The interior of the sales office was resplendent, with bright marble floors covering every inch. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting its luminous glow across the space, while the walls were adorned with intricate, refined designs.
At the center of the hall stood a grand scale model of Bai Liu Academy, a remarkably detailed miniature of the institution.
To the right, a reception area was furnished with rosewood tables and chairs, plush leather sofas, and an array of modern amenities, including a projection screen.
As soon as Fang Xiu entered, several colleagues dressed in professional attire turned their attention toward him. Upon recognizing him, their expressions shifted, each displaying a different reaction.
After all, they were all in the workgroup, and when Fang Xiu had mentioned his intent to resign, everyone had seen the message.
Fang Xiu, however, ignored their gazes, moving with purpose through the lobby. His focus remained on the office area of the mental hospital; nothing was more urgent to him than uncovering the enigmatic secrets hidden within.
At that moment, a young man, wearing a business suit, of average appearance and a slightly gaunt build, with bulky black-rimmed glasses, hurried toward him. It was Zhao Hao, the same person who had called earlier.
Lowering his voice, Zhao Hao spoke urgently, "Xiu Ge, why are you only just arriving? Wu Dahai is about to lose his mind. Why don't you..."
Before Zhao Hao could finish his sentence, Fang Xiu interrupted him with a sharp, "Enough, we'll talk later."
Zhao Hao's surname, "Hao," was associated with the phrase "Ri Tian Hao," a playful nickname Fang Xiu had coined for him in the past, a habit he chose to continue.
"Xiu Ge, you..."
Before Zhao Hao could say another word, Fang Xiu was already striding away, his destination clear—toward the second floor of the sales office.
The first floor of the mental hospital office area had no headmaster's office.
Zhao Hao glanced at Fang Xiu's retreating figure and sighed heavily before hurriedly following.
He thought that Fang Xiu had gone upstairs to confront Wu Dahai for money, and fearing an escalation, decided to follow him.
Entering the second floor, Fang Xiu found himself in what could be considered the upper level of the mental hospital's office area. Though the staircases of the two buildings differed, the floor heights were roughly the same.
No sooner had he stepped onto the second floor when a voice filled with rage and urgency rang out.
"Fang Xiu! How dare you come to work? I've already fired you! Do you even know that?"
A middle-aged man, dressed in a black suit and white shirt, with a receding hairline and a round belly, quickly approached. He pointed an accusing finger at Fang Xiu, unleashing a torrent of angry words.
The second floor was an open office space, and Wu Dahai's outburst immediately drew the attention of colleagues seated at their computers.
Most of them wore expressions of schadenfreude, eager to see an argument or even a confrontation between Fang Xiu and Wu Dahai.
Wu Dahai was known for his harshness towards his subordinates, earning him little affection. While no one dared to confront him openly, they would have relished seeing someone stand up to him.
However, the conflict they had imagined did not unfold. Instead, Fang Xiu, unfazed by his superior's tirade, made no attempt to engage in conversation. He simply seized Wu Dahai by the shoulder, shoved him aside, and walked straight ahead.
Though Wu Dahai was overweight, his bulk was largely superficial, and he had not expected Fang Xiu—who had always been submissive—to dare push him.
He staggered, nearly losing his balance, but managed to grab onto a nearby desk.
"You... you dare push me!? Are you out of your mind?" Wu Dahai sputtered, his face flushed with anger and shock.
His eyes darted to the others around him, whose gaze only deepened his humiliation.
"Unruly! Absolutely outrageous! Security! Where's security?"
Wu Dahai, wisely avoiding direct physical confrontation, knew he could neither win a fight with Fang Xiu nor risk damaging his position as manager by brawling in front of the staff.
His anger mounting, he dialed the security phone.
Fang Xiu paid no heed to his outburst. Moving through the crowd, he took a few turns before heading toward the third floor.
The headmaster's office was not on the second floor.
"Fang Xiu, you little brat! How dare you push me! You..." Wu Dahai's words were cut short as he suddenly noticed Fang Xiu ascending toward the third floor.
His face turned ashen, his anger now tinged with anxiety.
He shouted, "What are you doing? Who told you to go to the third floor? Get back here!"
He then turned to a few of his colleagues, barking, "What are you waiting for? Stop him!"
Reluctantly, the colleagues stood up, but by then, Fang Xiu had already disappeared up the stairs.
Wu Dahai's face contorted with frustration, and he quickly ordered the others to stop.
"Forget it, I'll go myself."
He waddled in haste up the stairs, clearly nervous, as if there was something on the third floor he desperately wanted to keep hidden.
Fang Xiu stepped onto the third floor, his gaze immediately locking onto a door in the distance—marked with the words "Headmaster's Office."
He made his way toward it quickly, as Wu Dahai, panting, followed close behind.
In the real world, Wu Dahai had no idea that Fang Xiu was heading toward the headmaster's office. All he saw was Fang Xiu heading straight for the last office at the end of the hall, his face drained of color.
"Fang Xiu, get back here!"
The door creaked open.
Inside, the sounds of a man's furious shouting and a woman's startled exclamation filled the air, followed by the distinct sound of clothing rustling.
Wu Dahai's face went pale.
"This is it! It's all over!"
He tore at his white shirt, yanking off two buttons, and dashed toward the office door. Upon entering, he found Fang Xiu standing still, his eyes fixed ahead.
Before Fang Xiu stood a lavish desk, papers and a laptop scattered on the floor. But more shocking were the two disheveled figures—a man and a woman—entangled in a compromising position.
The man was gaunt, his eyes sunken, and his pallor unhealthy. His pants were halfway down.
The woman, with an elegant figure and immaculate makeup, was dressed in a professional skirt suit, though it was torn in several places, and her high heels were nowhere to be found.
Fang Xiu's gaze was locked on the woman's black stockings, though, more specifically, on the parchment lying on the desk beneath her.
"Who the hell are you?! Who let you in?" The man, hastily dressing, shouted furiously.
The woman, trying to hide behind the man, scrambled to cover herself with her clothing.
Fang Xiu recognized them both. The man was Wang Ziteng, the son of the Bai Liu Academy developer.
The woman was Li Feifei, the top saleswoman at Bai Liu Academy, renowned for her beauty among the female sales team.
Bai Liu Academy's sales team was self-managed by the developer, meaning Wang Ziteng, in essence, was Fang Xiu's superior.
"Wu Dahai! Didn't I tell you no one was allowed on the third floor?" Wang Ziteng yelled at Wu Dahai.
"Young Master Wang, please calm down, calm down! Fang Xiu... he's gone mad today. He came in, pushed me, and without a word, rushed straight up to the third floor. I couldn't stop him.
Look, he even tore my new shirt I bought yesterday! It's my fault, I'm just too old, I couldn't stop him..." Wu Dahai said, his voice filled with apologies and fear.