Chapter 10: Hongmen Banquet

Qiao En's previous office, Chen Yin had already moved in.

There was nowhere else for her in the entire building, so Chen Yin led her to the reception room.

"Secretary Qiao, you'll have to bear with this for a while."

Working in the reception room, assigned as a Mobile Trooper, she had to move whenever someone came.

Qiao En didn't mind, as she was no longer considered part of Nanchen.

Besides, she wasn't planning to stay long.

"It's fine. This is quite good."

Chen Yin was busy and didn't stay long.

As soon as she left, Qiao En also left.

Last night, she hadn't slept much, having reviewed the entire situation.

Before coming to Nanchen, she already had an answer in her mind.

Someone was trying to slander her.

Who?

Why?

She couldn't figure it out.

Times had changed, she was no longer Zhou Jin'an's secretary, and figuring out the ins and outs of the whole affair quickly was not so easy.

But these obstacles couldn't defeat Qiao En.

Once she left Nanchen's doors, she immediately sent a message to Huang Yan, who was coordinating a project with Baimeng.

The other party still ignored her.

Qiao En wasn't annoyed; she found a hot pot restaurant and sat down.

She snapped a picture and posted a Moments visible only to Huang Yan.

Then, she sent a screenshot of a receipt to Huang Yan.

Soon, her phone rang.

Qiao En was busy fishing out tripe from the hot pot when she glanced at the incoming call and hung up directly.

The caller was persistent and dialed again.

The receipt was evidence of Huang Yan taking kickbacks, who thought she had covered her tracks perfectly, yet unexpectedly, it fell into Qiao En's hands.

If this issue were exposed, losing her job would be the least of her worries; sitting in a jail cell would be far more serious.

Knowing the weight of the issue, Huang Yan had clarity in her heart.

Since Qiao En wasn't taking her calls, Huang Yan stopped calling.

Half an hour later, she appeared at the hotpot restaurant, out of breath.

Qiao En had eaten to about seventy percent full, having ordered a tableful of dishes, most of which remained.

"Secretary Qiao, I'm sorry. I was really busy today, so I—"

She started to explain, but Qiao En wasn't interested in listening.

When it came to lying, Qiao En could be her master.

"Accountant Huang, the hot pot here is good, and it's mealtime now. You haven't eaten yet, right? Let's eat first and talk later."

Grabbing some chopsticks, Qiao En dropped more ingredients into the hot pot and picked up some that were ready, placing them in Huang Yan's bowl.

Huang Yan sat opposite Qiao En, her forehead breaking out in cold sweat.

The dishes in front of her piled up like a small mountain, yet she held her chopsticks without eating a bite.

"Secretary Qiao!"

"Eat the hot pot while it's hot, eat up, then we can talk."

Qiao En blocked her off again.

Huang Yan was plump, with a round face and her shifty eyes darted towards Qiao En. Unable to grasp Qiao En's intentions, she felt uneasy.

With a guilty conscience, her internal drumming grew more intense.

After rushing through the meal, Huang Yan finally cleared the table of dishes.

"Accountant Huang, see if you want anything else to eat? I'll ask the waiter to add more dishes."

As Qiao En spoke, she signaled for the waiter to come over.

The food Huang Yan had eaten was now stuck in her throat, and she quickly waved her hands, "Secretary Qiao, no need, I'm full."

"Really full? Don't be polite with me. We rarely get to eat together. Not eating to full is like not showing me respect."

The waiter approached, and Qiao En ordered more dishes, but Huang Yan hurriedly stopped her, and she finally relented.

"Secretary Qiao."

Huang Yan bowed and poured water for Qiao En, with a very respectful attitude.

"About the contract, it's not that I don't want to help you. I can't."

Huang Yan wore a bitter face.

Qiao En pretended not to be startled, picked up her tea cup and took a sip, "What is it that Accountant Huang can't do? Could it be that you were the one who erased that zero?"

"How could that be me? I don't have the audacity."

Huang Yan quickly waved her hands, her words carrying a subtext.

Qiao En didn't expose her but gently led her on, "When I handed over the contract to Accountant Huang, there were no errors. You were responsible for sealing and signing. If there was an error, it could only be you."

This tactic of striking first and gaining control was also taught by Zhou Jin'an.

Huang Yan had a feeling akin to a mute person swallowing bitter herbs, "Secretary Qiao, even if you gave me ten doses of courage, I wouldn't dare."

"Is there anything you don't dare to do?"

Qiao En implied that it was about taking kickbacks.

This was Huang Yan's Achilles' heel, and she seized the opportunity to squeeze, knowing the effect would be significant.

Indeed, Huang Yan's defenses crumbled.

"Secretary Qiao, please let me go. I have elderly to look after and children to raise; the company's income is barely enough to cover expenses. If I weren't in a desperate situation, why would I break the law?"

She began to play the card of hardship, but this move was ineffective against Qiao En.

"I can let you go, but whether the judge will, I do not know,"

Qiao En was not soft-hearted.

Huang Yan was not stupid; whistleblowing could at most be considered a breach of trust, while going to prison would ruin her life.

"If I tell you, you must never let anyone know it was from me."

Huang Yan loosened her tongue.

Qiao En showed a naive grin, pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger, and she played her role slickly.

"Accountant Huang, what kind of relationship do we have? Look, am I the type to cross the river and demolish the bridge? Don't worry, I just want to know the truth and will never implicate you."

Qiao En gave her word, and Huang Yan no longer had reservations.

"Someone instructed me. Yesterday, when I went to the director's office to sign paperwork, he was on the phone. I overheard from outside, not very clearly. Afterwards, the director told me to contact Nanchen about a problem with the contract."

Just as Qiao En had expected, it was not an accident; it was orchestrated.

"Secretary Qiao, you must not sell me out. I am just a minor worker, and this job is very important to me; I cannot afford to lose it,"

Huang Yan begged softly, and Qiao En nodded, "Accountant Huang, I mean what I say, I will not drag you down; we have not seen each other today."

Accountant Huang was very grateful and left immediately.

Qiao En did not immediately return to Nanchen; she sat in a hotpot restaurant for the afternoon.

There were very few people who could direct the Baimeng director; she could think of them off the top of her head.

She was slick and experienced in handling matters, and had not made enemies with anyone, such that no one would try to trip her even after she left Nanchen.

After much thought, Qiao En had some clues in her mind, only without evidence, she lacked convincing power.

But that day, as fate would have it, Qiao En had not yet left the hotpot restaurant when she encountered Song Lian.

He led three noisy youngsters inside, making quite a racket.

Qiao En was deep in thought and very focused when he first saw her; he snorted coldly and led his group towards her.

"We meet again."

Song Lian sat down across from Qiao En.

With bad intentions, Qiao En had no interest in entangling with him.

She grabbed her purse and stood up to leave, but one of the youngsters grabbed her shoulder.

"My big brother is talking to you, where do you think you're going?"

The other two stood behind Song Lian, appearing to block Qiao En's path, making it impossible for her to leave.

Outnumbered, a fierce battle was inevitable.

No escape.

"Young Master Song, you're here for hotpot too? Unfortunately, I had an appointment today,"

Qiao En offered a smiling look towards Song Lian.

Seizing the opportunity, she told a lie.

"Are they here? Let's join up."

Song Lian spread his hands in an aggressive manner.

Previously, he had faced humiliation from Qiao En, and now that he encountered her, he was filled with a vengeful spirit.

"They're on their way; does Young Master Song like this spot? Then I'll change tables?"

Qiao En attempted to stand up again, but the youngster showing his teeth tightened his grip on her shoulder.

Outmatched and alone, she was not his equal.

"My big brother is giving you face, don't fucking play dumb," the youngster gripping Qiao En's shoulder growled.

Song Lian allowed him to misbehave, tossing the menu to the waiter, "One of everything."

For the broth, he ordered extra spicy.

Smoke swirled around, and the spicy scent was suffocating, causing Qiao En to sneeze continuously.

Song Lian wasn't bothered by the spice and enjoyed it heartily.

But Qiao En, she held back.

"You think you're so capable? Can't even handle a bit of spice?" he signalled, and immediately someone started serving Qiao En.

She had to eat.

But if she did, it might be spicy enough to kill.

"Let me ask my friend where they are,"

Qiao En wanted to make a call, and Song Lian did not stop her.

But at such a dangerous banquet, who could Qiao En possibly drag into this?

Adhering to the principle that a brave man does not suffer from immediate loss, Qiao En made a call to Zhou Jin'an.

But unexpectedly, the call rang once and was then hung up.