After leaving the Western restaurant, it had started to rain.
The rain was heavy, carrying the wind and desperately pouncing on people.
Qiao En hadn't brought an umbrella and found a place to take shelter from the rain.
She shouldn't have angered Song Lian; some people are inherently despicable, but still, you just can't provoke them.
She was just a speck of dust, at the mercy of fate, so how could she fight against the heavens?
But there is no medicine for regret in this world, and everyone must pay the price for their impulsiveness.
After waiting for a long time, the rain showed no signs of letting up.
With a hardened heart, Qiao En dashed into the rain, bareheaded.
It was difficult to get a taxi on rainy days, so she could only take the subway. The nearest subway entrance was 300 meters away. Qiao En ran fast, yet she was still drenched like a drowned rat.
As soon as she got on the subway, Qiao En received a call from Chen Yin.
After she left Nanchen, Chen Yin temporarily took over her position.
"Secretary Qiao, are you able to talk on the phone right now?"
Qiao En wiped the rainwater dripping down her forehead and replied, "Go ahead, I'm available."
"Was that Baimeng project contract one that you followed up on before?"
"Yes."
This was the last project Qiao En was responsible for before she left Nanchen.
As Zhou Jin'an's secretary, aside from managing his daily schedule, she also participated in following up on key projects.
The project that Nanchen collaborated on with Baimeng was related to the renovation of the old city. It was not large in scale but not easy, and the board of directors had always been pessimistic about it, but Zhou Jin'an insisted.
This project had great significance; if it progressed smoothly, it would help Nanchen promote urban complexes in Rong City and build its own business empire.
Chen Yin sighed, hesitated, and then said, "Secretary Qiao, please make sure you come to the company tomorrow morning."
By her tone, it sounded like there was a problem.
"Secretary Chen, what's wrong? Is there a problem with the project?"
Qiao En asked cautiously.
She had joined Nanchen two years later than Chen Yin but had been promoted faster than her.
When Qiao En was about to leave, she strongly recommended Chen Yin to the HR department, and Chen Yin got what she wished for, thus she felt grateful toward Qiao En.
"I'm not quite sure of the details, but just before closing time, the finance department received a notice from Baimeng stating that there was a problem with the first batch of contract funds. Director Zhou was very angry but didn't harshly criticize anyone, he just asked me to inform you to come to the company tomorrow. Secretary Qiao, you're always meticulous, such problems typically wouldn't occur, but now there's an issue, you'd better have a grasp of it beforehand. If related, hurry to Baimeng and find out more information."
Chen Yin was usually very discreet—a professional integrity for a secretary, but she made an exception by giving Qiao En a heads-up.
"Thank you, Secretary Chen."
After hanging up, Qiao En's mind was in turmoil.
She quickly contacted the liaison at Baimeng, but the other party neither answered her calls nor replied to her messages.
The next day, Qiao En appeared at Nanchen Group early.
Chen Yin arrived even earlier, and she led Qiao En upstairs.
The place was familiar, the people were familiar, but it felt strange.
Only after entering the elevator did Chen Yin speak, "I've asked around; it seems there was a mistake with the digits in the contract amount. Secretary Qiao, finance will be coming over soon, think ahead about how to handle it."
"Hmm."
Qiao En nodded, deeply appreciating Chen Yin's warning.
"Secretary Chen, you can just call me Qiao En from now on."
Chen Yin's lips twitched, offering a faint smile, "I'm used to it, calling you Secretary Qiao feels more familiar."
Once out of the elevator, Chen Yin returned to her formal demeanor, displaying the professional ethic of a chief secretary.
Commanding, much like Zhou Jin'an.
Chen Yin led Qiao En to the reception room; the finance department director He Peng was already somewhat impatient, pacing back and forth with one hand in his pocket.
"Director He."
Qiao En pushed the door open and greeted him; he didn't respond, his brow furrowed, pointing at Qiao En.
"Qiao En, look at the mess you've made!"
When she was still Secretary Qiao, He Peng treated her with great deference, cheerfully calling her "Secretary Qiao" every time they met.
However, things change with the passage of time.
Qiao En's expression was calm as she swept her gaze over He Peng, who was furious, "What mess have I made? I'd please ask Director He to enlighten me."
She pulled over a chair and sat down.
Her expression was cold and commanding, humble yet dignified.
He Peng snatched up the contract and threw it at Qiao En, "Take a look for yourself!"
The bound contract slid across the table and fell to the floor.
Qiao En bent down to pick it up, swiftly scanning through it.
She had a good memory, generally remembering everything she handled.
The content of the contract was fine, but the amount was wrong. 1.2 billion had lost a zero, turning into 120 million.
The discrepancy was tenfold, a basic mistake.
Qiao En suddenly understood why He Peng was so furious.
"This contract has a problem,"
Qiao En closed the contract, and asserted confidently,
"If there were no problem, why would I have called you back? Do you know how much the company has lost because of your careless mistake? Baimeng is now clinging to this minor issue, trying to carve out our flesh!"
He Peng, feeling justified, spat vehemently and gestured aggressively, blaming Qiao En.
She was the chief culprit, unforgivable, deserving of death.
"Director He, I can guarantee there would be no mistakes in anything I handled. I checked the contract with Baimeng word by word, and before signing and stamping, the figure was indeed one hundred and twenty million."
"Ha!"
He Peng placed his hands on his hips and snorted coldly.
"That's really strange. Could it be that I changed it?"
"Certainly not me,"
Qiao En still smiled lightly.
Showing weakness and conceding, are two different things.
Jin'an had taught her, when it was time to argue her case, she must not give in at all.
He Peng was pressing her aggressively, but Qiao En did not indulge him.
Still, this matter involved her, and even though she had left Nanchen, she couldn't just abandon her responsibilities.
"If not you, then who could it be? If you weren't guilty, aware that you have messed up badly, would you give up the great prospects of being Chief Secretary and rush to resign?"
Qiao En's departure was indeed mysterious, and it was normal for those unaware of the circumstances to speculate wildly.
Summer insects cannot discuss ice; well frogs cannot discuss the ocean.
Facing He Peng's accusations, Qiao En did not elaborate further.
"Director He, I will give the company an explanation for this issue,"
she said, standing up and walking straight towards the exit.
He Peng shook his finger, pointing at Qiao En's receding figure, "I haven't finished talking yet. What kind of attitude is that? I'm telling you, if you don't handle this matter well, we'll see you in court!"
Going to court with her former employer was something Qiao En had never imagined, especially over some baseless speculation.
The human heart can be cold and harsh, just like that.
Having seen both good times and bad, Qiao En was hardly surprised.
She walked out of the reception area just as Jin'an was coming out of the meeting room.
He wore a stern face, his lips coldly upturned, his gaze coldly swept over Qiao En without pausing even for a moment.
Every Wednesday was the scheduled corporate meeting at Nanchen, attended by the executives.
Qiao En, unable to avoid them, accidentally bumped into a group of executives streaming out of the meeting room.
"Isn't that Secretary Qiao?"
Someone whispered, but their voice was quickly drowned out.
Qiao En was still figuring out how to greet them when those people turned their heads away, wearing serious faces, and acted as if they did not recognize her, quickly moving away.
After those people had all left, Qiao En headed towards the elevator.
She carried her bag, hands crossed in front of her lower abdomen, her figure slender and upright. Even in this moment of despondence, there was nothing about her that suggested defeat.
"Secretary Qiao,"
Just as Qiao En was about to enter the elevator, Chen Yin caught up with her.
"Director Zhou wants to see you."
Qiao En paused slightly, somewhat surprised.
Standing by the familiar doorway, she knocked three times, received no answer, and then knocked again three more times.
"Come in."
The voice of Zhou Jin'an came through.
Qiao En entered, stopping a meter away from his desk, "Director Zhou, you wanted to see me?"
She hadn't called him Mr. Zhou.
In a work setting, like everyone else, she called him Director Zhou.
Zhou Jin'an leaned back in his chair, his expression solemn, unflappable. His deep eyes rested on Qiao En, looking like an unfathomable body of water.
He was intense, so she remained calm.
Qiao En lightly smiled, meeting Zhou Jin'an's intense gaze.
"Before this matter is settled, you are not allowed to leave Nanchen."
Whether Zhou Jin'an was acting out of personal interest was not easy for Qiao En to judge.
But she was no lamb to be slaughtered.
"I will explain this to the company as soon as possible. I hope, Director Zhou, that you will not interfere then."
Icy frost spread across Zhou Jin'an's face.
Accepting the challenge, he replied, "Agreed."