Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Half an hour after Xu Nianchu posted her video, the internal group chat exploded.

In the video, she kept her head lowered, her voice choked with tears. “I’m just an intern. I don’t know how things turned into this. Everyone worked so hard, but some people can make everyone lose their jobs with a single sentence.”

In the background, someone handed her a tissue. Someone else sighed.

If you only watched that clip, she looked like a flower battered by wind and rain.

After I finished watching, I handed my phone to Legal. “Save the evidence.”

At two in the afternoon, the handover hall had been set up on short notice.

I didn’t hide in my office. I sat right at the front.

Every employee could come up and ask me questions directly.

“President Lin, I want to transfer to the group, but my wife is about to give birth. Can I avoid moving to another city?”

“Yes. Look at page three. Local positions will be matched first.”

“When will the severance be paid?”

“Within three business days after the termination agreement is signed.”

“Will the accrued year-end bonus be paid too?”

“Yes. It will be prorated based on the months you’ve worked.”

By the end of the questions, fewer and fewer people were still gathered around Xu Nianchu.

Reality was more useful than tears.

Xu Nianchu stood at the back of the crowd, her expression ugly.

Zhou Yan walked over and said in a low voice, “Do you really have to be this ruthless?”

Only after I finished signing a confirmation form did I look up. “What part is ruthless?”

“The company is being dissolved. So many people’s hard work is gone.”

“Do you know how much money Xinglan still has in its accounts?”

Zhou Yan frowned.

I said, “Thirteen million. Of that, nine million is accounts payable, three million is next month’s payroll and social security, and one million is the advance payment for the marketing event you approved last week. Tell me, how much longer can this company last?”

His lips moved. “The financing will come through soon.”

“Who promised you that?”

“Yuansheng Capital.”

I opened the email and pushed it in front of him.

Yuansheng Capital had already sent a formal letter three days ago withdrawing its investment intent. The reason was that Xinglan’s core project materials had been leaked, making the business risks uncontrollable.

After Zhou Yan read it, his face turned deathly pale. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“The letter copied you.”

He froze.

I finished the sentence for him. “You didn’t read it.”

Because that night, he had been having dinner with Xu Nianchu.

Xu Nianchu suddenly spoke up. “The data leak has nothing to do with Zhou Yan. He’s so busy, it’s normal for him to miss one email. Director Lin, you can’t shift the blame onto him just because of a conflict between husband and wife.”

I looked at her. “Did I say he leaked it?”

She faltered.

I smiled. “Why are you so nervous?”

The last trace of color drained from her face.