Chapter 8 — Before Retirement, I Was Demoted to Work as a Laborer

Old Ho took a deep breath. Ha Mieu raised his hand to cover his mouth. Just me... Not surprised at all. Making such a big deal out of it... It's not just to humiliate me for one day. Just convenient. What they're really aiming for... Is that money. Tham Trieu An slowly asked:

"Whose pocket will that money go to?"

Phan Minh quickly shook his head.

"Do not go into personal accounts."

"It's just that at the end of the year, the Civic Center's cost savings report will look better."

I looked at Trinh Hoai Nhan.

"What happens after the report is good?"

Trinh Hoai Nhan gritted his teeth.

"Tan Ngoc Tran, don't slander."

I pulled out a piece of paper from my folder again.

"This is a plan to divide funds to evaluate the effectiveness of the Administrative Center."

"Yesterday I found it in a cardboard box on the twenty-eighth floor."

Trinh Hoai Nhan's eyelids twitched slightly.

"You stole documents!"

I placed the paper in front of Tham Trieu An.

"Documents were thrown away but not destroyed properly."

"It is my responsibility to collect and return it."

It is clearly written on the statistics table. Expected bonus from the quarter's savings expenses. The first line... Is the name Trinh Hoai Nhan. The second line... is La Thien. Below are also the names of a few people involved in approval. Although Phan Minh is not part of the Administrative Center... But in the notes column there is still a coordination reward for him. Finish reading the document. Tham Trieu An slowly closed the file.

"Just for a bonus..."

"You forced an employee who had been with the company for thirty-two years to retire under the guise of a janitor."

No one dared to answer. I spoke up:

"Dear Chairman Tham, the victim... is not just me."

All eyes turned to me at once. I bent down and picked up from the pile of scraps of paper next to the safe a stack of papers that had been torn in half. During the day, while cleaning, I saw these pieces of paper. It's just that at that time... I hadn't taken it out yet.

"On here are the names of five veteran employees."

I put each piece of paper together on the lid of the cleaning cart.

"Uncle Liu is at the warehouse."

"Uncle Tran is in the dining room."

"Engineer Meng of the Equipment Department."

"Uncle Ho of the car fleet."

"And Ms. Vuong at the front desk."

Ms. Vuong... She hasn't even reached retirement age yet. Yet they had prepared a treatment plan for her. Tham Trieu An's face completely darkened.

"Bring everything back to the meeting room."

The middle-aged man immediately directed everyone to block off the scene. At that moment, Trinh Hoai Nhan suddenly reached out and tried to grab the reward fund distribution board. But I prepared in advance. I pulled the cleaning cart back. His hand shot into space. Old Ho immediately stepped forward to block me.

"Deputy General Trinh."

"The camera is still recording."

Trinh Hoai Nhan paused. His eyes were sharp as knives, stabbing straight at Old Ho. Old Ho's face turned pale. But he still did not give up half a step. I looked at Trinh Hoai Nhan.

"During the day, you once said..."

"'I can't make any waves.'"

I picked up the transfer decision.

"Now..."

"That wave has come."

When everyone returned to the meeting room... It was one o'clock in the morning. Tham Trieu An told everyone to sit down. I'm the only one still standing. He pointed to the chair next to him.

"Tan Ngoc Tran."

"Please sit down."

I sat down. Thirty-two years working at Vien Thai... This is the first time I have been able to sit right next to the inside chair this meeting room. Tham Trieu An placed the letter confirming his retirement in front of me.

"This document will be reissued immediately."

I shook my head.

"No rush."

He looked at me. I calmly said:

"Let's investigate everything clearly first."

La Thien seemed to see the last ray of hope.

"Miss Tan..."

"It's come to this. I'm sorry."

"Tomorrow I myself will carry out the procedures so that you can enjoy the highest retirement benefits."

I looked straight at her.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's because you know you're wrong."

"Or because you were caught red-handed?"

La Thien's face immediately became extremely ugly. I continued:

"I do not accept a private apology."

Trinh Hoai Nhan laughed coldly.

"So what else do you want?"

I placed the phone in the middle of the conference table.

"Report the police."

Phan Minh immediately jumped up.

"Miss Tan, there's no need to make such a big deal."

"This is just an internal matter of the company."

I turned to look at him.

"The year my mother was hospitalized..."

"The money I advanced to help you..."

"I've paid it all."

Phan Minh's eyes flashed with shame. I calmly continued:

"So today..."

"I don't owe you any favors anymore."

Phan Minh's whole body stiffened. Tham Trieu An picked up the phone. The middle-aged man had just dialed the number... When the meeting room door was suddenly pushed open. A young employee of the President's Office ran in sweating profusely.

"Dear President Tham!"

"The safe on the twenty-ninth floor... was opened."

Tham Trieu An immediately stood up.

"When did it happen?"

The employee swallowed hard.

"Ten minutes ago."

He brought the tablet over. On the surveillance camera screen... A figure turned his back to the camera, just walking out of the internal area of the Chairman's office. In that person's hand... was the lost red book.