Transformers: Survival of Defective Products

Chapter 59 I Don't Want to Break Up with You

She still went to the energy bar counter. It wasn't necessary to go through the formalities in person. If she really wanted to save time, she could just throw a leave application over on the terminal and transfer the scheduling authority. It would take at most three minutes, without typing a single extra word.

The indexable vector has finally arrived.

She couldn't quite explain why herself. Maybe it was because she had indeed worked there for a while, witnessing it in the early hours and late at night, the lights breaking down, the machines freezing, and the boss going crazy and working overtime. Or maybe it was because that guy Jiuqi had covered for her so readily before, that if she were to simply send a message saying "I quit," it would seem like she was a terrible person.

The bar is still the same as before.

The lighting wasn't bright, the countertops were barely clean, and the faint sounds of energy drinks being heated could be heard from the kitchen. It wasn't the busiest time, but it wasn't exactly quiet either. Jiuqi was standing inside mixing drinks; when she looked up and saw her, her movements paused.

"So you finally decided to come back?"

Yin Vector walked to the bar, leaned against the counter, and looked up at him: "What, do I look like I've completely evaporated?"

"More or less." Jiuqi handed over the cup in his hand, switched the control panel to semi-automatic, and then turned it back. "Your 'hold out for a few days' was so bad it made me wonder if you'd switched careers to rob the transport routes."

Vector's lips twitched slightly: "Not yet."

Jiuqi stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly frowned.

"You're not in the right state of mind."

This is not a joke.

Yin Xiang first glanced down at the table and tapped his finger on the edge.

This guy, 97, doesn't seem very serious at first glance, but once you get to know him, he's more perceptive than many others. He'd noticed her short replies and off-key tone a few times before, but hadn't pressed her for details. Now that she's right in front of him, those odd things are even harder to hide.

Jiuqi lowered her voice: "What happened?"

After a two-second silence, Yin Vector finally spoke: "I'm here today to formally resign from this position."

Jiuqi was taken aback for a moment: "...Are you serious?"

"Seriously."

"Isn't this a long leave of absence?"

"no."

This time, 1997 truly came to a complete halt.

She looked at her, as if trying to discern from her face whether this was a momentary impulse or simply due to recent exhaustion. But Yin Xiang's expression remained unchanged; it didn't seem like a joke, nor did it appear like she was sulking.

After a few seconds, she slowly spoke: "Isn't this a bit too drastic? You had me cover for a few days, and now you're just quitting?"

"Because I initially thought it would only be a few days," said Vector. "But then I found out it wasn't."

Jiuqi didn't respond.

A customer called out from the other end of the bar, and she replied without turning her head, "Wait a minute," before turning her gaze back, her brows still furrowed.

"Is there a problem with something else on the other end of the line?"

"I guess so."

"Is it troublesome?"

"Um."

Jiuqi stared at her: "Is it so troublesome that you can't even stay here any longer?"

The vector paused for a little longer this time, but finally nodded.

"right."

Now Jiuqi was silent.

She's not stupid. While the vector control machine is usually busy, it's not so busy that she has to give up her part-time job entirely. Besides, her current state is clearly not just ordinary fatigue or a simple bad mood; she's being weighed down by something that hasn't been completely resolved.

Jiuqi looked at her for a while, then suddenly asked, "Is someone causing you trouble?"

The vector rises to the top.

Jiuqi continued, "You don't need to explain in detail to me, and I don't want to understand too much. I just want to ask one question: have I already troubled you to the point that it's best if I don't ask you any more questions in the future?"

That's a very accurate question.

He looked at her and finally let out a low sigh.

"Yes."

Nine-Seven stood still for two seconds, then muttered under his breath, "...slag."

The vector almost laughed at her reaction: "You're cursing so fast?"

"Nonsense." Jiuqi rolled her eyes. "Even in this state, can't I at least say a few words of protest for you?"

After she finished speaking, her expression softened slightly: "So you came here today not just to resign."

"Hmm." The vector pointer stopped beating around the bush. "Let me explain it to you clearly."

She leaned against the bar, her voice low.

"Things on my end are really complicated lately, and they won't be over anytime soon. You've already been very kind of you to cover for me for this period of time, but I definitely won't be able to take over later. I can't keep this up any longer, and I don't want to keep you on the schedule with me."

Jiuqi didn't interrupt, he just listened to her.

The vector continued, "There's one more thing. If anyone comes to inquire about me in the future, or subtly asks if you know me or what I've been doing lately, don't answer, and don't say anything on my behalf."

Jiuqi's expression immediately changed.

"Has it really come to this?"

"almost."

"Just what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into...?"

"It's not that I wanted to cause trouble," Vector interrupted him. "It's just that some things will come knocking on your door even if you try to avoid them."

After he said that, the air went quiet for a moment.

Jiuqi looked at her for a long time before clicking his tongue softly.

"Okay, I won't ask for details."

She placed her hands on the table, and her tone became serious.

"If I ever have any questions in the future, I'll pretend we're not close. I'll also avoid mentioning your past work here."

The vector nodded: "That's enough."

Jiuqi looked at her and added, "But don't talk like you're giving your last instructions; it sounds really unlucky."

Vector finally chuckled: "I didn't mean that either."

"Yes, yes, you didn't." Jiuqi's breath still had that same peculiar taste, but her voice was noticeably more relaxed. She stared at her for a few seconds, and finally couldn't help but ask, "And then what happened? You just stopped coming altogether?"

"I can't keep up with my work," said Vector. "But other things aren't impossible."

97 per meal.

Yin Xiang looked up at her and said, "I quit my part-time job, not that I'm cutting ties with you."

Jiuqi was silent for half a second, then seemed to finally let out a little of the breath she had been holding in, and looked at her with annoyance.

"Could you please mention these important points earlier next time?"

"I already said that."

"It's too late."

"Then your comprehension skills are lacking."

"The fact that you can still be so cheeky means that at least there's nothing seriously wrong with you."

"You flatter me, you flatter me."

Jiuqi looked at her and finally smiled, but there was still some emotion in his smile.

"Okay," she said. "Then I understand. You're just too busy, not that you're going to forget me."

"right."

"When we have free time, we can go out for a drink and continue to rant about the boss."

"That's true."

Even if you die out there, I'll still curse you.

Vector: "...Could you pick some auspicious words?"

"No," Jiuqi replied quickly. "This is just my unique way of expressing concern."

The vector couldn't help but chuckle softly.

This feeling is actually quite strange.

Although it was a resignation, it should have had some sense of coming to an end. But the way 97 put it, it didn't feel sad at all.

She looked at her, and after a while, she added a sentence earnestly.

"97".

"what?"

"Thank you so much for your help during this time."

Jiuqi, who had been leaning against the wall, paused for a moment upon hearing this.

She looked at her, and after two seconds, she laughed.

"I'm not used to you being so serious all of a sudden."

"Then you'll just have to bear with it."

"Okay." Nine-Seven waved her hand, as if too lazy to continue the conversation. "Anyway, remember, you don't necessarily have to disappear completely to be safe. If you can still catch your breath someday, you can come back and sit for a while. The bar doesn't need your labor, but it's pretty obvious that it's missing someone to complain about working overtime with."

After hearing this, Yin Vector's smile widened.

She nodded: "Understood."

Seeing her like this, Jiuqi finally felt a little relieved, turned around and took a cup of unlabeled energy drink from behind her, and put it in front of her.

"Please."

Yin Xiang glanced down at the screen: "Resignation compensation?"

"Dream on." Jiuqi rolled his eyes. "Employee perks before the company breaks up."

"I already said it's not a breakup."

"Fine, fine." Nine-Seven tapped the table with his hand. "Then consider this your last chance to take advantage before you run away."

Yin Vector picked up the energy drink, took a sip, and surprisingly found it tasted pretty good.

She raised an eyebrow: "You were pretty good today."

"Nonsense." Nine-Seven snorted. "I've always been strong, you just didn't realize it before."

"That sounds familiar."

"Don't try to trick me."

New customers came in from outside the bar. Nine-Seven glanced over there and straightened up.

"Alright, hurry up and finish moisturizing. Don't stand here too long. If someone sees you looking this way, I'll have to cover for you."

Yin Xiang put down the cup and glanced at her.

"Then I'm leaving."

Jiuqi didn't look at her; he had already turned around and gone to the counter to mix drinks, only raising his hand to wave at her.

"I know, it's not like we'll never see each other again."

He stood there for half a second, then finally turned and left.

The wind outside was a bit chilly, and the streetlights cast long, thin shadows on the metal pavement.