The clock on the wall shows 7:55.

In front of me is a crumpled white note.

This time Xiao Li didn't come to take the note.

I tightly clench the note in my hand, sweating profusely.

The clock on the wall shows.

It's time for the morning meeting.

The leader has arrived, dressed in a black suit.

We immediately line up in two rows, all looking at the leader's mouth in unison.

The leader's throat rumbles as he swallows saliva.

The company lobby is quiet to the point of suffocation.

At this moment, the sound of the leader's swallowing is so loud.

He shakes his hand, nods, and his eyes signal us to disperse.

Everyone immediately disperses.

I stare at the leader's slow and heavy footsteps as he gently opens the office door, and inside the office, it's calm.

I see the leader secretly exhale.

Xiao Li has also returned to his workstation.

The atmosphere is strange, hard to describe.

Everyone stares at Xiao Li intently, but when Xiao Li turns his head, everyone quickly looks away.

When Xiao Li resumes working, everyone stops their activities and quickly focuses on him.

I squeeze the note tightly in my hand and catch a glimpse of Xiao Li secretly staring at me.

As soon as I turn my head, he turns his head too.

As he turns his head, everyone else follows suit.

An oppressive feeling of suffocation.