C1 I Am Forcing You into a Dead End(1)

In front of Jiang City's Phoenix Building, sharply dressed office workers bustled about, entering the skyscraper to embark on their day's work.

Their expressions were marked by a cool detachment, as though oblivious to the weary young man stationed outside the building.

This young man, in his early twenties, wore a clean but worn camouflage outfit with sturdy work boots. In his hands, he held a sign emblazoned with five blood-red characters:

"Return my hard-earned money!"

His complexion was ashen, eyes laced with red, lips pressed firmly together in a silent, defiant stance.

He stood with the dignity of a noble warrior.

His name was Chiang Le, a sophomore at Jiang City University. To cover his sister's tuition and to afford a new phone for his girlfriend's birthday, he had toiled away at a construction site for a month.

That month, Chiang Le endured a beastly existence.

Before dawn, he would rise, hefting heavy bags of cement up over a dozen stories to supply the renovation crew.

His legs cramped from fatigue, his body worn to the brink, he was as beleaguered as the most bedraggled hound.

Despite the foreman's scorn and contempt, Chiang Le bit back his pain, bowed his head, and repeatedly pushed past his limits. He persevered through the month without a word of complaint or a moment's rest.

After all, his wages were the just reward for his labor.

Three hundred yuan a day. By summer's end, he had just enough for his sister's tuition and his girlfriend's phone.

After a month of blood, sweat, and tears, Chiang Le had earned 9,000 yuan. But when payday arrived, the unscrupulous boss, preying on Chiang Le's naivety as a newcomer to the workforce, brazenly halved his wages.

When Chiang Le confronted him, the boss coldly mocked him, accusing Chiang Le of theft!

Enraged by the boss's greed and shamelessness, Chiang Le resolved to fight back.

"I refuse to believe this world has no justice!" he declared.

Seeking justice, Chiang Le was met with threats from thugs called in by the boss, narrowly avoiding a beating.

With no other recourse, Chiang Le turned to the client for whom they were renovating the building: Phoenix Real Estate.

The contractor's renovation fees were firmly held by the client, but there was trust that a fair resolution would be provided.

Chiang Le approached Phoenix Real Estate and finally understood the source of the boss's unwavering confidence—his sister was none other than the president of Phoenix Real Estate! The naive Chiang Le learned a harsh lesson as a newcomer to the workforce.

Seeking justice was out of the question; Chiang Le couldn't even get past the entrance of the Phoenix Building. With no other options, he resorted to making a sign and settling in for a long wait.

He had already been waiting for 30 hours, anticipating the appearance of the president of Phoenix Real Estate, the heartless boss's sister, in hopes of getting an explanation.

As the sun climbed high and the heat intensified, Chiang Le stood motionless, silently holding his sign.

A few security guards snickered at the sight of him, considering him foolish and naive. CEO Ye had made it clear: let him protest all he wants, but the moment he slips up, if he tries to force his way into the company, call the police and have him arrested.

Contrary to their expectations, Chiang Le remained patient and composed, avoiding any rash actions—a rare display of restraint among construction workers, which left the watchful security guards feeling let down.

When lunchtime arrived, a compassionate young female employee from the front desk, unable to stand idly by, stealthily brought over a boxed meal and a bottle of water to Chiang Le. The intern, new to Phoenix Real Estate, was inherently kind-hearted.

"Have something to eat," she offered gently.

Just as Chiang Le looked up to accept the meal, it was knocked out of her hands, scattering across the ground.

A middle-aged man in a sharp suit stormed up, demanding, "Who gave you permission to do this?"

"Manager Zhang, there's plenty of food left over—it's wasteful to throw it away..." the intern stammered, visibly shaken.

"Throw it out, or feed it to the dogs, but he gets nothing," Manager Zhang snapped, glaring at the receptionist. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

The receptionist, her face ashen, quietly began cleaning up the mess, apologizing, "I'm sorry, that was the company's vice president—he's very strict..."

"It's okay, thank you," Chiang Le said with immense gratitude.

The lunchbox girl slinked away, and watching her retreat, Chiang Le was consumed with guilt.

As time ticked by, just when Chiang Le was on the verge of losing hope, a red Mercedes-Benz gradually came into view. His eyes sparkled with anticipation!

The car drew near, and a security guard courteously opened the door for a young woman wearing sunglasses to step out.

She was in her early twenties, strikingly beautiful with her almond-shaped eyes adding a touch of authority to her charm.

Her professional attire hugged her figure, accentuating her curves.

The woman tossed her car keys carelessly, which the obsequious security guard scrambled to catch before scurrying off to park the car.

With a gaze fixed straight ahead, the woman's long, dazzling legs carried her towards the entrance in a rhythmic click of high heels.

This stunning, frosty beauty was none other than Yang Aoxue, the sister of the unscrupulous boss Yang Aoming and the president of Phoenix Real Estate—the very person Chiang Le had been waiting for two days to see!

Chiang Le hurried to intercept Yang Aoxue.

A delicate scent wafted through the air as he glanced at Yang Aoxue's aloof, exquisite face. Feeling somewhat awkward, he lowered his gaze to her shapely calves and the seductive red polish on her toenails, his nerves tightening.

"Director Yang, I'm Chiang Le, a construction worker from the site across the street. Your brother, Yang Aoming, owes me a month's wages and won't pay up. He's even slandered and threatened me. You need to help me resolve this," he implored.

Yang Aoxue's brow furrowed. "That's not my responsibility."

"But I was working for your company. The construction payments come from you, so you're obligated to help settle this labor dispute," Chiang Le insisted, his voice tinged with desperation. "As the client, you have both the right and the duty. Besides, Director Yang, that salary means a lot to me. Please, a single word from you could make all the difference..."

"I'm very busy," Yang Aoxue said, moving to continue on her way.

Chiang Le blocked her path again: "Everyone knows Yang Aoming is your brother. You can't just ignore this... I'm begging you... If you won't intervene, I'll have no choice but to take this to the authorities."

Yang Aoxue looked at me with a mix of scorn and disgust. "Are you threatening me?"

"No, I'm merely striving to uphold my legitimate rights."

"Sue me then. If you can win, consider me defeated," Yang Aoxue scoffed. "Phoenix Real Estate has deep roots in Jiang City. I've dealt with plenty of troublemakers like you. Go ahead, make a scene."

Despair washed over me. Yang Aomin played by his own rules, with no moral compass, while Yang Aoxue was indifferent and callous, unconcerned with the plight of others. Trying to recover my wages felt like an impossible climb to the heavens.

But I wouldn't back down. This was about my hard-earned money, and I wouldn't compromise.

"Director Yang, that's my paycheck. I won't let a penny go. I'll never give up."

"Oh, really? Aren't you the diligent student working your way through college? Keep making a fuss, and see if I don't call the cops on you. I've heard about your sticky fingers on the job site. Imagine if your university got wind of your theft..." Yang Aoxue had clearly done her homework on me.

"Do all wealthy people lack shame? You know very well I haven't stolen anything. How can you smear someone's reputation and ruin their life without a second thought? Does your conscience not trouble you?" I locked eyes with her, a flicker of resolve shining through. "If you don't settle this, if you keep dodging responsibility, I promise you, it won't be easy for you either."

"I'll be watching with interest," Yang Aoxue retorted before turning on her heel and striding away.

Fury burned in my gaze as I watched her retreating figure. In a sudden burst of motion, I sprinted forward.

The security guards' faces turned pale. What was I up to?

But before they could react, I was already past Yang Aoxue, bolting toward the Phoenix Building.