The ancient war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in a wealthy family

"Miss Bai, please stay!" The middle-aged man behind me spoke with a hint of panic in his voice, but I ignored him and rushed out of the monitoring room. Since they wouldn't let me see the surveillance footage, I'd find it myself!

"Miss Bai, you can't go in!" I pushed past the security guard blocking the entrance to the archives room. His resistance was feeble, clearly wary of my identity. I couldn't think of anything else. At that moment, my mind was focused on one single thought: Find the truth!

The familiar scent of paper and ink filled the data room. My eyes quickly scanned the rows of filing cabinets, finally landing on an unassuming monitoring system in the corner. It silently operated, its indicator light flashing a cold light, as if mocking my presumptuousness.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. The surveillance system was connected to all the cameras inside the company. If I could find the surveillance footage at the entrance to the data room, I'd know who had tampered with the system. I turned on the system and fumbled around, trying to retrieve yesterday's footage.

"What are you doing?!" I heard an angry roar from behind me. I turned around and saw Secretary Zhang and several security guards walking in aggressively, their faces livid. I was startled. It seemed I had touched her bottom line.

"I just want to find out the truth." I looked her straight in the eye and said word by word, "I believe the surveillance will prove my innocence."

Secretary Zhang sneered: "Innocent? Who do you think you are? Do you think you can act wild here?" She waved her hand, and several security guards immediately surrounded me and tried to pull me away.

"Let me go!" I struggled hard, but to no avail. At this moment, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure flashing across the surveillance screen. The figure sneaked into the data room with a file bag in his hand.

"That's him!" I pointed at the screen and shouted excitedly, "He touched my files!"

I grabbed the mouse and froze the image. On the screen, the shifty face was clearly visible: it was none other than Xiao Wang from the Human Resources Department! I felt a surge of ecstasy, as if I had grasped a lifeline. Pointing at the screen, I said to Secretary Zhang, "You still want to deny it? Here's the evidence!"

Secretary Zhang's expression changed slightly, but he quickly calmed down and sneered, "Miss Bai, you're really good at making up stories. This video is obviously fake! Everyone knows you're a computer science major. Isn't it easy to fake a video?"

"You..." I said angrily, pointing at the clear timestamp on the screen. "This is the company's internal surveillance system. How could I forge it? You're clearly shielding him!"

"Enough!" Secretary Zhang interrupted me impatiently, "Ms. Bai, I advise you to behave yourself and stop using these little tricks, otherwise..." She didn't say anything else, but the warning in her eyes was self-evident.

My heart sank. It seemed Secretary Zhang was determined to protect Xiao Wang. I was alone and weak, and there was no way I could defeat them. But I couldn't just give up! I remembered a senior executive I'd met at a company party before. He seemed upright and might be able to help me.

I went to the executive's office, explained my purpose, and handed him a copy of the surveillance video. He listened carefully, his brow furrowed. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "I'll investigate this matter thoroughly and give you an explanation."

I left his office full of hope. However, one day passed, then two, and I still didn't get a single response from him. I began to feel uneasy. Could he have been bribed by Secretary Zhang? Or had my presence threatened someone else's interests?

Unease and anxiety entangled me like vines. I felt like prey trapped in a spider's web, caught between a rock and a hard place. Then, my phone rang. It was Zhan Yu, his voice a little tired. "Where are you? I'll pick you up."

"I'm at the company." I hesitated and still didn't tell him what happened in the company. I didn't want him to worry about me.

"Company?" Zhan Yu's voice was filled with doubt. "Didn't you say we're closed today?"

My heart tightened, and a thought flashed through my mind: Could it be...

Zhan Yu's voice was like a thunderclap, splitting my chaotic thoughts. I realized that I had been so overwhelmed by the company's affairs that I had forgotten that today was the weekend and even forgot to tell Zhan Yu that I was still in the company.

"I..." I opened my mouth, but I didn't know how to explain. Should I tell him that I suspected someone in the company was targeting me and that I was trying to find evidence to prove my innocence?

"What do you do in the company?" Zhan Yu's voice sounded more serious, with a hint of questioning in his tone.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down: "I...I'll look for some information."

"Looking for information?" Zhan Yu was clearly unconvinced. "What kind of information requires weekend work?"

I was speechless, unable to find a suitable excuse. Zhan Yu on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment, then said, "Wait for me at the company, I'll be right there."

After hanging up the phone, I felt a mixture of emotions. On the one hand, I felt wronged. Why didn't even Zhan Yu believe me? On the other hand, I was worried that he would be angry because of my concealment.

Not long after, Zhan Yu arrived at the company. His face was gloomy, and he took me to his office without saying a word.

"Tell me, what's going on?" He sat at his desk, fingers crossed, staring at me sharply.

I felt uneasy when he looked at me, but I still mustered up the courage to tell him everything that had happened during this period, including that Xiao Wang stole the design draft and put the blame on me, Secretary Zhang protected Xiao Wang, and that I tried to find that senior executive but got no response.

"Ridiculous!" After listening to my story, Zhan Yu slammed the table and said angrily, "This is nonsense! How could the company allow such a thing to happen?!"

I was startled by his sudden anger, but more than that, I was touched. At least, he believed me.

"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" Zhan Yu's tone softened a little, but there was still a hint of blame in his eyes.

I bit my lip and whispered, "I...I don't want to make you worry."

Zhan Yu sighed, stretched out his hand and took me into his arms: "Silly, we are husband and wife, is there anything we can't face together?"

I leaned on his chest, feeling his warm embrace, and a warm feeling surged in my heart.

"But I don't have any evidence now. How can I prove my innocence?" I raised my head and looked at him worriedly.

Zhan Yu gently stroked my hair and said softly, "Don't worry, I will help you find out."

I pulled a USB drive from my bag and handed it to him. "It contains some clues I found, as well as a copy of the surveillance video."

Zhan Yu took the USB drive and inserted it into the computer. He carefully checked the contents inside, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

"I understand." He closed the computer, a cold glint in his eyes, "I will give you an explanation for this matter."

I looked into his determined eyes, my heart filled with hope. However, I didn't know that the truth behind this matter was far more complicated than I had imagined...

"Knock Knock Knock-"

There was a knock on the office door, and an old voice came from outside the door: "Ayu, are you in there?" "Come in." Zhan Yu said in a deep voice.

The door opened, and in walked a vigorous old man. He was dressed in an elegant Tang suit, his graying hair meticulously combed. Despite his age, his brows still exuded a sense of authority. He was Zhan Yu's father, Zhan Zhenting, the chairman of the Zhan Group.

"Dad, why are you here?" Zhan Yu stood up and asked with a hint of surprise in his tone.

"Let me see what my good son is busy with in the company." Zhan Zhenting's eyes swept over me with a hint of scrutiny, "Who is this..."

"Dad, this is my wife, Bai Zhi." Zhan Yu introduced, and then said to me, "Zhi'er, this is my dad."

I quickly stood up and nodded slightly, saying, "Hello, Dad."

Zhan Zhenting responded calmly without saying anything more. He walked to the desk, picked up the USB drive on the desk, and asked, "What is this?"

Zhan Yu then briefly told Zhan Zhenting the whole story. After listening to him, Zhan Zhenting's face turned serious. He pondered for a moment and said, "Ayu, you handled this matter very well. The daughter-in-law of our Zhan family will not be bullied."

My heart warmed, and I looked at Zhan Yu with gratitude. With my father-in-law's words, I believe the truth of this matter will soon be revealed.

As expected, under Zhan Zhenting's instructions, the company quickly established an investigation team to look into the theft of the design draft. Ultimately, Xiao Wang and Secretary Zhang's scheme was exposed, and both received the appropriate punishment. My innocence was proven, and I regained the recognition of the entire company.

However, the story does not end there.

That night, I was reading in my room when Zhan Yu suddenly walked in with a serious look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I put down the book and asked.

Zhan Yu walked over to sit next to me, held my hand, and said, "Zhi'er, my dad wants you to help in the Finance Department."

"Finance Department?" I was a little surprised. "But I know nothing about finance."

Zhan Yu explained: "My dad's idea is to let you start from the grassroots level and gradually familiarize yourself with the company's business. After a while, you can be rotated to other departments."

I understand that this is my father-in-law's way of testing me, but also of cultivating me. Although I have no interest in finance, I don't want to disappoint him.

"Okay, I agree." I nodded and said.

However, my decision aroused the dissatisfaction of another person, that is, Zhan Yu's mother - Sun Wanru.

The next morning, as soon as I got up, I heard a sarcastic voice coming from outside the door: "Hey, who is this? Dressed up so fancy this early in the morning, are you going somewhere to seduce men?"

I opened the door and saw Sun Wanru standing outside with a mocking smile on her face. I immediately knew that she was coming for me.

I took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in my heart, and said calmly: "Mom, you misunderstood, I have to report to the company today."

"Report?" Sun Wanru sneered. "Do you need to dress like this for a report? If someone didn't know you, they'd think you were going to a beauty pageant!"

I looked down at my clothes. It was just a simple white dress, nothing wrong with it. I knew Sun Wanru was deliberately picking on me.

"Mom, I just wanted to dress formally," I explained.

"Formal?" Sun Wanru looked me up and down, her eyes full of disdain. "As a newlywed bride, what qualifications do you have to dress so formally? Someone who didn't know you would think you were the chairman's wife!"

I clenched my fists and tried hard to control myself from getting angry.

“Mom, you…”

"Don't call me mom!" Sun Wanru interrupted me, her tone even more harsh, "I don't have a daughter-in-law like you!"

After saying that, she turned and left.

I stood there, feeling aggrieved and angry. I knew this was just the beginning, and that more challenges awaited me in the days ahead.

At this moment, a voice came from behind: "Zhi'er, are you ready? It's time to go out."