Chapter 10 — Before Retirement, I Was Demoted to Work as a Laborer

The corners of Trinh Hoai Nhan's eyes twitched slightly.

"The Administrative Center manages a lot of supplies. I can't just take care of everything personally."

I suddenly spoke up.

"Play back the camera footage again."

Co Nam immediately followed suit. On the screen, a person wearing a janitor's uniform walked out holding a red-covered notebook. I looked intently at the upper left corner of the notebook. The frame immediately stopped. I calmly said:

"It's not a special Guarantee List for startup companions."

Tham Trieu An turned to look at me. I slowly explained:

"The real list has a wrinkle in the upper left corner."

"Its cover was once water-damaged."

"Thirty-two years ago, the factory leaked. I used an enamel cup to press on it overnight, but it still left a mark."

Tham Trieu An stared at the screen. A moment later... He spoke softly. The atmosphere in the room immediately became stuffy. Even everyone's breathing was disordered. I pointed towards the safe.

"That person didn't come to get the real list."

"His purpose..."

"To make us all believe that the real list just went missing tonight."

Tham Trieu An's face completely turned cold. At that moment, Co Nam reached into the secret compartment inside the safe.

"Dear Chairman Tham..."

"There's still something here."

It's an old-fashioned money order. The paper has turned yellow with time. But the signature... It's still very new. In the Recipient section... Write my name clearly. Tan Ngoc Tran. The amount section reads: 800,000 yuan. The content section reads: Compensation for one-time regime change according to the start-up period guarantee policy. La Thien stared at the slip. It was like I had just grabbed the last straw to save my life.

"Dear Chairman Tham, if she had received this conversion compensation that year..."

"Now of course I can't continue to enjoy the highest retirement benefits."

Trinh Hoai Nhan immediately continued.

"So everything makes sense."

I looked at the money order with the forged signature. The coldness in my heart... Gradually subsided. Because right next to the signature... There's also a confirmation stamp. That seal... Belongs to a former accountant. That person... Passed away seventeen years ago. Tham Trieu An placed his hand on the ballot. His eyes looked straight at me.

"Tan Ngoc Tran."

I raised my head. He asked each word, word by word:

"This money..."

"Have you ever received it?"

I looked around the room. Everyone is waiting for my answer.

"Never."

I stopped for a beat. Then calmly continued:

"I know."

"Who is the one who received that money?"

At that moment... Trinh Hoai Nhan's eyelids twitched. La Thien no longer looks as confident as before. Tham Trieu An looked at me.

"Continue."

I pointed to the confirmation stamp on the receipt.

"This seal belongs to Ms. Luong Que Phan, the company's former accountant."

"But she passed away seventeen years ago."

"And this money order..."

"Printed on paper that has only been used in the last ten years or so."

Phan Minh immediately bowed his head. As a financial person... Of course he realized that this type of paper had problems. Tham Trieu An turned to look at him.

"Phan Minh."

"You say it."

The sweat on Phan Minh's forehead continuously flowed down.

"This form... Just not the type companies used thirty-two years ago."

Trinh Hoai Nhan's face darkened.

"It's also possible that the company will do additional procedures later."

I calmly replied:

"Even if it's a supplement..."

"There must also be original documents."

I picked up the slip and held it up to the light.

"Invoices and financial documents of Vien Thai in the past all had a watermark in the lower right corner."

"It was produced by the old factory's printing workshop."

"And this one..."

"Not at all."

La Thien gritted her teeth.

"You work in administration, not accounting."

"Don't pretend like you know everything."

I looked at her.

"That year the Finance department was flooded."

"Thirty-seven boxes of documents were shipped out by me myself."

"Which box is moldy?"

"Which barrel must be documented additionally?"

"Which box must be sent for audit?"

"It's all recorded directly by me."

The whole room was silent. Tham Trieu An asked:

"Where is the notebook?"

"Old filing cabinet in the basement."

Phan Minh immediately said:

"That cupboard was cleaned out a long time ago."

I looked at him.

"I'm just cleaning the outside cabinet."

"The secret cabinet is not yet."

Phan Minh's face immediately changed. Tham Trieu An stood up.

"Lead the way."

The third time that night... The whole group went down to the basement again. No one dares to urge anymore. I went straight to the deepest corner of the grocery room. Then move to the side a whole row of old, broken chairs. In the corner of the wall... Revealing a panel of wood that was darker in color than the surrounding one. Ha Mieu opened her eyes wide.

"Here... is there another door?"

I used the cleaning shovel to pry up the wood. Behind... Is an old-style iron cabinet. The cabinet had no lock. Just install with a rusty dowel bar. I reached out and touched that latch. It feels like touching the dust of thirty years ago. Vien Thai is in the most difficult stage. Unable to pay salary. Creditors come every day to block the door. Tham Trieu An kept all the remaining cash and documents in this very cabinet. He once said...

"As long as the company can get through this period..."

"Every penny of debt..."

"We all have to pay."