"Thank you for participating in the NetEase Group's Fall Recruitment. After careful consideration by our company, you may not be quite suitable for this position at the moment. Your information will be added to our talent pool. If"

"I'm done!" Zhang Menglong slammed his mouse on the table. This was his twentieth or so interview for this fall recruitment season.

This year has been a rather bumpy Year of the Tiger. Since the beginning of the year, all sorts of things have happened: viruses, fires, earthquakes, and floods, as if the world itself is telling us to cherish everything.

The economic impact has made this year's autumn recruitment situation extremely severe. Even graduate and doctoral students who are unable to find jobs are numerous, and Zhang Menglong, a materials science graduate from one of the four major "bottomless pits" (in terms of employment prospects) in environmental material and biological engineering, is even worse off.

Over a hundred applications were submitted, and after overcoming five hurdles and six trials, I finally reached the last stage of the interview. However, my almost-assured position was snatched away by a nepotism case.

This thing is still something he liked very much when he was interviewing, otherwise Zhang Menglong really thought that his own strength wasn't enough.

"Brothers, how are you guys doing with your job hunt?" Zhang Menglong noticed that the other roommates in the dorm were also wearing worried expressions.

"Don't even mention it, the interview was fierce. When they asked about salary, it was 2500 yuan. The guy next to me sighed and said, 'My family wants me to go back for a Master's degree.'"

"Come on, in our field, unless we switch careers, even if we graduate with a master's degree, we only earn six or seven thousand yuan a month. Some of us even have to work the night shift. It's better to face the harsh realities of society sooner rather than later, maybe there are still some opportunities."

"And you, Mr. Sun?"

"What else can we do? Keep selling houses. It's tough, but it's better than having no food on the table."

"Oh, wouldn't it be nice if we all had a better family background?" Xu Li said.

"Haha, it's the kind where if you can't make it, you just go back to inherit the family fortune," Sun Yuele said.

"What if we give Mom and Dad a call? Maybe they're secretly billionaires and just haven't told us?"

"Haha, I didn't think you'd come up with that!" Everyone started joking, and some of Zhang Menglong's haze lifted.

Just then, Zhang Menglong's phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the number and saw that it was noted as "Zhang Shixian." This was Zhang Menglong's note for his father, Zhang Xiaoyun, because his father, despite being fifty years old, still talked as much as Hong Shixian.

"Dad, why did you suddenly think to call me today?" Zhang Menglong said weakly.

"This isn't the fall recruitment season anymore, I'm just checking in to see how your job search is going. Listening to your voice, it sounds like you're out of luck? Hahaha!"

"Zhang Xiaoyun, are you still my father? Even at this time, you're still making fun of me?" Zhang Menglong had a helpless expression, but Zhang Xiaoyun was just like that. Ever since Zhang Menglong could remember, Zhang Xiaoyun had been different from other fathers.

Isn't it just that you can't find a job? What's there to be disappointed about?

"Old Zhang, if I can't find a job, I won't be able to make money. If I don't make money, I won't have money to buy you a car or a big house. Then I won't be able to marry a beautiful wife and bring honor to our Zhang family. It makes sense, right? So, you shouldn't look for a job. Even if it's a good job, it's just working for someone else. Our Zhang family people, we don't work for others! We will never work for others in our lives!"

"Haha, Dad, do you think you're Che Guevara?" Zhang Menglong laughed. "Che Guevara started doing livestreaming and odd jobs after he got out of prison to make money, and besides, aren't you still working?"

"That's all just a ruse. I just wanted you to see what life is like for ordinary people, so you wouldn't get too big for your britches from the start. It seems like you still have good values. It's time for you to inherit the family fortune now."

"What do you mean? Our family's assets?" Zhang Menglong chuckled. "Old Zhang, don't think I don't know, we only have an 89-square meter apartment and a 200,000 car at home, maybe a few hundred thousand yuan in savings. You better keep these for your retirement!"

"You little brat, you actually look down on me?" A cold laugh came from the other end of the phone. "National Day is coming soon, you should go home for a visit. There are some things you need to be told!"

"Got it, just tell me if you miss me. All this unnecessary drama, really." Zhang Menglong hung up the phone. As for what Zhang Xiaoyun had said just now, he didn't take it to heart at all.

"Alright, then let's just treat it as a chance to relax and go home for a bit. Finding a job won't be affected by one or two weeks." Thinking about it carefully, she realized she hadn't been home in quite some time.

"Well, Menglong, what's your family's phone number?" asked the roommates.

"Yeah, he asked me how my job search was going," Zhang Menglong laughed. "My dad even told me not to look for a job anymore and to just go back and inherit the family business. That old geezer is such a pain! I don't believe him!"

"Haha!" The roommates couldn't help but laugh either. Two years ago, they had visited Zhang Menglong's hometown, and although his family wasn't poor, they were just an ordinary working-class family.

Maybe your dad was afraid you'd go bad, so he kept it a secret from you all along!

"Hahaha, yeah, your dad said he's a fisherman. Who knows, maybe hundreds of islands in your group belong to your family?"

"Let us not forget each other when we are prosperous!"

"This is getting out of hand! My family even rides dolphins to get around!" Zhang Menglong shut down his computer and gave that email one last, hard look. "When I have money, I'm going to buy out your NetEase Group!"

"Ugh, they said five years ago that we'd have a high-speed rail line, and now I still can't see anything!" Zhang Menglong grumbled as he walked down from the upper berth. Several hours of bumpy travel had his stomach churning.

"Strange, wasn't my dad supposed to pick me up today? I can't see anyone," Zhang Menglong searched the parking lot for a long time but couldn't find Zhang Xiaoyun.

Just at that moment, a car stopped beside him.

"Holy crap, a Rolls-Royce? We actually have someone this wealthy in our little city?" Zhang Menglong looked at the luxurious emblem with envious eyes.

The driver, dressed in a suit and gloves, looked like a chauffeur. He got out of the car and opened the door. An elderly man, who appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, emerged from the back seat.

Zhang Menglong suddenly felt a little suffocated. This extraordinary-looking old man actually bowed deeply to him and then said, "Menglong, get in the car. We've been waiting for you for a long time!"

"Wait? Grandmaster Menglong?" Zhang Menglong's brain buzzed. "What's going on? Are you here to pick me up?"

Just at that moment, Zhang Menglong's phone vibrated. He opened it, and on the chat interface was a picture sent by his father. It was his uncle holding a big sword with a cocky expression on his face. There were four characters written on the uncle's forehead:

"Didn't expect that?"

(Editor in charge:solo leveling novel)