Chapter Text
It's graduation day. Cheers erupted all around her as Hu Tao's class finally received their diplomas. She finally graduated. A beautiful day to graduate, she thought. Clear skies, not too hot, not too cold. Sporting her academic dress, she walked with a bounce in her step, her signature mischievous grin present even in a formal event like this.
"Class of 20XX, congratulations!" the announcer declared as caps were tossed into the air. Hu Tao, grinning ear to ear, hugged her classmates. Finally, the real world! she thought, heart buzzing with optimism.
Hours later, Hu Tao found herself at a small family gathering. Her grandfather squeezed her shoulder, laughing heartily. "So, what's next for our little prankster, huh?"
"Conquer the corporate world, of course!" she replied, flashing her signature smile. "Gotta make something of myself, you know?"
Everyone laughed, but beneath her grin, a faint sense of uncertainty gnawed at her.
I hope I don't mess this up
-
A month later, Hu Tao stood in the middle of her new apartment, hands on her hips. It was small, almost suffocatingly so, but it was hers. Boxes were piled up along the walls, and the only furniture she had was a thin mattress, a small coffee table, and a chair she had snagged from a secondhand shop.
"Alright... home sweet home," she murmured to herself, trying to sound optimistic. The apartment was eerily quiet, but she figured it was something she could get used to.
She started unpacking, kitchen supplies, toiletries, and basic bedding first. Hours passed as she slowly arranged her things. Framed photos of her and her grandfather, a small keychain she adored, and a shelf dedicated solely to her collection of books.
The sun had begun to set when she finally flopped onto her mattress, arms spread wide. "...I guess this is it, huh?" she muttered to no one. The silence that answered made her stomach sink a little. She turned on some music to fill the void.
-
Hu Tao sat in her dimly lit apartment, staring at the blank document on her laptop screen. "Resume... resume... c'mon, think." She fiddled with her collar, occasionally typing down little phrases like 'team player' or 'fast learner' before erasing them again.
Hours ticked by, and eventually, she pieced together a resume she was proud of. It wasn't perfect, but it captured her ambition. Her dream company, a renowned media and marketing firm, had an open position. She attached her resume, wrote a heartfelt cover letter, and hit send .
The next two weeks were agonizing. Every morning, she checked her email, hoping to see an acceptance letter. "Still nothing," she muttered, trying to shake off the sinking feeling in her chest. She kept herself busy by applying to other companies, but her mind always drifted back to that one job.
Then, one evening, a notification lit up her phone. Subject: Regarding Your Application. Her heart raced as she opened the email, eyes scanning for the words she longed to see.
"We appreciate your interest, but unfortunately, we have decided to move forward with other candidates."
Her smile faltered. She stared at the email for what felt like an eternity before quietly locking her phone. "Guess it wasn't meant to be..." she whispered, forcing a chuckle. She tried to shrug it off, but the disappointment gnawed at her chest.
The first rejection didn't hurt as much. "They're just a big company," Hu Tao mumbled, deleting the email. "I'll get another one. Easy peasy."
She spent the next few days applying to every job she could find. Marketing firms, small media companies, even administrative work. With every email she sent, her heart held onto hope.
But the rejections piled up. "Thank you for your interest, but we have decided to move forward with other candidates."
Another.
"We appreciate your time, but the position has been filled."
Another.
Her resume sat untouched on her desktop, and her inbox became a graveyard of rejection letters. Days turned into weeks, and Hu Tao's once lively spirit started to wither.
One evening, after receiving her sixth rejection email in a single day, she finally broke. Sitting on her mattress, knees pulled to her chest, she sobbed into her arms. "What's wrong with me...?" she choked out. "I graduated. I'm not dumb... why won't anyone hire me?"
The walls of her apartment, already too small, now felt suffocating. Her diploma, hung neatly on the wall, looked like a cruel joke. 'Bachelor's Degree in Communications,' it read — almost mocking her.
Her phone screen constantly showed social media notifications from her friends — new jobs, new apartments, new milestones — while she sat stuck, frozen in place. Maybe I should've networked more... maybe I should've studied harder... The guilt gnawed at her until she could no longer look at her phone without feeling sick.
But the next day, despite the puffy eyes and the lingering heaviness in her chest, she was back at her desk, submitting more applications. "C'mon, Tao. One of them has to work."
She kept trying. Weeks turned into a month, and the rejection emails only became colder. Her resume was unimpressive, her diploma seemingly useless. She began applying for lower-paying jobs, hoping someone — anyone — would accept her. But even then, nothing.
Three rejections in a single day turned into five the next day. Seven the day after. Companies she'd forgotten she applied for were now rejecting her as if they never even considered her.
Her routine became mechanical — wake up, apply, eat, apply, sleep. Every morning she checked her email, only to find the same copy-pasted rejection template. Soon, she stopped reading the emails entirely. She could already hear it in her head: We regret to inform you...
Her fridge was almost empty now. Money from her parents was dwindling, and she could barely afford rent. Every grocery trip was filled with anxiety — picking the cheapest instant noodles or discounted rice. Her hands would tremble slightly when handing the cashier her cash. I can't keep this up…
The final breaking point came when she received an automated rejection from a low-tier retail store — a job she was overqualified for. The email lacked any warmth or human touch.
"You have not been selected for this position. Thank you."
Hu Tao let out a shaky laugh. Her fingers trembled as she held her phone. "I can't even get a job folding clothes...?"
And that was it.
Her breath hitched as she crumpled into her mattress, her body curling up into itself. "I'm useless... I'm so useless," she whispered, voice cracking. Tears came rapidly, hot and heavy. "Why did I even bother? Why did I choose this course? Why didn't I make more connections? Why didn't anyone tell me it would be like this?" Her nails dug into her skin. "I'm so stupid... I was so stupid."
Minutes turned into hours. She laid there, unmoving, her mind sinking into the darkest depths it had ever reached. The world outside moved on without her.
At some point, she reached for her phone. Her heart thudded as she opened her contacts, scrolling mindlessly. Her old college friends. Former classmates. Professors. People she hadn't spoken to in months.
Her thumb hovered over her college group chat. The last message was from a month and a half ago. Just idle chatter about their future plans. She could almost see herself in that conversation — all sunshine and optimism, promising everyone she'd land a job quickly.
Her throat tightened. Should I ask if anyone could refer me...? The shame clawed at her. What if they laugh at me? What if they think I'm pathetic? Her thumb hesitated in the text bar.
Her mind spiraled as she imagined her former classmates moving on — landing their dream jobs, making money, traveling. Meanwhile, she was stuck here, unemployed, unwanted, and steadily becoming irrelevant. I should've been smarter... I should've asked for help...
She deleted the message draft and locked her phone. Curling up under her blanket, she whispered, "Forget it... I'll figure it out myself."
-
Her routine continued. Apply. Get rejected. Sleep. Repeat. The days blurred together, and Hu Tao's enthusiasm was long gone. Her fridge was nearly empty. Her savings were running dry. And her hope? Completely gone.
Then, one random morning, as she sat slumped over her laptop applying for more jobs, a new email notification pinged. Half-heartedly, she opened it, already expecting another rejection.
"Congratulations, Hu Tao. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the position of Administrative Associate at [Company Name]. Your start date will be..."
Hu Tao's heart stopped.
"Wait... what?"
She reread it. Then again. Her hands shook. "I got accepted...? I... I got accepted!" Without meaning to, tears burned her eyes and streamed down her face. Laughter bubbled up in her throat — disbelief, euphoria, and pure exhaustion merging all at once. "I finally did it... I finally found a job. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."
She didn't even remember applying to this company. But it was real. It was a 30-minute commute from her apartment, and the pay was pretty decent. This is it. This is my fresh start.
She jumped up from her mattress, pacing around her room, crying and laughing simultaneously. "I'm not useless... I'm not useless... I have a job now!"
Little did she know, the company that had just accepted her was a known black company — notorious for overworking employees, harsh management, and driving workers to their mental and physical limits.
And Hu Tao was about to walk straight into it — blissfully unaware of the hell that awaited her.