Chapter Five: I Have Someone in High Places

There isn’t a single popular streamer with over ten thousand loyal fans who’s had an easy start—hostility and competition begin from the very first second.

“So young and already over ten thousand followers, the new generation always surpasses the old.”

“How old are you, little sister? What’s your streaming handle? Shall we follow each other?”

“When did you start competing? What’s your content focus?”

Everyone seemed enthusiastic, and Lin Ke kept a smile on her face, though it was growing stiff. Her mind raced, but she simply couldn’t figure out how to break into the conversation.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to dwell on it long.

“Selina, the twenty streamers scheduled for today’s interview have all arrived. Here are their resumes.”

A director with voluminous waves and impossibly high heels strode in, a picture of confidence and authority, followed swiftly by an assistant who hurried to hand her a thick stack of resumes.

This woman was clearly decisive and formidable, and her name—so fit for a workplace powerhouse—left no room for doubt about her capabilities.

But just as the assistant stepped forward, she twisted her ankle and stumbled toward the pond, nearly falling in. Selina reacted quickly and caught her, but the resumes slipped from the assistant’s hands and tumbled into the water.

“S-sorry, Director, I—”

Selina raised a hand to stop her: “Just print another set.”

Lin Ke stared, utterly baffled by the scene before her.

What was this? Was it on purpose? Part of the interview assessment?

So what was she supposed to do now? Jump into the pond and fish out the resumes? Isn’t that how it goes in TV dramas?

The pond wasn’t deep, so it wouldn’t be too embarrassing. She was wearing white sneakers today—certainly an advantage over heels. She could move faster than the others!

Come on, legs, move!

Just as Lin Ke took a step forward, another candidate calmly pulled out a backup resume from her backpack.

“Director, you can look at this one first. My name is Monroe.”

Selina glanced at her and then at the resume. “I remember you. You’re an established streamer, well-known in the cycling community.”

Monroe’s sunny, confident smile perfectly matched her cycling enthusiast image. “It’s an honor. I’ll do my best in the interview.”

Watching her competitor make such an impression in front of the director, several others hurried to submit their backup resumes.

Plan B—everyone had one.

Lin Ke was dumbfounded.

Huh?

Was this how it was supposed to go?

Workplace dramas had led her astray…

—

“Snow, you’re here.”

Selina suddenly nodded in greeting to another small group entering, drawing everyone’s attention.

Previously edged into a corner, Lin Ke now found herself closest to the new leader. As she turned, she caught sight of a familiar face.

“Cheng, Cheng! I haven’t had a chance to thank you yet.”

Her words tumbled out in a rush as she immediately greeted the new director.

Snow—Cheng Guanzhi, Director of Technology.

He glanced at Lin Ke without breaking stride. For a fleeting moment, there was a hint of recognition in his eyes, and he nodded to her.

Lin Ke wasn’t sure if he’d truly recognized her, but it didn’t matter—she’d seized the chance to make an impression on an interview leader!

She hadn’t lost yet!

Selina seemed a little surprised by Cheng Guanzhi’s reaction. This tech genius was usually indifferent to the company’s streamers.

She gave Lin Ke a friendly smile, then turned to accept the freshly printed resumes and entered the conference room.

The others now looked at Lin Ke differently.

Cheng? How did she know the director’s real name? Didn’t everyone at Breaking the Cocoon only use their English names?

Were they close?

They’d thought she was a newbie, but if she could stand at the same starting line as them, what kind of background did she have?

A referral from the Director of Technology?

This was Breaking the Cocoon, where traffic was king!

Monroe quickly changed her attitude. “Little sister, you know Snow?”

Lin Ke shook her head honestly. “No, we’re not close. We’ve only met once.”

Who knew what Monroe hid behind those bold red lips.

Hmph, still pretending. Not close? Then why call him so intimately? If not a blood sister, then maybe a sworn one.

Even if they’d only met once, it was probably at some dinner party!

But Monroe kept up the cordial act. The competition wasn’t cutthroat; a hundred people could be shortlisted.

Another friend meant another opportunity. If Lin Ke really had connections, she could benefit from it, and if not, she could always recruit her as a follower.

“Let’s add each other on WeChat! I live in the neighboring complex and know this area well. I’ll take you out for food sometime—I know a great little place.”

Lin Ke blankly opened her WeChat QR code. The neighboring complex… could it be the Idle Courtyard Residences?

How much per square meter? A hundred thousand? Eighty thousand?

She hadn’t even dared to ask before!

Even the rich and beautiful wanted to be streamers…

“Zhao Juan, your turn for the interview.”

“Coming!”

Monroe raised her hand high, smugly adjusted her hair, and entered the conference room. First to be called—clearly not just anyone.

The other candidates fell silent, the earlier chatter dying away. With the interviews underway and their own “path to glory” at stake, no one could remain calm.

“Tch, Monroe? Isn’t her real name Zhao Juan?” muttered a short-haired girl, but the others didn’t respond.

Lin Ke sat properly, silently reciting the self-introduction she’d memorized countless times, along with a hundred interview questions she’d copied from the internet.

Less than five minutes later, the conference room door opened again.

“Next, Lin Ke.”

Judging by the satisfied look on Monroe’s face as she left, the interview had gone well. Lin Ke relaxed a little and pushed open the door.

“Good afternoon, directors. I’m Lin Ke, streaming under the name ‘A Bit of Cuteness’.”

Across the long conference table sat six directors—the heads of Breaking the Cocoon’s six departments.

Selina, Director of Operations, spoke up. “Please have a seat, Keke. Don’t be nervous. Everyone who made it to this round is highly valued by the company. Just answer naturally.”

“I see you’ve been registered with Breaking the Cocoon for five months and thirteen days, have posted forty-one short videos, and streamed for a total of sixty-seven hours. Is that correct?”

Lin Ke nodded. “I only started live streaming in the last two months, so the total time isn’t long.”

Selina smiled warmly. “That’s perfectly fine, Keke. Breaking the Cocoon never discriminates against newcomers—in fact, such strong results early on show remarkable talent.

“I see most of your followers come from short videos, not live streams, and your content focus is… social relationships, correct?”

Lin Ke glanced nervously in Cheng Guanzhi’s direction and nodded again.

This wasn’t following the script at all; all her carefully prepared advantages and talking points had no place here!

If they kept digging, they’d soon discover she’d only made it in thanks to a stroke of luck with the internal test questions!

Selina noticed every little gesture.

This interview was turning out to be fascinating. The last candidate was exchanging glances with the Director of Content, and now this one had ambiguous ties with the Director of Technology.

Well, no matter.