Chapter 69: Recruitment and Onboarding

Lu Yu had been immersed in his office, studying various special effects software, completely oblivious to the end of the workday. It wasn't until Qin Xiaomian came knocking at his office door that he finally snapped out of it.

Qin Xiaomian, sly as ever, grinned, "Uncle, it's time to clock out!"

Lu Yu couldn't help but ask, "How did you know I was still in my office?"

With a triumphant look, Qin Xiaomian replied, "Of course I know—I'm always watching you! Don't even think about ditching me to hang out with other ladies! Hmph, hurry up, GKD, Zixuan and I are waiting outside for you."

With that, she turned to find Shi Zixuan.

Lu Yu shook his head in amusement, shut down his computer, tidied up, and followed them out of the office.

Employees were leaving the company in small groups, chatting as they went.

Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian waited for Lu Yu at the company entrance. Seeing him approach, they simply smiled and walked with him, saying little because of the crowd.

The three arrived at the subway station during rush hour, bustling with people.

Lu Yu said to the two women, "Last time I told you to get your driver's licenses, but you never went. Once you start classes at school, sign up for it as soon as possible."

Qin Xiaomian protested, "Huh? Are we really going to be lady drivers?"

Lu Yu replied, "You squeeze onto the subway every day. Be careful you don’t run into wandering hands."

Qin Xiaomian showed off her small fists, "My fists are as big as sandbags—I’m not just for show!"

Lu Yu and Shi Zixuan laughed at her antics.

…

Back home, the three changed into athletic wear and went to the exercise room for a run.

Perhaps because they hadn’t exercised while filming the promotional video, Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian felt especially tired after today's run.

As usual, Lu Yu fetched warm water for them and helped with massages.

Shi Zixuan said, "I feel really exhausted after the run today."

Qin Xiaomian nodded, blowing at the strands of hair that had fallen to her lips.

Lu Yu remarked, "Exercise is like taking medicine—you can't stop."

He thought for a moment and added, "By the way, after your showers, come down and quickly register for classes at the university. Last time, I saw a business training program at the University of Finance and Economics, lasts a year and a half."

Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian looked at Lu Yu with sparkling eyes, unclear what they wanted to express.

After resting for a while, the three went upstairs separately to freshen up.

Lu Yu was the first downstairs, taking his laptop from his backpack and continuing his research on special effects software from the sofa.

Soon, Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian came down as well. They ordered takeout on their phones and took out their laptops, searching online for enrollment in the "business training program" Lu Yu had mentioned.

It was essentially a course in business administration and financial knowledge—not a formal degree, but it would grant a certificate from the university.

…

After dinner, Lu Yu went straight to his study to continue his research into special effects software.

Truthfully, every special effects software is a complex system, with a hefty amount of code and countless algorithms.

If Lu Yu wanted to create advanced special effects software, there would be some challenges.

The key issue was his intention to make it open-source, which meant the entire architecture couldn't simply reference existing software—it had to be designed anew.

So, unless he thoroughly understood the existing special effects software, mistakes might crop up in the design phase, and adjustments would be a hassle.

To minimize future trouble, he had to invest more effort upfront.

When a person is focused, it's easy to lose track of time.

By the time Lu Yu felt a stiffness in his neck, it was already deep into the night.

He shut off his computer and went to his room to rest.

The next morning, the two women were already gone. Lu Yu thought about it and decided not to go out, continuing his study of special effects software at home.

…

For several days in a row, Lu Yu didn't leave the house, spending all his time getting familiar with the software.

All in all, he gained quite a bit—he’d basically figured out the functions and features of the software.

He also gained a deeper understanding of digital special effects production.

Lu Yu now had a rough idea of the overall architecture for the open-source software he planned to develop.

However, some areas were still unclear, so he decided to visit the Shudu Library for more books on the subject.

He acted immediately, tidied himself up, and headed to the library.

Once inside, he found the relevant books and studied diligently until closing time, borrowing a stack to take home.

Suddenly, Lu Yu’s life entered a phase of monotonous learning.

If Liu Shichang hadn’t called to ask him to interview programmers at the company today, Lu Yu’s routine would likely have persisted.

…

Arriving at the company, Liu Shichang greeted Lu Yu and accompanied him to the large conference room where the interviews would take place.

Lu Yu sat at his spot, flipping through dozens of printed resumes.

Liu Shichang didn’t understand the technical side, nor could he gauge the candidates' abilities, so Lu Yu had to handle it himself.

Developing a software product solo isn’t as simple as just knowing how to code.

If developing software is like constructing a building, the analogy goes as follows:

The architecture is like the overall design of the building, requiring considerations of load-bearing, resistance to twisting, and construction methods.

Database design is akin to the actual construction: assembling the framework, tying the steel bars, setting up the mold.

The backend is like pouring concrete.

SDK development is when others provide materials like steel and concrete for direct use.

Development tools are the machinery—bulldozers and cranes.

The server is the officially approved land on which the building stands.

Frontend architecture is drawing up the floor plans for decoration.

Frontend development is the actual decorating: installing light switches, bulbs, tiling, and painting.

The designers are the workers who make tiles and mix paints.

API interfaces are the building’s reserved pipelines and wiring.

Testing is the final inspection, ensuring the building meets standards.

…

So many specific roles must work together in a coordinated manner to complete a software product.

It’s not something a single programmer can accomplish on their own—have you ever seen one person build an entire skyscraper?

Even if someone had the skill, the exhaustion would be overwhelming.

Lu Yu wasn’t just planning a simple software, but an entire suite. The workload was staggering.

This round of recruitment was just the first batch, meant to establish the framework of the programming team.

More hires would follow, to join in the development of the special effects software.

Liu Shichang’s assistant brought in one candidate after another. Lu Yu interviewed quickly—he would ask about their programming languages and specific roles, pose a question or two, then decide whether to hire.

This was because Lu Yu would be leading the development, so he only needed straightforward workers who could carry out his instructions.

He didn’t expect much innovation—just fewer bugs would be enough.

Even with Lu Yu’s speed, the interviews lasted until the afternoon.

Over sixty candidates came; Lu Yu ultimately kept thirty-two.

He handed their resumes to Liu Shichang to notify them to start work on Monday.

Liu Shichang had already registered the new company and leased office space—one floor above the River Star Nebula Company.

With the weekend, they could prepare the office environment and decorations.

A few days earlier, Lu Yu had sent Liu Shichang a list to purchase computers and equipment for programming.

The new company, Yunhan Technology, had no other staff yet; even HR was temporarily borrowed from River Star Nebula.

For easier future management, Liu Shichang would need to hire more employees to build the company's structure.

Although they weren't immediately needed, every department was necessary—a company can't consist solely of programmers and the boss.

Administration and HR must also be recruited.

The entire weekend, Liu Shichang and several River Star Nebula employees worked overtime to handle Yunhan Technology’s affairs.

…

After the interviews, Lu Yu left the company and went to the library for further study, continuing his monotonous routine.

Even the weekend was no exception.

He didn’t accompany Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian for shopping, which left the two ladies feeling a bit blue.

On Monday, Lu Yu and the two women arrived at River Star Nebula Company, called Liu Shichang, and headed upstairs to Yunhan Technology.

Lu Yu surveyed the company environment, secretly giving Liu Shichang a thumbs-up in his mind.

Old Liu was as reliable as ever.

The HR staff from River Star Nebula had arrived, sitting and preparing for the onboarding of the recruits.

Lu Yu had nothing to do, so he returned to his office to wait.

Near nine o’clock, the thirty-two programmers arrived one after another at Yunhan Technology, curiously inspecting the office setup, seemingly satisfied.

By ten, everyone had completed onboarding and settled at their workstations, testing the computers and checking configurations.

An HR lady knocked on Lu Yu’s office door and informed him that the onboarding was complete.

Lu Yu nodded, "Let them gather in the conference room for a meeting."

The HR lady turned to notify everyone.

…

After a while, Lu Yu entered the conference room.

Inside, the programmers eyed him curiously, silent.

Lu Yu sat down, quietly observing them—most he remembered from the interviews.

"Hello everyone. First, welcome to Yunhan Technology. Let me introduce myself—I’m Lu Yu, Lu from Lu Xiaofeng, Yu from Guan Yu, and the owner of this company."

"This is a newly registered company, currently without even a full HR department—just you and me, a bunch of straight men."

"I'm sure some of you have already heard that Yunhan Technology is a subsidiary of River Star Nebula."

"Perhaps not everyone knows, but I'm certain you're familiar with Pink White Black Cosmetics. If not, then surely you've heard of Half-Day River Hydrating Lotion or Jade Dew Whitening Serum."

"Of course, that's assuming you have girlfriends or partners; if you're perennial bachelors, then forget I mentioned it."

The room burst into laughter. Once the laughter quieted, Lu Yu continued:

"Pink White Black Cosmetics, just like Yunhan Technology, is a wholly owned subsidiary of River Star Nebula. So you needn’t worry about the company suddenly folding."

"Unless women stop buying our hydrating and whitening products—which now include anti-wrinkle cream—I doubt they can resist the temptation."

"I'm sharing these side notes to put your minds at ease, because Yunhan Technology won’t have revenue for a long time."

"Now that we're here, let's discuss what Yunhan Technology will be doing next. I guarantee you'll find it interesting."

…

Lu Yu took a sip of tea.

"Since you all work in programming, you must be familiar with special effects software."

Seeing the programmers nod, Lu Yu paused, then continued:

"There are dozens, even hundreds of special effects software products on the market, most with annual fees, and nearly all are foreign companies."

"Our domestic special effects, as you know, have long suffered from cheap, subpar quality. In recent years, we've improved, but standards are still limited."

"For a film to have world-class effects, studios must turn to the Lighthouse Nation, but their costs are exorbitant and unaffordable for most domestic productions."

"Add to that investors’ reluctance to spend on effects, and it’s no wonder we can hardly produce top-tier special effects films at home."

…