Chapter 488 Nothing at All

Chapter 488: Nothing

Thus, at the moment when Director Xue was about to force his way into Jiang Yu’s home, Director Zheng appeared.

Behind him stood security officers from the first and second factories, packing the courtyard—the two sides now locked in a standoff.

“Zheng,” barked Director Xue, “are you starting a mutiny?”

He hadn’t expected Zheng, usually so level-headed, to step forward at such a moment.

“No mutiny. You’ve all pissed all over me—if I just sat back, what kind of pushover would I be?”

Director Xue shot back, “And you? Are you all quitting too, following He Tingyue’s lead?”

He pointed at the security staff.

Lin Chang’an stepped out first, hands in his pockets.

“Damn right, I’m out!”

Director Xue gaped at him in disbelief. “Lin Chang’an, you just got a promotion!”

After Jiang Chenghuai left, he had personally recommended Lin to fill the vacancy at the first factory.

He wanted to win Lin over with that favor.

But Lin was completely unimpressed. “You were the one who insisted on pushing the promotion—I never said I wanted to leave the second factory.”

Director Xue was fuming, his blood boiling. Spotting Xie Jinchan in the crowd, he snapped,

“Xie Jinchan, aren’t you going to get this under control?”

Xie stood with arms crossed, giving him a cold stare.

“You pissed everyone off yourself—what do you expect me to do?”

With Lin Chang’an stepping up, he didn’t have to put his old bones on the line. All the better.

Director Xue’s face went stormy. “Zheng Yuchuan, are you going against Deputy Director Jiao’s orders?”

Zheng knew once he made his move, there was no turning back.

He was simply choosing to do what he believed was right.

“Jiang Yu hasn’t done anything wrong. No one has the right to treat her like this.”

Watching Director Xue’s furious outburst, Jiang Yu ached with guilt.

So many people were protecting her, yet she couldn’t hide behind them without a care.

Zheng had brought people here, staking so many futures.

She couldn’t shoulder that kind of debt.

“Director Xue,” she said, stepping forward, “you’re dead set on searching?”

His expression was tense. “I must search!”

“Then what, if you find nothing?”

"Nonsense! If you don’t find anything, so be it. I’m just following Deputy Director Jiao’s orders—what else can I do?"

Jiang Yu held his gaze steadily, her face expressionless.

"Fine. If Director Xue wants to search, go ahead."

"Jiang Yu!" Factory Director Zheng called out.

Jiang Yu stepped aside, standing her ground with her head held high.

"Ever since I got the chance to work at the Second State Cotton Mill, I’ve done my best and stayed true to my duties. But this time, the factory has really let me down. If Director Xue insists on searching, then fine. Before that happens, please allow me to hand in my resignation. I won’t waste my time on a place that can’t tell right from wrong."

Across the crowd, she locked eyes with He Tingyue.

"My husband and I have worked hard since joining the factory—we may not have worked miracles, but we’ve given it our all. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept what the factory is doing today."

He Tingyue smirked—his wife never backed down from a fight.

He stepped forward and stood beside Jiang Yu.

"Go ahead and search, Director Xue."

Director Xue gritted his teeth, stuck in a bind.

He *needed* to find something! If he did, Jiang Yu and He Tingyue wouldn’t be able to talk their way out of it!

But he was also gambling his own future—if nothing turned up today, he was done for.

As Director Xue led the group into the house, everyone held their breath.

Fu Xianghong clenched her jaw. "They’ll find something—Jiang Yu won’t slip through this time!"

She had to—she wanted revenge for Liu Dagui!

"Chang’an," Factory Director Zheng waved a hand, "take a few guys and keep an eye on them."

Otherwise, they might try planting evidence on Jiang Yu.

The wait was torture.

Yet Jiang Yu and He Tingyue seemed the least bothered of all.

Factory Director Zheng looked at Jiang Yu, starting to speak a few times before finally sighing.

Ding Jianan said coolly, "Kicking someone when they’re down—the factory’s really outdoing itself."

Zheng could only shake his head helplessly—it wasn’t up to him.

The He family’s home wasn’t big. Director Xue went in first to search.

When Lin Chang’an and the others followed to monitor, his face twisted in frustration.

He had been sure Jiang Yu had something hidden—he hadn’t planned on framing her.

"Clear in here!"

"Nothing in this one!"

"Main hall’s clean too!"

"The yard's been searched too—nothing!"

Director Xue’s face gradually darkened, his fists tightening.

"What about that room?"

He was looking at Jiang Yu’s master bedroom.

"Still looking."

Director Xue sprang up angrily and strode inside.

"I’ll search it myself!"

Lin Chang’an folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"Director Xue, nothing is nothing. No matter how many times you search, you won’t find anything."

Xue ignored him, ransacking Jiang Yu and He Tingyue’s room over and over, until he finally discovered a hidden compartment in the brick bed.

With a *clink*, the brick was pried loose.

The man’s face lit up. "Director Xue, there's a hidden compartment here!"

Everyone held their breath, crowding closer.

Xue sneered and shot a glance at Lin Chang’an.

"Lin Chang’an, you’re done for this time! I’ll prove to you that you chose the wrong side!"

Lin Chang’an replied with icy silence.

He had chosen to stand by He Tingyue’s side out of personal friendship.

Even if they had hidden something, he would stand by them without hesitation.

Soon, the brick came fully loose.

Eagerly, Xue shone a flashlight inside—only to see a single savings passbook lying there.

His face froze instantly, as if hearing a deafening *crash*, something smashing to pieces inside his mind.

"Impossible! How could it be a savings passbook!"

Who on earth hides a passbook in a secret compartment?!

Lin Chang’an scoffed. "Section Chief He’s family is a well-to-do household. If you had that much money, Director Xue, wouldn't you hide it away too?"

Xue roared, "Search again! Maybe it’s buried in the yard—search every last inch!"

After coming up empty, morale sank.

They’d already begun doubting—if He Tingyue’s home had anything at all, it wasn’t here.

But still, they obeyed Xue’s command, even turning over the soil in the yard.

Xue stood staring numbly at the house before him, an emptiness in his chest.

Not a thing.

"Xue, did you find anything?" Factory Director Zheng said with icy detachment.

Factory Director Xue gave him a venomous glare before finally settling his eyes on Jiang Yu's face.

Was there really nothing, or had Jiang Yu hidden it elsewhere?

If he'd missed this chance, there wouldn't be another.

"I was just carrying out Deputy Director Jiao's orders. Whatever he said, I did. Jiang Yu, no hard feelings—I’ll be going now."

Director Xue spoke calmly, as if his earlier fury had never been.

Just as he was about to leave the courtyard, he was suddenly stopped.

Several people surrounded him. Director Xue stood momentarily stunned.

One of them produced his press credentials. "Director Xue, I’m Li Nian, a reporter from *Northern City Daily*. Could I interview you for a few minutes?"

The other reporters quickly followed suit, showing their identification.

"I’m from *Youth Daily*."

"I’m from *Workers’ Daily*."

"I’m from *Women’s Daily*."