Double evil in the business district

Shen Ting took a deep breath and said in a heavy tone, "I just received news that Engineer Li from the Engineering Department was seriously injured in the accident and is still in the hospital for treatment."

Xiao Yue's face paled, and she nearly dropped the water cup in her hand. Engineer Li was a core member of the project, upright and responsible, and loyal to the Xiao Group. "How could this happen..." she muttered to herself, a sense of powerlessness washing over her.

"Now is not the time to blame yourself," Shen Ting held her shoulders and said firmly, "We must deal with the follow-up matters as soon as possible."

For the next few days, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting practically lived at the company, dealing with the myriad issues following the accident. They comforted the families of the injured employees, promising them the best medical care and compensation. They organized repairs to the damaged equipment and factory buildings, striving to resume production as quickly as possible. All the while, they had to deal with media inquiries and public skepticism. Each of these events weighed like a mountain, leaving them breathless.

The financial pressure was particularly immense. The 50 million yuan shortfall was like a bottomless pit, devouring Xiao's already tight cash flow. Shen Ting mobilized his connections and resources to raise funds, but it was a drop in the bucket, unable to alleviate the urgent need.

To make matters worse, although Director Chen failed to seize power, he still has some supporters within the company. These people secretly spread rumors, create panic, and create many obstacles for Xiao Yue and Shen Ting's work.

"Mr. Xiao, with funds so tight right now, are you still going to continue investing in international projects?" a shareholder questioned at the meeting. "I think it's better to hold off for a while and wait until the company recovers."

Xiao Yue understood his concerns, but she knew even more clearly that the international project was key to Xiao's future development. If they gave up now, all their previous efforts would be wasted. "We must win this project," she said firmly. "It's Xiao's only chance of recovery."

Shen Ting also stood up to support her, "I believe in Xiao Yue's judgment. This project has both risks and opportunities. We can't give up our long-term goals because of temporary difficulties."

After the meeting, Xiao Yue rubbed her temples tiredly. Shen Ting walked over to her and handed her a cup of coffee. "Thank you for your hard work."

"It's okay," Xiao Yue forced a smile, "I just feel a little sorry for Engineer Li. If we could have discovered the problem earlier..."

Shen Ting held her hand, offering her silent comfort. He knew Xiao Yue was blaming herself, but he also understood that now was not the time to assign blame. They had to unite and overcome this difficult time together.

It was late at night, but the Xiao Building was still brightly lit. Xiao Yue and Shen Ting were still busy in the office. Suddenly, Shen Ting's phone rang again. He glanced at the caller ID and frowned. "It's the hospital..." He answered the call, his face suddenly changing. "What did you say?!" He stood up suddenly and grabbed his coat. "I'll be right there!" He looked at Xiao Yue and said hurriedly, "Xiao Yue, Engineer Li..."

"Engineer Li...the situation has worsened." Shen Ting's voice trembled, and he didn't dare to look Xiao Yue in the eyes.

Xiao Yue felt the world spin. The coffee cup in her hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. The bitter aroma of coffee filled the air, but it couldn't mask the panic welling up in her heart. "How could this be..." She stumbled back a step, and Shen Ting quickly supported her.

"Let's go to the hospital right away." Shen Ting hugged Xiao Yue and almost ran out of the office.

Late at night, the hospital corridors were empty, filled only by the sound of hurried footsteps and the smell of disinfectant. Outside the intensive care unit (ICU), they encountered Dr. Zhao and Nurse Wu. Dr. Zhao looked more tired after not seeing her for a few days, and Nurse Wu's eyes were red.

"Doctor Zhao, how is Engineer Li?" Xiao Yue asked anxiously.

Dr. Zhao took off his mask and sighed deeply, "We have tried our best, but he is too seriously injured and has a serious infection..."

Xiao Yue's vision went dark, and she almost fainted. Shen Ting held her tightly, supporting her.

"My condolences." Nurse Wu said with a sob.

For the next few days, Xiao Yue felt like a walking corpse, handling Engineer Li's funeral. She suppressed her grief, made arrangements, and personally visited Engineer Li's home to offer her condolences to his family.

After Engineer Li's memorial service, Xiao Yue returned to the company to find his desk still as he had left it. Drawings were spread out, densely covered with formulas and annotations. Xiao Yue gently stroked the drawings, as if she could still feel Engineer Li's warmth, and tears silently streamed down her face.

"Engineer Li...don't worry, I will definitely fulfill your last wish and make this project a success." Xiao Yue swore silently in his heart.

At the same time, Dr. Zhao and Nurse Wu were commended by the hospital for their outstanding performance in the rescue. They stood on the podium in neat uniforms, receiving flowers and applause.

"Dr. Zhao, Nurse Wu, you're amazing!" the dean said excitedly, shaking their hands. "You've saved so many lives. You're true heroes!"

"Director, this is what we should do," Dr. Zhao said modestly. "As a doctor, it is my duty to save lives and heal the wounded."

"Yes, we are just doing our duty." Nurse Wu also agreed.

The aftermath of the accident gradually dissipated, and the project was restarted. Engineer Li's assistant took over his work. Under the leadership of Xiao Yue and Shen Ting, the project team overcame numerous difficulties and worked hard to advance the project.

However, due to the previous accident, some partners' confidence in the project declined and they began to hesitate whether to continue the cooperation. Engineer Li's assistant, the young Engineer Zhang, took the latest project plan and visited those partners again and again, explaining the feasibility and safety of the project over and over again.

"Mr. Zhang, I know that your Xiao Group is very powerful, but the impact of this accident is so great that we have to consider it carefully." said a partner.

"I understand your concerns," Engineer Zhang said seriously, "but please trust us. We have learned from the accident, strengthened safety management, and implemented more thorough project planning. This project will definitely succeed!"

Elsewhere, Xiao Yue frowned as he watched the dwindling figures on the company's balance sheet. The 50 million yuan gap was still like a massive black hole, devouring Xiao's funds.

Shen Ting walked over to her and patted her shoulder gently, "Xiao Yue, we have to find a way to solve the funding problem."

Xiao Yue raised his head, a look of determination flashing in his eyes, "I understand. I'm already considering selling some non-core assets."

"But..." Shen Ting hesitated to speak, as he knew that this would face huge resistance.

"I know this isn't easy, but we have no choice." Xiao Yue took a deep breath and picked up the phone. "Please contact Mr. Wang for me. I want to talk to him..."

Before Xiao Yue could even open her mouth after the call was connected, she received shocking news... "Mr. Xiao, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you..." Mr. Wang's voice was low and hesitant, "Director Chen has contacted me ahead of time and acquired my shares at a higher price."

Xiao Yue's fingers gripping the phone suddenly tightened, her knuckles turning white. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I understand. Thank you for letting me know."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue leaned back in her chair, eyes closed. Director Chen's actions were even faster and more ruthless than she had imagined. He was trying to cut off the Xiao family's financial resources, completely severing their escape route.

Shen Ting looked at Xiao Yue's pale face and held her in his arms distressedly. "Don't worry, we have other ways."

"What else can we do?" Xiao Yue opened his eyes, his eyes filled with fatigue. "Almost all the assets we can sell have been targeted by Director Chen. He is like a poisonous snake, tightly wrapped around the Xiao Group, ready to give us a fatal blow at any time."

Shen Ting fell silent. He knew Xiao Yue was right. Director Chen's power was complex and unfathomable. It would be difficult to escape his control.

"We must find a breakthrough as soon as possible." Shen Ting's eyes were firm. "We can't just sit there and wait for death."

So, they began preparing materials for international project competition. However, they soon discovered that the rules of the international market were much more complicated than they had imagined. Various certifications, standards, laws and regulations stood in their way like a mountain.

"All this information is giving me a headache." Xiao Yue rubbed her temples. The desk was piled high with various documents, making her feel suffocated.

Shen Ting picked up a document and studied it carefully. "Don't worry, we'll take our time and we'll find a solution."

They worked through the night, researching materials, consulting various documents, and consulting industry experts. Gradually, they gained a deeper understanding of the rules of the international market and discovered the key points to participate in the competition.

At the same time, they were also constantly on the lookout for Director Chen's movements. They knew that Director Chen would not let them off easily and that he would definitely be plotting something new in the dark.

One night, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting were discussing the details of a project when Shen Ting's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and his expression changed slightly.

"It's Doctor Zhao." Shen Ting answered the phone in a serious tone, "Doctor Zhao, what's wrong? ...What? ...Okay, we'll be there right away."

Shen Ting hung up the phone, his face terribly gloomy, "Doctor Zhao said that something happened to Nurse Wu..."

Xiao Yue's heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over her. How could something happen to Nurse Wu? Could this be... another conspiracy by Director Chen?

They rushed to the hospital immediately, and at the door of the emergency room, they saw Dr. Zhao waiting anxiously.

"Doctor Zhao, how is Nurse Wu?" Xiao Yue asked anxiously.

Doctor Zhao sighed and shook his head. "She...she was attacked..."

Xiao Yue and Shen Ting exchanged glances, each seeing shock and anger in the other's eyes. They knew this was no accident; it must have been intentional.

"Who did it?" Shen Ting's voice was cold and carried a hint of murderous intent.

Doctor Zhao hesitated for a moment and whispered, "...According to the surveillance video, the person who attacked Nurse Wu...is..."

Before Doctor Zhao finished speaking, the door of the emergency room suddenly opened and a nurse came out in a hurry, "Doctor Zhao, the patient is awake!"

Dr. Zhao immediately turned and went into the emergency room, followed by Xiao Yue and Shen Ting.

Nurse Wu lay on the bed, pale and weak. Seeing Xiao Yue and Shen Ting, she struggled to sit up, but fell down weakly.

"Nurse Wu, how are you?" Xiao Yue held her hand and asked with concern.

Nurse Wu shook her head weakly, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out. She used all her strength and pointed to the door...

Doctor Zhao leaned forward, listening carefully to Nurse Wu's weak voice, his expression growing increasingly serious as she spoke. After a long pause, he raised his head, looked at Xiao Yue and Shen Ting, and said in a deep voice, "She said...it was Director Chen..."

"Director Chen!" Shen Ting punched the wall, making a dull thud. Anger burned in his eyes, yet he forcibly suppressed it. "How could he be so ruthless and insane!"

Although Xiao Yue had a premonition, hearing the name in person still sent a chill down her spine. Director Chen, to achieve his goal, had even gone so far as to target an innocent nurse. His cruelty was beyond her imagination. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Now isn't the time to be angry. We must find evidence."

Doctor Zhao nodded. "I've already called the police, and they're investigating. The surveillance footage captured the attacker, but the dim lighting made identification difficult. Nurse Wu's testimony is crucial."

Over the next few days, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting worked with the police investigation while intensively preparing materials for the international project. They knew that this international project competition was Xiao's only chance to turn things around and the key to completely escaping Director Chen's control.

Engineer Li and his team worked tirelessly, constantly optimizing the solution and striving for perfection. Xiao Yue was responsible for communicating with international partners and coordinating various matters. Shen Ting used his connections to secure more favorable terms for Xiao.

However, the shadow of Director Chen always loomed over them. They knew that Director Chen would not let them off easily and would definitely make trouble in secret.

"Shen Ting, I always feel uneasy." Xiao Yue leaned in Shen Ting's arms, a hint of worry in her tone, "Director Chen suffered such a big loss this time, he will definitely not let it go. I'm worried that he will target international projects."

Shen Ting gently stroked her hair and comforted her, "I know. I have arranged for people to strengthen security measures and will not give him the opportunity to ruin our plan."

"I hope so." Xiao Yue sighed. She knew that the struggle had just begun and the road ahead was still long and full of unknown challenges.

After intense preparations, Xiao Yue and Shen Ting arrived at the International Business Hotel with their preliminary plan, ready to meet with their international partner, Amy. To ensure smooth communication, they specially hired a professional translator, Liu.

In the conference room, Xiao Yue confidently introduced their plan to Amy. She clearly explained the project's advantages and feasibility, and emphasized Xiao's breakthrough in technological innovation.

However, during the subsequent Q&A session, some subtle discrepancies began to emerge. Translator Liu seemed to be imprecise in translating some professional terms, leading Amy to misunderstand their proposal.

"Wait," Amy frowned, "I thought I heard you say..."