Only when the elevator reached the fourteenth floor did Ni Tong finally come to her senses.
Ruan Sixian?
She silently repeated this name several times, and finally remembered just as the elevator doors closed again.
Ruan Sixian, the one who made her become the “low-budget version” of Ruan Sixian.
But how could she possibly be back?
And as a pilot in the Flight Department?
Lost in these thoughts, the elevator had already descended to the ninth floor. By the time Ni Tong reacted, she frantically pressed the floor buttons, but it was already too late.
When she finally returned to the fourteenth floor, the safety briefing had already begun.
Sure enough, she was late after all.
Ni Tong felt annoyed as she forcefully scanned her fingerprint on the attendance machine by the door, then quietly slipped in through the back entrance and sat in a corner seat in the last row.
The colleague beside her whispered, “Why are you late?”
Ni Tong felt irritated as she rummaged through her bag for her phone while saying, “Don’t even ask, it’s so annoying.”
After finding Ji Ziyue’s WeChat, she immediately typed: Master, is Ruan Sixian back?
After sending the message, she remembered that Ji Ziyue had gone on vacation to Spain a few days ago and should have just taken off not long ago.
The colleague beside her continued talking, “You should have seen it. Wang Lekang noticed you were the only head flight attendant missing, and his face turned black with anger.”
Putting down her phone, Ni Tong turned and asked, “Is Ruan Sixian back?”
Her colleague was taken aback. “Who?”
She had no idea who this person was.
“Never mind,” Ni Tong didn’t bother to explain further.
She just thought, perhaps the person earlier had said “Ruan Sixian,” or maybe “Ruan Sixian,” or even “Ruan Sixian.”
After all, it wasn’t such a unique name, what if it was just someone with the same name?
Otherwise, according to Ji Ziyue, how could Ruan Sixian possibly return to Hengshi Airlines after what had happened?
Especially to the Flight Department under Fu Mingyu’s management.
If it were her, she wouldn’t return to World Airlines even if her life depended on it.
While Ni Tong’s mind wandered, Ruan Sixian had already completed her onboarding procedures at the Human Resources Department.
During the break as HR entered her information into the internal network, Ruan Sixian looked around the place.
From the moment she stepped into World Airlines, she noticed many changes.
On the right side of the spacious lobby on the first floor, there was now a large ACJ31 model, standing prominently like a landmark.
The reception desk had increased from four to six people, with new uniforms replacing the old dreary black suit jackets.
The HR department had also moved from the sixth floor to the fourteenth floor.
And throughout her journey, Ruan Sixian hadn’t seen a single familiar face.
Though she hadn’t encountered many people at all.
“I’m all set here.” The HR staff handed Ruan Sixian two forms, one small and one large. “The small one has your internal network account and employee number, along with other login passwords. The large one is a process form. Take it to the Flight Department on the sixteenth floor to report and get a stamp. After that’s done, go to the Logistics Department to collect your uniform.”
Ruan Sixian thanked her and left the office, only then examining her new employee number.
Even now, she could still recite her old employee number by heart; only the prefix letter had changed.
World Airlines assigned employee numbers with department prefixes based on organizational structure, starting with the Board of Supervisors and cascading down. The Cabin Crew Department’s prefix was “E.”
Now her employee number prefix had changed to “D” for the Flight Department.
The HR staff in the Flight Department was a young woman who occasionally glanced at Ruan Sixian while stamping her documents, with two shallow dimples in her cheeks.
“This is the first time I’ve met a female pilot,” the young woman said, efficiently signing and stamping documents without interrupting her casual chat. “And for the ACJ31 model too! I heard everyone in this batch is amazing, the competition was incredibly fierce. Some of the pilots our company hired would be first officer candidates at other airlines.”
She shyly glanced at Ruan Sixian again. “And you’re the top student. That’s so impressive.”
Then she took out her phone. “Can we add each other on WeChat? Personal accounts, is that okay?”
“Sure,” Ruan Sixian took out her phone but noticed an incoming call.
The screen displayed only the number, indicating it wasn’t a familiar contact.
But Ruan Sixian had a good memory for numbers, and this one wasn’t unfamiliar. She must have contacted it recently.
“May I take this call first?”
The HR staff nodded with a smile. “Of course, go ahead. I still have a lot of information to enter here.”
Ruan Sixian stepped outside with her phone, turning right into a long glass corridor.
This corridor connected the Flight Department’s international conference room with the Administrative Department. It was about seven or eight meters wide, with sunlight streaming through the seamless glass, giving off a cold feeling while reflecting a sense of technology, making the place seem more serene. It also had an echo effect, with footsteps from afar resonating halfway through the corridor.
Ruan Sixian felt that the atmosphere here resembled someplace, but she couldn’t quite recall where.
“Hello? Who is this?”