“Remember to find your uncle later; let him take care of you, don’t wander off alone. And, talk nicely to the leaders, be sweet, keep a low profile when necessary—”
“Alright, mom!” She interrupted before her eardrums burst, “I’m just an intern, what kind of attention could I possibly draw? The leaders have better things to do.”
“What do you know, kid! You’re here to intern, but it’s practically like a job. Your uncle said that once someone retires, you’re guaranteed a position; he’s already talked to the higher-ups. Do you know how many people are vying for these jobs? You’re born with a silver spoon and you don’t even realize it!”
She understood her mother’s point. She admitted she could be a bit carefree, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t tell right from wrong. With the job market being tough, any connection, even a distant relative, had to be utilized. Her family had arranged for her to work at the procuratorate because of its stability; the path of a civil servant was always the right one.
“Mom, let’s talk about this when I pass the civil service exam. I know what to do now, bye.” Without waiting for a response, she hung up. She didn’t understand why her family thought she was so unreliable.
Her mother always said that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down; one should keep a low profile. So, she did, dressing in long sleeves, long pants, and a hat, making herself look more out of place than someone from a mental hospital. In this scorching summer, was it easy for her?
But upon reaching the procuratorate entrance, she panicked, suddenly realizing she was there through nepotism, and her confidence evaporated. Sigh… university life was the best for her! Thinking this, she broke out in another sweat. This procuratorate hall was something else, not even bothering to turn on the central air conditioning to save electricity.
She pulled out some tissues from her bag to wipe her face; appearance was important, she couldn’t embarrass her uncle. After all, he was a prosecutor, and she was just a distant relative benefiting from his position.
