It's worse than what's written in the document.

It gives no one any time to buffer or prepare. This is a high-pressure strategy designed to disrupt any potential alliances and obtain the most accurate information in the most unexpected way.

The other department heads looked at each other in bewilderment.

Under Liu Ye's grim expression and the unquestionable gazes of the two directors, everyone could only leave one after another, filled with unease. The head of the R&D department, a middle-aged man with thick glasses, looking somewhat tired and exuding a tech-geek vibe, nervously stayed behind.

Inside the meeting room, the questioning began.

"...So, Project No. 3 has been stuck in the material synthesis stage for nine months with no progress, but the funding application report keeps showing 'progressing smoothly'?"

Meng Yihe pointed to the data on a report.

The head of R&D wiped his sweat and stammered.

Cui Yu then pressed further: "During this period, three core engineers left the company. What experimental data and results did they take with them? Were the non-compete agreements and confidentiality agreements they signed complete?"

...

The same process was subsequently repeated in the finance department, human resources department, and project department.

Every department head who entered appeared flustered and full of inconsistencies under the sharp and seamless questioning of the two directors. Some tried to evade responsibility, some clearly concealed information, and others revealed long-suppressed dissatisfaction and helplessness.

As darkness fell outside the window, the lights in the conference room came on.

It was past 8 p.m. when the last supervisor left the meeting room.

Only Cui Yu and Meng Yihe remained in the conference room, along with a mountain of newly acquired original documents and densely packed notes piled on the table.

The situation is much worse than what's written in the documents.

"Looks like we'll be working all night tonight," Cui Yu said.

Meng Yihe has picked up her pen again. "Let's begin."

It was late at night.

In the office building of "Xinghai Technology", only this conference room was still lit. The table was covered with financial statements, project plans and personnel files, like a chaotic battlefield.

Cui Yu focused on sifting through the complex flow of funds, trying to find any suspicious financial loopholes. Meng Yihe buried herself in a sea of ​​technical documents and project reports, assessing the feasibility and value of each research and development direction.

Time slips away while you're fully focused.

Around 3 a.m., Meng Yihe felt a slight dizziness and a familiar stomach cramp. The high-intensity work and the disrupted eating rhythm began to protest.

He frowned and pressed his hand against his stomach.

The movements were subtle, an attempt to ignore the discomfort, with the eyes still firmly fixed on the data on the screen.

However, this small movement did not escape Cui Yu's eyes. He almost immediately stopped what he was doing and looked up.

"Is your stomach upset?" Cui Yu's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

Meng Yihe paused on the keyboard, her fingers still on the keyboard. Without looking up, she replied, "It's nothing."

Cui Yu did not believe his "it's nothing".

He stood up and walked out of the conference room without saying a word.

Meng Yihe watched his figure disappear through the door, her brows furrowing even more. A slight sense of disappointment swept through her heart, but her thoughts were completely occupied by the problem on the screen.

About ten minutes later, Cui Yu returned.

He was holding a cup of steaming warm water and a small packet of soda crackers—it's unclear where he found them at this time and place.

He gently placed the cup and biscuits beside Meng Yihe.

"Drink this first. An empty stomach can't handle coffee. Data won't grow legs and run away, so ten minutes won't make a difference."

Looking at the cup of hot water and the bag of ordinary yet incredibly thoughtful soda crackers, Meng Yihe felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

In the end, he neither refused nor thanked them.

He simply gave a soft "hmm," then reached out and picked up the glass of warm water. The water temperature was just right, seeping through the glass. He took a small sip, and the warm sensation slid down his throat, effectively relieving the dull, throbbing pain.

Cui Yu watched him drink the water, said nothing more, and sat back down in her seat to continue reading the documents. Meng Yihe quietly finished the few biscuits and drank the entire cup of hot water.

The discomfort in my stomach is gradually subsiding.

He refocused on his work, but seemed to be more efficient than before.

The horizon outside the window gradually changed from dark gray to pale white.

The exhaustion from staying up all night began to show more clearly on their faces.

Cui Yu's eyes had a faint bluish-black tinge, and Meng Yihe's lips were paler than usual, but his gaze remained focused, as if he never tired.

However, the high-intensity work was not without its rewards.

“Found it.” Cui Yu suddenly spoke, his voice a little hoarse from staying up all night, but with a sense of relief and certainty. He pointed to a complex and intricate financial transaction path on the computer screen.

"This large sum of money, intended for 'external technical consulting,' ultimately flowed into a shell company registered overseas. And one of the hidden shareholders of this company points to a distant relative of Liu Ye."

This almost directly confirms their suspicions that Liu Ye is involved in financial problems.

At the same time, Meng Yihe closed the last technical evaluation report in front of her, rubbed her sore temples, and said in a clear and decisive voice: "The R&D project evaluation is complete."

"Of the seven key projects, three are misguided and lack commercial value, so we recommend immediate termination; two have potential but too high technical barriers that are difficult to overcome in the short term, so we recommend a postponement; the remaining two are in the right direction, but the core team members have been lost, so we need to reorganize the team and adjust the technical path."

He pushed the report toward Cui Yu, which was already covered with annotations and conclusions in red pen.

Although the road ahead remains difficult, the first breakthrough has been achieved.

"That's about it." Cui Yu let out a long sigh, leaned back in his chair, and stretched his stiff neck. "It's enough to form a preliminary report to give to the CEO."

Meng Yihe nodded and began tidying up the scattered documents on the table. His movements were still methodical, but the slight slowness betrayed his extreme fatigue.

Just then, Cui Yu's phone rang.

It was a message from my assistant, Zhao Lei, asking if I needed breakfast delivered.

Cui Yu replied, "Bring enough for two people," then put down his phone and looked at Meng Yihe across from him, who was carefully sorting through the documents.

The soft morning light fell on Meng Yihe's face, tinting his long, thick eyelashes with a light gold. He pursed his lips slightly, his expression focused, seemingly completely unaware of Cui Yu's gaze.

Looking at Meng Yihe like this, Cui Yu's heart stirred slightly.

He suddenly spoke, his voice low and gentle: "Meng Yihe."

Meng Yihe looked up when she heard the sound.

Cui Yu looked at him, a tired but genuine smile curving his lips: "After we've dealt with this 'Starry Sea' matter, let's go out for a normal meal together during our next vacation."

It's not about "celebrating after the project ends," nor is it about "let's meet up sometime."

Instead, it was a very specific and personal suggestion: "Go eat some normal food again."

This proposal went beyond a purely professional relationship and carried a clear element of a personal invitation.

Meng Yihe was clearly not expected him to say this suddenly. He quickly lowered his head, pretending to continue organizing the documents, trying to hide his unease with a cold and hard tone: "...Let's finish dealing with the matter at hand first."

There was no direct refusal.

Cui Yu's smile deepened as she looked at his slightly reddened ears and his feigned composure.

"Okay, it's settled then."

Zhao Lei, carrying a still-steaming breakfast, quietly pushed open the door to the "Xinghai Technology" conference room.

The scene before him startled him slightly.

Cui Yu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and had faint dark circles under his eyes.

Meng Yihe remained seated upright, rapidly typing emails on her computer screen. However, the empty glass and cookie wrapper beside her betrayed that last night's clashes were not merely a battle of cold, hard data.

"Director Cui, Director Meng, breakfast is here," Zhao Lei called out in a low voice.

Cui Yu opened his eyes, and his gaze instantly regained its clarity.

"You've come at the perfect time."

He got up, took the bag, and naturally pushed a bowl of light porridge and side dishes in front of Meng Yihe, while picking up a sandwich for himself.

"Let's talk while we eat. Zhao Lei, you do two things right now."

"First, contact the core personnel of the Group's Audit Department and Legal Department to form a joint working group. Within an hour, they should be stationed at Xinghai and directly take over the Finance Department and all project contract files. The reason given is that the Group's annual compliance review is being conducted ahead of schedule. We need to act quickly and control all key ledgers and electronic data before we confront Liu Ye."

“Second.” Cui Yu took a bite of his sandwich.

"Have the security department 'cooperate' with the work, under the pretext of 'ensuring the safety of the group's assets,' to temporarily 'hold in custody' the office computers and mobile devices of Liu Ye, his secretary, financial manager, and others. Note that it is 'temporary custody,' and the procedures must be compliant."

Zhao Lei immediately realized that this was a matter of subtly controlling the situation to prevent anyone from resorting to desperate measures to destroy evidence.

"Understood! I'll take care of it right away!"

Meng Yihe took a sip of the warm porridge, which made his stomach feel much better. He looked up at Cui Yu.

When do you plan to confront Liu Ye?

"No rush." ​​Cui Yu tugged at the corners of his mouth, but there was no warmth in his smile. "Let him be anxious for a while. Let's go see the rest of the employees first."

...

An hour later, in the largest conference room of "Xinghai Technology".

All the remaining employees were summoned back together.

The atmosphere was even more oppressive and uneasy than yesterday, as news of the group's envoy working through the night and the sudden arrival of the audit department had already quietly spread.

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe stood side by side in front.

Cui Yu still wore that deceptively gentle smile, but when his eyes swept across the audience, they carried an invisible pressure.

Good morning, everyone.

"After initial investigation, we understand that Xinghai Technology is indeed facing some serious challenges. But our purpose in coming here is not to dwell on the past, but to restart the future."

He paused slightly, observing the reactions of the audience.

"From now on, all R&D projects will be suspended and reassessed. Operational processes will be thoroughly reviewed. The group will inject new resources, but on the premise of absolute transparency and collaboration."

His voice became slightly louder.

"For past issues, those who proactively explain and actively cooperate will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the group. However, those who attempt to conceal information or even obstruct the investigation will be dealt with accordingly..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his eyes said it all.

Meng Yihe stepped forward: "R&D Department, in one hour, in Group A's conference room, I want to hear your honest assessment of the existing technical path, including all the data and reasons for failures. Project Department, simultaneously verify all outsourcing contracts and deliverables. I want to see the most authentic situation, not a embellished report." He didn't raise his voice, but it made several managers in the audience break out in a cold sweat.

The meeting was brief but impactful.

After the meeting, the employees left in whispers, and the atmosphere became noticeably more tense, yet also imbued with a sense of order that was forcibly injected into the chaos.

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe returned to the temporary office, where Liu Ye was already waiting, his face pale.

"Director Cui, Director Meng, what... what does the audit department mean by this? And my computer..." He forced a smile, but it looked worse than crying.

Cui Yu sat behind his desk, looking at him with a relaxed expression: "President Liu, don't be nervous, it's just a routine inspection, just cooperate."

Cui Yu picked up the internal phone.

"Have Manager Wang from the audit department bring over the 'minor issue' he found to show to General Manager Liu."

A clear chart of fund flows was placed in front of Liu Ye. The path that ultimately led to an overseas shell company controlled by his relatives was prominently marked in red.

Liu Ye's face turned deathly pale instantly. His lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"President Liu," Meng Yihe's icy voice rang out, "are you going to explain the situation to the Group's Discipline Inspection Commission now, or wait until we have completely completed the chain of evidence before the Legal Department formally transfers it to the judicial authorities?"

...

By the time Liu Ye was dealt with, it was already noon.

Cui Yu and Meng Yihe stood by the office window, watching Liu Ye being taken away in a car by staff from the group's discipline inspection commission downstairs.

"The first abscess has been squeezed out," Cui Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is just the beginning." Meng Yihe looked out the window.

"The technical team is in a state of panic, the project is in dire need of rebuilding, and the real battle is yet to come."

“Yes.” Cui Yu turned her head and looked at Meng Yihe’s tired but still serious profile. Suddenly remembering something, she smiled. “However, I haven’t forgotten what I promised.”

Meng Yihe looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“After we’ve dealt with this mess,” Cui Yu said earnestly, with a hint of barely perceptible anticipation in his eyes, “let’s go have a normal meal together, just the two of us.”

The sunlight outside the window was perfect, falling on the two of them.

Meng Yihe did not answer immediately. He silently watched the cars driving away downstairs, and after a long while, he softly responded.

"……Um."

Under the high-pressure push of Cui Yu and Meng Yihe, the rectification of "Xinghai Technology" has initially stabilized the situation.

The audit and legal teams delved into financial issues, while the R&D and project departments, under Meng Yihe's strong orders, began submitting frank and almost brutal self-assessment reports. The operations team, under Cui Yu's direction, reorganized its processes.

Just when things were at their most chaotic, the park management committee issued a notice: In order to care for the health of employees of enterprises in the high-tech zone, a medical team from the community health service center will be organized to provide a free centralized physical examination service for employees of all enterprises in the park this Friday morning.

It is recommended that all staff participate.

The notice was sent to all departments, which was undoubtedly a rare opportunity for the "Xinghai" employees who had been under a lot of pressure recently, and it could also slightly alleviate the oppressive atmosphere within the company.

The administration department quickly disseminated the notice and began counting the number of participants.

"Everyone is supposed to have a physical exam on Friday morning. It's a mandatory perk, and it's also a way to relax."

Cui Yu casually mentioned it at the department heads' meeting, and Meng Yihe nodded in agreement.

Friday morning.

The medical team set up a temporary checkpoint in the park's spacious activity center.

Meng Yihe is always meticulous in his work. Even for this kind of welfare-based physical examination, he arrived on time and completed each examination in a meticulous manner. He even used his mobile phone to handle work emails while waiting in line.

"President Meng, you're here too?" an employee greeted quietly, slightly surprised.

"Hmm." Meng Yihe responded lightly, his eyes never leaving his phone screen. Soon, he finished all the tests, picked up his medical examination report, and prepared to leave.

As he passed the registration desk, his eyes swept over the list of participants, subconsciously searching for a particular name—a habit of the strategy director, habitually checking the whereabouts of key personnel.

He noticed something was wrong.

Most of the operations department employees had checked the boxes, but the column for the director, "Cui Yu," was empty.