Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1197 No one helps Gu Nan

On the other side, Zhu Tao looked at the few people remaining in the office, his face darkening, and his tone serious: "Remember this, you are the key to dealing with Gu Nan. As for that Zhong Yi..." He paused, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, "To be honest, I still don't completely trust him. After all, he's Gu Nan's apprentice, and there's no guarantee he won't still harbor some old feelings." He turned to He Yuzhu, "He Yuzhu, has Zhong Yi shown any unusual behavior these past two days? Like secretly making phone calls or meeting with people privately?"

He Yuzhu quickly straightened up, a fawning smile plastered on his face, his tone tinged with eagerness to claim credit: "Director Zhu, I've been keeping an eye on him these past two days! Eating, working, going back to the office—a standard routine, he hasn't even gone to the toilet more than a few times. There's really nothing unusual. I think... are we being a little too cautious? He's just a kitchen supervisor; he can't cause any trouble."

Zhu Tao frowned, his tone suddenly becoming stern, carrying an unquestionable authority: "Better safe than sorry. If you're not careful with small things, you'll be sold out and you'll still have to help count the money! Gu Nan is a very shrewd kid. Zhong Yi was promoted by him, so he won't turn against you so easily."

Although He Yuzhu was puzzled as to why the factory director was so wary of a kitchen supervisor, he still quickly nodded and bowed, "The factory director is right, I was too naive. Don't worry, I will keep a close eye on Zhong Yi. Even if he blinks an extra time or walks half a step faster, I will report it to you!"

Zhu Tao simply nodded indifferently and ignored him. In his eyes, He Yuzhu was good for nothing except cooking – he was slow-witted, easily swayed, and would get carried away with a little favor. If it weren't for the fact that his cooking skills were indeed impressive and he could occasionally act as a mouthpiece, he wouldn't bother with him at all.

He turned to the others, his voice suddenly rising several decibels, laced with a ruthless edge: "Remember this, everyone. You must follow the plan strictly! The falsified accounts must be submitted to the Discipline Inspection Commission, and the witnesses must be coordinated beforehand. Any mistake in any link could give Gu Nan an opportunity. Our goal is to ensure he never recovers, to utterly disgrace him, and to leave him no chance to breathe. Understand?"

Most of the people in the office had grudges against Gu Nan—either they had been caught cheating and skimping on ingredients and had their wages docked by Gu Nan, or they had used their seniority to seek special treatment in the cafeteria and had been exposed and severely punished by Gu Nan in public. When Gu Nan punished them back then, they all hated him to the core, only daring to curse him behind his back. They never expected that Zhu Tao could unite them into a group, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on Gu Nan.

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes blazed with anger, like dry tinder being ignited. They patted their chests and echoed, "Don't worry, Factory Director! We guarantee it will be done!" "We've long disliked Gu Nan's arrogant attitude; this time, we'll make sure he suffers a major setback, one he won't be able to get back up!"

These people had long harbored grudges against Gu Nan, and the thought of personally bringing him down filled them with eagerness and a desire to get started right away. They gathered together and went over the details of the plan again—who was responsible for submitting the "evidence," who was responsible for "testifying" at the meeting, and who was responsible for leaking the information to busybodies in the factory, ensuring that every step was tightly coordinated and left no loopholes.

After the deal was finalized, everyone dispersed to make their final preparations, their faces brimming with barely suppressed excitement. Only Zhu Tao remained in the office. He walked to the window, gazing at the white smoke billowing from the factory chimneys, a sinister smile playing on his lips. Sunlight shone on his face, half bright, half dark, as if concealing ulterior motives—Gu Nan, Gu Nan, you've blocked my way for so long, let's see how you hide this time.

Zhu Tao sat at the table, his fingertips twirling the rim of his glass, the liquor inside rippling softly. His mind was racing—once Gu Nan was completely brought down, removing this biggest obstacle, the first step was to find a way to get Li Jianjun out of there. That kid used to be a master in the purchasing department, his accounts were airtight, and he was a shrewd operator when it came to embezzling. Once he was out, he could pull some strings and get him a job as his deputy at the steel rolling mill. Then, with inside help, wouldn't the income from purchasing, logistics, and the workshop flow steadily into his own pocket?

The more Zhu Tao thought about it, the more brilliant the idea seemed. His smile never faded, and wrinkles deepened around his eyes. After get off work, he specially invited a few of his close friends—small bosses with some real power in various departments of the factory—to a small tavern at the end of an alley. They ordered a table full of dishes: braised pork knuckle, braised beef, stir-fried pork intestines, and a jar of bulk liquor. After all, they were going to take action against Gu Nan tomorrow, the most crucial step in the plan. He needed to have a drink with his brothers beforehand, both to get some information and to bolster his courage. He took a sip of liquor, smacked his lips, and pondered that this plan was meticulously prepared, with all the witnesses and evidence "gathered." He was confident he could deliver a fatal blow to Gu Nan, leaving him no chance of recovery.

After a few glasses of baijiu, Zhu Tao's face turned as red as a pig's liver just pulled from a soy sauce vat. He became more talkative, patting his chest and boasting to his friends, "Just wait and see, after tomorrow, this steel mill... will have to listen to me!" He kept muttering "something big is going to happen tomorrow," but wouldn't elaborate, only urging them to drink more. In the end, he was completely drunk, his tongue slurred, and two friends had to carry him home, one on each side. He threw himself onto the kang (a heated brick bed) and fell into a deep sleep, still wearing his clothes, snoring so loudly it could be heard through two walls.

Meanwhile, in a guesthouse out of town, Gu Nan didn't rest that evening. Using the public phone in the corridor, he made several calls to individuals he deemed inappropriate to appear in public. The people on the other end of the line, after hearing his predicament, sounded troubled: "Gu Nan, we know about your situation, but everyone's busy dealing with the mess over there, and we really can't spare the manpower… It's not that we don't want to help you, it's just that we don't have the energy to deal with this internal strife at the steel mill." Finally, they reassured him, "Be careful. If things get really tough, we'll definitely try to lend a hand. Don't try to tough it out."

Gu Nan hung up the phone, leaned back in his cold chair, and sighed deeply. He was well aware of the situation. Everyone was busy with production and pushing for deadlines; his power struggle within the factory was insignificant. Relying on others for help was unrealistic. He rubbed his throbbing temples, his eyes hardening—it seemed he could only rely on himself. Fine, he'd see what Zhu Tao and his group were capable of. Bring it on; he could handle it.