Chapter 43

When the photo was shown, Su Tao's tranquil face sank slightly. She lowered her eyes without looking at Xie Jin and Qin Xuexi, and clasped her hands together silently.

When Xie Jin stared at Qin Xuexi intently, he was also paying attention to Su Tao's expression out of the corner of his eye. His heart tightened subconsciously and his fingertips gripping the phone turned white.

This was clearly the first time Qin Xuexi had seen this photo. She was puzzled at first, then seemed to recall something. She widened her eyes in disbelief, glanced at the photo again, blinked, and said in a somewhat incredulous tone, "How did this photo get cropped like this?"

"Explain clearly! What was the situation back then?" Xie Jin asked gloomily again.

Qin Xuexi was so frightened that her whole body shuddered. She stammered, "I...I can't remember clearly."

Xie Jin sneered slightly, looking as if he had expected this. His voice became even more gloomy and icy as he said, "Qin Xuexi, I gave you a chance but you didn't cherish it."

Xie Jin slid his finger left on the phone and a video began to play. This time he showed it directly to Su Tao. His icy tone instantly switched to a gentle one that Qin Xuexi couldn't have imagined.

"This is the full video from that day. I originally wanted to go to your company to show you directly, but I was intercepted by this lunatic."

When he said "this lunatic", Qin Xuexi's face turned ash white and her eyes slowly filled with tears.

Even after being hurt so badly by Xie Jin, she still harbored fantasies about him.

Su Tao's calm gaze shifted from Qin Xuexi's face to the video. In it, Xie Jin and a group of colleagues had just left a club. He was clearly very drunk, staggering a little as he walked.

Qin Xuexi stepped forward to support him. She waved goodbye to the other colleagues and walked Xie Jin to the street curb alone, preparing to hail a taxi.

Xie Jin was intoxicated. His eyes were unfocused and he slowly closed them, his steps becoming unsteady.

Qin Xuexi seemed to be stunned as she looked at him, not knowing what she was thinking. Many taxis had stopped but she didn't get in any of them. Instead, she moved closer to him, cautiously testing his reaction little by little.

Xie Jin remained in a daze with his eyes closed, completely oblivious to Qin Xuexi approaching him. Qin Xuexi seemed to gain more courage. She took a step forward, leaning in with her head.

Just as their lips were about to touch, Xie Jin suddenly opened his eyes. Qin Xuexi was so frightened that her whole body shuddered. The next moment, she was pushed away and fell to the ground.

The video ended. Xie Jin observed Su Tao's expression carefully. Although the video was already very clear, he still explained earnestly in a gentle tone.

"Little Taotao, I really did push her away. I'm innocent."

Qin Xuexi's face turned from red to green and then white. Who was Xie Jin? His ruthlessness and heartlessness were well known. She had never seen him act so cautiously before.

The other party had just nodded lightly, without even giving him a smile. Yet he still looked at her expectantly, carefully watching her expression.

Su Tao stood up and glanced at the stunned Qin Xuexi. She said indifferently to Xie Jin, "The situation is clear now. I'll get going first. You can deal with her yourself."

"Little Taotao," Xie Jin called out to her softly. His pitch-black eyes held an ingratiating plea. "What do you want to eat? I'll cook it for you when I get home tonight." Su Tao paused. Her face stiffened slightly. "I'll cook instead. If you have time, go buy groceries."

Xie Jin's mouth curved up instantly. A handsome smile spread across his face as he nodded immediately. "Okay, I'll go buy them. I'll come home early after work."

After seeing Su Tao off, when Xie Jin turned to look at Qin Xuexi, the gentle breeze had turned into a storm. There was no longer any trace of the previous gentleness or patience.

Qin Xuexi was now shivering from head to toe, as if she were on a snowy mountain, terrified of the impending avalanche.

She watched as Xie Jin walked towards her step by step, his shadow enveloping her. His pitch-black eyes glinted ominously and the corners of his mouth curved into a cruel sneer. His gloomy tone was like a death god pronouncing a death sentence.

"Do you know what you almost cost me? Do you expect me to save you?"

Before returning to the company, Su Tao called Jiang Wan ahead of time.

"My future top agent, any instructions?" Jiang Wan seemed to be in a good mood, speaking lightly.

Su Tao's clear voice rippled out. "Wanwan, I have a win-win solution that will allow you to terminate your contract smoothly."

It could also conveniently expose the company's internal mole.

Jiang Wan's current agent, Wu Sida, was always making things difficult for her because her contract was about to expire and she stubbornly refused to renew it. He had threatened her relentlessly, insisting there was a clause giving him priority renewal rights and he would sue Jiang Wan for breach of contract. Recently, Jiang Wan had become exhausted mentally and physically.

Hearing that Su Tao could smoothly terminate the contract, she asked solemnly, "What's the solution?"

Su Tao said, "If your agent asks about me signing you for film and TV projects these next few days, just tell him you have nothing to say and to ask Su Tao if he has any questions."

Jiang Wan was surprised. "Wouldn't that anger him even more? He's been kicking up a big fuss these past few days."

The corners of Su Tao's tranquil mouth turned up slightly. The clear eyes behind her long lashes blinked with a moist luster. "That's precisely the goal."

After Su Tao returned to the office, she immediately called Le Xuan in. After ten minutes, Le Xuan took three sealed documents and personally delivered them to the Publicity Department, Finance Department, and General Manager's Office respectively.

"Our boss specifically instructed not to open these and file them directly," Le Xuan mysteriously repeated at each department.

At four in the afternoon, the executive meeting began. Su Tao waited quietly in her office. When the meeting alarm she had set went off, she glanced up calmly, turned off the alarm, and headed to the conference room.

Liu Wantao and Liang Ke were already sitting in the conference room. Liang Ke's expression was normal, while Liu Wantao kept staring at her phone, not knowing what she was looking at.

Su Tao sat down next to Liu Wantao. Liu Wantao immediately put away her phone and pretended nothing was wrong, greeting colleagues as they arrived one by one.

The heads of each department also arrived in succession and the meeting officially started.

After Liang Ke finished explaining his own work arrangements and what each department needed to cooperate on, it was Su Tao's turn.

Su Tao stood in front of the screen and connected her phone to the projector via Bluetooth. She had already transferred the PPT directly to her phone for convenience.

She had just finished explaining a small part of the work arrangements when Liu Wantao suddenly interrupted her.

She raised her chin arrogantly with a mocking, sarcastic expression on her face as she attacked Su Tao.

"Who did you consult before deciding to sign Jiang Wan?

Su Tao's expression was unchanged, but upon closer look, one could see the hint of a smile in her eyes. "Do I need to consult you on who I want to sign?" Liu Wantao gave a cold laugh. "You, Manager Su, can naturally do as you wish without consulting us. Even if we disagree, you can just issue one of your so-called written orders and no one can stop you. But do you think you can do everything right?"

"What's wrong with me signing Jiang Wan?" Su Tao asked calmly.

Her clear eyes looked completely non-aggressive, but she still remained so calm and aloof while being attacked. Something seemed off.

"Of course you can sign Jiang Wan, that shows your capabilities. But you shouldn't have privately arranged film and TV resources for her under your own name when she hasn't terminated her contract yet. Don't you know that violates her contract?"

Su Tao's eyebrows knitted slightly and her eyes darted around evasively. Her expression seemed a little flustered, like a last struggle before death. "How did he find out? What evidence does he have?"

"How did he find out? You think Tiaoshu Media is stupid? Their producer Xu Director realized something was wrong and specially confirmed the information with Wu Sida. A leaked matter will naturally become known. Su Tao, you're truly naive, so naive it's foolish!"

Liu Wantao slammed the table and stood up aggressively, putting on a righteous appearance of serving justice, making everyone present worry for Su Tao.

Su Tao frowned deeply, averting her eyes anxiously. She seemed to be struggling desperately. "How did he know? What evidence does he have?"

"What evidence do I have?" Liu Wantao gave a mocking laugh, her gaze sharp, an arrogant sense of victory on her face.

"Did you think you could fool everyone by sealing those documents? If you dare make a move, it will naturally become known. Wu Sida from Shixuan Entertainment just messaged me saying he's going to sue our company. You've acted stupidly alone but our company has to deal with a lawsuit. How will you take responsibility for that?"

Su Tao narrowed her eyes at Liu WanTao's reprimand, and her previous flustered look was replaced by a cold gaze. "But I didn't sign any contract with QianShu Entertainment at all. How could there be any confirmation from the executive producer Wu Sida? The information Wu Sida got was probably leaked by someone within our company."

Liu WanTao was taken aback, and the corners of her mouth twitched. She pressed her fingers forcefully on the documents and suddenly shouted harshly, "Don't deny it now that you've been exposed. Don't falsely accuse others."

"Director Liu, yelling doesn't make you right," Su Tao's voice was calm and steady, full of confidence. "I didn't sign any contract with QianShu for Jiang Wan at all. I did mistakenly submit a prospective contract for three months later to the legal department for filing, but that was sealed."

"Then the question is," Su Tao leaned on the desk, staring sharply at Liu WanTao. Her steady, powerful voice enunciated every word. "How did Wu Sida get wind of this non-existent information? Did someone open my sealed document by mistake and leak the news to ShiWen Entertainment? Leaking company information for profit!"

Just as everyone was staring wide-eyed at this dramatic turn of events, Su Tao's phone suddenly received a video call. She wanted to decline it but her hand slipped and she answered it.

The large screen linked to her Bluetooth displayed a cold, handsome face. He had just answered the video and his striking features were expressionless, sending a chill into everyone's hearts.

The next moment, he seemed to realize the video was connected and his handsome face instantly livened up. He even tilted it at a 45 degree angle, trying to find the perfect selfie angle.

It made the people who were used to seeing celebrity faces gasp in awe.

"Little Taozi...what's wrong?"

On the screen, Su Tao's eyes were slightly red, her gaze scorching. Her steady expression exuded an overbearing aura.

Seeing Su Tao like this made Xie Jin's face turn cold instantly. He asked again, "What's wrong? Are you angry? Who made you angry?"

From his expression, it looked like he would jump out of the screen any moment now to punch someone.

Xie Jin was the one asking, but no one in the conference room doubted that he would immediately come to the company to back up Su Tao.

"I'm in a meeting," Su Tao made to hang up the call.

"Wait, wait..." The video showed Xie Jin quickly pointing the camera at a salmon steak. "Just one question, if making poached fish, should I buy salmon?"

Su Tao's mouth twitched. Her lashes fluttered as she struggled to maintain her previous momentum and blurted out, "Carp."

Everyone: "..."

So this vicious, irritable big boss was...buying groceries?