Chapter 8

“Over the past three years, you’ve abused your position to move Han’s Tea’s core profits into seven shell companies under labels like ‘consulting fees’ and ‘marketing expenses,’ splitting the transfers into installments.”

I watched his face turn ashen. My voice remained steady, without a trace of emotion.

“And the ultimate beneficiaries of all those shell companies are Xiao’s relatives overseas.”

“Not only that. Last month you used my name to register a new company, then listed yourself, Han Xu, as its legal representative.”

“You planned to shift the entire tea supply from these eleven mountains to that new company at a bargain price, completely hollowing out Han’s Tea.”

I paused and looked at Xiao.

“Director Xiao, is this the ‘advanced management philosophy’ you brought back from overseas?”

Xiao’s face went white. She instinctively stepped back, her high heel striking the wall with a sharp click.

“You… how did you find out?”

The composure she’d always been so proud of finally crumbled.

She’d hidden those accounts extremely well, even gone to great lengths to evade the domestic monitoring systems. She’d thought no one would ever discover what she’d done.

“Perhaps you forgot that the highest-level access to this building’s financial system has always been held by my trust account.”

I explained casually.

“Every transfer you typed out on that keyboard, I could see clearly from the old house on the mountain.”

At last, Han Xu raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot, but he still tried to sound gentle.

“A Chi, let me explain.”

“That money was only for tax avoidance. A company needs enough off-book capital to grow.”

“The new company was also meant to leave you a way out.”

He stepped forward, trying to take my hand.

“After all, we’re family. Your uncle knows how hard I’ve worked.”

I avoided his hand, my gaze cold as ice.

“Don’t bring up my uncle.”

“You used him as a tool, had him sign those documents selling off the mountains. Do you really think he’s old and senile, that he knows nothing?”

I stepped back and nodded toward Liu Zhengming.

“Lawyer Liu, proceed according to the rules.”

Liu Zhengming nodded, took two thick legal notices from his briefcase, and handed one to Han Xu and one to Xiao.

“President Han. Ms. Xiao.”

“Given the serious allegations of embezzlement through abuse of position and commercial fraud…”

“Miss Shen, on behalf of the Nanshan Eleven Mountains Trust, has filed a petition with the court for asset-preservation measures.”

“Not only is this building being reclaimed immediately; all bank accounts and real estate in your names, as well as the newly registered company, have been frozen.”

Liu Zhengming pushed up his glasses and delivered the final notice.

“You are required to collect your personal belongings and leave the building before sunset today.”

“Otherwise, I will ask security to escort you out.”

Han Xu gripped the legal notice, the veins on the back of his hand standing out.

The refined façade he’d maintained for more than a decade was torn away in an instant.

But he didn’t explode. He only fixed me with a dark, terrifying stare.

“Shen Zhi, do you think taking back the brand and the building can ruin me?”

He gritted his teeth, enunciating each word.

“Distributors and clients in this industry know Han Xu, not the name on your land certificates.”

“Without me, you couldn’t sell a single leaf of tea from those mountains!”