Chapter 32: Resting Fu Jingchuan's hand pressed hard on...
Fu Jingchuan pressed his hand firmly against his lower abdomen. After sitting through the morning meeting, his lower back was throbbing with pain. His abdomen felt tight and stiff, forcing him to slow his breathing. Fu Yannian's move was ruthless and decisive, directly reporting it to the regulatory authorities. Even if no evidence was found, the initial investigation itself would cause immense trouble and negative impact on Jingjing Capital.
Shen Shutong said firmly, "We can't just wait for him to throw dirty water on us. We must strike back immediately, and quickly and ruthlessly."
Fu Jingchuan forced himself to ignore his discomfort. Now was not the time to rest. "Amy, do three things immediately. First, have the PR department send out the official statement we've prepared in the strongest possible terms. Emphasize that we welcome and actively invite any form of independent review, and point out that this is a malicious accusation and a desperate struggle by the Fu Group, on the verge of bankruptcy. Use strong language."
"Understood." Amy quickly wrote it down.
"Secondly, the Ministry of Justice, in addition to sending legal letters to the media and individuals who spread the rumors as planned, is immediately preparing to file a lawsuit against Fu Yannian and the Fu Group for defamation, with the maximum compensation amount. I don't want money, I want attitude and momentum."
"Okay, Mr. Fu."
"Third, contact the financial media outlets with which we have the best relationships, as well as several influential independent financial commentators, and "inadvertently" leak the summaries of Fu Group's financial reports from the past three years, particularly the details of projects where obvious missteps led to massive losses. Also, the news that they've been frantically pursuing mergers and acquisitions, and even selling core assets, with no interest. Remember, only present the facts, no commentary, and let readers make their own judgments."
"I'll do it right away." Amy nodded, turned around and quickly left the office to carry out the order.
Chen Shutong then took out his phone. "For those projects that incurred the most losses at the Fu Corporation, other shareholders participated in the decision-making process. Fu Yannian couldn't make the final decision alone. I'll contact those shareholders who have had a long-standing grudge against Fu Yannian. They might not be willing to go down with him at this point."
Fu Jingchuan nodded and added, "Also, have our technical security team mobilize immediately to conduct a comprehensive review of intranet permissions and sensitive file access logs. Fu Yannian was able to fabricate seemingly related materials so quickly, so there must be someone inside cooperating with him. Focus on investigating the Finance Department and those who have access to historical investment evaluation files, especially those who have behaved abnormally in recent times or whose permissions do not match their responsibilities."
"I'll ask Shen's security department to send two trustworthy people to help." Shen Shutong said as he started dialing.
Instructions were issued one after another, and the atmosphere in the office was tense but orderly. Fu Jingchuan leaned back in his chair, trying to regulate his breathing. His hand under the table quietly pressed against his lower back, trying to relieve the nagging soreness.
After Shen Shutong finished the call, he handed him a glass of warm water: "Don't force yourself, things need to be resolved, but you and the child are more important."
Fu Jingchuan took the water cup and took a sip: "Don't worry, I know what's going on." He looked at her, "But you, is Shen's company okay? If you tie yourself too closely to me at this time, you might get affected."
Shen Shutong sneered: "A clown like Fu Yannian can't shake the Shen family. What's more, who doesn't know that you are my husband? If he attacks you, he is slapping me in the face."
Jingjing Capital and Shen Group, two efficient machines, started to operate quickly.
Fu Jingchuan endured the discomfort in his waist and abdomen as he processed emails and listened to reports in front of his computer. During this time, he had to get up several times and walk slowly around the office for a while to relieve the pressure on his waist, but the tightness in his stomach did not completely disappear.
An hour later, Jingjing Capital's official statement and news of the high-value lawsuit against Fu Yannian personally were pushed out, with a tough attitude and no compromise.
Immediately thereafter, several authoritative financial media outlets published in-depth articles analyzing the Fu Group's operational difficulties. While not directly mentioning the allegations, their content hinted at Fu's precarious situation and the chaotic management of its decision-making. Simultaneously, a large number of rational voices began to emerge online, questioning Fu Yannian's motives for making the accusations at this time and delving into Fu's failed investments over the past few years.
There has also been progress on Shen Shutong's side. A shareholder of Fu Group privately revealed to her that Fu Yannian's move was not fully authorized by the board of directors. Some shareholders are extremely dissatisfied and worried that this will completely ruin Fu Group's last possible chance of restructuring.
Around noon, the technical security team's initial investigation yielded a surprising discovery. They discovered that a mid-level manager in the Finance Department, named Sun Wei, had made several unusual access attempts to the core investment database over the past week. These attempts occurred late at night, and the files retrieved were highly correlated with the falsified data mentioned in the current incident. Even more suspicious was that his access privileges had been quietly increased recently, and the approval process was flawed.
When he heard the news, Fu Jingchuan was trying to stand up by leaning on the edge of his desk. The pain in his lower back made him hesitate slightly. His eyes were cold: "Immediately control him and notify the internal auditors and legal department to intervene. Be careful how you handle it and don't make it public for now."
In the afternoon, Sun Wei was "invited" to the conference room. Faced with the sudden appearance of technical logs and initial questions from the internal audit, he initially tried to argue. However, under the hard evidence and rigorous questioning from the legal department, his psychological defenses quickly collapsed, and he admitted that Fu Yannian had threatened his family's future to force him to secretly tamper with and leak the documents.
The entire process was recorded in detail. After Sun Wei signed the confession, he collapsed in his chair.
After obtaining the key evidence, Fu Jingchuan did not hesitate at all and immediately ordered the police to be called and the news to be disclosed to the media at the appropriate time. Throughout the whole process, cold sweat oozed from his forehead, and the tightness in his abdomen became more and more obvious. He had to adjust his seat to a higher angle to allow his lower back to be supported, and one hand was always pressed under his lower abdomen to support the weight.
Shortly after the call to the police was made, the news was passed to Fu Yannian.
Fu Yannian was originally gloating over the chaos he had created, waiting to see Fu Jingchuan in a state of panic, but he didn't expect that the chess piece he had planted would be completely exposed and captured. Only then did he realize that Fu Jingchuan's reaction was much faster and more ruthless than he had imagined.
Panic gripped him instantly. Once the charge of industrial espionage was proven, coupled with Sun Wei's testimony, he would be completely finished!
He frantically began to make phone calls, first trying to contact several directors who still supported him, hoping to gain their support, but his calls either went unanswered or were simply hung up. Obviously, the tide had turned.
He tried to contact familiar media outlets to try to change public opinion, but they either refused outright or said in a cold tone that "it is inconvenient to interfere."
Finally, as if grasping the last straw, he called Fu Jingchuan's private cell phone.
The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up, and Fu Jingchuan's cold voice came: "Mr. Fu, what's the matter?"
Fu Yannian could no longer maintain his composure, his voice hoarse and rapid: "Jingchuan! Jingchuan, listen to me! This is a misunderstanding! It was that villain Sun Wei who framed me! How could I do such a thing? We are a family!"
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, and then Fu Jingchuan's calm voice came: "Mr. Fu, you should keep these words with the police and the judge. There is nothing more to talk about between us."
"No! Jingchuan! You can't do this! I'm your father!" Fu Yannian almost roared, "Do you really want to force me to death? What good will it do to me if the Fu family collapses? What good will it do to you? You still have the blood of the Fu family flowing in your veins!"
"From the moment my mother took the money and left, from the moment I didn't know who my father was for more than 20 years, I had no relationship with the Fu family. Fu Yannian, you brought this upon yourself. You'd better take care of yourself."
After that, the phone was hung up.
Fu Yannian listened to the busy tone on his phone, his whole body cold, and he completely collapsed in the chair. He knew that he had lost this time, but an extreme unwillingness and resentment were growing wildly in his heart. He was finished, but he would not let Fu Jingchuan have an easy time!
In the evening, the latest financial news flash popped up: [Fu Yannian, chairman of the Fu Group, is suspected of commercial defamation and unfair competition. The previous accusations against Jingjing Capital were full of doubts, and the police have intervened in the investigation].
At the same time, Jingjing Capital's share price rebounded strongly after a brief fluctuation in the morning and finally closed with a slight increase.
In the office, Fu Jingchuan watched the news scrolling on the screen and the stabilizing stock price, and his tense nerves finally relaxed. A strong sense of fatigue suddenly came over him, and he leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.
Shen Shutong had been staying by his side. Seeing this, he walked forward and gently placed his hand on his shoulder: "Is it over? How are you? Is your stomach still tight?"
"It's over for now." Fu Jingchuan said softly, "The subsequent legal procedures will be very long, but Fu Yannian should be at peace for now." He paused and frowned slightly, "My stomach is still a little hard, and my waist is very sore."
He looked extremely tired and a little pale.
Shen Shutong looked at Fu Jingchuan's exhausted appearance and felt distressed: "Let's go home. You need to have a good rest."
She helped him to his feet, took his coat, and carefully helped him put it on.
On the way home, Fu Jingchuan spent most of the time resting with his eyes closed, his brows slightly furrowed due to his physical discomfort. Shen Shutong was anxious, but he could only ask the driver to drive more steadily.
When they got home, Aunt Wang prepared a light dinner. But Fu Jingchuan had no appetite at all. He only drank half a bowl of soup and shook his head, his face still looking grim.
"Eat a little more?" Shen Shutong advised softly.
"I really can't eat." Fu Jingchuan shook his head, his voice a little weak, "I want to lie down first, my waist is really sore that I can't stand it."
Shen Shutong didn't force him anymore and immediately helped him upstairs. He helped him change into comfortable home clothes, let him lie down on the bed slowly, and carefully placed several soft pillows under his lower back and legs to help him relax his tense abdomen and sore waist as much as possible.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers gently stroking his furrowed brow. "Don't think about it, don't think about anything. Your only task now is to relax and rest. I'll be here with you."
Fu Jingchuan looked at her with a dependent look in his eyes: "Shutong, today...thanks to you."
"You're talking nonsense again." Shen Shutong held his slightly cold hand, "Close your eyes and get some sleep."
Fu Jingchuan also held her fingers with his backhand and slowly closed his eyes. Heavy fatigue and physical discomfort made him quickly fall into a light sleep.
Shen Shutong stayed by the bed until his breathing became even, then he gently pulled his hand away and turned off the headlights, leaving only a dim night light.
She quietly walked to the window and called her assistant, her voice very low: "Please keep an eye on the follow-up for me. If there are any new developments with the police and Fu Yannian, tell me immediately." She always felt that with Fu Yannian's character, he would not give up so easily, and he might have a backup plan.
As the night deepened outside the window, Shen Shutong's gaze fell on the peacefully sleeping Fu Jingchuan. The storm seemed to have subsided, but perhaps the undercurrent was still surging. She had to remain vigilant.
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