Chapter 139: Landlord Takes Back the House

Starlight Technology Headquarters, top floor conference room.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows was the gray skyline of Haicheng, while inside the room was filled with a sense of oppression, as if a storm was about to break out. On either side of the long conference table, the well-dressed directors and executives had different expressions, their eyes fixed on the figure at the main seat at the end of the table.

Yu Ling sat in the spacious chairman's chair, her fingertips cold. The densely packed data and charts on the documents spread out before her now looked like twisted, malicious tadpole script to her.

Last night's absurd "fried egg airdrop" and the note that read "Icing sugar reserve: 0.5 pieces" haunted her like a ghost. The fatigue and chaotic emotions from a sleepless night were like maggots gnawing at her sanity.

Marketing Director Zhao Lan's voice was like a sharp ice pick, precisely piercing her weakest link:

"Director Yu, the Xinghai platform's budget for next quarter is projecting a 120% month-over-month increase? What's the basis for that? The market research data submitted by Team San last week clearly showed a slowdown in user growth! Are you making this snap decision to drag Xinghui into a funding crisis?!"

Her voice was quiet, but every word was piercing, carrying with it undisguised doubt and a hint of cold gloating. Several veterans, already displeased with Ling's sudden appointment as chairman, exchanged glances, silently echoing her sentiments.

Yu Ling's heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand! Zhao Lan was right! That damned budget report! She'd been so upset last night that she'd somehow inflated a few key figures, trying to mask her inner panic and uneasiness with a false sense of brilliance! How could she have made such a rudimentary mistake?!

Cold sweat instantly soaked the back of her expensive silk shirt. She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, wanting to make amends, but her mind was blank, and her throat felt like it was blocked by hot sandpaper, so she could only utter a dry, unconvincing sound:

"This...data model...I've reviewed it...market potential..."

"Potential?" Zhao Lan sneered and interrupted mercilessly, pushing a printed report to the center of the conference table.

"This is real data from last week! Director Yu, is your so-called 'potential' based on a mirage? Or is it that your heart isn't in the company at all? Are you overwhelmed by the debts of your 'bankrupt husband'?"

The words "bankrupt husband" were like a poisoned dagger, piercing Yu Ling's heart. It instantly detonated all her pent-up grievances, anger, and fear that she had nowhere to vent!

She raised her head suddenly, the flames of humiliation burning in her eyes, and was about to fight back desperately -

“Sizzle—pop!”

A sharp electric noise exploded without warning!

Then, in front of the conference room, the screen of the huge laser projector that was projecting Yu Ling's budget report full of loopholes suddenly went dark!

Completely black screen!

The conference room instantly fell into a dead silence and darkness! Only the dim light from the emergency lights outlined the stunned faces of the people.

"What's going on?!" "The projector is broken?" "Hurry up and find someone to fix it!" A brief commotion broke out.

In the darkness, Yu Ling froze in place, her heart pounding. The projector's malfunction was like a resounding slap in the face as she tried to defend herself. The shame of being stripped naked in public and the overwhelming feeling of powerlessness nearly suffocated her.

Just then—

“Buzz…buzz…buzz…”

Her phone, which she had placed on the conference table, began to vibrate frantically, like a death warrant! The screen shone brightly in the darkness, displaying an unfamiliar local number, calling over and over again, relentlessly!

An extremely ominous premonition instantly gripped Yu Ling! With trembling hands, she almost instinctively pressed the answer button in the chaos and darkness.

On the other end of the phone, a rude, middle-aged male voice with a strong local accent sounded like thunder, hitting me head-on without any courtesy:

"Hey! Yu Ling from 1601, right?! I'm telling you! I've sold the house! The buyer will take possession tomorrow morning! You have to move out tonight! Right now! Leave the keys in the mailbox! Do you hear me?! If you don't move out tonight, I'll have everyone throw all your stuff out on the street! Beep...beep...beep..."

The phone was rudely hung up! Only the cold busy tone remained, echoing wildly in Yu Ling's ears!

The house...sold...

Tonight...Moving...

Things...thrown on the street...

Every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Yu Ling's already fragile nerves!

In the company, she made a mistake in public, her ability was questioned, and her weakness as a "bankrupt husband" was exposed!

In her "home," the little house in the urban village that she regarded as her last bastion, which had been magically transformed by Zhao Chen into the "chairman's wife's room," was about to be lost! There was no place left for her to lick her wounds!

Work collapses!

Life collapses!

The whole world was falling apart before her eyes!

The huge despair was like an icy tide, instantly drowning Yu Ling completely! All the disguises and all the strength collapsed at this moment!

"ah--!!!"

A suppressed, tearful roar, like a wounded beast, erupted from Yu Ling's throat! She could no longer control herself and suddenly stood up!

Under everyone's astonished gaze, she grabbed the humiliating budget report in front of her like a madman, and tore it apart with all her strength!

“Swish! Swish!”

“Get out! Everyone, get out!!” She screamed hysterically, tears pouring out like a flood bursting through a dam, mixed with immense humiliation and despair. “My house! My job! Everyone, get out! All of you, get the fuck out—!!!”

She threw the torn pieces of paper to the ground fiercely, as if smashing her own crumbling world!

Then, she could no longer bear this suffocating environment, grabbed her buzzing cell phone and handbag on the table, stumbled and pushed her chair away, and rushed out of the conference room door like a stray dog ​​amidst the mixed gazes of shock, contempt, or pity from everyone!

Her high heels tapped out a messy and desperate rhythm in the polished corridor. She rushed into the elevator, her back against the cold wall, her body shaking uncontrollably from the intense emotional ups and downs, tears blurring her vision.

The phone screen lit up again, and it was still the landlord's number that was urging him to leave.

Yu Ling looked at the number jumping on the screen, and a huge anger and despair once again swallowed her! She let out a low roar, and with all her strength, she smashed the phone against the inner wall of the elevator!

"Bang—crash!"

The phone screen shattered instantly! Just like her life at that moment! Shards flew everywhere, the screen went completely black, and there was dead silence.

The world...is finally quiet?

No.

It is complete, suffocating darkness and despair.

Yu Ling didn't know how she got back to the downstairs of the "President's Wife's Permanent Ownership House" in the urban village.

Like a hollow shell with its soul drained out, she stood dejectedly at the door of her apartment, dragging her legs like lead. The gleaming, newly renovated entrance to the building now looked like the cold gullet of a giant beast, emitting the sickening scent of "Zhao Chen."

The landlord's voice, demanding her life, still echoed wildly in her mind: "Move out tonight! Leave the key in the mailbox! Otherwise, I'll throw you on the street!"

Move away?

Where to move?

Where else could she go?

Overwhelmed with exhaustion and a chilling feeling of being abandoned by the world, she could barely stand. She slid down against the cold wall, hugging her knees and burying her face in them. Silent tears soaked the fabric, and her shoulders shook slightly from the suppressed sobbing.