CHAPTER 487: CHAPTER 487: SISTERS FALL OUT

That afternoon, Lan Hui called Hong Ke into her office.

"Sister Lan, you were looking for me?"

Lan Hui wasted no time, pulling out a pile of photos and tossing them onto the desk.

Hong Ke glanced at them and realized they were pictures of her and Chen Bin at the hospital, hugging.

"You’ve been secretly photographing me?!"

Lan Hui slammed the desk hard and barked out a sharp reprimand.

"If your actions were upright, you would have nothing to fear. If you’ve done nothing wrong, why worry about being photographed? Hong Ke, you’ve really disappointed me!"

"He and I are just friends. It’s not what you think."

"Just friends? Do ordinary friends hug each other in public? Since you refuse to listen and insist on associating with Chen Bin, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"

Frowning deeply, Hong Ke retorted with a hint of displeasure.

"What are you planning to do?"

"I don’t think you’re capable enough to continue as the Head of the Advertising Department. It’s better for you to step aside sooner rather than later."

"Lan Tai, isn’t this a bit too much?"

"Too much? You’re supposed to be one of my people, yet you’re acting ambiguous with Chen Bin. If you insist on going against me, then go be the deputy of the second channel."

Seeing that Lan Hui had made up her mind, Hong Ke could only shout in frustration.

"You’ll regret this!"

But Lan Hui was utterly dismissive.

"A dog that’s served for so many years, now it wants to bite its master? Let me make this very clear: if you dare to entertain any funny ideas, I’ll damn well have someone deal with you for good!"

Tears, as large as beads, rolled down from the corners of Hong Ke’s eyes at those words.

She had always regarded Lan Hui as a sister, but to her shock, she was nothing but a lapdog in Lan Hui’s eyes.

Despite the rage and resentment boiling inside her, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow her pride, knowing she was no match for Lan Hui.

Soon, news that Hong Ke had been removed from her position as Head of the Advertising Department by Lan Hui spread throughout the station.

Upon hearing this, Chen Bin immediately went to Fan Sheng’s office.

"Director Fan, what’s your take on what happened to Hong Ke?"

"It’s clearly about uneven profit sharing. Anyway, the two of them are birds of a feather. Watching them fight is quite entertaining."

"What do you think Hong Ke will do now?"

"That chick must have some backup plans. As long as she wants to keep her job at the station, she’ll have to endure it."

After some thought, Chen Bin smiled and remarked.

"Since Hong Ke doesn’t want to fall out completely with Lan Hui, why don’t we add fuel to the fire?"

"What exactly do you mean?"

"If everyone at the station became aware that Hong Ke harbors resentment toward Lan Hui and plans to take revenge, what do you think would happen between the two of them?"

Nodding in agreement, Fan Sheng found the idea very appealing.

After all, Lan Hui and Hong Ke had been colluding for so long; seeing them turn on each other would undoubtedly make for some drama worth watching.

Chen Bin didn’t elaborate further, merely hinting at his suggestion.

True to form, within two days, rumors about Hong Ke preparing to retaliate against Lan Hui spread throughout the provincial station.

Everyone knew the two had once been close, but Lan Hui’s sudden removal of Hong Ke as the Advertising Department Head signaled a deterioration in their relationship.

Thus, the gossip naturally garnered belief.

Upon learning of the rumors, Hong Ke became incredibly frightened.

If Lan Hui believed the rumors, her career at the provincial station would be over.

But to Lan Hui, it was clear Hong Ke wouldn’t recklessly spread lies.

Still, regardless of what was true, Hong Ke was obviously no longer useful.

Seizing the opportunity, Lan Hui planned to oust Hong Ke from the provincial station for good, thus solidifying her position as the station director.

During a meeting with all staff, Lan Hui addressed the room.

"Since the station’s establishment, no commemorative events have been held. I propose organizing an anniversary celebration. Such an important task naturally has to be assigned to someone capable, don’t you agree, Director Chen?"

Chen Bin said nothing, merely nodding.

He knew Lan Hui wouldn’t miss any chance to set traps for him.

"There’s less than three months until the anniversary. I hope Director Chen will approach this task with the same energy as planning a New Year’s gala to ensure the event’s success."

"Rest assured, Lan Tai. I won’t let you down."

Seeing no trace of fear on Chen Bin’s face, Lan Hui pressed on.

"This time, the station won’t allocate any funds for the event. As for how to secure the budget, Director Chen, that’s up to you. Oh, by the way, any updates on the new station project?"

"As soon as the 300 million from the provincial government comes through, I’ll proceed immediately."

"Young and promising as ever, Director Chen. Excellent!"

Though her words were complimentary, Lan Hui’s heart brimmed with smugness.

In her eyes, 300 million wasn’t nearly enough to complete the new station.

Adding the anniversary event to his plate, she was certain Chen Bin would be overwhelmed.

If both tasks failed, it couldn’t be more perfect.

"Now that we’ve discussed the anniversary, the next item is a disciplinary announcement."

Lan Hui put on a stern face and turned to Hong Ke.

"According to investigations, Advertising Department employee Zhai Bocong has been taking kickbacks. This issue is closely tied to your poor personnel management."

Her words caused many to glance at Hong Ke.

Shocked, Hong Ke stammered, "What kickbacks is Zhai Bocong taking?"

"See for yourself!"

Saying this, Lan Hui tossed a folder onto the table in front of Hong Ke.

After flipping through its contents, Hong Ke’s face darkened with cold anger.

"These ad contracts do violate the station’s rules, but all of them were approved by you!"

"It’s precisely because I trusted you too much that this happened. Now, I announce that Hong Ke will be suspended pending investigation. If any issues are found, I won’t let it slide!"

Furious, Hong Ke slammed her fist on the table.

"You know as well as I do that the major cut of the kickbacks went to you. Now you want to pin the blame on me and Zhai Bocong? If you want to get rid of me, just say it outright. No need for these dirty tricks!"

Fixing a threatening glare on Hong Ke, Lan Hui’s face exuded menace.

"I suggest you watch your words. Smear me again, and you can get the hell out of this station!"

"Hmph, don’t think I don’t know—you’ve been planning this all along!"

With that, Hong Ke stormed out of the meeting room.

Lan Hui, however, quickly convened a meeting with the station’s higher-ups, ostensibly to "discuss" how to deal with Hong Ke.

In reality, it was merely to announce a decision.

After being fired, Hong Ke packed her belongings, her heart burning with rage.

She muttered under her breath, "Lan Hui, just wait. I won’t rest until I bring you down!"

That evening, she invited Chen Bin to her home to discuss their next steps.

"I know about many of Lan Hui’s dirty dealings. If I report her officially, she’s bound to end up behind bars."

Holding Hong Ke by the waist, Chen Bin gently shook his head.

"I don’t think that’s a wise idea. Plenty of people have reported Lan Hui before, yet she’s still the provincial station’s director. The fact that she dared to fire you openly shows she’s not afraid of you reporting her."

Turning her head, eyes red-rimmed, Hong Ke asked.

"So according to you, I should just swallow this indignity?"

"That’s not what I mean. I think the smart play is to lie low for a while. Once Lan Hui lowers her guard, you can strike back for maximum impact."

Frowning slightly, Hong Ke looked puzzled.

"But if I can’t take her down now, what makes you think I’ll be able to later?"

"What I mean is we need to figure out who’s backing Lan Hui first. Only by exposing the people behind her can you truly bring her down."

"That makes sense. I’ve been with her for years, and she’s never once told me who’s behind her."

"Exactly. Filing a complaint against her now won’t work. Plus, what if she has dirt on you? Even if you manage to ruin her, what happens to you? Do you want to go down with her?"

The more Hong Ke heard, the more sense it made. She turned to Chen Bin with a pleading expression.

"Then how do I make sure Lan Hui is destroyed? You have to help me..."