Mu Linjing agreed with Wei Yumeng's assessment. Wang Hua's room indeed contained photography equipment, likely intended to create a video to blackmail Wei Yumeng into silence. If Wei Yumeng were to inform Zhan Mohan, Wang Hua would be in serious trouble.
Despite his audacity, knowing Wei Yumeng's identity and still daring to act, Wang Hua clearly feared Zhan Mohan, hence his attempt to secure a threat.
Since Wang Hua showed fear towards Zhan Mohan, the reporter could not have been his doing. If the news were published, Zhan Mohan would find out, which contradicted Wang Hua's intentions. Therefore, the reporter must have been arranged by someone else, and not aligned with Wang Hua. The person who later tried to manipulate public opinion against Wei Yumeng was likely the same person who arranged the reporter.
"Linjing, can you investigate this for me? If this person isn't exposed, they'll continue to plot against me," Wei Yumeng pleaded. Facing an unseen enemy was a disadvantageous position.
Mu Linjing patted her chest reassuringly, "Don't worry, I'll definitely help you unmask this shadowy figure." She hadn't been able to help much with clearing Wei Yumeng's name, so she was determined to succeed in this task.
Wei Yumeng also turned her attention to her colleagues at the company. She knew that the informants who knew about the party and the plan to send her to Wang Hua must be among her colleagues; the whistleblower was likely one of them. Analyzing the situation from a profit perspective, Wei Yumeng was currently the top performer in their department, and Wang Hua was their manager. If last night's events were exposed, both of them would be affected. If they were both removed due to public opinion, the subordinates would be the ultimate beneficiaries. This indicated a strong motive for her colleagues to leak the information.
Therefore, upon returning to work on Monday, she observed everyone, hoping to find some corroborating evidence. Following Zhan Mohan's warning that night and the undeniable ability of the Zhan family to control public opinion over the past couple of days, colleagues who attended the celebration party avoided Wei Yumeng. Some might have felt guilty and ashamed; others, naturally, feared retaliation and kept their distance. Some even approached her privately, offering apologies and hoping she wouldn't hold a grudge.
Watching them, Wei Yumeng found it ridiculous. Knowing her identity from the start, why had they conspired to get her drunk at the celebration party? Why not simply refuse to attend? And now, they sought forgiveness. This young girl was an intern who joined at the same time as Huo Xiao. New to the working world, Wei Yumeng was unwilling to believe they harbored such malicious intentions, focusing their energy on harming rivals rather than improving their own skills.
So, she gave the girl an opportunity to explain, "We don't have much of a conflict of interest, so why did you participate in harming me?" The girl, timid by nature, nearly burst into tears upon hearing the question. "Sister Yumeng, I really didn't mean to harm you. Please let me stay in this company and at least finish my internship, okay?"
"Then at least give me a reason. What was your reason for framing me?" Wei Yumeng had a rough idea, but she needed to confirm it with the girl. The girl glanced around, ensuring they were alone, and then whispered, "Sister Yumeng, I had no choice. You know my mentor's temper; she's always scolding me. She sees you as a thorn in her side, always believing you're blocking her promotion path, so she resents you. The celebration party was her idea, and getting you drunk to give to Manager Wang was also her plan."
The person the girl referred to was Wei Yumeng's colleague, Mi Er. As the girl stated, Mi Er and Wei Yumeng had a very poor relationship. It wasn't due to any personal conflict, but rather because before Wei Yumeng's arrival, Mi Er was the top performer in the department, her bonuses almost exclusively hers, and she was the most likely candidate for promotion. However, after Wei Yumeng joined, Mi Er was relegated to second place, leading to extreme dissatisfaction. Mi Er often argued with Wei Yumeng in meetings and spread rumors within the company. Wei Yumeng was aware of these actions; the rumor about her keeping a kept man had originated from Mi Er.
However, evidence was necessary. Despite Mi Er having the strongest motive, words were not enough. "Do you have any proof that what you're saying is true?"
The girl immediately nodded. "My mentor asked me to use my personal email to send messages to many people in the department, asking them to target you at the celebration party. I'm sorry; if I didn't do it, she wouldn't let me pass my internship."
"Are there any records of those emails being sent?" Wei Yumeng wanted to collect evidence, but the girl stated that after sending them, Mi Er supervised her to delete all the sending records. Furthermore, since the plan failed, all colleagues who attended the party were wary and would have cleared their inboxes afterwards, not keeping any incriminating evidence. Without proof, Wei Yumeng could only be cautiously wary of Mi Er, unable to expose her.
Just as she thought all was lost, the girl remembered, "I recall my mentor personally went to see Manager Wang. She probably discussed that night's plan with him. If we can find evidence of their discussion about this matter, it would be just as good." This reminder gave Wei Yumeng an idea.
"Thank you, I know what to do now. Don't worry, you were just threatened; I won't blame you." Wei Yumeng was willing to give this girl, who was the same age as Huo Xiao, a chance to rectify her mistake. Hearing her words, the girl felt relieved. As long as the person directly involved didn't pursue the matter, even if the truth came out, Wei Yumeng could help Mi Er deflect the blame if she tried to shift it onto the girl.
After their conversation, Wei Yumeng went directly to the boss's office. Seeing her, the boss was quite polite. "You're here at the right time; I have something to discuss with you." With Wang Hua's incident, their department was without a manager. They couldn't remain leaderless indefinitely. Given Wei Yumeng's excellent performance, the boss was planning to promote her to manager.
Upon hearing the boss's words, Wei Yumeng did not refuse. "If you believe I am capable of holding this position, I will not shy away from it. You are the boss, and I am an employee; naturally, an employee follows the boss's arrangements." Although many colleagues still resented her, she was never one to compromise herself for others.