episode_0010

“The second round of layoffs has been announced. Everyone can check the details in the group chat.” The instructor on the podium finished packing up the teaching materials and turned to leave the meeting room.

Zhuang Yayun stared at her phone and took a deep breath.

She wasn’t on the list for the second round of layoffs.

But the third round would be announced this afternoon.

A sense of foreboding crept over her.

She left the meeting room along with her colleagues.

At the elevator lobby, her good friend, Bai Shuang, was already waiting for her.

Bai Shuang—her surname Bai, given name Shuang—was exceptionally tall and slender, with delicate, pretty features and a cute beauty mark by the corner of her lips. She was undeniably stunning.

“Yayun, come here, quick! I have something important to tell you.”

Bai Shuang grabbed Zhuang Yayun’s wrist, pulled her into the elevator, and headed straight to the company’s seventh-floor cafeteria.

Finding an empty seat by the window, she sat down and motioned for Zhuang Yayun to take the opposite chair. Then, she pulled out a lunchbox from her bag and placed it on the table.

When opened, it revealed a lavish, steaming meal of fiber-rich beef that instantly whetted the appetite.

“What is it?”

Zhuang Yayun looked at Bai Shuang with nervous curiosity.

Was it some insider news about the layoffs?

Would she be on the list?

“Oh, my food’s about to get cold. If you hadn’t come soon, I would’ve had to eat lunch all by myself.”

Bai Shuang’s eyes curved into crescents as a radiant smile spread across her lips.

“Huh?”

Zhuang Yayun froze, her expression stiffening.

“Yep! I woke up at six this morning to make this lunch. It took me two whole hours, and I barely made it to the office by 8:10—almost late! After putting in so much effort, and with it looking this delicious, of course I had to share it with you.”

Bai Shuang waved a small silver spoon, scooped up a bite of beef drenched in sauce, and fed it to Zhuang Yayun before happily savoring her own portion.

So yummy~

“… 🥶, 😡”

Zhuang Yayun clenched her fist and lightly bonked Bai Shuang on the head. “Seriously?! You made it sound so urgent—I thought it was about the layoffs!”

“Oww~~”

Bai Shuang rubbed her head, pouting. “How would I know anything about the layoffs? Besides, with your skills, there’s no way they’d cut you. You’ve got a man to take care of at home—the company wouldn’t dare lay you off.”

Zhuang Yayun’s cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice softened.

“See? Just mentioning him makes your tone gentler.”

Bai Shuang stuck out her tongue, a fleeting shadow of something complex passing through her eyes before she quickly masked it. “Ah, can’t blame you, though. With a fiancé that gorgeous and handsome, who wouldn’t be head over heels? If it were me, I’d never leave the house—just stay in bed with him all day ️🍺.”

“You’re getting way out of line now~~”

Zhuang Yayun shot her a glare.

“Me? Out of line? You’re the one who’s unfair! We promised to find our soulmates together, but you went ahead and snagged a boyfriend first—and one who ticks all the boxes, at that. I’m so jealous! But… your man’s still working outside, right? Writing novels… You don’t think those editors might try to take advantage of him?”

“Writing novels isn’t like the entertainment industry. He barely meets his editors once a month, if that. Success depends on skill, not connections. It’s completely different.”

“But I read this news story recently about a male author who slept with an editor to get his book recommended. When the editor later denied it, he exposed the whole thing.”

“Really? … Well, even if that happens sometimes, it’s got nothing to do with Lin Yi. He’s not that kind of person. Besides, he has me—he doesn’t need to stoop to that for money.”

“True, but you still need to be careful. Sometimes it’s not about what he’d do, but what others might try to do to him. Understand?”

Bai Shuang’s tone turned serious. “Don’t let him get taken advantage of, okay?”

Zhuang Yayun waved her off, still unconcerned. “Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

“Ugh, take this seriously! With that attitude, some other woman might just swoop in and steal your man…”

“Enough about that. Have you heard any rumors about the layoffs lately?”

“From what I’ve heard, this round is targeting underperforming employees. Someone as capable as you? No way they’d cut you.”

Bai Shuang smiled.

Zhuang Yayun listened, but no smile reached her heart.

Was that really true?

The more she heard it, the stronger her unease grew.

Maybe the company didn’t want to lay her off, but…

What if someone was pressuring them to?

Her fingers tightened, her knuckles turning white.