The feeling of turning into a werewolf

Heaven has given me countless opportunities to become rich, yet I failed to seize a single one. However, when it came to opportunities to make a fool of myself, I managed to grasp them flawlessly each time. This internet joke perfectly encapsulates Yan Feng’s ten years of working life. When he first entered society, his dream was to save enough money to start a business, and then gradually make his way onto the Forbes rich list... But after years of being battered by reality, he had long since abandoned those grand and naïve dreams. Nowadays, his only wish is to find a woman he loves, get married, have children, and, if possible, make a modest fortune so he can stay close to home and care for his parents. As a weary Yan Feng walked home from work, he couldn't help but laugh at the person he once was. At 30 years old, Yan Feng is an interior designer for a renovation company in Nanquan City, F Province. Putting aside the occasional late-night client call to revise plans, the job is fairly decent, and the income is passable. Renovation companies, unlike some design firms, primarily focus on construction, where design is often just a throw-in or sometimes free. Being an interior designer may sound impressive, but it’s a grueling job, especially in a renovation company that prioritizes construction. Besides doing design work, one has to explain techniques to clients, discuss quotes and contracts, and, if the site supervisor is incompetent, frequently visit the site to mediate disputes with clients. Sometimes, if a project isn’t going well and the client has a bad temper, they’ll even call in the middle of the night to berate you. Simply put, if you only know design but aren’t skilled in client communication, you’ll starve at a renovation company. And even if you’re good at design and skilled at closing deals, that only ensures your survival in the company. To truly excel, you need more than just talent. At the very least, you have to maintain good relationships with your clients, and also manage your relationships with your superiors, the marketing staff, material suppliers, and competent site supervisors. In short, you have to be proactive and assertive because nothing will fall into your lap; everything must be fought for. On top of all this, you can’t be too soft-hearted. You need to be ruthless with kickbacks, be savvy at swindling clients, and not only make money but leave them feeling like you’re professional and responsible. With Yan Feng’s looks and abilities, he could certainly do better. But he has a touch of pride (or perhaps he hasn’t been pushed to the brink by life), so he won’t say things he doesn’t mean to people he dislikes, won’t go out of his way to flatter anyone for a valuable client, and won’t make clients spend unnecessary money just to earn a kickback. He’s well aware that his lack of ambition and unwillingness to leave his comfort zone—what some might call laziness—is what’s holding him back. Such a person might be considered noble if you put it kindly, but more bluntly, he’s a loser in the workplace. Sometimes, growth is the process of continually recognizing and compromising with oneself. Yan Feng has compromised, knowing full well that he’s never going to get rich. Lost in thought, he dragged his exhausted body back to his rented apartment. As soon as he entered the door, he heard his landlady, Aunt Cui, chatting with someone in the living room. “Xiao Yan, you’re back from work!” She quickly stopped talking when she saw him come in. “Mm.” Yan Feng nodded and was about to head upstairs when Aunt Cui spoke up, “Lanchun, this is the interior designer I was telling you about, Yan Feng. Your daughter’s house is ready for renovation, right? Xiao Yan’s a good guy—you can trust him with it!” “Thank you, Aunt Cui.” Hearing a potential client introduction, Yan Feng forced himself to perk up, took out his business card, and handed it to the woman named Lanchun. “Auntie, here’s my card.” Lanchun accepted the card and gave Yan Feng a once-over. He had slightly wavy hair parted to one side, a well-sculpted face with sharp features, and deep, dark eyes under a pair of strong eyebrows, giving him an air of mystery. His high nose and well-proportioned lips made him quite pleasing to the eye. The only flaw was the noticeable blackheads on his nose and his rough skin. But this didn’t detract from his charm, and his short beard added a touch of masculinity. “What a handsome young man! Are you seeing anyone? How old are you? Where’s your hometown? Have you bought a house in Nanquan yet?” Lanchun finally glanced at the business card. “Sincere Decorations—I’ve heard of them. It’s said to be the biggest home decoration company in Nanquan.” “...” Yan Feng had a well-rehearsed sales pitch ready, but the barrage of questions left him momentarily flustered. Fortunately, upon hearing that he hadn’t bought a house in Nanquan, Lanchun seemed to lose interest in probing further. “Well, it’s getting late, I’d better head home. I’ll have my daughter contact you later.” Lanchun seemed a bit disappointed, but before leaving, she said in all seriousness, “Xiao Yan, work hard! With your qualities, you’ll definitely find a girlfriend!” “...” Out of courtesy and the fact that she was a potential client, Yan Feng nodded, smiling reluctantly. Yan Feng rented a house in Nanquan City’s Xiufeng District, in a neighborhood called Mucuo, an urban village. Riding the wave of economic development, the locals had extended and renovated their houses to rent them out to workers from out of town. Not only did they collect rent every month, but they stood to receive a large compensation when the area was eventually demolished. Most of these houses were old, but the rent was cheap. Yan Feng could afford a better apartment, but after living here for so many years, with the landlady treating him well and the proximity to his company, he never bothered to move. The house had five floors. The landlord occupied the first, fourth, and fifth, while the second and third were rented out. After Lanchun left, Yan Feng exchanged pleasantries with Aunt Cui and was about to head upstairs when a golden Labrador suddenly rushed out of the kitchen and pounced at his feet. This was the landlord’s dog, named Youfu. Yan Feng had lived here for five years and had more or less adopted Youfu as his own, often sharing food with the dog. As a result, Youfu was very fond of him. “Youfu, I didn’t bring any food today.” Every time Yan Feng saw Youfu, he couldn’t help but think, “How wonderful it would be to become a pet dog, living a carefree life, doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and playing.” “Don’t pay it any mind—it’s getting fatter by the day. It really needs to lose weight.” “True, it’s time for a diet. Look at all that meat.” Youfu seemed to understand their words, wagging its tail and hopping around, nuzzling Yan Feng’s hand with its head. Yan Feng gave its head a rub, said goodbye to the landlady, and headed straight to his apartment on the third floor. Back in his room, the first thing he did was take off his T-shirt and head to the full-length mirror by the window to check his back. About half a month ago, when the company was busy with Labor Day promotional events, Yan Feng had suddenly started experiencing insomnia, irritability, and a loss of appetite, with his mental state deteriorating. During the promotion, there was a heavy signing quota to meet. Failing to do so was not only embarrassing but also meant facing punishment. At the time, he thought his symptoms were due to work stress, so he didn’t pay much attention to them. However, starting last Thursday, as soon as night fell, a deep itch and a dull ache began radiating from his spine, as if something was trying to break through from within. During this time, the hunger pangs became unbearable, and no amount of food seemed to help. By the night before last, the dull ache had begun spreading to other parts of his body, particularly his gums and finger joints. As soon as it got dark, it felt like thousands of ants were gnawing at him—both itchy and painful. The hunger had also intensified compared to the previous day. “It’s swollen again. Just like the last few days, the swelling starts as soon as the sun sets.” Looking at his reflection, Yan Feng couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Holidays were always the busiest time for Yan Feng and his colleagues. Once the Labor Day event was over, they’d have three days off, with the designers taking staggered breaks. Last Saturday morning, on the penultimate day of the promotion, he had squeezed in time to visit the city’s first hospital for a CT scan, MRI, and a biopsy. The results would be ready tomorrow. Before leaving work today, he had already asked his department manager for time off to pick up the report. After inspecting himself for a while, Yan Feng sat on the edge of the bed, enduring the torment for a few more minutes. As the sun set and darkness began to fall, the hunger, accompanied by the deep itching and dull ache, returned—stronger than ever.