## The Simplest Happiness
The morning sun, like a thin layer of golden gauze, snuck in through a gap in the poorly drawn curtains, landing right on Su Qing's face. She was sleeping soundly, her long eyelashes casting a small, fan-shaped shadow in the halo of light, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned as if dreaming of something happy. I leaned over the edge of the bed, just quietly watching her, feeling the whole world fall silent.
This was the happiest moment of my day. I didn't have to think about the department supervisor at work who was always finding fault, nor did I have to calculate how much I was short on next month's rent. Just by looking at her, I felt my whole body fill with strength. I couldn't resist reaching out a finger, gently touching her cheek. The warm, smooth touch was like fine, warm jade.
I woke her up. She opened her big, expressive eyes in a daze, glanced at me, then, like a little kitten, burrowed deeper into my arms, her voice thick with a nasal tone: "Lin Fan, what time is it?"
"It's still early, my little lazy pig. Sleep a bit more." I held her, my chin resting on the top of her head, smelling the faint, clean scent of shampoo left in her hair.
"I can't. I have to submit my weekly report today." She struggled to sit up, rubbed her eyes, then threw back the covers and got out of bed. The light pink nightgown she was wearing swayed gently with her movements, making her skin appear even fairer.
I lay on the bed, watching her walk into the pitifully small kitchen. Soon, the sizzle of a frying egg and the ding of a toaster came from inside. This Rented Apartment was truly too small, so small that the living room and kitchen were separated only by a bar counter, so small that we both had to turn sideways when in the kitchen at the same time. But it was in this tiny space that all of our warmth was contained.
After getting dressed, I walked over and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. I deliberately sniffed with an exaggerated tone: "Wow, what delicious dish is Chef Su making today? It smells absolutely mouth-watering."
She laughed at my teasing and gently nudged me with her elbow: "Go on, get out of the way, don't cause trouble. You're the one with the slick tongue."
I refused to leave, watching the perfectly fried sunnyside-up egg in the pan, its yolk still jiggling slightly, just like her sparkling eyes at that moment. "You've worked hard, my dear wife. This humble one will get your food ready."
"Who's your wife? You're so shameless." she said, but she placed the fried egg and toast on the small, folding table. We sat face-to-face, our knees almost touching. I took a bite of the fried egg, my mouth filled with the taste of happiness.
"By the way," Su Qing said after taking a sip of milk, suddenly looking up and glancing around our little home, a hint of longing in her eyes, "When we save up a bit more money, can we move to a bigger apartment with a balcony? Then I can plant it full of flowers and plants on the balcony, and put a rocking chair there. You can lie on it, read a book, and sunbathe."
The scene she described instantly appeared in my mind: sunshine, the fragrance of flowers, and her. Looking at her sparkling eyes, my heart felt both sour and soft. I put down my chopsticks, looked at her seriously, and nodded solemnly: "Okay, we'll definitely move. I promise, it won't be long before we move into a house with a big balcony."
Su Qing smiled, her smile brighter than the sun outside the window. We looked at each other, and everything was understood without words. For this shared goal, we were both full of energy. At that time, I naively thought that as long as we worked hard together, nothing could stop us. I had no idea that a storm, capable of completely shattering our little home, had already quietly gathered on the horizon.
## Humiliation from Wang Hao
At six in the evening, the bell for getting off work was like a horn of liberation. I grabbed my backpack and rushed out of the office building. The afterglow of the sunset cast a warm golden edge on this city nestled amidst mountains, and even the air was filled with the aroma of cooking. I took out my phone, skillfully dialed Su Qing's number, and couldn't help but smile.
"Hey, Qingqing, I'm off work. What do you want for tonight? I'll buy groceries and cook." I said, walking towards the bus stop while mentally checking what ingredients were left in the fridge. As long as I could be with her, even a simple bowl of plain noodle soup would be the ultimate delicacy in the world.
Just as I was fantasizing about the warmth of home, a piercing engine roar grew from afar, like a beast in heat roaring. I subconsciously frowned. The sound was particularly jarring and annoying in this residential area. A flashy red Sports Car spun its tail and stopped steadily in front of me, the splashing water wetting my pant legs.
The car door opened, and a shiny leather shoe stepped onto the ground. Then, a man in a well-tailored, brand-name suit, with his hair slicked back so shiny it gleamed, got out. He took off his sunglasses, revealing a handsome but arrogant face. It was Wang Hao.
My brow furrowed even tighter. This guy was the son of the company's big boss. Relying on his family's wealth, he acted like a tyrant in the company, looking down on everyone. More importantly, he had long been harboring wicked intentions toward Su Qing, harassing her repeatedly. He was the most conspicuous thorn in my side.
"Well, isn't this Lin Fan?" Wang Hao glanced at me with his signature way of looking down his nose at people, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips. "Off work? Getting ready to squeeze onto the bus back to your doghouse?"
I clenched my fists, took a deep breath, and forced myself to calm down. Getting into a fight with him would do me no good and would only give him an excuse to talk. "Wang Hao, do you need something? If not, I'm leaving." I didn't want to waste my breath on him; I just wanted to get back to Su Qing quickly.
"Don't be in such a hurry." He stepped forward, blocking my path. A strong scent of cologne almost made me cough. "I'm here today to make a deal with you."
He pulled a thick envelope from his inner suit pocket and slapped it against my chest. The envelope was heavy, and it hurt. I looked down. It was a stack of new, red bills, at least tens of thousands of yuan.
"This is fifty thousand." Wang Hao's voice was full of condescension. "Take this money and stay away from Su Qing. Think about it. With your dead-end salary, can you even afford to buy her a decent lipstick? Can you afford to take her to a high-end restaurant once? You can't give her happiness, but I can. Be smart. Take the money and get lost. Don't let me see you again."
Some colleagues who had just gotten off work had already gathered around, pointing and whispering. Their gazes pricked my back like needles—some with sympathy, some with curiosity, but mostly with the schadenfreude of onlookers. My face instantly turned red, and blood rushed to my head. Humiliation and anger, like two venomous snakes, coiled tightly around my heart.
Looking at Wang Hao's insufferably arrogant face and the stack of bills in his hand that seemed to measure everything, I suddenly found it ridiculous. I grabbed the envelope and, under everyone's astonished gazes, smashed it back into Wang Hao's face.
The red bills scattered like celestial flowers, creating a chaotic scene for a moment.
"Wang Hao," my voice trembled slightly with anger, but every word was clear, "Su Qing is not a commodity. She is the one I love, and the one who loves me. This kind of feeling is something that a guy like you, who has nothing but money, will never understand. Take your disgusting theory and get lost!"
Wang Hao clearly didn't expect me to be so tough. He was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage out of humiliation, his face turning ashen. He pointed at my nose, about to unleash a torrent of abuse.
"Wang Hao!" a clear, cold voice suddenly interrupted.
I turned my head sharply and saw Su Qing walking quickly towards us. She was wearing a light blue dress today, her long hair fluttering gently in the evening breeze, like a lily untouched by dust. But now, her beautiful face was covered in frost, and her usually gentle, watery eyes were staring coldly at Wang Hao.
Su Qing walked to my side and naturally linked her arm with mine, showing her stance through her actions. She didn't even glance at the money on the ground, just stared at Wang Hao, and said, word by word: "I've already said it many times. I hate you. Please stop harassing me and my boyfriend. Your money, your car, in my eyes, are worthless."
Wang Hao's face turned from green to white, then from white to red, a chaotic mess of colors. He stared fixedly at our linked arms, the jealousy and malice in his eyes almost overflowing. He thought this was his home turf, his stage to humiliate me, but Su Qing's appearance had turned him into a clown in everyone's eyes.
A warm current surged through my heart. I squeezed Su Qing's hand back. With her here, I wasn't afraid of anything.
However, just when I thought Wang Hao would fly into a rage or leave in humiliation, the expression on his face suddenly changed. The anger and humiliation slowly faded, replaced by a bone-chilling calm. He even straightened the collar I had messed up, and then, he smiled.
It wasn't a smile of triumph or anger, but a strange, cold smile, like a viper flicking its tongue.
"Good, very good." He nodded, his gaze sweeping between Su Qing and me, finally landing on my face. "Lin Fan, you have backbone. I admire that."
He paused, the smile on his lips deepening, but there was no warmth in it.
"You will regret this."
After saying these five words, he didn't look at us again, but elegantly got back into his Sports Car. The engine roared again, and the red lightning flashed by, leaving only a mess of bills and choking exhaust fumes on the ground.
The surrounding colleagues gradually dispersed, but Wang Hao's last words echoed in my ears like a curse. I watched the car disappear around the corner, the thrill of victory instantly vanishing, replaced by a strong sense of foreboding.
Su Qing felt my stiffness. She squeezed my hand tightly and said softly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
I turned to look at her worried eyes and forced a smile. But my heart began to sink, little by little. A guy like Wang Hao would never let it go. His "You will regret this" was definitely not just an empty threat.
A storm, capable of completely shattering our little home, seemed to be truly coming.
## Disaster from Out of Nowhere
The next morning, I arrived at the company with two dark circles under my eyes, feeling like a sponge wrung dry, dry and deflated. The unpleasant confrontation with Wang Hao last night was like a thorn, deeply embedded in my heart. I comforted myself, thinking of it as being bitten by a mad dog. Life had to go on, I had to go to work, and the future Su Qing and I dreamed of still depended on my hands that drew blueprints.
I promise, it won't be long before we move into a house with a big balcony. This thought re-energized me as I sat down at my workstation.
But the streak of bad luck didn't seem to be over. The coffee I had just brewed slipped from my hand and spilled all over the keyboard, and a screen of garbled code instantly popped up. As I frantically tried to clean it up, the voice of my department supervisor, Director Zhang, came from the office doorway, deliberately pitched high and sharp: "Lin Fan, you, come to my office."
The air in the entire office froze. Colleagues cast sympathetic glances my way, then quickly lowered their heads to pretend to be busy. My heart sank. Director Zhang was a typical fence-sitter, who bullied the weak and feared the strong. He usually ordered me around, but this solemn tone was definitely not a good sign.
I braced myself and walked into his office, which was decorated like the living room of a nouveau riche. The air was filled with a strange mix of cheap air freshener and greasiness. Director Zhang sat in his large boss chair, didn't offer me a seat, and just tapped the desktop with his fingers from time to time, a calculating glint in his small eyes.
"Lin Fan," he began slowly, dragging out his words, "you've been with the company for three years, and I've always been quite optimistic about you."
My heart tightened. This kind of opening line meant either a promotion and raise, or being shown the door. Given my recent run of bad luck, I'd bet on the latter.
"Director, you're too kind. I still have a lot to learn." I replied with a forced smile.
"Hmph, learn?" Director Zhang sneered, picking up a document from his desk and slapping it in front of me. "What else is there for you to learn? Learn how to betray the company?"
My mind buzzed as if struck by a heavy hammer. "Director, I don't understand. What happened?"
"You don't understand?" Director Zhang's face instantly fell, like a mask of liver color. "The 'Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace' project in the south of the city is our company's most important bid this year. The core data is encrypted layer by layer. Why did the competing company, 'Hongtu Design,' get a proposal yesterday that is ninety percent similar to ours? Lin Fan, you were one of the people in charge of this project. How do you explain?"
I was struck by lightning, completely stunned. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" I blurted out. "The data for that project is on my encrypted computer. I haven't even plugged in a USB drive. How could it have been leaked?"
"Still denying it!" Director Zhang slammed the table, his spit nearly flying in my face. "Someone saw you meeting with a stranger in the parking lot after work yesterday and receiving an envelope! What, are you happy spending the money you got from selling out the company?"
I understood instantly. The parking lot, the stranger, the envelope... it was clearly a trap set by that bastard Wang Hao! The fifty thousand he threw on the ground must have been photographed by his people!
"I didn't! I was framed!" I shouted, my voice trembling.
"Framed?" Director Zhang acted as if he'd heard the biggest joke in the world. "Lin Fan, don't take me for a fool. Young Master Wang called me personally. The evidence is conclusive. Are you still trying to argue? Who is Young Master Wang? He's a major client of our company, and his father is one of the investors in the 'Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace' project! You could have offended anyone, but you had to offend him?"
So that's how it was. Wang Hao didn't need any evidence at all. All he needed was a phone call to decide my fate. A guy like Director Zhang, who was busy fawning over the powerful, would never offend Wang Hao for an insignificant employee like me.
I felt a chill shoot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. My hands and feet turned ice-cold. All defenses seemed pale and powerless. In the face of power and money, the truth didn't matter at all.
"Given your serious violation of company regulations, the huge losses you've caused the company, and your infringement of trade secret laws," Director Zhang stood up, looking down at me, his eyes full of disdain and a hint of imperceptible glee, "the company has decided to terminate your labor contract with immediate effect. Furthermore, we reserve the right to pursue legal action against you."
He handed me a piece of paper. The words "Termination Notice" on it were like a red-hot branding iron, searing my eyes.
I mechanically took the paper, my fingertips ice-cold. I thought of Su Qing, of the house with the big balcony, of the promise I had made to her. Everything, like a bubble, burst before my eyes. My life, at this moment, was slammed on the brakes and pushed off a ten-thousand-foot cliff.
I didn't even know how I walked out of Director Zhang's office. The way my colleagues looked at me was filled with sympathy, pity, and a bit of schadenfreude. I lowered my head, like a walking corpse, just wanting to escape this suffocating place as quickly as possible.
Holding the termination notice, I walked out of the office and came face to face with Wang Hao's smug and triumphant face at the end of the hallway. He was leaning against the window in a well-tailored, brand-name suit, playing with his car keys, a cold, victor's smile on his lips. It wasn't a smile of triumph or anger, but a strange, cold smile, like a viper flicking its tongue.
I understood instantly. This was all his doing. "You will regret this." His words from yesterday echoed in my ears like a curse.
Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I numbly took it out. On the screen, in a group chat named "City's Design Elite Exchange Group," an announcement was pinned to the top, glaringly red.
[Industry Notice: Lin Fan, former employee of XX Design Company, has been blacklisted by the industry for stealing trade secrets and professional misconduct. All companies are advised not to hire him. This person has been permanently blacklisted.]
The publisher of the notice was the president of the Design Association. Below, a neat row of "Received" and "Support the Association's decision" followed.
I gripped my phone, feeling the whole world spin. Getting fired was just the beginning. What he wanted was to cut off all my paths, to ensure I would never be able to turn my life around in this city again.