Chapter 285 - 207: The Shadow is Slanted

"Xiaohan, I told you not to pop the champagne at halftime. You said it was a sure thing last week, so what happened now?"

Han Chao hung his head. "President Li, it’s my fault. I never expected the higher-ups at Xinyue Group to actually approve terms like that."

Li Yang’s expression was grim as his index finger tapped lightly on the desk. Han Chao hadn’t seen this coming, but Li Yang had a feeling it might happen. If Zhang Chun went to bat for them, they’d have a chance. From the looks of it now, that must be what happened. ’It seems Yang Hui’s interests are very tightly bound to his,’ he thought.

"Chat up some people at Xinyue Group over the next few days. Find out what happened with that anonymous tip. And you know what I mean by ’find out,’ right? Don’t just go asking like an idiot. Listen more. Try to figure it out from the gossip they’re spreading. Don’t ask a single direct question. Got it?"

"I understand, President Li." Han Chao didn’t need Li Yang to spell this out for him. ’My career is on the line,’ he thought. Of course he wouldn’t be careless.

"Alright, you can go."

"Boss, this is my expense report for entertainment. It needs your signature."

According to Futong Commerce’s policy, Cai Miao usually signed off on standard travel expenses for Li Yang. However, business entertainment required his personal signature for reimbursement. The report Han Chao handed him was for the cost of entertaining Zhao Rui in Sanyang last week.

Li Yang said flatly, "Xiaohan, we’ve made almost no progress on expansion lately, but you certainly don’t hold back when it comes to spending money."

Han Chao kept his head down and didn’t speak, just cautiously handed over the paperwork.

’Damn it,’ Han Chao thought, ’you’re the one who told me to spend this entertainment money. You were so generous about it back then, but now that the deal’s fallen through, you’re starting this crap.’

"Xiaohan, I can let the 300-plus for the meal slide, but you spent ten thousand on karaoke? What were you using, golden microphones? A city like Sanyang even has places that expensive?"

Han Chao quickly explained, "That Zhao Rui ordered two hostesses for himself. It would have been awkward for me to refuse."

Li Yang’s face was icy as he signed the report. "It’s not your money, so you don’t feel the sting. If you were spending your own cash, you’d know how to say no. He ordered two, so you couldn’t just order none? If it were your money, you’d probably drag your own sisters out to keep him company before you’d pay for two for him."

"I’ll approve it this time, but don’t let it happen again. Next time you celebrate before a deal is done, you’re paying for it yourself."

Han Chao took the signed expense report and walked out, cursing inwardly. ’Motherfucker. He really doesn’t treat his subordinates like human beings. Next time there’s entertaining to do, he can have his own daughters go keep them company. That’ll save money.’

Li Yang was a cheapskate by nature. Giving an employee a raise was like bestowing a divine grace. This stinginess was also why he worked his staff like animals. He didn’t want to pay them, but he knew he couldn’t keep anyone if he didn’t. So, he’d pay them, but only to squeeze every last drop of work out of them. It was partly to get a return on his investment many times over, and partly to vent his frustration at having to spend the money in the first place. The guy was completely twisted.

After her class ended, Yang Bing sat sulking in her office. Her thoughts returned to that man from yesterday. In the morning, he’d been ogling her by her car. Then, his shout had made her trip and fall, embarrassing her in front of so many people. For someone who was always so careful about her image, it was enough to make her want to cry from sheer anger.

Then, she’d run into him again when she went out that evening. The first thing he said was that her zipper was down. She assumed he meant the back of her dress. It wasn’t until she was almost at her destination that she noticed the zipper on her purse was open. She frantically checked to see if anything had fallen out. And then, tragedy struck: her ID card was gone.

She frantically searched the car and even had the driver take her back to where she’d been picked up, but she couldn’t find it. She was so upset she didn’t have the appetite to eat at the banquet. She’d tossed and turned all night, terrified that some criminal would find her ID and use it for nefarious purposes.

She had a parent-teacher conference this afternoon, so she didn’t have time to report her ID as lost and get a replacement. She’d been on edge ever since. At the same time, her dislike for that man with the alluring "peach blossom eyes" grew even stronger.

Just then, her phone rang. Seeing it was a call from home, she quickly answered, "Mom."

"Bingbing, why was your ID card mailed to the house? And they didn’t even leave a contact number."

’My ID? Mailed home?’ Yang Bing immediately understood. ’Some kind person must have found my ID, but they didn’t have my contact information, so they mailed it to the address on the card.’ She was both grateful and relieved. ’There are still good people in this world.’

After getting the sender’s information from her mom and learning his name was Yang Hui, Yang Bing also asked for his phone number. She planned to call and thank him. While the ID card itself wasn’t worth much, its importance to her was immense.

Yang Hui was following the main throng of parents into the school when his phone rang. He saw it was an unknown number, hesitated for a moment, and then answered.

"Hello, may I ask if this is Mr. Yang Hui?"

"Speaking." The voice on the other end was surprisingly pleasant, like a clear mountain spring. ’Is this a sales call?’ he wondered. ’Insurance? A loan? Or one of those "we’re a brand new club with full-service specials" calls?’

"This is Yang Bing. Thank you for finding my ID and mailing it back to me so promptly."

’So it’s her,’ Yang Hui thought. A lovely face with skin so delicate it looked like it could be broken with a puff of air appeared in his mind. But that pretty face was covered in frost. His more vivid memory, however, was of that pair of snow-white spheres.

"You’re welcome. I think anyone would have done the same. Please, think nothing of it."

After Yang Bing hung up, a smile appeared on her face. ’This Mr. Yang Hui seems like a genuinely nice person.’