Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Partiality
Chapter 33
When Ruan Yan arrived at the company in the morning, she saw that everyone looked dejected.
"What's wrong?" She put her bag on the table and handed Liu Mengmeng a box of mochi she had just bought.
Liu Mengmeng said gloomily, "Our group's plan for the H City Museum has been replaced."
"Why?" Ruan Yan was puzzled. "Didn't they decide to adopt our team's plan at the previous internal meeting?"
"Because our core idea collided with someone else's, and they even released it before us, just last night," Liu Mengmeng said angrily, her face gloomy. "We definitely can't hand this design over to the client directly, but time is running out, so we've decided to urgently revise and refine Chen's team's original Plan B."
Although it was a coincidence that they had the same idea as another company, others might not think so. If public opinion arises at that time, it will definitely be detrimental to Zhuo Lu. In order to avoid unnecessary trouble in the future and not to damage Zhuo Lu's reputation, they can only sacrifice their team's hard work.
Ruan Yan didn't know how to comfort them. Ever since they beat Chen's team, they had been working overtime for many nights to refine and improve the museum plan and hand over the results to the client as soon as possible. They didn't expect to be stopped.
If it was a problem of ability, they would have lost with conviction. However, they had to abandon their plan because of a clash of ideas, and all their previous efforts would have been wasted.
Seeing everyone in the group looking listless, Ruan Yan felt very uncomfortable.
I can only treat everyone to coffee and snacks during afternoon tea as a small comfort.
I just didn't expect that there would be a follow-up to this matter.
A few days later, Ruan Yan was suddenly called over by the Human Resources Department.
HR manager Huang Shijie was talking to someone beside him with a serious expression. When he saw her come in, he pushed up his glasses and said, "Sit down."
Besides Huang Shijie, there were Lin Lin and another HR sitting across the table.
Lin Lin's complicated expression was very different from usual.
Ruan Yan was confused.
They watched Ruan Yan sit down expressionlessly. After a pause of several seconds, Huang Shijie slowly opened his mouth and said, "You knew about the leak of your team's plan, right?"
Ruan Yan was surprised. The plan was leaked? Didn't they say it was just a coincidence?
She shook her head. "I only know that there is a core point that is similar to other companies."
Huang Shijie continued, "Then do you know which company they are from and what project they are working on?"
Ruan Yan nodded. She had heard Liu Mengmeng and Zhao Tian mention it that day.
"Hengrong Building seems to be a science and technology museum project."
Huang Shijie looked at Lin Lin, then turned his stern eyes to Ruan Yan.
"Do you know anyone from Hengrong Construction?"
The light above was a bit dazzling. Huang Shijie's tone was as sharp as a knife, directly cutting through Ruan Yan's somewhat tangled thoughts, and all her questions were answered instantly.
So, they suspected she had leaked the museum plans?
Ruan Yan was surprised, and her tone was somewhat emotional: "I don't know him."
Huang Shijie stared at her seriously, "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Ruan Yan looked straight into his face.
"Ruan Yan, since we can talk to you, it means we have some evidence. You'd better confess voluntarily or provide us with more important evidence. We can consider giving you a lighter sentence." Huang Shijie leaned forward slightly, and the oppression in his tone became even more severe.
His words did not threaten Ruan Yan at all. She was almost laughing at the absurd scene.
"I said I don't know him, and I didn't leak any plan. You are slandering me." She responded decisively.
Lin Lin next to her met her questioning gaze, her expression very solemn.
It was only then that Ruan Yan realized that their museum plan not only had a core creative idea, but also many details such as the building facade design, the materials used, the interior space, etc., which were highly similar to Hengrong's science and technology museum plan.
This really couldn't be as simple as a car crash.
But why did they put this shit on her head?
Ruan Yan was dissatisfied: "You said you have evidence, then show it to me and let me..."
“Pah.”
Huang Shijie placed a few photos in front of her.
He pointed at the person in the photo and said, "You said you don't know him, so who is this person?"
Ruan Yan first glanced at it nonchalantly, but when she saw the familiar face in the photo clearly, a sense of foreboding suddenly spread from the soles of her feet.
"This is a friend of mine." She unconsciously lost most of her momentum.
"Your friend?" Huang Shijie sneered. "So now you admit that you know someone from Hengrong Construction?"
The two people in the photo are sitting in a cafe, laughing and talking about something.
One of them is Ruan Yan, and the person with a baby face opposite her is Xu Jia.
"She's not from Hengrong Construction," Ruan Yanren was confused, mumbling to herself. She remembered Xu Jia had mentioned it before. "She said she works at a law firm."
"Don't you think your lame lie is ridiculous?" Huang Shijie tapped the table with his fingertips. "The evidence is right in front of you, and you're still quibbling!"
Ruan Yan couldn't quite hear what he said next. She only knew that her brain was in a mess and had been blown to pieces.
In a trance, she saw Lin Lin's face full of regret.
She moved her dry lips slightly, but the rebuttals and feeble explanations that she subconsciously wanted to say were all blocked in her throat.
Huang Shijie spread out several photos on the table. Xu Jia's harmless smiling face in the photos looked so unfamiliar.
He pointed to one of them and asked, "Do you remember when this day was?"
Ruan Yan remained silent.
"You just delivered the museum plan to Mr. Lu, and then immediately went to dinner with this guy that same day. You're so bold and arrogant to do this kind of thing right under our noses!"
Huang Shijie was about to lose his temper, but considering that she was Lu Peishi's person, he restrained himself a little and put his hand back to his chest: "Well, the evidence is in front of you, so you have nothing to say now, right?"
He pressed the issue, "Tell me the truth. How many times has this happened to you? The amusement park project, the South Suburbs commercial complex project, and even earlier..."
"It has nothing to do with me. I didn't do it," Ruan Yan regained her remaining sanity in the chaos. "Even if the person in the photo is from Hengrong Construction, so what? Just based on these few photos, it can't directly prove that I leaked it. I'm just a suspect at best."
Huang Shijie was stunned. He didn't expect that even at this point, Ruan Yan would still continue to deny it.
"I'm willing to cooperate with all your subsequent investigations, but I want to reiterate that I've been wronged. I haven't done anything to wrong the company." Ruan Yan looked at him, then at Lin Lin, and said firmly, "I hope the company will conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into this matter to clear my name."
…
Outside the office, someone peeked in mysteriously: "Hey, have you heard? Someone in our company is secretly leaking plans and drawings."
"Is this true? No way, who is it?"
"Where did this gossip come from? Is it true?"
"Of course it's true. I heard it from Xiao Ding. They received an anonymous package this morning. After opening it and handing it to the HR department, several HR representatives immediately changed their expressions."
Xiao Ding is the company's receptionist and also the company's walking loudspeaker. Whenever something happens, she is the most informed.
"Who is that? So bold? Stop keeping us in suspense."
The person who spoke winked and said, "Look who was called in for a talk by Manager Huang today?"
"It's... Ruan Yan? Oh my God!"
In less than two hours, the news that Ruan Yan was being investigated for leaking the plan spread throughout the company.
Someone went to her group to verify the gossip, but was rudely dismissed.
Zhao Tian had a stern face and his eyes were as cold as a blade, ready to kill anyone who came his way.
Liu Mengmeng started cursing: "Go, go, go, you're crazy, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"You have such a big heart that you don't even care when your hard work is stolen." The person being scolded said sarcastically.
"Who stole it? You?" Zhao Tian glared at him. "I don't see you paying much attention to the project. If you have time for such a long-winded chatter, you might as well be drawing some more blueprints."
The quarrel continued until Ruan Yan returned from the Human Resources Department.
Everyone fell silent, watching her walk to her workstation and sit down.
Liu Mengmeng glared back at them one by one.
When he turned to Ruan Yan, his expression immediately changed.
"Xiao Yanyan, how are you? Are you okay?"
Zhao Tian also came over and asked with concern: "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, nothing's wrong," Ruan Yan forced a smile towards them, sensing the reactions of those around her. "Everyone... knows, right?"
"Well, why do you care about them? They just love to gossip!" Liu Mengmeng was filled with righteous indignation. "Anyway, we believe you!"
"Thank you." Ruan Yan, who had just experienced a social setback education, understood how precious the friendship that came in time of need was.
She silently packed up the things on the table: "The company decided to let me suspend work for a few days."
Liu Mengmeng was stunned for a moment: "Stop your work...what do you mean?"
Huang Shijie said that during their investigation, she needed to cooperate, stop working on any project, and not contact colleagues in the company, especially architects.
Liu Mengmeng was indignant: "This is too much! Why should you be suspended from work? Wouldn't this be like telling everyone that you are a suspect?"
Zhao Tian was relatively calm: "Did they say how long it would take?"
Ruan Yan shook her head.
Zhao Tian gently pressed her shoulder and said, "It's better to go back and rest for a few days, so as not to stay here and endure their gossip."
At this time, Lin Lin appeared. She stood not far away, waiting quietly for Ruan Yan to pack up.
They were all silent on the way down the elevator.
Some people came in and some went out until they reached the first floor, and people getting out of the elevator passed by them one after another.
When they reached the door, Lin Lin suddenly said, "Ruan Yan, I believe you."
Ruan Yan raised her eyes and said in a calm voice, "Thank you for believing in me."
Lin Lin felt uncomfortable seeing her melancholy look.
Although Ruan Yan was not recruited by her, she was the one who brought her in on her first day at work.
In addition, Ruan Yan is usually sweet-talking and always smiling, so Lin Lin has a good impression of her.
"If you find any clues or think of anything related to this incident during this period, please feel free to call me." Lin Lin couldn't help but comfort him, "Don't worry, the company will definitely get to the bottom of this matter."
After walking out of the Shizhou Building, Ruan Yan felt her steps were weak and her mind and body were in a daze.
She sat on a chair in the subway station for a long time, staring blankly at the people coming and going.
After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly took out her cell phone and started flipping through it.
After flipping through the pages, he stopped again.
She didn't have any contact information for Xu Jia. They didn't leave their phone numbers or add each other on WeChat.
Yes, how could young people nowadays meet new friends without leaving any contact information?
This seemingly insignificant detail, now that she thought about it, she realized how wrong it was.
Fainting, being surrounded, drinking coffee, meeting by chance... Xu Jia deliberately approached her from the beginning to lower her guard, and then step by step weaved traps to lure her into falling.
Ruan Yan clenched her phone tightly, thinking how stupid she was.
Xu Jia, Xu Jia...
The name Xu Jia, and her as a person, are all fake, how ironic.
But why did she go to so much trouble to frame herself?
They don't even know each other.
Another speeding subway stopped in front of her, and she saw her numb face in the glass window.
When I got home, it was almost ten o'clock.
Wen Ying is abroad, Aunt Wang and the others have gone to rest, and the house is quiet.
Ruan Yan went upstairs to take a hot bath. When she came out, she found a missed call on her phone.
It was Lu Peishi.
She was hesitating whether to reply when her phone vibrated again and Lu Peishi's name popped up on the screen.
She swiped subconsciously and answered it.
When the call was connected, his first words were: "Are you okay?"
Ruan Yan leaned on the bed and hummed, "Not bad..."
She sighed silently and waited quietly for what he was going to say.
"Restorate well at home these few days. Think of it as a vacation for you." His magnetic voice came from the other end of the receiver.
Ruan Yan suddenly felt an impulse and said seriously, "I am innocent of this matter. It was not me who leaked the museum plan. That day I..."
"I know." Lu Peishi said calmly.
Just a few words blocked her overflowing grievances.
His low voice was like a calming agent, soothing her restlessness: "The company will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and find out who is behind this."
Ruan Yan didn't expect him to say that.
"Rest well at home and adjust your mood." He paused and said, "It's getting late, go to bed."
"You called...just to say this?" Ruan Yan couldn't help but ask.
Lu Peishi: "Yes, what's wrong?"
Ruan Yan bit her lip: "I thought..."
She thought he called her hoping she would give him an explanation or for her to tell her the whole story... but that wasn't the case.
There were no accusations or questions, only concern and comfort.
Ruan Yan sat up from the bed and suddenly wanted to know a question.
"From the moment you heard about this, did you ever doubt me for a moment?"
"No." Lu Peishi replied decisively.
She asked again, "Why?"
"You are mine, and I trust my intuition." His tone was straightforward, yet it was filled with undisguised partiality and sincerity.
Ruan Yan knew that his previous sentence referred to their working relationship, but it still made her feel a little soft-hearted.
It was very strange that the two people who clearly had something to say suddenly fell silent.
In the quiet air, only the gentle breathing of each other was transmitted to each other's ears through the electric current.
Ruan Yan leaned on the bed and looked out the window.
The night sky was as black as ink, and the silver moonlight seemed even brighter and clearer.
Her mood, which had been bad all day, suddenly became calm. She didn't know whether it was because of the gentle night scene in front of her or because of Lu Peishi's call.
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The author has something to say: It’s the migraine that comes once a month again, and it also collides with dysmenorrhea. Oh my god, the pain is unbearable π_π
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