I was the official "mascot" of our company. My boss went out of his way to keep me around, even creating a cushy, specialized position just for me. Then, a new Sales Director swooped in. A staunch pragmatist and skeptic. He couldn't stand seeing me so relaxed and was incredibly jealous of my job. While our boss was off on a digital-detox meditation retreat in the mountains, this new director used every dirty trick in the book to force me out, all so he could slide his little "boy toy" into my position. My life went from flexible, easy hours to a grueling 9-to-10 nightmare. I was utterly miserable. I planned to grit my teeth and hold on until the boss got back to put him in his place. But the day before the boss's return, he posted a company-wide memo calling me out for spending more than five minutes in the bathroom. He publicly humiliated me, accusing me of slacking off and neglecting my duties, tearing me to shreds. It was bullying, plain and simple. Furious, I quit on the spot. And then, I smoothly accepted a job offer from the nearly bankrupt company right across the hall... the very company my boss was planning to acquire. 01 When my mom was pregnant with me, my uncle—who was really into astrology and horoscopes—calculated my due date. He pinpointed a specific day and claimed that if I were born then, I would bring immense wealth and good fortune to my parents. Unfortunately, I've never been one to follow the plan. Two days before that "lucky" date, I decided it was time to make my entrance. Even though my mom, desperate for me to bring them fortune, tried to hold it in and refused to go to the hospital, I was born smoothly and effortlessly. And just like that, I completely blew my chance at being a trust-fund baby. My uncle recalculated my birth chart and consoled my deeply disappointed parents, saying I was destined for a life of hard work. The silver lining? When I grew up, I'd be able to make a lot of money through my own hustle, so they wouldn't have to worry about me living in their basement forever. My parents stressed over this for years! They often looked at me with deep pity. They were working-class folks themselves, yet they were already mourning the future working-class life of their little girl. But I bet they never imagined that my "destined life of hard work" would actually mean becoming a corporate mascot. It's a funny story. When I interviewed for this company, the boss, frustrated by poor business performance, suspected bad feng shui. He hired a Feng Shui Master to evaluate the office. After touring the space, the Master asked HR for the employee files. After reviewing them, he told the boss that the feng shui was fine; the problem was the people. The boss was dumbfounded, thinking they had corporate spies. The Master elaborated, claiming that the zodiac signs of certain employees were clashing with the boss's, and their astrological charts were negatively impacting him. When the Master pointed out the problematic individuals, the boss almost declared bankruptcy on the spot. Because those people, as luck would have it, were all top executives or shareholders. If they were just entry-level clerks, he could just fire them. But firing several top executives? That was basically the same as shutting the company down. Just as the boss was falling into despair, I arrived for my interview. As HR led me past the Master, he pointed at me and told the desperate boss that I had a "wealth-attracting" aura. After looking at my birth chart, the Master excitedly slapped his thigh. He declared that not only would I attract wealth, but I would also neutralize the negative energy from the other employees. He told the boss that if he wanted to save the company, he absolutely had to hire me. I was there for all of this. Hearing this nonsense, I thought I had stumbled into a scam company. This had to be some new kind of fraud. Terrified, I was ready to bolt. The boss, honestly, was only half-believing the Master's words. But the Master, anxious for the boss's sake, pleaded with me not to leave. This only made me more convinced it was a scam, and I pulled out my phone, ready to call 911. At that critical moment, a major client the boss had been trying to land for months showed up unannounced. The client said he was in the area for errands, remembered the boss's office was nearby, and decided to drop in. The Master insisted the boss have me accompany them during the meeting. Under the condition of being paid a thousand dollars upfront before even doing any work, my fresh-out-of-college self completely caved to the temptation. That day, the client happily signed a massive contract, pulling the company back from the brink and turning a profit. 02 The boss had now witnessed my wealth-attracting power firsthand. But... I still didn't plan on staying. I had interviewed for the R&D department, but the Master told the boss I belonged in Sales. And further, he claimed that whenever they were signing contracts with difficult clients, my presence was required to close the deal and ensure the company's continued prosperity. It sounded like absolute BS. I didn't believe a word of it. I was more inclined to believe the client signed so quickly because of the groundwork the boss had previously laid. But the boss... he bought it hook, line, and sinker! To keep me around, he offered a package I couldn't refuse. He created a brand new role: "Sales Department Contract Specialist." The salary was $10,000 a month plus commission, full benefits, no clocking in, and flexible hours. My job description? Sit in on meetings when sales reps brought clients in or were closing deals. And just like that, I stayed at the company for six years. Over those six years, as the boss grew the company, my salary steadily increased, and my reputation as the corporate mascot grew increasingly legendary. I thought I'd be at this company for the rest of my life. Then, everything changed half a month ago. The boss, planning another major expansion, promoted the original Sales Director to CEO of a new branch. He then poached a hotshot from a competitor with a hefty salary to drop into the headquarters as the new Sales Director. On his very first day, the boss called me into the new director's office, Arthur Vance, specifically to introduce us. The boss explicitly told him not to assign me any actual work. Other than being present for client meetings and contract signings, I was free to do whatever I wanted. Right to the boss's face, Arthur agreed perfectly. Feeling secure, the boss headed straight for the mountains for a two-week digital-detox meditation retreat, aiming to prolong his life so he could enjoy his wealth. The boss never could have imagined that the second he left, Arthur would turn on me... He called the entire sales department into the conference room. There, he aggressively insinuated that I was a shameless fraud who preyed on the boss's superstitions to create a "wealth-attracting" persona, essentially freeloading off the company. I was so furious I almost fought him right then and there. The sales colleagues I was close with desperately tugged at my clothes under the table. They whispered for me to stay calm, saying he was just trying to provoke me into quitting. That way, even when the boss returned, Arthur could just claim I left on my own accord and wash his hands of it. Well, that wasn't going to happen... My colleagues told me to endure it for now and complain to the boss when he got back. Fine! I'll endure it... But my silence only made him more convinced I was a fraud. The next day, when I rolled into work after sleeping in (as usual), he immediately had HR notify me that I was three hours late. He docked my pay for the day and revoked my monthly perfect attendance bonus. He was messing with my money... The HR lady quickly comforted me, telling me not to be impulsive and fight the new director. She assured me the money would be refunded once the boss returned. Sure, she said that, but I still felt incredibly wronged. Seeing me looking so down, my sales department colleagues started feeding me snacks every few minutes. In no time, my desk was covered in boba tea, cake, cookies, chips, spicy snacks, fried chicken, fries, burgers... Sarah, the sales team lead, whispered in my ear, "Chloe, hang in there. When the boss gets back, we'll make him apologize to you." Sipping the boba a colleague had brought, my mood improved slightly. "It's only day two without the boss, and I miss him already..." Sarah couldn't help but laugh, then smoothly pulled out her phone and held it out to me, pleading, "Stop thinking about the boss for a second. Please make a call for me! I have to land this client. We were having a great conversation, but I couldn't reach him all day yesterday. I'm sure a competitor is trying to poach him. You call him..." Under Sarah's expectant gaze, I took the phone and pressed call. "Hello, Sarah..." The call connected instantly. Sarah took the phone back, giving me a thumbs-up while enthusiastically greeting the client on the other end: "Mr. Johnson!..." 03 I watched Sarah leave satisfied and checked the schedule. No sales reps had clients coming in today. Which meant my schedule for the rest of the day was completely open. But to prepare for sudden changes—like a client suddenly having free time or wanting to reschedule—I usually stayed at the office until the end of the workday anyway. Unlike other colleagues who, even when free, had to pretend to be busy, I could openly slack off, watch shows, and read novels when I had no work. My colleagues in the sales department, having worked with me for six years, had absolutely no problem with this. They even frequently recommended good novels and TV shows to me. They were actually terrified that I'd get bored sitting in the office, suddenly decide not to waste my life, and quit to pursue actual hard work. In the beginning, there were those who were resentful, but they were eventually slapped in the face by reality. They wholeheartedly agreed that I deserved the title of "mascot." I had earned it. Because in my second year, feeling the job was too boring and not wanting to do sales, I begged the boss to transfer me to R&D. The boss couldn't withstand my persistent begging and finally relented. The moment I left, bizarre things started happening. Several clients who were on the verge of signing inexplicably backed out. At first, the sales team hid this from the boss, thinking it was just a coincidence. They believed closing deals relied on negotiation skills and the company's products, not on me. They stubbornly kept contacting the clients, trying to change their minds. But the clients were resolute. After all, the products we offered, other companies offered too, at the same price. But those other companies were larger, had better brand recognition, and naturally had an edge. It was tough for our company to compete. Seeing the clients slipping away, the sales team, not wanting to lose their commissions, went to the boss and explained the situation. The boss, furious, yanked me right out of R&D and back to the sales department to hold the fort. Then, the magic happened. A client who was literally on their way to sign with another company almost got into a car accident. Shaken, they decided halfway there to change course and sign with us instead. After that incident, the boss and the entire sales department were absolutely convinced of my metaphysical aura. Even the boss, who might have harbored a tiny sliver of doubt before, treated me even better after that. Except for forbidding me from ever returning to R&D. No matter what I said, I wasn't allowed back... I was nervous! I had no confidence in this myself! I felt very insecure about my own so-called mascot aura. The boss and my colleagues noticed my restlessness and my desire to leave. That month, they took turns trying to persuade me. The sales team worked tirelessly to find clients and negotiate deals, targeting the top 100 on the "impossible to close" list. If they couldn't get a meeting, they had me make the call. One call, one meeting. One meeting, one signed contract. That month, the company's performance broke all records. It was a win-win-win for the boss, my colleagues, and me. The boss made money, my colleagues got their commissions, and my salary went up. From then on, I settled comfortably into the sales department. I ate, I drank, I played... The boss had no objections, my colleagues had no objections... But the new Sales Director had a massive problem with it. Arthur had just penalized my pay this morning for being late. Now, walking past my desk and seeing me watching a TV show, he immediately pivoted and stood beside me. He frowned, his face stern, and tapped his index finger on my desk. "Watching shows and slacking off during work hours is strictly prohibited. Didn't you know that?" I took off my wireless earbuds and looked up at him. "What did you just say? I didn't hear you." His face grew even darker, and he barked, "Warning one for watching shows during work hours! That's a $200 fine. Three warnings and you're automatically terminated. I do not allow employees who lack drive and ambition to work under me." Arthur said this very loudly, immediately panicking the colleagues who were secretly observing the situation. I was so angry I stood up and confronted him. "The boss allows me to watch shows! The boss hasn't said a word, what right do you have to fine me and issue warnings?" Arthur calmly retorted, "The right of being your direct supervisor. As long as you are in the sales department, I have the authority to manage you." A colleague stepped up to defend me. "Director Vance, Chloe is different..." Before the colleague could finish, Arthur rudely cut them off. "There is no 'different.' There are no special privileges here. If everyone in the sales department acted like her, how would this company ever grow? Do you have too much free time, standing up for her? If you have that much free time, why don't you make a few more calls and find some new clients? What are you all staring at? Stop working and you can go drink the north wind!"

Arthur's single sentence immediately sparked public outrage. Someone muttered softly, "Chloe is just sitting there quietly watching her show, she's not bothering anyone." Someone else chimed in, "If I could be a mascot like her, believe me, I'd be even more arrogant than she is." Another agreed, "Exactly! If he chases away our cash cow, I'm going to have a serious problem with him..." Arthur heard them, but not knowing who said what, he yelled in frustration, "Who's talking? If you have a problem, step up and say it to my face." A few hot-headed younger employees looked ready to step up and argue with him. Caught in the eye of the storm, I knew Arthur was clearly up to no good. Worried that my colleagues, without the boss here to back them up, would be fired as an example, I decided to swallow my pride for now and accept the fine and the warning. Seeing me back down, Arthur's face filled with smug satisfaction. "Don't let me catch you doing things unrelated to work during office hours again. Since you have so much free time, help the other colleagues organize their files." "I want all of those organized before you leave today." Arthur pointed at the desk of the document control clerk, Lisa, which was piled high with various unorganized files. Lisa, suddenly dragged into this, looked at me in bewilderment. After Arthur left, I looked at the mountain of files with her, and she wanted to cry. "This is a week's worth of work for me. How are we supposed to finish this before the end of the day?" Me: "That bastard Arthur..." 04 It was impossible to finish. Absolutely impossible... Lisa stayed and helped me, keeping me company for two hours of overtime before I forced her to leave. I stayed behind alone to continue working. While working, I viciously imagined how, when the boss returned, I'd make Arthur kneel before me, slap himself, and tearfully apologize. Trying to find an excuse to fire me? Dream on... He said three warnings would lead to automatic termination, so I simply wouldn't let him get his way. I turned my grief and anger into motivation, but looking at the remaining one-third of the unorganized files, I felt like breaking down. This just goes to show how hard it is to go from luxury to frugality. It was 8:00 PM. Normally, at this time, I'd be in my cozy apartment, freshly showered, lying in bed, playing League of Legends with my friends. Instead, I was here, buried in a pile of seemingly endless documents. And my stomach was growling in protest. I patted my empty stomach and decided to go downstairs for some ramen to fill up before coming back to the grind. Going out the front entrance of the office to get to the ramen shop required a long detour. Taking the underground parking garage had an exit right next to the ramen shop. The elevator stopped at the basement level. As soon as I stepped out, I saw Arthur standing by the entrance. 05 Out of a subconscious reaction to avoid greeting someone I despised, I dodged into the stairwell faster than my brain could process. Me: ... Once I was hidden, I belatedly realized: Why did I hide? Couldn't I just pretend I didn't see him? But... I was already hiding. I saw Arthur turn back to glance at the open elevator doors, and upon seeing no one, turn back around. Stepping out now... probably wouldn't be a great idea. I guess I'll just wait for him to leave before I go out. Arthur seemed to be waiting for someone and didn't leave immediately. I was already starting to regret it. Why wait? I could just take the stairs up to the first floor and leave through the main entrance! Just as I thought this and was about to step onto the stairs, a saccharine male voice rang out: "Babe... you've been waiting a long time..." Me: !!! My eyes widened in shock as I watched a rather clean-cut young man—definitely male—jog over and throw himself into Arthur's arms, hugging him intimately. I even saw Arthur affectionately touch the young man's face, smiling as he said, "It's fine. I wouldn't mind waiting for you forever." The young man looked incredibly moved. "Babe, you're so good to me." Oh my God! This is considered "so good"? Wait, that's not the point. Doesn't Arthur have a wife? My mind was reeling, realizing I had stumbled upon something huge. But what made me even more disoriented was Arthur's next sentence. "You call this good? What if I told you I found you a job with easy hours and high pay? Wouldn't you cry tears of joy?" Hearing this, I wanted to spit on him. Cry tears of joy? You cheapskate. If you can't afford a boy toy, just say so instead of trying to get the company to pay for him. Just you wait! I pulled out my phone to record a video. I was going to expose this cheating bastard to his wife. The young man was super cooperative, excitedly asking Arthur what the job was. I shook my head in disbelief. Is this guy a total idiot for love? Even if he is, destroying someone else's family is wrong and deserves to be punished! And then, I heard Arthur say, "It's the Contract Specialist position in my department. You basically do no work, you can leave early whenever you want, you still get your full salary, and you get a cut of the entire sales department's commission." Oh crap! This was aimed right at me. The young man, however, was thrilled. "There's such a great job? When can I start? I want to see you every day." Arthur smiled and shook his head. "No rush. I still have to figure out a way to get rid of the current person before there's an opening for you." Hearing this, the young man became even more anxious. "With a job this good, only an idiot would want to leave, right?" Me: Feeling inexplicably offended. Arthur comforted the young man and started talking about me. I listened as the two of them discussed me. When Arthur spoke about me, the disdain in his tone was unconcealed. He mockingly said that I had only managed to secure the boss's favor through smoke and mirrors. He promised the young man that once he forced me out, he'd bribe a fake Feng Shui Master to mimic what happened when I was hired. The Master would trick the boss into believing the young man could also bring wealth to the company. That way, even when the boss returned and found out I had been forced out, he wouldn't do anything to him. No wonder he targeted me the moment he started. What a masterfully calculated scheme. 06 Suddenly witnessing the dirty tricks of the corporate world, I was so shocked I forgot all about filling my stomach. After the two of them left, I dazedly took the elevator back up to the thirteenth floor. Just as I stepped out, I ran straight into the CEO of the company across the hall, Mr. Peterson. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw me. "Chloe! Why are you still at the office so late?" He was unusually enthusiastic. I felt a bit overwhelmed. "I have some unfinished work, working some overtime." Mr. Peterson was very surprised. "It's this late, and you still have clients coming in to sign contracts?" I laughed awkwardly. "No, it's other work." Mr. Peterson was even more surprised. "Your boss is too hard on his employees, making you work overtime this late. Chloe, if you came to my company, I'd never let you work overtime. Not only that, I'd even give you equity. How about it..." Mr. Peterson finished and looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to agree, just like always. Me: ... Why do so many bosses believe this stuff? I am truly just an incredibly average, ordinary person. It's just that too many coincidences have happened around me. Offering a high salary is one thing, but offering equity... But, Mr. Peterson's company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Even if I went over there, the equity would be worthless. This office building was in prime downtown real estate. When my boss started the company, he emptied his savings to rent half of the thirteenth floor for the prestige. When I first joined, two-thirds of the company's space was empty. But three years ago, the company had outgrown its space. The boss started planning an expansion. He felt this building's feng shui brought him luck and was reluctant to move to a larger space elsewhere. He set his sights on the company across the hall. Three years ago, Mr. Peterson's company was thriving, and they actually owned their half of the floor. The boss obviously couldn't get it. So he had to open a branch office instead. But the boss never gave up. Mainly because the company across the hall used to be our competitor. In the past, they were stronger, and the boss had always played second fiddle. If he could take over their space, his vanity and sense of achievement would be immensely satisfied. This opportunity finally arrived three years later. The company across the hall was struggling, on the verge of bankruptcy, and in desperate need of funding. Hearing this news, the boss made a move to acquire the company. Currently, he was looking for someone to negotiate the deal, but they hadn't reached an agreement yet. Since our companies were so close, Mr. Peterson had naturally heard of my reputation as a mascot. Before, he didn't believe a word of it. But lately, whenever he caught the chance, he tried to poach me. Like always, I rejected Mr. Peterson again. Mr. Peterson was very disappointed, but before we parted ways, he whispered mysteriously to me: "Think about it. If you come to my company and get equity, when your boss acquires my company later, your net worth could multiply dozens of times." Me: Boss, I am just a mortal. How can I resist the allure of money? If you don't come back soon to seek justice for me, I might really succumb to temptation and run off with someone else. 07 Having temporarily resisted the temptation, I went back to the office to grind away at my work, truly experiencing the life of a corporate workhorse. I worked until past 10 PM before finally clocking out. The next day, it was only out of sheer spite that I managed to drag myself out of bed. I wasn't late this time, clocking in right on the dot. Arthur, seeing me arrive on time, looked incredibly disappointed. He tried to find fault where there was none: "Everyone else gets here at least ten minutes early, but you arrive exactly on time. What if other employees follow your example and do the same? Can you bear that responsibility?" Damn it, is arriving exactly on time a capital offense now? What the hell are you babbling about, I wasn't even late. That's what I thought, but without a filter on my mouth, I blurted it out. When I realized I wanted to shut up, the words were already out, and Arthur's face contorted in anger. He pointed a finger in my face and roared: "Insubordination! That's another warning. You only have one last chance." Me: ... I got careless! I made a mental note of this. When the boss gets back, we'll settle all old and new scores. I stormed off to find the HR lady to ask about Arthur's wife. The HR lady shook her head blankly. Arthur had just joined and listed himself as married on his paperwork, but his emergency contact wasn't his wife. Unable to get any useful information, I could only leave disappointed. Back at my desk, the mountain of files piled on it almost made me think I was in the wrong place. The colleague sitting next to me looked at me with sympathy. "These are all tasks Director Vance assigned to you." Lisa walked over, looking incredibly apologetic. "Chloe, you've been working so hard these past few days. Director Vance knows I helped you with some of it yesterday. He warned me not to help you anymore, or he'll dock my pay." That bastard Arthur... When it comes to creating trouble out of thin air, Arthur considers himself second, and no one dares claim first. These files he wanted me to process were sales data from the company's inception. He wanted me to re-verify everything and enter it into the system. To be completed before the end of the day on Friday. He was asking for my life. If he messes with me, I'll mess with him. I took a screenshot from the video of him hugging his boy toy in the underground parking garage, printed out a few copies, and had a courier deliver it to the company's front desk, specifying that he had to sign for it in person. While I was buried in my mountain of files, working my fingers to the bone, I caught a glimpse of Arthur walking towards the front desk. My desk happened to have a view of the front desk area. I watched as Arthur walked up to the courier. As I had instructed, the courier asked Arthur to open it and inspect it. As soon as Arthur opened the envelope and saw those photos, his face turned green with fear. Yet he still forced himself to act calm and put the photos back in. Under the puzzled gaze of the receptionist, he stumbled back to his office, shutting the door tightly and closing the blinds. Having let out a little bit of steam, I finally felt a bit better.

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