Resigning With Obstacles

Nie Chang led Su Yan out of the subway. They had never before taken this way together so he actually didn't know where they would have to deliver the letter of resignation to. He looked at Su Yan and lifted his brows.

"I'll do it alone. I wouldn't want to have those rumors spread to my boss. Even if I don't work here anymore. It's bad enough as it is."

"Alright. But it wouldn't be a problem if I accompanied you until the door, would it?"

Su Yan shook his head. "No, it probably wouldn't but … Let's just be safe, alright? Who knows who'd be seeing us together?"

Nie Chang leaned against the wall next to them and smiled teasingly. "That sounds like a clandestine love affair."

"Hah? That has nothing to do with it!"

"Of course! It's some kind of relationship you can't expose to the world because you're afraid of how everyone will react. Ah, the society isn't ready to accept a love such as ours …" He sighed deeply as if they really were lovers that had to keep their relationship hidden from the world.

Su Yan blushed. This wasn't what this was about! How could Nie Chang say something like this?! And with such a straight face, too … "I'll go alone!" He turned around and ran off.

Nie Chang coughed to mask his laughter. He waited a bit, then he followed Su Yan. Tch, as if he would wait and let him go alone when there was some guy running around who was after the one he loved!

Su Yan reached the office of his boss without any problems, though. He stood in front of the door and looked down at the letter of resignation in his hands. Luckily, Nie Chang hadn't included his real reason for resigning. He could just tell his boss that he had gotten another job offer and felt like he would do better there.

He knocked on the door and the good-humored voice of his boss answered him.

"Boss …" Su Yan entered with a nervous expression.

As he had told Nie Chang, his boss was already in his fifties and happily married with three children. He was normally unhurried and friendly to all his employees. Working for him was nice, just that there weren't many promotion prospects. Su Yan's aspirations had never been high, though. Having a job with a normal pay was already enough for him. He had always thought that he would just work there at the railroad station for some years and then look for something different if he didn't like it anymore. Well, it might have been different if he found a girlfriend until then. Now, he was actually going to resign because of a male co-worker. It felt weird.

"Ah, Su Yan, come in, come in." His boss waved and actually put a cup of coffee in front of him. "Now, tell me. Did it work out?"

"Hah? What?" Su Yan didn't understand. What was his boss talking about? Had he gotten some assignment that he forgot? Was there some promotion the passengers were supposed to ask about?

His boss smiled even brighter. "Ah, you don't have to pretend. Zhi Bao Yu already told me everything. So, what did Li Ming say?"

Su Yan's expression derailed. Fuck! His co-workers had actually told his boss he was gay?! "Boss …"

"What? That guy rejected you?! How can that be? The girls told me he ran after you after work! Shouldn't he have asked you out?" His boss actually looked worried about him. Su Yan felt even worse.

"I … I'm sorry. I'm here to resign." Su Yan put his letter of resignation on the table. Then, he stood up and bowed. "I know it is sudden and I'm really sorry but if it's possible I would like to leave work today already."

His boss was shocked. He took the letter and read but Nie Chang had written nothing on his reasons since he knew that Su Yan would be embarrassed if his boss knew. "This … Is this because of Li Ming? Are you afraid you'll get into trouble if you're going out with one of your co-workers?"

"No. I … I'm not into men."

His boss sighed. "Su Yan, it's alright. I understand. Come on, sit down."

Su Yan hesitated but, after all, this was his boss. He sat down again and folded his hands in his lap. God, he just wanted to get out of here …

"Su Yan, I know, society isn't always nice in regards to such relationships. But you can rest assured that no one will make things difficult here for you. Your co-workers are all supporting the two of you. And, you know, actually, my youngest son is also gay. So there is no need to pretend in front of me."

Su Yan's face was black when his boss got to the last part. So many people had told him that he didn't need to pretend in front of them because they understood and were so open-minded. But he wasn't even pretending! He really wasn't gay! Damn it, he couldn't even imagine doing anything like kissing or … well, things, with another man! Alright, he also couldn't imagine doing such things with a woman since he didn't have any experience but he was sure he'd like that more!

"Boss, I'm not. I really don't like men. I definitely don't like Li Ming. In fact …" He gritted his teeth. He hadn't wanted to say it but since his boss had already heard of those things and even believed them, he would just get it out. "In fact, I'm resigning because of that. I don't want to work at a place where people say those things about me and where I have to be afraid of being harassed by a male co-worker because of such rumors. So, please, let me go."

His boss was stunned. "You … Are you serious?"

"I am. Please let me resign today. I know it's a bad time for that but I just can't work here anymore. I'm actually afraid of seeing Li Ming again."

His boss put the letter down and examined his face. Su Yan knew he probably didn't look good at the moment. Yesterday had been such a stressful day and that after he hadn't slept much. This night had been better but … his nerves were still high-strung. What he just told his boss wasn't wrong: He really was afraid of meeting Li Ming again. What would he say? What would he do? He didn't want to find out. No, it was better to resign and take Nie Chang up on his offer.

"Alright." His boss finally nodded. "Do you know where you'll go after this?"

Su Yan nodded. "A friend of mine has a small repair shop. He's searching for someone at the moment."

His boss nodded again. "Alright. Then, you can just go. Do you have something at the counter?"

Su Yan shook his head. "No. Nothing."

"Well, I'm sorry to see you go. But if it's like this …" He felt bad inside. He had always believed Su Yan to be gay. After all, the boy was quite similar to his own son and he had known for years that his boy was gay, even though he had never said anything. Now, this employee of his was actually resigning because of the rumors about him. He felt like he was partly responsible, though he had never spoken about his assumption until the other employees had told him about Su Yan and Li Ming yesterday.

Su Yan nodded, stood up and bowed again. "Thank you for the years I was allowed to work here." Then, he hurried out of the room and ran down the corridor. Just as he took a turn, he collided with a wide chest.