Five

After four years at the company, Xiaoya Xian had risen from a fledgling financial consultant to a seasoned technical analyst. Countless nights found her keeping a vigilant eye on the financial markets of the Western Hemisphere—international currency exchange, futures trading, and more. As a hedge fund manager, there was always too much to watch, but she relished the challenge. She had always aspired to become the elite financial professional she dreamed of. Four years—a span neither long nor short—had seen her passion and relentless effort finally bring her dreams to fruition. In those days, the global economy was vibrant and stable, and every move she made felt smooth and effortless. To be an industry elite meant perceiving every market shift, racing against time to make the right decision a step ahead of others. Xiaoya Xian had done it. The trials of recent years had sharpened her instincts and experience. Her judgment was unique and unerring. Opportunities that slipped past others never escaped her grasp; she always seized the crucial moment and reaped handsome rewards.

In the office, the fund managers were each absorbed in their work, racing against time. Then, Chairman Li suddenly appeared—a man well past sixty, refined and elegant in his suit, with the cultivated air of an old professor. His arrival immediately attracted everyone's attention. The chairman himself was visiting; naturally, everyone wanted to make a good impression. Yet Li walked straight to Xiaoya Xian’s office.

He discussed the latest round of capital operations with her, offering generous praise—Xiaoya Xian had succeeded once again, earning tens of millions in pure profit. The hedge fund she managed had also multiplied in performance.

Through the glass wall, the staff watched Li commending Xiaoya Xian. Envy flickered in every gaze and quiet whispers filled the air.

“Manager Xian is truly impressive. She’s become the chairman’s favorite.”

“No doubt. When will we ever reach her level?”

“The gap is just too wide. How can we compete?”

In the adjacent room, Jason watched the scene unfold. His own results were strong—he had earned the company substantial profits—yet in Chairman Li’s eyes, there was only Xiaoya Xian. He could not help but feel resentment; she had taken what should have been his.

“Your recent performance has been excellent. Keep up the hard work,” Li said with a smile, nodding in approval at Xiaoya Xian’s precise investment skills.

Xiaoya Xian stood up quickly, replying, “Chairman Li, you flatter me. Creating the greatest benefit for the company is simply my duty. To receive your recognition is the highest reward; I’ll continue to give my best.”

She was never one for empty words; these were spoken from the heart. The chairman’s gentle, kindly smile was as warm as ever. Since the day she joined, he had looked after her, giving her countless real-world opportunities and accelerating her growth. Her gratitude was sincere.

After leaving her office, Chairman Li addressed the staff. “Listen, everyone. In a few days, I’ll be hosting a dinner for this month’s top managers to reward our best hedge fund managers. There will be a special award and a monthly bonus. Work hard—each of you has the chance!”

“Yes, Chairman Li! We’ll do our best!” the staff responded, pausing their work.

Jason, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed coldly on Xiaoya Xian. Strangely, his hostility was something Xiaoya Xian could sense at all times. Even with a room between them, she felt it.

She and Jason rarely interacted, each absorbed in their own affairs with little need for collaboration. When they passed in the corridors, there was only the briefest nod. Perhaps it was her sensitivity to his animosity that made her avoid him, limiting any private encounters.

In his presence, Xiaoya Xian often felt an inexplicable sense of unease—an anxiety that grew stronger with time, though she could not explain why.

She remembered their first meeting, during her initial company staff meeting four years ago. Chairman Li had asked everyone to propose new ideas to improve client account benefits and attract major investors. Jason, then the top client service manager, had prepared a proposal over three sleepless nights, ready to present. Unexpectedly, Xiaoya Xian spoke up first with a plan that was identical to Jason’s. Chairman Li immediately accepted her proposal, leaving Jason without his moment. How could Xiaoya Xian, an inexperienced newcomer, have conceived the same plan? From then on, Jason regarded her with suspicion.

Another time, Xiaoya Xian passed by Jason’s office, delivering documents for the chairman. Finding Jason absent, she entered, but heard a strange noise behind his chair—a sound like grinding gears. Curious, she moved the chair aside and discovered a moving painting on the wall—a swirling vortex in motion. She was transfixed, unable to look away, as if the vortex drew her in. A chill seeped into her bones, her heart racing, her breath growing shallow. Why did the painting move? The slow, inexorable spinning filled her with terror.

She could not pull herself free—until suddenly, someone called from behind.

“What are you doing?” It was Jason. “Why are you in my office?” His tone was unfriendly.

Snapped out of her daze, Xiaoya Xian looked again at the wall behind the chair. The vortex was gone. A shudder of fear ran through her.

“Chairman Li asked me to give you these documents. I’ll just leave them here and go,” she managed, steadying herself.

Jason nodded, indicating he understood. Xiaoya Xian forced herself to act composed, suppressing her alarm, and left.

From that day on, she avoided Jason’s office unless absolutely necessary. When possible, she avoided him altogether. Just seeing him stirred that same inexplicable anxiety, and the image of that vortex would surface in her mind, unsettling her deeply.