278: Love the house and the dog, that's it

Zhuang Sanming didn't know, and didn't want to know, what the staff in the Mall said about him later.

His purpose in coming here was not to engage in meaningless arguments with these people.

“Hello, I’m here to interview for this position.”

Zhuang Sanming handed his resume to the interviewer opposite him, speaking neither humbly nor overbearingly... After the interview, the other party told Zhuang Sanming to go back and wait for a notification, then submitted the information he had recorded.

Zhuang Sanming then left.

He returned the way he came, and as he passed through the Mall lobby, he still heard a lot of whispers.

But he didn't take it to heart and walked straight out of the Mall's main entrance.

“What position did he apply for? He wouldn’t be working in the lobby too, would he?”

“I’ll go ask around.”

“...You’re back? Did you find out the result?”

“I found out! It’s actually the position selling rare ores!”

“What?! Such a good job, what right does a lackey of the Axe Gang have to it?”

“He’s not even twenty yet and he’s already a Level Three Martial Artist. Can you do that?”

“I...”

They didn't know yet that Zhuang Sanming had already become a genuine Level Four Martial Artist.

However, just being a Level Three Martial Artist under twenty years old was enough to make them so jealous they could grind their teeth to dust.

“It’s just an interview, he hasn’t been directly hired yet.”

“That’s true. That position is so sought after, there’s no way it would fall to a greenhorn like him.”

As the few of them talked, they became happy again.

Zhuang Sanming was completely unaware of this.

Nor did he need to know what others were saying about him... Guild, President’s Office.

“President, there’s some information I hope you can take a look at.”

The head of the Intelligence Department delivered a document, but his tone was somewhat lacking in confidence.

The President looked up at him, frowning slightly, and said, “Leave it there, I’ll look at it in a bit.”

“Uh... this is a bit important, it’s related to the Axe Gang’s generational change that you asked me to investigate last time.”

“Oh?”

This piqued his interest.

He picked up the document, looked at it, and said, “Zhuang Sanming? Is he one of the people you investigated that day?”

“Yes,” the head of the Intelligence Department replied respectfully.

“He wants to apply for a staff position at the Guild’s Mall?” The President thought for a moment and said, “Are you coming to me because you can’t decide whether to hire him?”

The head of the Intelligence Department was a bit helpless: “Actually, it’s like this, normally recruitment matters aren’t handled by our Intelligence Department, but Zhuang Sanming’s martial artist level meets the requirements, and he was neither humble nor overbearing during the interview, so they are quite inclined to hire Zhuang Sanming.”

“But after checking Zhuang Sanming’s information, they found that his background was somewhat unusual and related to the Axe Gang, so they came to me and a few other heads for discussion. After I investigated, I felt I should come and ask for your instructions.”

“What do you think, should we select him for employment?”

The head of the Intelligence Department explained it very clearly, but his implied meaning was not just because of the Axe Gang, but also because of the City Lord’s Mansion and the Beast Taming Bureau within the Wall.

Zhuang Sanming had fought alongside Wang Yi and Gu Mingzhu, a camaraderie that couldn't be easily replicated.

“Hmm, it’s worth considering carefully.” The President nodded, “You may go, I will let them know once I’ve decided.”

“Yes.”

...That evening, Zhuang Sanming didn't go to the market to buy groceries again. Xiao Shen had bought him too much yesterday, enough for three or four days.

Moreover, he already knew how the neighbors and other people in the Guild viewed him and the Su Family.

There was no need to seek out those unpleasantries anymore.

He himself didn't care, but he was worried that Father Su and Mother Su wouldn't be able to bear it.

The bereavement leave was only three days; in another day, Father Su and Mother Su would go to work at the Mall.

By then... Zhuang Sanming was troubled by this.

“Sanming, how did you feel about your interview today?”

Father Su saw Zhuang Sanming sitting alone on the sofa, lost in thought, and asked.

Zhuang Sanming immediately snapped back to reality: “Ah, it was okay, I answered everything I needed to, and they told me to go back and wait for a notification.”

Father Su nodded and didn't ask further.

But his gaze occasionally lingered on Zhuang Sanming for a moment.

Sanming... he really shouldn't stay here for them.

The Axe Gang’s reputation wasn't very good, but Father Su believed that since Su Duo and Zhuang Sanming could become comrades with Xiong Mao, then Xiong Mao must not be a ruthless person.

Moreover, on the day of Su Duo’s funeral, if Xiong Mao hadn't stepped in to resolve the situation, Qi Feifei would have caused who knows what trouble.

“It’s easier to avoid the King of Hell than to deal with little devils”—that described a petty person like Qi Feifei.

Both of them were strong and healthy; they didn't actually need Zhuang Sanming's care.

So Father Su was more inclined to let Zhuang Sanming pursue his own ideals and realize his ambitions in the Axe Gang.

But Zhuang Sanming had clearly refused, which was why Father Su had inquired about an open position in the Mall and told Zhuang Sanming to give it a try.

“How is Auntie doing?” Zhuang Sanming asked worriedly.

Ever since Su Duo’s death, Mother Su had been crying all day. Before, Mother Su was so diligent and did everything with a drive that didn't at all resemble a middle-aged person, but now... Su Duo’s death seemed to have crushed her.

Overnight, Mother Su’s hair turned white.

Half of her black strands had become white hair.

“Sigh.” Father Su sighed when Mother Su was mentioned, “She’s fine, I’ll take good care of her, don’t worry.”

He was actually also forcing himself to keep his spirits up, otherwise if both he and Mother Su collapsed, the burden of this family would truly fall only on Zhuang Sanming, a seventeen-year-old boy.

He didn't want that to happen.

Su Duo had died blocking a knife for Zhuang Sanming, but they didn't hate Zhuang Sanming.

He was the person Su Duo had sacrificed her life to save.

Such was the sentiment of loving the house and its crow.

“Oh, about the Axe Gang...” Father Su thought for a moment, feeling that some things still needed to be discussed openly.

As soon as Zhuang Sanming heard the words “Axe Gang,” he immediately stood up.

“No need to be so agitated.” Father Su knew he would react this way, so he patted his shoulder and told him to sit down.

Zhuang Sanming then sat back down on the sofa, but his heart was still filled with apprehension.

The neighbors, the staff in the Mall, and the vendors selling vegetables at the market... they all disliked the Axe Gang.

No, it should be said that they detested the Axe Gang.

Did Father Su... think that way too?

Zhuang Sanming was extremely uneasy.

However, what Father Su said next utterly astonished him.

Father Su said, “Actually, I also saw The Axe Gang Leader’s attitude that day; he values you highly, and it wouldn’t be bad for you to go there. As for me and Su Duo’s mother, we both have our own jobs and don’t need a child to take care of us. If you want to go to the Axe Gang, we won’t stop you.”

“But...” Zhuang Sanming couldn’t bring himself to leave his family.