"What exactly is going on?"
The man holding his phone was furious. He couldn't fathom how something that had been smooth sailing for years had suddenly gone wrong.
Not only had his planted people been caught, but his past misdeeds during his tenure had also been traced back and exposed.
Now, not only did he have to settle the previous accounts, but he also had to disgorge everything he had taken in!
How could he be willing to accept this!
"Director Lian, we don't know what happened either. We suddenly received an anonymous email, and we can't even find anyone to investigate it!" the person on the other end of the phone sounded more anxious: "We also found that our work computers were infected with a virus. If the money isn't repaid promptly, the virus will be triggered, and these pieces of evidence will all be sent to President Xia."
"We've managed to return the money, but the issue of project breach of contract..."
The person's tone became increasingly conflicted.
That matter was entirely orchestrated by Director Lian. They were merely following orders and profiting from it.
Now that the matter was exposed earlier than expected, they were caught completely off guard!
They couldn't even run away now because their personal information was blocked until the money was repaid. They couldn't buy tickets, let alone book a hotel room with a lover.
They truly didn't know who this master was, to be so ruthless!
"The priority is to find out who is targeting us. From what I see now, it shouldn't be Xia Honglang's people." Director Lian knew Xia Honglang best.
Xia Honglang was a person who valued openness and integrity, and would never resort to such underhanded tactics for intimidation.
"Then... the project issue..." the other party was clearly more worried about this matter: "I heard that people from the Gu Corporation have come to inquire about the project. Director Lian, what do you think about this..."
After all, the project back then had created a huge mess. The breach of contract alone cost tens of millions, and the victim's family was constantly threatening to commit suicide, which was very annoying.
They had used some illegal means to silence the other party.
"Gu Corporation?" Director Lian knew what these people were thinking. He frowned and said, "No one has approached me yet, you..."
Before Director Lian could finish speaking, he heard a knock on the door. His wife peeked in and said, "Old Lian, we have a guest."
"Hmm?" Director Lian was somewhat surprised. He casually brushed off the person on the phone, hung up, and then walked out of the study to the living room to see the visitor.
"Qingtian, why are you visiting me today?" Director Lian said with a chuckle as he walked down from upstairs. "You haven't been arguing with your stepmother and sister again, have you?"
Director Lian and Xia Honglang had known each other for decades, and their families were very familiar. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he watched Xia Qingtian grow up.
"Uncle Lian." Xia Qingtian looked at Director Lian with a smile.
If it were her previous life, she would never have believed that Director Lian would be the one colluding with Song Junhan to harm her father.
However, having witnessed the ruthlessness of Song Junhan and the slyness of Mo Jianing, Xia Qingtian was no longer surprised.
Humans, once their interests are touched, would want to grow fangs and claws, transform into monsters, and devour others whole, unwilling to leave even a single bone fragment.
"I've come to discuss the Xia Corporation shares you hold, Uncle Lian." Xia Qingtian was direct.
Upon hearing Xia Qingtian mention the Xia Corporation shares, Director Lian's eyelids twitched, and his mind couldn't quite catch up: "What?"
"Uncle Lian, you're getting on in years, and I've heard your health hasn't been very good lately. Why don't you take the money and travel around, perhaps find a new city to live out your retirement?" Xia Qingtian's tone was calm.
"What do you mean by that?" Director Lian's tone of kindness disappeared.
Xia Qingtian took out a stack of documents from her bag: "Uncle Lian, I believe someone from the company has already spoken to you, right?"
Seeing the stack of documents, Director Lian's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Xia Qingtian in disbelief: "Could it be... you!"
Xia Qingtian neither admitted nor denied it. She simply placed a check for ten million dollars on the table: "Here is ten million, I'll buy your fifteen percent equity."
"Are you kidding me? One percent of Xia Corporation's equity is worth more than ten million!" Director Lian exclaimed in shock.
"Then let me put it another way." Xia Qingtian took out a copy of the "Criminal Law" from her bag and placed it on the table: "In exchange for your fifteen percent equity in Xia Corporation, you can choose this ten million dollar check, or a prison sentence of 10 years or more, or life imprisonment."
Director Lian's breath hitched. He looked at Xia Qingtian, feeling for the first time that this girl, whom he had watched grow up, was now so unfamiliar.
Xia Qingtian didn't rush, just waited quietly.
In the end, it was Director Lian who spoke first: "Xia Honglang truly raised a good daughter! Good!"
"Thank you for the compliment." Xia Qingtian smiled faintly.
"To find the people I planted in Xia Corporation and to uncover so much, you've clearly put in a lot of effort." Director Lian's gaze fell on the thick files, then he sneered and looked back at Xia Qingtian: "But, you're too late to save Xia Corporation. I'm not the only one eyeing this fat piece of meat."
"That's none of your concern, Uncle Lian." Xia Qingtian's smile remained unchanged.
"Heh heh, then I'll see how far you and your father can go!" Director Lian placed his hand on the ten million dollar check: "I'll trade with you!"
"Please trouble Uncle Lian to go to the Xia residence tomorrow and put on a good show in front of my father." Xia Qingtian said as she stood up. "You've acted brotherly affection for so many years, so please put some effort into this final scene."
After saying this, Xia Qingtian turned and left.
"Hahahaha." Director Lian burst into laughter watching Xia Qingtian's retreating figure.
Xia Honglang was a fool who could be easily deceived, but this Xia Qingtian had the demeanor of Yue family's eldest daughter back then.
"Yue Qiyan, you've raised a good daughter!"
But for Xia Qingtian alone to save Xia Corporation, she was still too young!
With this thought, Director Lian returned to his study and dialed a number in his phone's contact list: "Xia Qingtian has taken back my shares, I'm withdrawing from Xia Corporation."
"Xia Qingtian?" Upon hearing the name, the person on the other end sounded somewhat incredulous: "Are you sure it's her? Is there no one behind her?"
"From what I can see now, there shouldn't be." Director Lian paused before continuing, "Right now, yours are the only clean hands in the entire Xia Corporation."
"Don't worry, I know what to do." The person on the other end responded, raised their hand and brushed over a golden lapel pin on their collar: "After this Xia Corporation anniversary celebration, I will also leave safely. Xia Corporation... I'll abandon it for now."
The golden lapel pin gleamed with an elegant luster in the sunlight.