Chapter 25: He’s Simply Wicked

“If there is any difficulty in their family, if Mingjing comes to me, I will decide whether to help or not based on the situation. But even if I help, it’s solely between us sisters. I will help Mingjing only, and it has nothing to do with Yuan Zhengwen. However, Yuan Zhengwen will inevitably benefit from this since they’re a family. But beyond that, he shouldn’t think about it,” Xu Mingzhen said decisively.

Tan Wenci heaved a sigh of relief.

With Xu Mingzhen’s words, he safely dismissed Yuan Zhengwen with peace of mind.

Otherwise, with Yuan Zhengwen around, his company’s losses would worsen.

***

On Monday, he went to work at 9:15 a.m.

At Tan Yue, Tan Wenci’s company, all employees received an email from the HR Department.

Due to position transfer within the company, Yuan Zhengwen had been dismissed as the current purchasing manager.

When Tan Wenci arranged this position for Yuan Zhengwen, he considered it carefully.

Tan Wenci didn’t dare give positions to Yuan Zhengwen that required company-wide decision-making and development.

Then again, if the position didn’t earn much money, he couldn’t give it to him either since, after all, he was his brother-in-law.

After much deliberation, he found that only the Purchasing Department was suitable.

Besides purchasing the company’s daily needs, he could also tinker with the purchase accounts and embezzled some amount.

Tan Wenci had already anticipated that Yuan Zhengwen would do something inappropriate.

It’s just that he didn’t expect that Yuan Zhengwen would embezzle openly, shaming them.

It’s bad enough that he made a fake account, but he bought defective products a couple of times.

Tan Wenci was greatly relieved of being able to kick Yuan Zhengwen out of the company.

The door of Tan Wenci’s office was suddenly pushed open.

Yuan Zhengwen rushed in angrily.

The assistant, Zhuang Hepeng, apologized with an embarrassed expression, “President Tan, I’m sorry. Manager Yuan, he…”

Tan Wenci waved his hand and said, “It’s okay. You wait outside the door.”

“Yes.”

Zhuang Hepeng was about to close the door when Tan Wenci said, “No need to close the door.”

If Yuan Zhengwen wanted to make trouble, then let him be.

With the door opened, it wouldn’t be Tan Wenci who would get embarrassed anyway.

Zhuang Hepeng waited outside the door.

“Why? Afraid of being beaten? Keep the door open so you can ask for help at any time?” Yuan Zhengwen said furiously.

“Yuan Zhengwen, may I remind you that this is my company,” Tan Wenci said coldly. “I don’t need to be afraid of anything.”

Tan Wenci sneered, “What are you doing here? The resignation procedures have been completed by the HR Department.”

Upon the mention of this, Yuan Zhengwen was fuming. “When did I offer to resign? How come I wasn’t aware?”

“The email saying that you voluntarily offered to resign is just a way for you to save face,” Tan Wenci explained calmly. “It’s actually dismissal. Of course, if you don’t mind, I can also ask someone to correct it and indicate that instead.”

“Why fire me?” Yuan Zhengwen yelled.

Tan Wenci threw two ledgers at Yuan Zhengwen.

“The money you have embezzled in the company over the years has reached the point where I can call the police to arrest you. Because you are my brother-in-law, I arranged for you to work in the company and gave you a job with a lot of under-the-table benefits. I had expected you to embezzle some money, but I didn’t expect you to be so greedy.

“Furthermore, when you’re purchasing outside, you use your position as my brother-in-law to collude with other people to swindle my company. I will let you leave with your image intact. If you refuse to take it, then I will directly call the police to solve it.”

“We’re family. Do you have to be so ruthless?” Yuan Zhengwen was gradually calming down.

“Go, finish the resignation formalities and leave.” Tan Wenci didn’t want to speak with him any longer. “The door is open. People most likely heard what we have talked about. If you don’t want to be more embarrassed, leave now.”

Yuan Zhengwen’s face was flushed with anger, but knowing that Tan Wenci wouldn’t change his mind, he could only leave and try to plead later.

***

Yuan Keqing went to the kindergarten, and only Xu Mingjing and the nanny were at home.

Seeing Yuan Zhengwen arriving so early, Xu Mingjing was surprised. “Why are you home so early?”

She walked over, only to find Yuan Zhengwen’s scowling face.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Mingjing asked quickly.

“I was fired… Tan Wenci fired me.” Yuan Zhengwen wanted to throw something out of anger.

“How come? You have been working for him for so many years. Why were you suddenly fired?” Xu Mingjing inquired carefully. “Is…is there any misunderstanding?”

Did Yuan Zhengwen’s work go wrong?

“He thinks I’m too greedy,” Yuan Zhengwen told his wife the truth.

He intended for Xu Mingjing to go to Xu Mingzhen to intercede.

Therefore, he could only tell the truth to Xu Mingjing.

“But when Tan Wenci arranged this position for me, wasn’t he tempting me to be greedy?” Yuan Zhengwen defended himself, “Who in the Purchasing Department isn’t greedy? I have been doing fine for so many years, so why did he suddenly dismiss me today?”

“I think he’s simply wicked. He thinks our family relies on them, probably relies on them too much, so they are not happy.”

Xu Mingjing thoughtfully said, “Did you embezzle…a lot?”

“They were all within the limit, acceptable amounts. Otherwise, Tan Wenci wouldn’t have consented for so many years.” Yuan Zhengwen continued, “Furthermore, where do you think the money for our villa, driver, nanny, daily expenditures, your designer clothes, Keqing’s international kindergarten, and the international school she wants to attend come from? Do you think my salary alone can afford those?”

“I…I’ll go to my sister and ask her to convince my brother-in-law to reinstate you.” Xu Mingjing had to do this. After all, she also benefitted from the money her husband got. Yuan Keqing also wanted to continue attending international schools. Thus, they couldn’t afford to be broke at this time.

“You should be appropriate in the future. Don’t be too greedy,” Xu Mingjing advised.

“I know. I have always been discreet. Who knows what has gotten into Tan Wenci today…” Yuan Zhengwen kicked a chair angrily. “His family thinks that just because we’ve been relying on them all the time, they don’t need to treat us seriously. If they’re in a bad mood, they can kick us to the curb on a whim.”

Xu Mingjing didn’t want to hear this. Xu Mingzhen helped them a lot.

People should be grateful.

She and Xu Mingzhen were sisters, so Xu Mingzhen had a reason to help her.

But helping Yuan Zhengwen was completely for her sake.

Sometimes, Xu Mingjing felt that she was dragging Xu Mingzhen back.

She didn’t dare to ask too much for fear that Xu Mingzhen would be put in a difficult position with Tan Wenci.

“I’ll talk to my sister,” Xu Mingjing interrupted Yuan Zhengwen’s whining, took her bag, and left.

Xu Mingjing arrived at the Tan family’s house, and Xu Mingzhen’s attitude towards her remained as usual. The three brothers had all gone to school, while Tan Mo and Yuan Keqing were both in kindergarten.

Xu Mingzhen and Auntie Guo were the only ones at home.

Auntie Guo went to prepare tea for Xu Mingjing, but Xu Mingjing refused. “No, I just came to talk to my sister for a while.”

How could she be in the mood to eat and drink?

“Auntie Guo, just prepare something light, and you can go rest when you’re done,” Xu Mingzhen instructed.