Chapter 78: A Total of Eight Thousand

“Sister Lan, since you’ve long harbored dissatisfaction, you must have prepared a backup plan for yourself, right? And the usual tactic for people in finance is keeping two sets of accounts—real and fake! Isn’t that so?” Wu Ya looked at Lan, his expression suddenly turning grave.

This question was crucial. If Lan truly had the real ledger, everything would be much easier! Not only could they expose Accountant Mo’s wrongdoing, but Lan wouldn’t have to endure the anxiety she felt just moments ago. All it would take was to wipe away the five thousand yuan discrepancy in the genuine ledger using the technique for fake accounts. Then all worries would dissipate like mist. It would be as if nothing ever happened. When the truth was revealed, Lan Yaoming would be so shocked by the facts that he’d hardly have the energy to question whether the five thousand yuan transaction was legitimate. Accountant Mo’s desperate attacks would become irrefutable proof of her malicious intent. Lan would be completely innocent.

“Yes, you’re right! I do have a record of all the factory’s financial transactions from the past three years,” Lan admitted.

It was just as Wu Ya had hoped.

“Then what are you afraid of? Just record the five thousand yuan as an account balance, let it sit quietly in the factory’s account, and that’s it,” he said.

No transactions, just a surplus. Such an entry would withstand any scrutiny, because the money was still there.

But—

“Well… over the years, my family’s burdens have been too heavy. I’m alone, and even if I did as you suggest, it wouldn’t help. So…” Lan’s brows furrowed even more as she spoke, her words trailing off.

Wu Ya understood instantly.

“You mean you don’t have the money right now, do you?”

“Yes.” Lan lowered her head even further.

As a finance worker, she had certainly considered this solution. But on her own, it was impossible. Even if she made the adjustment, she didn’t know if she’d ever get the chance to show the real ledger to Lan Yaoming. She kept it only in case of emergency—if Accountant Mo’s scheme was discovered early by Lan Yaoming, then she’d only need to accept responsibility for the five thousand yuan. That was her original plan. Naturally, she hadn’t bothered saving up the money.

And in those days, five thousand yuan was an enormous sum! It wasn’t easy to accumulate such an amount. Besides, her mother was bedridden for years, her son was still in school, and her husband had been laid off, eking out a living with odd jobs.

“Hahaha, Sister Lan, isn’t it just five thousand yuan? If you want to break free from Accountant Mo’s control, if you want your life to be peaceful and carefree, what does five thousand mean? I’ll give it to you! And you don’t have to pay me back!” Wu Ya laughed heartily at Lan’s predicament.

Money? He needed it too. But not this five thousand. If Accountant Mo dared to obstruct his progress, then crushing her was a price he was willing to pay. Besides, Lan was a good person—helping her meant both saving her from hardship and aiding himself in defeating Accountant Mo. Doing good and vanquishing evil—what could be better?

“You? You’re willing to help me cover the five thousand yuan?” Lan’s head shot up, eyes wide.

This was her own affair—Wu Ya had no obligation to help her. As for taking down Accountant Mo, Lan thought Wu Ya was just acting on impulse, not truly determined. Yet, in this situation, Wu Ya had agreed without hesitation to help her settle the five thousand yuan!

Five thousand. In an era when ten-thousand-yuan households were rare, this was a vast fortune—halfway to becoming a ten-thousand-yuan household herself. Just like that, he was giving it to her?

Lan could hardly believe it.

“Heh, you don’t believe me? I’ll give you the cash right now, so you can go and balance the accounts straight away!” With those words, Wu Ya strode into the house and soon returned, handing Lan a thick bundle of bills.

“Five thousand, for you to return to the factory. And another three thousand, for your mother—from me, as a token of thanks!”

Eight thousand in total!

Lan had no idea how important the equipment purchase was to Wu Ya—it influenced his plans for the future and the pace of his rise to greatness. So if she was willing to testify against Accountant Mo, it would be an enormous favor to him. Gratitude was only natural. And by accepting his help, it would lessen the risk that Lan might change her mind later.

At that moment, Lan could scarcely think of anything else. Staring at the thick bundle of bills, she was utterly stunned.

“Five thousand… three thousand… such a huge sum… I… I can’t…” She muttered, not even sure what she was saying.

As a cashier, she’d seen plenty of money—far more than this. But money that belonged to her?

She’d never had any.

Now, in a flash, she was just a step away from being a ten-thousand-yuan household. One could imagine how tumultuous her feelings were. Her gratitude towards Wu Ya was drowned out by her astonishment.

“There’s nothing to fear! This is my heartfelt gift to you,” Wu Ya said, Lan’s reaction only confirming her integrity in his eyes.

The next step was to lay out Accountant Mo’s scheme.

Soon, a rough outline emerged from Lan’s lips.

Five years ago, Accountant Mo was just twenty-eight—full of energy, newly married, and a newcomer to the factory. She quickly captivated Lan Yaoming, who raised her from a minor finance assistant to supervisor. Their entanglement deepened.

But as time passed, Accountant Mo grew dissatisfied. She repeatedly pressured Lan Yaoming to abandon his wife and marry her. For this, she had already divorced her husband. Yet Lan Yaoming’s wife was a steadfast companion, someone he couldn’t bear to leave. He delayed, provoking Accountant Mo’s resentment.

At a joint banquet with another state-run factory, Accountant Mo hit it off with that factory’s director, and the two quickly became involved. From then on, they carried on in secret, enjoying themselves behind Lan Yaoming’s back.

As reform and opening progressed, the state-run factory’s fortunes declined, heading towards eventual closure like so many others. The director grew anxious and encouraged Accountant Mo to undermine Lan Yaoming, paving the way for their future.

But just as Lan Yaoming was about to face a financial crisis—a critical moment on the brink of halting operations—Wu Ya appeared!

He quickly became the thorn in Accountant Mo’s side, sparking the unpleasant scene at the banquet.

“So that’s how it is, Sister Lan. Next…” Wu Ya’s lips curled in a cold smile.

A plan targeting Accountant Mo was conveyed to the now entirely relieved Lan.