Turnoi, I'd like to address your follow up on my previous post here below in quotes

My posting:
...and since we've brought some locals' english over that elementary level and we are not needed as much anymore, there often isn't any room for negotiating. they've got their own to abuse which is much easier and cheaper.
Your reply:
If their English beyond elementary level is as "good" as Franky Boy Zhang wangbadan's Chinglish, then indeed there still remains much to be done by foreign teachers.
But truly, if the working conditions and treatment get worse in comparison to some years ago, then this may be due to the fact that it less difficult for employers to finf foreign teachers.

We know how Chinese developers build, don't we? Leaving their unfinished work that often stands on some shaky foundation is quite common around. So, they expect us to leave as, to them, "the work is done". If any of us expected or wanted to demostrate some perfection in this country, then he/she came to a wrong country. On the contrary to you, I believe there's virtually nothing to be done here anymore and what we've done should never have been done as it mostly has been misused. We've brought them a sort of "blue print of how to learn English" which has been copied and then carried out by locals in their own way. It's just like if you make a sweet pizza and top it with some lotus root and then serve it as italian food :) (i've tried that in a chongqing's western restaurant)
As for the current employers' "level of difficulty to finf foreign teachers", it has been legalized. Local employers take advantage of the enforced regulations on fts work permits, SAFEA poor follow-ups as well as its ambiguous contracts, and the local officials' low salaries as these government workers are poised to match their life styles with that other 15-20% rich in the country. Haven't we seen local PSB officers on some 2,000 RMB monthly driving brand new Honda Accords? But that's for another topic, isn't it?

OP, on topic, I'd follow the advice of picking up the salary and then doing the midnight, rather than filing one month notice with some explanations and professionally. This country does not look for that at all. Many employers consider such employees for traitors and many employees that resign professionally have usually their last months hellish. Mine was as well, as they wanted to cut my last month's salary disregarding any agreements whatsoever. Moreoever, my former employer attempted to disgrace me then and that despite the manager's signature on my resignation letter that actually had my reasons for leaving (agreed upon).

Cheers and beers to midnight runs and our negotiating skills to have that option and the door open :)