Chapter 77: Attached to Appearances

She had cried for a long time, until her eyes were swollen and red. Only then did Alan's voice gradually grow quiet and subdued.

"Alan, don't torment yourself, and don't let your worries weigh you down! You know as well as I do—since I didn't expose Mo the accountant on the spot, it means I'm preparing to reveal her true colors. When that time comes, no matter how close Director Lan is to her, it can't compare to his bond with his own assets, can it? So, whatever you have to say, just say it. With your facts and my position, I think bringing down Mo shouldn't be too difficult, don't you agree?"

Having said this, Wu Ya looked at the now calmer Alan, his tone steady and reassuring.

At this moment, it was necessary to use every advantage to persuade Alan, to ease her concerns. Otherwise, the oppressive authority that Mo the accountant had accumulated over the years would continue to instill fear in her heart. Even if she was dissatisfied, she would not dare express it to an outsider.

That was why Wu Ya had emphasized the words "my position" so deliberately.

Alan, a finance officer, was naturally well aware of the factory's situation. What did Grand Vision need most at this moment? Clients—lifesaving clients. And, as it happened, he was just that. So, with his status, his words carried a different weight. Coupled with evidence, would Lan Yaoming dare not believe him? Impossible.

Sure enough, Alan wiped her tears away, looked at Wu Ya, and asked, "Are you really certain you can topple Mo? What if you can't? You could simply walk away, and I'd be ruined. You know, she and Director Lan—"

"Heh, she's just his mistress, right?" Wu Ya interrupted her with a light laugh, a knowing look in his eyes.

Alan was momentarily dazed. Was this truly an eighteen-year-old boy? He was barely older than her own son, yet his composure and seasoned manner made him seem like a man of mature experience—a man who had weathered many storms.

"Sister Alan, you should know Director Lan better than I do, right? In your opinion, when faced with a choice between a woman and his wealth, what would he choose?"

Seeing Alan's confusion, Wu Ya pressed further.

"Of course he'd choose his wealth," Alan blurted out without hesitation. That answer was too obvious. It's rare for a mistress to be legitimized, after all.

What's more, Mo the accountant harbored ulterior motives toward Lan Yaoming, aiming to seize his fortune.

"If you know this is how it will end, what's there to hesitate about? As long as you and I work together, we can drive her out of Grand Vision for good. In fact, a prison sentence may be unavoidable for her," Wu Ya continued without a moment's pause, giving her another dose of reassurance.

This woman was crucial. Someone like Mo, convinced she held leverage over Alan, would trust her as a confidante, much like a donkey with a yoke—no escape. Hence, Alan knew all the deepest secrets. Once her lips were loosened, the pit was dug for Mo; all that remained was for her to fall into it.

Constantly reinforcing Alan's resolve, urging her to overcome her fears, was Wu Ya's most pressing task at that moment.

As expected—

"But…" Alan started.

"You're worried about the leverage Mo has over you. Worried that if she feels cornered, she’ll lash out and expose you as well. In the end, even if she falls, you’ll be caught in the fallout. So, it seems safer to submit, to wait for Grand Vision to collapse so your secret disappears with it. Isn't that right?"

Alan hesitated, but Wu Ya pressed on, striking at the heart of her fears with every word.

"Yes! If she gets desperate, I might as well stay where I am. The only reason I've even thought about not tolerating her anymore is because I know her true intentions! And every time I help her siphon off the factory's assets, I suffer inside. I can't face the boss's wife, who treated us like sisters. But I can't sacrifice the rest of my life just to ease this temporary suffering. That price is too high!"

Alan didn't hide her feelings; she laid her concerns bare.

Her reluctance to continue abetting Mo was not just about enduring her bullying, but also out of loyalty to the former boss's wife. They had been among the earliest employees of Grand Vision, toiling together, sweating side by side over every bolt and screw.

But most of all—she hated Mo the accountant.

She had started as a frontline worker, advancing step by step, always diligent and honest. That was why the boss's wife had chosen her as the cashier.

Who could have foreseen that a moment of greed would land her in a trap she could never escape?

When her mother was critically ill and she desperately needed money, Mo had ensnared her, tempting her to embezzle five thousand yuan. From that moment, she became Mo's accomplice.

She had been threatened and manipulated time and again. She had considered saving up the five thousand and returning it to the factory, but taking it was easy—returning it? The books had already been balanced. To return the money now would only arouse suspicion—the cover-up would expose her even faster. So she abandoned that idea and was left to swallow her bitterness, watching helplessly as the factory slid into decline.

With that came a sliver of hope: if the factory really did go under, her problem would disappear with it. So, trapped in her own moral struggle, she continued to help Mo, subconsciously wishing for the factory's quick demise.

Yet her fundamentally good nature could not escape the pangs of her conscience. She was in torment.

Wu Ya chuckled softly.

Alan had become fixated—just as the Buddhist saying goes. She saw her mistake but didn't have the courage to confront it. Yet true redemption lay in turning back.

Especially in her case—the embezzlement had happened because she was framed, and now, if she helped Lan Yaoming save his assets, it would be as if she had given him a new lease on life.

Would Lan Yaoming, having regained his fortune, not be grateful? Would he really pursue her crime further? That would only ruin his own reputation and turn the entire workforce against him. After all, if he punished someone who had saved him, who would stand up for him the next time trouble arose?

Wu Ya was convinced that Lan Yaoming, having achieved so much, could not be a fool. He was simply blinded by money and complacency, his wisdom clouded.

So, with his smile fading, Wu Ya continued, "..."