Su Chenghai brought his men to take over the technology company that Lu Yanbei had given them. The entire office floor was quiet, not at all like a place with people.
He approached closer and saw that indeed, there was no one there!
However, the main door was open, allowing free entry and exit.
Su Chenghai suddenly had a bad feeling.
Had Lu Yanbei given him an empty shell of a company? If that were the case, he would absolutely not let it go!
Fortunately, the office furniture, laboratories, and core machinery were still there.
An old security guard, hearing the commotion outside, yawned and climbed out from his booth. "Why are you only arriving now?"
"It's not a holiday today, why aren't they here for work?" Su Chenghai, with a stern face, barked in the tone of a boss.
The old security guard looked at him as if he were an idiot. "The company was given to you by President Lu, did he also mention that the employees were included as a gift? Besides, that would be a violation of labor laws! How can you force employees to stay or go!"
The old security guard shook his head, thinking this person was truly foolish.
He walked out in his slippers, making a 'ba ta ba ta' sound, when Su Chenghai suddenly called out to him from behind, "Where have all those employees gone?"
"I don't know. The archive room has their hiring records from back then. President Su can call them one by one." The old security guard picked his ear and quickly disappeared out the door.
Su Chenghai looked at the empty office, his teeth aching with anger.
He had been tricked by Lu Yanbei!
Clearly, Lu Yanbei had paid too high a price for Su He's freedom. A company with such high annual profits, just to give it up.
How was Su Chenghai to know that Lu Yanbei had already arranged for the company's employees before the plan even began? It was just a move from one office building to another, not a waste at all.
Instead, Su Chenghai, eager to gain benefits, had walked right into his trap without much thought. Now, the absence of company employees was the biggest problem.
Su Chenghai's secretary offered, "Why don't we transfer some employees from another company to help? Perhaps employees from those core departments, who might be nostalgic, would be willing to come back?"
Su Chenghai considered it, thinking it made sense. "Then you find a few people to go to the archive room and sort out the employee information. First, contact employees from important departments. For the rest of the support positions, we can just hire a few people then."
"Yes." The secretary bustled off to mobilize the staff.
They wouldn't turn back until they hit a brick wall!
And they were endearingly foolish!
*
Su An'an moved out of the Su family home.
It was her own suggestion.
She was no longer the most pampered princess of the family and could no longer act spoiled in front of her adoptive parents. Instead, she had become a spark for their arguments.
Caught in the middle, Su An'an felt utterly miserable.
Rather than be submissive and subservient in the Su family, it was better to move out and rent a place, where she could be free and comfortable.
When she proposed this idea, Su Chenghai and Qin Ruofang did not object.
Su An'an was sad for a while, but ultimately dragged her suitcase and left.
Yes, it was just one suitcase, containing a few changes of clothes.
Su Chenghai and Qin Ruofang made her return all the jewelry and brand-name bags she had bought from them before. The only things she could take were a few of her cheapest clothes.
They said it was to repay the Qiao family's debt.
Su An'an couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
The amount of money she had lent to the Qiao family was so small, a single necklace could cover it. They were merely misers, unable to bear seeing things fall into the hands of outsiders.
Those who had claimed to treat her like their own daughter not long ago, how could they kick her out of the house so quickly!
Heh, truly heartless!
Fortunately, she had secretly saved some private funds, over a million. Even if life would be a bit tight, it wouldn't be too bad.
Su An'an hailed a taxi and arrived at the hotel where the Qiao family was staying.
Father Qiao and Qiao Wenhong were eagerly waiting.
"Daughter, why are you only arriving now? Are you cold?" Father Qiao was an honest man. Seeing his daughter wearing a skirt in the middle of winter, his brows furrowed deeply. "Why didn't you wear more clothes? Aren't you cold?"
"This is how it's fashionable to wear now." Su An'an pushed her suitcase into the room expressionlessly.
"The Su family really doesn't want you anymore? How could they do this! They raised you for decades!" Father Qiao's question was relatively normal.
When it came to Qiao Wenhong, he completely changed. "When you left, did they give you anything at all?"
Su An'an glared at him impatiently. "Did you come to find me just to ask for money? Did you raise me?"
Her words made Father Qiao feel ashamed and Qiao Wenhong frustrated.
"I'm afraid you'll be taken advantage of!" Qiao Wenhong changed his tune.
"They didn't give me a single cent. They even took back the things they bought me before!" Su An'an would never tell them about her real assets. She was looking for them to use them, not to help the poor.
"They are too much!" Father Qiao stamped his foot in anger, wishing he could rush in front of that couple and fight them. How dare they mistreat his daughter like this! "I'm going to confront them!"
"Go ahead." Su An'an didn't stop him. "Let's see if the security guards will let you in!"
Father Qiao's steps towards the door halted, his expression slightly awkward.
Yes, what was his status? How could he possibly contend with those women.
"That doesn't mean they can bully you for nothing!" A glint flashed in Qiao Wenhong's eyes, as if he had an idea. He was a vagrant in his hometown, never doing anything proper, but skilled at petty theft.
If he couldn't openly go against the Su family, then he would do it secretly.
"How about I help you get your things back?" Qiao Wenhong used a relatively civilized word.
Su An'an knew what he meant. It wasn't to discourage him, but this place wasn't like their small hometown. The security measures here were very advanced. Even if he managed to get into the Su family's place, there was an even bigger problem—the safe.
The Su family locked away valuable items in a safe. Only Su Chenghai knew the password. When Qin Ruofang went out for social events and needed jewelry, she had to wait until Su Chenghai was home, otherwise, she couldn't retrieve it.
"I am very grateful for your intention, but I still advise you not to go. The Su family keeps two large dogs, and their belongings are in a safe. You won't be able to get them."
Qiao Wenhong was taken aback by the amount of rules rich people had.
He had thought they were like people back home, hiding things in cabinets and under beds.
"You should go back in a couple of days," Su An'an stated her intention directly.
"You're kicking us out?" The father and son widened their eyes in unison.
"You also know my current situation. I can't even support myself, let alone afford such a large expense." Su An'an lowered her head, looking self-reproaching. "Besides, I need to find a job, otherwise, I won't even be able to pay rent."
"Can't we live together?" Qiao Wenhong wasn't tired of having fun yet and was reluctant to leave. City B was much more interesting than their small hometown, and he had many places he hadn't been to yet.
Father Qiao echoed, "Yes, you rent a place, it doesn't have to be big. Your brother and I can sleep on the floor. Anyway, there's heating here, so it won't be cold in winter."
Su An'an: ...
"But I plan to share a rental with my college classmates. Two grown men like you... it's not very convenient." Su An'an had said as much as she could, and the Qiao father and son had to obediently shut their mouths.