Chapter 49: The Scapegoat
Si Wan had taken over a month off. On her first day back to work, she reached the gate of the Gong’s Group on time.
Her injury had been trivialized. The Gongs had issued a statement declaring that Siming was assassinated and Si Wan was injured for his protection.
People claimed that if they had such a beautiful lover willing to die for them, they would definitely be the happiest men in the world.
The others’ opinions had nothing to do with Si Wan. Now she only wanted to make achievements so that she could be better prepared for her life abroad after the divorce.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.
As soon as she walked into the Gong’s Group, she saw Xiaoyu waiting for her at the elevator with conspicuous happiness and concern.
“Director Si, welcome back, I have another piece of great news for you.”
Xiaoyu’s excitement lifted Si Wan’s spirit.
“Do you remember the incident in which you were set up? The board issued a statement this morning, claiming your irrelevance with the bills. According to the statement, you are not only the director of the company, but also the rightful junior mistress of the Gongs. Anyone who sets himself up against you is an enemy of the family. If anyone is found to slander you in the future, there will be unbearable consequences for them.”
Looking at Xiaoyu’s cheerful look, Si Wan was lost in thought. What was going on exactly?
What a coincidence! Back then, they tried so hard but still couldn’t find the culprit. After she came back from the hospital, however, the whole thing came to light.
“You won’t believe that it was the girl who asked you to shut up. She tampered with the bill, misappropriated public funds and has already been arrested. I heard she has been charged with a felony!” She babbled about everything she had inquired lest Si Wan missed a single detail.
While walking, Si Wan was still absorbed in thought and listened to Xiaoyu absent-mindedly. When she knitted her eyebrows, the others couldn’t resist the impulse of dispelling all of her confusion and worries.
As Xiaoyu noticed Si Wan was not listening, she waved her hand before Si Wan’s eyes.
Si Wan suddenly came to her senses, realized her fascination and asked involuntarily.
“Emmm, what did you say? I didn’t hear it clearly.”
Looking helplessly at the bewildered Si Wan, Xiaoyu patiently babbled again.
“I said the one who set you up last time is the girl who asked you to shut up. Nobody could have seen that coming. Although she talked meanly, she looked harmless. I didn’t expect her to be so vengeful as to set you up. But now she has fallen victim to her own evil deeds. Rumor has it she will be behind bars for decades. Do you feel relieved? Your mishandled case has finally been redressed!”
She forced a faint smile in response to Xiaoyu’s excitement.
Xiaoyu was a very simple girl, just like Si Wan when she was in college. Back then she was lively and enthusiastic, willing to treat her beloved ones with enthusiasm and solicitude.
She didn’t want to frustrate Xiaoyu, but there were secrets she could only keep to herself.
A minor clerk could never have had access to the bills, not to mention subtly setting her up.
Someone must have been behind this. Even if the minor clerk was vengeful, she could never have achieved that without help.
With the effort of only one person, the scheme couldn’t have gone so smooth that she sensed nothing abnormal. It seemed this woman was just an unlucky scapegoat.
Anyhow, she didn’t need to worry about that any longer.
“Ha-ha…” Si Wan was brought back to reality by Xiaoyu’s hearty laughter.
“Director Si, the bonus of Deputy Director Liu has been deducted this year as her subordinate took advantage of her negligence to harm you! She deserved it for her hostility against you.”
It turned out that Liu Qing was involved. Si Wan couldn’t help knitting her brows.
It seemed Liu Qing must have been involved in this matter, otherwise, her annual bonus wouldn’t have been deducted for mere negligence of her duty, for it wasn’t a small sum.
For Liu Qing, the punishment was quite severe.
Si Wan was a kind person by nature. Since everything had passed, she didn’t have to hold the grudge. After all, she had been immune from the responsibility.
As a matter of fact, Liu Qing was quite capable. Si Wan’s arrival influenced her promotion, and it was reasonable that she would bear a grudge against Si Wan.
Si Wan let out a deep sigh, as she would like to patch up the quarrel.
“Xiaoyu, is President Gong here today?” Asked Si Wan calmly.
Xiaoyu widened her mouth and her bell-like, round eyes.
“Damn! President Gong asked for your presence upon arrival! Alas, how can I forget about this? It’s all my fault.”
Si Wan couldn’t bear to see Xiaoyu blaming herself, and for the first time, she flicked her head.
“Silly girl, a several-minute delay is not a big deal. Besides, thanks to your information, which got me more prepared to meet President Gong!”
“Really?”
“Of course, when have I ever lied to you?” She stared at Xiaoyu with a serious look and spoke solemnly.
Full of gratitude, Xiaoyu immediately put on a smile again.
“Director Si, you should go now.” After that, Xiaoyu went back to work happily.
People should maintain their simplicity. Just like Xiaoyu, a little bit of kindness was enough to cheer her up.
Turning around, she walked towards Gong Siming’s office.
At the sight of Si Wan, Gong Siming’s secretary got up to greet her from a distance, which made Si Wan feel a little uncomfortable, but such enthusiasm was too unreal.
“Director Si, President Gong has been waiting for a good while! Please follow me.”
As usual, Si Wan gave a standard reply, “Okay, thank you.”
Sitting at his desk, Gong Siming was having a calm conference. His face was glamorous and grim as always.
Whenever he was around, people would feel invisible deterrence. Facing him now, she would no longer feel the pain. She had done everything she could to repay him and thus felt at ease when facing him.
Noticing Si Wan’s arrival, Gong Siming gesticulated at her to wait on the sofa for the first time.
With a smile, she sat down on the sofa imperturbably.
She was chewing over Gong Siming’s attitude. Was it because she was in a different state of mind now or had Gong Siming really changed?
Back in the Gong’s villa and in front of grandfather Gong, Gong Siming had never been so kind to her.
Lost in confusion, Si Wan didn’t even notice Gong Siming was sitting beside her.
“What are you thinking about?” An emotionless voice rang.
Startled by the sudden voice, she trembled involuntarily.
“I’m sorry, President Gong. I wonder what requires my presence?”
She wished what awaited her was not bad news.
“Just to inform you the bill issue has come to light. An employee was behind it, and the police are on it.”
“Oh, I believe our company can handle it properly.”
A scapegoat had been pushed out, and everyone shared a tacit understanding. Si Wan wore a faint smile on her face.
Under her gaze, Gong Siming became disoriented.