The next morning, Lin You got up and immediately started reviewing resumes.
Thousands of applications had already been pre-screened by Xiaomeng, significantly reducing Lin You’s workload.
Qin Songyun’s resume was placed at the very top of the planning category.
The moment Lin You saw that the applicant was from NetDragon, a big red 《X》 flashed in his mind. He didn’t even bother reading it in detail and immediately moved on to the next one.
“No matter how short-staffed I am, I won’t hire anyone from NetDragon!”
He was just that petty.
As he went through resume after resume, scanning both planners and artists, he couldn’t find a single one that truly satisfied him.
This puzzled him greatly. He hadn’t yet realized that he was being blacklisted by major corporations, and that top-tier talent was all tied up in those very companies.
Should he just hire a few people temporarily to fill the gaps and recruit better talent once the company grew stronger?
Lin You was extremely reluctant.
Were these top talents really so indifferent to cutting-edge technology? The chance to change the world was right in front of them, yet none dared to quit their jobs and take a gamble? Were they really that pragmatic?
After some thought, he opened the recycle bin and restored Qin Songyun’s discarded resume.
“I’ll just take a look. Doesn’t mean I’ll actually hire him.”
But once he did, he was stunned. This was truly a top-tier talent—exceptionally well-rounded.
Qin Songyun had joined NetDragon right after graduation. Starting as an obscure junior planner, he rose to become the lead designer of the renowned *Blazing Flame* in just three years. A versatile all-rounder with no obvious weaknesses, exactly the kind of talent Lin You desperately needed right now.
Logically, someone like this would have a bright future ahead, undoubtedly becoming a pillar of NetDragon’s future. There was no way he’d leave so easily.
“Could he be a spy?” Lin You couldn’t help but suspect.
“Nope!” Accompanied by a dazzling fireworks effect on the desktop, the chibi Xiaomeng made her appearance once more.
Since they’d upgraded to a new computer yesterday, Xiaomeng’s processing power had increased more than tenfold, so Lin You didn’t mind the minor extravagance of these visual effects.
The days of penny-pinching were long gone!
“Why do you say that? Do you have some special intel, Xiaomeng?”
“Hehehe, Xiaomeng knows! Xiaomeng found a Lingxi account that stopped updating two years ago, and another account belonging to an illustrator that went silent six months ago.”
“So?” Lin You was curious.
“Both accounts belong to the same person! She was Qin Songyun’s girlfriend. She used to post lots of photos with him on Lingxi, but two years ago, she announced she’d been diagnosed with ALS and would stop updating permanently.
As for the later account under the name ‘Chun,’ it’s the same person—Xiaomeng figured it out from lots of little details!”
“So…” Lin You followed Xiaomeng’s train of thought. “The illustrator’s account also stopped updating six months ago. You think her condition has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer create illustrations, right?”
“Xiaomeng feels really sad too, but for people with ALS, the average life expectancy is only about four to five years. She…”
Even if recovery were possible, life like that would hold no joy whatsoever.
Lin You now understood Qin Songyun’s feelings. The man had seen hope in him.
That was why, in his message, Qin Songyun hadn’t even discussed salary or benefits. Without hesitation, he’d quit NetDragon for the sake of his girlfriend and come knocking at Lin You’s humble door. Lin You couldn’t help but respect that.
If a man like this wasn’t trustworthy, then who was? He was the one!
“Xiaomeng, send the offer! Have him come in this afternoon—direct onboarding!”
“Bring his wife too!”
“Since we haven’t found any decent artists anyway, the spot’s hers. Let’s have them both join!”
As for the administrative assistant, that could wait. They’d figure it out later.
Jian Xingde had arrived. Time to head out—and practice shooting!
Yue Pengju followed Lin You into Jian Xingde’s car.
Jian Xingde seemed to have expected this and didn’t find it strange at all. After a brief round of introductions, they set off.
As he drove, he chatted with Lin You, who sat in the passenger seat.
“Brother Lin, how the hell did you make that thing? When the Princess went to buy equipment for you, I was with her the whole time. That pile of stuff wasn’t exactly expensive, and I doubt it was anything particularly rare either. Yet you tinkered with it and turned it into a groundbreaking new technology that’s shocked the whole country—hell, I hear it’s world-leading! How’d you pull that off?”
Lin You gave the driving Jian Xingde a strange look.
Was this really Jian Xingde? The same guy who always wore a suit and black shades, kept a cold expression, and remained tight-lipped—someone who’d never use two words where one would suffice?
When Lin You didn’t answer, Jian Xingde continued unfazed, “Don’t mind me. I don’t mean anything by it. Even if you explained how you built that equipment, I wouldn’t get it. Don’t let my old man naming me ‘Jian Xingde’ fool you—it’s useless. I was never cut out to be a scholar. Couldn’t focus on books even as a kid. Thank god I impulsively enlisted later. After getting put through the wringer in the military, I finally turned out alright—didn’t end up a street thug and even landed a respectable job. People respect me wherever I go now.”
Before Lin You could respond, he went on, “Of course, I know it’s not me they respect—it’s the Princess’s face. But the Princess respects us too. I practically watched her grow up. When we first met, she was such an adorable little girl, shy around everyone. Now she’s all grown up! Let me tell you—”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Lin You couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted. “Are you really Jian Xingde? Not some twin brother or something?”
“How could that be? I’m the only child in my family. Otherwise, my mom wouldn’t have worried so much while I was in the military, constantly trying to get in touch. My old man, though? Overjoyed. Thought I’d finally done something right—that this useless piece of firewood might actually amount to something. Not that my mom was against me enlisting, but the war had only ended a few years prior. Naturally, she was worried. Things are much better now—doubt we’ll fight again anytime soon. And even if we did, I don’t think anyone would dare pick a fight with us—”
“Hold on, hold on!” Lin You rubbed his temples. “What I mean is, every other time I’ve seen you, you barely said a word!”
“Exactly! Gotta be serious and focused at work! When your superiors entrust you with such an important task, it’s a sign of their trust. I can’t let them down—not even the slightest carelessness is acceptable! Besides, as the Princess’s bodyguard, when I’m out with her, I represent her dignity. Can’t embarrass the young lady, right? So during work hours, I avoid unnecessary chatter to stay sharp. Only by staying sharp can I avoid mistakes.”
He then added, “But over time, I’ve gotten kinda talky outside of work. I’m aware of it. Knowing doesn’t help, though—I just can’t help myself. Don’t take it personally. It’s a habit I can’t shake…”
*Who the hell are you?! Give me back the stoic bodyguard!*
(End of Chapter)