Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

The year-end came quickly, so quickly that Qiu Yingying herself didn't even realize it. On the day of the annual party, the company booked a large banquet hall, and the lights were so bright they made people dizzy. When the emcee called her name, she was stunned for half a second.

"Employee of the Year – Qiu Yingying!"

A round of applause erupted. She stood up and walked onto the stage. The leader handed her the trophy, adding with a smile, "Outstanding performance this year, year-end bonus of 100,000."

A low murmur of amazement rippled through the audience. Qiu Yingying held the trophy, feeling a mix of warmth and emptiness—after a year of hard work, it felt like she had been waiting for this one word of recognition.

After the company's annual party ended, her colleagues encouraged her to treat them. Someone suggested a barbecue buffet, and everyone chimed in, saying it would be lively, relaxed, and they could drink as much as they wanted. Qiu Yingying had no objections and simply booked a well-reviewed barbecue restaurant near the company.

The private room quickly warmed up, the grill sizzled, and the aroma of meat mixed with the smell of cooking oil filled the air. Everyone chatted as they grilled, talking about everything from projects to gossip, from bosses to housing prices—one topic after another, they couldn't stop.

"Sister Qiu, 100,000! You're really amazing." Xiao Li held up his glass, his eyes shining.

"Don't say that," Qiu Yingying said with a smile and waved her hand, "We still have to work together next year."

One glass of wine after another was poured. Qiu Yingying tried to control herself, but with everyone making a fuss, she didn't want to spoil the fun, so she drank quite a bit of baijiu and beer. The effects of the alcohol hit her quickly, but she didn't show it. She still had a smile on her face, spoke coherently, and even remembered who couldn't eat spicy food and who couldn't drink iced drinks.

"Sister Qiu has a good alcohol tolerance; her face doesn't even turn red after drinking so much," someone remarked.

Qiu Yingying smiled but didn't explain.

She was actually feeling a little dizzy. Her vision would occasionally drift, and the plates and cups on the table would appear to be stacked in two layers in her eyes, only to be forcibly pulled back to their original positions. The sounds around her seemed to come from different distances, as if separated by a layer of water. When she bent down to pick up some food, she noticed her hand trembling slightly, a very subtle movement that was almost imperceptible unless one looked closely. She quietly switched hands.

Just then, Zhao Kai, who was sitting diagonally opposite her, came over with a cup. He was twenty-eight years old, a junior in the group, with a decent appearance—not handsome, but clean and pleasant to look at. He wasn't very talkative, but he was quite reliable in his work.

"Sister Qiu, let me toast you." He raised his glass, a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

"Thank you." Qiu Yingying clinked glasses with him, the wine sliding down her throat with a slightly spicy taste.

Zhao Kai hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Sister Qiu, do you... have a boyfriend?"

Several people with sharp ears nearby immediately quieted down and quietly looked over.

Qiu Yingying's heart skipped a beat; the question had made her even more tipsy. A thought flashed through her mind: Why is he asking this? But the thought quickly dissipated. She put down her glass, her smile unchanged, but her tone was firm: "Not for now, and I don't plan to look for one."

Zhao Kai paused for a moment, a little embarrassed: "Haven't you met the right person yet?"

"No," Qiu Yingying shook her head, "I just don't want to be in a relationship right now. My job is great, and I want to focus on making the most of my life."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was steady. There was a moment of silence in the private room, then someone tried to smooth things over: "Oh dear, Sister Qiu is in the prime of her career right now, she doesn't have time for romance! Come on, let's drink!"

The topic was diverted, and Zhao Kai smiled, picked up his glass, took a big gulp, and didn't continue.

Qiu Yingying took another sip of wine. With that sip, she felt the light in front of her flicker on and off, as if someone had flipped a switch behind her eyelids. She knew she was almost drunk; her consciousness was starting to blur, and many thoughts swirled in her mind, then scattered into a jumbled mess, impossible to grasp.

But she maintained a calm demeanor, sitting upright and smiling naturally. She even calmly called the waiter to add more charcoal and refill her drink. No one could tell she was drunk; they only thought she had a high alcohol tolerance and was composed.

Only she knew that if she sat any longer, she might not be able to hold on any longer. She secretly pinched her palm with her nail to clear her mind, then picked up her glass, smiled at everyone, and said, "Come on, one last drink, wishing us all a better year!"

"good!"

The glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound. Qiu Yingying looked at the smiling faces in front of her, all tinged with drunkenness. Her mind was a little hazy, but she managed to suppress her confusion.