Lost and Found- Chapter 1 Work

Lost and Found– Chapter 1

Work

“Miss, are you alright?” Someone was patting my face. I fought to open my eyes. 

In front of me was a middle-aged woman carrying bags of groceries, half-bent over me. Next to her stood a few young students, looking at me with concern while I lay slanted on the seat of the bus stop by the main road.

I shook my head and sat up. It seemed like I had passed out. My head was spinning, my mind muddled.

“Thank you. I’m much better now. I think I’ll be fine. Just a little anemic, probably from staying up late last night and skipping breakfast this morning,” I said gratefully. 

The few students around me waiting for the bus left. The woman with groceries stayed by my side for a while longer. After making sure I was okay, she chatted with me for a bit before she took the bus and left.

I got up and tapped my feet, still feeling a little light-headed, so I stayed at the bus stop for another ten minutes. After making sure I was fine, I got on the bus 198. 

Being late for an hour without reason. Not good, especially for a new employee who is only halfway through her three-month probation period. Standing before the company building, I took a deep breath and stepped into the lobby. 

Saiye Technologies was a subsidiary of the multinational corporation Tianye Group that came to Yun to expand their business. They specialized in the sales of their own electronic products. Founded in Tanghe City less than two years ago, it hadn’t been a smooth ride for the company, primarily due to fierce infighting among its three deputy managers who respectively belonged to three factions—local, parent company, and parachute hire. As a newcomer still in the probation period, I figured they would be too busy to pay attention to me and let me off the hook.

As I passed by the reception desk, I couldn’t help but frown. Something seemed off. The receptionist wasn’t the usual Wang Linlin, but a new girl I had never seen before. When the girl saw me, she stood up and was about to say something, perhaps to explain why they had changed the receptionist. I pointed to my watch and said, “I’m running late. I’ll go in first. Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it later.”

The girl hesitated, “But…”

I waved her off and got on the elevator. I didn’t know why, but something felt off from the moment I stepped into the company. Before I could figure it out, I had reached the fourth floor, my workplace, the human resource department of Saiye Technologies.

After stepping out of the elevator, I made a beeline for my seat, but the further I walked down the hallway, the stranger everything felt. More and more people were staring at me, and the air in the office seemed to have frozen. Some of them looked puzzled, most seemed surprised. What made my heart race was that I barely recognized half the people in the office. The ones I did recognize now seemed unfamiliar. Yes, unfamiliar. Everything from their hairstyles to their clothing seemed different, as if everyone had changed overnight. 

The thought scared me, as if something terrible was happening to me. I forced myself not to think about it. I lowered my head and quickened my pace, wanting to get to my seat quickly. Before I even reached my cubicle, I saw someone was already sitting in my seat. It was a young man I didn’t recognize, having breakfast while typing away at his computer.  Not a single item on the desk belonged to me. He looked at me in confusion, probably wondering why I was standing there.

A wave of confusion washed over me. I had to face the truth—this was still Saiye Technologies, but no longer the Saiye Technologies I had known. 

What exactly is going on? I told myself to stay calm and think back on everything that happened today, but whenever I tried to recall, my head started to hurt. 

“Deputy Manager Qiu, what an honor to see you. Why didn’t you let me know you’re dropping by?” A familiar voice came from a private room in the office area. I looked up and saw my colleague from the same intake, Li Yanshuo. But… he had changed too. His crew cut had become an undercut. He looked more mature, but his tone carried a bitter sarcasm. 

My head was feeling a little heavy. Was it because I wasn’t feeling well this morning, or was I dreaming? I leaned against the cubicle divider to keep myself standing. Ignoring the barb in Li Yanshuo’s words, I asked, “Li Yanshuo? What’s going on here? Why did you call me Deputy Manager?”

I pointed at the stranger sitting in my seat and asked, “Why is he sitting in my seat?” After a moment’s thought, I asked again, “Why do you look different?”

Li Yanshuo gave me a strange look, as if I had said something ridiculous. I knew my question sounded absurd, but I didn’t know how else to ask. 

“Deputy Manager Qiu, you really have a sense of humor.” He forced a laugh and said, “You’ve been promoted and left this department for years now. What made you suddenly feel like putting on an act today?”

“An act? What act?” I muttered. The intense dizziness I had experienced this morning returned, and I felt worse by the second. Something was definitely wrong. I told myself that this wasn’t the time to figure things out. I should go home and rest for a day, and maybe then go see a doctor. 

“I’m not feeling well. I’m going home,” I said to him, unable to process what Li Yanshuo had just said. I turned around and was about to leave the office. 

At some point, a woman in a business suit had appeared at the doorway. She looked to be in her early thirties, and behind her stood a younger woman who looked like her secretary. 

“DM Qiu,” she addressed me the same way, her voice slightly deep and very pleasant to hear. She looked at me with the same strange expression as Li Yanshuo, but with a hint of concern. As I looked at her, it was as if the last string in my mind snapped. It felt like I was struck by something, and a buzzing sound went off in my head. 

Then, there was no “then” because I fainted.

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