Chapter 4 : Pressure on Technician No. 8

Sheng Jiong circled around the table, suddenly raised his hand, and swung at Shen Baizhou’s face… But at that moment, he suddenly saw Shen Baizhou sneer and grab the water cup on the table!

Was he planning to fight back? His eyes flicked to the cup about to smash down, and cold sweat poured down Sheng Jiong’s face…

Shen Baizhou was 183 cm tall, in his early twenties. If he actually fought, how could a 40-something-year-old, out-of-shape, fat man possibly win? Before, Sheng Jiong had always beaten people because he counted on them not daring to fight back—but he had never encountered someone like Shen Baizhou, who would go head-on.

His hand, raised mid-air, froze…

“You…” he twitched at the corner of his mouth, his expression shifting like stormy weather.

“You what?” Shen Baizhou sneered. “Either you swing now and I defend myself and send you to the hospital, or you do what you do best—run to report to Director Huang! Besides that, Old Sheng, what else can you do? In the end, the pressure will still land on the No. 8 Black Stocking Technician.”

“You… just wait!” Sheng Jiong spun around, all bluster and no courage. He stomped outward, body shaking, like an angry spinning top.

“Go on, go on,” Shen Baizhou waved at him, “get licking!”

As Sheng Jiong disappeared into the elevator, a huge wave of noise erupted at Workstation 1!

“Wow~ Brother Zhou, today’s scale is huge!”
“Hahaha, the No. 8 Black Stocking Technician and Director Huang, so exciting!”
“Brother Zhou, were you really about to hit him? I almost suffocated!”
“Same here! After all these years, at work, I only respect you—though usually you’re not like this!”

Everyone felt both thrilled and shocked—after all these years of being screwed over by Sheng Jiong, they dared not speak up. Who expected the usually mild-mannered Shen Baizhou to take action “on behalf of justice”…

And today, his force was like a nuclear bomb, instantly obliterating Sheng Jiong.

“Awesome, Brother Zhou! Why didn’t I record it just now?” Wang Xiaopang lamented, slapping his thigh.

“No worries, there’s always tomorrow,” Shen Baizhou smiled and checked the time—6 PM, time to leave.

This was another reason he chose to blow up at 5:50—ten minutes of venting, then clocking out. Any follow-up by Sheng Jiong, no matter which director he went to, wouldn’t matter—Brother Zhou was gone!

It was also Shen Baizhou’s first day since joining the company that he didn’t have to work overtime—a testament to how much his past self had been tormented and how satisfying it felt now…

Just as he stood, his phone dinged—an uncle’s message appeared:

“Baizhou, be careful going home after work. Your aunt might try to kick you out today…”

His heart sank. The small joy from dealing with Sheng Jiong vanished…

Oh no, he thought, now this would be far more troublesome than dealing with Sheng Jiong…

On Bus 573, Shen Baizhou held the handrail with one hand and his phone with the other, speaking seriously with his uncle.

Since graduating from university, his past self had been staying at his uncle’s house in the capital. His aunt had long been unhappy that he wasn’t paying rent. Shen Baizhou had been living there for free, thanks to his uncle. But yesterday, his uncle went on a business trip…

Sure enough, his aunt planned to kick him out.

“Listen, your aunt loves chocolate. Go buy her a box and appease her!” his uncle advised over the phone. “Just last this half-month, and I’ll be back…”

“Understood,” Shen Baizhou thought. Half a month might be too long, but at least five days—for Su Hongdou, the 350,000 yuan would take five days to arrive, and he had no money to rent a place. Being kicked out would mean ending up on the streets.

“Don’t worry, Uncle, I know my limits,” Shen Baizhou said earnestly. “I don’t have money now, but I’ll pay the rent I owe your wife in a few days.”

“Nonsense! What are you talking about? I’m your uncle! Paying rent to live in my house?” His uncle fumed.

They chatted a bit more. Shen Baizhou reminded his uncle to take care of himself outside. After hanging up, he sighed. With his aunt’s temper, it wouldn’t be easy to smooth things over with just a box of chocolate.

Still, when he got off at Qianqingtang Station, he went to a supermarket. After paying, he had only 231 yuan left, and he carried the chocolate to Building 5 in his neighborhood.

When the elevator stopped on the 7th floor, he froze—two familiar rolling suitcases were by his uncle’s door…

“Aunt, are you home?” he knocked.

“Not!” his aunt shouted. “All your stuff is packed, everything’s at the door, nothing missing. Take it and leave!”

Shen Baizhou was stunned.

He opened the two overstuffed suitcases—from half-used eye drops to unwashed underwear, even chargers weren’t spared. She clearly didn’t intend to let him in at all. Incredible, he thought, what a remarkable woman.

“Aunt, I’ve been immature and made you angry,” Shen Baizhou said humbly through the door. “Please calm down, open the door so I can apologize properly. I even have a small gift…”

“Shut up! Shen Baizhou, stop bothering me!” a sharper voice screamed. “Leave now or I call the police!”

Helpless, Shen Baizhou dragged the two suitcases into the elevator. Being homeless was scary, but harassing a woman nearing 50? Too heavy a charge—he couldn’t risk it.

Downstairs, he thought things over. He could have stayed at the company in a makeshift tent, waiting for the 350,000 yuan to arrive before renting—but he had been laid off. This story had no buffer…

Sure enough, like the stock market, the start could always go lower.

After “80,000 yuan in debt” and “laid off,” Shen Baizhou now added “homeless” to his list.

He pondered a moment and called Lao Cao, a college classmate of his past self. Lao Cao rented with his girlfriend Xiaoping in the development zone and was the clearest memory Shen Baizhou had apart from ex-girlfriends…

“Brother Zhou?” came a faint voice.

“Lao Cao, my aunt kicked me out. I have nowhere to stay tonight. Can you help?”

“What? Brother Zhou, I’m not in the capital! I went to Yanlong for supplies!”

“Then can I stay at your place for one night?”

“No! It’s just me and my wife!”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“Brother Zhou, I don’t trust your handsome face, and I don’t trust Xiaoping’s resolve!”

“No, Lao Cao, just one night…”

“What did you say? Brother Zhou, my signal’s bad, hang up first…” Click. The call ended.

Fine. Shen Baizhou thought, fragile friendships are like plastic—touch them, they shatter.

Unwilling to give up, he scrolled through his contacts. Memories were hazy; apart from estranged colleagues or classmates, no one could help.

Desperate, he posted to his Moments (hidden from family):

“Currently in the capital, no place to stay tonight, can anyone help for one night?”

Ten minutes passed, no response, not even a like.

Scrolling further, he saw a new friend added today—his just-registered “wife” Su Hongdou.

When registering, she said, since we’re married, we’re friends. Now your friend is in trouble.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Baizhou called her.

Three seconds later, a pleasant “Hello?” came through.

“Hello, Miss Su,” Shen Baizhou carefully said, “I’m your… uh…”

“Husband?” she asked.

“Yes, yes, I’m your husband,” Shen Baizhou hurriedly said.

“Hello,” she asked, “what’s the matter?”

“It’s like this… I have nowhere to stay tonight,” Shen Baizhou scratched his chin awkwardly.

“So… may I stay at your place for one night?”