"I'll talk... I'll tell you everything..." Niu Gang completely broke down, his face drenched with tears and snot: "Stop torturing me... I'll tell you everything I know...Please, no more torture..."
Gao Fei prodded Niu Gang's chest a few times with his finger, then Niu Gang stopped his shouting and rolling on the ground. The pain that had tormented him vanished instantly—such a miraculous technique!
"So, what actually happened?" Gao Fei asked icily.
"It was... it was Miao Kui who had me set you up..." Niu Gang gritted his teeth and spilled all he knew.
"Miao Kui?" Gao Fei was taken aback. "How did he get involved?"
"It's like this... Yesterday, Miao Kui found me on the sly and wanted me to help frame you. I hesitated only briefly before I agreed," Niu Gang said shivering: "You took the position Miao Kui wanted, and he held a grudge against you. So he colluded with the finance department's Chief Liu and me to set a trap for you." After saying this, Niu Gang added, "Chief Liu and Miao Kui were college classmates, and their relationship was very close."
So that was it!
This Miao Kui was truly despicable!
Gao Fei looked at Niu Gang with a cold gaze: "Niu Gang, I don't recall ever offending you. Why would you collude with Miao Kui against me?"
"Do you want to hear the truth?"
"Of course!"
"Then I'll tell you! There were mainly two reasons I agreed to Miao Kui. First, Miao Kui promised me some benefits, and second... I am jealous of you, insanely jealous, so much that I can't sleep at night. Watching you fail gave me a lot of pleasure."
"Jealous of me?" Gao Fei was stunned. He hadn't expected such an admission from Niu Gang: "Is it because of Miss Su?"
"Yes," Niu Gang nodded vigorously: "What gives you, an outsider, the right to be favored by Miss Su! Why! I can't accept it, I just can't! I had the upper hand before you came along because I was stronger, I'm a local, I have a house and savings! Much better than you! But... you just had to be favored by Miss Su, becoming the head of the Security Department just like that, and suddenly I was dwarfed in your presence... Every time I saw you laughing and talking with Miss Su, I would get so angry!!!"
Gao Fei didn't know what to say, looking at Niu Gang with mixed feelings: "Because of jealousy, you helped others frame me! You... you really are something! The ancients said: 'Jealousy can make one lose their reason and act impulsively!' I didn't believe it before, but now... now I do."
"I know it's wrong to be jealous of you, and even worse to frame you, but I just couldn't control myself, really! I just couldn't control it!" Niu Gang said dejectedly, shaking his head: "I just can't control it."
Gao Fei was silent for a while, then asked, "Come with me to the company tomorrow, and confront Miao Kui and Chief Liu in person."
"No need to bother." Niu Gang pulled out a cellphone from his pocket: "When Miao Kui and I were scheming, I secretly recorded it. With this recording, he won't be able to deny it." As he spoke, Niu Gang pressed the play button and the voices of two men came from the phone, one was Miao Kui, and the other was Niu Gang.
"Tomorrow, go find Gao Fei and tell him you've accidentally offended Chief Liu and ask Gao Fei to plead with Chief Liu on your behalf... I'll arrange for Chief Liu to leave early, as soon as Gao Fei enters Chief Liu's office, he's done for," Miao Kui said.
"Can this really work...?" Niu Gang asked.
"Trust me, it's foolproof! I'll reward you handsomely once it's done," Miao Kui said.
"...Okay then, I'll do as you say."
The recording ended there.
Gao Fei looked at Niu Gang with a wry smile: "You even made a recording... you really are something." With this recording, Gao Fei could clear his name.
"I was afraid Miao Kui would cross me later, so I made sure to cover my back," Niu Gang said with a wry smile: "I didn't expect it would end up helping you." He hesitated before adding, "Gao Fei, can I ask you for a favor?"
"What is it?" Gao Fei asked.
"Could you maybe plead with Miss Su for me, ask her not to fire me? I really need this job." Niu Gang looked at Gao Fei with a pleading face, the reason why he so readily produced the recording was exactly for this request.
Gao Fei sighed softly: "If only you knew this earlier, why did you do it in the first place?" Gao Fei picked up the cellphone and walked away without looking back.
...
The next morning.
Su Xiaorou called Chief Liu and Miao Kui over, then played the recording Gao Fei had given her.
After hearing the recording, Chief Liu and Miao Kui were scared stiff...
How could things have turned out like this? That Niu Gang is such a bastard! He even secretly recorded audio! It's over, completely over!
Originally, Minister Liu and Miao Kui were secretly discussing to make a big fuss, forcing Gao Fei to feel too ashamed to stay in the company, but before they could take action, Su Xiaorou had already found the evidence... What they found most unbearable was... that this evidence came from their "accomplice".
"Do you have anything to say?" Su Xiaorou's face was terribly gloomy.
"I'm sorry, President Su, I was wrong," Minister Liu said with shame, not daring to look at Su Xiaorou.
"President Su, we were also momentarily blinded by greed and committed this despicable act. Now we realize our mistake. Please give us a chance to mend our ways," Miao Kui pleaded hopelessly, continuously begging for mercy, hoping that Su Xiaorou would let him off.
"You really have some nerve," Su Xiaorou snorted coldly, "Conspiring to frame a colleague! And you even thought about embezzling company assets! It's simply too heinous! I could call the police right now, and have you sent to jail!"
"No, no, no, I can't go to jail. I have elderly parents and young children to support; they all depend on me. If I go to jail, they won't be able to survive," Miao Kui said, his face turning pale with fear as he continually pleaded for mercy, "President Su, you are a generous person, please spare me this time. I'm begging you."
"Yes, President Su, please forgive me this one time. I won't dare to do it again," Minister Liu also joined in the begging, truly terrified in that moment.
"Regretting it now? What were you doing earlier!" Su Xiaorou said furiously, "I was blind to have hired you two despicable people! I really wish I could just slap you both dead."
"President Su, we know our mistake, we truly do. Please, just this once, let us off," Minister Liu and Miao Kui implored with tears streaming down their faces.
After cursing them out for a while, Su Xiaorou's anger abated slightly, "Considering the years you've worked at the company, I won't call the police this time." Hearing that Su Xiaorou was not planning to call the police, Liu and Miao Kui breathed a sigh of relief, but her next words sent them straight to hell, "Though you may escape death, you can't escape punishment! From now on, you two are dismissed. Go settle your salaries now."
What?
The two of them were dumbfounded—dismissed?
"President Su..." Minister Liu and Miao Kui were about to plead when Su Xiaorou cut them off.
"Leave quickly before I change my mind!" Su Xiaorou said coldly, "Otherwise, I will call the police."
Seeing Su Xiaorou was serious, Minister Liu and Miao Kui lost their nerve and dejectedly left the office.
After Liu and Miao Kui left, Su Xiaorou picked up the phone and called Gao Fei, "The matter has been resolved. Minister Liu and Miao Kui have been dismissed. As for Niu Gang... considering your face, I will give him a chance to reform. However, he can't stay at the headquarters. I plan to transfer him to work at a branch."
"Okay, do as you see fit. I have no objections," Gao Fei nodded.
"Be more careful in the future not to be framed again... Well, that's it. I have some documents I need to sign off on, so I won't chat any longer." With that, Su Xiaorou hung up the phone and picked up her pen to begin signing off on documents.
And just like that, the storm dissipated.
Ever since he had been tricked, Gao Fei had become more vigilant, staying in his office nearly every day. Even if there was an emergency that required him to go to other departments, he would find someone to accompany him. In short, he was now very careful and cautious in his actions.
Su Xiaorou would still invite Gao Fei out for meals every now and then, and one time, she even took Gao Fei to an amusement park, spending the whole afternoon there and playing almost every attraction.
At some point, Gao Fei realized Su Xiaorou's looks at him were somewhat off, as if... as if they were the looks of a lover... But Gao Fei quickly dismissed the thought. He knew his place; he was just a poor nobody, and Su Xiaorou should not have any reason to be interested in him. It had to be a misunderstanding.
After spending so much time together, Gao Fei did have some feelings for Su Xiaorou, maybe even a little liking, but he always restrained himself, not allowing himself to fall too deeply, because he and Su Xiaorou were from two different worlds, and it seemed unlikely they would end up together.
The comfortable days had just passed for a few when trouble came knocking at his door.
That afternoon, a man driving a luxury sports car arrived looking for Gao Fei, his demeanor quite arrogant, "Are you Gao Fei? The head of the Security Department?"
Gao Fei nodded, "I am Gao Fei! And you are?"
"Listen up and listen well, my name is Dongfang Jian, and I'm Su Xiaorou's boyfriend," the man declared haughtily.
"You're President Su's boyfriend?" Gao Fei was startled.
"That's right!" Dongfang Jian confirmed with a forceful nod.
"What do you want with me?" Gao Fei inquired.
"I've heard that you've been pestering Xiaorou lately, and I came especially to give you a warning!" As Dongfang Jian said this, his tone turned even colder, "Starting today, stay away from Xiaorou. If you dare to bother her again, hmph... then don't blame me for not being polite!"