Chapter 8 — A Day as a Janitor

And to make us believe that the authentic ledger had simply vanished tonight.

Shen Zhao An’s expression darkened entirely. Suddenly, Gu Nan’s fingers brushed against a piece of paper tucked within the hidden partition of the safe.

Chairman Shen, there is something else in here.

It was an old-fashioned requisition slip. The page had yellowed with age, yet the ink in the signature box remained strikingly fresh. Beside the recipient line, the name Qin Yu Zhen was written in neat strokes. The sum was recorded as eight hundred thousand. The stated purpose was a one-time buyout compensation for the early-stage venture guarantee. Luo Qian stared intently at the slip, clutching at it as though it were her final lifeline.

Chairman Shen, if she already accepted the buyout compensation back then, she naturally has no right to continue claiming the highest tier of benefits today.

Zhen Huai Ren immediately chimed in.

That explains everything completely.

I looked down at the forged signature. The hollow chill in my chest slowly sank deeper, because right beside that signature was the stamp of the processing clerk. That very seal belonged to a veteran finance officer who had passed away seventeen years prior. Shen Zhao An pressed his palm flat over the requisition slip.

Qin Yu Zhen.

I raised my head. He asked me, pronouncing every single word with deliberate weight.

Have you ever received this sum of money?

I gazed around the silent room, where every single person waited for my reply.

No.

I paused for a brief moment.

But I know who did.

08

At that exact instant, Zhen Huai Ren’s eyelids visibly twitched. Luo Qian, too, lost all of her previous arrogance. Shen Zhao An looked straight at me.

Speak.

I pointed directly at the processing clerk’s seal stamped upon the requisition slip.

This seal belonged to the veteran financial officer, Liang Gui Fen.

She passed away seventeen years ago.

Yet the paper of this requisition slip is a standard document form introduced within the last decade.

Pan Ming abruptly lowered his head. Since he worked in finance, he naturally recognized that the paperwork was fundamentally flawed. Shen Zhao An fixed his gaze upon him.

Pan Ming, explain this.

Sweat beaded heavily on Pan Ming’s forehead, streaming down his temples.

This paper model is indeed not the type used thirty-two years ago.

Zhen Huai Ren’s expression grew exceptionally grim.

It could have been appended at a later date.

I spoke calmly. Even an addition requires the original supporting vouchers. I picked up the requisition slip, lifting it toward the overhead light.

The early financial documents of Yuan Tai all feature a subtle watermark in the bottom right corner, produced exclusively by the printing press of the old factory.

This slip lacks that mark.

Luo Qian gritted her teeth.

You were merely in charge of administration, not finance. Do not pretend to be an expert in everything.

I turned my gaze to her.

Back then, the finance department suffered a severe roof leak, and all thirty-seven boxes of ledgers were moved out under my direct supervision.

Which files were mildewed, which ones were later supplemented, and which ones were submitted for review—I registered every single one of them.

Not a single person in the conference room uttered another word. Shen Zhao An asked, Where are those records kept?

In the old ledger cabinet on the first basement level.

Pan Ming immediately spoke up. That old cabinet was cleared out ages ago. I looked right at him.

The cabinet you cleared out was only the outer one.

There was also a hidden inner compartment.

Pan Ming’s expression shifted dramatically. Shen Zhao An stood up from his chair.

Lead the way.

The group descended to the basement level for the third time. This time, no one dared to urge anyone onward. I walked to the farthest corner of the utility room, shoving a row of discarded chairs aside. Tucked deep against the wall was a wooden panel slightly darker in tone than the surrounding masonry. He Miao’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Is there a hidden door right here?

I used a cleaning crowbar to pry the wooden panel away. Behind it lay an old-fashioned iron safe. The safe had no lock; only a rusted iron latch held it shut. As my fingers brushed against that cold metal bar, it felt as though I were touching the accumulated dust of thirty years past. In the days when Yuan Tai faced its darkest crises, the company could not even afford to pay wages, and angry creditors blocked the very entrances. Shen Zhao An had placed the remaining cash and essential vouchers directly into this safe. He had vowed that once the company survived, every single debt and obligation would be repaid in full. Later, the company truly did rise from the ashes. Yet so many people only remembered that Yuan Tai had grown wealthy, completely forgetting the desperate struggle through which that wealth had been clawed back. Old Hu brought over a can of machine oil. When the rusted latch was finally pulled free, flakes of reddish-orange rust showered onto the floor. As the heavy safe door swung open, a row of weathered kraft paper envelopes came into view. I reached inside and drew out the envelope marked with four handwritten characters reading early-stage guarantee. The paper seal was still of the vintage variety. Shen Zhao An peeled it open with his own hands. Within it lay seventeen original confirmation documents, every single one inscribed entirely by hand, and every single one bearing a distinct thumbprint. My name was recorded on the sixth document. Qin Yu Zhen. No buyout conversion. No monetary acceptance. There was only a single line of text written there. I voluntarily continue my service at Yuan Tai until retirement, abiding by the special guarantee provisions enacted by the Board of Directors. Shen Zhao An stared at the paper for a long time. His hands remained steady, but his eyes had grown bloodshot. I placed my authentic sixth confirmation document right beside the forged requisition slip.

This signature is not mine.

Neither is this thumbprint.

And the seal of a veteran financial officer could certainly never stamp itself onto a document long after her death.

Pan Ming’s knees went completely weak, forcing him to grab onto the iron safe for support. Shen Zhao An’s voice dropped to a terrifyingly low register.

Pan Ming.

Trembling violently, Pan Ming stammered, I merely performed the calculations based on the materials provided by Vice President Zhen! Zhen Huai Ren instantly flew into a rage, bellowing, You are lying! At last, Pan Ming completely broke down.

Those documents were handed to me by Luo Qian upon your direct orders! You told me the Chairman’s health was failing and that the General Office of the Board of Directors would inevitably change hands sooner or later!