Professor Xie, isn't this a case of forcing customers to buy products that don't match the

Shang Song didn't force them, and the two simply walked into the elevator in silence.

As the elevator descended, Shang Song took out his phone and sent Xie Jing a message:

"I'm leaving get off work early, but I want to go back to my apartment to get some things. You don't need to come to the company; just wait for me downstairs at my apartment."

The message was quickly replied: "Okay. Be careful, let me know when you arrive."

The two entered the subway station one after the other, swiped their cards to enter, and Shang Song was taking a different route than Shen Yan. He watched Shen Yan's lonely figure disappear around the corner of the escalator before turning around and walking to his own platform.

Shang Song returned to his small apartment, which had been empty for a week. He watered the pothos on the balcony and emptied the refrigerator. When he went downstairs, Xie Jing's car was already quietly parked under the streetlights.

He practically "unloaded" himself into the back seat, sinking into the leather seat, and was about to fall asleep.

"Tired?" Xie Jing's voice rang in his ear, very low.

"Hmm..." Shang Song mumbled a response, then tilted his head and fell into a deep sleep.

He slept very soundly, and he didn't even know how he got back to his room in the Cloud Top. When he woke up, it was already 2 p.m. the next day.

He slowly got up, brushed his teeth, took a shower, and ate the lunch that Xie Jing had kept warm. Only then did he feel completely alive again.

At 3 PM, Shang Song strolled into the company. The project team was no longer as tense as yesterday, and the atmosphere was much more relaxed. Everyone was discussing in small groups, handling the relatively peaceful daily affairs after the public beta test.

After tidying up his workstation, Shang Song carried his cup to the tea room, intending to make himself a cup of tea.

As I passed Shen Yan's workstation, my gaze unconsciously drifted towards Shen Yan's computer screen.

Then, he stopped in his tracks.

Instead of the familiar code editor, performance analysis tool, or test report, the screen opened to a form interface commonly found in the company's internal systems.

It's a resignation application.

Why?

Was it because of the suspicion and subtle exclusion he had suffered before? But the storm has passed, and although the truth has not yet come to light, at least his abilities have been proven, and the team's attitude has clearly changed.

Why would someone resign after just turning the tide and earning the respect and trust of their team?

All afternoon, Shang Song was somewhat restless, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards that corner.

He noticed that Shen Yan didn't open any work-related documents anymore. He just sat there quietly, writing and drawing. As it was almost time to leave work, he started tidying up his personal belongings on his desk.

A chipped mug, a few pens, and a hardcover notebook that looks quite old.

It's time to leave work.

He picked up the simple backpack, carefully placed the mug and notebook inside, zipped it up, then picked up the coat draped over the back of the chair, turned around, and prepared to leave silently as usual.

"Shen Yan," Shang Song called out to him.

Shen Yan paused, turned around, and looked at him with a questioning gaze.

Shang Song picked up his bag and walked over: "Let's... have a meal together. It's on me."

Shen Yan seemed taken aback for a moment, a look of surprise flashing across his eyes. After a few seconds of silence, just when Shang Song thought he would refuse as usual, he nodded and said in a low voice:

"it is good."

Shang Song breathed a sigh of relief and walked out of the office with Shen Yan, saying, "It's nearby, let's just grab something to eat, it won't take up your time."

He texted Xie Jing, "I'm having dinner with a colleague from the project team tonight, I'll be back later."

The two walked out of the company building one after the other, and instead of going to a popular restaurant, they turned into a local casual restaurant near the company.

Since Shen Yan didn't want to order, Shang Song ordered a few lightly flavored stir-fries based on his own taste and guess.

While waiting for the food, Shang Song finally asked the question that had been nagging at him all afternoon: "Why did you quit your job?"

Shen Yan didn't answer immediately. He simply shook his head slightly, seemingly giving a self-deprecating smile: "Maybe it's because... this place isn't quite right for me."

"Not suitable?" Shang Song frowned. "Is it because... everyone doubted you before? But you've already proven yourself..."

"No," Shen Yan interrupted him.

"What was the reason?" Shang Song pressed, recalling the scuffle at the subway entrance that evening, the aggressive man in the suit. "Was it... related to Zhou Xu'an? I saw him pulling at you at the subway entrance that day!"

Zhou Xu'an.

These three words instantly shattered the facade of calm that Shen Yan had been trying so hard to maintain.

He suddenly raised his head, and his eyes, which always held a deep melancholy, revealed an even more broken and desperate despair.

His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his eyes looked away, gazing into the deep night.

After a long while, he slowly turned his head to look at Shang Song, his voice numb:

"I used to... work at Xushi Interactive for a few years." He began, with a bittersweet feeling that he no longer cared about the past: "Back then, I had just graduated and didn't know anything. I was just happy to be able to make games."

"Zhou Xu'an is the boss. He took good care of me. Later, he said he liked me."

Shen Yan's voice was flat, as if he were recounting someone else's story: "I was young and naive back then. I thought he was successful and good to me, so we got together."

"At first it was fine, and we did have a sweet time together. Later, for some reasons, he started to dislike my work and wanted me to quit so he could support me."

Shen Yan's eyes dimmed. "I refuse. I need to make money, and I also enjoy writing code and making games. We've argued about this many times."

"Then..." He took a deep breath, his voice even softer, trembling with barely suppressed emotion, "I discovered that he... never just had me by his side. And he cheated on me more than once."

Shang Song's breath hitched.

He could imagine how devastating it would be for someone like Shen Yan to discover betrayal.

"I brought up breaking up, but he disagreed. He said I couldn't live without him, and that no one else would want me."

He gave a self-deprecating smile, as if mocking himself, and also as if mocking the person who said it, "I've had enough, I had to break up. It went on for a long time, it was very tense, I couldn't stay in Xushi anymore, and then, I came to Qingguo."

The dishes were served one after another, steaming hot, but no one touched their chopsticks.

"I thought... it was over." Shen Yan stared blankly at the plate of stir-fried vegetables in front of him. "But it seems... he never felt it was over. He kept sending me messages from different numbers, calling me, and waiting for me at my place... just like you saw last time."

Shang Song felt a chill run down his spine when he recalled the scene at the subway entrance.

"Although he wasn't the one who leaked the information this time," Shen Yan said weakly, looking at Shang Song.

"But he has some connections with Phantom Blade... they're probably in the same industry. He contacted me and said he had a way to get Phantom Blade to provide evidence that I was involved in the leak. He said that as long as I go back to him, he'll pretend nothing happened."

"Otherwise... he could make it impossible for me to find a job in S City, no, in this industry, and I would also have to bear the charge of industrial espionage, pay compensation, and go to jail."

His eyes were filled with utter despair and resignation: "Shang Song, I can't live without a job."

"My mother is in poor health and needs money, a lot of money, and she's always needed it. I can't bear this stigma; I can't afford to pay for it, and... I can't afford to go to jail."

"So, you've chosen to go back to that scumbag?!"