why did you two decide to become security guards? The pay isn't high, and you have to work night shifts. It's quite tough."

The two sisters nodded gently and replied softly, "We specifically chose to apply for the security guard position because we wanted to work the night shift."

I was completely confused by what they said, but after asking them carefully, I finally understood the truth.

It turns out that the two sisters lost their father two years ago, and their mother raised them all by herself. Now their mother is seriously ill and hospitalized, so the two sisters have to earn money to support the family and take turns caring for the patient.

If I were to work in a regular factory, I would be on fixed day shifts all day, making it impossible to take turns caring for my mother. The security guard position, however, allows for day and night shifts, with one person working the day shift and the other the night shift, so I could take turns watching over my mother at the hospital 24 hours a day. That's why I chose this job.

After hearing their story, I was filled with mixed emotions. I truly admired the two sisters for their filial piety and understanding. But as touching as I was, I still had to prioritize the factory's interests when making a decision. Besides, the factory had never hired female security guards before.

After a brief chat, I decided to end the interview and said softly, "Here's what we'll do: you can go back and wait for news. If you're accepted, you'll be notified within 24 hours. If you don't receive a message, it means you didn't pass."

This is a tactful way of saying it that I learned from HR. In a normal interview, if it's not a good fit, you can just refuse directly. But in situations like this where you can't bear to be blunt, this is the best way to phrase it. It avoids embarrassing them on the spot, and if they haven't heard back in a couple of days, they'll naturally understand and give up on the idea.

Seeing the two girls' pitiful appearance, I really couldn't bear to refuse them directly, for fear that if I said something too harsh, they would burst into tears on the spot, making it difficult to end the situation.

I thought they would understand the deeper meaning of my words and get up to leave, but the two sisters remained seated, unwilling to move. Seeing this, I frowned slightly and asked, puzzled, "Do you have any other questions?"

Chen Siyao, with her hair tied in a single ponytail, looked away slightly. After hesitating for a long time, she mustered her courage and spoke softly, "Captain, could you please tell me if we failed the interview?"

I was slightly taken aback by his words, then awkwardly forced a smile and asked, "How can you be so sure you won't pass?"

Chen Siyao's eyes were slightly red, and a layer of moisture welled up in them, making her look pitiful and endearing. She said softly, "We went to several interviews before, and it was the same every time. They told us to go back and wait for a call, but then we never heard back. I guess it's the same for you. Please tell me the reason, Captain."

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes instantly reddened, and tears streamed down her face. Her voice was trembling with sobs as she said, "We've been looking for work for several days in a row, and we're almost out of money. We have no other choice but to find some work as soon as possible."

Seeing her crying so pitifully, I couldn't bear it. The two sisters are both filial and honest, with impeccable character. Although girls may not be as physically strong as security guards, they are upright and would never have any crooked thoughts, much less like Zhou Zhengtao and his gang who secretly seek personal gain and corrupt the social atmosphere.

I sighed softly, all my worries dissipating, and my attitude softened. I asked, "Security guards need to take turns on night shifts, and staying up all night is extremely hard work. Can you really endure that hardship?"

Before Chen Siqi could react, Chen Siyao immediately understood and nodded vigorously.

"We will definitely persevere, no matter how hard or tiring it gets!"

"Alright then, you've passed the interview and can officially start work today."

My words were like sweet rain falling on their hearts. Chen Siyao's face lit up instantly, and she excitedly stepped forward to grasp my hand, thanking me repeatedly: "Thank you so much, Captain! We will definitely work hard and conscientiously from now on!"

My fingertips touched her warm and soft hand, and I couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. Chen Siyao also realized that her actions were too presumptuous. She looked down and saw their hands clasped together, and her face flushed red. She quickly let go, feeling embarrassed.

After finishing all the chores, it was time to leave work in the blink of an eye. As I was riding my motorcycle away, I bumped into the two sisters waiting for a ride by the roadside, and casually asked, "Where are you headed?"

Chen Siqi was still in a daze when Chen Siyao quickly replied with a smile, "We're going to the Fourth Hospital to take care of our mother."

"Oh?" I was slightly taken aback. Wasn't the Fourth Hospital where Lin Guilian was recuperating? I was just about to go there myself. I patted the back seat of the motorcycle and said with a smile, "Well, it's on the way. Come on, get on."

Upon hearing this, Chen Siyao was overjoyed and secretly rejoiced that she could save five yuan on bus fare. She quickly called Chen Siqi, who was next to her, to get on the bus together.

She looked at the not-so-spacious back seat, hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth and took the lead in sitting down, with Chen Siqi following closely behind in the back.

Chen Siyao sat in front of me, very close. She could faintly smell my unique masculine scent. Her ears turned red, and she clenched her hands tightly, trying to move back as if afraid of accidentally touching me.

Just then, a car suddenly sped out from the intersection ahead, running a red light. I quickly grabbed the brakes and slammed to a stop. The car braked abruptly, and Chen Siyao, caught off guard, leaned forward, her soft body pressed tightly against my back.

Feeling the warmth emanating from my body, Chen Siyao's face flushed crimson, and she froze, too nervous to move. Her heart pounded, filled with shyness and panic; she was completely stiff, feeling incredibly awkward and embarrassed, wishing she could disappear into the ground.