Zhang Youwei took off his mask. "President Xiao, President Mu, why are you here?"
It was indeed Zhang Youwei, the former technical director. Xiao Xun had always thought that someone else was pulling the strings behind Zhang Youwei, but he never expected him to show up in person.
Xiao Xun walked behind Zhang Youwei. "You said you were afraid of system issues, right?"
Zhang Youwei nodded firmly. "That's right."
Xiao Xun snorted. "How about this! As long as you tell us who the mastermind behind you is, the position of Director of Technology will still be yours. Everything in the past, including today's events, will be wiped clean. President Mu has also agreed to let bygones be bygones. What do you say?"
Zhang Youwei's expression was very grim. "Xiao Xun, stop trying to trick me. I know what kind of person you are. Don't think I'm some rookie fresh out of college."
Xiao Xun glanced at Mu Jiahe. Seeing that Mu Jiahe's expression was unreadable, he turned to Zhang Youwei and said, "Since you're being so uncooperative, I'll have to let the police handle this."
Zhang Youwei's eyes darted. "Why would the police handle me? I'm just here to maintain the system, I haven't done anything else."
Xiao Xun snorted, picked up the tablet from the floor, and shook it. "You're playing these games with me? Don't forget why you were transferred from your position. I believe the contents on this can definitely send you to jail."
Zhang Youwei pointed at the tablet in Xiao Xun's hand. "That's not mine."
He was certain there were no surveillance cameras here. If he resisted leniency and refused to confess, the worst that could happen was being fired.
Xiao Xun shook the tablet in his hand. "Officer Zhang, I'll leave this to you."
Two cyber police officers entered from the side of the machine room and from outside the door. Xiao Xun was about to hand the tablet to Zhang Ming when Zhang Youwei suddenly lunged forward, snatched the tablet, and smashed it against his own head.
Xiao Xun stumbled and fell to the ground. Zhang Ming, holding the tablet in one hand, grabbed Zhang Youwei by the neck.
"Handcuff him."
Mu Jiahe helped Xiao Xun up from the ground. "Looks like I need to step up my training."
Zhang Youming sized up Zhang Youwei. "Just him, and we deployed four police officers? You're giving him too much credit!"
Xiao Xun rubbed his arm. "I wasn't sure who Dark Commander was. Isn't this him walking right into a trap?"
Zhang Ming patted Xiao Xun's shoulder. "You've done a great service. I'll apply for a commendation from the bureau for you later."
At this moment, Zhang Youwei looked at Mu Jiahe. "President Mu, didn't you leave with Xiao Xun? Someone personally saw the two of you getting into the car."
Xiao Xun put his hands on his hips. "The person you're referring to is Secretary Gao, right? To tell you the truth, we specifically let her see that. Otherwise, how could we have made you feel so confident and bold to come in?"
Zhang Youwei shook his body. "Xiao Xun, don't get too smug. Don't think that because President Mu is backing you, you can do whatever you want without any fear of retribution. Dream on."
Xiao Xun rubbed his forehead. "Old classmate, please take him away quickly! He's giving me a headache."
Zhang Youwei was escorted out of the machine room by the police. As they reached the door, Zhang Youwei suddenly shouted, "Xiao Xun, you just wait! Your death knell has sounded, and your end is near."
One of the police officers immediately put a hood over Zhang Youwei's head, and the other two dragged him out.
Mu Jiahe hadn't heard Xiao Xun retort. He turned to look and saw that Xiao Xun's expression was not good, thinking he was angered by Zhang Youwei, and comforted him, "Are you okay? That 'mad dog' is just barking at people, ignore him."
Xiao Xun turned his head mechanically and looked at Mu Jiahe. "The mysterious and inscrutable housekeeper at home also said the same thing."
Mu Jiahe was also curious upon hearing this. "Is that phrase so common in this world?"
Xiao Xun's expression was strange. "How is that possible? In all my years, I've only heard it in games or when I went to that world. This is the second time someone from this side has said it."
Mu Jiahe shrugged. "Then I don't know. Shall we call Zhang Youwei back and ask him?"
Xiao Xun spread his hands. "He's already been taken away. Even if he hadn't, I doubt I could get anything useful out of him."
The two returned to the car. Mu Jiahe looked into Xiao Xun's eyes in the rearview mirror. "You've removed a threat to the company. What reward do you want?"
"I don't want a reward, I just want to prove my innocence. If I must have a reward..."
Xiao Xun tapped the steering wheel. "Then treat me to barbecue! In a few more days, when the weather gets cold, there won't be many places where we can eat it."
"Your request is quite modest. To reward you, I'll treat you to a barbecue and allow you to drink. I'll be your driver then, how about that?"
Xiao Xun started the car with a look of anticipation. "It's settled then."
They drove to the barbecue restaurant they had visited for the first time, only to find it had been converted into a hot pot restaurant, with even the owner and waitstaff replaced.
Xiao Xun saw that the business was good and he was too lazy to look for another place, so he said to Mu Jiahe in the back seat, "How about we try their hot pot?"
"I don't mind. Let's finish eating quickly and go back. There are still things to do over there, and I'm afraid something might happen if I'm late."
Xiao Xun nodded, parked the car under the guidance of the security guard, and entered the restaurant. It was very lively, possibly because it was a new establishment, attracting many diners.
The lobby manager, wearing an earpiece, approached them. "Hello, how many people?"
Xiao Xun held up two fingers. "Just the two of us."
"For two people, please wait a moment. We'll have a table available shortly."
The entire air was filled with the aroma of beef tallow and red soup, irresistible to those who love spicy food. Just the smell made one's mouth water.
Although Xiao Xun couldn't eat much spicy food, he quite liked the smell. He turned to Mu Jiahe. "Shall we wait a bit?"
Mu Jiahe had an irresistible attraction to good food. "If it's quick, we'll wait. If not, we can come another time."
The lobby manager, seeing Mu Jiahe's refined demeanor, knew his identity was not ordinary. He bowed and said, "It will be very soon, just a moment."
A waiter brought two chairs for them and served some snacks and two cups of hot black tea.
The two of them sat there, by the entrance of the hot pot restaurant, looking at their phones while watching which table inside was finishing their meal and about to leave.
Just then, a boy about seven or eight years old walked over, staring at Xiao Xun with wide eyes.
Xiao Xun was very curious. "Little friend, do you need something?"
The boy pointed at the latest model phone in Xiao Xun's hand. "Brother, can you let me play with your phone?"
Xiao Xun covered the phone screen with his thigh and said to the boy in front of him, "No, brother still needs to use it."
The boy didn't say anything, turned around, and returned to his seat.
He immediately started crying, hugging his mother's arm and pointing at Xiao Xun. "Mom, that brother won't let me play with his phone."
Xiao Xun was stunned. Was this child an "actor"?
His mother, who was chatting with her girlfriend, saw her precious son looking wronged. "You tell brother nicely, and brother will give it to you."
The boy, obedient to his mother, ran over again persistently.
Xiao Xun felt a headache coming on. He was usually bad at refusing requests, but a phone was such a private item, how could he casually let someone else play with it, especially a child.