Chapter 22 Computer Crash
Zhao Chen's cold and threatening phone call was like a depth bomb, exploding at the bottom of Yu Ling's life, which she thought was peaceful.
The immense shockwave tore a nasty chasm through the trust and reliance she had so painstakingly built. The image of her husband, with his gentle, harmless smile and the cold, hard-charging, volatile "friend" on the phone, clashed fiercely in her mind, leaving her unable to sleep or eat.
She began to subconsciously avoid Zhao Chen's gaze, and her body would stiffen for a moment when he approached. The warm embrace that once made her feel safe and at ease now made her feel an indescribable fear and alienation.
She was like a frightened bird, every little movement filling her with suspicion. The brown sugar ginger tea he made for her would bring back memories of him gripping the phone, his fingertips cold and white; the Hermès scarf he'd given her, wrapped around her neck like an invisible yoke; even his smooth movements frying eggs in the kitchen that morning seemed to her like a controlled, heart-pounding precision.
Life was shrouded in an invisible, cold veil. During the day at the office, she forced herself to devote herself to work, numbing her nerves with busyness. But once she returned to her "home," which exuded the utmost luxury yet felt like a vast mystery, the heavy pressure and unsettling fear would follow her everywhere.
Friday afternoon, 17th floor, Genesis Building.
The first phase of the "Star Ocean Project" was about to be concluded. The atmosphere within the project team was tense, like a fully drawn bowstring. Yu Ling, the core leader, was under immense pressure.
Lin Wei had extremely high expectations. She demanded detailed data, clear logic, and prominent highlights. She pulled two all-nighters, revising and polishing the presentation repeatedly, finally finishing the final PowerPoint presentation and a detailed analysis report spanning over 50 pages.
At this moment, there was less than an hour left before the final rehearsal report to Lin Wei. Yu Ling sat at her workstation, doing a final check. On the screen, the PowerPoint presentation flowed beautifully, the data charts were clear and intuitive, and the analysis report was neatly organized. She took a deep breath, clicked Save, and habitually dragged the folder to a folder on her desktop titled "Xinghai Final Summary," preparing to copy it to a USB drive for backup.
The moment she dragged the file into the folder
“Buzz!”
Without warning, a piercing, deathly wailing noise erupted from within the computer! Then, the screen suddenly went black! It was completely dark! The indicator lights on the keyboard and mouse went out simultaneously! The fan in the computer case, which had been running regularly, also abruptly stopped!
Dead silence!
Absolute dead silence!
The entire office seemed to have been muted. Everyone looked up in shock at this sudden change.
Yu Ling froze in her seat, her mind blank. She didn't react for three full seconds. She instinctively reached for the power button—no response! She pressed it again—still dead silent!
A chill instantly shot up from the soles of her feet to the top of her head! She stood up abruptly, her hands trembling violently with fear and anger, her fingertips icy cold! She frantically slapped the power button on the computer case and unplugged the power cord, her movements as frantic as a drowning person!
"What's wrong, Sister Ling?!" Xiaomei, who was sitting next to me, was frightened and ran over quickly.
"The computer... the computer screen suddenly went black! I won't turn on!" Yu Ling's voice was filled with tears and despair. "My files... the Xinghai summary... everything... are all in there! I haven't had time to back them up yet!"
She pointed at the pitch-black screen, a wave of panic washing over her like an icy tide! Two nights of hard work! Crucial report materials! Lin Wei's demanding requirements! The anticipation of everyone on the project team! Everything, with that piercing noise and the dead silence of the black screen... gone to ashes?!
"Don't worry, don't worry, Sister Ling! Try restarting! It might be a system bug!" Xiaomei was also panicked and hurriedly helped to check the power cord.
"I tried it! It didn't work! Nothing happened!" Yu Ling's voice was filled with tears, her face pale as a sheet. She stared at the cold, lifeless screen, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from her body, and her vision was blacking out.
It's over! Everything is over! Not to mention the report, even the materials are lost! She couldn't even imagine Lin Wei's cold face!
The crushing blow, along with days of accumulated fear, grievance, and helplessness, was like a flood, instantly breaking through the dam that Yu Ling had so firmly held. Tears suddenly burst forth without warning. She bit her lower lip, unable to control the trembling of her body or the suppressed sobs in her throat. She felt like a lost child, standing on the edge of a cliff, alone and helpless.
Colleagues gathered around, offering suggestions, but no one could get the cold machine to light up again. Despair, like a cold vine, wrapped itself around Yu Ling tighter and tighter, nearly suffocating her.
Just as she was on the verge of collapse, her phone screen lit up. It was a WeChat message from Zhao Chen.
ZhaoC: [Image: A beautifully presented Japanese bento box in a sophisticated lunch box]
ZhaoC: General Ling, how's the situation on the front lines? Supplies (dinner) are ready and expected to arrive at headquarters in half an hour. Do you need fire support? [Salute.jpg]
Looking at the apron-wearing, gentle-smiling little whale on the screen, and the teasing phrases "General Ling" and "Fire Support," Yu Ling's tears flowed even harder. A complex mix of emotions flooded her like a pot of misery—grievance, fear, helplessness, and a hint of dependence... something she herself hadn't noticed, like a drowning man finding driftwood.
Her fingers trembled as she pressed the voice call button almost without thinking. The call was connected instantly.
"Hello? Lingling?" Zhao Chen's gentle voice came through the receiver, with a hint of imperceptible concern, "What's wrong? The sound..." He seemed to immediately hear the strangeness in Yu Ling's voice.
"Zhao Chen..." As soon as Yu Ling opened her mouth, she could no longer conceal her heavy crying and despair, and her voice broke. "Computer... the computer suddenly crashed... black screen... can't turn on... all the materials summarized by Xinghai... are gone... everything is gone..." She accused incoherently, and at the end, she burst into tears. The huge fear and helplessness completely overwhelmed her.
There was silence on the other end of the line for two seconds. No further questions for details, no useless comfort. Zhao Chen's voice remained steady, yet it carried a strange, reassuring penetrating power, like a warm hand piercing through icy despair, firmly grasping her:
"Don't cry, Lingling." His voice was not loud, but it was clearly transmitted to Yu Ling's confused mind. "Now, listen to me."
Yu Ling bit her lips hard, forced herself to stop crying, and listened as if she was grabbing a life-saving straw.
"First, where is the computer? In the office?"
"Hmm..." Yu Ling nodded with sobs.
"Second, is there anyone around? Is it convenient for me to go over?"
"My colleagues are all here...convenient..."
"Okay. Stay where you are and don't move anything, especially the computer's power cord and cables. Wait for me." Zhao Chen's voice was firm and decisive, with unquestionable determination. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
The call was hung up abruptly. The busy tone continued to beep.
Yu Ling held the phone and listened to the busy tone. The overwhelming despair and panic she had just felt were strangely dispelled by Zhao Chen's steady and powerful voice.
He said, "Wait for me." Those two simple words, like a magic needle, gave her chaotic mind a momentary sense of peace. She wiped away her tears and spoke hoarsely to the gathered colleagues, "My...my husband...he knows a little about computers, and he said he'd come over right away to check on me..."
Twenty minutes later, Zhao Chen appeared at the office door. He wore a dark gray tweed coat over a simple white shirt, his posture erect and his gait steady. He wasn't carrying a lunchbox, but a small, all-black, unmarked metal toolbox that looked incredibly lightweight and sturdy.
His appearance instantly captured everyone's attention. His calm demeanor and the professional-looking box in his hand brought a touch of quiet to the noisy office.
"Lingling." Zhao Chen's eyes immediately locked onto Yu Ling, and he quickly walked over. Seeing Yu Ling's red and swollen eyes and pale face, he frowned slightly, and a trace of clear heartache flashed across his eyes.
But he didn't say much, just reached out his hand very naturally and used his fingertips to very gently wipe away the remaining tear marks on her cheek. His fingertips were warm and carried the familiar light scent of cedar.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here." His voice was low and gentle, carrying a reassuring power. His eyes were focused and determined, as if to say: If the sky falls, I'll hold it up.
A simple gesture, a whisper, was like a warm current, instantly soothing Yu Ling's last bit of anxiety. She nodded and pointed at her lifeless computer: "This is it..."
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