Film and Television Time Travel: Why Do I Always End Up in Romance Dramas?

Chapter 16 Financial Turmoil

The Friday afternoon sunshine has the taste of freedom.

Finally, it's vacation time!

At the east gate of the factory, Nie Xiguang glanced at his phone screen.

17: 10.

She and Yu Chen agreed to meet at the East Gate; they were going to look at some houses nearby together today.

The thought of going out with Yu Chen later made her feel a little lighthearted.

Just then, the cell phone rang.

She's a colleague from the finance department.

Generally speaking, colleagues rarely call after get off work unless it's something particularly urgent.

Nie Xiguang answered the call. The voice on the other end was low but urgent: "Xiguang! Come back to the finance department immediately! Something's happened!"

"There's a serious problem with the currency for the coated glass payment you stamped and paid to Tan Yunhan Technology Holding Group before you left work last Friday!"

"Even General Manager Mo from the purchasing department came this time!"

Nie Xiguang's heart sank suddenly.

Memories of last Friday evening gradually formed in her mind.

That day after get off work, she and Ou Qiqi were preparing to leave.

As a result, Dou Cheng from the purchasing department came over and said that there were several payments that needed to be made to Tan Yunhan.

Extremely urgent!

She stood to the side and glanced at the stack of receipts; the top one had $280430 printed in the amount column.

After Ou Qiqi paid, she didn't think much of it and stamped her financial seal in the designated spot...

"A problem? Didn't Ou Qiqi already review it?" Nie Xiguang's voice was tense.

"The trial was flawed!"

"The contract amount is RMB 280430, and the amount paid out so far is USD $280,430."

"Almost seven times worse!"

"Dou Cheng insists that the person who stamped the document bears ultimate responsibility. You need to come back quickly!"

After hearing this, Nie Xiguang felt a chill run through his body and almost couldn't stand up.

Just then, a warm and strong hand firmly supported her arm.

It was Yu Chen; he had already arrived.

"What happened?" Yu Chen patted her little head.

"I...I think I've messed up..." Nie Xiguang's voice trembled slightly, "Last Friday I was helping a colleague stamp a form, and I might have stamped the wrong one..."

"Let's go back first."

Yu Chen's voice seemed to possess a strange composure. He took the property information from Nie Xiguang's hand and patted her shoulder. "Now that things have happened, panicking won't help."

"I'll go with you, we can talk on the way."

---

The atmosphere in the small conference room of the finance department was tense.

On one side of the long table, Director Li, the head of the finance department, stood with a livid face, while Ou Qiqi, who had been called back, stood pale-faced to the side.

On the other side, Purchasing Manager Mo was drinking tea.

The person in charge, Dou Cheng, appeared agitated and indignant.

On the table, the photocopy of Tan Yunhan's payment slip looked like a red-hot branding iron.

Nie Xiguang's seal is clearly visible in the lower right corner.

"Nie Xiguang," Director Li said gravely as he pointed to the photocopy as she entered, "was this money paid out with your stamp?"

"Yes...it was me who built it." Nie Xiguang nodded in acknowledgment.

Ou Qiqi lowered her head in shame and whispered, "I'm sorry, Xiguang. I checked several USD transactions at the time, and I might have misread them. I mistook the currency on the application form corresponding to this RMB contract for USD..."

"What's the point of saying all this now?" Dou Cheng interrupted loudly, his voice aimed directly at Nie Xiguang. "The audit is an internal finance matter! Our purchasing department only looks at the process results!"

"Ultimately, the person who stamps the document is the one who represents the finance department in guarding the final checkpoint."

"Nie Xiguang, your seal was affixed there, and now nearly two million has been mistakenly paid. The main responsibility lies with the person who affixed the seal for negligence in the final verification! This is a significant financial loss!"

This hat is huge!

"Dou Cheng! You were like a death knell back then!" Nie Xiguang couldn't help but retort, looking at the documents on the table. "Besides, the currency units in the vouchers and contract copies you provided were different!"

"Alright." Mr. Mo put down his teacup, his voice low but silencing all arguments.

He looked at Director Li, his tone meaningful, "Director Li, how to divide internal responsibilities is your finance department's business, but it is a fact that nearly two million yuan of the company's real money was paid into the wrong account because of the wrong stamp."

"The most urgent task is to recover the losses. As the department responsible for payment execution, shouldn't the finance department bear the primary responsibility for recovery? Or should I request an interdepartmental meeting, or even report to the group level, to determine the cost of this stamp?"

"Mr. Mo..." Director Li's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Mr. Mo's words, though seemingly fair, actually pinned the main responsibility and the difficulty of recovering the funds firmly on Nie Xiguang, the "stamper," and his finance department.

The pressure was immense, especially when it came to reporting to the group.

Nie Xiguang felt a chill run through her body. The amount of nearly two million and the main responsibility pressed down on her like two mountains, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Although she has money, this kind of thing has nothing to do with money.

She stamped the document because she was helping someone...

She didn't even meet the most basic requirement that the finance department's seal should not be lent out.

"I think," a clear, calm voice broke the almost suffocating silence at the doorway, "that discussing the attribution of primary responsibility now will not help in recovering the funds."

"Since this payment came from Shuangyuan's account, communicating in Shuangyuan's name is the most direct and effective way, regardless of which department is in charge."

Everyone in the conference room looked in the direction of the sound.

Yu Chen stood at the door, his expression indifferent.

"Who are you?" President Mo frowned as he sized up the unfamiliar young man.

"Yu Chen, Mr. Hua's technical advisor." Yu Chen walked in, his gaze sweeping over the photocopies on the table. "Tan Yunhan Technology... Mr. Tan Hui's company?"

He picked up the copy and looked at it: "Coated photovoltaic glass, $280430... The contract should be CNY 280430."

"You know Tan Hui?" President Mo's eyes sharpened.

Tan Hui is known in the industry as difficult to deal with and has a powerful background.

"We've had some technical discussions," Yu Chen replied casually.

Amidst the astonished and expectant gazes of the crowd, he took out his phone, dialed a number, and pressed speakerphone.

The phone rang for a long time, and just when everyone thought no one would answer, it was picked up.

A deep, slightly hoarse, and authoritative male voice rang out, "Feed?"

"Mr. Tan, I am Yu Chen."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a soft, emotionless chuckle: "Heh, Engineer Yu? That's rare. What do you want?"

Tan Hui was clearly thinking of Yu Chen.

"Excuse me, Mr. Tan, but I just want to confirm one thing: did Shuangyuan Solar pay $280430 to your company's account last Friday for coated photovoltaic glass?"

"Dollar?" Tan Hui's voice paused for a moment, then he covered the microphone and whispered to the person next to him.

A moment later he replied, "Yes, there was such a payment, it's been reported in the financial report. What? Is there a problem with the payment?" He keenly realized something.

"This was an operational error by Shuangyuan's finance department. The currency was mistakenly paid in US dollars, while the contract between the two parties stipulated that it should be an equivalent amount in RMB," Yu Chen stated bluntly.

"Oh?" Tan Hui's voice trailed off, tinged with amusement. "To say it was a mistake after the payment has been deposited into the account... Engineer Yu, this is no small matter."

"According to regulations, payment is due before shipment. The goods are currently waiting at the port. Who will bear the production delay losses caused by your actions? And how will you account for the trouble with the bank, the accounting adjustments, and the associated costs and risks of this refund process?"

In the conference room, Director Li was sweating profusely, President Mo was observing with a stern face, and Nie Xiguang's heart was also clenched at that moment.

Yu Chen's tone remained calm. "President Tan, Shuangyuan can bear the additional costs incurred due to the operational error. The correct payment can be made again today, so there will be no delay in delivery. In addition..."

He changed the subject slightly, "During our last conversation, Mr. Tan mentioned that one of your company's projects encountered a data bottleneck during testing."

"I recently came across an article with some design ideas that I might be able to offer a different perspective on."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Tan Hui, with a technical background, is well aware of the value of such cutting-edge academic trends and modeling approaches in solving difficult problems.

This is far more important than the refund processing fee.

In fact, this matter could be resolved with just a word from him.

After all, there aren't many high-quality customers these days.

Tan Hui's voice came again, and the previous sense of pressure completely disappeared.

"Mr. Yu... you always get to the point. Okay, since it was an operational error, let's just follow the contract."

"I instructed the finance department to process it immediately, and the dollar portion will be refunded via the original payment method. It should arrive in your account by the end of today at the latest."

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Tan Hui continued, "However, the rules must be clear: once the refund is credited to my account, I need to see the correct payment of RMB 280,430 within 20 minutes."

"Business to business, one transaction at a time, is that alright?"

"No problem," Yu Chen replied on behalf of the finance department.

"Okay." Tan Hui was efficient and decisive, but he didn't finish his sentence. "I'm in Shanghai tonight, at the W Hotel on the Bund, hosting a small gathering."

"Mr. Yu, you didn't touch a drop of the 30-year-old whisky I invited you to taste last time. You must come over tonight, you have to make up for it with this glass."

This is an invitation that cannot be refused, carrying connotations of recognition and a desire to build a closer relationship.

Yu Chen's gaze swept over Nie Xiguang, who was looking at him with tears in her eyes, and he smiled slightly, "Okay, see you tonight."

The phone hangs up.

There was silence in the conference room.

A financial crisis of nearly two million yuan was resolved in just a few minutes.

Mr. Mo gave Yu Chen a deep look, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions. In the end, he said nothing and got up to leave.

Dou Cheng's "indignation" had long since vanished, and he followed her out sheepishly.

Director Li let out a long sigh of relief, wiped his sweat, and looked at Yu Chen with eyes full of gratitude: "Engineer Yu, thank you so much for today! Otherwise, this matter..."

He then turned to Nie Xiguang and Ou Qiqi, his tone stern but no longer as desperate as before, "You two! Ou Qiqi made a serious mistake in the review process, and Nie Xiguang lacked a sense of verification when finalizing the stamp. Both are serious dereliction of duty! A thorough internal review is necessary, and you will be dealt with accordingly!"

"Yes, Director," Ou Qiqi replied, her voice choked with emotion.

Nie Xiguang also lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes, but the heaviest stone in her heart was finally removed because of Yu Chen's appearance.

"Then I'll be going now." Yu Chen gestured to Director Li, glanced at Nie Xiguang, and then turned and walked out.

Nie Xiguang quickly followed.

Stepping out of the suffocating office building, the evening breeze, cool and refreshing, dried the tear stains on her face, but also made her feel more clearly the solid sense of security that Yu Chen brought.

"Yu Chen, I'm sorry..." she followed behind him, her voice hoarse, "Because of me, you've gotten into this trouble, and you even have to deal with those drinking parties..."

Yu Chen stopped and turned to look at her.

His eyes were full of gentleness.

"It's good that the matter is resolved. As for the drinking party," he paused and said gently, "that's a different kind of communication, it has nothing to do with you, and you don't need to feel indebted to it."

His gentleness, like a sturdy dam, steadily held back the surging guilt and lingering fear in Nie Xiguang's heart.

She knew that when he said "it's irrelevant," he didn't want her to feel burdened.

But it was precisely because of this that the profound gratitude and another, deeper emotion surged even more violently into her heart.

"Then...you're finished. Please tell me, no matter what?" She looked up at him, her eyes filled with lingering fear and sincere pleading. "Let me know...you're safe."

The evening breeze ruffled her hair.

Yu Chen stared at her for a moment and then nodded.

"it is good."

He didn't mention looking at houses, and Nie Xiguang had completely lost interest in it at that moment.

She watched him walk out of the factory area, his back straight, gradually blending into the flow of people leaving get off work and the headlights of cars.

My heart was filled with a bulging, burning emotion.

The figure that stepped forward without hesitation when she was in dire straits because of "help" and "trust," and who took on the responsibility and pressure with just one phone call, carried a reassuring and powerful strength that is deeply engraved in her life.

---

That evening, the rooftop bar of the W Hotel on the Bund in Shanghai.

In a private booth overlooking the dazzling night view of the Huangpu River, Tan Hui dismissed everyone else and personally poured Yu Chen a glass of whiskey.

"Mr. Yu, is that accountant at Shuangyuan, the one who stamps things, named Nie Xiguang?" Tan Hui swirled his wine glass, his gaze sharp. "I heard he just helped with a stamp?"

Yu Chen picked up his wine glass, but did not answer directly. He simply said, "President Tan's information network is always very good."

"Ha!" Tan Hui chuckled, clinking glasses with him. "I'm just curious, how could a mere clerk helping with a stamp warrant you, Engineer Yu, making this call personally? Looks like your relationship is quite special." He took a sip of his drink, ceasing his discussion and getting to the point.

"That article..."

"I'll send it to your email tomorrow morning." Yu Chen drank the wine in his glass, the strong liquor going down his throat without changing his expression.

"Great!" Tan Hui nodded in satisfaction, leaning back. "You're a smart person, and you also have principles and value relationships. I, Tan Hui, am willing to make friends with someone like you."

"Let's put this matter behind us today. If you encounter any problems with materials, equipment, or technology in the Yangtze River Delta region in the future, feel free to contact me."

This is a promise of immense weight.

Yu Chen raised his glass in thanks: "Thank you, Mr. Tan."

The drinking party ended close to midnight.

Yu Chen stood at the hotel entrance; the cool night breeze dispelled the effects of the alcohol.

He took out his phone; there were several unread messages on the screen.

The latest message was from Nie Xiguang, sent half an hour ago:

"The incorrect payment has been fully refunded, and the payment for the goods has been settled. Is everything going smoothly on your end?"

Her words reveal both her caution and relief.

Yu Chen looked up, glanced at the brilliant lights of Lujiazui, and paused for a moment on the screen with his fingertips.

"I'm fine. You should get some rest. Don't forget to come with me to look at apartments tomorrow."

After successfully sending the message, he put away his phone and stepped into the Shanghai night.

A drink she had to accept was the only way she could escape her predicament and lay the groundwork for a potentially useful future.

For him, it was worth it.

And just like that, the favorability rating skyrocketed.