Having shed unnecessary distractions, Lin Yuhui felt much simpler and calmer. Those sleepless nights would have to be made up for gradually.
“David, this equipment needs adjusting,” the boss approached Lin Yuhui with a draft,
but this time it didn't go as smoothly as usual. Lin Yuhui felt his mind wasn't sharp, his reactions sluggish, and even his input kept making mistakes.
“What's up, David? You're off your game today,” Christian asked half-jokingly.
“Ah, why don't you get back to your work? I'll bring it over once I'm done.”
“Alright, thanks.”
Slowing his pace, Lin Yuhui completed the task and delivered it to his boss. Afterward, he gathered his thoughts and realized his subpar performance today. The sleep deprivation and his heart's blood supply issues had taken their toll, affecting his state by the afternoon. As quitting time approached, the office buzzed with renewed energy—Dylan leading the charge as usual. But Lin Yuhui no longer joined their conversations, letting the chatter of those around him drift over his head.
After a slightly drowsy afternoon, he wrapped up his tasks and headed to the cafeteria for dinner as usual. Sitting in a corner, he glanced up casually and was drawn to a petite woman in a yellow dress adorned with red flowers. Her demeanor was poised and her aura refreshingly unassuming—neither the commonplace vulgarity of ordinary female workers nor the overly seductive allure of Seris. What struck Lin Yuhui most was the instant connection he felt upon seeing her face and hairstyle, reminding him of the second woman from his recent series of three dreams. She seemed to be new here—whether temporarily or permanently, he couldn't tell. But what did it matter to him? After finishing his meal, he strolled back to his lodgings.
Beyond gathering news in his spare time, Lin Yuhui now had a new pastime: his newly purchased violin had arrived. It was a secondhand instrument, a composite model, with pleasing grain patterns. His rented room was on the fifth floor, and the landlord seemed to reside below the third floor, so noise disturbance wasn't an issue. After applying rosin and tuning the strings, he tried it out, but the string height felt a bit too high, cutting into his fingers.
The ensuing quiet hours were filled with the rhythmic scraping and sanding of a utility knife blade against wood. As the peaceful evening wore on, deeper layers of wood grain emerged beneath the blade, like turning the pages of a book chronicling past eras. The maple of the bridge emitted a subtle, aged fragrance as it was smoothed, bringing a clarity and serenity that felt like standing deep within a tranquil forest.
Putting down his tools, Lin Yuhui felt he'd savored enough of this craft for today—any more would be sheer toil. He rose to stretch his limbs and joints, his attention drawn by a cool breeze wafting through the open screen door.
Outside, night had fallen completely. This was the county town's outskirts, with sparse municipal lighting. Looking out the window, the warm, yellow glow from residents' homes and small shops became the only comforting light in the darkness.
Looking up at the sky, he saw the rain clouds brought by the typhoon had replaced the daytime heat with evening coolness. The rolling dark clouds here looked different from what he had seen before—they seemed low, with silent flashes of lightning darting between them.
A strengthening gale threatened to lift the stacked boards from the third-floor balcony and rooftop of the neighboring house across the street. Two sisters were busy securing them. The older sister, standing precariously on the balcony wall to pull boards down from the roof, made Lin Yuhui's heart race. One misstep could send her tumbling three stories down. Were all girls this risk-prone? Or did they simply crave thrills? Tomorrow, he must tell the landlord to have the adults across the way properly educate these children about safety awareness.
The next morning, Lin Yuhui immersed himself in his own world at the office. After finishing his tasks, he discovered a comment from his boss in an email: “Your work is useless.”
Lin Yuhui felt an immediate surge of resentment. If this was how things started, how could he possibly endure working at this company? Would he be constantly belittled and manipulated? He wasn't that kind of person. Even though he'd been unemployed for years, could he really bring himself to beg for this job?
Thoughts churned in Lin Yuhui's mind. He knew the courage to stand tall didn't come from whining or bluffing, but from the real ability to let go—whether in job hunting or relationships. After a moment's hesitation, he resolved to take that step. But how? He knew deep down.
With a sharp slap, Lin Yuhui slammed his mouse onto the desk and blurted out,
“If I can't handle this job, I won't do it.”
Dylan, sensing the tension, immediately leaned in, his bulbous nose nearly touching Lin Yuhui's face.
“What's up, David?”
Lin Yuhui knew Dylan had always been dissatisfied with his position—whether over pay or other reasons. He’d even once considered learning CAD from Lin Yuhui to build skills for a more confident job switch. But Lin Yuhui recognized Dylan lacked any real personal strengths and had talked him out of it. Now that he himself was leaning toward quitting, he knew Dylan would jump in with his usual enthusiasm.
Lin Yuhui slid his chair back to make room, pointing at the screen as he sulked,
“See? The boss says I'm useless. What's the point of working then? If it's no good, I'm outta here.” With that, he stormed to his feet and stood facing the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly at the view.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dylan pull his chair up to the screen and scrutinize it intently.
Lin Yuhui stood facing the glass window for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He suspected Stephanie might have already forwarded the message directly to the boss. Only then did he return to his seat and reply to the boss's email with a few cold words: “Need to talk.”
Soon after, the boss's wife arrived first, her tone gentle and reassuring.
“David, don't worry. The boss will be here shortly.”
Lin Yuhui hurriedly stood up, forcing a smile.
“Alright, no rush. You go ahead with your work. I'm not busy.” After all, you don't bite the hand that feeds you, especially when it's a woman.
He sat back down at his desk. Not long after, the boss arrived. As he walked past the window, Lin Yuhui caught a glimpse of him—his face was all business.
“David, did you want to talk to me? Do you have time now?”
“Yes, now would be best,” Lin Yuhui replied, standing up. His expression and tone were icy.
“Alright, I'll tidy up my office. I'll call you when I'm ready.”
A moment later, she entered the boss's office and took a seat. Seeing he had no intention of speaking, Lin Yuhui cut straight to the point,
“If my work holds no value, then I should leave,” her tone low and steady, her expression somber.
“Why would you leave?” Christian asked, somewhat puzzled.
“You said my work has no value. What purpose do I serve staying here?”
“When did I ever say your work has no value?”
“The email you sent me.” As he spoke, he saw Christian turn to check his computer screen. Lin Yuhui stood up and pointed it out to him.
As Lin Yuhui's gaze swept over the email list, a memory suddenly surfaced: the boss's earlier email about the canceled project. He had completed it according to the original plan, as if his mind had rusted.
So the boss's reply was correct—he had indeed done useless work. It was all a misunderstanding.
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and then Add to home screen.