Counterattack
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the cracks in the window, casting spots of light on the floor.
Zhong Ling found an inconspicuous cloth bag to wrap the gold bricks, stuffed it into the original owner's washed-out canvas bag, and went out.
Following the original owner's memory, Zhong Ling found a gold shop in a back alley in no time.
The boss was a thin middle-aged man with sharp eyes. When he saw Zhong Ling come in, he just raised his eyelids.
Zhong Ling placed the cloth bag directly on the counter and opened it.
The gold bricks instantly attracted the boss's full attention.
He picked up the gold brick, examined it carefully, and then took out professional tools to weigh and test it.
During the whole process, Zhong Ling just stood quietly by the side with a calm expression.
The boss finished the inspection and quoted a price.
Not too dark, but definitely not tall either. "Okay."
Zhong Ling did not bargain.
Soon, Zhong Ling got some cash, which she put into a canvas bag.
After the payment and delivery were settled, Zhong Ling turned and left the gold shop without looking back.
With the start-up capital, Zhong Ling first went to the bank to deposit the money, and then changed her image.
Zhong Ling really didn't like the original owner's dress and appearance, it was too timid.
Zhong Ling walked into the mall.
The salesperson was a little indifferent when she saw what Zhong Ling was wearing, but when she saw the prices of the clothes she wanted to pay for, her attitude immediately became warm and thoughtful.
Wearing a casual suit, he looks very energetic.
Next is the hairstyle.
She only made two requests: short hair and neat style.
The hairstylist had good skills, and soon her long hair was replaced by shoulder-length, slightly curved short hair, which made her neck look more slender and her facial features more distinct.
When Zhong Ling stood in front of the door of "Chuangke Information Technology Co., Ltd.", it was just past eleven in the morning.
When the receptionist saw her, he was obviously stunned for a moment, his eyes full of surprise and confusion.
"Zhong Ling?"
She asked uncertainly.
"Um."
Zhong Ling responded calmly and walked straight towards the elevator.
There were whispers all around, and many eyes were looking back and forth at her.
She could feel the surprise, inquiry, and even a hint of subtle jealousy in those gazes.
Her appearance was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing ripples.
Almost everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her.
The timid intern Zhong Ling who always kept her head down seemed to be possessed today.
"Hey, Zhong Ling? The sun is rising from the west today? You still remember to come to work?"
A sharp and harsh voice sounded.
The person who spoke was a woman wearing a dress and delicate makeup. She was Lin Wei, the team leader of Zhong Ling's project team.
Lin Wei walked up to Zhong Ling in her high heels, with her arms folded across her chest, her chin slightly raised, her eyes full of contempt and disdain.
"Where's the report you were asked to prepare yesterday? Have you finished it? Don't think you can get away with it by pretending to be sick!"
She spoke in a domineering voice, neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone around her to hear.
This is her usual tactic, embarrassing people in public and making an example of them.
In the past, when faced with such a situation, the original owner would just turn pale and apologize incoherently.
But today, Zhong Ling just looked at her quietly with calm eyes.
"Report?"
Zhong Ling repeated softly, with a barely perceptible curve at the corner of her mouth.
"I remember that I completed the core data model of that report independently."
"Team Leader Lin, you just added a cover and signed your name at the end."
Her voice was clear and unhurried, but it exploded in the office like a thunderclap.
The surroundings instantly became quiet, and everyone stared at Zhong Ling with wide eyes in disbelief.
The smug smile on Lin Wei's face froze, and then a flush of anger and embarrassment appeared on her face.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Lin Wei's voice suddenly rose, with a barely perceptible hint of panic.
She tried to remain calm, but her slightly trembling fingertips revealed her guilty conscience.
"When did I ever steal your credit? I clearly guided you to complete that report!"
The colleagues around them didn't dare to make a sound, and looked back and forth between the two of them, full of curiosity and shock.
How come he, the usual punching bag, dares to talk back to Lin Wei today?
And, is what she said true?
Zhong Ling tilted her head slightly and glanced at Lin Wei's face, which was a little distorted with excitement.
"guide?"
She repeated softly, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
"Does that mean that after I pulled three consecutive all-nighters and independently built the core algorithm model, you emailed me at four in the morning, asking me to send the file to your email address and 'gently' reminding me to keep it confidential and not share it with anyone else?"
She clearly reported the time the email was sent, accurate to the minute.
"Or does it mean that after you got the file, you quickly deleted my operation records in the shared document and only replaced the report cover and signature?"
Every word was like a small hammer, hitting Lin Wei's tense nerves.
Lin Wei's face turned pale in an instant.
She thought these details were kept secret from everyone, but how could this taciturn person remember them so clearly? And how could he dare to say them in public?
"You...you are slandering me!"
Lin Wei's voice was sharp, yet it revealed a lack of confidence and weakness.
"Do you have any evidence? Without evidence it's slander!"
She tried to grasp at straws.
In the office, some people started whispering, and their eyes looking at Lin Wei became complicated.
Stealing credit from interns is not uncommon in the workplace, but this is the first time it has been exposed so bluntly in public.
Zhong Ling did not answer immediately, but instead cast her gaze towards the frosted glass door of the director's office not far away.
This play requires a more important audience.
"evidence?"
Zhong Ling's voice returned to normal, but it still carried an unquestionable power.
"My computer operation logs, the company's email system's sending records, and the background editing history of shared documents."
"Is this enough?"
Every time she said something, Lin Wei's face turned paler.
As long as you are willing to check these things, you will definitely not be able to deny them.
"Or," Zhong Ling paused, her gaze returning to Lin Wei's face, her eyes sharp, "Do I need to remind you how you spread rumors about me in the tea room last month, saying that I was trying to 'seduce' the department manager in order to get a permanent position?"
"There were more than one or two people present at the time."
This sentence was like the final blow, completely breaking down Lin Wei's psychological defenses.
Spreading rumors is worse than taking credit for others' work and is more likely to arouse public outrage.
Several suppressed exclamations were heard around.
The look he gave Lin Wei had changed from complicated to contempt and anger.
Lin Wei was speechless, her body was shaking, her face was pale, and she could no longer utter a word of rebuttal.
She was completely panicked.
Just then, the door of the director's office was pushed open.
Department director Zhang Hai, a slightly plump middle-aged man, walked out with a frown.
"What are you arguing about? This is a company, not a market!"
His eyes swept across the two people confronting each other, and finally landed on Zhong Ling, whose temperament had changed drastically, and a hint of surprise flashed across his face.
Lin Wei rushed over as if she had seen a savior.
"Mr. Zhang! Mr. Zhang, please listen to my explanation! It was her! It was Zhong Ling who slandered me! She doesn't want to do this anymore and is deliberately causing trouble here!"
She spoke incoherently and tried to confuse right and wrong.
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