Translator: PKitty
Editor: Rei
Quality Check: Draygan
First Published on Chaleuria
“President Lee, it’s been awhile. Have you been well?” Zhang Heng said a few polite words. An uncle with a beer belly, who was addressed as President Lee, stood up, shook Zhang Heng’s hand, and said: “It’s all thanks to the wine that you got someone to send over not long ago, everything is fine!”
“That’s good, take a seat.”
Both of them sat down and began to discuss the matter of collaboration.
President Lee said, “ I know your company has always been good at event planning. I’ve also seen the design for your program layout from the past year. The ideas are innovative and it fits very well with the theme. If we choose you, we can rest assured.”
“You flatter me.”
President Lee continued to speak: “But, we are still quite hesitant. You know that as a businessman, profit is the most important right? Although I am an old comrade of your grandfather, I cannot hinder the company’s profit due to my personal relationship. You are able to understand that right?”
“I am able to understand that.” Zhang Heng responded.
President Lee took a deep breath, as though he was about to say something important: “I think that we will not be collaborating.”
“Why?” Zhang Heng was calm. After several years of undergoing difficulties in the business world, he had long since learned its rules — An agreement that wasn’t printed and signed on paper was all bullshit.
“Wen corporation brought over an event proposal yesterday and I am 80% satisfied with it. In addition, the price that they quoted is much lower than yours. Look, if you were me, who would you choose?”
“…” Zhang Heng nodded his head, but still had suspicions. The company had prepared a proposal some time ago to persuade President Lee to sign the collaboration agreement. Logically, there would not be any company that was in this field that could possibly know the news this quickly. Even if they knew, it was impossible for them to quickly produce a good proposal that was 80% satisfactory.
“President Lee, can I take a look at that proposal?”
President Lee waved his hand and the female secretary at the side handed over a document. Zhang Heng took the document and lightly scanned it for a bit. The theme only had a word changed; the event venue’s decorations, ornaments, and basic layout were only slightly modified. Even the most crucial original innovative catwalk ‘T’ stage had been copied with nothing altered—It was obvious, there was someone in the company that had leaked the proposal to the Wen corporation.
“President Lee, you are a businessman who should believe that what you pay is what you get. I am willing to commit to the original price and give you a proposal that will make you 100% satisfied. Are you willing to give Zhang corporation a chance?” Zhang Heng bowed earnestly. You could not hear any indication based on his voice, but his eyes that were covered by the fringe in front of his forehead were filled with anger.
President Lee smilingly said, “Of course, I like giving young people with talent such as yourself a chance. I will look forward to your proposal next week, how’s that?”
“No problem.”
After sending President Lee off, Zhang Heng decided to ferret out the culprit. As such, he convened a company meeting, requiring all the staff that were responsible for handling the proposal to attend the meeting.
Meeting room.
When Zhang Heng announced the purpose of the meeting, there were exclamations and anger from everyone present.
The head of the implementation department stood up first and said: “President Zhang, our implementation department spent several nights in a row for two weeks to rush that proposal for it to actually be leaked out by the culprit?! If you uncover the culprit you cannot just simply sack the person! If this matter threatens the company’s profits, it’s enough to constitute a commercial crime!”
“That’s right! That’s right!”
“Quiet!” Zhang Heng hit the table. The staff obediently kept their mouths shut.
Zhang Heng crossed his legs and leaned his body back, his penetrating gaze swept over all the staff present.
“First implementation department staff, talk about what happened on the last day when the contract was done.”
The implementation department staff stood up. One by one, they recounted what they saw or heard, and anything that was relevant. When it was Ma ShangQian’s turn, he said: “At that time, the head of the department walked out from the meeting room, holding a proposal. He instructed me to give it to you, President Zhang. As such, with this proposal, I took the lift to the floor where your office was located. Thereafter, I entered your office and discovered that you were not around so I handed it to Gu Zhun. I left after making the matter clear that this proposal was to be handed to President Zhang for review.”
At this time, Xu YaLe stood up and said: “There is nothing more that needs to be said. Now the prime suspect is Gu Zhun.” Xu YaLe pointed at Gu Zhun. She said with righteous indignation: “The implementation staff wouldn’t sell it to other people so easily after pulling all-nighters to make the proposal. Furthermore, the last person that it was passed to was Gu Zhun! This shows that Gu Zhun was the one that secretly copied and sent it to Wen corporation doesn’t it?! Am I right, Gu Zhun?”
Xu YaLe stared at Gu Zhun. As soon as they heard it, the rest of them blindly followed along and blamed Gu Zhun.
“That’s right, it’s definitely him! I told you, newly graduated and yet he was able to become Zhang Heng’s executive assistant. So it turns out that his backings are from Wen corporation!”
“But, but… it’s not even me…” Now everyone was putting the blame on him and even attacking him. His whole body trembled, the grievances of being accused bubbled forth. No matter how Gu Zhun explained that it wasn’t him, the others wouldn’t believe it at all. Gu Zhun used both hands to hold his head, his fingertips embedded in his hair. With his mouth, he said, “It’s not me”. He shook his head to also indicate that it wasn’t him.
But no one believed him. They were all blaming him. All of them looked at him with suspicion…there was anger, hatred, loathing, and contempt in their eyes… It was like a whirling vortex, causing Gu Zhun to enter an endless abyss.
So disgusting, really feel like vomiting…
Gu Zhun was about to faint when Zhang Heng seized Gu Zhun’s waist in a timely manner. Gu Zhun only managed to avoid hitting his head on the ground when he fell heavily on Zhang Heng’s body.
“President Zhang…” Gu Zhun looked at Zhang Heng, hoping that Zhang Heng would believe him. Zhang Heng looked at Gu Zhun’s red and swollen eyes. A wave of pain washed over his heart.
However… as this company’s president, he had to be accountable.
He held Gu Zhun upright and announced: “I will investigate this matter clearly once more. We should not jump to conclusions so easily. As for Gu Zhun, he will temporarily stay at home.”