Chapter 14

Duan Jiye held a strong piece of evidence in his hand, feeling confident and resolute. He immediately looked as if he had been greatly insulted, his eyes wide with anger, and he pounded his chest loudly, saying, "General Manager, I joined the company before I was twenty, serving Minghua Group for nearly twenty years. I started as a security guard who braved all weathers and gradually rose to the position of Security Department Director, earning a high salary that many envy. I have personally witnessed Minghua Group grow from a small factory into a large corporation. As Minghua grew, I grew with it. The pride of Minghua is my pride. I have always been loyal to the company. Could it be that my words are less credible than those of this woman who has only been in the company for a few years through backdoor connections? Does the General Manager really trust me, Duan Jiye, so little? How can I, Duan Jiye, bear such an insult!"

Upon hearing these words, everyone was moved. Seeing his reddened eyes and the appearance of great humiliation, they all sighed, their emotions temporarily aligning with his side.

In fact, Duan Jiye was also a skilled opportunist. Otherwise, he wouldn't have held the position of Security Department Director for so long. However, opportunities in the Security Department were rare, and there were few chances for outstanding achievements. It had little to do with the company's operations and development, so generally, reaching the position of Security Department Director was the end of the line.

Now, due to this incident, the General Manager had personally intervened, and he naturally seized the opportunity to show his worth, as he was already in an unbeatable position.

More importantly, he deeply understood that he had already offended the Dong family. He needed to find a way to make the General Manager value him to protect himself. Otherwise, the Dong family's backing could easily bring him down. Only with the support of Minghua Group could he turn the situation around.

Qiao Yun was also moved by his somewhat emotional words. Looking at Duan Jiye, she vaguely recalled her childhood. Back then, Minghua Group was just a small factory, and she often played at the factory gate. This Director Duan seemed to have played with her. At that time, he was just a young security guard. She couldn't believe how many years had passed.

"Duan, who are you calling a泼妇 (shrew)?" Dong Jiayun couldn't stand it and shouted.

Duan Jiye glared and said sternly, "I'm talking about you, Dong. Can you deny that you were the one who first attacked Deputy Director Lin?" He was determined to solidify Dong Jiayun's guilt. The greater the insult he received, the greater the reward would be later.

Dong Jiayun's anger subsided a bit. She regretted her denial as soon as it left her mouth, realizing that she had indeed been the one to initiate the attack. However, she couldn't back down to Duan Jiye's provocation. She stubbornly insisted, "If I didn't do it, I didn't do it. Just because you accuse me doesn't make it true."

Duan Jiye appeared furious on the surface but inwardly sneered. He knew her character well, and she had indeed fallen for his trap. He was confident that the outcome was already decided.

How could a woman who relied on her connections be a match for Duan Jiye, a seasoned veteran, even if he was just a Security Department Director?

Qiao Yun, emotionally, now felt differently about Duan Jiye. Although her words were still cold, her tone had softened considerably. "Director Duan, you are an old employee of the company. We can't just take someone's word and decide guilt. We need evidence."

Duan Jiye pondered for a moment and said, "Many of the security guards in the hall witnessed the incident..."

Before he could finish, Dong Jiayun immediately protested, "No way, they are all your subordinates, they are in the same boat as you. They will naturally take your side."

Qiao Yun gave her a cold glance, wanting to ask where her usual dignity had gone. She frowned and said, "Director Duan, I remember there are surveillance cameras in the hall, right?"

Dong Jiayun's face changed, and her heart sank. How could she have forgotten the surveillance? She could accuse others of lying, but she couldn't say the surveillance video was lying!

However, Duan Jiye didn't rush to produce the evidence. Instead, he paused and said, "The surveillance system in the hall had some issues at that time, so it probably didn't record anything."

This was the skill of a seasoned veteran—retreat to advance. He wanted to clear himself of any suspicion before delivering the final blow, ensuring a clean and decisive victory.

Hearing this, Dong Jiayun felt a weight lifted from her heart. It seemed even heaven was on her side. The surveillance just happened to break at the right time. She didn't consider that if the surveillance was indeed broken, it would have justified Deputy Director Lin's actions in checking for security issues. Her intelligence was clearly not a match for the combined efforts of the two department heads.

"Don't be so hasty. Let's go to the surveillance room and see if anything was recorded," Qiao Yun said and turned to leave.

Everyone immediately followed, heading to the surveillance room. Duan Jiye quickly moved to the front, leading the way for the General Manager with the diligence of an old ox.

Upon arriving at the surveillance room, Duan Jiye gave the order, and his subordinates immediately retrieved the morning surveillance footage from the hall. The screen was filled with static, showing nothing.

Seeing that there was no evidence, Dong Jiayun's heart was completely at ease. She immediately insisted, "General Manager, the security guards are not trustworthy. There are two staff members on duty at the customer service desk in the General Affairs Department. We can ask them about the incident."

This statement offended everyone in the Security Department. The security guard operating the surveillance system was so angry that he gradually increased the fast-forward speed. Suddenly, the static-filled screen showed a clear video.

Everyone's eyes lit up. The video showed Dong Jiayun approaching the customer service desk and speaking to Lin Zixian. Duan Jiye seemed to be introducing them, and Lin Zixian immediately stood up, smiling and extending his hand to shake Dong Jiayun's. However, Dong Jiayun, with a haughty attitude, didn't even extend her hand.

The screen displayed four different angles simultaneously, showing the expressions and movements of the people involved.

Later, Lin Zixian seemed to be explaining something seriously to Dong Jiayun. Based on Duan Jiye's earlier statements, it was likely about the safety inspection. However, Dong Jiayun seemed to dismiss it, and her attitude eventually turned to anger and humiliation.

Soon, Lin Zixian gestured, and several security guards surrounded Dong Jiayun, asking her to step aside and cooperate. Suddenly, Dong Jiayun, as if possessed, lunged at Lin Zixian with a wild and desperate attack.

Lin Zixian didn't hesitate, quickly grabbing an electric baton for self-defense and shocking Dong Jiayun. The five security guards then dragged her away, and the screen lost sight of them, leaving only the two customer service staff looking terrified.

Seeing this, everyone understood. They all looked at Dong Jiayun with disgust. She had clearly been the one to initiate the attack, and the others had only acted in self-defense. Yet, this woman had the audacity to lie, accusing a respected male employee and a loyal company veteran of wrongdoing, almost making him cry.

At this moment, Dong Jiayun was so ashamed that she wished she could find a hole to hide in. She couldn't understand how this had happened. The surveillance was supposed to be broken, so why did it suddenly work?

"Heaven has eyes. Otherwise, I, Duan Jiye, would have been unable to clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River," Duan Jiye sighed to the sky.

Qiao Yun's cold expression became even colder, her face showing no emotion. She turned her head and said slowly, "Director Dong, do you have anything else to say? I think you should give a reasonable explanation to Director Duan, to me, and to the company." She seemed unwilling to see Dong Jiayun's ugly face any longer, as it was a disgrace to women.

At this moment, the video showed more security guards conducting safety inspections at the customer service desk. They were all very diligent, with some even lying down and checking under the desk, showing their dedication. It was clear that the Security Department was a group of hardworking and dedicated employees.

"General Manager, this video doesn't prove anything," Dong Jiayun insisted, still unwilling to give up.

Qiao Yun suddenly turned around and looked at her coldly. "Then what does your word prove? Director Dong, Minghua Group cannot tolerate someone like you. You should leave," she said, effectively firing her.

Dong Jiayun was so angry that she trembled. She pointed at Qiao Yun and said fiercely, "Qiao, you and the others are ganging up on me... I'm not that easy to bully. You'll see." She then stormed out.

At that moment, a loud voice was heard from outside, shouting, "Who is it? Who is it? Who let this shrew out? Damn it! She dared to call us security guards dogs. I'll lock her up for a long time. Someone, grab her!"

Soon, the sound of Dong Jiayun's cries and screams could be heard, "Lin, you will not have a good end..."

The people in the surveillance room looked at each other, guessing what had happened. It seemed the two enemies had met again. Duan Jiye was sweating profusely, wondering why Deputy Director Lin had returned at this moment.

Qiao Yun listened for a while, then walked to Duan Jiye and, unusually, extended her hand. "Director Duan, I apologize for your trouble."

Duan Jiye shook her hand and smiled bitterly, shaking his head. "General Manager, it's nothing. As long as the truth is revealed, it's fine. I've been on guard for Minghua Group for many years and have long been accustomed to ridicule. As long as the General Manager still trusts me, Duan, this bit of trouble is nothing."

Qiao Yun pursed her lips and shook his hand firmly. "Director Duan, take care. Minghua Group still needs you to stand guard. The company will not forget the hardworking and dedicated employees who have grown with it. I'll come to see you again when I have the chance."