Please, mature women, have some self-respect. I just want a raise and a promotion.

She suddenly stepped in front of Zhang Wanquan.

"Old Zhang, don't be so paranoid."

"That's...that's what I took out for you, I wanted to wipe it off for you."

Zhang Wanquan shoved her aside, his eyes icy: "Get out of my way!"

He bent down and reached out to pick up the pair of leather shoes.

Lin Zheng clenched his fists inside the closet, ready to rush out and fight to the death.

Just at this critical moment, Zhang Wanquan's phone suddenly rang.

It was a call from Liu Kaishan at the head office.

Zhang Wanquan paused for a moment, straightened up, and answered the phone.

After saying something on the phone, Zhang Wanquan's expression changed from anger to seriousness. He glared at the messy bed, then looked at the panicked Lin Xiaoyu, before finally turning and walking out of the bedroom.

The gate closed again, and the villa returned to silence.

Lin Xiaoyu collapsed to the ground, covered in cold sweat, tears streaming down her face.

It took a full ten minutes before Lin Zheng dared to come out of the closet.

He was soaked in sweat, his legs were weak, and he almost couldn't stand up.

"That scared me to death... I almost got caught..."

Lin Xiaoyu threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.

Lin Zheng hugged her tightly, feeling lingering fear.

Living on the edge of a knife is too agonizing.

"I have to go. If I stay any longer, something bad will happen sooner or later."

Lin Zheng let go of her and picked up his shoes to put them on.

Lin Xiaoyu grabbed his hand, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Will you come to see me again?"

Lin Zheng's heart softened when he saw her pitiful appearance.

"Yes, but we must wait until it is safe to do so."

He had just reached the villa's entrance when his phone suddenly received a text message from an unknown sender.

Upon opening it, Lin Zheng's face instantly turned deathly pale.

The photo shows him entering the villa through the side door; the angle is clear and the time is precise.

The other party had been following him all along.

Lin Zheng stood in the darkness outside the villa area, his hand holding the phone trembling uncontrollably.

The other party not only knew about his secret meeting with Lin Xiaoyu, but also took photos as evidence, which could push him into an irrecoverable situation at any time.

He quickly replied, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The other party replied in less than ten seconds.

"If you want to save your life, give up the Nanshan project and leave Tenghua Group."

"If you dare to resist, this photo will appear on Zhang Wanquan's desk."

Lin Zheng's palms were sweating.

The other party's goal is the Nanshan project, and they are resorting to such despicable means to oust him.

Lin Zheng thought for a moment and replied, "I can let the project go, but I need to know who's behind Zhang Wenshan's downfall?"

He took a gamble, betting that the other party would respond.

A few seconds later, I received a reply from the other party on my phone.

"Zhang Wenshan knew too much, blocked President Liu's path, and brought this upon himself."

"If you know what's good for you, get out of here. Otherwise, you'll be next."

Liu Kaishan!

A chill ran through Lin Zheng's heart. Everything was just as he had predicted: Liu Kaishan wanted to take control of the entire subsidiary.

Now that Lin Zheng knows that Liu Kaishan is the person behind the scenes, he immediately has a solution.

He quickly replied to the other party, reminding him that he held Liu Kaishan's secret.

After doing all this, Lin Zheng saved and backed up all the photos and chat logs, then deleted the records and turned to leave.

Back at the company dormitory, Lin Zheng didn't sleep a wink all night.

He re-examined all the materials, organizing all the transaction records, secret accounts, and secretly taken photos of Liu Kaishan and Zhang Wenshan, and stored them on three different encrypted USB drives, hiding them in different places.

These were his trump cards for survival.

The next day, Lin Zheng returned to the company and heard shocking news.

Zhang Wenhai and Chen Kexin were both suspended from their duties and are under investigation. The position of president of the subsidiary is vacant. The head office announced that Zhou Xia will temporarily act as president and take full charge of the work.

Upon hearing the news, Lin Zheng was not surprised and admired Zhou Xia's methods.

Zhou Xia must have done something behind the scenes to get this position.

Zhou Xia's rise to power is a good thing for him.

Given their previous relationship, Zhou Xia probably wouldn't harm him.

Just as Lin Zheng was thinking, Zhou Xia called.

"Lin Zheng, come to the temporary office."

Does Zhou Xia want to discuss cooperation?

Lin Zheng straightened his clothes, took the elevator to the sixth floor of the company, where the temporary office was located.

Inside the office, Zhou Xia wore a black business suit, her long hair was styled up, her makeup was exquisite, and her face carried the arrogance of a superior.

"Sit down," Zhou Xia said, pointing to the chair opposite her, her tone commanding.

Hearing Zhou Xia's tone, Lin Zheng frowned.

"Mr. Zhou, is there something you need?"

Don't play dumb with me.

Zhou Xia leaned back in her chair and said coldly, "I will arrange for someone to take over the Nanshan unfinished project."

"Furthermore, President Liu has already given the order that you hand over all the secrets you possess immediately."

Lin Zheng was so angry he laughed, thinking to himself that Zhou Xia was a woman who never learned her lesson.

Has she forgotten that he still holds a secret?

"Mr. Zhou, you can't act like that."

"Just a few days ago you were hugging me and calling me 'husband'."

"Now that you've been promoted, you're turning your back on us. Isn't that a bit much?"

"Have you forgotten that there's something else I've fallen into my hands?"

Zhou Xia scoffed, "Lin Zheng, don't try to threaten me with that."

"Don't think nobody knows about what happened between you and Lin Xiaoyu?"

Lin Zheng's face darkened. Zhou Xia was trying to use his relationship with Lin Xiaoyu as a form of counter-threat.

"Mr. Zhou, you need to provide evidence when you speak."

"Without evidence, it's slander."

evidence?

Zhou Xia took out her phone and opened a photo.

"See for yourself."

The photo shows him and Lin Xiaoyu embracing; the angle is clear and the details are obvious.

"Lin Zheng, I'm giving you one last chance."

"President Liu said that as long as you hand over the Nanshan project, it will be as if nothing happened."

"Otherwise, Zhang Wenshan's fate will serve as a model."

Lin Zheng lit a cigarette and blew the smoke into Zhou Xia's face.

"Mr. Zhou, keep the photos."

"Also, please pass on a message to General Manager Liu: those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose."

"If he dares to mess with me, I guarantee his fate will be even worse than Zhang Wenshan's."

"As for you," Lin Zheng said, grabbing Zhou Xia's chin.

"Strip me naked right now and obediently help me relieve my pent-up desire."

"Try not to do as I say, and see if Liu Kaishan can protect you."

Zhou Xia glared angrily at Lin Zheng.

"You dare threaten me?"

Snapped! !

Lin Zheng raised his hand and slapped Zhou Xia across the face, sneering, "You think you can cause trouble in front of me just because you've become the acting president?"

"In fact, you're nothing more than a dog that Liu Kaishan pushed out, and you know that better than anyone else."

"If I were to expose what you did, do you think he would risk protecting you?"

Zhou Xia's face turned pale, and she did not respond.

Lin Zheng is right; she got the position of acting president by using her body.

If she doesn't listen to Liu Kaishan, he can remove her from her position at any time.

That's why she was willing to turn against Lin Zheng.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Xia said, "Lin Zheng, shall we talk?"

Lin Zheng moved an office chair over and sat down, pointing to the brother in front of him.

"Talk my ass! Strip naked right now and put out this fire."