Chapter Seven: Funds Released

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Duan Fei had sensed that the atmosphere in the company had been off lately. Ever since the incident at the last banquet, rumors about her "rising through connections" and being "all beauty and no substance" had spread through the company like a virus. In the corridors, she could always feel the strange gazes of her colleagues, as if they were looking at some rare creature or scrutinizing a defective product about to be discarded.

"Are these people just bored out of their minds?" Duan Fei cursed silently, yet on the surface, she maintained her usual indifferent and laid-back demeanor. After all, true gold fears no fire, and rumors end where wisdom begins. Besides, Duan Fei was no pushover or easy target.

Determined to uncover the mastermind behind the scenes, Duan Fei decided to take the initiative. Her first target was Wang Qiang, the representative of the project partner, a man who always carried himself with an air of "I am the best in the world," clearly not someone to be underestimated.

"Mr. Wang, have you heard any whispers about the rumors circulating in the company lately?" Duan Fei got straight to the point.

Wang Qiang was momentarily stunned, then gave a meaningful smile that sent chills down Duan Fei’s spine. "Oh, Ms. Duan, so this day has come for you? If I had known, I wouldn’t have done what I did back then. Sometimes you have to bear the consequences of your actions, right?" His tone was dripping with sarcasm, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight as if watching a good show.

Duan Fei nearly lost control and wanted to punch him square in the face.

Taking a deep breath, she forced down her anger. "Mr. Wang, you should speak with evidence. It’s not a good habit to make baseless accusations."

"Evidence? Ha, do we really need evidence? Everyone knows the truth deep down; there’s no need to air it openly," Wang Qiang sneered, his mockery growing more obvious. "Ms. Duan, I suggest you reflect on yourself. Instead of wasting time here, you should think about how to answer to the company."

Duan Fei clenched her fists until they cracked audibly.

She realized Wang Qiang was here only to kick her when she was down.

“Very well, Mr. Wang, you’ve successfully provoked me,” Duan Fei sneered, turning and leaving the office.

Stepping outside, she watched her colleagues bustling past, sensing their whispered conversations were all about her. Their gazes felt like blades, each one cutting into her heart.

At that moment, her phone rang, displaying the name Bei Mo. Hesitating for a moment, she answered.

“Where are you?” Bei Mo’s voice was low and magnetic, laced with barely perceptible concern.

“At the company,” Duan Fei replied wearily, but kept her tone calm.

“I’m coming to find you,” Bei Mo said before hanging up abruptly.

Holding her phone, staring at the darkened screen, an inexplicable unease surged within her.

She felt certain that something unexpected was about to happen.

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"Ms. Duan, you’d better prepare yourself..." A familiar voice whispered in her ear. Startled, Duan Fei spun around, but found no one behind her, only the echo lingering in the corridor. She felt as if caught in a vast whirlpool, everything around her becoming hazy and indistinct.

Returning to her office, the usually lively workspace was eerily silent. Colleagues avoided her as if she were contagious, even avoiding eye contact.

In the break room, the usual chattering of gossip had vanished, replaced by a suffocating silence.

Duan Fei felt trapped inside a vacuum glass dome, isolated from everything around her.

She gave a bitter smile—such a swift change of face was worthy of a Sichuan opera masked performance.

Sitting alone in the empty office, her heart sank to the bottom.

She had weathered many storms before, but this sense of isolation was an unprecedented helplessness and loneliness.

Rubbing her temples, she forced herself to calm down.

When attacked, she would defend; when flooded, she would dam. She refused to believe these petty rumors could bring her down.

Meanwhile, Bei Mo had already begun to move.

He was no pushover; anyone daring to cross him would face severe consequences.

First, he tasked Su Yao with collecting internal surveillance footage, then used his network to investigate those spreading rumors.

Bei Mo’s involvement instantly intensified the underlying currents.

Those who gossiped behind her back grew nervous, never expecting Bei Mo to stand up for Duan Fei, and certainly not with such decisive action.

They had hit a stone wall.

"President Bei, the investigation found that the worst offenders spreading rumors are Manager Zhang from Marketing and Supervisor Li from Finance. They are both closely connected to Wang Qiang," Su Yao reported.

A cold smile curled on Bei Mo’s lips. "Good. Bring them to my office."

Once the news broke, the entire company was in uproar.

Managers Zhang and Li were terrified, never imagining they would be targeted by Bei Mo.

Duan Fei’s phone vibrated with an anonymous message: "Do you really think Bei Mo cares about you? He’s just using you. You’d better watch your back..."

Frowning at the message, Duan Fei’s mind raced.

Who sent this? Friend or foe?

She looked out the window. Bei Mo’s car was already parked downstairs...

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Bei Mo’s car was parked steadily below the company. Striding into Duan Fei’s office, he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control." Those few words felt like a warm current, instantly melting the frost in Duan Fei’s heart.

She looked up into Bei Mo’s resolute eyes and felt an inexplicable sense of security rising within her.

Unlike the typical domineering CEO, Bei Mo didn’t immediately fire the employees spreading rumors. Instead, he summoned them all into the conference room.

"Come on, spill it. Who’s behind this? Don’t talk? Then you’re all going to the door!" Bei Mo sat down, crossing his legs, exuding the aura of a “gang boss.”

Everyone exchanged glances, surprised by Bei Mo’s unexpected approach.

Under pressure, some couldn’t hold on and began confessing.

Voices overlapped like a bustling market in the conference room, while Bei Mo listened like a spectator, scrolling on his phone and occasionally commenting, "Oh, that move? Nice!" "Is that all? Got anything spicier?"

Duan Fei watched Bei Mo’s unserious demeanor and couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

This wasn’t solving the problem—it was clearly watching the show!

Yet Bei Mo’s tactic of “shaking the mountain to scare the tiger” worked. The spread of rumors noticeably slowed, and he uncovered clues pointing to a senior executive—Vice President Zhao Kang.

Just as Bei Mo prepared to confront Zhao Kang, Zhao struck first, presenting a pile of “evidence” accusing Duan Fei of embezzlement and a dissolute private life.

The so-called evidence was detailed and well-presented, seemingly credible. Public opinion quickly reversed again, and Duan Fei was once more thrust into the eye of the storm.

Staring at the “evidence,” her face drained of color. She never expected Zhao Kang to stoop so low.

Bei Mo’s expression darkened as he slammed the “evidence” onto the table. "Zhao Kang, you’d better give me a reasonable explanation!"

Zhao Kang sneered. "President Bei, I’m just stating the facts. Isn’t this evidence clear enough?"

"You..." Bei Mo was about to explode, but Duan Fei grabbed his hand and took a deep breath.