Xu Ping'an lay on the cold ground, his body soaked in his own blood.
The world around him had gone eerily silent.
Not quiet in a peaceful way, but hollow… as if someone had turned down the volume of reality itself.
The voices of people blurred into something distant and meaningless.
The noise of the city… disappeared.
Only the sky remained, his gaze fixated on the moon hanging above him.
'It's so… beautiful,' he thought.
He was mesmerized by the sight, strangely so.
For a moment, everything else faded.
The pain, the noise, the fear… all of it slipped away, leaving behind something quiet and empty.
His mind became so clear that it almost felt empty… like a room that had been quietly abandoned.
'Perhaps, I am dying…. Yeah. That has to be it.'
The thought came calmly, without resistance.
'I mean.. Why else would something so pointless cross my mind right now?'
A cold sensation crept slowly through his body, seeping deeper with every passing second. It wasn't the kind of cold that came from the air.
This one felt like it was rising from within…spreading through his veins, settling into his bones.
He knew what it meant.
The blood loss was catching up to him.
"…Damn it…"
His lips moved weakly.
He didn't want to die.
Not like this. Not this young.
There were still so many things he hadn't done. So many things he had pushed aside, thinking there would always be time to do them later.
He had once heard that people who died sudden deaths were often filled with regrets… with unfinished wishes, unsaid words and unlived moments...
Back then, he thought it sounded exaggerated. Dramatic, even.
But now…he understood.
If he had to choose one regret…just one thing that stood above the rest, it would be…
'…I didn't even get to see the ending of the story…'
A faint and almost ridiculous thought came to his mind.
His favorite anime was still ongoing, still unfinished with more than two thousand episodes released on the internet… and yet, no ending in sight.
'What the hell were they even doing? It's been twenty-eight years already… they still haven't finished it…'
A faint breath escaped him, it almost sounded like a laugh.
'I should've just read the manga…' he thought.
As that thought lingered, an old memory surfaced in his mind.
It was a comment he had once read online.
Some guy had wrote that he was dying and would pass away before the anime ever reached its ending.
Haha! Poor Guy!
Back then, Xu Ping'an had laughed and found it ridiculous.
Now…the joke had circled back.
'…Guess it's my turn now…'
A faint smile tugged at his lips… though it quickly faded.
A long, tired sigh escaped him.
'…I really should've done more with my life…'
-One Hour Before The Accident-
Xu Ping'an had always lived by a single belief.
Stay out of trouble, and you'll live longer.
He didn't preach it, didn't write it down and didn't even bother explaining it to anyone.
But it shaped everything he did.
The way he spoke, the way he acted and the way he chose silence over involvement….
Everything…
By doing so, it kept his life stable and safe.
Just like his name...
Ping'an = Peaceful
Today was no different.
He woke up, went to office, and was planning on clocking out after his work was done and head straight home...
His routine was fixed...
But little did he know, today was going to be special than any other day.
Phoenix Games Building, Beijing. August 9, 2028
The accounting department was nearly empty.
Only a few ceiling lights remained on, casting long shadows across rows of quiet cubicles. The faint hum of machines filled the silence, mixed with the distant sound of a vacuum cleaner from the cleaning staff.
The office, which was lively during the day, now felt like a hollow shell.
Li Wei approached cautiously, a file clutched tightly in his hands.
His footsteps were hesitant, as if he was unsure whether he should even be here.
"Sir…"
Xu Ping'an didn't respond immediately.
He finished entering the final numbers into his spreadsheet, double-checking a column before saving the file.
Only then did he adjust his glasses and look up.
"Yes?"
Li Wei hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and placing the file on the desk. His fingers trembled slightly, betraying his nervousness.
"Manager Xu… I think there's something wrong here."
Ping'an's eyes shifted to the file, but his expression didn't change.
"These marketing expenses…" Li Wei continued, carefully choosing his words. "They don't match the project budget. There's a gap of nearly two million yuan."
Ping'an flipped through the pages briefly, his movements calm and unhurried.
Then he closed the file.
"So?" he asked calmly. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Li Wei frowned, clearly unsettled by the response.
"Manager Xu… shouldn't we report this to the higher-ups?"
Ping'an slid the file back toward him.
"Li Wei," he said, folding his hands together as he looked at him, "how long have you been working here?"
"…Three months, sir."
Ping'an gave a faint, knowing smile.
"That explains it."
Li Wei's brows tightened.
"Sir, this isn't a small issue. If this gets audited, we'll be in big trouble."
"There won't be an audit," Ping'an said firmly. "You don't need to worry about that."
Li Wei took a step forward, his voice growing more tense.
"That's not what I'm worried about. This is clearly wrong. No matter how you look at it… shouldn't we do something?"
Ping'an let out a quiet chuckle, as if amused by his naivety.
"Wrong, you say…"
He glanced toward the window, where the city lights flickered against the dark glass.
Then he looked back at Li Wei.
"Listen carefully, rookie." he said, his tone sharpening slightly. "We're employees. We do what we're told. Nothing more. Nothing less."
Li Wei stared at him, frustration rising in his eyes.
"…So we're just supposed to ignore it?"
Ping'an stood up slowly and walked closer.
He placed both hands firmly on Li Wei's shoulders, tightening his grip just enough to make his point clear.
"Let me give you a bit of an advice, Li Wei." he said quietly, locking eyes with him,
"If you want to survive in this industry, don't stand out."
Li Wei swallowed, unable to respond.
Ping'an released him, picked up his coat, and put it on.
"I hope you got the message."
A faint buzz came from his phone as Ping'an glanced at it and then began walking toward the exit.
Behind him, Li Wei called out.
"Sir… what if this blows up?"
Ping'an stopped.
For a brief moment, the room felt heavier, as if even the air had slowed down.
He turned his head slightly, his gaze cold.
"Then someone will have to take the blame."
He paused.
"I just hope it isn't you."
And with that, he walked away.
****
The office lobby was nearly empty by the time Xu Ping'an stepped out.
The overhead lights cast a pale glow across the polished floor, reflecting faintly beneath his shoes as he walked.
Each of his steps echoed softly as he stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button.
A quiet hum followed.
A few seconds later,
Ting!
The doors slid open.
Ping'an stepped inside and pressed the button for the ground floor.
Just as the doors were about to close completely, a voice cut through the narrowing gap.
"Hold it."
Ping'an reacted immediately, pressing the open button.
The doors slid apart again.
Zhang Ming, the senior manager from the PR department stepped in first, adjusting his sleeve as if the world naturally made space for him.
Though Xu Ping'an had a limited interaction with him in the office, he knew him well. A senior in both experience and status.
Behind him followed a young woman.
Ping'an had seen her before.
Not closely…but he recalled when she was introduced as a new face in the office.
"Thanks, Manager Xu" Zhang Ming said formally.
"My pleasure, sir." Ping'an replied with a slight smile.
The doors closed, and the elevator began its descent.
A low mechanical hum filled the enclosed space.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Then, Zhang Ming leaned slightly toward the girl.
"You handled the report well today, Miss Rin." he said, his voice low but deliberate.
The girl stiffened slightly.
"Thank you, sir," she replied, forcing a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Xu Ping'an stood quietly at the side, his gaze forward, just listening without looking at them.
Zhang Ming's hand moved slowly, almost casually.
It brushed lightly against the back of her hand.
She flinched and let out a soft yelp, her fingers pulling away instinctively.
Hearing the sound, Xu Ping'an glanced in her direction.
Zhang Ming smiled faintly, as if amused by her reaction.
Then, he shifted his stance.
His arm came up, resting against the wall behind her.
The space around her shrank.
Her shoulders drew inward. Her arms folded across her chest as if trying to shield herself. Her posture tightened, her body subtly leaning away, searching for distance that didn't exist.
Zhang Ming stepped closer.
Ping'an's eyes flickered slightly.
'This bastard…'
The thought came immediately.
Then, Zhang Ming's hand slid around her waist.
She was taken aback and reacted immediately.
The girl stepped aside, breaking away from him with visible discomfort.
"Sir, please stop," she said, her voice firmer now despite the tension. "If you continue, I will have to take action against you."
Zhang Ming raised an eyebrow.
"Huh? What did I do?" he asked lazily without a hint of shame in his eyes.
The girl was stunned by his attitude.
"You clearly know what I mean… Please don't cross the line, or I'll report this matter to the POSH committee."
Zhang Ming's expression turned slightly annoyed.
"Miss Rin, I think you're the one who is crossing the line here. Don't accuse me of something that I didn't do."
"What? You didn't do anything? You–you were clearly touching my waist from behind." She said, her voice rising.
Zhang Ming let out a laugh.
"Ha! So ridiculous. Go ahead, then. " he said calmly.
"What?" She asked, confused by his response.
"I'm actually curious who they'll believe."
His gaze shifted toward her office id card hanging around her neck.
"An employee still on probation…"
Then back to himself.
"…or someone who has been here for ten years?"
The girl stared at him, disbelief flashing across her face.
Her face turned pale.
The confidence in her stance wavered.
And then, she turned toward Xu Ping'an.
"Sir…" her voice trembled slightly, but there was still a thread of resolve holding it together. "You saw it, right?"
Xu Ping'an glanced at her.
"You'll testify for me… right?"
For a brief moment, the elevator felt smaller and heavier.
Xu Ping'an remained silent.
The hum of the machine grew louder in the silence.
Zhang Ming chuckled in between.
"You mean him?"
He turned toward Xu Ping'an.
"Tell me, Manager Xu," he said casually, as if asking about the weather,
"Did I do something that can be considered as sexual harassment?"
Now, both of them were looking at him.
One was expecting an answer with desperation in her eyes.
And the other was just amused by the whole situation.
Xu Ping'an stood still, his expression calm and unreadable.
His eyes shifted…first to Zhang Ming…and then to the girl.
The elevator continued its descent.
Second floor...
First floor...
Ground floor was approaching…
Time stretched, just enough for a decision to be made.
Then, Xu Ping'an finally spoke.
"No, sir," he said in a calm and composed tone. "I think… she may have misunderstood the situation."
Silence followed.
The girl's expression froze.
For a moment, her mind refused to process what she had just heard.
Then it hit, with a mixture of emotions forming on her face.
Shock, disbelief, sorrow and so on…
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
She looked at him as if she was seeing a ghost.
Zhang Ming let out a satisfied laugh.
"As expected, Manager Xu. " he said. "… I knew I could count on you."
Ting!
The elevator doors opened.
The girl stepped out immediately. Her steps were quick and unsteady, her head lowered as if trying to disappear into the floor beneath her.
She didn't look back as she kept walking.
Xu Ping'an's gaze lingered on her retreating figure for a moment.
Then, it shifted to Zhang Ming as he glared at him intensely for a brief second.
"Not getting off?" Zhang Ming asked, glancing back.
Xu Ping'an blinked once, and just like that… the tension in his face disappeared, replaced by a forced smile.
He pressed the open button again.
"Sir… you go ahead," Xu Ping'an said with a faint, polite smile.
"I just remembered that I forgot to send today's report. I'll head back up."
Zhang Ming clicked his tongue.
"What a shame. I was actually in a good mood today. Thought we could grab a drink."
"Let's do that another time." Xu Ping'an replied lightly, lowering his head slightly in courtesy.
"Yeah, yeah." Zhang Ming waved him off and walked away.
The doors slid shut.
Silence returned…
The elevator began to move upward again.
Xu Ping'an stood alone, his reflection staring back at him from the steel surface of the door.
His hands slowly curled into fists.
Then…
BANG!
His knuckles slammed hard against the metal.
The sound echoed sharply inside the confined space.
His reflection trembled.
"…Fucking Loser!"
The words slipped out, filled with disgust.
A few seconds later, after his breathing steadied, he loosened his tie slightly… then adjusted it again.
He was back to being calm and composed.
As if nothing had happened.
He pressed the button for the ground floor once more.
The elevator descended again.