Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1561 Tearing Apart the Scumbag

Qin Hao had just hung up the phone when it vibrated again. He looked down and saw it was a message from Bai Ruide. Aside from some meaningless small talk, the message inquired about Qin Hao's attitude towards Liang Danning's desire to return to work at Guster.

"I'm not a shareholder of your Guster, so you can handle personnel matters internally." Qin Hao casually replied to the message, then tossed his phone aside and ignored it.

When Bai Ruide received the message, he was sitting on a sofa in the hotel's executive lounge. He held a glass of whiskey, stared at his phone screen, and read Qin Hao's reply twice before falling into deep thought.

If the other party were American, he would definitely have rejected Liang Danning outright. But having worked in China for so long, he knew that Chinese people tend to be indirect and prefer to beat around the bush. A simple "It's none of my business" could mean it really wasn't his concern, or it could mean "You decide for yourself."

White put down his phone, picked up his whiskey, and took a sip. The amber liquid formed even "tears" on the glass. He stared at those tears, his mind racing. What if Qin Hao still harbored feelings for Liang Danning? If he rejected Liang Danning, he would offend Qin Hao. And a mere sales manager was, to him, an insignificant position…

Ultimately, Rhett Butler decided to bring Liang Danning back.

After making a call to Qi Youlan, the vice president of human resources, White leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh. Dealing with Chinese people was really too exhausting.

So, the day after the tasting event ended, Liang Danning received a call from Guster's personnel department.

"Hey?"

"Hello Ms. Liang, this is Ghost's HR. Your application has been approved. The position remains Sales Manager. Can you start work next Monday?"

Liang Danning paused for a second, then said, "Okay, thank you."

She hung up the phone and stood by the bed, still holding half-folded clothes in her hand. Sunlight streamed in through the window, warming her, but she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.

Zhao Mei came out of the restroom, drying her hair, and saw her standing there in a daze. She casually asked, "Whose call was that?"

“Gust’s personnel.” Liang Danning put her phone on the bed and continued folding clothes. “He told me to report for duty next Monday.”

Zhao Mei stopped drying her hair. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"You're starting me off as a sales manager?" She walked over to Liang Danning, her voice rising several octaves. "When did Bai Ruide become so generous?"

Liang Danning remained noncommittal, put the neatly folded clothes into the suitcase, and zipped it up: "Maybe it's just to give him face."

Zhao Mei naturally understood who "he" Liang Danning was referring to. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but held back. After a while, she couldn't help but speak.

"Perhaps White asked Qin Hao for his opinion. So, he probably still..."

Before Zhao Mei could finish speaking, Liang Danning raised her hand and covered her mouth. Zhao Mei's voice was muffled by her hand, only a soft whimper.

"Don't mention him to me." Liang Danning's expression was calm, but her eyes revealed disgust. "Just mentioning him fills my mind with images of that day in the sea. Disgusting!"

Zhao Mei pulled her hand away and said indignantly, "Qin Hao wasn't like this before, it's all because of that bitch Qiao Hailun..."

“It takes two to tango,” Liang Danning interrupted her, lifting her suitcase off the bed and placing it on the floor. “Besides, I don’t want Dou Dou to get involved in such complicated family relationships.”

Seeing Liang Danning's resolute attitude, Zhao Mei didn't try to persuade her any further. She sighed, leaned against the headboard, and watched Liang Danning's busy figure, feeling a mix of emotions.

"By the way," Liang Danning suddenly turned around and looked at her, "You're getting a divorce from Li Dongming, have you talked to a lawyer yet?"

Zhao Mei's expression darkened. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of the bed sheet.

“The lawyer said it’s not very optimistic.” Her voice was muffled: “On the one hand, I don’t have any solid evidence. On the other hand, my finances with Li Dongming have been separate all these years, and I don’t know exactly how much property he has.”

"What are you going to do?"

Zhao Mei raised her head, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. The light was cold and sharp, like an ice blade in winter.

"Let's talk to that mistress first. If she's cooperative, I can just target Li Dongming. If she's not, I'll make sure she and Li Dongming are both ruined."

Meanwhile, in the arrival hall of Baiyun Airport.

Qian Shasha dragged her suitcase and followed Li Dongming out. Her hair was a little messy, and she had dark circles under her eyes, but she still looked quite presentable. She thought Li Dongming would do what he did when they were out of town: call a car to take her back, or have a meal together before she left.

As a result, Li Dongming stopped, turned around, and looked at her expressionlessly.

"You should take a taxi home yourself."

Qian Shasha was stunned. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Li Dongming had already turned around, dragging his suitcase and striding towards the parking lot without even turning his head back.

Qian Shasha was both angry and aggrieved. She stood there, gripping the handle of her suitcase, her knuckles turning white.

She took a deep breath and dragged her suitcase toward the taxi stand. The line was long, winding through several lanes. She stood in the line, head down, staring at her toes.

Finally, it was her turn to get in the car. She put her suitcase in the trunk, opened the door, and sat in the back seat. Just as she gave him her address, her phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

At first, Qian Shasha thought it was a call from a customer, so she answered politely, "Hello?"

The voice coming from the other end of the phone sent chills down her spine.

"Qian Shasha, right? I'm Zhao Mei. I'm in the coffee shop downstairs from your company. Let's chat."

Qian Shasha's fingers tightened suddenly, and she almost dropped her phone. She tried to remain calm and kept her voice steady: "Sister-in-law, are you looking for our boss? He just got off the plane, and there should be a signal now."

"I'm not looking for him." Zhao Mei's voice was calm, so calm it was unsettling. "I'm looking for you."

Qian Shasha was instantly enveloped by a sense of foreboding. Her hands trembled, and her voice trembled as she said, "Sister-in-law, what can I do for you? I'm in a hurry to get back to work."

“You’ve been away on business for so many days, you should have a day off, right?” Zhao Mei’s tone left no room for argument: “Don’t worry, it won’t take up much of your time.”

Qian Shasha was silent for a few seconds. She knew she couldn't avoid it any longer, so she could only bite the bullet and agree: "Well... okay."

After hanging up, she thought for a moment and then dialed Li Dongming's number again. It rang a few times before being answered.

"What's wrong?" Li Dongming's voice sounded tired.

Qian Shasha recounted the incident in a very low voice, afraid the taxi driver would hear. Her fingers tapped incessantly on her knees, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Then Li Dongming's voice came through, feigning composure: "It's okay, don't worry too much. Just insist that we're just normal colleagues. Let's hear what she has to say."

"Okay." Qian Shasha hung up the phone, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes.

The taxi drove onto the airport expressway, and the scenery outside the window rushed past. Her heart was still pounding, as if it were about to jump out of her throat.

On the other end of the call, Li Dongming was somewhat restless. He sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel, his fingers tapping rhythmically. After a moment's thought, he decided to call Zhao Mei.

The phone rang a few times before being answered.

"Hey, honey, where are you?" His tone was gentle and concerned. "I just got off the plane and I'm on my way back. Let's have dinner together."

Zhao Mei had already guessed that he must have spoken to Qian Shasha on the phone, and she gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands until her knuckles turned white.

"Oh, then go back and tidy up the house." Zhao Mei's voice was flat. "I have something to do today, so I won't be home for lunch."

Li Dongming's unease intensified. He quickly feigned concern, asking, "Isn't it the weekend? Why do you have to work overtime?"

Hearing her husband's feigned concern, Zhao Mei felt nauseous and almost vomited on the spot. She took a deep breath and tried her best to make her voice sound normal.

"Okay, I'm driving, I'll talk to you later. Bye."

She hung up the phone without waiting for Li Dongming's reply.

A few seconds of silence filled the car. Zhao Mei gripped the steering wheel, her hands trembling. Liang Danning sat in the passenger seat, watching her, wanting to say something, yet unsure what to say.

"Are you alright?" Liang Danning finally asked.

Zhao Mei shook her head without answering. She started the car and drove out of the parking lot. She hadn't gone far when a wave of nausea washed over her, her stomach churning. She jerked the steering wheel, pulled over to the side of the road, opened the car door, and bent over, dry heaving.

Liang Danning quickly got out of the car, walked around to her, and patted her on the back. "How are you? Are you alright?"

Zhao Mei vomited for a while, then straightened up, wiped her mouth, and said with a pale face, "I'm fine. You can drive the rest of the way. I need to catch my breath."

Liang Danning wanted to say something more, but the cars behind started honking and urging her to hurry up. She had no choice but to help Zhao Mei into the car, get into the driver's seat herself, and start the car.

There is a coffee shop downstairs from Ruijing Consulting's office building.

Zhao Mei and Liang Danning arrived early. Zhao Mei chose a window seat with a great view, where she could see everyone coming and going through the door. Liang Danning was seated diagonally behind her, from which she could take a panoramic photo of the people opposite her.

Zhao Mei ordered an Americano, without sugar. She took a sip and frowned because it was so bitter.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Liang Danning asked in a low voice, holding her phone with the camera pointed at Zhao Mei.

Zhao Mei did not answer. Her gaze remained fixed on the doorway.

Half an hour later, Qian Shasha arrived as promised.

She was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and light makeup. She looked like an ordinary office worker, completely different from the woman in the sexy dress in the photo.

Qian Shasha walked up to Zhao Mei with a warm smile on her face, ready to exchange a few pleasantries, but before she could speak, she heard Zhao Mei coldly question her.

"When did you get together with Li Dongming?"

Qian Shasha nearly jumped out of her skin. The smile on her face froze instantly, as if someone had pressed the pause button. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something.

"Sister-in-law, I've been working under General Manager Li ever since I joined the company." She tried to sound calm, but her voice was clearly weak.

Zhao Mei stared directly into Qian Shasha's eyes, her gaze icy, like two knives.

"Don't give me that. You should know that I won't meet with you without solid evidence."

She picked up her coffee cup and gently swirled it, the black liquid rotating inside.

"You'd better tell me the truth. I might be able to target only Li Dongming. But if you don't cooperate with me, I'll make sure you and Li Dongming are both ruined."

Qian Shasha could no longer maintain her composure. Her shoulders slumped, she lowered her head, and her fingers twisted together under the table until her knuckles turned white.

Zhao Mei stared at her coldly, as if she were looking at a lamb to the slaughter.

"You only get one chance." Her voice wasn't loud, but every word pierced like a nail: "I'll ask one last time, when did Li Dongming cheat on me?"

Qian Shasha looked up in alarm, her eyes already red. She spoke timidly, her voice broken, and recounted the details of her extramarital affair with Li Dongming.

Hearing this, Liang Danning was furious. Her hand gripping her phone was trembling. If Zhao Mei hadn't asked her to film, she would have rushed over and slapped this woman who had ruined her best friend's marriage.

Zhao Mei, however, remained unusually calm. She held her coffee cup, sipping it slowly, her expression unchanged, as if listening to a story that had nothing to do with her.

"How can you prove that what you're saying is true?" she asked, putting down her cup.

Qian Shasha sobbed, "I... I was afraid he would take advantage of me and then forget about me, so I took some photos of him while he was asleep. I also kept the call logs."

She kept her head down, avoiding Zhao Mei's gaze. Her shoulders trembled, as if all the energy had been drained from her.

Zhao Mei picked up her coffee cup. Qian Shasha instinctively raised her hand to cover her face, thinking Zhao Mei was going to spill the coffee. But Zhao Mei only took a small sip and then put the cup back on the table.

“You destroyed my family, so I should hate you to the core.” Her tone was terrifyingly calm: “But every wrong has its perpetrator, and if Li Dongming could resist temptation, he wouldn’t have cheated on me.”

She paused.

"If you give me the photos and chat logs, I can let you off the hook and only cause trouble for Li Dongming."

Qian Shasha was conflicted upon hearing this. She bit her lip, her fingers twisting under the table, as if making a difficult decision.

Zhao Mei sneered upon seeing this.

"To be honest, I really don't understand what you see in Li Dongming. With his stingy personality, if you become his mistress, do you expect him to buy you a car and a house?" She picked up her coffee cup and took another sip. "I'm afraid he'll even write every single page of the PowerPoint presentation he was supposed to write."

These words were like a knife, piercing Qian Shasha's heart with pinpoint accuracy.

Qian Shasha's psychological defenses crumbled instantly. She covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming through her fingers. After a moment's hesitation, she whimpered, took her phone out of her bag, unlocked it, and handed it to Zhao Mei with both hands.

Zhao Mei took the phone and opened the image manager. Sure enough, she found some extremely offensive photos, the scale of which shocked her. Ugh, she almost wanted to smash the phone.

She forced herself to endure the physical discomfort and scrolled through Qian Shasha and Li Dongming's chat history again. Those ambiguous messages, intimate terms of endearment, and late-night voice calls—each one felt like a knife stabbing into her heart. The more she read, the more she wanted to stab Li Dongming.

"Sister-in-law..." Qian Shasha spoke cautiously, her voice hoarse, "I've given you everything, so you have to keep your word."

Zhao Mei took a deep breath and handed the phone back to Qian Shasha: "I always keep my word. You can go now."

Qian Shasha felt like she'd been granted a pardon. She grabbed her bag, stood up, and quickly walked out of the coffee shop. Her figure disappeared through the doorway in no time, as if she were fleeing for her life.

Zhao Mei remained seated, motionless.

She picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. The coffee was cold and bitter. She put the cup down, and suddenly tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. One by one, they fell silently onto the table.

Liang Danning quickly came over, sat down next to her, and put her arm around her shoulder: "It's okay. Men can't be relied on, but I'm here for you. At worst, we can rely on each other from now on."

Zhao Mei wiped away her tears, gritted her teeth, picked up her bag, and stood up: "Don't try to comfort me. Why should I cry here? I want Li Dongming to pay for his actions, I want him to cry!"

Looking at her resolute appearance, Liang Danning felt both heartache and admiration.

Subsequently, Zhao Mei met with a lawyer and handed over the photos and WeChat chat records provided by Qian Shasha to the lawyer. A thick stack of photocopies was spread out on the desk.

Attorney Li put on his glasses and began to examine the documents one by one. His expression shifted from calm to serious, and then to solemn. After finishing, he took off his glasses and looked at Zhao Mei.

“Ms. Zhao, with this evidence, you’re sure to win this case.” He paused, “However, the exact amount you’ll receive depends on how much marital property you have.”

Zhao Mei gritted her teeth and said, "Can't we make him leave with nothing?"

Attorney Li shook his head: "Legally speaking, there is no such thing as leaving with nothing, unless the other party voluntarily gives up the right to divide the property."

"So, if Li Dongming stubbornly refuses, there's nothing I can do about it?" Zhao Mei clenched her fists in frustration.

Attorney Li patiently explained: "For the party who is not at fault in a marriage, it is indeed possible to petition the court to reduce the share of property held by the party at fault. However, it is not possible to claim no share at all..."

“Okay, I understand.” Zhao Mei interrupted him. “Thank you, Attorney Li.”

After seeing the lawyer off, Zhao Mei sat on the steps outside the law firm, her face gloomy. Sunlight shone on her, but she felt no warmth.

Liang Danning sat down next to her and put her arm around her shoulder.

"The lawyer said that this evidence is enough to win the case and reduce Li Dongming's share of the property."

"Why should he?" Zhao Mei gritted her teeth, her voice filled with hatred. "Li Dongming has caused me so much harm, and he thinks he can just walk away? Dream on! He has to choose between leaving with nothing and being utterly disgraced!"

That night.

Li Dongming opened the door and found his wife sitting on the living room sofa. She wasn't watching TV or looking at her phone; she was just staring straight at the doorway, as if waiting for a prisoner.

Li Dongming changed his shoes, placed his briefcase in the entryway, and felt a little guilty. "Why are you still up so late?"

Zhao Mei didn't answer. She picked up a thick stack of documents from the coffee table—copies of photos and chat logs—and slammed them down on Li Dongming's face.

The papers were scattered all over the ground, falling like snowflakes.

Li Dongming looked down at the photos on the floor and suddenly panicked. He squatted down and picked one up, seeing himself lying naked on the hotel bed, with Qian Shasha's face next to him. His fingers began to tremble.

“Zhao Mei, let me explain…” His voice was hoarse.

"Explain what?" Zhao Mei stood up, her voice as cold as the winter wind: "Explain how you cheated on me with your subordinate? Explain how disgusting you are, answering my video calls while you were having an affair with your subordinate? You think it's exciting, right?"

Her barrage of questions came like a machine gun, one after another, giving Li Dongming no chance to breathe. Li Dongming opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself unable to utter a single word.

He slumped down in the chair opposite Zhao Mei, his hands supporting his knees, his head bowed.

"How do you want to resolve this?" His voice was muffled.

"Divorce," Zhao Mei said, enunciating each word clearly. "You will leave with nothing."

Li Dongming's face flushed instantly. He abruptly raised his head, his eyes wide open, and the muscles in his face twitched.

"Impossible!" His voice rose several octaves: "The house was bought before we got married, and so was the car. All these years, I've been supporting the family with my own money. You've eaten my food and drunk my water, so why should I leave with nothing?"

"Just because you cheated on me!" Zhao Mei roared, her voice filled with grievance and anger.

Li Dongming remained unmoved. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and his expression turned indifferent.

"It was my fault for cheating, and I can make some compensation. But leaving with nothing—don't even think about it!"

Zhao Mei sneered. She squatted down, picked up a photo from the ground, and held it up in front of Li Dongming.

"Fine, since you're shameless, I might as well tear off the mask." Her voice was calm, a calmness that sent chills down your spine: "If your company sees these photos, will you still be able to work at Ruijing Consulting?"

Li Dongming's expression changed: "Are you threatening me?"

"Is this what you call a threat?" Zhao Mei threw the photo onto the coffee table. "Last time I helped the company salvage its image, I got to know quite a few people in the self-media industry. If all else fails, ask Qin Hao for help, and he'll make you famous all over the internet..."

Li Dongming felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He stared wide-eyed at Zhao Mei, as if he were seeing this woman for the first time.

"Zhao Mei, how could you be so vicious?" His voice was hoarse.

"You forced me to be so vicious," Zhao Mei said, enunciating each word clearly. "Either leave with nothing, or be utterly disgraced. Choose one of the two paths!" (End of Chapter)