The Last Day at Work

Friday evening, 7:30 PM. The office lights seemed to be swallowed one by one, until only the twenty-third floor remained lit. Lin Wei sat at her desk staring at the seventeenth version of the PPT she’d been revising all day, the cursor blinking after the title like a mock嘲笑.

The printer at the end of the corridor hummed and spat out the final document needed for the presentation to Mr. Li first thing tomorrow morning. The entire floor was empty—only her and Chen Hao.

Chen Hao was from the adjacent desk, twenty-six years old, less than half a year at the company, hair always immaculately groomed even during overtime, looking like he’d just left an interview. He was scrolling through his phone, occasionally looking up.

“You should go home,” he said without looking up. “You look like a ghost.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. But that’s okay.” He finally looked at her. “Sometimes the best work happens when you look like you’re barely surviving.”

Lin Wei laughed despite herself. “Is that supposed to be encouragement?”

“It’s supposed to be truth.” He closed his phone. “And tomorrow, when you present, remember: they’re not hiring you for your PPT skills. They’re hiring you because you care enough to look like a ghost.”

Chen Hao left at 9 PM. Lin Wei stayed until midnight.

The next morning, she presented for eight minutes. When she finished, the room was silent.

Then Mr. Li stood up and applauded.