The director chuckled and said, "Closing the door is for a better conversation, don't overthink it."
But Old Liu found it hard not to. "Director, I'm not feeling well. I shouldn't meet the factory manager. You know me. If you can help me with anything, please do it. I'll head back now. I need to go to the hospital for an IV drip."
As he was about to leave, the director immediately stopped him. Facing Liu's wary gaze, he soothed, "Why are you in such a hurry? If I could help, would I have called you? The new factory manager wants to meet everyone and clarify work seniority for future salary payments."
This explanation seemed reasonable, and Old Liu hesitated before believing him.
"Alright, I'll wait then. But my health isn't good, I can't hold on for long. I'll wait for half an hour at most."
"Okay, okay, half an hour is fine." The director's task was to keep him there. He had already notified the factory manager the moment Liu walked in.
The drive would only take 20 minutes, which was enough time!
In reality, Shen Qingqing arrived even sooner than he expected, in fifteen minutes. The sound of the car engine could be heard at the entrance.
They had arrived.
The director was pleased. "Wait here, they're arriving soon!"
As he spoke, Shen Qingqing and Fu Jinghuan entered.
Both were dressed impeccably, clearly of wealthy background. Old Liu nervously stood up and, along with the director, greeted them.
"Factory manager, this is Old Liu."
Shen Qingqing glanced at Old Liu and gestured, "Please, have a seat."
Old Liu was surprised by her approachability. Shen Qingqing sat opposite him and took out her phone, playing a video.
Old Liu's face turned pale upon seeing it. Despite being in public, he feigned composure. "I didn't do anything. I just stood by and watched, just for a second!"
"I didn't say you did anything," Shen Qingqing watched him calmly. "Why are you panicking? Or are you guilty?"
"Of course not!" Old Liu said, then realized he had denied it too quickly. He quickly tried to backtrack. "I just thought since you're showing us footage, you must suspect something. I was just explaining instinctively. It's getting late, I need to go back to the hospital for my IV drip. I'm leaving now."
He stood up to leave, but the director immediately pushed him back onto the sofa.
"Director?" Old Liu's eyes widened in fear.
"You'd better sit down honestly," the director's smile was gone. "We have some questions for you. If you don't cooperate, you'll be facing the police station."
With things said to this extent, Old Liu dared not mention leaving.
He slumped onto the sofa.
"What exactly did you do in the surveillance footage?" the director couldn't wait any longer and asked.
Old Liu took a deep breath and looked at the director somewhat helplessly. "I already told you, I didn't do anything."
"Do you take me for a fool?"
Old Liu shrugged. "I've said everything I can. I truly did nothing. If you don't believe me, produce more conclusive evidence."
"This surveillance video is the evidence," Shen Qingqing sped up the video, then paused it. It clearly showed, from this angle, Old Liu reaching into the dye vat and scattering something.
"It's just a matter of the angle. I didn't throw anything in."
Old Liu was still arguing.
Shen Qingqing's slender fingers tapped the screen. "If you don't admit it, I'll have no choice but to send you to the police station for them to investigate properly."
Hearing this, Old Liu's face turned even paler.
He was clearly terrified of going to the police station.
The director, seeing this, suspected something was amiss. "Did you really tamper with it? How could you be so bold? How dare you interfere with it?"
Old Liu lowered his head, remaining silent.
Seeing him cowering like a quail, the director became angry. "Are you crazy? Why did you do this? Tell the truth quickly. Will you only regret it when you're at the police station, your reputation in tatters at your age?"
Old Liu, unable to bear his questioning any longer, closed his eyes and confessed. "I really didn't do anything wrong."
A mocking smile appeared on Shen Qingqing's face. "So, you did these things for the good of the factory?"
"Yes."
At this, not only Shen Qingqing but also the director found it unbearable. "What nonsense are you talking? Doing such a thing only damages our factory's reputation. We should be grateful no one died. If someone had died, none of us would have escaped!"
Old Liu was also startled. He stammered, "I didn't think that far ahead. I just knew that adding this to the dye would make the fabric color better."
He paused, his head bowed lower, his voice muffled.
"A few days ago, you told me the factory manager had an accident and the factory was about to close. I thought we should make the last order sell well, to earn more money. After the factory closed, everyone would get a bit more in severance pay..."
Upon hearing this, the director immediately became dejected. Those few days when he learned the factory was to be disbanded, his mood had been lower than anyone's.
"But you shouldn't have done that!"
Although he was still reprimanding, his tone was much gentler than before.
Old Liu covered his face and sobbed uncontrollably. "I was only thinking of the factory's best interests. I didn't know it was harmful. Who got sick? I'm willing to use all my savings to help them, whatever compensation is needed!"
Seeing his sincere attitude and knowing his family background, the director felt some sympathy and couldn't help but plead for him. "Why not let it go? He's not had an easy life, he has an old mother and two children at home..."
"I truly know I was wrong!" Old Liu immediately knelt down, admitting his mistake sincerely. He looked as if he would kowtow the next second.
The director quickly stopped him. "Get up quickly, what does this look like?"
"I won't get up until I'm forgiven," Old Liu stubbornly shook his head.
The director could only look at Shen Qingqing.
He found her expression indifferent, as if she paid no heed to their pleas. Was it disbelief or a lack of compassion?
The director gritted his teeth, suppressing his displeasure. "Miss Shen, please give him another chance. I guarantee that from now on, I will strictly monitor the factory and will not allow anyone to do such a thing again."
Shen Qingqing's voice was cool. "You actually believe him."
"What?" The director was stunned.
"Can't you see he's lying?" Shen Qingqing glanced at Old Liu, whose body stiffened, and his raised eyes showed disbelief.
She gave a cold laugh. "With your little tricks, you might fool others, but not me. I had someone check your recent account transactions. There's a sum of unknown origin. According to the director, your family background isn't great, and you're just an ordinary worker at the factory. Where did this money come from?"
Old Liu's eyes flickered. "I borrowed it. I'm sick, you see? Hospitalization costs money..."
"Lying again," Shen Qingqing raised a finger to her temple. "I had someone investigate. You are indeed staying at the hospital, but it's only a sprained ankle. Does it require 500,000 to treat?"