Invisible Bracelet

When Old Zhao woke up, he found an "invisible bracelet" on his wrist.

It was neither a physical object nor a holographic projection, but rather like an invisible force, tightly bound to his wrist. He tried to break free, but to no avail.

At first, he thought he was hallucinating. He rubbed his eyes hard and even pinched his wrist a few times, but the "invisible bracelet" was still there. He began to wonder if technology had advanced to a point he couldn't understand, and someone had put some kind of new device he couldn't identify on him while he was sleeping.

Old Zhao was an ordinary office worker, living a nine-to-five life. When he went to work, he always felt like he had an invisible shackle on his wrist, making him a little irritable. But he soon discovered that the "invisible bracelet" didn't have any real impact on him. Aside from the slight feeling of restraint, he couldn't even feel its presence.

He slowly got used to it and began to ignore it.

However, one day, he realized that the "invisible bracelet" seemed to have a subtle connection with his life.

That day, he went to eat at a restaurant near his office and found that the "signature set meal" that usually required a queue was empty. He bought the set meal without hesitation and sat by the window, enjoying his food while watching the pedestrians on the street.

Suddenly, he noticed that those who were queuing seemed to be looking in his direction, with envious or jealous expressions on their faces. He was a bit confused, but he quickly understood that it must be the "invisible bracelet" at work.

In the following days, he found that anything he wanted, he could easily get. He could find an empty seat on the crowded subway, buy limited-edition products, and receive praise from his boss. He seemed to have a special "pass" that allowed him to navigate social rules without any obstacles.

Old Zhao was initially surprised, but he soon realized that this "privilege" made him feel deeply anxious. He gradually became aware that the "invisible bracelet" seemed to be silently changing his life. He started to care less and less about other people's feelings and became increasingly self-centered. His relationships also began to become more distant, and he found that people around him seemed to be looking at him with strange eyes, as if he were no longer one of them.

He started to try everything he could to take off the "invisible bracelet." He went to the hospital, had various tests done, but to no avail. He looked for so-called "experts," and they all shook their heads, saying they had never seen anything like it.

He became more and more anxious. He began to miss his previous mundane life, the days when he worked hard for a goal, and the sense of accomplishment he had gained from his efforts. He suddenly realized that he had all the "luck" everyone yearned for, but he had lost the most precious things.

One night, Old Zhao had a dream. He dreamt that he was standing in a huge circular plaza, with countless "invisible bracelets" floating in the air, each bracelet connecting to a person. He saw that those wearing the bracelets were walking aimlessly in the plaza, like walking corpses.

In the dream, a voice told him that the "invisible bracelet" was a new type of "social status evaluation system" that would give people corresponding "privileges" based on their behavior and performance, and those who didn't have bracelets would be considered "unqualified" individuals.

Old Zhao woke up from the dream in a cold sweat. He suddenly realized that the "invisible bracelet" might not be a simple technological product, but a metaphor, a satire of modern social rules. It divided people into classes, allowing some to enjoy all the privileges, while others would always be in a position of oppression.

He walked out of the room, looking at the bright city lights outside the window, and felt a deep sense of fear.

The next day, Old Zhao went to work as usual. He found that the "invisible bracelet" on his wrist was gone.

He was stunned. He should have been happy, but at this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of confusion. He found that he, without the bracelet, had become an ordinary person again and needed to face the complex and cruel society anew.

He looked up at the people around him who were still busy, and realized that not everyone was wearing the "invisible bracelet." Those who were smiling and working hard seemed to be unaffected. And those who had once envied him, who had been jealous of him, were still queuing, still rushing around, still working hard for their lives.

He suddenly understood. The bracelet was just an illusionary symbol. What truly bound people was their inner desire for "privileges" and their disregard for "equality."

He silently walked into the company and began another busy day.

He found that after taking off the bracelet, he seemed to see the truth of this world more clearly.