A madman in France? How come he's always at crime scenes!

Chapter 98 Unexpected Situations

Tianyue Group.

Outside the administrative archives, a young woman in charge of document management stood at the door, looking quite troubled.

"Ms. Lin, regarding this batch of old documents—the administration says it's not convenient to lend them out at the moment."

Lin Zhiyi looked at her.

"inconvenient?"

The little girl felt a chill run down her spine from her gaze and lowered her voice.

"It's not that it's inconvenient, it's just that the data from the early projects in the south of the city is too old. Some of it has been archived and sealed, and outsiders have to go through procedures to access it."

"I am not an outsider."

"I know," the girl quickly explained, "but the higher-ups just said that these things have little to do with the internal publication. If the brand department wants to do a 30th anniversary special, the public press release will suffice."

Lin Zhiyi remained silent.

The little girl became even more nervous under her gaze.

After a few seconds, Lin Zhiyi looked away first.

"Then let's follow the procedure."

The little girl was taken aback.

Lin Zhiyi said calmly, "I won't make things difficult for you. Give me a copy of the public press release, old photos, and a project timeline that can be used in the internal publication."

The little girl visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's fine, I'll get it ready for you right away."

"No rush."

Lin Zhiyi glanced at the file box in her arms and asked casually, "Does anyone still access the early data?"

"rare."

After answering, the girl felt it was too absolute, so she quickly added, "The main problem is that a lot of data is incomplete and digitized over time, making it troublesome to retrieve."

Lin Zhiyi nodded and did not ask any further questions.

She walked past the little girl and headed towards the elevator.

The wages from Tongcheng are being paid today, and she needs to go there to organize it.

It's a good opportunity to meet Wu Liang.

As Lin Zhiyi descended to the basement level, she had just reached the vicinity of her parking space when she heard Tan Ming's hushed voice coming from not far away.

"No, I'm just parking here for one night, how is that blocking the fire escape?"

The property manager stood to the side, looking embarrassed.

"Young Master Tan, this spot really can't be used. The patrol took photos last night, and the administration has also inquired about it."

Tan Ming took off his sunglasses, his face full of displeasure.

"Are you guys just bored all day long? You're actually treating me like an intern and bossing me around?"

The property manager didn't dare to respond.

Lin Zhiyi stopped in her tracks.

"Tan Ming".

Upon hearing her voice, Tan Ming visibly stiffened, and when he turned around, his expression immediately changed to one of ingratiation.

"sister."

Lin Zhiyi glanced at the sports car parked next to the fire lane.

"Is this what you call learning?"

Tan Mingqian smiled.

"I came home too late last night, I really didn't notice."

Lin Zhiyi walked over, took the photo from the property manager, and glanced at it.

"Handle it however you see fit, no need to know who he is."

"Understood, Miss Lin."

Tan Ming's face fell.

"Sis, it can't be that bad. My dad's already keeping a close eye on me lately, and if you do this, I'll have to listen to him lecture me for half an hour when I get home."

"You'll listen when I scold you."

Lin Zhiyi handed the photo back and turned to walk towards her car.

Tan Ming quickly followed.

"Sis, can you say something for me? I don't know what's wrong with my dad these days. He keeps showing me how they used to do things, it's so annoying."

Lin Zhiyi paused slightly.

"before?"

"Yeah, right." Tan Ming just kept complaining, "They said you have to be ruthless to get things done, and they even told me to cut ties with my friends—what era are we living in? A bunch of old fogies."

Lin Zhiyi pressed the car key, and the car lights flashed briefly.

"Did you understand?"

"I don't understand." Tan Ming said matter-of-factly, "Hey? Sis, how did Uncle Lin handle the trouble he encountered back then?"

"Why are you suddenly asking this?"

"My dad keeps comparing me to the big shots from the past."

Tan Ming looked annoyed and leaned against a pillar. He tried to take out his cigarette case from his pocket, but Lin Zhiyi glared at him and he pulled back.

"They say Uncle Lin was so capable back then, managing all the project accounts perfectly. They also say I can't even understand a flowchart now, how will I manage things in the future?"

Lin Zhiyi lowered her eyes and put her bag into the car.

"Uncle Tan praised my dad?"

"It's not exactly an exaggeration."

Tan Ming thought for a moment.

"He meant that Uncle Lin is capable, but too rigid. He also said something like, 'Some things in the accounts are written too clearly, which isn't necessarily a good thing.'"

Lin Zhiyi paused slightly as she opened the car door.

Tan Ming was completely oblivious and continued to complain.

"They also say that you shouldn't leave something to others to do, that you should cut ties with friends when necessary, and settle accounts when necessary, instead of waiting for others to write your ending."

"Do you think he's going through menopause? I didn't do anything heinous, I just drank and drove around with friends, it's not like I'm going to end up in jail."

Lin Zhiyi glanced at him.

"If you continue like this, it's not entirely impossible."

"sister!"

"Move the car."

Tan Ming lowered his head, then suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, sis, did you know that Sister Lian is going home?"

"Sister Lian?" Lin Zhiyi asked in confusion.

"Yes, it's been more than ten years, and this is the first time I've heard her say she wants to go home."

"Can't she take a day off?"

"It's possible," Tan Ming scratched his head, "but where would she get a home?"

Lin Zhiyi looked at him.

Tan Ming was taken aback by her gaze and quickly waved his hand, "It's not that I'm being rude. Sister Lian has been at home for so many years, and I've never heard her mention her hometown, nor have I seen anyone visit her. She never left for the New Year in the past. My dad even said that it's not easy for her to be alone out there, and told her to stay put."

Lin Zhiyi lowered her eyes.

"Something might really be wrong this time."

"Maybe," Tan Ming muttered, "but it's still quite surprising. I thought she had no family—"

I'm stuck here.

Lin Zhiyi didn't pay much attention and waved her hand.

"Move the car."

"Yes, yes, yes." Tan Ming quickly put on a grinning expression. "Let's go now, let's go now."

Two hours later.

Third floor of Tongcheng Municipal Government Service Center.

"arrive!"

I don't know who shouted it first.

Immediately afterwards, a text message notification sounded in the corridor.

"I've arrived too!"

"Sixty-three thousand! Not a penny less!"

"My wife just called to ask if I'd been scammed, hahaha!"

As the men laughed, their eyes reddened.

The labor inspection team sat inside checking the list, while the financial staff of Hongyuan Construction confirmed each item one by one, their faces even more tense than the workers.

Wu Liang stood at the door, watching this scene, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

A worker squeezed through the crowd and shook his hand.

"Thank you, Attorney Wu."

"Don't thank me." Wu Liang skillfully withdrew his hand. "At this time, we should thank our staff for their hard work day and night."

"Yes, thank you to the government and the staff!"

A chorus of agreement rose in the corridor.

The labor inspectors couldn't help but chuckle when they heard this.

Lin Zhiyi walked out of the elevator alone, carrying a file folder in her hand.

The finance manager from Hongyuan was initially a little embarrassed, but as soon as he saw her, he immediately stood up straight.

"Ms. Lin, the back pay has been fully paid, and the receipt is here."

Lin Zhiyi took it, glanced at it, and nodded.

"To keep a record for the labor inspectors."

"clear."

She looked at Wu Liang.

"Attorney Wu, may I say a few words?"

Wu Liang glanced at the workers signing for the package inside the room and nodded.

The two walked to the water dispenser at the end of the corridor.

She handed the file bag to Wu Liang.

"There were no results for the person you asked me to investigate."

Wu Liang took it but did not open it immediately.

"What happened?"

Lin Zhiyi's voice was very steady.

"The name you mentioned was a support staff member in Tianyue's office back then. But I checked the company records, and he left the company more than ten years ago. His contact information is no longer valid, and his registered address has changed. We can't reach him now."

Wu Liang nodded.

"Not surprising."

Lin Zhiyi looked at him.

"You already guessed it?"

"I'm not that prescient," Wu Liang said, holding the file folder between his fingers. "The names that end up in the files aren't necessarily the people we can find. Besides, if there really was a problem with that statement back then, it would be strange if it left behind someone we could easily find now."

Lin Zhiyi paused for a moment.

"So the line is broken?"

"If we do a normal check, I guess we won't get any results."

Wu Liang put it very directly.

Lin Zhiyi lowered her eyes.

Even though she was mentally prepared, hearing those words still felt like a tug at her heart.

Wu Liang glanced at her.

"Miss Lin."

"Um?"

"Has anything unexpected happened recently with Tianyue or the Tan family?"

Lin Zhiyi looked up.

"A sudden situation?"

"For example, data transfers, personnel changes? Or someone suddenly becoming very cautious?"

Lin Zhiyi thought for a moment and shook her head.

"No, accessing the archives was more complicated than I expected, but the reasons were plausible. There was an elderly maid who had lived at the old house who had taken leave to go home, but other than that, nothing special."

Wu Liang, who was about to open the folder, suddenly stopped.

Lin Zhiyi noticed his change.

"What's wrong?"

Wu Liang looked up at her.

"What's that maid's name?"

Lin Zhiyi frowned slightly.

"Xu Lian".

Wu Liang's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Excuse me, I'll be there for a moment."

Wu Liang quickly took out his phone and left, leaving Lin Zhiyi standing there bewildered.

"Wu Liang!"

Lin Zhiyi clenched her teeth.