Seeing the state of lethargy in the office, Ethan took a deep breath. It was time to fulfill his promise.
"Susie, wait a second. Come with me to the bank."
Ethan called out to Susie, who was trailing at the back of the group.
"Wait, me?" Susie pointed at herself, looking utterly bewildered.
Her expression practically screamed: Boss, it's fine if you're putting on a show for the others, but I'm the accountant. I know exactly how empty our pockets are. Shouldn't we be packing our bags and making a run for it?
"Yeah, you. It's too much cash for me to carry back alone. I need an extra pair of hands."
As he spoke, Ethan was already heading downstairs, jiggling his car keys.
"Oh! Okay! Coming!" Susie snapped out of her daze and hurried after him like a confused little shadow.
Behind them, the employees erupted into hushed chatter.
"Do you think they're making a break for it?"
"Run away? The monk can run, but the temple stays put. If they don't come back, we'll just sell the computers and office chairs. We'll split the cash and call it even."
"Fair point."
"Hey, which club do you think the boss is going to?"
"Holy crap, he owes you two months' pay and you're already worried about his social life?!"
Driving away from the office, Ethan deliberately slowed down. Rows of older houses lined the streets. Pedestrians walked with a light step, their faces wearing hopeful smiles—a stark contrast to the hollowed-out "corporate slave" vibe of the future.
Every detail was a vivid reminder: He really was back in 2008.
The car wove through the city. To Susie, it looked like he was lost, but Ethan was just soaking in the nostalgia. Eventually, he pulled up in front of a newly completed residential complex.
"Susie, wait in the car. I'll be right back."
"Oh, alright."
Susie watched him go. She knew this was where Ethan lived.
Ethan walked into the building with a slight sense of unfamiliarity, took the elevator to the 10th floor, and unlocked his door. The ninety-square-meter apartment was a mess—dusty, chaotic, and exactly what you'd expect from a single young man.
He took a deep breath. "Old friend, I'm back."
His parents had bought this place for him in Hangzhou after he graduated. They were well-off enough to support his entrepreneurial dreams. In his past life, this apartment had been seized to pay off his debts. Shortly after, a family crisis had hit, property prices had skyrocketed, and Ethan had never owned a home in this city again.
Gently wiping the dust off the coffee table, he sighed. "Sorry, buddy. I need your help to get through this crisis one more time. But I promise, I'll pay it back soon."
He reached under the bed and pulled out the property deed. The rest was simple. After a few hours of paperwork and an emergency visit to the bank, he walked out with a loan of 500,000 RMB.
Ding!
The crisp chime of the elevator tugged at everyone's heartstrings back at the office. The employees had long since abandoned their "work" and were hovering near the entrance.
As the doors slid open, Ethan stepped out carrying a bulging black leather bag. Susie followed, clutching another one to her chest, her face flushed red with excitement.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
"Boss Ethan, you're back!"
"Let us help you with those bags, sir. You look exhausted."
"Are you tired? Want me to get you a coffee?"
The crowd swarmed him, hands reaching out.
"Back off, back off! Give me some space," Ethan laughed, shielding the bags. "Behave yourselves! Maintain order! Anyone who causes a scene doesn't get paid!"
The threat worked like a charm. The "Salary Sword" kept them in a perfect, silent line. Ethan took the bag from Susie and dumped the contents onto a desk.
Thud. Rustle.
Bundles upon bundles of red RMB notes piled up like a small mountain. The visual impact was staggering. Everyone's eyes glazed over.
"Can everyone see this?" Ethan pointed at the pile. "I, Ethan, am a man of my word. Today, I'm settling every cent of your back pay. I don't break my promises!"
The room erupted.
"Long live the Boss!"
"Ethan is the GOAT!"
Ethan couldn't help but grin. Then, he saw the burning, eager stares fixed on the cash.
"Boss, can we... you know... start distributing?"
"Yeah, my landlord is literally about to change my locks."
Ethan waved a hand for silence. "No problem. And listen up: on top of what I owe you, I'm giving everyone a 1,000-yuan bonus for sticking with me through the hard times! As long as you follow me, I promise you won't just be scraping by—we're going to be eating steak every night! Susie, handle the payouts."
"Wait, really? Oh! Yes, sir!" Susie snapped to attention and dove into the paperwork. She was just as relieved; she'd been two days away from sleeping on the streets herself.
To the rhythmic snip-snap of the money counter, the employees received their envelopes. They headed back to their desks with bulging pockets and massive grins.
Ethan let out a long breath. He turned to Susie, who was finishing the tallies. "Susie, put the rest in the safe, then come to my office."
Ethan was staring at his computer when Susie knocked on the door, a wide smile still on her face.
"Boss, you wanted to see me?"
Ethan looked up, his expression turning serious. "Susie, how much longer can we actually hold on?"
Her smile froze. She took a breath, wanting to say something optimistic, but the numbers didn't lie. Her shoulders slumped.
"Boss... of that 500,000, after the back pay, the bonuses, and the overdue rent and utilities... we have barely half left."
"And?"
"And that means we can last one more month. At most. After that, we're back to zero."
She looked at him anxiously. Ethan was leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.
"Boss, you have to think of something!" she blurted out.
Ethan snapped back to the present, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
"Don't worry, Susie. I've already figured out how to save this company," he said. "And believe me, we're about to make a lot of money."
"Really?" Susie's voice was thick with doubt. How could he have solved a bankruptcy-level crisis in a matter of minutes?