Chapter 36: The Legendary Jinx!
Chapter 36: The Legendary Jinx!
Afternoon.
The air-conditioning in the office had broken down.
“This crappy air-con, why can’t it start?”
“Teacher Wu, is the power line properly plugged in?”
“It’s still connected. It just can’t be switched on. Phew, it’s so hot!”
In the morning, a veteran broadcaster, Wu Datao, had tinkered with it all day without fixing it. He could not handle the heat well, so after fussing with it until his body was covered he sweat, he eventually gave up. He turned his head to look at the people in the office. The clerk was not around. Everyone else was busy with their work. All of them were broadcasting hosts. As such, he looked towards Zhang Ye, “Little Zhang, the air-con is spoilt. Go downstairs to the front desk and get them to contact Maintenance.”
Zhang Ye looked back, “Don’t we just need to make a phone call?”
Wu Datao said, “We don’t have Maintenance’s telephone number here. Also, we need to fill in a maintenance request form at the front desk to tell them which air-con it is.”
Zhang Ye was unwilling to do so, “I’m still busy. I’ll get to it in a while.”
Wu Datao no longer called Zhang Ye ‘Teacher Little Zhang’. Back then, he could chat with Zhang Ye. He had also complimented him when Zhang Ye’s segment became popular. However, now, his attitude had completely changed. He ordered him around like a normal clerk. According to what Zhang Ye heard, he had good personal ties with Zhao Guozhou and was a close associate of Director Zhao. There was even talk that said that he was related to Director Zhao’s wife.
Li Si came back over there. He was holding onto a basket of letters. It was as if they had all discussed this beforehand, as he came to Zhang Ye and said, “Little Zhang, the letters from the listeners are here. Find yours and then give the rest to everyone.”
Zhang Ye retorted, “Giving them out? Me?”
Li Si said, “I still have other things to do.”
After putting down the basket, he left. A few days back, Li Si had already took a softer stance with Zhang Ye. He had taken the initiative to greet Zhang Ye. After all, the power was in the victor. But now, with Zhang Ye offending the Leader, not only was Zhao Guozhou provoked, he had even offended the station’s Leader. Li Si’s attitude had reverted back to that of the past.
Tian Bin also chimed in, as he pointed towards the water fountain beside Zhang Ye, “Little Zhang, we are running out of water soon. In a while, go change it since you don’t have any work to do now.”
Everybody is hitting a man while he is down!
Zhang Ye let out a sneer!
It was as if the entire office’s attitude towards Zhang Ye had changed immediately. Other than three other people, Wang Xiaomei, Teacher Feng and Xiaofang, the rest had all begun bossing him around. If they did not do that, they would ignore him. They did not say anything or greet Zhang Ye when they saw him. It was as if he did not exist. They were all experienced employees. So how could they not be aware of what was happening? The station was intending to strike down Zhang Ye. They did not fire him, despite removing him from his hosting program. This was to teach him a lesson, so as to let him obediently hand the copyright to “Ghost Blows Out the Light” over to the station. However, those who had come into contact with Zhang Ye over the past few days knew that with Zhang Ye’s stubborn temper, he would never agree to it.
Hence, in everyone’s opinion, Zhang Ye’s career as a broadcaster had come to an end. No one could save him. So why would they need to establish good relationships with him? Firstly, it was not necessarily. Secondly, they had to do so. They were completely different from Wang Xiaomei and Teacher Feng. Teacher Xiaomei was a pillar of support for the station. The station’s management attached great importance to her, so no one would dare touch her. Teacher Feng was about to retire in a few days. He was also an old comrade that had worked in the station for decades. So everyone had to give him face. Besides, he was about to retire, so what could you do? The other people were different. They still had to carry on working under Deputy Station Head Jia and Director Zhao for a long time to come. Since the Leader had ordered a “gag order”, would they mingle with Zhang Ye in a friendly manner? Do you think they felt they had lived too long?
In an afternoon, Zhang Ye could be said to have been bossed around everywhere.
Xiaofang, who had just returned after finishing her work, saw how Zhang Ye was treated the moment she entered the office. Her eyes turned red with anger!
“Little Zhang, what’s the matter with you?”
“Didn’t I get you to change the water jug?”
“Since you don’t have any work now, why are you putting on airs?”
Wu Datao and Tian Bin began echoing each other. Even Li Si, who was a small assistant, looked down on Zhang Ye. Zhang Ye had been completely marginalized!
Teacher Feng could not take it any longer, “Aren’t all of you also very free? If you have the energy to boss others around, why don’t you make the phone call to solve it yourself?”
“Teacher Feng, you are still speaking up for him?” Wu Datao was also annoyed by Zhang Ye. “Look at him; does he even look like he is giving the respect a rookie should give to an elder?”
Xiaofang was also bursting with anger, “All of you are just taking advantage of your seniority to bully others!”
Tian Bin had also endured Xiaofang for a long time, “Do you think a lowly clerk like you has the right to speak?”
After being shouted at, Xiaofang nearly teared up. She felt wronged!
Zhang Ye’s temper also began boiling. This was the first time he opened his mouth, “What are you shouting for!? Just because your voice is loud!? If you have anything to say, say it right at me! Why are you oppressing a young lady!? Say it at me! Come!” Zhang Ye slammed the table. He turned the atmosphere tense. Immediately, there was silence!
“You…” Tian Bin did not shout back at Zhang Ye. He was mentally scarred after the war of words last night. He knew he could not win against Zhang Ye in a battle of words.
The sound of footsteps could be heard as Zhao Guozhou came out from his office, “I could hear all of you shouting from outside! What are you doing? Do you think this is a house that belongs to all of you!? This is an office! It is where you work!”
Although he had used the words “all of you”, Zhang Ye knew that he was saying it to him. Heh, I ignored all of you, and to think all of you thought there was no end to it? Any Tom, Dick and Harry wants to step on me? Did I provoke all of you!? Zhang Ye did not shout back at Zhao Guozhou. In that second, he recalled the item that he had obtained from the Lottery a few days ago. It was the one-time consumable item he had obtained while recording in front of the sponsors, the “Unlucky Halo”. Actually, Zhang Ye did not understand the use of such an item. He had not planned on using it. However, he wanted to try using it today. As such, he opened his game ring’s interface and took out the black angel-like halo from his inventory. He followed the instructions to wear it on his head. The halo began spinning, as an invisible wave spread out into the surroundings, forming a large domain!
Ding!
[ Unlucky Halo in Effect! ]
[ Effective for 5 minutes. Countdown begins! ]
The item’s description was, “Triggering certain conditions will allow everyone around the player to enter a state of bad luck.”
Zhang Ye wanted to see what the condition was. After using it, he looked towards the people around him. However, he realized nothing had changed. Everyone was still fine.
What the heck?
The item had no effect?
One minute later, Zhao Guozhou left.
Just as Zhang Ye was feeling depressed over it, Wu Datao turned forceful once again. The air-conditioner was still not working after he tinkered with it. He shouted, “Zhang Ye, are you going or not!?”
Zhang Ye retorted back, “Don’t you have legs?”
“Kid, are you picking a quarrel?” Wu Datao raged. However, just as he was about to reprimand Zhang Ye, sparks from the air-conditioner’s power source jumped out. It was as if it had short-circuited. With a buzz, it splashed onto Wu Datao’s hands. Wu Datao gave out a terrifying cry as his body tensed up for a second. Only after the current left his body did he slump to the ground. Some of his hair was standing from being electrocuted. He was dazed from the shock!
“Aiyah!”
“Teacher Wu! How are you?”
“This crappy air-con! I already said we should have changed it!”
Li Si pointed at Zhang Ye as he reprimanded, “Teacher Wu told you to go to the front desk to file the maintenance report! But you didn’t go! Look at what happened!?”
Just as Li Si finished speaking, the glass pane on the window beside him shattered without any warning. A fluorescent-colored rubber ball had flown in. It was one of those balls that could bounce up very high when thrown at the ground. Some naughty child must have thrown it, downstairs. Unfortunately, it had smashed into their office’s window, straight into Li Si’s forehead. As the elasticity of the rubber ball was very great, a thud, followed by a painful cry, was heard as Li Si fell to the ground!
“Li Si!”
“Who threw it!”
“Are you alright?”
Tian Bin took this opportunity to shout at Zhang Ye, “Look at what you have done! All of this is because of you!”
Li Si’s forehead was bleeding slightly. The glass fragments had cut him, but it was not very serious.
Zhang Ye laughed with anger, “Because of me? A child throwing something downstairs is because of me? The electrical leakage of the air-con is because of me? Everything that goes wrong is because of me? What sort of logic is that!?”
Just as Tian Bin was about to shout again, the water fountain beside him, which did not have much water left in it, let out an explosive sound. Boom. The pipe broke and boiling hot water from within came splashing down onto Tian Bin’s feet. Tian Bin yelled out, as he fell to the ground, while holding his foot. Thankfully, due to his clothes, he had not been badly scalded. However, after taking off his socks, he realized that a large portion of his foot was now red. He gritted his teeth from the pain!
“Ah!”
Outside, Tian Bin’s wife, who also worked in the station, happened to come in. Seeing her husband grimacing in pain on the ground in front of Zhang Ye, she immediately went into a craze without a second thought, “Zhang, what did you do!? You dare to hit someone?”
Teacher Feng immediately said, “It wasn’t Little Zhang!”
Tian Bin’s wife ignored it as she swung the plastic folder she held in her hands right at Zhang Ye! Before the folder could be thrown, she lost her balance. Her eight- or nine-centimeter high heels caused her body to form an angle with the ground. Bada! The heel broke. Tian Bin’s wife twisted her foot as she fell to the ground. She was wearing a skirt today. It was also a tight skirt, so this got good with a tearing sound. Tian Bin’s wife’s skirt tore. It went from bottom to top. A pair of red lacy underwear was suddenly exposed in front of everyone!
Tian Bin was dumbfounded!
Li Si was alarmed!
Wu Datao was dazed!
Everyone was stunned!
Zhang Ye heard the game ring indicating that the Unlucky Halo’s effects had ended before he came around. As the person closest, he showed his humanitarian spirit. He quickly threw his overcoat onto where Tian Bin’s wife had exposed herself. He, too, felt speechless. Immediately, he turned towards Tian Bin, Li Si and Wu Datao, “Are all of you alright? I have some bandaids here. Eh. Can you get up? Do you need to go to the hospital?” He now understood that the condition needed for the Unlucky Halo to work was if someone had taken the initiative to mess with the player. Nothing happened in the first minute. However, the moment Wu Datao found fault with him, and when Tian Bin and Li Si began oppressing Zhang Ye, the Unlucky Halo activated its effects!
As Zhang Ye spoke, no one answered!
Everyone was looking at Zhang Ye, as if he was Hades!
Teacher Wu got electrocuted? Li Si got hit by a bouncing ball from downstairs? Teacher Tian got hit to the floor by a water fountain? Teacher Tian’s wife twisted her ankle by her own high heels? In that split second, many people recalled the strange incident of Tian Bin falling to the ground three times in the office. He had stepped on a lunch box lid! The fluorescent light tube’s explosion!
It was too much a coincidence!
Are you a f**king jinx from the stars!?
In that instant, at least four colleagues who were beside Zhang Ye dodged to a distance about two meters away from him instinctively. No one dared to approach him!