After a wealthy woman went bankrupt, her live-in husband became her sugar daddy.

Chapter 348 At your own risk

Xiao Zhang frowned, looking troubled: "I only know that the access control system has been replaced, but I don't know the specifics. However, I have a colleague who works in the technical department; maybe I can get some information from him. But..."

"But what?" I pressed.

Xiao Zhang hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "My relationship with him is so-so, and besides, General Manager Li is ruthless in the company; everyone's afraid of getting into trouble. I don't know if he'd be willing to help."

I patted Xiao Zhang on the shoulder, encouraging him, "Trying is better than not trying. Find an opportunity to contact him and tell him that if it works out, you'll not only escape Mr. Li's exploitation but also receive a generous reward. I think no one would refuse such a temptation."

Xiao Zhang took a deep breath and nodded firmly: "Okay, I'll think of something right away. So, shall we continue to keep watch here?"

I looked again in the direction Mr. Li and the woman had left, and said in a deep voice, "Wait a bit, see if they do anything else unusual. Meanwhile, contact your colleague immediately; once we have news, we'll adjust the plan accordingly."

Without hesitation, I flipped out of the window and slid down the fire escape. A sharp pain shot through my ankle as I landed, but I ignored it and ran desperately deeper into the alley. I heard shouts and commotion behind me, but I didn't turn back. I just kept running until my lungs felt like they were on fire, until the sounds behind me faded away.

When I got home, I immediately contacted Ye Huating and sent her the photos. She was silent for a long time, and finally only said, "Thank you."

I could sense her emotional shift. These photos were not only our bargaining chips, but also the beginning of Ye Huating regaining the upper hand. She was no longer the wife whom President Li could manipulate at will, but had a weapon to fight back.

After hanging up the phone, I leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh of relief. Things had finally made progress, but I knew this was just the beginning. Mr. Li wouldn't let us off easily, and every step from here on out had to be taken with extreme caution.

I looked down at my phone screen, where Jiang Yichen's message lay quietly: "Get some rest, don't overwork yourself."

My fingers glide lightly across the screen, as if I could touch his distant warmth through the cold glass. A slight, involuntary smile played on my lips, but it wasn't a relaxed smile; it was a complex one.

My gaze lingered on the screen for a few seconds, as if I could see his concerned eyes and hear his deep and gentle voice in those simple words.

"You too." I murmured softly, typing those three words on the keyboard and sending it.

I put down my phone, leaned back on the sofa, and closed my eyes. Ye Huating's pale face floated into my mind; her eyes held too many emotions I couldn't fully decipher—fear, anger, resentment, and a faint glimmer of hope.

I know the road ahead won't be easy, but I feel a strange peace within me, like the surface of a lake in late autumn, though cold.

Yet, nothing seemed amiss.

348

The next morning, after checking on Xiao Huai from outside the room, I went to the studio early to discuss with Xiao Tiantian and Xu Sisi how to deal with President Li's matter.

"Didn't Xiao Zhang from last time already defect to us?"

“Yes, Sisi is right,” Little Sweetie nodded in agreement.

"But tonight, we need to go to the company."

"What company? Wait, you don't mean you want to go to Mr. Li's company, do you?" Xu Sisi looked at me with a horrified expression.

This terrifying event truly startled them.

"How do we get there? It's not a place that just anyone can go in."

Ordinary people cannot go in directly.

“Ordinary people can’t just go in,” I took a deep breath and said slowly, “but Xiao Zhang has worked at the company for a long time and has some connections; he can buy it.”

Xu Sisi and Xiaotiantian exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with fear, but even more so with indignation towards President Li. "Buy it! To bring President Li down, we'll risk it all!" Xiaotiantian said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, you can buy it, buy his dirt."

Lin Xiaoxia said, agreeing as she spoke.

When I got home, I slumped onto the sofa, my mind a complete mess. Suddenly, my phone rang; it was a video call from my husband overseas. I answered, and his familiar face appeared on the screen, wearing a gentle smile.

"How have you been lately? Are you busy?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

I forced a smile and leaned my phone against the coffee table: "It's okay, just a little tired."

He frowned, leaned closer to examine my face, and asked, "You don't look well. Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, grabbed a cushion and hugged it to my chest: "It's nothing, I just have a lot of work to do."

He didn't press me further, only reminding me to take care of myself and not to overwork. I nodded, but felt a pang of guilt. He was far away overseas, and I didn't want him to worry, but I also knew he would notice something was wrong with me.

After hanging up the phone, I took a deep breath and refocused my attention on the plan. The next day, I contacted Ye Huating and told her what had happened the night before. Her face instantly turned pale, and her fingers gripped her bag strap tightly: "Xiao Zhang was arrested? Then... what do we do?"

I shook my head, forcing myself to calm down: "We can't panic. President Li definitely suspects there's a mole within the company, but he has no evidence. We must obtain more evidence before he finds out about us."

Ye Huating nodded, a determined glint in her eyes: "I found a document at home last night, it was a record of his transaction with a certain gang. I don't know if it's useful, but I secretly made a copy."

She took a stack of documents out of her bag and handed them to me. I flipped through them, my heart pounding. These documents were enough to ruin Mr. Li's reputation, but not enough. We needed more evidence to ensure he couldn't recover.

“These are very useful,” I said in a low voice, “but we must be careful. Mr. Li is definitely watching us now.”

Ye Huating nodded, her eyes filled with worry: "When he came back last night, he looked terrible. I asked him what was wrong, but he just gave me a cold look and didn't say anything. I... I think he might have started to suspect me."

My heart sank; I knew things were more complicated than we thought. Mr. Li was no simple man; we'd all witnessed his methods. If we weren't careful, he might turn the tables on us.

Just then, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. I answered, and a deep voice came from the other end: "Don't meddle in other people's business, or you'll face the consequences."