The contract was clear and lay before He Yao, leaving her no room for denial.
But she couldn't figure it out.
Besides her master, Liang Bo, and herself, no one else knew about this matter.
Her master wouldn't betray her, and Liang Bo likely wouldn't either, given their ongoing cooperation and potential future dealings.
So, who would do such a thing to her?
Hearing that He Yao had confessed without reservation, Xu Zheng, who was waiting in the lobby, was even more bewildered.
How could such a thing happen? I treated He Yao well; how could she do this to me? Playing such tricks behind my back!
"So, based on her situation, how should she be sentenced?"
The staff member replied, "We will continue the investigation. If the situation is confirmed, with sufficient witness testimony and the amount involved, it will be from five years upwards, but less than ten."
Xu Zheng gasped.
Five years upwards, less than ten!
Although He Yao wasn't very old, her future was ruined by this incident.
But then he thought, He Yao was too ungrateful; she deserved it!
If others hadn't acted righteously, he would still be kept in the dark. Who knew how much more the company would lose in her hands in the future.
At this point, it was already benevolent of him not to stab her in the back. He would absolutely not help her!
As work drew to a close, Zhan Jingrui, as usual, sent He Yao a message.
She didn't reply after a quarter of an hour, nor after half an hour, and still hadn't replied after an hour.
Finally, he couldn't help but leave work early.
When he got home, she wasn't there.
Xu Zheng didn't know about their relationship, so he couldn't directly call Xu Zheng to ask. He found an excuse to go to his company.
There was a buzz of speculation about He Yao's situation in the company. When Zhan Jingrui inquired, he learned that He Yao had been taken away.
Standing at the door of Xu Zheng's office, he called him. Fortunately, Xu Zheng's phone was still on.
"I was passing by your company and came to find you. Why aren't you here?"
Xu Zheng had just come out and was getting into his car, shaking his head.
"Don't mention it. Something happened, and I'm at the sub-bureau. I just came out and am heading back. Why do you have time to look for me today? Is something up?"
Seeing that the rumors were confirmed, Zhan Jingrui's heart clenched.
But he didn't expect He Yao to be in trouble. He thought Xu Zheng was up to something that implicated He Yao.
"What's going on? Did you do something wrong to get arrested?"
Xu Zheng was displeased. "What are you saying? Am I that dishonest? I might be a scoundrel in my private life, but I've never done anything illegal or against the law."
"It's He Yao, though. She always seemed diligent, and I treated her so well, I even wanted to pursue her. But look at what she did behind my back!"
"What did He Yao do?"
Xu Zheng recounted the entire incident to Zhan Jingrui, but Zhan Jingrui still didn't believe it.
He Yao wasn't that kind of person; how could she do such a thing?
She must have been framed.
"Since you're busy, then be busy. I won't wait for you; I'll head back first."
"Don't, don't—"
Amidst Xu Zheng's repeated pleas, he hung up the phone.
Turning, he called his assistant and asked him to find the location of Liang Bo's factory.
The assistant quickly found it. He drove to the factory and asked. It was a holiday today, and the person wasn't there.
"Do you know where he went?"
The security guard said he didn't know. "The bosses don't report their whereabouts to me when they're on holiday."
"Do you have his phone number? Can you call him for me?"
"That might not be appropriate. It's a rare day off, and if I call him, he might think something happened. Who are you to him?"
Without a word, Zhan Jingrui handed the security guard 500 yuan in cash.
"Give me his phone number, and I'll call."
Liang Bo and his brothers were dressed smartly and handsomely, discussing life with Chu Xi at a private dining restaurant when his phone rang.
He picked it up and saw it was an unfamiliar number. He didn't answer.
But Zhan Jingrui kept calling and calling.
He finally answered, "Hello, who is this?"
"Liang Bo, it's Zhan Jingrui. Where are you now?"
"Zhan Jingrui?" Liang Bo looked at Chu Xi.
His first thought was: Chu Xi had been too close to him recently, and Zhan Jingrui found out. He was jealous and came to settle the score.
"I'm at—"
He covered the microphone and asked Chu Xi, "Your fiancé is calling me and asking where I am. What's going on? Could it be that he misunderstood our relationship and is here to settle scores? Should I tell him?"
Chu Xi sneered inwardly.
He Yao had just gotten into trouble, and he came looking for him right after. That was quite something.
"Go ahead and tell him. Let him come."
Liang Bo dared not. "Did you two really not fight? Damn it, don't let us fall out because of me. To be honest, I don't have any romantic feelings for you. It's pointless to get angry because of me."
Chu Xi wasn't angry at first, but hearing his words, her face fell, and she slammed her chopsticks onto the table.
"What do you mean by that?"
Liang Bo didn't understand why she was angry and quickly explained.
"It doesn't mean anything. I mean, we're just ordinary friends, and you shouldn't get angry because of me."
Chu Xi was relentless. "What do you mean by saying you don't have those feelings for me? Are you looking down on me? Am I not as good-looking as He Yao, not as good in figure as He Yao, not as good in personality as He Yao, or lacking in some other way? Why can you have those feelings for her but not for me?"
At these words, all the men at the table were stunned.
Liang Bo couldn't quite figure out what Chu Xi meant.
Was she angry with her fiancé and teasing him, or was she serious?
Did Miss Chu take a liking to him?
"Chu Xi, you can eat anything, but you can't say anything carelessly. Look at you..."
Chu Xi didn't bother to argue with him. She reached out, snatched the phone, and gave the address.
"I'm with him. Hurry up and come over. I'll add a seat for you."
Zhan Jingrui was also surprised to hear Chu Xi's voice.
Wasn't she on a trip to South Australia Island? Why was she with Liang Bo? When did she return?
Never mind, he'd go first.
He drove to the destination, entered the private room, and saw a crowd of men sitting inside.
Liang Bo looked a bit embarrassed and stood up to shake his hand in greeting. Zhan Jingrui ignored him and directly went to an empty seat.
"Chu Xi, when did you get back?"
"It's none of your business when I got back. Weren't you busy? It's good that I didn't tell you and disturb you."
Zhan Jingrui knew it was wrong to keep his affair with He Yao from Chu Xi, but it wasn't appropriate to say it in front of so many people.
"I'm sorry, I've neglected you recently. We'll talk about our issues later. Can you go back first so I can talk to Liang Bo alone?"
Chu Xi exploded. "Go back? Go where?"
"This is my gathering, not yours. I haven't finished my meal yet. What earth-shattering matter do you have to hide from me and discuss with him?"
Through her tone and attitude, Zhan Jingrui was certain.
Chu Xi knew everything and was venting in her own way.
"I know what you're thinking, and I'll give you an explanation, but not now. You don't want this to become public knowledge, do you?"