Stealing The Wind But Not The Moon [Completed]

29. Are You Putting The Blame On Me?

At noon, Chu Zhichen returned home from work, much to the surprise of his mother, Mrs. Chu. "Xiao Chen, why are you back so early?" she asked.

"I'm a bit tired," he said. "I thought I'd come home and take a break."

Aunt Tang, who had just come in from the garden with a handful of rosemary, overheard their conversation. "Ever since you became a secretary, you've always had to work overtime," she said. "Tsk tsk, there's no such thing as a soft-hearted boss in this world."

Mrs. Chu playfully retorted that she never pressured Aunt Tang to work overtime. Amused by their banter, Chu Zhichen proceeded to the dining room and placed a box of plump and fresh lychees on the table. Thankfully, the refrigerator was spacious enough to accommodate them.

After packing a tray, Chu Zhichen headed upstairs and entered his study. He stripped off his suit and tie, unbuttoning his shirt to expose his wrists and neck, then settled comfortably in his tall swivel chair.

There, he began reading Ren Meng's resignation report, which concisely explained that his departure was mainly due to health issues, echoing the reasons discussed during their lunch meeting.

Switching his attention to the computer, Chu Zhichen opened a temporary folder containing Ren Meng's personal information.

This compilation had been carefully organized, revealing Ren Meng's educational background, including a master's degree, and his near decade and a half of service in Easis' Finance Department, with a promotion to department manager.

Taking note of Zhai Feng's success, Chu Zhichen couldn't help but ponder deeply. Was Ren Meng's resignation truly solely based on physical reasons?

Curiosity compelled Chu Zhichen to log into his work mailbox, as he had the privilege of accessing Yisi's old historical files due to his secretary status. He frequently requested the finance department to provide him with various information, pertaining to non-confidential company archives that fell well within his prerogative.

The data before him was vast, yet he had limited time. Employing his old shorthand notation, Chu Zhichen spread out a blank sheet of paper and began delving into the documents. As the sky outside turned gray and dark, making it difficult to discern the time, Chu Zhichen toiled for several hours, eventually setting down his pen and rubbing his temples.

Upon examining most of the documents handled by Ren Meng, encompassing various departments, Chu Zhichen made a striking observation. The error rate was exceptionally low, and despite the financial department witnessing numerous changes in its management and staff over the past decade, Ren Meng remained a steadfast and unwavering figure. Additionally, he discovered that Ren Meng's signature was consistently present on the financial documents of all projects successfully secured by Li Zangqiu.

This seeming coincidence made Chu Zhichen wonder if Ren Meng had been secretly assisting Li Zangqiu, even in legitimate matters.

To gather more insight, Chu Zhichen promptly checked Ren Meng's salary records. Over the years, the salary and bonus he received were in line with job requirements, lacking any additional benefits. However, should Ren Meng truly be considered Li Zangqiu's right-hand man, Chu Zhichen found the position and compensation to be insufficient.

Feeling deflated, Chu Zhichen swiveled his chair to face the window, a hint of worry masking his expression.

He grabbed a lychee, peeled it, and relished the juicy sweetness of the white flesh. Contemplating the price of lychees in the 21st century, memories flooded his mind of fruit vendors traversing the streets in the past, delivering their fresh produce to households every two days and settling accounts quarterly.