Chapter 44: Returning to the right path and seeking help
Zhou Lin looked at his brother's impatient look, and then looked at Su Hexi who was willing to suffer losses and spend money on scrap metal because of his predicament. A huge sense of self-blame and guilt surged in his heart.
He lowered his head in pain. If he had signed the agreement right from the beginning and done it thoroughly... none of this would have happened. He wanted to help Su Hexi save money, but he didn't expect her to lose so much money for nothing...
He finally understood that blurring the line between principle and family affection would only lead to greater harm. Brothers should be clear about their accounts; some things must be clearly defined from the outset.
On the way back, Zhou Lin blamed himself: "I'm sorry... I didn't expect this to happen..."
"Now that the matter has been resolved, don't think about it anymore. You are now mainly responsible for the construction site." Su Hexi interrupted Zhou Lin coldly. After this incident, it would be good for him to learn a lesson. People may not understand what they learn, but things can teach them in one go.
From now on, anything related to interests must be clearly written down in black and white. Even if it is between brothers, the necessary procedures must be followed. This is the only way to prevent any problems that may occur later.
Zhou Lin nodded, "I remember..."
After Zhou Zhisheng left home, his heart was in turmoil.
Su Hexi and Zhou Lin's words were like a thorn, piercing Zhou Zhisheng's heart, which was blinded by desire. Although he acted stubbornly for the sake of face and his desire for the director position, the words "scapegoat" and "scapegoat" continued to echo in his mind after he calmed down.
He went to the factory and found Qi Anhai, his usual slightly ingratiating and eager smile on his face: "Director Qi, it's done! My brother... uh, it took a bit of effort, but he got all the materials!"
Qi Anhai's eyes instantly burst into ecstasy, and he patted Zhou Zhisheng's back heavily: "Good boy! I knew you could do it! At critical moments, we still have to rely on our brothers! Don't worry, just complete the formalities quickly, and I will apply for the director position for you immediately. It's a done deal!"
Zhou Zhisheng forced a smile, but his heart was as cold as ice. He noticed that beneath Qi Anhai's smile, there was a kind of anxiety and relief.
"Director, I've really offended everyone in my family this time," Zhou Zhisheng pretended to be still in shock. "So, I have to handle these subsequent procedures perfectly. There can't be any mistakes, otherwise my brother and that Su Hexi will be very angry about me. Could you please let me check the detailed production records, ingredient list, and original internal quality inspection data for this batch of steel? I have to make sure everything is perfect so that I can sign with peace of mind."
Qi Anhai frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashing across his face. "Zhisheng, the procedures are fixed. Don't we have the quality inspection reports? Don't worry, there's no problem!"
Zhou Zhisheng immediately revealed an embarrassed and fearful expression. "Director, it's not that I don't trust you. It's my brother... He used to be a veteran in the factory and knows the business. He insists that this batch of materials looks wrong. If I can't provide ironclad proof that there's absolutely no problem, and he makes a fuss, then the refund will be a minor issue, but it will affect your plans and the overall situation... I just want to learn the process so I have confidence. Once I sign, this matter will be completely resolved, and you can rest assured, right?"
He deliberately emphasized the words "peace of mind" and "complete enlightenment".
Qi Anhai was persuaded, and what he wanted most was to get this over with as quickly as possible. He hesitated for a moment, then finally pulled out some documents from a locked drawer. "Okay, I'll show you. Check and sign as soon as possible. These are all internal documents, so keep them confidential."
Zhou Zhisheng's heart raced, but he accepted it respectfully. He flipped through it quickly, his eyes sharp as he picked out key information. He noticed a "Special Batch Ingredient Application Form" with an ingredient ratio far below national standards. The reviewer's signature was incredibly faint, almost illegible. But upon closer inspection, he could make out the outline of the words "Qi Anhai."
He took advantage of the moment when Qi Anhai wasn't paying attention and quickly mixed the list into a pile of documents that needed to be "copied for record". He quickly walked to the office outside and copied them all under the pretext that "the director needs a backup". He then carefully folded the key list and hid it in his underwear pocket, and put the original back.
After obtaining the suspected evidence, Zhou Zhisheng's suspicions reached 80%. However, he still needed to confirm the harmfulness of the materials. He approached a veteran engineer at the factory who was nearing retirement and possessed excellent skills and a straightforward character.
He held up a standard production process manual, pointed to one of the common parameters, and pretended to ask humbly, "Master Liu, excuse me, I've been learning about production technology lately. For example... if we have a batch of materials, and to ensure... uh, production, we slightly reduce the ratio of a certain element, say to 60% of the standard value, will that have a significant impact?"
The old engineer pushed up his reading glasses and said seriously, "Nonsense! Which bastard would dare to do this? This isn't a matter of whether the impact is significant or not! This could kill people! The toughness and strength are completely inadequate! Building a house? It'll collapse! Building a bridge? It'll break! Anyone who dares to do this will go to jail if caught!"
Zhou Zhisheng's face turned pale and he forced himself to say thank you and leave.
The old engineer's words were like a final wake-up call, completely awakening him. He was 100% certain that Qi Anhai was determined to destroy him.
Zhou Zhisheng was like a frightened bird, his inner fear and dread reaching their peak. He no longer cared about his appearance and secretly ran to the construction site guarded by Zhou Lin.
Seeing Zhou Lin, his lips trembled and tears almost fell: "Brother...Brother! I was wrong! Qi Anhai...he really wanted to kill me!"
He rambled on incoherently, recounting everything that had happened, his suspicions, the secretly printed list of ingredients, and the old engineer's words. Finally, he grabbed Zhou Lin's arm, his voice trembling, "Brother, what should I do? If I sign those words, I'm done! He must have planned to run away a long time ago!"
Zhou Lin was shocked and angry after hearing this, but he was more relieved to see that his brother finally came to his senses. "Come on, I'll take you to find your sister-in-law."
Zhou Zhisheng was stunned for a moment, "My sister-in-law?"
"Yes!" Zhou Lin nodded heavily. "Your sister-in-law is smart, quick-witted, and knows a lot. She should be able to come up with a solution."
He immediately took Zhou Zhisheng to find Su Hexi.
After hearing this, Su Hexi remained extremely calm.
Zhou Zhisheng is Zhou Lin's biological brother. If Zhou Zhisheng goes to jail for this matter, Zhou Lin will probably not be happy for the rest of his life. For Zhou Lin's sake, she must help him, but how can she help to prevent Qi Anhai from escaping smoothly?
Her thoughts raced. "What Qi Anhai needs most right now is for you to sign and complete all the necessary procedures to clear himself. We must make him leave behind irrefutable evidence before he becomes suspicious and destroys it all."
She gave Zhou Zhisheng an order: "Go back tomorrow and pretend you know nothing. Even be more proactive than before. Keep him steady and don't give him a chance to escape with the money. Then, secretly gather evidence that he's using your position as director to take the blame."
After hearing this, Zhou Zhisheng said affirmatively: "Okay!"
This is the only way for him to save himself. If he fails to do this, his life will be over.
Su Hexi looked at Zhou Lin and said, "Zhou Lin, go find the old workers in the factory who were close to you and who were ostracized by Qi Anhai. Quietly contact someone you trust and see if you can find more circumstantial evidence about the production of this batch of problematic steel, or any clues to Qi Anhai's financial problems."
Zhou Lin recalled in his mind who he knew, then nodded and agreed: "Okay."
"As for me... we just received a batch of substandard steel. Tomorrow, under the pretext of being a 'major client' concerned about product quality and future cooperation, I'll directly meet with the higher-ups at the steel mill. I'll tell them that 'a recent batch of goods had quality issues, causing a landslide at our construction site. I hope the mill will take this seriously to avoid affecting our cooperation and reputation.' I'll have them secretly investigate the steel issue."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
