A Broken Mirror Never Mends - Chapter 31

Standing inside the fire escape, Shi Tian listened as the hurried footsteps outside grew closer. He closed his eyes and opened them again. It took a long time for him to accept the surreal events happening to him.

Trying to stay calm, he asked the two security guards leaning against the door in a whisper, “When do we go downstairs?”

One of them shook his head slightly. He gave a hand signal to his partner in the dark. Then, both men pulled out long batons from their waists and tested the weight in their hands silently.

“…”

Watching the two men ready for a fight, Shi Tian fell silent.

We are just hiding so the people outside don’t find us. Is it necessary to act like we are in an action movie?

The footsteps stopped. Across the fire door, he heard a deep, unfamiliar male voice: “Where is President Zhai?”

The secretary to the Acting CEO quickly stepped forward. “I just asked around. President Zhai is in the next room having a meeting with some visitors. He isn’t in his office right now.”

There was a clinking sound of tea sets. Someone had picked up the half-finished tea on the table, which was still steaming, and was looking at it closely.

After searching for clues in the room, someone reported to the leader: “The company seal isn’t on the desk. A man named Ji said it’s usually kept in the locked drawer on the third row of the right side. I just opened it with a key, but it wasn’t there.”

The leader ordered coldly, “Keep searching here. I’ll go next door to meet President Zhai.”

Soon, the sound of moving furniture started again. Shi Tian realized these uninvited guests were searching his old office to find the Fengyu company seal.

Thinking of this, he held his breath. He looked down at the cylindrical object in his suit pocket.

Suddenly, it went quiet outside.

The whole room fell into silence. Then, the man spoke in a higher tone, “Is this fire door behind the wine cabinet usually locked?”

Zhai’s secretary answered carefully, “It should be locked? I’m not sure…”

The man thought for a moment and said, “You two, go in and check if there is anything wrong with this door.”

“Yes, sir!”

A moment later, many footsteps rushed toward the door. The heavy chain on the door was moved, making a dull noise.

Thump— Thump—

In the dim light of the fire escape, Shi Tian saw the two security guards look at each other. A few seconds later, one of them raised his baton, tightened his fist, and mouthed one word to him: “Run—”

Shi Tian: “…??”

So, we have to run away anyway? Why did you wait until now to say so?!

The lights in the fire escape flickered, making Shi Tian’s face look bright one moment and dark the next.

The fire door above was kicked open with force. Running through his own company with the seal in his pocket felt like a dream.

The story goes back ten minutes.

One of the guards had handed a tablet to Shi Tian before he could ask any questions. “Mr. Shi, they brought many people. They are here to steal the seal for Mr. Ji.”

The tablet showed the security cameras from the Fengyu Group parking lot. Five or six people got out of two black vans. They all wore company ID cards and looked like employees.

The leader looked busy and carried a dark briefcase. No one knew what was inside.

Shi Tian didn’t have time to wonder how these outsiders got access to the cameras. He looked at the guards and asked, “How do you and your boss know what Ji Yuanlin is planning?”

The two guards looked at each other but didn’t explain. They tapped the screen to show a camera inside an elevator. “They are in the elevator. Mr. Shi, we must move now.”

Seeing them waiting for him, Shi Tian thought for a moment, stood up, and walked to his desk.

He took out a set of keys and entered a four-digit code into the drawer. He took out the black bag containing the company seal and put it in his pocket.

He had already made a judgment.

Legally, stealing a company seal by force is a crime.

However, if he took the seal himself, it wasn’t a crime as long as he didn’t break in illegally.

The reason was simple: although he and Ji Yuanlin were both founders, Shi Tian was the only legal representative. After the first lawsuit, he had applied to change the representative, but the process wasn’t finished yet.

Therefore, as long as he entered the company normally and took the seal, he had the right to hold it.

Except for one situation.

If the Chairman, who had the final say, stepped in and disagreed, they would have to negotiate.

Of course, “negotiation” could involve fighting or conflict between the two powerful men.

He guessed that Ji Yuanlin chose today to send people because Shi Tian’s travel ban was lifted today.

Ji Yuanlin was afraid Shi Tian would take the seal when he left, so he sent people in a hurry.

But Ji Yuanlin didn’t know that Shi Tian hadn’t planned to take the seal at first.

To stop Ji Yuanlin from using the board to pressure the new CEO, Shi Tian originally planned to give the legal rights to Director Zhai—a neutral veteran of the company.

Ji Yuanlin only cared about winning the lawsuit. But Shi Tian wanted to save the company he built over eight years.

Ji ignored the company and only cared about himself.

Today, the man who had played the role of a “perfect lover” for eight years finally showed his true, selfish face.

Hiding in the fire escape, Shi Tian suddenly remembered something from high school.

The night before a big exam, he had a fever. He didn’t tell anyone and studied under his blanket.

He finished the exam and got the highest score in class. He was the only one in the whole grade to get a perfect score in math.

Because he was still recovering, he leaned on his desk all evening looking tired. Many classmates came to congratulate him, saying they wished they were as smart as him.

Only one person, while passing his desk, threw a bag of medicine from the clinic at him. That person looked away awkwardly and whispered two words: “Dummy—”

Many years later, his old classmates still praised him for being successful and smart.

Zhou Sifu was right.

He was indeed a dummy.

The two guards stayed upstairs, perhaps to talk to the intruders or slow them down.

Holding the seal tightly, Shi Tian ran down the stairs. After ten minutes, he reached the underground parking lot.

As he pushed open the heavy door, he almost ran into someone.

Shi Tian stepped back, breathing hard. “…Dexter?”

“…Little Shi Tian?”

Seeing it was him, Dexter grabbed his arm and led him toward a car. “Quick, come with me.”

They ran into the parking lot. Dexter pressed his key, and a red Bugatti Veyron lit up in the corner.

Shi Tian got into the passenger seat. As Dexter reversed the car, he cursed into his Bluetooth headset: “You and what army!”

Just as the people from upstairs kicked open the door to the parking lot, the 40-million-dollar supercar sped out toward the exit.

Dexter was a great driver. He wove through traffic and hit the green light just in time to escape the area.

Once they were safe and sure no one was following, Dexter turned to him. “Do you still have the seal?”

“Yes,” Shi Tian said.

Dexter parked the Bugatti by the road and leaned his head on the steering wheel, exhaling. “Glad we were fast. Those idiots—”

Noticing Shi Tian was quiet, Dexter turned to speak, but Shi Tian spoke first in a calm voice.

“Dexter, what did you just call me?”

Dexter froze. “…What do you mean?”

“Little Shi Tian,” Shi Tian narrowed his eyes. “That is my childhood nickname. Who taught you to call me that?”

Dexter: “…”

Crap, I messed up.

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