LRAB Chapter 58 You want money? We're professionals!
Chapter 58 You want money? We're professionals!
Looking back now, all that nagging and fussing wasn't making a mountain out of a molehill; it was a lifesaver! It was so incredibly prescient!
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Wang Chao was completely dumbfounded. His eyes widened like saucers. Did these two have some kind of audacity to try and bully him? He immediately frowned, sat up straight, and put on a fierce look. "What do you two want? Don't act like scoundrels here! Quickly return these things obediently, or the company will sue you for embezzlement. You'll be in jail, eating jail food, and you won't even have a place to cry!"
Zeng Jia remained completely calm, slowly and deliberately pulling a worn-out notebook from her large handbag, almost like a magician. Then, with a swipe of her finger, she unlocked her phone's screen, revealing a densely packed list of call logs, screenshots, and audio recordings.
"Every single thing I took from General Manager Zhang, every single transaction," she tapped her phone screen, then patted the crumpled notebook, her words sharp and cutting, "I have it all! Screenshots, recordings, everything, not a single detail is missing, every single transaction is crystal clear. If Director Wang wants to handle things strictly by the book, I have all the evidence. You can check it all!"
Having spent years in the HR department of "Tianyi," how could she not know the dirty tricks these bastards played when they left? They simply wanted to turn the tables on her, accuse her of "embezzling company property," and force her to slink away, leaving her with a belly full of humiliation.
Zeng Jia casually clicked on a recording, and Zhang Zhishan's signature loud voice immediately boomed out: "...Look at your pathetic self! A gift! Purely voluntary! Consider it compensation for your descent into the mud..." This was the subsidy she received when she sent Aunt Chen back to Gaoyou.
Zeng Jia clicked on another message. Zhang Zhishan's voice sounded guilty and lewd. "Find a courier to deliver that box of Moutai secretly. Pack it carefully, like cat litter, so it won't be noticeable. It'll be foolproof." This was a gift for a clerk.
Zeng Jia clicked on another message, and Zhang Zhishan's sarcasm was almost overflowing: "That lousy bag is just proof of identity, right? Even if I, Zhang Zhishan, gave someone a fake, they would believe it. You gave it to Nuonuo, with her brain, how could she possibly suspect anything! And that bastard Shi Jun is too greedy. That law firm is a bloodsucker, demanding 30% right off the bat, it's robbery..."
One after another, shady recordings surfaced, all detailing Zhang Zhishan's sordid deeds. Wang Chao's face turned pale and then red as he listened, as if he'd just stumbled upon a cesspool. This wasn't just a recording; it was a death warrant. He felt like every extra word he heard would shorten his lifespan.
"Alright, alright! Stop letting it go!" He hurriedly waved his hands to interrupt, his voice shrill and distorted, "Just check the list to see if there's anything to return, why bother with all this useless stuff! It's a complete waste of time!"
"Don't be like that, Director Wang!" Wang Haowen watched with amusement, secretly giving Zeng Jia a silent thumbs-up, his eyes full of admiration. Back then, Zeng Jia had forced him to take screenshots and record audio every time he took something from the company as evidence, and he'd complained that she was fussy and indecisive, making a mountain out of a molehill. Now, it seemed that this wasn't making a mountain out of a molehill at all; it was a lifesaver, a brilliant move of foresight. She was so incredibly prescient! He wanted to kowtow to Zeng Jia right now.
Wang Haowen waved his phone, the screen covered with screenshots and recording icons, a playful smile on his face. "I still have a bunch of good stuff I haven't shown you yet. Sharing is caring, so I have to share this with Director Wang!"
As Wang Haowen was about to start the recording, Wang Chao was so frightened that he almost jumped out of his skin. He quickly reached out and grabbed Wang Haowen's hand tightly, his face turning pale.
"Just take a look, there's no need to investigate every single detail," he softened his tone, becoming incredibly obsequious. "You two should leave now. We were colleagues, let's part on good terms. I wish you both the best for the future, and if you ever need anything, just let me know, I'll definitely help!"
"No way." Zeng Jia's tone was firm and unwavering, leaving no room for negotiation. "We'll resign voluntarily. We accept it, we won't renege." She flipped through her notebook, revealing a densely packed work schedule that resembled a battle map. "But for the past six months, all the overtime, all the compensation you're owed—you must settle everything clearly today, not a penny less, in full. We won't leave until you've paid a single cent less!"
Her fingertip precisely tapped the most recent record. During the Spring Festival, while everyone else was at home eating dumplings and celebrating, she was in Hong Kong, so busy she could barely breathe. "This one: working overtime during the Spring Festival, day and night, non-stop, according to the rules, I should get triple pay! Plus travel allowance, communication allowance, meal allowance... everything that's due, not a penny less!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word carried the weight of a heavy weight, leaving Wang Chao dizzy and disoriented.
After saying that, she reached for the calculator on the table. Wang Haowen understood and grabbed it first. With a "beep," the calculator turned on, and he smiled knowingly: "You give me the number, and I'll calculate it. I guarantee it will be accurate to the last cent and perfectly clear."
The two might bicker or argue over other things, but when it comes to "collecting debts," they must be united against a common enemy.
Zeng Jia rattled off the accounts, while Wang Haowen's fingers flew across the calculator. The two of them worked in perfect harmony, making Wang Chao's head buzz. He was already cursing the graves of the two of them for generations!
I was planning to teach these two troublemakers a lesson, scare them into shutting up after they resigned and not gossiping about everywhere. But who knew they'd completely defy the script?! They usually act like subservient little brats, bowing and scraping, but now they've turned on me faster than flipping a book? Aren't they worried about falling out with "Tianyi" and having trouble finding work in the future?!
Zeng Jia and Wang Haowen hadn't really thought about their future jobs, because the more they counted the money in front of them, the more excited and happy they became. Their holiday overtime pay, meal allowance, high-temperature allowance, communication allowance, business trip allowance, as well as compensation for unused annual leave and non-compete agreement compensation, added up to a total of over 176,500!
This was no small sum of money; the two were almost ecstatic, wishing they could kowtow to Zhang Zhishan and Yu Li again. They were grateful the two bosses had gone so far as to deliberately make things difficult for them, otherwise they wouldn't have gotten such a detailed list and would still be kept in the dark like fools.
Wang Chao couldn't stand it anymore. Looking embarrassed and dejected, he got up and slipped away, looking exactly like someone delivering a bad tale. He ran off to inform Zhang Zhishan and Yu Li.
The two bosses usually fought tooth and nail, but this time they were surprisingly on the same page. Their heated argument almost drowned Wang Chao. After all, with one of them losing an arm, they were both left with no one to command. Anyone would be furious in that situation!
"Those two cunning bastards, you think you can outmaneuver them? You want to intimidate them? I think your brain is made of stinky tofu, both smelly and stupid, you have absolutely no sense of propriety! You're more likely to ruin everything than accomplish anything!"
"Are you out of your mind? Don't you check the calendar or read the room before you act? You dare to threaten people and send them to jail? Ridiculous! Think about how many scandals Tianyi has caused in recent years. We are constantly being criticized online as a sweatshop that exploits its employees. You are responsible for these messes."
"And that video, you filmed it, but couldn't you have sent it to us privately first to see and ask for our opinions? Why did you have to be so stupid and post it in the group chat? Just to show off how capable you are, to think you're the only one who can film, huh? Now look what happened, you've pushed us too far, and now you're controlling us, are you satisfied?"
"You've already reached the position of director, how come you're still so slow-witted and lack any composure! I really don't know how we even promoted you in the first place!"
"You'll pay half of whatever money they took. If you dare utter a single word, you're fired!"
……
Wang Chao felt wronged and couldn't even lift his head. He had only filmed the video on a whim, but didn't you two demand that he make amends and force him to leave? But there was no point in being dramatic about this, otherwise his job as director would be in jeopardy.
Wang Chao could only hang his head and return to his office like a wilted eggplant.
When Zeng Jia saw him return, she slammed the calculated bill in front of him with a "smack," grinning from ear to ear. "Director Wang, the money's here. We'll pack our bags and get out of here right away. We won't waste your precious time or interfere with your work. We mean what we say!"
Wang Haowen added, "Don't worry, we're all law-abiding citizens. We'll take the money the company is owed, and we won't utter a single word that we shouldn't say. We absolutely won't cause you any trouble, nor will we cause any trouble for Tianyi." To put it bluntly, this was a threat. At worst, they'd just throw caution to the wind and not care about anyone with nothing to lose.
Wang Chao gasped as he looked at the shocking amount on the bill, his heart pounding with pain. He was helpless, so he reluctantly called in Dong Miaomiao and the accountant. After confirming the accounts were correct, he gritted his teeth and urged the accountant to transfer the money quickly, looking as if he were having his own flesh cut off.
Zeng Jia signed the resignation papers on the spot and pressed her fingerprint. The next second, her phone rang and more than 80,000 yuan was deposited into her Alipay account.
The heavy smog that had been building up in her heart for days instantly vanished, and even breathing became much easier. For the first time, she found the pungent jasmine-scented air freshener in the Tianyi office area to actually smell quite refreshing.
Without uttering a single unnecessary word, she turned and left, her departure swift and decisive.
Wang Haowen also pressed his fingerprint and took the money. His salary was two thousand yuan higher than Zeng Jia's, and the compensation he received was also more than Zeng Jia's.
The two arrived at the foot of the You Tang building one after the other. As if they had planned it beforehand, they simultaneously tilted their heads back and took a deep breath of the sky. The air, free from the oppressive atmosphere, tasted sweet with every breath. Thinking back to last winter, the two of them were secretly chatting in a corner, looking completely bewildered, when they found themselves unwittingly becoming the secretary and assistant to two bosses, planning their wonderful future together.
It's only been less than half a year, but it feels like I've been through two or three years. My bones are worn down to the point of falling apart.
However, Zeng Jia also had her doubts. She had been forced to resign, and if she didn't, she might be ruined by Zhang Zhishan. Why did Wang Haowen also quit? But then she thought, who cares? Everyone has their own fate. Since the two broke up, Wang Haowen's life or death and choices have had nothing to do with her anymore. There's no need to worry about it.
"Let's grab a bite to eat? It's already noon, my treat." Wang Haowen took the initiative to invite him, but his tone was a little cautious, after all, they had already broken up and he was afraid of being rejected.
Zeng Jia frowned, and without the slightest hesitation, shook her head directly, "I'm not going. My whole body aches. I just want to go home and sleep, to sleep soundly until I'm completely exhausted, and nobody should bother me."
Wang Haowen wasn't embarrassed at all. "Alright, then you rest well. Let me know if you need anything."
Zeng Jia had only been in the taxi for two minutes when her phone rang like crazy. She glanced at the caller ID and saw it was none other than Shi Jun.
He was well-informed; he already knew she had resigned. His tone on the other end of the phone was cheerful, "Why didn't you tell me you were resigning sooner? I'll find you the best lawyer, sue those two bastards from Tianyi, and I guarantee you'll get much more severance pay than you're getting now!"
Then he put on a generous act, his boasting almost overflowing: "But it's not a bad thing for you to leave Tianyi. I'll have my subordinate company give you a position. You can go if you want, or stay home if you don't. Anyway, someone will pay your salary and social security contributions, so it won't interfere with your leisure."
"Come over to my place for dinner tonight? What other dishes can you cook? I'd like to try them..."
He was the savior of Zeng Jia after she was "expelled" by fate, and Zeng Jia couldn't live without him.
Zeng Jia found his self-pity disgusting and interrupted him before he could finish, saying, "Shi Jun, I don't like you and I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. You should find someone else who's willing to take a temporary job and stay home to take care of your mother."
Taking on a position at a subsidiary company? Hiring extra people would be a nuisance. If she actually agreed, wouldn't people be cursing her behind her back, wishing her a quick death? Besides, Shi Jun is the kind of person who's used to getting the best of both worlds by doing one thing; who knows what dirty tricks he's up to? She couldn't be bothered to even think about it.
Shi Jun was stunned by her retort. He hadn't expected Zeng Jia to be so fierce when she got angry. Just as he was about to say something, the phone was hung up with a "snap".
Without the slightest hesitation, Zeng Jia immediately blocked and deleted him. Only when she could no longer find the name "Shi Jun" on her phone did she feel a little relieved. Otherwise, every time she talked to him, she felt like she was talking to a pig waiting to be sold and weighed, a nauseatingly cuddly conversation.
After a bumpy ride back to her little nest, Zeng Jia did nothing but take a long, hot shower. Then she put her phone on silent mode, ignoring all calls and messages, and buried herself in the soft blankets, wanting to sleep forever.
How long has it been since I slept so comfortably? No more getting up at dawn to rush reports, no more clocking in on time for fear of being late and getting fined, no more living in constant fear of what kind of wicked schemes or troubles those two oddballs, Zhang Zhishan and Yu Li, are up to, no more having to put up with anyone's attitude or suffer any humiliation...
This feeling of being free and relaxed is fucking awesome!