69novels Chapter 1093 Li Jianjun Dismissed
Chapter 1093 Li Jianjun Dismissed
Unbeknownst to him, an anonymous whistleblower letter had already reached Gu Nan's office. The letter was printed, the handwriting indistinguishable, but it detailed how Li Jianjun instructed his subordinates to falsify accounts, how he accepted bribes from suppliers, and even included bank records of several key transfers, with the time, amount, and recipient's account clearly documented.
Gu Nan gripped the letter, his brow furrowed slightly—Li Jianjun's quick escape couldn't have been achieved without someone pulling strings behind the scenes; it seemed his connections were stronger than he'd anticipated. However, this whistleblower letter came at just the right time, at least proving that he wasn't the only one watching Li Jianjun.
Just then, a notification arrived from higher authorities: Li Jianjun was relieved of his post as deputy factory director, suspended from duty, and sent home to reflect on his actions; he would not be dismissed for the time being. Gu Nan understood; this was the result of a power struggle among various parties. It gave the impression of a disciplinary action, silenced public opinion, and also gave face to the forces behind Li Jianjun—a compromise solution.
He had just put the notice away when he instructed the head of the security department at the gate: "If Li Jianjun comes to work in a little while, don't let him in yet. Just say I'm dealing with his business and ask him to wait at the gate."
The head of the security department nodded hurriedly, his face beaming with a smile: "Don't worry, Deputy Factory Director Gu, I know what to do." Now everyone in the factory knows that Gu Nan is a hot commodity, with solid technical skills and a strong backing. Even the factory director has to show him respect. On the other hand, Li Jianjun is just a useless person who has been dismissed from his post. Who would give him any face?
Li Jianjun walked excitedly to the entrance of the steel rolling mill. It was during working hours, and most of the factory employees were already at their posts, walking towards the workshops in twos and threes. Few people noticed him. He cleared his throat, straightened his clothes, and was about to go inside when he was stopped by two uniformed security guards.
“Mr. Li…” the security guard said in a flat tone, not even giving him a friendly look, “You should go home and rest first, the factory has new arrangements.”
Li Jianjun immediately flew into a rage, raising his voice eight octaves: "Whether I go home or not is none of your business! I'm the deputy factory director, who do you think you are, and why won't you let me in?" As he spoke, he tried to barge inside, displaying the airs of his former deputy factory director.
As the two sides were at a stalemate, Gu Nan happened to be carrying some documents and was about to leave on business. Seeing this, he walked over, his face expressionless and his tone calm: "Deputy Factory Director Li, don't worry, I'll explain this to you."
Seeing Gu Nan, Li Jianjun seemed to have found an outlet for his anger, pointing his finger at him and yelling, "Gu Nan! Was it you who did this? Did you deliberately prevent me from entering the factory? Let me tell you, don't think you're so smug now..."
“Deputy Factory Director Li,” Gu Nan interrupted him, handing him the notice in his hand, “this is a decision from higher authorities. You are being relieved of your post as deputy factory director and suspended from duty for reflection. You should go back first. We can discuss anything after your reflection period is over.”
Li Jianjun's gaze was fixed on the black characters on the notice, as if drawn by a magnet. The words "removed from office" and "suspended from duty for self-reflection" felt like a red-hot iron branding his eyelids, making him see stars and his ears ring. His face instantly drained of color, turning as white as a sheet of paper. His lips trembled uncontrollably, and his grip loosened, causing the thin notice to flutter to the ground, its edges dusted with a bit of doorway dirt, making him look even more disheveled.
He never expected that after going to great lengths to pull strings and spend money to finally get out of there, hoping to regain his former glory and reclaim everything he had lost through Zhang Li's connections, he would end up like this—losing his title as deputy factory director and even being barred from entering the steel rolling mill. How was this any different from being kicked out?
Li Jianjun suddenly looked up at Gu Nan, the shock in his eyes receding like the tide, slowly condensing into a ball of resentful flame. His voice trembled, but it revealed a fierce determination: "Deputy Factory Director Gu, you're something else! I really didn't expect you to be so ruthless! Now look what's happened, you're the one who calls the shots in the steel rolling mill, and I, Li Jianjun, have become a stepping stone for you to climb up!"
Gu Nan looked at his exasperated appearance, his face expressionless, his tone flat to the point of being cold, showing no mercy whatsoever: "Deputy Factory Director Li, oh no, I should call you Brother Li now." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the notice on the ground as if it were an insignificant piece of trash, "This doesn't seem to be something I started, does it? When you embezzled project funds to buy your mistress a diamond ring and forged acceptance documents to fool the inspections, didn't you ever think this day would come? I was just following the rules, passively responding."
"You don't need to be so arrogant here!" Li Jianjun was hit where it hurt, and the veins on his neck bulged as if they were about to burst. "Do you really think this factory director position is yours for the taking? Let me tell you, Gu Nan, I just stumbled this time and fell into your trap! Once I've recovered and found a backer, I'll be back sooner or later! Then, we'll settle this score and see who has the last laugh!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Nan suddenly recalled a line from an animated film he had seen in his later life, a line the villain always uttered when defeated. He couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile, a barely perceptible hint of mockery flashing in his eyes: "Brother Li, I'm waiting. But speaking of which, it seems you... haven't cleaned up your mess yet, have you?" He glanced meaningfully in the direction of the office building in the distance—the Discipline Inspection Commission still held several clues about Li Jianjun that he hadn't revealed, such as his receipt of kickbacks from suppliers and the accounts of falsifying work injury compensation. As long as he behaved himself, these things would naturally remain hidden, but if he still wanted to cause trouble, then he couldn't blame anyone else.
"You!" Li Jianjun was so choked by those words that he almost fainted. His chest heaved violently, and he swayed, nearly losing his balance. Luckily, the wall beside him caught him. Gu Nan was telling the truth—there were still many shady dealings of his that hadn't been cleaned up. If they were to be unearthed, the charges would likely be even more serious than this one, and he might end up spending the rest of his life in jail. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, not even noticing the blood seeping out. He couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal, and could only stare at Gu Nan, his eyes brimming with venom.
Gu Nan stopped looking at him and turned to the head of the security department next to him, instructing, "Recently, the higher-ups will be coming down to inspect from time to time, so the factory's security needs to be tightened. Remember, no one who is not a current employee of our steel rolling mill is allowed to enter the factory, no matter who they are or what their status is. They must follow the rules, understand?"
How could the head of the security department not understand the unspoken message? It was clearly directed at Li Jianjun, a clear order to leave. He hurriedly nodded and bowed, replying, "Understood! Don't worry, Deputy Factory Director Gu, we will strictly enforce the rules without hesitation!"