I gently brushed the soft strands of hair by my ear and stayed silent for a moment. Honestly, this question felt a little presumptuous—being asked right in front of the boss what I’d do if *I* were in charge. If anyone else had asked it, I’d have slammed the table long ago and declared my loyalty as Su Xiaoxi loud and clear.
I swallowed carefully and asked, “Boss Qin… are you serious?”
“How could I be joking?” Qin Ning frowned slightly. “Didn’t you say you could do anything? Let’s see how much you actually know.”
Ah, so *that* was the reason. Relief washed over me. I began explaining slowly: “Assuming enough staff are available, morning opening mainly involves arranging shelves and setting up display items outside.”
I’d never seen an anime store this big, but retail work has common threads. Straining to recall my past jobs, I laid it out bit by bit.
“Quick reminder,” Qin Ning cut in suddenly. “This whole space is only temporarily leased. We won’t use most of it initially—only two floors, six storefronts total, will be open to the public.”
*Why didn’t you mention this sooner?!*
I bit back the thought and offered an awkward yet polite smile. With just six stores, five full-timers plus ten part-timers would barely suffice.
“The cashier powers up the register and checks the cash drawer. Warehouse staff checks replacements and does a quick tidy. Others patrol to keep shelves neat. Mornings aren’t busy, but we still need three to four people inside to guide customers.”
Pausing to picture the layout, I continued: “Glass-case merch gets a partial daily rotation with light cleaning. Wall posters need changing too. Manga and light novel sections just need neatness. New releases and artbooks require careful spacing—leave room between displays.”
I glanced discreetly at Qin Ning. “Once that’s done, morning operations run smoothly as usual.”
She caught my look and nodded. “Continue.”
Phew. Passed. My shoulders loosened, words flowing easier now.
“At noon, stagger lunch breaks. I suggest standardizing meals—several restaurants in Century City offer work-friendly lunches with free delivery inside the complex. Cuts lunch from forty minutes down to under twenty. Many mid-to-large retailers do this.”
“You sound very familiar with Century City,” Qin Ning quirked a smile.
“I’ve held quite a few jobs here,” I gave a dry chuckle. “You could say I’m somewhat familiar.”
“Afternoon needs at least one person at the main entrance. Shoppers often carry bubble tea, snacks, even street food. Set up a drink drop-off spot and remind them not to bring items inside.”
“Evening is when Century City logistics arrive en masse. Assign stronger staff for daily pickups. Hire porters for bulk items like books; our team handles smaller merch.”
“Evening shift eats while morning covers. After handover, morning staff leave. Evening tally sales, bring displays in, final floor clean… and the day ends.”
I sat up straight, waiting obediently.
“Ever been a store manager?” Qin Ning’s face stayed neutral—no hint of approval. Just the question.
“No,” I rubbed my nose awkwardly. “I’ve just done every staff role separately… so I kinda know the ropes.”
A faint bitterness flickered inside.
“Got it.” Qin Ning lowered her long legs and stood. “Be here tomorrow at 8:30 AM.”
*Hired? Starting tomorrow?* Joy surged through me.
So it’s true—being a cute girl has its perks. Never been hired this fast before.
“Oh, leave your number,” Qin Ning stopped my excited fidgeting. “Don’t make yourself unreachable.”
Such a simple request… and I froze. “Sorry, Sister Qin Ning… I don’t have a phone right now.”
“?” She raised an eyebrow.
Seriously, how did she convey so much without a word?
“My phone was lost.”
She studied me quietly for a beat, then asked bluntly, “Something happen to you recently?”
I blinked. “How did you know?”
“Your face is pale. Lost color. Been sick?”
“No—it was the car accident. Hospitalized after the chain-reaction crash on the overpass a few days ago. That’s when I lost my phone.” I answered, quietly impressed by her sharp eyes.
After a short silence, she said, “Alright. We’ll talk tomorrow morning.”
