“Gan Chu, what are you…” Tang Yang hesitated as she saw Gan Yiming coming from the direction of her office.
Gan Yiming, with a file tucked under his arm and a cup in hand, gestured towards the water dispenser in the corner: “Just getting some water.”
Tang Yang nodded at Gan Yiming, who slightly tightened his grip on the water cup and nodded back. They passed each other.
Tang Yang returned to her office, sat at her desk, and quickly realized something was amiss.
After getting together with Jiang Shiyan, their habits unconsciously converged.
For instance, Jiang Shiyan had learned from her to place a glass of water on the bedside table before sleeping, to prevent dying of thirst if he woke up in the middle of the night, though such occasions were rare.
She had learned from Jiang Shiyan to habitually place the mouse snugly against the side of the laptop when leaving the computer, then place the mousepad tightly next to the mouse, strictly adhering to the aesthetics of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
But now, while her mousepad hadn’t moved, the mouse was placed on the pad as a normal person would do.
All other colleagues were downstairs attending a lecture, and Gan Yiming had been there.
Tang Yang glanced toward the door but said nothing. She turned on the computer and clicked through nearly five interfaces before opening a hidden folder. The last viewed time of the important files hadn’t changed; Gan Yiming hadn’t found them.
Then, following the overall document view times, she found what Gan Yiming had looked at: the New Thunder performance table.
Tang Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly. She returned to the desktop and found the file given by Chen Qiang in the recycle bin.
Tang Yang knew very well that leverage, if the person involved doesn’t know you have it, is just a file. Only when they know you possess it does it become leverage. The relationship between her and Gan Yiming couldn’t possibly improve, so she didn’t mind laying her cards more openly on the table.
Tang Yang felt no inner turmoil, but her brows furrowed tightly. As she mentally counted down from ten, her eyes frequently darted towards the door.
The water dispenser made a “glug glug” sound as it filled the bottle.
Gan Yiming, irritated by the noise, turned his head back from time to time.
After filling his cup, Gan Yiming passed by Tang Yang’s office. As Tang Yang counted “one,” she conveniently knocked over a stack of documents, letting out a soft “Ah” of surprise.
Gan Yiming’s heart skipped a beat, his footsteps halting. Then he walked to Tang Yang’s office door and casually asked, “Any problem, Deputy Tang?”
The chair pushed back a bit as Tang Yang bent to pick up the documents, her voice coming from under the desk: “Nothing.”
Gan Yiming breathed a sigh of relief and was about to leave.
Tang Yang said softly, “It’s just that some idiot must have touched my computer, and some things inside were deleted.”
Gan Yiming froze in place like a statue.
He found the name “Chen Qiang” familiar, but it was too common, and he couldn’t remember where he’d seen it. When he suddenly saw the hotel check-in records, his first reaction was to delete them. As he deleted, he pondered other methods, but Tang Yang was also coming down from the top floor. In his haste, he seemed to have forgotten to empty the recycle bin…
A fleeting panic crossed Gan Yiming’s face, but what was done was done. After regaining his composure, he entered Tang Yang’s office, closed the door behind him, and took the offensive: “Deputy Tang should know that in the current environment, whatever you’ve done, whatever you know, is completely exposed, with no secrets to speak of.”
Gan Yiming’s words implied he had powerful backing, showcasing his supposed vast influence.
With nearly three meters between the desk and the door, Tang Yang looked directly at Gan Yiming, pretending not to understand: “Many people know my computer password.”
Gan Yiming admitted, “I only intended to check your New Thunder performance.”
Tang Yang curved her lips and exposed the truth: “And then deleted your hotel check-in records?”
“Playing the role of a down-to-earth, low-profile person to your face, while secretly investigating your superior’s whereabouts behind your back, invading privacy. I must say, Deputy Tang, you’re quite the two-faced player,” Gan Yiming walked towards Tang Yang with a face full of mockery. He put the file on the desk, leaned against the corner, and said, “If possible, I hope Deputy Tang can delete the source file, whether it’s to maintain colleague relationships or for other reasons.” Gan Yiming slowly leaned towards Tang Yang and said, “Let’s all have an easier time.”
Since the façade had already been torn, Tang Yang looked askance at Gan Yiming: “Didn’t you already delete it?”
Gan Yiming heard the mockery in her voice but wasn’t angered. He raised his water cup, took a small sip, and said, “The people upstairs know Deputy Tang is in a relationship, and they were so scared they gave me the ‘excellent’ rating. What do you think would happen if I accidentally let slip that I saw Deputy Tang having a prenatal check-up at the gynecology department?”
Tang Yang: “Using gender as leverage, you probably don’t distinguish between genders, only male and female animals. Like when you said the single dogs in the Credit Review Department found partners and treated everyone to afternoon tea.” Tang Yang smiled and replied word by word, “Should I also treat everyone to afternoon tea to celebrate Director Gan sleeping his way through every major chain hotel in A City’s main district, including the Nine Rivers Hotel owned by President Wei…”
Gan Yiming’s expression changed drastically, his neck flushing red.
His marriage had lasted until now only because Wei Changqiu believed whatever explanations he gave. Besides, all those past incidents were just rumors.
But the records on Tang Yang’s computer…
“Doesn’t Deputy Tang know that women are inherently the weaker group?” After a while, the veins on Gan Yiming’s temples slowly subsided. When he smiled and looked at Tang Yang, his gaze was like vines wrapping around tree branches in a tropical rainforest, damp, sticky, and oppressive. “The disparity in strength, in physiology…”
Tang Yang’s pupils contracted slightly as she discreetly reached to open the drawer beside her desk.
Gan Yiming put his water cup on the desk and grabbed Tang Yang’s chair armrests, pulling her towards him. His voice was gravelly and cold: “Some people appear aloof on the surface, but behind the scenes, they’re still led by lust, looking at the pot while eating from the bowl. Jiang Shiyan is on leave, other colleagues are at the lecture.” Gan Yiming turned off the flashing monitoring button on the desk corner. “The Jiang family is powerful and wealthy. If they see their future daughter-in-law leading a promiscuous private life, what do you think they would…”
Gan Yiming’s body was about half a meter away from Tang Yang, his arms forming a cage with the desk.
Tang Yang couldn’t escape. “Director Gan, wasn’t one harassment enough? Are you planning for a second time?” Her hand fumbled in the drawer and found a spray can. Her throat bobbed as she gripped it tightly.
“Whether it’s harassment or not isn’t important,” Gan Yiming leaned towards Tang Yang. The closer he got, the clearer he could see Tang Yang’s features – clear eyes and brows, fine white skin, and eyelashes distinctly separated. She was different from Fan Linlang. When he got this close to Fan Linlang, she would be unable to think. But in Tang Yang’s eyes, there was suppressed tension, clarity, and undisguised disgust. Gan Yiming was satisfied. “What’s important is if the Jiang family learns that their future daughter-in-law has transgressed before marriage, with compromising photos. If we become grasshoppers on the same rope, would Deputy Tang still be clutching that pepper spray?”
“Deputy Tang, what do you think would be faster – you spraying that spray or me making a move…”
Malice seeped through his glasses as Gan Yiming smiled and pressed closer to Tang Yang.
Tang Yang’s body shrank back from Gan Yiming, her back trembling due to the predicament.
On the floor by the desk, two shadows were cast.
The chair wheels pressed against a black tile seam on the floor, swaying back and forth like in a tug-of-war, the strength difference between man and woman manifesting in the shrinking distance.
Gan Yiming pressed forward, and Tang Yang retreated.
As Gan Yiming pressed even closer, Tang Yang, while retreating, suddenly stopped, then raised her hand and smashed Gan Yiming’s water cup.
A loud “clang” shook the ground, glass shattered, and water spilled.
Gan Yiming’s body froze in mid-air, a foot away from Tang Yang.
He had been talking about the Jiang family, but it was also because he feared them that he didn’t dare to touch Tang Yang. If Tang Yang’s attitude had been slightly softer, he wouldn’t have minded being in the same boat with her. If Tang Yang was exceptionally resolute, at most he could count it as a threat or warning. With the monitoring off, no one would see. It wouldn’t violate regulations or break the law.
But now…
“Yes, women are indeed the weaker group,” Tang Yang said with a soft smile, but a glint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes.
Faint voices and footsteps could be heard from outside.
Gan Yiming was stunned.
Tang Yang locked eyes with Gan Yiming, showing no fear. Smiling, she pulled the corner of her shirt out from her skirt waist, unbuttoned the top button of her blouse, and then messed up her bun.
Gan Yiming couldn’t understand what Tang Yang was doing.
The voices and footsteps outside grew clearer. “It’s quite a coincidence that President Jiang and President Wei ran into each other,” “Deputy Tang’s office is this way.”
Tang Yang raised the pepper spray.
Gan Yiming frowned, instinctively shielding his face.
But Tang Yang twisted her wrist and sprayed it directly into her own eyes.
With two quick sprays, Tang Yang tossed the pepper spray into the miscellaneous box.
The office door clicked open.
Jiang Shiyan and Wei Changqiu were at the front of the group, with Zhou Zisheng and Zhou Mo following behind. A group of about ten people pushed open the door, and in that instant, they saw this scene—
A messy desk, shattered glass on the floor, hot water-soaking papers. Gan Yiming’s hands gripped Tang Yang’s swivel chair. Tang Yang’s hair was disheveled, her clothes in disarray. Her delicate white face was full of terror and struggle, mixed with a hint of helplessness.
The people outside looked into the office, and the two inside looked out.
Gan Yiming saw Wei Changqiu, and his head rang like a struck bell. Before he could react, Tang Yang violently kicked away the chair and threw herself into Jiang Shiyan’s arms, her eyes red.
Tang Yang didn’t say a word, she just kept swallowing, again and again, like someone who had just surfaced after nearly drowning.
Jiang Shiyan held Tang Yang, stroking her sweat-dampened back, his eyes dark and cold.
Gan Yiming’s fingers twitched, and then he stood up straight. He stammered an explanation to Wei Changqiu: “I was going over a document with Deputy Tang, discussing it.” Wei Changqiu’s face was expressionless, but Gan Yiming didn’t dare look at her. Steadying his chaotic breath, he continued, “Deputy Tang said Zhou Xing wanted to talk to her. She seemed upset and held onto me. Out of concern for a colleague—”
“Am I older than you? Uglier? Poorer?” Jiang Shiyan asked, nearly biting out each word.
Silence fell.
Jiang Shiyan pulled Tang Yang closer to him, his gaze locked on Gan Yiming: “I worry when my girlfriend loses a single strand of hair at home. My mother even goes home during her one-hour lunch break to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall for her. Now, tell me again that she held onto you?”
Gan Yiming’s lips moved, about to speak, but Jiang Shiyan looked around the office and sneered: “My girlfriend is so strong, she wanted to grab Director Gan, but he resisted to the death, even smashing a water cup.”
Though the words were joking, everyone could see that Jiang Shiyan wasn’t joking at all.
Jiang Shiyan was usually easygoing, but when he truly exuded a sharp aura, Gan Yiming unconsciously held his breath. But the more he held it, the tighter his suit felt, and his breathing became more rapid.
As one of the involved parties, Jiang Shiyan directly expressed the Jiang family’s stance, showing unmasked trust.
On the Nine Rivers Real Estate side, no one spoke.
The silence stretched on, tense like a tug-of-war.
Zhou Mo, standing behind Wei Changqiu, pushed up his glasses. “I know I shouldn’t speak at a time like this, but I still want to say, that Deputy Tang is my junior from school. I mentored her when she first came to Huishang. I rarely misjudge people, and I believe in Deputy Tang’s character.”
A Nine Rivers employee next to Zhou Mo said: “Director Gan should provide evidence when he speaks. Slandering without proof is a disgrace to President Wei. I see the monitoring and recording are turned off. Don’t move, we can immediately call someone to collect fingerprints from the switch.”
Tang Yang silently wept against Jiang Shiyan’s chest, soaking his shirt.
A few people scattered around took sides. Jiang Shiyan’s profile was like cast iron, his thin lips pressed into a tight line.
Wei Changqiu held a nearly finished cigarette between her fingers. As it burned, she took a final drag, her expression so cold it seemed completely unrelated to her.
Secretary Zhou Zisheng, having witnessed similar situations before, couldn’t bear to watch and quietly passed Tang Yang a napkin.
Tang Yang sobbed, thanking him softly as she took it.
Silence fell for the third time.
Gan Yiming took a deep breath. As long as Wei Changqiu protected him, any major issue could be suppressed. He walked to Wei Changqiu’s side, no longer caring about his image or face: “Qiu Qiu, this matter I really—”
A muffled “sizzle” sounded.
Wei Changqiu was about the same height as Gan Yiming. She reached back and directly pressed the cigarette butt against Gan Yiming’s forehead.
Gan Yiming’s features contorted from the burn, but he didn’t dare step back. Wei Changqiu tapped the cigarette against Gan Yiming’s forehead twice more, ash falling in a shower. Then she casually let go.
“I apologize, Deputy Tang, for the fright you’ve experienced,” Wei Changqiu smiled, turning to Tang Yang with a gentle expression.
Sexual harassment by a high-level executive is a sensitive scandal anywhere.
Fortunately, at this time, everyone else was downstairs attending the lecture, and the witnesses were all related parties, so the story was tightly controlled. Zhou Zisheng sent someone from the top floor to file a case, and Wei Changqiu not only didn’t stop it but directly called Wei Chang-dong.
At 3 PM, Tang Yang and Gan Yiming separately recounted the incident.
At 4 PM, people from the Banking Regulatory Commission arrived.
At 5 PM, Zhou Zisheng specially approved a week’s leave for Tang Yang, which she didn’t refuse.
At 5:30 PM, when the other colleagues came up after finishing the lecture, they learned two pieces of news:
First, the famous workaholic Deputy Director Tang Yang of the Credit Review Department had returned from New Thunder, but was in poor condition and unwell, taking a week’s leave.
Second, Deputy Director Gan Yiming of the Credit Review Department had been taken away for investigation.
Zhou Zisheng and Zhou Mo argued over the phone, and finally, Zhou Zisheng compromised to—
On Huishang’s official website, the key phrase in the column for Gan Yiming’s suspected offense was “personal asset status.”
Zhou Mo didn’t explain his reasoning, and Zhou Zisheng naturally understood it as protecting Tang Yang’s reputation.
Other colleagues flooded a small WeChat group with messages.
“Has Gan Yiming finally been investigated for his shady dealings? I knew there was something fishy about that Maserati of his.”
“But his wife is Wei Changqiu, isn’t buying a Maserati a simple matter?”
“President Wei doesn’t like Gan Yiming associating their work relationship with her. Besides, there’s a difference between President Wei giving Gan Yiming gifts and Nine Rivers people giving him gifts.”
“What does this have to do with Deputy Tang? I feel like things aren’t that coincidental. I heard that when we were all downstairs, only Director Gan and Deputy Tang were upstairs.”
“…”
At first, there were still discussions about Tang Yang.
As work ended, Jiang Shiyan settled Tang Yang in the car and sent his secretary up to buy expensive fruit gift boxes for all her colleagues to take home – small but exquisite, and not cheap.
Everyone naturally assumed Tang Yang’s leave was due to her passionate romance with President Jiang, and stopped associating her with Gan Yiming.
Earlier, when Jiang Shiyan had burst into the office, he had unconditionally believed Yangyang.
Later, he stood by the sink outside the women’s restroom, accompanying Tang Yang as she removed her makeup and applied medicine.
After that, when Jiang’s mother’s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall had gone cold, Jiang Shiyan found a microwave in an office on the top floor to heat it for her and watched her eat.
Then, he sent his secretary to buy and deliver the gift boxes.
Jiang Shiyan was attentive and considerate, the image of a perfect boyfriend – caring, responsive, asking her “Are you feeling better?” “Is the soup taste okay?” “Are we going home?” “Do you want to drive or should I?”
But only Tang Yang knew that Jiang Shiyan was angry.
Whenever Jiang Shiyan was angry, he would act particularly normal. Others couldn’t tell, but Tang Yang could feel it acutely. It was like in high school when she had broken his newly bought game console, and she brought him a cup of instant noodles. He had politely said, “Thank you, Yang Jie.”
Tang Yang couldn’t remember how she had appeased him then, but judging by the current situation…
In the dim light of the underground parking garage, Tang Yang sat in the passenger seat, stealing glances at the man in the driver’s seat. Her gaze slid from his forehead to his nose bridge, thin lips, chiseled chin, then to his Adam’s apple… He knew she was looking at him but pretended not to notice.
Tang Yang knew he was pretending not to notice. Her delicate eyebrows almost furrowed into two wavy lines.
Jiang Shiyan was angry.
And it seemed he was extremely, extremely angry.
Tang Yang turned her head back, scratching her thin, soft, reddened ear. She swallowed, feeling troubled and guilty… What should she do?