Chapter Two

"You call me young Yulan," she retorted, her tone tinged with frustration, "but yet tell me you can't promote me because you don't want to stress me? How does that even make any sense?" she again countered, her composure slipping as indignation bubbled to the surface.

"Hold on, young lady. I don't make the orders," he explained, his words falling flat against Yulan's resolve.

She insisted, her patience wearing thin. "Of course you do! You…"

"While it may appear that way, it ultimately lies with the higher-ups whether to approve my recommendations or requests. I advocated for you, but you know how it goes," he explained, attempting to placate her. "You brought in a letter saying you already do twice your workload."

"Yes, and I believe it's only fair that I receive appropriate compensation for my increased workload," she pressed on, realizing the man wasn't going to budge.

"We'll certainly take that into consideration, but for now..." he trailed off.

"Who got the promotion?" She demanded abruptly, her tone edged with betrayal.

Silence hung heavily in the room, fraught with unsaid tension as Yulan's question bounced off the walls; her gaze focused on the HR manager, seeking an answer.

"Mr. Liu," he finally spoke, his voice tinged with an unexpected sense of pride, betraying his attempt at neutrality.

Yulan's disbelief surged, tangible in the air like a charged current. "Xin? You mean Xin?" she blurted out, her words dripping with incredulity. "He barely lifts a finger while we bust our backsides. And you're giving him the promotion?"

As she watched him stare at her in silence, a wave of irritation and wrath rose within her, like a tempest trying to break free from its boundaries. She had a gnawing sense of being taken for granted, of her efforts being neglected and unappreciated.

Before she could stop herself, the words spilled out, fueled by a mix of anger and disappointment. "You know what? I'm done. I quit."

"Oh come on," the man interjected, his lack of remorse evident in his dismissive tone, as if her resignation was inconsequential. It sounded like, 'It's no big deal, just go grab some chilled drink and get back to work' to her.

Yulan bristled at his indifference. She refused to endure another year of humiliation. Seeing her junior colleagues from other teams promoted while her own team's efforts went unrecognized was a bitter pill to swallow.

However, she refused to let it go on. Protecting her dignity was important even if it meant leaving the job she once loved.

She stormed out of the office. Behind her, the echo of Mr. Huang's voice faded into the background, drowned out by the sound of her footsteps reverberating through the corridor.

Once inside her own office, she wasted no time packing her belongings, her movements fueled by the frustration and disappointment she was feeling.

As she exited, her colleagues, who had eagerly awaited news of her promotion, visibly deflated upon seeing her grim demeanor. After all, a promotion for a member would've given them a raise as well.

Yulan hurriedly and angrily left the premises. 'Good luck finding someone better than I am. Someone stupid enough to work harder than any of you!' she muttered to herself.

Yulan felt an overpowering sensation of solitude as she sat alone in her seat, surrounded by the buzz of the bus and the subdued talk of other passengers.

She became immersed in a sea of anxiety as the bus trundled along. Her choice to leave her job was rash. With each passing second, the weight of her actions pressed down on her with suffocating power.

The truth of her situation began to seep in: she had left her work without a backup plan, with no idea what the future held. She couldn't help but berate herself for her impulsiveness, which made her stomach drop.

How could she have been so foolish and reckless? The notion of facing the unknown with no safety net filled her with dread.

The thought of returning to her parents' house crossed her mind, but she quickly ignored it. The last thing she wanted was to burden them with her issues and confess defeat in such a humiliating way.

She also thought of the bills to pay and expenses to cover. How would she manage without a consistent income? Panic threatened to overcome her as she confronted the brutal reality of her situation.

"Urgghhh!" The sound ripped from her throat, echoing through the confines of the bus. Passengers turned to look at her, their eyes wide with surprise and concern. But Yulan was oblivious to their stares, lost in the tumult of her thoughts.

She clutched her belongings tighter, her knuckles turning white with the intensity of her grip. How could she have been so foolish, so reckless? She questioned herself again.

The realization hit her again and again, threatening to drown her in regret. But even as self-doubt gnawed at her, Yulan refused to go back.