Golden Crane Feather

"Brother Wang, the feed mix for the cranes has been adjusted today. Could you take a look at whether this batch of corn kernels meets the 'Golden Crane' standard?"

Wang Dali stared at the computer screen, which displayed close-up photos of corn kernels. He felt like he was turning into a precision instrument. He used to browse various styles of sneakers every day, but now he was a feed quality control specialist for "Golden Crane" Agriculture.

Just three months ago, the company was still called "Guirenniao." Who could have imagined that this once-popular sports brand would suddenly transform into a chicken farm? No, more accurately, a "Golden Crane" farm, specializing in the high-end meat crane market.

On the day of the company's renaming, Wang Dali thought he was participating in a large-scale performance art piece. The three large characters "Guirenniao" on the office building were taken down and replaced with four golden, shimmering characters: "Golden Crane Agriculture." Employees were all required to wear work uniforms printed with a golden crane pattern, as if they had become mascots for the farm.

"Golden Crane" had an outrageous number of rules. For example, every day, employees had to bow to a portrait of a golden crane before starting work and write a "Crane Language Reflection" before leaving. Of course, these were considered minor. What truly suffocated Wang Dali was that the company had changed its KPIs from sales figures to the "egg-laying rate of cranes" and the "luster of crane feathers."

Wang Dali was in charge of the "feather luster." Every day, he had to take photos of thousands of feathers, then use AI software to analyze their luster, fullness, and color, and then give them a score. If the score was not up to standard, he would have his salary deducted.

He sometimes wondered if he had wandered onto the wrong movie set. Was he not working in a company, but instead inside a zoo? He cautiously asked Sister Li in the HR department, "Sister Li, will the company ask me to do manicures for the cranes in the future?"

Sister Li patted his shoulder and smiled meaningfully, "Xiao Wang, you need to adapt to the development of the new era. 'Golden Crane' has unlimited potential. Maybe we'll have to dress the cranes in jade suits in the future."

Wang Dali sighed, feeling that what Sister Li said was not unreasonable, after all, their company had already started researching "fermented crane urine fertilizer."

His dream used to be to become an excellent brand manager. Now, his greatest wish was to successfully complete the day's "feather luster" indicators.

At lunchtime, the cafeteria was filled with a faint smell of feed. Employees ate their meals silently, as if they were all digesting this sudden upheaval.

"Brother Wang, look, I found a particularly beautiful feather today!" His colleague, Xiao Zhang, excitedly held up a feather as if he had discovered a rare treasure. The feather shimmered with a faint golden light under the light.

Wang Dali looked at the feather and suddenly remembered a forgotten corner. Since the company's renaming, he had not worn his own sneakers. The sneaker brand he once loved had now become a laughingstock in his daily work.

He suddenly felt that this feather was very much like his past dream. He once wanted to soar, but now he was trapped in this "Golden Crane" cage.

In the evening, Wang Dali returned home, exhausted. He opened his computer and habitually browsed a website for sneakers. The "Guirenniao" brand was no longer there. Instead, there was an online store called "Golden Crane Farm Tools."

He turned off the computer and looked at himself in the mirror. He noticed that fine downy hairs seemed to be growing on his face, very much like the downy feathers on a chicken.

The next morning, Wang Dali arrived at the company and saw a huge billboard erected at the entrance. It prominently read: "Golden Crane Agriculture, more than just farming, it's respect for life."

He bowed to the portrait of the crane and then began his day's work. He skillfully picked up a feather and carefully observed it under the light. Suddenly, he noticed that the color of this feather seemed off.

He carefully compared it with yesterday's data and discovered that the luster of this feather had surpassed all the data. He felt a chill down his spine.

Could it be that the company had already started researching genetic modification technology?

He took out a magnifying glass and examined the feather carefully. He found that the feather had tiny golden words printed on it: "Welcome to Golden Crane Farm, this will be where your dreams begin..."

He suddenly looked up and saw that everyone in the office had turned into golden cranes. They were staring at him with their sharp beaks. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't make any sound.

He looked down at his hands. Fine golden down was already beginning to grow on the back of his hands.