He Zijian's "resignation" didn't cause much of a stir within Sanbo Research Institute. The reason publicly given was "due to personal health considerations and family reasons, he applied to transfer to a remote university to engage in foundational teaching work, to have more time to care for his family."
The Human Resources Department processed the procedures as per protocol. Colleagues, although slightly surprised by this hard-working colleague's sudden departure, mostly expressed understanding, and even Yang Ping organized a small farewell gathering for him.
At the gathering, He Zijian seemed somewhat weary, speaking less than usual, only repeatedly thanking everyone for their care, occasionally avoiding eye contact with Yang Ping, with a hidden panic and complexity apparent to only the involved parties.
Yang Ping's farewell speech was brief, with a calm tone, wishing him all the best in the future.
