HDAU Chapter 1

☆ Unemployed, Searching for a man

Hengyuan group office building, Gao Yulan recently returned from a business trip.

As the marketing director of the marketing department she has been working in the company for more than a year, usually busy with work, often overtime. Traveling was common, the company was huge and could contact many other businesses. The salary was also not bad, so Gao Yulan was quite satisfied with the job.

Currently it was 5 p.m. and close to the time to get off work. Gao Yulan had just gotten off the plane and could go home to rest, but was concerned about submitting a good report of the business trip, so she went back to the company to work.

She had just entered the office and hadn’t even been able to sit down before hearing somebody call her.

“Yulan.”

She turned around to see Wen Sha, a popular person in the company.

Speaking of Wen Sha, her appearance was number one in the company. Each month her performance was also number one in the company, plus she was quite capable and experienced. Her communication skills were one of the best in creating connections, thus in the company she was a very popular person.

Right now Wen Sha was quickly coming over, Gao Yulan didn’t know what she wanted and was about to ask but accidently looked at the seat beside her and saw a queer expression on her co-worker. Gao Yulan couldn’t respond as Wen Sha in one movement wrapped her in a embrace.

“Darling, I’ve let you down, I said too much.”

Say what? Gao Yulan was stupidly loss, puzzled. Suddenly black eyes met and lips tightly held together, a faint sense of  fragrance and soft lips touching shocked her into jumping.

Wen Sha gently kissed her, then softly whispered: “Darling, don’t be angry at me.”

Gao Yulan froze up like a dead corpse in the intimate embrace.

What happened?

Did she just get kissed by somebody?

Moreover, it was a woman that kissed her?

Gao Yulan was dumbstruck, her head void of any thoughts, she simply couldn’t believe what had happened.

She was a honest and conservative person, nay, an innocent young woman. Other than having puppy love for seven years before being abandoned, Gao Yulan was pure in vain. She had not even held hands with any other man, how could she have kissed anybody?

This was simply too reckless!

Wen Sha appeared to not care about her reaction, she merely consoled her by caressing her face, and then turned away to go.

Gao Yulan foolishly, numbly turned her head slowly and stared blankly at Wen Sha’s departing figure. Already too late she pointed her trembling hand unable to say anything.

This, this, criminal calmy slinked off. What now?

Gao Yulans mind slowly came too. She became stricken with uncertainty on the unclear matter. Nevertheless she couldn’t meet her colleagues gazes, but she knew right now she was the focal point of everybody’s attention.

God, Please let me crawl into a hole.

God didn’t answer, but there was a small voice that said: “Yulan, the manager is telling you to go look for him.”

Gao Yulan in shock turned her head towards the co-worker that had notified her, she saw the eyes of sympathy in her colleague.

An ominous premonition bubbled forth in Gao Yulans thoughts.

The manager was a 50 year old man that was bald.

He was seriously and sternly looking at Gao Yulan for ten minutes before finally saying: “I say, Little Gao…”

Gao Yulan sat with her back straight restlessly not knowing why. The manager’s long period of silence caused her mind to wander.

She will go look for Wen Sha later and find out why she would inexplicably kiss her, between women it was not proper and embarrassing. This joke without explanation, and without intent of revenge. How is she going to keeping working?

“You have worked for the company for more than a year, and have had a very good performance of behavior.”

“Of course, Of course.”

Wen Sha earlier said she had said too much. What did she mean?

“You know of the companies disapproval towards office romance.”

“Manager, rest assured I will not.”

Just now a co-worker had a queer expression. What was that about?

“You can’t fall in love, I’ll let that pass, but you also had such a… special preference. The impact towards the company will not be very good.”

“...”

Gao Yulan foolishly looked up into her manager’s eyes. The expression in his eyes, she didn’t understand.

“Manager, you said who is in love?” Gao Yulan asked.

“You!” The manager touched his bald forehead, this expression Gao Yulan understood. The manager’s face clearly said: Pretending to not understand.

“But, who’s in love with me?” Don’t tell me some elite man had taken a fancy with me without knowing.

The manager glanced at her.

Gao Yulan didn’t understand, if not somebody falling in love with her. Did that mean that it looked like she had fallen in love with somebody, which caused others to be bothered?

Manager, I haven’t fallen in love with anybody.” Gao Yulan seriously explained. Although she wanted to go out with somebody, to move away from her emotional low point to start a new life, it was not happening.

The manager sighed twice, watching Gao Yulan while knocking his fingers against his desk, considering what to say.

Gao Yulan had a bad premonition. Then the strange scene that had just happened flashed through her mind, and then she heard the manager say: “You and Wen Sha, the whole company knows.”

“Wen Sha?” Gao Yulan shouted, suddenly realizing.

This seriously was a mess!

“Manager, I haven’t fallen in love with Wen Sha, I like men!”

The manager shot a glance at her quickly and didn't say a word.

“Manager, I and Wen Sha absolutely do not have any sort of relationship. Could it be that she told you she had fallen in love with me? Even if, it still has nothing to do with me. I don’t even know her that well, there must be a misunderstanding, seriously, we could get her and we could make everything clear face to face…”

The manager sighed, and interrupted Gao Yulans words: “Little Gao, I understand your current frame of mind.”

Understand? Not believing?

Nonsense!

“Manager, You have to believe me!”

The manager silently began to fiddle around with his computer.

“Manager, I swear, I like men! Men! A….ma….” Gao Yulan stopped saying the word “man” , because the manager had turned the computer towards her, Gao Yulan stared at the screen like she had seen a ghost.

It was a photo of Wen Sha and a woman embracing each other and kissing mouth to mouth. It seemed to be at a bar and they were wearing sexy and provocative clothing while kissing enthusiastically. Wen Sha had half of her face showing and could identify her easily, but the other woman’s face was hidden and all that was seen was the back of her head and figure. At first glance her figure did look like Gao Yulans figure.

Gao Yulan was so astonished that her jaw dropped, and pointed at the picture with a trembling finger: “This, this person is not me. Really, that isn’t me.”

Ther manager had already stopped considering if it was “yes or no” on the issue to not be entangled with it, and he had a straight face while saying meaningfully: “Little Gao, romantic affairs are your own personal freedom, and loving either a man or woman is also your personal freedom, but the company has it’s company rules. I don’t want to, but I regretfully inform you that the company has already approved your application for quitting.

●Thinking●Rabbit●Executing●Line●Reviewing●Reading●

“I didn’t apply to quit!” Gao Yulan jumped up.

“In the event that you haven’t applied to quit, the company will give you a notice of dismissal, that isn’t very appropriate, so it is better if you do it yourself.”

Gao Yulan was struck dumb, this was blatantly bullying people!

She pinched her arm and told herself to keep calm. But anger and embarrassment had already filled her heart. Why did this have to happen to her? Why did she have to be the one with such bad luck?

“Manager, I can’t accept this, I have not made any mistakes.”

“Little Gao, this photograph,  everyone of your colleagues have received early this morning. You just got back from your trip and probably haven’t looked at your mailbox. This affair will not affect anybody well and violates the rules of our company. Wen Sha has already confessed to the whole affair . The facts are so, if you haven’t realized? And to appear upright and have a good appearance of a steady work ambience, the company has resolved to allow you to choose to leave in a reasonable way. The company’s ambience is already unsuitable for you to continue, and it will be good for you to leave.

Gao Yulan suddenly realized why her colleagues had reacted so weirdly, but she was innocent!

“I’m being framed, that isn’t me!”

The manager sighed: “Little Gao, Wen Sha has already confessed, what you say now is useless. The company has already decided after work today, Human Resources will find you to go through the procedures.

Gao Yulan grit her teeth, and couldn’t contain her anger: “I’ll go find Wen Sha, Why did she put the blame on me!”

Gao Yulan furiously stamped onto the floor, and finally arrived at Wen Sha’s office, inside there was nobody. Wen Sha’s assistant quietly said: “Shasha was criticized, so the company has given her a week long vacation.”

Vacation? Why is the perpetrator given a holiday while the victim is being expelled? Why, WHY?

She was a nobody,she was not important, so she was framed and bullied?

“Tell me her phone number.” Gao Yulan growled, causing the young assistant to jump in fright. She handed over Wen Sha’s business card to Gao Yulan. Gao Yulan snatched it out of her hands and began to put in the phone number into her phone, and the outcome was it was turned off.

A male co-worker to the side looked at Gao Yulan ambiguously, as if laughing at her. Gao Yulan furiously shouted: “I barely even know her!”

She turned around and asked the assistant: “Where does she live?”

The assistant shook its head not knowing, and the co-workers from the side looked over with pitying gazes, Gao Yulan angrily slammed the table and yelled loudly: “She and I are not intimate with each other!”

Everybody gave way and pretended to be busy.

Gao Yulan stood and looked around the huge office filled with people working and everybody’s computer had a photo of her so-called same sex relationship. Some people passing by her took the opportunity to steal a glance at her. Looking into the past at her higher position she buried her head lower.

Gao Yulans heart turned cold, and finally realized that the atmosphere here was really not suitable for her.

She held back the tears and feeling of crying, and returned back to her working area to pick up things. Normally a co-worker or two would come to help, and console her with a few words, but Gao Yulans mood was not at its best, she quickly finished formalities and returned home.

That evening Gao Yulan was lying in a bar drinking. She was always a obedient girl abstaining from alcohol and tobacco. Waking up early, go to work, and do one’s duty. Buying alcohol was really an abnormal thing for her to do. Today’s experience was to sorrowful, so she indulged herself in alcohol.

Three rounds of wine to pass the time, the more you drink, the more you worry.

To have this happen, what now? Gao Yulan didn’t know.

In fact, she had a similar experience. She had a wasteful seven year first love, which had ended in a miserable, tragic ending. Then as she working her boss to defend himself had put the blame of signing the wrong contract on her, then she was fired. This time it was even more outrageous, unexpectedly a homosexual colleague had implemented her to be fired.

Gao Yulan was drinking while wiping tears away. Drinking didn’t make her feel happy, the problem couldn’t be solved. She was unemployed. What could she do? Women loving women wasn’t a sin, but she liked men. She had been wronged. Why was she always being wronged? Why was she always being bullied?

The female bar singer, sung: “Don’t be afraid to move forward, all the bad will be in the past, there will be an angel that will love you…”

Where was the angel? Where was the angel? Gao Yulan continued to cry and wipe away tears. She didn’t need an angel, she felt a man would be more reliable. If she had a boyfriend, she could prove that she didn’t like women and she liked men.

Gao Yulan continued to remorse and drank till she couldn’t see properly, and then heard her phone ringing, she picked it up and in a rough voice asked: “Who?”

“Wen Sha.”

Hearing the name Gao Yulans whole body burned with rage, she slammed the table: “You son of a b*tch. Why did you ruin me?”

“I am sorry for defrauding you, I was forced to. Some people tried to frame me and used a picture with somebody that had the same figure as you. Plus you had no boyfriend, it was perfect. So I had to drag you down with me. I’m sorry, I will compensate you by helping you find a new job, I’ll absolutely introduce you.”

“Ptooh, Ptooh, Introduce my ass. You bring your girlfriend to the company to make it clear, tell them clearly that I’m innocent!” Gao Yulan shouted in a even louder voice: “You tell them that I like men! Men! You know!” She said men and slammed heavily onto the table, that startled two men beside her into leaving.

“You have to prove that you have no relationship with me, it’s not too hard, just get a boyfriend okay?” Wen Sha had already planned to not listen to her. Of course it was naturally to not blow her own cover. She was not influenced by Gao Yulans loud voice and calmly said her idea: “You just have to bring a man to the company and expose my lies.”

She’s just making fun of me not having a man, is that it? Is she Gao Yulan so easy to bully?

Gao Yulan “suddenly” stood up swaying and loudly said: “I’ll look for a man and I’ll show you, look at my man, then go the company, just you wait for me!”

She said emptily, dizzily payed the bill and bumped into the doorway swaying, while thinking of a man that will be good, she slammed into the door with a boom.

Everybody looked over, but she didn’t feel any pain.

The stores personnel hurriedly supported her: “Miss, Are you alright? Do you need me to call for a taxi?”

“No.” Gao Yulan boldly waved her hand: “I don’t need a taxi, my home is close. I don’t want to go home, I want to find a man! A man!”

A crazy drunk woman!

The surrounding men looked over and quickly got out of the way for fear of the woman falling for them.

“Don’t be afraid to move forward, all the bad will be in the past, there will be an angel that will love you…” the female singer sung, Gao Yulan swayed with the song out of the bar.

She was intoxicated, and with confused eyes step by step moved forward. This evening night, there were a lot of men. But which one was good?

Gao Yulan rubbed her eyes. If she can’t see, how was she supposed to choose?

She stopped walking and squinted ahead. People say that it’s better to run into people during the day, but she was choosing which was better than running into men, right?”

Oh him! That one right in front!

Gao Yulan covered her head and rushed straight forward, not knowing what they were doing, anyways in a confusing crash a man cried out: “What are you doing! Hey, Hey, You don’t mess around!”

Author’s note: Let’s give writing a go.

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