Lunch Box Golden Sandalwood

Wang Dachui's most anticipated moment each noon was opening his lunch box. Not because of the delicious food inside, but because a small piece of golden sandalwood would inexplicably appear.

This started three months ago. Back then, Wang Dachui was just an anonymous programmer in the company. Every morning, he would take the lunch box his wife prepared for him from the refrigerator and rush to the office. When he opened it at lunchtime, in addition to the food and rice, there would always be a small, exquisitely carved piece of golden sandalwood, emitting a faint fragrance.

At first, Wang Dachui thought it was a joke from his wife, but she looked bewildered and said she had never put any wood in his lunch box. He tried checking in advance, even putting a lock on the lunch box, but the golden sandalwood still appeared as scheduled. They varied in size and shape, sometimes a lotus flower, sometimes auspicious clouds, and sometimes even a miniature abacus.

Rumors about Wang Dachui’s lunch box quickly spread around the office. Colleagues speculated, some saying it was his family's ancestral feng shui treasure manifesting, others saying he was being targeted by a mysterious organization, and still others quietly asking if he had won the lottery. Wang Dachui was both amused and exasperated, feeling like these golden sandalwood pieces were like persistent mosquitoes, buzzing and disturbing his peaceful life.

He took the golden sandalwood to an antique shop, but the owner shook his head, saying it was fine golden sandalwood but he couldn't tell anything specific about it. He tried to report it to the police, but the police officer just told him to be more careful with his personal belongings next time. Helpless, Wang Dachui chose to quietly accept it, looking forward to what shape the golden sandalwood would be in today, like opening a blind box every day.

The golden sandalwood incident reached the boss’s ears. The boss, being a superstitious man, heard that golden sandalwood appeared in Wang Dachui’s lunch box every day and considered it a sign of good fortune, starting to look at Wang Dachui in a new light. He not only promoted Wang Dachui but also entrusted him with some important projects.

Wang Dachui felt like he was being pushed by fate, everything seemed so absurd and comical. He started using the golden sandalwood as a pointer during company meetings and talking to the golden sandalwood about his difficulties during project reports. He tried to explain it all with logic and common sense, but the existence of the golden sandalwood was like an unsolvable puzzle, challenging all his perceptions.

As days passed, Wang Dachui got used to the existence of the golden sandalwood, even starting to stare at them during lunch breaks. He noticed that not only were they different in shape, but the wood grain was also different. Some were as smooth as silk, while others were as rough as rocks. They were like miniature worlds, containing stories he had never known.

Then one day, a piece of golden sandalwood engraved with the company logo appeared in Wang Dachui's lunch box. Holding it, he examined it closely and suddenly understood everything.

He found the company’s cleaning lady, Aunt Li, who was the most inconspicuous person in the company, silently cleaning every day. Aunt Li looked at the golden sandalwood in Wang Dachui's hand and smiled kindly. She pointed to an old golden sandalwood tree in the company's backyard, where there was a small hole hidden by branches.

"Those golden sandalwood pieces, they're all carved by me," Aunt Li said, her voice a bit hoarse. "The company has a lot of discarded wood every day, and I carve them for fun in my spare time. I put the carved golden sandalwood pieces in your lunch box, just because you look tired every day, I wanted to give you a surprise."

Wang Dachui was stunned. It turned out that all the absurdity came from an inconspicuous old woman, a lonely soul. He suddenly felt like a puppet controlled by strings, performing an absurd comedy on the stage of fate. He thought it was feng shui, an opportunity, but it turned out to be just a kind joke.

He asked Aunt Li why she carved the company logo on the golden sandalwood. Aunt Li sighed and said, "I've been carving for so long, and the boss has never even looked at me. I just wanted him to know that there's still me in the company, an old woman who carves golden sandalwood."

Wang Dachui looked at Aunt Li's wrinkled face, his heart full of mixed feelings. He looked up at the window, where the sunlight shone through the leaves, scattering dappled light on the ground. He felt like he was standing at the entrance of a huge maze, surrounded by absurd fog. He held the golden sandalwood with the company logo, feeling it heavier than ever.

That day, Wang Dachui didn't eat, he sat there all afternoon, blankly holding the piece of golden sandalwood. The next day, Wang Dachui resigned. He didn't tell anyone the reason.

Later, the golden sandalwood tree in the company's backyard was cut down, they said it was for the expansion of the parking lot.