El carnívoro

Capítulo 1

Lin Weiping was dragged out of bed early Sunday morning by her mother, who had come to the city to visit her. She was in a very bad mood after listening to a phone call from her old classmate's son. She cleared her throat, half-closed her eyes, and finished the call. Just as she was about to sneak back to get some sleep, her mother stopped her and asked, "What did you promise him at dinner yesterday? It sounds like you've changed your mind now."

Lin Weiping was only thinking about sleeping, so he lazily replied, "Yes, I told him to register a company in Hong Kong, which would offer better tax benefits."

Her mother persisted, saying, "But you promised yesterday, how can you change your mind so easily? We can't be so untrustworthy."

Lin Weiping glanced at his mother's very serious face, knowing that if he didn't explain clearly, his usually straightforward mother would get angry. He could only sigh inwardly, abandoning the idea of going back to sleep, and explained to his mother: "Yes, yesterday that kid said he wanted to start a trading company. I thought since he's your classmate's son, I could help him. Besides, our company bought a commercial property in the development zone at a high price. Because it faces the sea, it's being used as a vacation home by the young owner, which is a shame not to take advantage of the development zone's policies. My original idea was to lend him the property certificate for registration, so your classmate's son could enjoy three years of income tax exemption and VAT reduction for free. I think he understands very well how much he'll benefit from it. Yesterday his eyes lit up when he heard this, and today..." The fact that they called so early to finalize things is proof enough. But this guy is a jerk. Last night, they were the ones who suggested having dinner together. Including his wife, there was one more person than us, and he's a small business owner worth millions, plus he's a man. He wanted me to do him that favor, and he had the nerve to not even be polite, making me, a working-class person, pay for the several hundred yuan meal. And today he has the nerve to call again asking for this "bargain." He's a businessman; he can't be unaware of this kind of tactic. I offered him this benefit yesterday, and he didn't even give a response. Why would I be stupid enough to help him again? No way.

"But why did you recommend him to start a foreign-invested enterprise?" The mother, who had a technical background, was confused by her daughter's reasoning. She felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She just wanted to figure out what had happened on that phone call first.

The daughter sneered, "He called me so early in the morning, I couldn't just bluntly refuse him, so I steered the conversation to another discount. I was basically telling him I wasn't going to help him. He got the hint after a few words. Hey, I suspect he's regretting losing out on something so small right now." With that, she went to wash up, feeling smug.

The mother followed her in worriedly and said, "Actually, this is just a small favor for you. Please, for the sake of me, do me a favor. It's not good to go back on your word like this."

Lin Weiping flatly refused: "No, I help people based on who they are. If the other party is obviously not on the right track, I might as well help a random passerby. Besides, even though my private use of the company's property certificate doesn't affect the company, I still have to bear the consequences."

After hearing this, the mother couldn't ask her daughter for anything more; after all, her daughter wasn't as important as her classmate. But after thinking about it again, there was still a lingering unease...

Feeling a lump in my throat, I couldn't help but say to my daughter at the dinner table, "Aping, you may not realize it yourself, but the tone of your voice is really unpleasant."

His words were arbitrary, like he was giving orders. Like yesterday at dinner, he only briefly asked for everyone's opinions before ordering all the dishes himself. And what happened then?

There are two of your elders at the table, how could you do this? And now, with her son's matter, you've turned on her again over a single disagreement, showing absolutely no consideration.

At least say a few nice words. This kind of behavior isn't good; it'll offend people. Don't think you're so powerful.

Since graduating and being assigned a job, Lin Weiping had rarely heard her mother criticize her. Knowing that her mother, who was somewhat doting on her daughter, wouldn't criticize her based solely on two incidents from yesterday unless she was truly fed up, she paused for a moment, then earnestly leaned on the table and asked, "Am I really speaking so tactlessly right now?"

Mom frowned and said, "Would I lie to you? Even your father says you sound so stiff and businesslike when you call home these days. You're right, that's called lacking strategy."

You can distrust anyone, but Lin Weiping believed her parents would never lie to their daughter. It seemed her words really had a problem. She thought seriously for a moment and said, "Mom, you know it's not easy for a young woman like me to be in a management position second only to the head of a large foreign company. Countless people resent being managed by a woman, especially a young woman. When I first got promoted to HR, I even got a perm to look older, hoping to project a more serious image. Maybe I adjusted my tone of voice then too. Over the years, sitting in this position, it's possible that it's subtly influenced me. I didn't intend to be so aggressive in my personal life; maybe this is just an occupational hazard."

Mom sighed and said, "Your dad and I don't care. We know it's not easy for you to build this empire all by yourself, but we understand. Others won't think that way. People you manage may outwardly obey you, but they won't feel comfortable inside. They'll feel disrespected and won't be on your side. When you need to ask them for help in a big situation, see who will help you. People you associate with will think you're young and arrogant, lacking manners, difficult to get along with, and prone to making mistakes. No one will treat you sincerely; there will only be relationships based on mutual benefit. China is still a country where personal connections matter. If you have good relationships, everything is negotiable; if you don't, everything will be handled strictly by the book, and they might even hold you back. Don't be fooled by your seemingly strong career, tough skills, and wide network. You're working yourself to the bone, exhausting yourself. You're 29 years old and you've only just found a boyfriend, yet people who manage large corporations still manage to be decent people. You're right, you just lack strategy."

Lin Weiping knew that her mother's words had logical flaws, but they still conveyed her meaning in a roundabout way. Had she really become such an unapproachable person? This question made Lin Weiping think for a long time.

two

Springtime weather is warm and pleasant, and people feel lazy, but a whole host of things are still coming up, forcing Lin Weiping to work himself to the bone. Even Engineer Wang, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, joined in the fun, spontaneously calling Lin Weiping in the morning to invite him to dinner that evening.

This old gentleman was a very meticulous, old-fashioned intellectual. His technical skills were impeccable, but he was utterly clueless about social niceties. He was originally a founding member of the company, but he frequently and inappropriately contradicted the opinions of the boss, who had some knowledge of the field. The boss tolerated this until the company started production, finally getting rid of him. Lin Weiping often assisted him in arguing with the foreign engineers who provided the equipment. These arguments fostered a close friendship between the two, improved her English, and secured her prominent position, which clearly benefited her future career. When Engineer Wang made a rare dinner invitation, Lin Weiping guessed he must have something to discuss with her, so she didn't hesitate to cancel her date with her boyfriend, which she had arranged the previous week. Although she was approaching thirty, she didn't want to devote too much attention to her boyfriend, so she ignored his complaints on the phone. However, after a moment's pause, she remembered her mother's suggestion and felt that this might be a bit too harsh. She quickly called her boyfriend to tell him that the boss's second wife was coming the next day, and that arrangements for the following days were impossible, asking him to find his own entertainment. This was a way of informing him beforehand, not ignoring his concerns.

Lin Weiping entered the private dining room at the crack of a second. Unsurprisingly, besides Engineer Wang, she saw two other men inside. One of them, slightly younger, seemed a bit surprised that Lin Weiping was so young, glancing at her several times. Engineer Wang explained frankly that the bespectacled, imposing middle-aged man was Shang Kun, from a well-known hydraulic components manufacturer in the city, currently considering a project similar to Lin Weiping's factory. The younger, white-collar-looking man was Liao Huizheng, the project's preliminary office director. They had wisely brought in Engineer Wang, and Lin Weiping believed they had taken a crucial step in the right direction.

Engineer Wang said directly, "Xiao Lin, your company's products have good prospects. President Shang feels that his products and this product are basically the same type of customers, so he is also preparing to invest in this SWS project. However, they are not familiar with SWS at the moment, and I can't give a comprehensive answer. At most, I can check the technology and equipment. So I called you out to hear your opinion. I hope it won't be too difficult for you."

Looking into the sincere eyes behind Wang Gong's reading glasses, Lin Weiping knew that this was helping to create an adversary, which was obviously detrimental to the company, and even more so to her if acquaintances saw it. However, she couldn't bear to refuse this earnest and stubborn old man, and smiled and said, "Of course, as long as today's conversation ends at the door of this private room, I think there will be no problem. If everyone goes to SWS together, it can also attract customers and boost popularity."

Upon seeing her agree, Liao Hui casually placed a thick "Feasibility Report" on the table and said in a slightly smug tone, "Please give me your expert advice, Miss Lin."

Lin Weiping knew that the report must be his masterpiece. He was absolutely confident in its success. The idea of seeking expert critique was definitely not his true feeling, but rather the feeling of Shang Kun, the person who had paid for it. Judging from Liao Hui's appearance, he seemed to be the kind of person her mother described as "young and arrogant, lacking manners, difficult to deal with, and prone to making mistakes." Lin Weiping seemed to see her own former arrogance reflected in his face, and she secretly became wary, reminding herself not to appear shallow again and be looked down upon. However, she didn't hold back in praising him: "Wow, such a detailed report! Engineer Wang, back then, it was a project the boss made on a whim. We only hastily put together a report to appease them when it came time to approve the foreign investment registration. If Manager Liao had considered things as thoroughly, Engineer Wang could have avoided so many arguments with the boss." Since she hadn't looked at it yet, she was at least conscientious enough not to call it meticulous, leaving room for ambiguity.

Fortunately, Shang Kun was a sensible person. He smiled and gently scolded, "Xiao Liao, how can we hog Miss Lin's meal? Come on, let's eat and chat."

Upon hearing this, Lin Weiping happily pushed aside the report and first filled his rumbling stomach. Since no one drank alcohol, the dinner ended quickly and was somewhat dull, a common occurrence when socializing with unfamiliar people without alcohol.

After the meal, out of consideration for Lin Weiping, they decided not to change locations. Shang Kun ordered four cups of good tea to be brewed, and then they officially got down to business.

Lin Weiping only flipped through a few pages before realizing the report was all show and no substance, a mere collection of technical jargon. While detailed after removing the fluff, the content was highly impractical, clearly the work of an amateur. However, to save face for Liao Huizheng, she forced herself to pretend to read on carefully, while internally struggling with whether to speak the truth and point out the problems directly, or to play along and give a perfunctory answer. Only after turning the last page did she make her decision, respectfully handing the report back to Liao Huizheng with both hands and asking, "Manager Liao, are you a project management major? It's a very well-written report."

Liao Hui said modestly but with a hint of pride, "Thank you for your kind words, Miss Lin. I am an engineering student and I am currently pursuing an M degree."

"Ah, so it's because of the combination of practice and theory." Lin Weiping smiled and turned to Shang Kun, saying, "Manager Liao's ability to understand the SWS project, which was previously unfamiliar, so much, and to write such a beautiful and detailed report, is truly remarkable. He considered almost everything that needed to be taken into account, even the details of the future staff accommodations. It's truly impressive." She then had a change of heart and didn't say that Liao Huizheng had a thorough understanding, a brilliantly written report, or comprehensive considerations. She thought that Shang Kun's hard work and achievements couldn't be due to luck; he was, after all, a shrewd old fox, and he should understand the implication in her words. This matter should be left unresolved; there was no need to damage the relationship over someone unfamiliar like Shang Kun. Things change, and who knows when they might run into Liao Huizheng again? Her mother's advice was crucial. She believed that given Liao Huizheng's experience and somewhat overconfidence, he would only understand the literal meaning of her words, and he was probably still pleased that someone was praising him in front of his boss.

Wang Gong didn't catch the hidden meaning in her words and asked with some doubt, "Xiao Lin, you really don't have any objections?"

Faced with Engineer Wang's question, Lin Weiping was embarrassed and didn't know how to answer. Shang Kun smoothed things over, saying, "Xiao Liao has been with me for the past six months, visiting so many factories. He should be considered a semi-expert by now. After all, he studied engineering, so he understands things more easily and knows more details than I do. How about this, it's getting late, and everyone has worked hard all day. I'll take Engineer Wang home first, and Xiao Liao can take Miss Lin home. But I would also appreciate it if Miss Lin could take some time to consider this project again and give me some valuable advice."

Lin Weiping vaguely saw Shang Kun's eyes flicker when he said the word "details," but she couldn't tell from his words whether he really understood her meaning. After thinking about it, she decided not to say anything more, said goodbye to everyone at the door, and drove home.

three

Back home, after washing away her fatigue, Lin Weiping leaned against the bed, watching TV and lost in thought. The dinner party had nothing to do with her, so she didn't dwell on it. Her only concern was why the second wife, who had just visited at the end of last month, was here again; she didn't seem like a very career-driven person.

Thinking about facing the second wife, Lin Weiping couldn't help but take three deep breaths to calm himself. Years ago, the boss ventured into Southeast Asia, marrying a local woman to obtain citizenship. They had three mixed-race children: two sons and a daughter. Unexpectedly, after settling down, his business flourished, making him a leader in the country's industry. At this time, he felt inadequate towards his wife, who had a different cultural background, and developed a series of Chinese girlfriends outside the marriage. Meanwhile, the second wife was a cunning bar hostess who schemed to make a name for herself, giving birth to a son of pure Chinese descent for the boss. The boss was overjoyed and overcame all obstacles to bring her into his home as his second wife. Although she later moved out, the boss always brought her to overseas Chinese gatherings, and because of his son, he spent much more time at her house. Therefore, her presence seemed to surpass that of the first wife.

The second wife shared all the traits of a concubine, constantly creating a disturbance to assert her importance. Most of these disturbances fell into the category of unreasonable demands, often making life difficult for her subordinates. The general manager, a second-generation overseas Chinese, didn't speak Chinese, so everyone's grievances were directed to Lin Weiping, leaving her to both appease her staff and endure the second wife's tantrums—a situation she was caught in the middle. Therefore, the mere thought of the second wife's arrival gave her a headache. And this time, it wasn't just a headache; the second wife hadn't come with the boss but alone, and instead of flying directly, she had detoured to her parents' home. There must be a hidden reason behind this. But she racked her brains but couldn't figure out what it was.

Just as she was going through a lot of twists and turns, a phone call came to her cell phone. She looked at the unfamiliar number and realized it was Shang Kun's cell phone when she answered. She thought to herself, "What a person! What a person!" Without hesitation, she agreed to go out immediately to the place he specified so that they could talk in detail.

Talking to intelligent people is a very pleasant experience. Often, you say one sentence and the other person already understands the whole meaning; a single glance is enough for them to grasp the message. Shang Kun is such a person. Although he appears authoritative without being angry, Lin Weiping has seen many people like him. Since there's no conflict of interest, she can muster her courage and get through to him. Moreover, she sees in Shang Kun the realization of her long-conceived plan. Tonight, she must persuade Shang Kun to consider her plan, which has already been rejected by both the boss and the general manager.

Shang Kun was slightly disappointed to see Lin Weiping looking so relaxed in a cotton T-shirt and jeans after changing out of her smart business attire, and even had some doubts about her abilities. However, he still handed her the feasibility report and said sincerely, "I'm very sorry to have asked Ms. Lin out so late, but I think it's necessary for you to tell me what I couldn't say earlier. After all, this is an investment where I'm putting a lot of money into it, and I really hope you'll offer your guidance."

"Mr. Shang, you're too kind. Since it was Engineer Wang's request, I will naturally answer all your questions." She took the report from Shang Kun and placed it on the side of the table without even glancing at it. "What do you think of this report, Mr. Shang?"

Shang Kun was taken aback by her attitude towards the report, realizing even more clearly that it was beneath her notice. He had previously approved of Liao Huizheng's report, only seeking broader input because it was a new industry and he was unsure of its feasibility. Lin Weiping's complete rejection made him uneasy: was their original plan truly so worthless, or was this young woman simply arrogant and overconfident? Therefore, he carefully chose his words, saying, "As you said before, it's a very detailed report." This answer seemed to value Lin Weiping's opinion, but he left the judgment of whether he approved or rejected the report entirely to her.

Lin Weiping cursed under his breath, calling him an "old fox," but didn't argue. He put on a serious face and said, "Let's put this report aside for now and first determine the positioning of your company's future products. From what I've seen in this report, your future company is basically a copy of ours. That is, the products will still follow the route of large-volume, low-value-added, and highly regionalized production. Although our sales are currently very strong, as far as I know, another factory of similar size in this province is going to start production next month, which will inevitably take away some customers. By the time your company is up and running, even if you start construction now, it will probably be able to produce products early next year. What will you use to steal their established customers? The only way is a low-level price war. I can say without hesitation that you can't beat our company in a price war; we have stronger backing."

After hearing her words, Shang Kun immediately looked at Lin Weiping with new respect. Yes, she had hit the nail on the head; he had indeed been eyeing SWS after seeing their company's impressive performance. Now, after her analysis, looking back at the "Feasibility Report," it was like a digression, utterly devoid of merit. Even the detailed aspects were somewhat ridiculously verbose.

Seeing him hesitate, Lin Weiping was a little confused. She wondered if she had spoken without any tact or consideration, just as her mother had said. She wondered how he could handle such a cold shower on his enthusiasm. She quickly said, "I hope Mr. Shang won't mind my bluntness. I'm sorry."

Shang Kun was honestly a little embarrassed just now. His plan, which he had been working on enthusiastically for over half a year and was almost ready to be completed, had been rejected outright by a young girl. He had also been immediately reminded of his own incompetence, and his six months of hard work seemed to have gone down the drain. He was momentarily stunned. Hearing Lin Weiping's apology, he snapped out of his daze, discreetly pulled out a cigarette (he really needed a cigarette to stay alert), lit it, took a deep drag, and said, "Heh, it seems this plan has no future, but still..."

Lin Weiping quickly interrupted him, saying, "Why can't it be done? Today I saw Engineer Wang with you, and I originally thought you would fully explore the infinite value of this treasure. I even thought that finding Engineer Wang was already the first step towards success. Engineer Wang can be said to be the most outstanding expert in this industry nationwide. With his technical support, you can produce high-value-added products with just a few modifications to the machines. Currently, our products only cover simple construction and public utilities, which is simply a waste of SWS's huge investment. Just now, while we were eating, Mao Mao did some calculations for you on her own. As long as we are careful with our spending, we can completely upgrade the equipment with the same amount of investment. Look..." She took the "Feasibility Report," flipped to the equipment list, and took out a pen to explain while drawing: "It's very simple, it requires..." The part that needs updating is a key component of the machine head—the welding machine. We recommend replacing it with a top-of-the-line American-made model. This change won't affect the original design parameters; we can still use the design you've already delivered. Add in-line non-destructive testing and a separate hydrostatic testing machine. This will indeed increase investment. However, we can separate the conveyor belts at the back of the production line from the machine head manufacturer. This kind of low-tech component shouldn't be manufactured by such a high-end factory, saving a lot of money. Furthermore, we can change the overkill configuration of the overhead cranes. We'll keep the 20-ton load capacity crane for the first span, but the other three don't need to be that heavy; we can replace them all with 3-ton cranes. This will be a significant expense, and replacing them with 3-ton cranes will also save on workshop beam and column piling, which is another expense. Not to mention the future savings in operating costs. And…

For Lin Weiping, everything was because he had carefully considered and planned ahead to persuade the boss and CEO, so he could readily provide specifications, brand names, and pricing information, appearing completely adept at it. However, after a series of revisions, the originally beautiful copy was utterly altered beyond recognition.

Shang Kun listened with utter admiration. Although he knew there was an element of professional expertise involved, the fact that such a young woman possessed such a profound understanding of the male-dominated metal processing industry, her precise cost analysis, and her clear and logical thinking, was truly astounding. Even after years in the business world, the more he listened, the more convinced he became of her reasoning. Stealing a moment from his busy schedule, he glanced at Lin Weiping. Her fresh, natural face radiated confidence, her bright, spirited eyes sparkled, and her deep voice held a passionate undertone. To Shang Kun, who considered Ah Chun from "A Native of Beijing in New York" his ideal partner, Lin Weiping's independent wisdom and relative youth made her appear even more beautiful than Xi Shi (a legendary beauty in Chinese mythology).

Lin Weiping, unaware of the situation, launched into a long explanation of her insights, succinctly noting key points on the report. She trusted that Shang Kun would discuss this with Engineer Wang, so she only needed to touch upon the points; Engineer Wang would surely understand the underlying meaning. Finally, she concluded, "Alright, with this revision, coupled with the process Engineer Wang will develop in the future, your products can penetrate the petrochemical industry. Currently, there are no similar products domestically, and import prices are outrageously high. I'll just say 'Congratulations on your fortune' upfront. Oh, and by the way, the current products are truly a perfect match for your current customer base. From now on, you can have one sales team promoting two different product lines. Haha, ready-made customers, no need to develop new ones!"

Looking at Lin Weiping's radiant face, Shang Kun couldn't help but blurt out something like, "I'll listen to you." Fortunately, his nearly forty years of cultivation hadn't been in vain; his composure kicked in at the crucial moment, forcing him to swallow the words that were about to escape his lips. Instead, he spoke carefully, politely, and calmly: "Miss Lin, you've enlightened me. However, tonight's turn was too abrupt; allow me a few more days to consider it. And if I may be so bold as to ask Miss Lin, what do you think the probability of your idea being feasible?"

Lin Weiping said confidently, "The timing is right. The overall development environment across the country is good right now, as you know better than I do. As for the location, judging from the factory site you chose, it's the best location in this industry. And with Engineer Wang, you should have no problem with the people." In Lin Weiping's mind, Liao Hui was unqualified, but there was no need to say it out loud. He figured Shang Kun knew that too.

However, Shang Kun interpreted "human factors" in a different way, mistakenly believing that Lin Weiping's self-recommendation was tactful and his methods were not without ruthlessness. So he laughed and said, "Besides Engineer Wang, if I invite you to take charge of the overall situation, wouldn't that mean I have all the advantages of timing, location, people, and myself?"

Lin Weiping was taken aback upon hearing this. She disliked that he had misunderstood her meaning and felt that Shang Kun's words were slightly sarcastic. She then deliberately distanced herself and said, "I hadn't considered that. However, President Shang has many capable people under his command. Finding a few management talents to work with Engineer Wang should not be a problem."

Shang Kun only realized why he couldn't ask the expert Lin Weiping in front of him after he had spoken. Although he sensed her displeasure, he didn't want to explain, so he simply went along with it and said, "If I were to take out real money from the funds I've earned over the past few years, I would have to pay a lot of taxes. So, investing in a new company to transfer these funds is my top priority. I suggest that Miss Lin consider it."

Lin Weiping thought to himself: It's still far from certain. But since he said that, he was giving her face, so he quickly and sincerely thanked him.

When the conversation ended, the hotel lobby lights were half-off. Looking at his watch, the hour hand pointed to two in the morning. Lin Weiping cried out in despair, "Oh no! I won't have the energy to deal with the second wife tomorrow!"

Four

The second wife's plane arrived at a rather unfortunate time, around 6 PM, right at dinnertime. This put everyone in a bind – eating beforehand was awkward, and not eating at all was equally awkward. After a flurry of activity, it would take until after 8 PM for the second wife to get ready. "Just as unfortunate as she is," was Lin Weiping's inner thought.

Accompanying the second wife was a man in his thirties who appeared to be a white-collar worker. Lin Weiping was certain that the man who claimed to be surnamed Mao was definitely not the second wife's boyfriend; she wouldn't dare to. He was probably one of her more prominent relatives. So, what was he doing there?

When the second wife entered the restaurant, she made an exception and allowed Lin Weiping and the boss, John Chen, not to dine with her, which made Lin Weiping's shoulders suddenly relax.

While having dinner with Mr. Chen, I noticed his somber expression and couldn't help but ask him, "Mr. Chen, what kind of act do you think the second wife will put on this time?"

John shook his head, thought for a moment, then shook his head again, and said, "I don't know either, but as far as I know, the boss has been coming and going from the hospital very frequently in the past two weeks. The second wife's visit is probably related to this matter." John was quite senior and had been by the boss's side since he saw the second wife enter the house, so he referred to her as "the second wife" whenever she was present, which showed his disdain for her.

Lin Weiping was handpicked by John and entrusted with the management of all departments except production; he was practically the most trusted of John's inner circle. Therefore, we can speak freely. "Given the current situation where the second wife and the boss have kept their youngest son here, the company should eventually belong to the young boss. However, without a will, nothing is certain. So, it's possible the second wife is trying to take advantage of the chaos to remove two obstacles—you and me—and install her confidants to create a fait accompli. This would give her a better chance when she goes back to fight with the old man's other children for this lucrative opportunity. What do you think, Mr. Chen?"

John said, "That's very likely. The second daughter has to rely on her precious son to get anything she wants. But the young boss is childish; she's physically present at the company but not mentally. She knows that. The person she brought this time is probably a relative from her family. Judging from his appearance, he seems to be worldly. I'm not afraid. My salary is paid by the head office anyway. At worst, I can go back. She can't do anything to me then. I'm worried about you."

Lin Weiping had lost his appetite and said with a wry smile, "Second Madam has always disliked me. First, she was afraid I would seduce the boss, then she was afraid I would corrupt the younger ones. This time, she seems to have come prepared, and she definitely won't give me a good time. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let us leave so quickly today. She must be afraid of giving herself away and wanted to make me suspicious so she would do something shady first. Now I actually hope that you, President Chen, fire me, so I can still get some compensation. Otherwise, I'm afraid that when I get to the company tomorrow, you will also be sidelined."

John chuckled wryly, "I'm practically sidelined now. Looks like I'll have to worry about the cost of my plane ticket home."

Of course, that's what they say, but Lin Weiping has always been a man of action, not someone who sits and waits for death.

In the morning, knowing what the second wife was thinking anyway, I didn't bother pretending to be kind and going to the hotel to pick her up to go to the factory. The young boss was there too. After a busy night, I was exhausted, so I decided to sleep a little longer to have enough energy for the challenges ahead.

As expected, when Lin Weiping arrived at the company around nine o'clock in the morning, she found that the office door had been sealed off. Lin Weiping was led to the company conference room by a trembling clerk. Inside, the second wife, the young boss, and that relative surnamed Mao were already waiting for her with dark faces. John Chen, with a gloomy expression, was also there.

The second wife immediately berated her as she entered, "Is this company policy? Huh? When did it become a rule that you can be more than an hour late? Is this how you manage a factory?"

Lin Weiping glanced at her, ignored her, and sat down on his own. The second wife was enraged by Lin Weiping's blatant contempt. She stiffened her neck, about to say something, when the relative surnamed Mao pressed her down. He spoke in a chillingly gentle tone: "Alright, both parties are here. Let's resolve this matter first. Please take a close look at this photocopy and try to recall exactly where the problem lies."

John took the two pieces of paper and looked at them. They were a letter and a photocopy of an invoice. Because the invoice had been photocopied, faxed, and then photocopied again, the handwriting was very unclear. It roughly appeared to be a shopping invoice for 20,000 yuan, handled by Lin Weiping, and reviewed by John. The letter stated that the 20,000 yuan invoice from five years ago, equivalent to one hundred quilts, had not actually been put into inventory. It implied that Lin Weiping, in collusion with John Chen, used invoices obtained from unknown sources to embezzle company funds. Clearly, this was an anonymous tip-off, but Lin Weiping recognized the handwriting immediately as that of Xiao Chen, the cashier she had personally trained. She was filled with rage. The second wife's actions against her were not without reason, and Xiao Chen's actions were utterly ungrateful; he was a complete ingrate.

She examined the two pieces of paper carefully for a long time but still couldn't figure out what they meant. The seriousness of the matter sent a chill down her spine, but she couldn't show it; she couldn't afford to appear weak and give others a good show. She estimated that if she couldn't remember what happened five years ago, the second wife could easily take her to criminal court on charges of embezzlement. But she thought that she was upright and honest, and had no leverage for anyone to use against her. Besides, she didn't need to resort to such tricks to embezzle a mere 20,000 yuan; she had plenty of ways to extract money from the company. As the saying goes, "A clear conscience fears no accusation," she believed there must be some clues to help her recall. Her immediate priority was to extract the original documents from them to aid her memory. After asking John if he remembered the incident and receiving a negative answer, she threw the two pieces of paper on the table and sneered, "With today's advanced technology, producing a copy of this invoice is a piece of cake. Mr. Mao, what are you trying to say by bringing this up? Please be frank."

The relative surnamed Mao laughed with a cat-and-mouse-like mirth, about to speak, when the second wife sneered first, "Fine, you won't shed tears until you see the coffin. You think we're still scaring you? You two open your dog eyes and see what this is, a pack of vicious dogs! The boss trusted you and entrusted the factory to you, and you just embezzled his money like this? Huh?" The second wife usually tried to sound delicate and charming, but when she got angry, she immediately revealed her true colors.

John was so angry with the second wife that his face turned purple, and he seemed on the verge of a high blood pressure attack. Lin Weiping was also trembling with anger; it was the first time in her life she had been so openly and verbally abused. She couldn't figure out what had happened, but she knew that if she talked back, she would anger the second wife, and she was capable of anything, even having them arrested. She was never one to stay quiet.

Lin Weiping had no choice but to carefully examine the original invoice amidst the second wife's grumbling, suppressing her emotions to avoid being disturbed by the shouting. When she finally recognized which company's stamp on the slightly blurred invoice belonged to, a sudden inspiration struck her. She closed the invoice, not even looking at them, but let out a long sigh and said to John, "President Chen, do you remember? Five years ago, we were still in the infrastructure construction phase, and we didn't have any slush fund to use. The money we gave out as gift certificates to various companies during the New Year couldn't be recorded as 'purchase of gift certificates,' so we asked that store to issue us an invoice for one hundred quilts."

John slammed his hand on the table, then exclaimed "Oh!" in realization. "I remember now, I remember now. You're young and have a good memory, after all. To be on the safe side, we had each department collect coupons and have the people in the relevant departments sign them and seal them in a brown paper bag. Second Madam, you can open the seal on my office and go in to check."

Now that things have come to this, whether they investigate or not, there's only one answer. For the second wife, this time, all her painstaking efforts to instigate internal strife among the company's core members, her grand-scale trip to China to make a series of moves, and all the fanfare, have ultimately yielded nothing. She's a little unsure of what to do next. Her original plan was to use this hard-won, seemingly irrefutable illegal act to deflate the arrogance of both sides within the company, ultimately achieving her goal of removing the two individuals from the company. But now, it seems that plan has failed. The second wife and her relative surnamed Mao began to discuss the matter in hushed, rapid voices in their hometown dialect.

Seeing their awkwardness, Lin Weiping felt no joy of victory, only the pain of being insulted and unable to retaliate. She still needed to interact with them, getting them to follow her lead and fulfill the plan she had considered all night. Exacerbating the conflict would only push both sides to extremes, offering no real benefit to the problem. Another major source of pain was that Xiao Chen had actually written such an anonymous letter. Xiao Chen had been unemployed after graduating from vocational school, and Lin Weiping had personally recruited her, nurturing her to her current important position as cashier. If it weren't for the clear handwriting on the paper identifying her as Xiao Chen, she could suspect anyone else but Xiao Chen. And damn it, even now, Lin Weiping couldn't help but wonder what threats and inducements Xiao Chen had used to betray her—she was hopelessly naive. She put away the original and a copy of the anonymous letter on the table. These things were useless to the Second Madam; her focus wasn't on these pieces of paper anymore, so she let Lin Weiping take them without comment.

Carrying the few sheets of paper into the finance department office like a dirty rag, Lin Weiping saw incredibly complex looks from everyone. Was there schadenfreude among them? Lin Weiping was certain there was, but she no longer cared to investigate. Even Xiao Chen, whom she had once trusted most, had betrayed her; a few expressions of schadenfreude were already quite polite. Lin Weiping couldn't help but lament how unsuccessful she had been in judging people.

She walked expressionlessly to Xiao Chen's side, noticing Xiao Chen's still-rosy, adorable apple-shaped face after marriage, her eyes now pale, and her usually timid eyes filled with fear. Lin Weiping suddenly felt a sense of unfairness in her victory. She sighed inwardly, tossed the photocopy to Xiao Chen, stared at her for a few seconds, and walked out of the finance department without a word. Yes, what was there to say? She could only blame herself for being blind to talent.

Back at the conference room door, she found it tightly shut. John must still be inside. What role would he play next? Lin Weiping suddenly realized that the human heart is the most fragile thing. She didn't want to think too deeply about what John might be doing inside, because he trusted her so much, nurtured her, and valued her so highly; she felt a deep sense of gratitude towards him. If she were in his situation, she didn't know what choice she would make. Okay, then she'd stop thinking about it and go outside for some fresh air.

As she opened the car door and was about to start the engine, the security guard, with an awkward forced smile, ran over to announce the order: the second wife forbade her from using company vehicles anymore. She immediately felt a surge of anger, but just then her phone rang incessantly. Without even looking at the number, she curtly said "Hello?" The person on the other end was clearly startled by her attitude, and after a moment of hesitation, asked, "Is this Miss Lin?"

"Yes, what is it?" Lin Weiping suppressed his anger and tried to keep his tone calm.

"I am Shang Kun." The voice on the other end paused slightly before continuing, "I discussed this with Mr. Wang yesterday, and the conclusion is that your idea is feasible. However, I think a good plan needs a good driving force to implement it. If you have time, we can talk about the next step of cooperation."

Lin Weiping glanced at the security guard who was still standing dumbfounded by the car door, thinking that since they had already crossed the line, there was no need to hide anything. So, in front of the security guard, she said, "Okay, but I think President Shang must have already weighed things up. I hope you can give me a price so I have a better idea of what to expect." Her heart was surging with emotions. She knew her tone was harsh, but she had already done her best. She couldn't be even slightly more tactful.

Shang Kun seemed to really need her, so he said without hesitation, "Salary plus 10% equity, how about that?"

"No, I don't accept shares without investment." The security guard finally retreated under her piercing gaze; clearly, her authority remained. "My condition is a 15% stake. Please consider it, Mr. Shang." In her heart, she screamed: No, I'll never again be a worker manipulated at will! No, no, no! This is a do-or-die situation; even if I lose this opportunity, it's worth it.

The conditions were quite demanding, forcing Shangkun to consider them, so the two arranged to have lunch together. It seems Shangkun is a very decisive person; strangely, it seems successful bosses all have this trait.

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