Chapter 109: One by one interviews and accountability
Last night, Si Yan stayed in the hospital to accompany his wife, just like a "wife-waiting stone".
Early in the morning, Su Hong came over with a thermos. When she opened the lid, she found steaming hot millet porridge and boiled eggs. She handed the spoon to Si Yan and said, "Hurry up and eat something before going to work. I'm here."
Si Yan quickly finished his breakfast and stared at Su Nian, who was still asleep on the hospital bed, for half a minute before reluctantly picking up his briefcase. "Thank you for your hard work, Mom. Call me anytime if you need anything."
At Chen's Garment Company, the morning light filtered through the blinds. When Chen Ran pushed open the office door, his steps were heavier than usual. Last night, after leaving the hospital and sending Su Hong home, he went to the company again and watched the surveillance footage of the design department with Fang Shuo. Thinking of those scenes, the aura around him instantly turned cold again.
As soon as he sat down at his desk, he pressed the intercom button. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable force: "Fang Shuo, have Li Yue come to my office first."
A few minutes later, Li Yue knocked on the door. She knew that Mr. Chen was looking for her because of Su Nian's fall in the company yesterday.
Inner OS: Here it comes, the first act of the annual workplace drama "The President's Interrogation" has begun.
"Mr. Chen, are you looking for me?"
Chen Ran raised his eyes and pointed to the chair opposite him. "Sit down. You and Fang Xia stayed with Su Nian at the hospital yesterday. Thank you for your hard work. I'm looking for you today because I want you to tell me everything that happened in your design department yesterday. Don't miss any details."
Li Yue calmed herself down and started talking: At about three o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Zhang came to the design department. As soon as she arrived, she asked who Zhou Xiaomeng was. Then she cursed and quarreled with her, and how Zhou Xiaomeng fought back. She also heard the reactions of the people around her. Wu Xiao wanted to stop the fight but was held back... She told all these details without reservation, even repeating Zhou Xiaomeng's words "Su Nian relied on a man to get into the company", and describing the force with which Mrs. Zhang slammed the table.
—Li Yue, you're so bold! This level of revelations is comparable to that of the entertainment industry's top paparazzi. Mrs. Zhang's roar was almost at a decibel level.
Chen Ran didn't interrupt the whole time. His fingertips tapped lightly on the table, his eyes becoming increasingly gloomy.
After Li Yue finished speaking, he slowly said, "Okay, I understand. Go back to work first, and don't mention this to anyone else."
After Li Yue left, Chen Ran pressed the intercom again, "Let Wu Xiao in."
The atmosphere of these summons is comparable to that of an emperor reviewing memorials in court.
Wu Xiao came in with a folder in his hand, looking more reserved than Li Yue. He was the team leader of intern Zhou Xiaomeng.
Chen Ran raised his eyes, his tone calm, but with a hint of "disappointment with someone".
"Sit down. The design department was practically a market yesterday. As one of the few male colleagues in the department, you just watched two women quarrel? You didn't even think to call security or intervene?"
Voice-over - So it's just an audience member, and one with mute mode?
Wu Xiao's face instantly turned red to her ears, and she twisted the edge of the folder with her fingers, muttering to herself - I was about to stop the fight, but Zhang Yue held me back and said, "She hasn't seen enough of the drama yet." I can't say this to Mr. Chen, right?
He couldn't utter a word for a long time and could only keep his head down.
Chen Ran looked at him like this and waved his hand helplessly: "Alright, go back. Next time you encounter this situation, don't just stand there like a statue. At least hand them a bottle of water so they can moisten their throats."
These words are both accurate and heartbreaking.
Wu Xiao fled the office as if granted amnesty. Chen Ran picked up a pen and wrote "no responsibility" on his notebook, pressing the tip of the pen so hard that it almost pierced the paper.
The last person to come in was Lan Ting. "Mr. Chen, you're looking for me? Is it because of what happened yesterday when Mrs. Zhang came to the company and caused trouble? I was just about to report to you..."
Chen Ran interrupted her directly, his tone as cold as ice: "Lanting, you are the director of the design department. Not only did an outsider enter your department, but your intern was chased and beaten and scolded, and you just let it go? Even if Zhou Xiaomeng is really wrong, it can't be resolved in the company! Don't you understand this principle!"
Lan Ting's face froze instantly, and her eyes began to evade. "I was on an important call at the time. When I found out about the situation, I called Vice President Zhang right away. I also wanted to invite Mrs. Zhang to the office, but she wouldn't listen..."
"You don't know how to call security?" Chen Ran raised his eyes, his gaze like a knife, "Is our company's security just for show?"
Lan Ting's face turned paler and paler, her hands twisted together, her voice trembling: "Mr. Chen, I know you are concerned about Su Nian's fall, but this was really an accident, no one expected it..."
"Unexpectedly?" Chen Ran slammed his hand on the table, his voice suddenly rising. "As the head of the department, you don't even understand the meaning of 'controlling the situation'? And let me tell you, Su Nian is pregnant! That fall yesterday almost caused a disaster!"
Lan Ting's eyes widened instantly, as if she had heard huge news: "She...she's pregnant? I...I didn't know. If I had known, I would have stopped Mrs. Zhang and kidnapped her!"
Chen Ran stood up and walked in front of her, his tone full of disappointment: "You've been with me for so many years, and I always thought you were reliable. This time I'm so disappointed. Fortunately, the worst outcome didn't happen. Go back and reflect on yourself and think about how to be a director."
Lan Ting's lips trembled. She wanted to say something but didn't dare. She could only leave the office dejectedly. Her back looked like an eggplant hit by frost.
Chen Ran looked at her back, took a deep breath, sat back in his chair, and pressed the internal line: "Ask Vice President Zhang to come to my office."
When Vice President Zhang came in, his face was more bitter than bitter gourd, with sweat streaming down his forehead, as if he had just come out of a sauna.
"Mr. Chen, I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday! I've already scolded my wife, and she's at home reflecting on it now, saying she knows she was wrong..."
Chen Ran leaned back in his chair, fingertips stroking the tabletop. His tone was emotionless, yet it was filled with pressure. "Sorry? Vice President Zhang, your family's 'farce' has been staged twice in the past six months. Last time it was brought to the sales department, saying they had an affair with you, and this time it was brought to the design department, saying you were having an affair with an intern. So our company has become your 'stage for personal grudges'? Do you know how Su Nian is doing now?"
He paused, looking at Vice President Zhang's increasingly pale face, and continued, "She's pregnant. Yesterday, because of your wife's disturbance, she tripped and fell, and is still in the hospital. Your wife's disturbance not only disrupted the company's order, but also nearly resulted in a death. If this were to get out, wouldn't our company's reputation be known as 'Chen's Gossip Company'?"
Vice President Zhang's head was sweating more and more. He quickly took out a tissue to wipe it, his waist bent almost ninety degrees. "Boss Chen, I know I was wrong. I really know I was wrong! I wanted to go to the hospital to apologize to Su Nian early this morning, but I didn't want to disturb her rest. Don't worry, my family will pay for her medical expenses and nutrition." He thought to himself, even if he had to go to the hospital every day to serve her tea and water, he would be willing to do it! As long as the company didn't fire him.
Chen Ran looked at his panicked appearance. He really didn't want to force him into a desperate situation. After all, he was an old subordinate who had followed him for many years.
But what about Vice President Zhang's character? He really can't be kept! Let's do it in two steps: demote him first, then get rid of him.
"I won't fire you, but I'll definitely punish you." Chen Ran's voice finally softened. "First, forgo this quarter's performance bonus. Consider it compensation to the company. Second, go to the hospital and apologize to Su Nian in person. Your attitude must be sincere. Whether you can get her forgiveness depends on your own ability. Third, from today on, you will go to the factory in the suburbs. I will let someone else take over the purchasing department. You should stay in the factory and think about how to balance work and family, and how to abide by the company's rules."
When Vice President Zhang heard that he didn't need to be fired and the factory could remain the same, he felt too embarrassed to stay here any longer.
He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly responded, "Thank you, Director Chen! Thank you, Director Chen! I'll do whatever you say. I don't want the performance bonus. I'll go to the hospital this afternoon to apologize to Su Nian. I'll also do my job well at the factory and never complain!"
"Alright, you can go down first." Chen Ran waved his hand. "Remember what you said. If something like this happens again, I don't need to say anything more. Just submit your resignation on your own initiative."
"Of course! There won't be a next time!" Vice President Zhang nodded quickly, bowed again, and then carefully left the office. His back looked like someone who had survived a disaster.
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