"Eight bucks and eighty-eight cents—can't even buy a bowl of noodles downstairs! What are we, beggars?!"
My phone buzzed. A private message from the boss.
[The Tech Department's contribution to the company was insufficient this year. However, out of humanitarian consideration, we've given everyone a red envelope of $8.88. Your department needs to reflect seriously and strive to contribute more next year!]
All fifteen of us in Tech—no matter how many years we'd put in—got exactly $8.88.
Meanwhile, every other department was celebrating, pockets stuffed.
The Tech Department. The backbone of the entire company's technical operations. We answered every call, pulled countless all-nighters.
And now we were the department with "insufficient contribution."
In that case, I'd like to see how the company will function without our technical department.
——
The atmosphere in the office was suffocating. Somewhere, one of the girls started crying quietly.
I clenched my fists until my knuckles ached, then took a deep breath.
"I'm going to get answers. For all of us."
I stood and headed straight for the boss's office.
It was packed inside.