On the third day after the interview, Ren Meng relaxed.
It was expected that Ren Meng's resignation was like quietly exiting a muddy water, but he accidentally stepped on a landmine. He was either stuck in the mud or had to break his legs to survive. It was impossible for him to get out of it unscathed.
Ren Meng explained some things intermittently, and by following the clues, the investigation became more targeted. The clear surface of Yisi's lake water would always surface with some dirt at the bottom if it was stirred a little.
The problems have accumulated over the years, and what has been exposed is not just the problem of one department. Kickbacks, bribes, irregular project operations... There are countless problems, big and small, that are intertwined under the guise.
Some of the responsible persons have already resigned, and tracing requires manpower and time. In the conference room, Chu Shichen was thinking with a pen in his hand. Ren Meng had exposed many people, including middle-level managers and superiors. A project two years ago directly involved the vice president.
But Ren Meng did not mention Li Cangqiu at all.
The two sides are closely connected and constrain each other. This must be the result of a tug-of-war.
The door opened, and Director Jiang came in and put down a stack of files: "Secretary Chu, here is the information you requested."
Chu Shichen nodded and thanked him. He asked for all of Yisi's personnel files for the past five years. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost time to get off work. He said, "Everyone has worked hard these past few days. Go back and rest early."
The huge conference room was filled with documents, with black words on the papers like pages of riddles. Chu Shichen stayed to continue looking through them. Half an hour later, his cell phone rang.
Chu Shihui sent a message asking him what time he would get home from work.
Chu Shihui was busy with her final exams during this period and lived in the school dormitory. According to the date, she should have finished her exams. Chu Shichen didn't want to refuse his sister's kindness, so he packed up his materials and left work.
There was a convertible sports car parked in the Chu family's garden, and it seemed that there were guests coming.
In the villa restaurant, there were four or five boxes of takeout crayfish on the table. Chu Shihui went to wash her hands. Mrs. Chu and Sister Xiu were arguing in the kitchen whether to simmer the soup for a while longer.
At the table, Li Heng was helping to set the table.
We parted unhappily at Meijinlou last time, and we haven’t met for a while. Chu Shichen greeted him, “Why are you asking the guests to work?”
Li Heng smiled and said, "It's okay, I just got off work."
Chu Shichen said, "Hmm," "Why didn't Uncle Li come with you?"
Li Heng said: "He has a social engagement."
Chu Shichen went upstairs to put his things down and washed his face. When he came down, everyone started eating. The table was full of red crayfish, spicy and choking. He was too lazy to get his hands dirty, so he just served a bowl of soup.
"Brother." Chu Shihui called him, "I've finished the exam."
Chu Shichen was about to ask: "How did you do in the exam?"
Chu Shihui said confidently, "It's not a big problem."
Mrs. Chu asked, "Is it a holiday now?"
"How do you want to plan your vacation?" Li Heng said, "This season is suitable for going to an island. How about Mykonos in the Aegean Sea? Stay there for a month or two and relax."
Chu Shichen found that Li Heng was very "considerate" to Chu Shihui. He kept giving her gifts and taking her food, drinks and entertainment into consideration. If one's will was not strong enough, it would be difficult to refuse this tempting material enjoyment.
He has seen too many young men and women who are deeply addicted to playing and wasting their lives, and asked: "Is it time to do an internship after finishing junior year?"
Chu Shihui said: "Well, I want to go to the company to experience it."
Li Heng said: "The company is not going to run away, so don't make yourself too hard."
Chu Shichen drank half a bowl of soup, wiped his mouth and said, "Let her decide for herself. She's a grown-up girl now."
The villa was filled with a rich spicy aroma. Chu Shichen came out from the side hall. Several pots of tuberose were in full bloom under the porch, attracting a flying white butterfly.
He lowered himself into the semicircular hanging chair and took out his cell phone.
Not long after, Li Heng came out holding a can of dark beer and walked to the pillar to lean against it.
Chu Shichen poked at the screen of his mobile phone. Considering the recent fluctuations in the company, Li Heng might have come here today for more than just to show his courtesy to his girlfriend.
Sure enough, Li Heng casually said, "I heard that you did a good job in Xiang Yue."
Chu Shichen touched the iron chain of the hanging chair, which was bent into a twisted shape. He did not intend to beat around the bush: "Since Uncle Li sent you to inquire, just speak frankly."
Li Heng was stunned by his attitude and thought there was no need to be tactful: "I'm not asking, I'm reminding you that it's better not to interfere in some things."
Chu Shichen: "Isn't it a bit late to remind you now?"
Li Heng said, "You have not been in the company for long and do not understand many things. Be careful not to make things worse."
Chu Shichen said: "No matter how short the time is, it was once the Chu family's company. How can I mess it up? Some people have enough experience, but they don't act properly, so they have to be careful not to get into trouble."
Li Heng looked displeased: "Who are you talking about?"
Chu Shichen said calmly: "Ren Meng, isn't it the matter that was involved by him?"
Li Heng took a big gulp of beer: "Manager Ren's matter—"
"There is no room for negotiation." Chu Shichen interrupted and said bluntly, "You don't have to worry about Ren Meng. He has high aspirations and plans to go to Singapore to go to Southeast Asia. He is not like some people who were willing to jump to Duheng to help you start a business."
Li Heng was touched in the sore spot and said angrily: "What do you mean?"
Chu Shichen said, "I mean, I will investigate thoroughly this time. I think Uncle Li knows better than me how much Ren Meng has confessed. Tell him not to worry. I won't force anything out of Ren Meng's mouth, but I will never be vague about what he has confessed."
Li Heng asked, "Are you determined to make some noise?"
"Do you want to make a big deal out of a small matter?" Chu Shichen said, "Ren Meng has been through enough over the years. If he follows the wrong person and becomes a pawn, he should be prepared to be killed as an example one day. No matter whose pawn he is, if he takes the wrong path, he should accept being a useless pawn."
Li Heng was stunned. He had known "Chu Shichen" for many years. When did this prodigal son suddenly become so powerful
Like Li Zangqiu, he inevitably suspected Chu Shichen's behind and said, "How capable are you? Now that you have Xiang Mingzhang's support, do you think you can make the decision?"
Chu Shichen raised his mouth in disdain, but his tone turned cold: "Clinging to someone? What does it mean that Du Heng has been sucking Yi Si's blood all these years?"
Li Heng shouted, "Stop talking nonsense! My dad supports Yi Si and helps the Chu family everywhere, so what does that mean?!"
Chu Shichen said: "Manpower, technology, customers, Duheng should have a clear understanding of the situation. Ask your employees to calculate it, and don't shout at others."
Li Heng's face was filled with anger, but he was powerless to refute. He crushed the empty beer can with force: "Shichen, don't let Xiang Mingzhang fool you. Don't let him use you as a gun! He's hoping that we will turn against each other!"
Chu Shichen stroked the edge of his phone: "Do you still think this is what Xiang Mingzhang meant?"
Li Heng was stunned for a moment, and finally realized that this matter was led by Chu Shichen.
It was not Xiang Mingzhang who took advantage of Chu Shichen, but Chu Shichen who borrowed Xiang Mingzhang's power.
"Why are you doing this?" Li Heng was incredulous. "What's the point of doing these things? Xiao Hui and I... we will be a family from now on!"
It was under this porch that Chu Shichen witnessed Li Zangqiu swaggering away in a car.
He stood up from the hanging chair and approached Li Heng: "Family members should respect each other, not act tyrannically in my house. You have drunk, I will send a driver to take you, but you cannot order the Chu family members around or get on the Chu family's car without permission!"
Li Heng was used to being a guest of honor, and had never been criticized like this. Coupled with the unpleasant experience at Meijin Building last time, he was furious and grabbed Chu Shichen by the collar in a rage.
Chu Shichen backhandedly grabbed the revolver with his palm and used all his strength: "I'll accompany you."
Li Heng shook his wrist and said in shock, "You seem to have changed a lot since the yacht accident."
Chu Shichen straightened his collar and said, "After experiencing life and death, if you still don't change, you are like a rotten tree that cannot be carved, just waiting to rot."
Just then, Mrs. Chu found out and asked, "Are you guys feeding mosquitoes outside?"
Chu Shichen bypassed Li Heng and returned to the villa neatly. He said to Mrs. Chu, "He praised the beauty of the night-blooming jasmine you planted."
After saying that, Chu Shichen went upstairs, picked up his phone, and the screen showed that he was on a call.
He entered the bedroom and closed the door with a click. He put the phone to his ear. Xiang Mingzhang laughed softly and said after listening to the whole process, "Master Chu is so majestic."
Chu Shichen walked slowly towards the cabinet and said deliberately, "He is just relying on Mr. Xiang's influence to bully others."
Xiang Mingzhang stated: "I didn't say that."
Chu Shichen asked Xiang Mingzhang to listen to his attitude towards Li Heng, not to show loyalty. They were temporarily in the same camp. Xiang Mingzhang delegated power to him, and he gave him peace of mind in return.
Chu Shichen opened the drawer, took out a lighter and a cigar, lit one, bit it between his teeth and walked to the terrace. The sports car downstairs started up, and he said, "Let's go."
"She ran away in anger." Xiang Mingzhang said, "It's not like your personality to be tit-for-tat."
Chu Shichen had many feelings after this investigation. He had no intention of speculating about the deceased, but the company had many problems when Chu Zhe was alive, which showed that the management skills were not strong enough.
In dealing with people, if you are weak, you will be manipulated by others. The fact that Li Heng dared to come to warn the Chu family shows that the Chu family has been controlled for too long.
If he endures it in silence today, Chu Shihui might also suffer in the future.
Chu Shichen puffed out a puff of smoke and said, "Now that the investigation has led to them, is there any need to be polite?"
Xiang Mingzhang listened to his unusual breathing and asked, "Are you smoking?"
Chu Shichen played dumb: "No, I'm looking at the stars."
The call lasted too long and his phone ran out of battery just as he finished speaking, so he turned it off unexpectedly.
Chu Shichen held a cigar between his fingers and looked up at the misty night sky. He found it amazing that the past and the present, with the stars moving and the constellations changing, were still the same, and they were all under the same sky.
Ren Meng's resignation caused quite a stir among Yisi's top management. His resignation turned into a dismissal. All the benefits he had gained from Yisi in the past, both openly and secretly, were settled one by one when he left, and he was almost skinned alive.
The problems found were complex and complicated, and the connections between several factions within Yisi were revealed.
Chu Shichen finished the investigation in a swift and decisive manner, and ended it without hesitation, so as to prevent the spread of the news and affect the mentality of ordinary colleagues. The three-foot-thick ice is not formed in a day, and corrections cannot be made overnight.
As for the follow-up, Chu Shichen left it to Xiang Yue to deal with. This time he would use the opponent's force to counter attack, and return the favor cleanly after the fight, so they could discuss it next time.
Since he became the secretary, everyone had ridiculed, doubted and been surprised at "Chu Zhe's son". But after a new look at him, they had more respect, recognition and appreciation for him. After this experience, he received even more attention.
Chu Shichen is not afraid of gossip. In the past, he held important positions in banks and chambers of commerce. His actions and speeches were often published in newspapers, but he was able to deal with them calmly.
But he has been worrying too much recently and is really a little tired.
There was a pile of documents waiting to be processed on the desk in the secretary's office, and the delicate orchid was even more exaggerated. It became half-dead after being ignored for a few days.
Chu Shichen tidied up a bit, took the documents that needed signature and went to the president's office.
He knocked on the door and someone said, "Come in."
Chu Shichen pushed open the door and saw a lady sitting opposite Xiang Mingzhang's desk. When he turned around, he saw a beautiful unfamiliar face.
He said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know Mr. Xiang was seeing guests."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Come in, this is Director Qin Xi."
Xiang Yue discussed a project at the branch in Chongqing, but it was transferred to the headquarters due to technical reasons. Qin Xi is the pre-sales director for the Southwest region and also the project leader, and will come to follow up until the project is completed.
Chu Shichen greeted, "Director Qin, nice to meet you. My last name is Chu, and I am Mr. Xiang's secretary."
Qin Xi stood up. When he came on a business trip last year, he had a different secretary. He said, "Secretary Chu, hello. How come you are so handsome?"
Chu Shichen had seen the clever words of sales elites before, so he smiled and said, "It's all thanks to the clothes that you look good. I'll put the documents down and won't bother you anymore."
Qin Xi will not start work until next week. She came over today after getting off the plane to greet her boss and colleagues. She picked up her bag and said, "It's almost time for me to leave."
Chu Shichen thought that maybe he needed help with something, so he said, "Director Qin, I'll take you out then."
Qin Xi: "Okay."
Xiang Mingzhang coughed.
Qin Xi said, "Mr. Xiang, do you have a sore throat? I brought a large box of spicy rabbit heads and hot pot base, and I'm embarrassed to give them to you. Secretary Chu, do you like them?"
Chu Shichen couldn't eat spicy food very well, so he raised his hand politely to let Qin Xi go out first. Before turning around and looking behind the desk, Xiang Mingzhang had a blank expression on his face. He signed a document and put it back on the table with a "bang".
Chu Shichen sighed in his heart, and a hint of playfulness and romance appeared between his handsome eyebrows.
There was a leisure area outside the tea room where colleagues were eating and chatting. Chu Shichen saw Qin Xi off and came over. Everyone warmly invited him to sit down.
Team leader Wang stretched his neck and asked, "Director Qin is gone?"
Chu Shichen poured some barley tea from a disposable paper cup: "Let's go."
Someone started to make a noise: "Team Leader Wang has fallen in love."
"Keep a low profile," the supervisor reminded, "The KA manager Xu upstairs was transferred back from Chongqing. He's Director Qin's ex."
Business trips are commonplace in the business department, and it is inevitable that you will be apart from your significant other due to the frequent work, and breakups and reunions as well as internal digestion are common.
Chu Shichen rarely inquired into private gossip and just drank his tea in silence.
Suddenly, the project manager next to him asked, "Secretary Chu, you should not be single, right? What type do you like?"
Peng Xin sat in a corner chewing a rabbit head. As someone who had close contact with "Chu Shichen", the large-scale scene of the party that night was deeply imprinted on his pituitary gland. He said, "Secretary Chu is not on the same level as ordinary people. Don't ask around."
Chu Shichen: “…”
The manager did not give up and asked again: "Secretary Chu, does Mr. Xiang have a girlfriend in private?"
Chu Shichen swallowed a mouthful of tea and said truthfully: "I don't know."
The supervisor interjected, “Do you have a boyfriend?”
Chu Shichen was shocked... Is this an okay question
(End of this chapter)