These documents provide ample evidence that a senior manager within the company abused company resources for personal gain. ( )
Examples include: embezzling large sums from project funds; accepting substantial bribes from subordinates to secure more advantageous positions; purchasing company products at internal prices and reselling them externally; establishing small factories outside the company to provide supporting services…
This evidence includes physical evidence, witness testimonies, and numerous photographs.
Furthermore, there is evidence of this senior manager's real estate holdings and the three mistresses he kept.
The total value of these properties is close to fifty million. The documents also indicate the executive's annual income within the company. While substantial, his expenses were also considerable, making it impossible for him to acquire such large assets.
The most striking feature was the last page, which included a criminal judgment from a renowned lawyer based on the evidence, punishable by up to twenty years in prison, confiscation of all illegal gains, and a fine exceeding five million.
Although the documents didn't identify the executive, everyone's eyes immediately turned to Ouyang Bihua. Who else could it be but him? Most obviously, he was in charge of all the projects mentioned in the evidence.
And within Flying Eagle Biotechnology, the only person with such authority over so many projects, besides the general manager and the research director, was him, the chief researcher.
Ouyang Bihua trembled violently, the stack of documents slipping from his grasp and falling to the ground.
"This…this…" His eyes were filled with terror, his face deathly pale. He never dreamed that such a heavy blow would strike him so hard. Wasn't the purpose of punishing Lu Chen for forcibly assaulting a female subordinate?
How did it turn into an attack on him?
Moreover, Ouyang Bihua couldn't even refute it. The details in the documents astonished him. It was all true; he wasn't even entirely clear about his own assets.
This information couldn't have been gathered overnight. That meant he'd been under Shangguan Bei's surveillance for a long time, without her even knowing.
Ouyang Bihua struggled to lift his head and look at Shangguan Bei.
In her eyes, he saw a hint of mockery, a hint of disdain, and a mixture of helpless heartache.
Ouyang Bihua was a smart man; he understood instantly. Shangguan Bei had long possessed this evidence against him, but had kept it hidden, refusing to take action. And if Lu Chen hadn't gotten into this mess, she wouldn't have made this move!
That meant Shangguan Bei knew Lu Chen had been framed by him, Ouyang Bihua; this was her retaliation.
In other words, if he hadn't taken action against Lu Chen, this evidence might have remained in Shangguan Bei's drawer indefinitely.
For a moment, Ouyang Bihua felt a chill run through him, his mouth filled with bitterness.
The other managers were equally baffled. Wasn't it Lu Chen who made the mistake? How did it become Ouyang Bihua? This was too dramatic. But those with keen observation seemed to sense something amiss.
Shangguan Bei slowly rose from her chair, placing her hands on the table, and said coldly, "The person who committed this grave error is a key lieutenant I've always valued. And it was Director Lu who helped me investigate these incriminating evidence. After obtaining this evidence, I was initially hesitant about whether to release it. Because I couldn't bear to lose that key lieutenant."
She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping across everyone's faces.
Shangguan Bei's eyes seemed like ice; everyone whose gaze fell upon her couldn't help but shiver.
She let out a soft breath and continued, "However, this person probably discovered that Director Lu was investigating him, so he preemptively struck. He had one of his female subordinates, taking advantage of the opportunity to let Director Lu taste the upgraded version of the Golden Dragon Elixir, secretly add a potent neurotoxin to it. Director Lu was poisoned and acted violently towards that female subordinate, out of his control. And that person, just an hour ago, led me to Director Lu's office."
She paused briefly.
Everyone understood, and a sigh escaped their lips. They looked at Ouyang Bihua, whose face was ashen, their expressions a mixture of disdain, mockery, satisfaction, and schadenfreude.
As for the female subordinate, everyone had a clear guess.
Besides Du Haoqi, who else could it be?
Thinking this, everyone felt even more contempt. Du Haoqi loved Ouyang Bihua, but she was merely a plaything he treated—a secret known throughout the company. And now, Du Haoqi has become his tool to frame Director Lu!
Such a person is utterly despicable!
Ouyang Bihua's chest heaved rapidly. He hadn't expected Shangguan Bei to connect these two events so seamlessly, leaving him utterly speechless. He had originally intended to use Lu Chen's alleged assault on Du Haoqi to slightly salvage the situation.
However, it seemed even that was impossible now. Shangguan Bei was clearly helping Lu Chen!
But Ouyang Bihua was still unwilling to give up. He braced himself on the table, forcefully standing up and staring intently at Shangguan Bei: "You… what evidence do you have that I used that poison? It's clearly… a frame-up!"
This outburst was an admission that he was indeed the corrupt high-ranking official listed in the documents.
"Ouyang Bihua, why are you fighting like a cornered beast?"
Shangguan Bei sighed softly, "What's the point of me using this to frame you? You've made such a huge mistake, and instead of saying a word of regret or apology, you're using this to your advantage. Don't disappoint me anymore, okay?"
Ouyang Bihua shouted, "I didn't poison him! I… I'm calling the police! Lu Chen did such a despicable thing, he absolutely can't get away with it! He… he needs to be punished!"
He was shouting so loudly that he seemed almost insane.
Ouyang Bihua's plan was that even if he was dragged into the police station, Lu Chen would go to jail with him!
His outburst drew pity not only from Shangguan Bei, but also from everyone else. Their eyes looked at him as if he were an idiot.
Even if Lu Chen wasn't poisoned or drugged, even if he deliberately assaulted Du Haoqi, so what? The Shangguan family is incredibly powerful. If Shangguan Bei wants to protect Lu Chen, she can protect him even if he kills someone!
Shangguan Bei said calmly, "Then call the police. You can call the police now. But let me tell you bluntly, your main purpose in framing Director Lu was to throw me into chaos, right? But I'm not in chaos; you are. You can't even get your wish fulfilled, what more do you want?"
"That's right, the nerve agent you used will dissipate quickly. But Ouyang Bihua, you need to know that since I trust Director Lu, I will help him find evidence—that's not difficult. And the evidence I find, like this one, will be handed over to the police! So, you're finished!"
With that, Shangguan Bei slammed a document she was holding onto Ouyang Bihua's head.
Ouyang Bihua slumped down, knowing he was powerless to change anything; he was just that unlucky.
He murmured, "Beibei, what do you want to do with me? You... please consider my years of service to the company; even if I haven't made any great contributions, I've still put in a lot of hard work. Don't... don't force me to my death."
"I won't force you to your death. I have to admit, you've worked hard and made significant contributions to the company's development. That's why I said before that I couldn't bear to part with you," Shangguan Bei said. "Even now, I can't bear to let you go to jail for twenty years. But, Ouyang Bihua, you should leave. Flying Eagle Biotechnology can no longer tolerate someone like you who commits crimes."
As she spoke, she waved to an assistant.
The assistant immediately went out and soon returned with four burly security guards.
It seems Shangguan Bei had prepared this all along.
She said coldly, "Ouyang Bihua, you know the rules. Anyone leaving the company must be escorted by security and cannot return to their post to handle anything. If you haven't taken anything, just make an list and hand it in to security. Don't worry, we'll handle your handover."
Ouyang Bihua chuckled a few times, but it sounded more like a bitter laugh. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them and stood up, saying slowly and deliberately, "Beibei, I admit I've failed. I've been defeated by that Lu Chen guy. But I want to say, I love you!"
With that, he turned and walked towards the door.
His figure, staggering, resembled a hero in his twilight years, conveying a sense of desolation to those who saw him.
Shangguan Bei smiled faintly, remaining noncommittal.
Ouyang Bihua reached the door, then suddenly stopped and asked, "What will you do with Du Haoqi?"
Shangguan Bei calmly replied, "She's just a tool you're manipulating. I'll consider keeping her."
Ouyang Bihua nodded slightly and was then escorted out by several security guards.
As he walked out of the company gate, Ouyang Bihua looked up at the blinding sky and exhaled. A strange expression appeared on his face. He said, as if talking to himself,
"Shangguan Bei, you think you have one trick up your sleeve, but I don't? Thank you for your mercy, but our struggle has only just begun. Getting rid of me is a huge loss for you. From now on, you have a powerful competitor. And that competitor offered me a multi-million dollar annual salary! Hahaha..."
His laughter was almost maniacal, tinged with resentment.
Meanwhile, in a quaint single room in the company dormitory area, a voluptuous and alluring body was curled up tightly in a corner of the sofa, hugging herself tightly. Her face was a picture of tragic beauty, streaked with tears.
The places where she had been tortured still throbbed with pain, but the deepest pain was in her heart.
She was, of course, Du Haoqi.
Unconsciously, she had been curled up on the sofa for almost half an hour. She could imagine the chaos outside. Lu Chen, framed by her and Ouyang Bihua, was undoubtedly in the eye of the storm.
Shangguan Bei loved him so much; under these circumstances, seeing him assaulting a female subordinate, what would she think? She might even go insane! And Ouyang Bihua, his scheme had succeeded.
Du Haoqi didn't regret it. Although she was filled with hatred for Ouyang Bihua, she loved him so much and was willing to sacrifice herself for him. She only felt sorry for Lu Chen, deeply sorry. This guilt even made her think that Lu Chen's torment of her hadn't been deep enough, severe enough. If she could, she would gladly let him torment her again.
Thinking of Lingling again, Du Haoqi didn't know what to do next. Du Haoqi could tell that her younger sister cared deeply for Lu Chen. In her heart, Lu Chen even held a place above her older sister.
Now, her younger sister was her only remaining family in the world. If Lu Chen told her those things, how would her sister treat her? Would she still consider her her older sister?
Thinking this, Du Haoqi felt a chill run through her body, and she was on the verge of tears.
Just as she thought of the devil, her phone suddenly rang. The screen showed it was Lingling calling.