Chapter 2

By three o'clock that afternoon, the ping of year-end bonus notifications echoed through every corner of the company.

Carrying my coffee past the marketing department, I caught fragments of conversation drifting from behind the cubicle walls.

"So our bonus is going to be three months' salary?"

"Mm."

"Well… that's not too bad."

"It's not bad, but over at Midea Tech, they gave cherries on top of the bonus. My college classmate works there—posted on social media. The boxes were huge. Dark, glossy red. Just looking at them makes you jealous."

"My wife even called to ask. She said they got both money and gifts, and wondered if our company's performance wasn't good, or…" He lowered his voice, "…if the boss is stingy."

Another voice cut in, "My parents asked too. Said the neighbor's kid's company gave so much more, and they asked what we got. I said money. They just said, 'Oh… just money?'—the tone alone felt suffocating."

"Yeah, but there's nothing we can do. That's just how our company is. Practical. As for sentiment? Forget it. Doesn't exist."

"Yeah… nothing to be done. The company gave us the bonus for convenience. Sentiment? Forget it."

Outside, daylight had dimmed without anyone noticing. Dark clouds pressed down, heavy, brewing a storm.

In the muted light, my expression was unreadable. I quickened my pace.

Back in my office, I had my assistant pull up Midea Tech's benefits report.

Last year, their net profit had been only half of ours. They'd given one month's salary as a bonus—but this year, suddenly two months, plus two boxes of cherries. Unit price on the procurement sheet: 83 each. Total cost: under ten thousand.

My assistant knocked lightly. "Mr. Bassett, there's something…"

"Speak."

"Polly and a few colleagues were chatting when someone filmed them. The video's online now."

I took the tablet.

In the video, Polly's eyes were red.

"I just feel wronged. The company earned more this year, so why are we getting less than the neighboring company? My parents are back home; I can't go home for the New Year again. I'm not asking for much—just even a box of cherries to send them, and I'd feel better…"

Someone patted her shoulder. "You're not wrong, Polly. Don't cry."

"Yeah… the company made so much more profit this year. How's it a problem to gift two more boxes of cherries?"

"Midea Tech already did it…"

There it was again—Midea Tech.

I scanned the video. There were people in it I had personally helped.

The son of a patient whose medical fees I had covered.

A divorced mother I promoted and allowed to leave early to care for her child.

A man I had taken in as an exception when he couldn't find a job and couldn't support his family—now a mid-to-senior executive.

My heart went cold.

Blood seemed to reverse in my veins. My hands hung by my sides, trembling slightly with anger and disappointment.

The video ended there.

The uploader captioned it: [Stingy company! Profits soared, yet employees are neglected. Is it wrong for staff to want a taste of the New Year?]

Shares had already passed three thousand; comments, eight thousand and climbing.

I scrolled through the comments.

The top-voted comment was: [Modern bosses only care about money. They make so much profit and give so little. Can't even spare a box of fruit?]

The other comments were nasty too.

[I bet all the profit went straight into their pockets. Such a big company—can't even gift cherries?]

[Haha, a small company next door gave two months' salary plus cherries. And this company's profit jumped forty percent? So stingy. Pathetic.]

[The girl just wanted to send a little to her parents. Is that wrong? The company's rich—they wouldn't die giving a bit more to employees.]

[Exactly. If I were an employee, I'd be heartbroken too. It isn't just about the money—it's the thought that's missing.]

[Support employee rights! Why can't workers ask for reasonable benefits?]

[The small company next door gave two months' salary plus two boxes of cherries. This giant company gave nothing—and still has the nerve to brag about profits?]

[Products from this company blacklisted. Boycott cold-blooded corporations!]

The comments surged like a tide, wave after wave.

The cruel part was that every single one assumed our bonuses were tiny. Nobody knew the actual amounts—and what broke my heart more, not a single employee had defended the company.

The video had been edited to highlight complaints about low bonuses and missing cherries. Actual figures were never mentioned.

Some commenters did the math: [Midea Tech gave two months' salary; this company gave less and no gifts. Absolute stinginess.]

Some compared: [Midea Tech is half the size but gave more and better. By comparison, the company looked like a vampire.]

Some went further: [The capitalist nature revealed. Profit growth had nothing to do with employees.]

My assistant whispered, "PR asked if we want to respond…"