Chapter 923
Once you're here, you're a Tang Dynasty citizen.
Li Xiangyang clutched the card as he walked out of the train station.
The square was filled with young people like him—carrying bags and dragging suitcases, their eyes filled with trepidation, anticipation, and uncertainty about the future, but even more so with a burning, restless desire.
A middle-aged man in gray overalls stood in the center of the square, holding up a handwritten sign: "Looking for a job? Come with me."
Li Xiangyang followed them as if possessed.
A dozen or so people were already following behind the middle-aged man. One of them asked, "Uncle, which company do you work for?"
"From Xinghuo Express."
The middle-aged man grinned, revealing a kind and honest demeanor, and said, "You're all here looking for work, right? Do you want to work as a courier? If you do, don't wander around aimlessly, come with me, I'll take you to the registration point."
Someone hesitated and asked, "Are you a legitimate employee? You're not a scammer, are you?"
The middle-aged man wasn't annoyed. He pulled out his employee badge and showed it to the reporter: "Zhang, employee number XH00823, Xinghuo Express Tangdu Distribution Center. Don't believe me? Scan this code to find my information."
Li Xiangyang scanned the QR code on his employee badge, and a page popped up on his phone screen—name, employee number, position, date of employment, and even this year's performance rating.
"See that?"
The middle-aged man put away his employee badge and said proudly, "Our company is completely transparent. We can't lie to anyone, and we don't need to. Whether you come or not is up to you."
The dozen or so people exchanged glances and then followed.
The registration point is located in an office building near the train station.
Li Xiangyang thought there would be long queues, huge crowds, and it would be so crowded that it would be impossible to move.
But upon arrival, they discovered that the entire building was divided into more than a dozen areas, each corresponding to a different business line of Galaxy Technology.
Scan the code, fill out the form, undergo facial recognition, and the system automatically assigns an interview time.
The whole process was like a factory assembly line, orderly and incredibly efficient.
"How many servers would it take to handle this?" someone muttered nearby.
Li Xiangyang didn't speak, but just stared at the line of text on his phone screen: "You have passed the initial review. Interview time: 14:30 today, location: Xinghuo Express Tangdu Distribution Center."
He checked his watch; there was still an hour left.
He gripped the backpack strap tightly and walked towards the door.
Xinghuo Express Tangdu Distribution Center is located in the eastern suburbs of the city, covering an area of 200 acres. The silver-gray factory buildings reflect a cold light under the sunlight.
There were already hundreds of people lined up at the entrance, mostly young people in their early twenties, and a few who looked to be in their thirties, standing silently in the queue.
When Li Xiangyang went into line, the person in front of him turned around and saw a dark-skinned young man who looked younger than him.
"Are you here to apply for the job too?" the other person asked, taking the initiative to speak.
"Ah."
Li Xiangyang nodded: "And you?"
"Me? I worked in an electronics factory in Dongguan for two years, tightening screws. The factory wasn't doing well, so they laid off a bunch of people, and that's when I left."
The young man smiled, revealing his white teeth, and said with a hint of anticipation, "I heard that the salary here is high and they also provide social insurance and housing fund, so I came."
Have you ever delivered packages before?
"No."
The young man shook his head and said, "But I've driven a forklift in the factory and I have a driver's license. They said they can provide training, and I'll get paid during the training."
Li Xiangyang was stunned for a moment.
Is there a salary during the training period?
He used to work in the county town. He didn't get paid for seven days of trial work, and he only got paid after working for a full month. His deposit was also withheld.
"Really?" He could hardly believe it.
"real."
The middle-aged man in front of me turned around and said, "I just finished my interview yesterday and I'm here today to complete the onboarding process. There's a one-month training period with a base salary of three thousand, including room and board. After the training, if I pass the assessment, I'll be a full-time employee. After that, the base salary is four thousand five, plus performance bonuses and subsidies, so I can earn seven or eight thousand a month."
As he spoke, he pulled an employment notice from his pocket and waved it in front of Li Xiangyang.
The document was written in black and white and stamped with the official seal of Xinghuo Express.
Li Xiangyang stared at the paper, his heart racing.
The procession moved forward slowly.
It was already 1:50 when it was his turn.
The interview took place in a large office on the second floor. Three interviewers sat behind a long table, which contained no computers, only a stack of forms and a few pens.
"sit."
The interviewer in the middle was a woman in her forties, with short hair and glasses, and a gentle voice: "Li Xiangyang?"
"Yes."
"A person from southern Jiangxi? Graduated from a third-tier university? Majored in marketing?"
"Yes."
Have you ever delivered packages before?
"No."
He answered honestly, "But I'm strong and can endure hardship."
The woman laughed: "We have plenty of hardworking people here. Tell me, why did you come to Xinghuo Express?"
Li Xiangyang paused for a moment, then said, "Because you don't look at academic qualifications when you recruit people, and you're a big company."
The office fell silent for a moment.
“I sent out a lot of resumes before, but no one wanted me. I don’t have a high level of education, and I didn’t go to a good school. People just threw them away without even looking at them. But I don’t think I’m any worse than others. I just… just didn’t have the opportunity.”
“If you give me a chance, I’ll take it.”
The woman looked at him for a while, then wrote a few words on the form.
"Okay, it's approved."
She pushed the form over and explained, "Sign here and report for duty tomorrow. The training period is one month, with room and board provided, and a base salary of 3,000. After becoming a full-time employee, the base salary is 4,500, plus performance bonuses, subsidies, and social insurance and housing fund. Any questions?"
Li Xiangyang was stunned.
Is it really that simple? No written test? No second interview? No "go home and wait for notification"?
“No problem,” he blurted out.
After signing the papers, I walked out of the building, and the sunlight shone brightly on my face.
Li Xiangyang stood on the steps and took a deep breath.
The air smelled of dust, gasoline, and the raw, vibrant smell unique to the city's construction.
He took out his phone and made a call home.
"Mom, I found a job."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then the mother's happy voice came through: "Good, good, it's good that you found it."
"It's a subsidiary of Galaxy Technology called Xinghuo Express. You can find it online. The salary is quite high, and they also pay for social insurance and housing fund. You get paid during the training period, and they provide meals and accommodation."
"Galaxy Technology..."
The mother murmured repeatedly, then suddenly seemed to remember something, her voice becoming somewhat excited as she said, "It's that...that guy who works on rockets?"
"Yeah, that's it."
"That's a good company."
The mother's voice suddenly brightened: "I heard they treat their employees really well, they even give out red envelopes for Chinese New Year, five thousand yuan each. Your cousin's neighbor's daughter works there, and last year the company went public and she even got stock options..."
As Li Xiangyang listened to his mother's rambling, he suddenly felt his eyes welling up with tears.
"Mom, I will do my best."
"Okay, do a good job. Mom is waiting for you to come back for the New Year."
After hanging up the phone, he stood on the steps, looking at the young people like himself in the square.
They came from all directions, dragging suitcases and carrying bags, and then dispersed in all directions.
Some people have found jobs, some are waiting for news, and some are still hesitating.
But they all came anyway.
Tangdu Railway Station, Exit.
A young woman in a floral dress walked out, dragging a suitcase. Her name was Su Xiaowan, she was 27 years old, and she had a doctorate in biopharmaceuticals.
She submitted her resume online and received an interview invitation three days later.
"Excuse me, where is the shuttle bus for Galaxy Technology?" she stopped a volunteer in a blue uniform. "Turn left at the exit, there are signs in the square."
She thanked him and dragged her suitcase to the left.
Sure enough, there were more than a dozen buses parked in the square, with the "Galaxy Technology" logo printed on their bodies.
There were long lines in front of each car, with young people, middle-aged people, college students, and migrant workers in the queue.
Su Xiaowan found the sign for "Galaxy Biotechnology" and joined the queue.
Ahead of me was a woman in her forties, dressed simply, carrying a plastic bag.
"Young lady, are you also going to Galaxy Biology?" The older woman turned to look at her.
"Yes, are you one too, big sister?"
"Me? I'm going to work as a kitchen helper in the cafeteria. I heard they're hiring, the salary is 4,500 yuan, room and board included, and they also pay for social insurance and housing fund."
The older woman smiled and continued, "I used to wash dishes in a restaurant back home, earning 1,800 a month, and that was all. Now that I'm old, I don't ask for anything else, I just want to find a stable place to work until I retire."
Su Xiaowan was stunned for a moment.
The first time she heard the phrase "work until retirement" was not from a white-collar worker in an office, but from a woman who helped out in the cafeteria.
"Big sister, how old are you?"
"I'm forty-seven."
"I can still work for another ten years or so."
"No."
The older woman's eyes lit up, and she said happily, "They said that I can receive a pension after working for fifteen years. I did the math, and I can retire at sixty-two, which is perfect. I'll have money to receive every month then, and I won't have to rely on my children. Isn't that great?"
Su Xiaowan suddenly felt that this city was quite different from the places she had lived before.
The bus slowly pulled out of the station and headed towards the High-tech Zone.
Su Xiaowan sat by the window, watching the street scenes rushing past outside.
High-rise buildings, construction sites, tower cranes, office buildings, residential areas... This city is growing at a visible speed, like a tree that has been thoroughly watered, with its branches and leaves stretching wildly in all directions.
"Look over there," someone said, pointing out the window.
Su Xiaowan looked in the direction she was looking and saw a huge construction site in the distance, with dozens of tower cranes rotating at the same time, like a steel forest.
The sign at the entrance of the construction site reads: Galaxy Technology Xuanwu Battery Industrial Park (Phase II).
"I heard that the world's largest solid-state battery production base is going to be built here. This industrial park alone will need to recruit 30,000 people."
"Thirty thousand people?" someone exclaimed.
"Yes, 30,000 people, including operators, technicians, engineers, quality inspectors, warehouse staff, logistics personnel... all kinds of positions are available."
"Doesn't that mean that anyone can come whenever they want?"
"more or less."
There was a moment of silence in the car.
Then someone quietly said, "I wish I had come a few years earlier."
Su Xiaowan did not respond.
She just looked out the window at the construction site, watching the tower cranes slowly turn in the sunlight, and suddenly felt that she hadn't come too late.
Galaxy Bio's Tangdu R&D Center is located in the heart of the High-tech Zone.
Su Xiaowan's interview was at 3 p.m., and she arrived an hour early.
Several people were already waiting at the door, including young people and middle-aged people. Some were wearing shirts and trousers, while others were wearing work clothes.
"Hello, are you here for an interview?" a boy wearing glasses greeted him.
Yes, and you?
"Me too. My name is Zhou Ming. I graduated last year and worked at the firm for half a year, but I couldn't stand the overtime, so I quit."
Su Xiaowan nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
The interview was simpler than she had imagined; there was no group interview, no stress test, and no tricky questions.
The interviewer was a woman in her thirties, wearing a white coat and a badge that read "Human Resources Department" on her chest.
"I've reviewed your resume. Your major is relevant, and your grades are good. I'd like to ask you a question—why do you want to join Galaxy Bio?"
Su Xiaowan thought for a moment and said, "Because you are doing something meaningful."
The interviewer smiled: "What's meaningful?"
"Your company's research and development capabilities, such as Changqing Liquid and Lidan Shugan Tablets, are sufficient proof of your company's R&D capabilities, which are rarely seen in other domestic companies."
After a pause, she continued, "I originally thought my major would lead me to work for a foreign company, but staying in China is naturally a better option."
The interviewer looked at her, paused for a moment, and then said, "You've passed. Report for work next Monday. The probation period is three months. After you become a full-time employee, you'll enjoy the benefits of a regular employee—five social insurances and one housing fund, commercial insurance, year-end bonus, employee stock ownership, etc. You can check the offer letter; it's all there."
Su Xiaowan was stunned for a moment.
She thought there would be a long wait, that she would be told to "go back and wait for further notice," and that there would be various uncertainties.
but no.
"It's...it's that simple?" she couldn't help but ask.
"It's that simple."
The interviewer stood up, extended his hand, and said warmly, "Welcome to Galaxy Bio."
Su Xiaowan grasped that hand and suddenly realized that this city was truly different.
The High-tech Zone Talent Apartment is specifically designed for young people from other places who come to Tangdu for employment.
It was already 7 p.m. when Li Xiangyang walked into the apartment lobby with his luggage.
The lobby was brightly lit, and a young woman was sitting at the front desk, registering new guests.
"name?"
"Li Xiangyang".
"From Xinghuo Express?"
"Correct."
The girl typed a few words on the computer and handed him a room key: "Fifth floor, 512. It's a double room. Your roommate joined the company at the same time as you. You can stay in the apartment for free for one month. If you want to continue living there after three months, the monthly rent is 300 yuan, which will be deducted from your salary. Utilities, internet, and electricity are all included. There's a cafeteria downstairs. Breakfast is 5 yuan, lunch is 10 yuan, and dinner is 10 yuan. You can pay by card."
Li Xiangyang took the room key, thanked him, and carried his luggage upstairs.
The fifth-floor corridor was quiet, and each room had a room number posted on its door.
He found room 512 and swiped his card to enter.
The room is small, about 30 square meters, with two single beds, two desks, two wardrobes, and a separate bathroom.
The sheets and blankets were new and neatly folded.
My roommate is already here, sitting on the bed playing on his phone.
"Hello."
The other person looked up; he was a young man in his early twenties with a round face and a simple, honest smile: "My name is Zhao Lei, I'm from Gansu Province, and I also work for Xinghuo Express."
"Hello."
Li Xiangyang put down his luggage and sat down on the bed opposite him: "When did you arrive?"
"Two o'clock in the afternoon, a few hours earlier than you."
Zhao Lei put away his phone and said excitedly, "This apartment is really nice, much better than the ten-person dorm I lived in in Dongguan. There, eight people were crammed into one room, with bunk beds and not even a wardrobe. Here, two people share a room, with a private bathroom, 24-hour hot water, and it only costs 300 yuan a month. Do you know how much I rented a room in Dongguan? 1,200 yuan, a partitioned room, 10 square meters, without even a window."
As Li Xiangyang listened, he suddenly felt somewhat dazed.
He recalled the basement he used to live in when he worked; it was damp, dark, windowless, and covered in mold, and he still had to pay 600 yuan a month.
He recalled those nights working overtime, the wages that were withheld, and those days when he saw no hope.
Now, he sits in a clean and bright room with new sheets and a soft blanket, and can see the city lights outside the window.
"Zhao Lei."
He suddenly asked, "Do you think we can stay?"
Zhao Lei was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "Why not? As long as you're willing to work, you can stay. They won't kick you out."
Li Xiangyang didn't say anything more.
He simply looked out the window, at the lights, at the growing city. (End of Chapter)