Chapter One—A "Negative Review"

Twenty-five years of life arrive in the blink of an eye. After a quarter of a century, she looked back and was startled to realize how such an insignificant number, once attached to the word “years”—each representing 365 or sometimes 366 days—could carry one from one end of time to the other side of space.

Time moved at its unhurried, constant pace.

Su Yishu sat at her desk, her hands pressed against her forehead, eyes closed, her breathing slightly heavy. All around her, the clatter of keyboards rose and fell in waves.

On the computer screen, slowly dimming, blocks of text were faintly visible. In the editor’s little frame, all sorts of punctuation, emoticons, and random spaces jumbled together. Yishu suspended the chat software, brushed her messy bangs aside, pushed back her chair, and headed toward the stairwell.

Outside the window, it had been raining for months on end; even her sighs were gradually swallowed up by the unceasing drizzle, lost in the passage of time.

The sky was a blanket of gray and white.

She cautiously lifted her gaze. Everywhere she looked, clouds shattered into a haze.

Lowering her head, she closed her heavy eyelids, and fragments of the past drifted through her mind.

“What are you doing here?” came her colleague Yan Lu’s voice from behind. “I went to the restroom and came back—you were gone.”

Yishu quickly gathered up her sorrow, forcing the dampness from her eyes. She had always lived more tenaciously than others; no matter how many problems she faced, she found ways to solve them herself, rarely seeking help.

Back in school, Yishu had always been a top student, her grades consistently excellent, with a promising future awaiting her. But then, her mother fell gravely ill, and her young brother was still in elementary school.

Her heart was tangled with a thousand knots.

That year, too, had been a season of endless rain.

Later, Yishu consoled herself: after all, the ultimate goal of university was to obtain a respectable job and a decent income. If she joined the workforce right away, she could earn four more years’ salary and save four years’ tuition and expenses. The increased income was nothing to scoff at.

She pressed her lips into a faint, bitter smile. “It’s nothing. I’m just a bit tired, stepping out for some fresh air.”

“It’s just…” Yan Lu raised her voice, but caught herself. She noticed Yishu’s moist, reddened eyes.

In that instant, she understood the sorrow in her friend’s gaze.

Having grown up together as friends and now as colleagues, they knew each other too well after more than a decade. Sometimes, interpreting silence was more accurate than reading words.

“Try not to dwell on it,” Yan Lu grumbled. “It’s just a negative review—no big deal! I get as many in a month as you do in a year. I’m used to it.”

Yishu turned her head to look at her, then slowly faced forward again, nodding almost imperceptibly. She was long accustomed to Yan Lu’s brand of individualistic comfort.

Yan Lu was always straightforward—her tone, attitude, and methods the same whether she was scolding or consoling.

“Let’s go back,” Yishu sniffed, her nose stuffy.

Sometimes, when alone, it wasn’t so bad to use sorrow to dissolve sorrow.

Back in the office, the huge blackboard taking up two-thirds of the wall proclaimed in bold letters:

“Three consecutive months without a single negative review—bonus of 3,000 yuan!”

A fresh wave of heartache welled up inside her.

“Some people are so melodramatic, acting like it’s the end of the world over a negative review—just for the sake of that 3,000 yuan bonus. I’ve seen women who love money, but never to this extent.”

“Don’t say that—there’s nothing wrong with wanting money. We work so hard, day and night, all for money!”

“If she cares so much, why doesn’t she just go confront the guy and threaten him to delete the review?”

Such good cop, bad cop scenes played out everywhere in the office, as inevitable as insects on greens—no matter how many pesticides, it never lasted long. Yishu was accustomed to it.

Yan Lu could bear it no longer. Rolling up her sleeves, she prepared to unleash a tirade. She knew Yishu would never argue, much less fight.

Seeing this, Yishu hurriedly grabbed Yan Lu’s arm, shaking her head and signaling her to stop. She knew that once Yan Lu started a fight, there would be no stopping her.

Why answer the wounds inflicted by the world with more sorrow?

That night, Yishu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She sat up, hugging her quilt. The overhead lamp’s cold, white light was almost glacial—she switched it off. Outside, the rain dripped on without end.

The night was deep, March’s spring wind still tinged with winter.

In the lonely hours, her mind filled with restless thoughts, for once she tried to sort them out. Harsh words, nonsense, sarcasm—she filtered them all.

“If you care so much, just go threaten him to delete the review.”

From all the comments, this was the only one she found remotely practical.

She tilted her head back, massaging her stiff neck, filled with helplessness. Not to mention whether threatening someone was illegal—if the other party was a brute, wouldn’t she end up losing out?

Thinking this far, she dared not dwell on it.

Life was like a program, repeating the same routine every day.

Yishu continued trying to contact the customer during work breaks. The issue of the curtain size was indeed her mistake—she’d miscalculated. She thought the error could easily be fixed; after all, the curtains were a bit too long, not too short. A nearby tailor could alter them at her expense. But the customer never responded; his profile picture remained grayed out, whether he was offline or just invisible she couldn’t tell. The contact phone number led only to the company’s front desk, where the receptionist coolly repeated that she couldn’t disclose personal information.

Su Yishu was at her wits’ end.

The end of the month was approaching.

At lunch, Customer Service Supervisor Liu Hanzhang summoned her to his office and gave her a scolding. Since the new year, company performance had been poor, even worse than the worst month last year by two percentage points. Management meetings were held frequently, ostensibly for discussion but mostly for fault-finding. Senior management berated the middle, the middle scolded the rank and file, and the rank and file reflected on their own mistakes.

Yishu occasionally glanced at Liu Hanzhang’s face—a middle-aged woman’s disagreeable features. She knew the words wouldn’t hurt her physically, but the discomfort lingered.

Finally, she summoned her courage and decided to visit the recipient’s address from the transaction records.

Yan Lu went with her.

Originally, Su Yishu hadn’t wanted to bring her, worried her fiery temper would ruin things. But going alone felt daunting, and having someone along gave her a measure of reassurance.

To Yishu, who rarely came downtown, the city center’s prosperity was startling—though only worth a passing glance.

On Yue’an Road, subway construction was in full swing, now in its final stages. In a few months, the intercity line would be fully operational.

The scenery outside the window slipped by too quickly to take in.

Moments before, Yan Lu had been brimming with righteous indignation; now, she was dozing against the seat.

Yishu took out her phone, scrolling repeatedly through the customer’s address, her movements mechanical, her gaze and the glowing screen locked in a strange standoff, almost suffocating. She wrenched her attention away.

“We’re here.” She shook Yan Lu’s shoulder. “This is our stop.”

“Huh? I fell asleep already?”

Arm in arm, Yan Lu and Yishu got off the train.

At last, the rain had stopped, though heavy clouds still pressed low.

“Yishu, are you ready?” Yan Lu was alert after her nap.

“Ready for what?” Yishu breathed in the cold air. “We’ll play it by ear.”

What preparations could she make? She knew nothing about the other party—not even whether to demand, to request, to plead. She didn’t even know his full name—only that his surname was Xu.

The stone plaque bearing the name Xunyuan Real Estate Co., Ltd. stood prominently amidst the flower beds at the main entrance, its bright red paint boldly announcing the company’s ambitions. The surrounding flower clusters, undaunted by the days of wind and rain, were particularly vibrant under the gray sky.

“Let’s go in. Don’t worry, I’m here for you!” Yan Lu’s tone was breezy.

Yishu nodded quietly. She owed much of her resilience to Yan Lu’s unfailing optimism. Since childhood, she’d never seen her friend troubled by anything. Unfinished tasks were left aside, toys she couldn’t buy went unmentioned. When it came to negative reviews, she tried to resolve them with customers, but if not, so be it.

The scale and grandeur of a big company was unmatched by any small firm. The security guards at the door, sharp in suits, stood tall and straight—not the elderly, weary figures typical of banks or malls. Employees rushed to work, stifling hurried breaths, smoothing their appearance, and exchanging deliberately polite smiles.

Yishu entered with Yan Lu, unhurried. The interior was as lavish as the exterior was imposing, but her mind was in no mood to appreciate such worldly splendor.

“Hello, is there a Mr. Xu here?” Yishu asked tentatively.

The receptionist looked her up and down, her tone sour and muttering under her breath, “Another one here for ‘Mr. Xu.’ Are all these women so desperate for men?”

Another one? Was Mr. Xu so famous? The general manager, or perhaps even the chairman? Yishu was bewildered. “I have no other intentions—just need to talk to him about something.”

“Everybody who comes for Mr. Xu has something to talk about. Who comes here idle and bored?” The receptionist’s attitude was sharp, her voice rising.

“Can’t you speak like a human being?” Yan Lu couldn’t hold back. “You look decent enough, but your mouth is vile. How did such a big real estate company end up with a shrew like you at the front desk?”

Fuming, the receptionist—accustomed to having the last word—was incensed at being insulted by two country girls, and called security to throw them out.

Yishu tried to placate her, but it was no use. Security “escorted” them out. Her eyes stung with bitterness, more pronounced under the gloomy sky.

Yan Lu, belatedly remorseful, apologized, “Sorry, I said the wrong thing again.”

Yishu simply shook her head, her face showing no blame. Their friendship wouldn’t be diminished by a single misstep—Yan Lu had always stood up for her without expecting anything in return.

Rush hour had begun.

Though the company’s main doors were wide, the sudden influx of people was overwhelming.

“Old Xu, why are you so late today? Nearly late for work—that’s not like you!”

Yishu glanced at the man—about thirty, dressed in a sharp business suit. Not exactly handsome, perhaps due to age, but his chiseled features, thin lips, and faint stubble gave him an air of maturity and steadiness.

His colleague, approaching from the other side, was about the same age and similarly dressed, but lacked his presence.

A wave of melancholy swept through Yishu. In twenty-five years, her romantic life was a blank page. In high school, she’d thrown herself into her studies, uninterested in dating and forbidden by school rules. In the workplace, she was always busy, surrounded mostly by women; the few men present were already married. Sometimes, being alone, she couldn’t help but feel empty. Yan Lu was a true friend, but friendship could never replace love entirely.

“What are you thinking about?” Yan Lu nudged her. “That guy was called Old Xu—do you think he’s your ‘Mr. Xu’?”

Yishu snapped out of her reverie. “It’s possible.” The receptionist’s behavior had practically confirmed it, though her claims of constant admirers were surely exaggerated.

“It’s all because of this new project—I barely slept last night,” the man was complaining to “Mr. Xu.”

“I’m determined to win this one!” Xu’s expression shone with confidence.

His colleague smirked in disdain.

“I’ll ask for you,” Yan Lu offered.

Yishu quickly stopped her. “I’ll go myself.” She hurried to intercept him. “Excuse me, are you Mr. Xu?”

He looked puzzled, then hesitated. “Yes, I am.”

Yishu took a deep breath, quickly organizing her words. “A few days ago, did you order a batch of curtains from an online store called ‘Kaisheng Curtains’?” She was annoyed with herself for being so blunt, but with strangers, sometimes straightforwardness worked best.

“That’s a new way to ask,” the other man remarked, watching the scene with amusement. “I’m heading up—you…” He nodded toward Yishu, his expression playful.

Xu glanced at his watch. “Miss, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I’m almost late for work—I can’t stay and chat.”

“Wait!” Without thinking, Yishu grabbed his arm. He seemed startled, his gaze following her hand up to her face.

She quickly let go. “Excuse me, does your company have any other employees surnamed Xu?”

He looked at her and her strange question, unwilling to answer. “As far as I know, no.” With that, he swiped his badge and disappeared behind the elevator doors.

Yishu stood dazed for a moment, then suddenly saw things clearly. All this trouble for a negative review, for three thousand yuan—it wasn’t worth it. Today, she had made a fool of herself for nothing. In five years as an online customer service rep, she had always been careful, walking on eggshells, and mistakes were still inevitable. Negative reviews, fines—these were normal. In the past, she’d never let it bother her. But now, in six months, her brother would graduate high school and start college—four years of tuition and living expenses would be a massive cost. Every cent had to be stretched as far as it could go. For someone only twenty-five, already worn out by life—was this fate?