The vines climbed wildly, extending all the way to the outside of the glass door, resembling black snakes.
Xu Dengming tried to press the door handle down and found that the glass door wasn’t locked, but the opening was entangled by the eternal vines, making it temporarily impossible to open.
The wind outside grew stronger, howling as it blew, causing the dark leaves on the vines to collide with each other, producing a continuous rustling sound.
“WW…..”
Xu Dengming withdrew her gaze and walked toward the dining area.
There was a corridor connecting the dining area to the hall.
The surrounding rooms had been converted into storage spaces, and some of the doors were unlocked.
Through the gaps, Xu Dengming saw rooms filled with mops and brooms piled together.
The lighting in the dining area was much brighter than at the stairwell, but the space was much smaller than Xu Dengming had imagined, accommodating only about thirty people.
The food was self-service, with limited variety, and it was still steaming hot.
Xu Dengming arrived quite early, but there were already people in the dining area before her.
Although only one table was occupied, it exuded a lively atmosphere.
As Xu Dengming stepped inside, the people at the table noticed the movement at the entrance, and several pairs of eyes turned toward her.
Xu Dengming paused, feeling as if she were under a spotlight.
A friendly-looking girl was the first to nod at Xu Dengming, signaling goodwill.
“Hello,” she said, then extended an invitation, “Would you like to join us?”
The young people who had arrived before Xu Dengming still retained some social enthusiasm.
They were chatting together and, upon seeing a newcomer, didn’t hesitate to invite her over.
Not wanting to appear too aloof on her first day, Xu Dengming politely accepted.
She first served herself some fried rice, added some vegetables, corn kernels, and chicken on top, then took a bowl of soup and a boiled egg.
Carrying her tray, she walked over to where the other young people were seated.
She glanced down at her plate, satisfied with the variety of food provided by the management.
As for the taste, for someone accustomed to boiled noodles and bread, it wasn’t particularly important.
There were quite a few people, so the young people had pushed two tables together.
As they ate, they chatted casually.
They first introduced themselves and where they lived, then asked for Xu Dengming’s name.
A young man named Fang Jialing looked at her and suddenly spoke up, “Wait, are you from E University?”
Fang Jialing lived in Room 412.
Xu Dengming admitted, “Yes, I’m a senior.”
She then looked at him and added, “I think I’ve seen you before.”
The two exchanged a glance, both seeming to recall something.
The girl who had greeted Xu Dengming earlier, Qin Linge, asked with curiosity, “So you two know each other?”
Xu Dengming replied, “We’re from the same university. We’ve seen each other a few times before, but we never really talked. I didn’t expect to meet here.”
She wasn’t lying, but she omitted some details.
For instance, she and Fang Jialing hadn’t just crossed paths on campus-they had also caught a glimpse of each other once in the Nestor Park area.
-Considering that all survivors of the instance had signed confidentiality agreements, she had every reason to keep that part of the past unmentioned.
Fang Jialing’s presence in the Management Bureau’s accommodation building was a testament to her good luck and robust nerves, having survived the ordeal until the very end.
Similarly, Fang Jialing, who had deliberately overlooked her experiences at the Nest Park, smiled and steered the conversation elsewhere:
“I have a classmate who was also recruited, but he has some family matters to attend to and will report a few days late.”
Their shared alma mater instantly brought everyone closer, and the atmosphere at the table grew more lively.
Xu Dengming then introduced her name and residence.
Upon learning she lived in room 303, Qin Linge and a young man named Jin Zhiran both showed expressions of “what a coincidence.”
Qin Linge lived in room 301.
She had moved in last October, having graduated earlier in the year and entered the Bureau through the normal recruitment process.
Due to work evaluations, she had yet to be officially confirmed.
She had previously lived nearby with relatives but moved into the Bureau’s dormitory after they relocated.
Jin Zhiran lived in room 302.
Although it was their first meeting and it was inappropriate to pry too much, the subtle hints of relief in his demeanor and the faint probing in his words made Xu Dengming suspect that he, too, had been involved in some abnormal incidents.
The quietest at the table was Dong Shaodan, who lived alone in room 417.
She appeared somewhat aloof and ate sparingly, seemingly unimpressed with the meal.
Judging by her attire, Dong Shaodan’s family was relatively well-off.
The brand of her coat was quite famous, something Xu Dengming had seen at Wang Yanxing’s place, sold only in the inner city.
As they were all interns, the others curiously asked Qin Linge about the tasks the Bureau might assign.
Qin Linge recalled, “I started by helping to organize documents, sometimes going out to maintain order, and registering various information.”
She added, “The work isn’t really difficult, so there’s no need to be nervous.”
Jin Zhiran was puzzled: “I noticed the Bureau has recruited quite a few people this year. Do they really need that many hands?”
Qin Linge thought for a moment:
“This year, they’ve been planning new residential areas, so it’s busier than usual.”
Fang Jialing shrugged and complained, “I really don’t understand why the city keeps planning new residential areas when the houses aren’t selling.”
Whether before or after the Great Calamity, housing issues were a common topic of conversation.
Jin Zhiran casually remarked, “They want to make money, and the rents in the new areas are particularly high. Even if you don’t want to move, the Bureau will force you to.”
Qin Linge listened to her new colleagues’ discussions with a smile but didn’t join in.
Considering the limited commercial prosperity of second-tier cities, the Bureau’s continuous planning of new residential areas to generate income was a common speculation among residents.
However, since she aimed to be officially confirmed in the Bureau, it was best not to voice such thoughts.
Jin Zhiran then asked Qin Linge, “Are the Bureau’s evaluations strict? How can one get officially confirmed?”
Qin Linge paused.
She had joined earlier in the year and was still not a formal employee, so the question was somewhat awkward for her.
However, she quickly adjusted her mindset and replied with a smile, “After joining, it’s crucial to follow the rules and regulations strictly in all actions.”
“During the process, I tried to listen to the opinions of my seniors as much as possible. Since there would be some group collaboration work later, it was also necessary to maintain good interpersonal relationships.”
After hesitating for a moment, she added, “I heard that there’s a practice in the management bureau where the HR department doesn’t allow all interns from the same batch to become regular employees smoothly.”
“However, those who don’t pass may not be immediately dismissed; there might be opportunities to take the assessment again later, or they could be assigned to other positions.”
Take herself, for example.
Now she had to continue working hard with the newcomers of this batch.
Jin Zhiran: “You came in the first half of the year, and now it’s only the end of November. The content of the bureau’s assessment shouldn’t have changed much.”
He said this partly as speculation and partly as self-comfort.
Qin Linge shook her head: “Not necessarily. I heard from previous colleagues that sometimes the HR department quietly adjusts the assessment content to give future employees a little surprise.”
Jin Zhiran: “….”
I don’t believe that’s a real surprise.
Previously, when Qin Linge went to Azalea Street, she asked a somewhat familiar employee about the assessment process this time.
The other person smiled sweetly at the time, not only did not criticize Qin Linge for trying to find loopholes, but also told her in a very gentle voice that the assessment content had been confirmed to be adjusted to a certain extent.
According to the other person, if Qin Linge performed the same as last time, she would definitely become a regular employee of the management bureau.
Qin Linge comforted: “Just do your best. If it really doesn’t work out, there’s still a chance in the first half of next year.”
Jin Zhiran couldn’t help but let out a wail, lying down on the dining table, only to be pulled up by Fang Jialing.
Xu Dengming didn’t get much involved in the others’ conversations throughout.
As someone who had already discovered the hidden secrets of this world, she didn’t think that the management bureau’s continuous planning of new residential areas was just for making money.
Like the Nest Park instance, the exit area for survivors has been blocked off, and residents around the instance will also gradually move out under the arrangement of the management bureau.
As for the houses left behind, it’s unlikely that new tenants will fill them in a short time.
When Xu Dengming was halfway through dinner, someone else walked into the restaurant.
This time it was Lin Yunhui, whom she had met several times before.
Lin Yunhui spotted Xu Dengming almost at first glance and waved at her happily.
The other young people noticed that the two knew each other and brought a chair for Lin Yunhui, inviting her to join the meal.
After a brief chat, Xu Dengming learned that Lin Yunhui had arrived yesterday and was currently staying in room 319.
Fang Jialing asked: “Which school are you from?”
Lin Yunhui replied: “Triangle Banyan City Academy of Fine Arts. Our school is not far from Azalea Street, so it’s very convenient to come here.”
Fang Jialing was somewhat surprised.
He guessed that the other party might not be from E University, but he didn’t expect Lin Yunhui’s major:
“Since you’re studying art, why did you come to the management bureau?”
Lin Yunhui smiled sheepishly:
“It’s not easy to find a job now. At least the management bureau is stable enough.”
After her words fell, the others also showed expressions of agreement, clearly not optimistic about the recent job market.
Many of them, although not yet officially graduated, had already experienced the harshness of the job market and understood the importance of being flexible.
The dim yellow twilight outside the window gradually gave way to darkness, and the sound of the wind grew sharper.
The dining hall began to fill up as people trickled in, occupying most of the remaining seats.
Most of these interns were young people around the same age as Xu Dengming, their faces brimming with the excitement of entering the workforce.
They chatted loudly with each other, clearly filled with curiosity about their future lives.
Xu Dengming poked at the boiled egg on her plate.
As someone with extensive experience in part-time jobs, she was evidently more interested in the upcoming break.
By seven o’clock, everyone had almost finished eating.
Seeing the dining hall becoming increasingly crowded, they didn’t want to hog the seats unnecessarily, so they picked up their trays and left together.
From the kitchen, separated from the dining hall by just a wall, the continuous hum of machinery could be heard.
Since the kitchen window was open, passing diners could see inside the kitchen was filled with cold, mechanical arms at work.
The main workers here were the outdated Type 2 cooking robots, which significantly reduced the need for human labor.
At the moment, there was only one human bustling around amidst the machines.