章 193: A New Resolve    

Rain felt his heart plummet. The weary expressions on his parents' faces, the heavy bags, and the sadness in their eyes all suddenly made sense.

"You were laid off?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper, struggling to believe what he was hearing.

His father let out a tired sigh. "Yeah. They said it was because we're getting too old for the job."

His mother dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. "They didn't say it outright, but we know what's happening. They're replacing people like us with robots, son. They claim it's about efficiency, but it's just a way to cut costs and get rid of older workers." Her voice cracked, bitterness and hurt spilling out in the tremble of her words.

Rain clenched his fists, a wave of anger boiling up inside him. "But you're not even that old! You're only in your forties, right?"