Chapter Fourteen: I Want Ten Million

In short, Jian Yanzhi had just been ignored by Ruan Mianmian for no apparent reason and was already simmering with anger. Now, upon hearing Ruan Mianmian’s loud questioning, he could no longer maintain his composure.

He said, “Ruan Mianmian, what’s wrong with you now? We’re all colleagues here. Who would take your things?”

“My things were clearly kept in this drawer. I came here today specifically to get them, but now it’s empty. Someone must have moved them!” Ruan Mianmian insisted.

At this, other dissatisfied employees stepped forward and questioned, “Do you have any proof, Ruan Mianmian? You can’t just accuse people without evidence!”

“Exactly! Why does she say it’s us? Maybe she misplaced it herself!”

Ruan Mianmian continued, “I remember it perfectly. The item was right in this drawer. Someone among you must have moved it!”

Hearing this, the discontented employees clamored to Jian Yanzhi, declaring their innocence and demanding he defend them.

Jian Yanzhi’s face darkened instantly. He shouted, “Enough! Quiet!”

The office fell abruptly silent again. Jian Yanzhi then turned to Ruan Mianmian and said coldly, “Ruan Mianmian, stop making a scene. I can guarantee none of my employees would touch your things!”

“You guarantee?” Ruan Mianmian retorted with sarcasm. “On what grounds? Because it’s not your loss, you think you can just ignore it?”

Jian Yanzhi replied gravely, “Fine. Then tell me, what did you lose? I’ll compensate you three times its value. How about that?”

Seeing his arrogant demeanor, as if offering three times the price were some grand favor, the last glimmer of admiration Ruan Mianmian once held for him as a leading man vanished.

This was the man she had pined for all these years—how truly pathetic.

Ruan Mianmian’s face was cold, the light in her eyes fading away bit by bit. She gazed at Jian Yanzhi and said softly, “Jian Yanzhi, you truly disgust me.”

With those words, she didn’t spare him another glance. She strode past him and left the office directly.

At the doorway, Ruan Mianmian suddenly halted. A mocking sneer flickered across Jian Yanzhi’s hardened features.

Ruan Mianmian glanced back, a cold laugh in her heart. What now? Did you think I’d come begging for reconciliation?

Jian Yanzhi, stop dreaming. There will never be anything between us again.

Her face was devoid of any smile. Her gaze swept over the people behind her, finally settling on Jian Yanzhi.

“From this day forward, I will auction all of my shares in Hanhai Group. From now on, Jian Yanzhi, there is nothing left between us!”

Jian Yanzhi’s smug smile froze in an instant. Before he could say anything more, he watched as Ruan Mianmian turned and walked out of the office without hesitation.

The remaining employees exchanged shocked glances. None of them had expected that everything Ruan Mianmian had just said was real.

Fuming, Ruan Mianmian hurried downstairs, only to discover that A-Kuan, who had previously been stationed at the entrance, was nowhere to be seen. Now she had no idea where to find him.

The sun blazed down outside. Ruan Mianmian stood in the searing heat for a moment, as if only then could the anger in her chest subside a little.

Still, though Jian Yanzhi’s attitude was infuriating, what upset her even more was that the USB drive had vanished!

She could not allow that item to fall into Jian Yanzhi’s hands!

But she had no idea how to begin searching for it. After all, with so many people in the company, anyone could have taken it.

Just then, her phone vibrated. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from Shen Ting.

“What does she want with me now?” Ruan Mianmian muttered irritably, but she still opened the message. In that instant, her hand froze and her phone slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground.

Even so, she saw it clearly: in the photo was the very USB drive she had left in the drawer.

It was in Shen Ting’s hands!

Ruan Mianmian quickly bent down, picked up her phone, and called Shen Ting immediately.

The call connected, and Shen Ting’s unpleasant voice came through the line.

“Why did you steal my things?” Ruan Mianmian demanded.

Shen Ting laughed. “Didn’t you say you had something to hand over to President Jian? I was just doing you a favor—how is that stealing?”

Ruan Mianmian realized that since Shen Ting had sent her the photo, she must already have a plan in mind. There was no point wasting words.

“Cut the nonsense. Give me back my property, or I’ll call the police,” Ruan Mianmian threatened.

“Call the police?” Shen Ting chuckled. “Stealing company secrets is a crime, you know. If you don’t want to go to jail with me, Miss Ruan, I advise you to save your energy.”

Ruan Mianmian’s breath hitched—so Shen Ting had indeed looked through the contents of the USB.

“What do you want?” Ruan Mianmian asked.

“I don’t want much. I just want to see how sincere you are, Miss Ruan. How much do you think this USB is worth?” Shen Ting replied.

“You’re trying to blackmail me?” Ruan Mianmian asked.

“No, I’d call it a gratuity,” Shen Ting said with a laugh.

Ruan Mianmian fell silent. She couldn’t tell if Shen Ting was bluffing or telling the truth. If she had seen the contents, why not turn it over to the company and instead try to extort her? It all seemed too strange.

She feared this was just a trick by Shen Ting and didn’t dare trust her easily.

“Have you decided, Miss Ruan?” Shen Ting pressed.

“Do you need money that badly?” Ruan Mianmian asked. “You don’t look like someone strapped for cash, so why are you trying to blackmail me?”

“That’s none of your concern. You pay, I return the item—it’s that simple. It’s up to you,” Shen Ting replied.

“Fine,” Ruan Mianmian agreed at once. “Name your price. How much do you want?”

“One million!” Shen Ting demanded without hesitation.

Ruan Mianmian’s eyes widened. “Are you joking? Why not just rob a bank?”

One million? That was no small sum! Even if she sold herself, she wouldn’t fetch that much. And now, with nothing to her name, where would she find the money?

Shen Ting continued, “That’s not my problem. I’ll give you three days. If you haven’t transferred one million into my account by then, I’ll make the contents of this USB public. By then, you won’t be able to escape!”

With that, Shen Ting hung up. Ruan Mianmian listened to the dial tone, stomping her feet in frustration.

“Damn it! What kind of people are these? What kind of plot is this?”