Chapter 167 Miss Ling is kind-hearted, I will be very grateful to her.

Miss Ling is kind-hearted; I will be very grateful to her.

Since they had already been sold to others, Ling Yue naturally would not want items that had been carried or worn by other people.

Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha said bluntly, "The Chanel small hobo bag is worth 40,700 yuan, and the Chaumet pink sapphire rose gold necklace is worth 61,500 yuan. That's a total of 102,200 yuan. Pay up."

Through the backend, Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha found another record modified by Zhao Fang, dated May 21st.

It was likely that the first theft hadn't been discovered, which was why she carried out the second theft on May 28th.

Clearly, she had not acted on impulse.

It was long-term premeditation.

If not for this accidental discovery, there was no telling how many more items at Yujing No. 1 would have been swapped out.

"Housekeeper Shi, it was my greed! But 100,000 yuan is simply too much; I can't afford it.

How about this: I'll buy the items back from them to compensate, okay? They only bought them a few days ago; surely they haven't gotten them dirty or damaged!"

With the evidence right in front of her, Zhao Fang knew that further excuses would be useless.

She pointed toward the two buyers who were about to leave and looked at Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha with a near-pleading expression.

Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha said calmly, "Miss paid the full price for a new bag that she never even carried. Why should she have to take back a second-hand item?"

"She's so rich anyway, why does she have to hold it against me!" Zhao Fang said with a hint of anger, but once she realized what she had said, she hurriedly tried to patch it up, "No, what I mean is, they look just like new anyway, don't they?

Besides, besides, she doesn't use them often anyway, and things will oxidize if left sitting for too long."

She didn't want to pay the money, and she certainly didn't want to go to jail!

Everyone makes mistakes; why couldn't she just forgive her?

As expected, the richer people are, the more petty they are.

"Do you even hear what you're saying?" Qu Shu looked at her with utter disgust. "So, you stole items to sell, you don't want to pay for them, you just want to return second-hand goods to Miss, and then Miss is supposed to forgive you and be understanding? What exactly did Miss do wrong?"

Zhao Fang couldn't hear a word of it.

"But she was just letting them sit there, and things get old if they sit for a long time anyway! Besides, I'm willing to buy back the items I sold; essentially, there's no difference between that and the wear and tear from just letting them sit!" she argued.

Qu Shu laughed in frustration.

She rolled up her sleeves, determined to set her straight. "If you lent your boyfriend to someone else to use, and after they were done, they returned him to you to use, wouldn't you feel disgusted?

Is the wear and tear from leaving something in a cabinet the same as the wear and tear from taking it out into the world and having it come into contact with other people's hand sweat, rain, and grime?

When you steal something, you either return an identical brand-new item, or you pay the original price. Second-hand goods and brand-new products are simply not equivalent. Is that so hard to understand?"

Qu Shu asked these three questions in one breath.

But Zhao Fang was too deeply immersed in her own twisted logic to see reason.

"I only know that I return whatever I stole. By what right do you demand that I buy brand-new items? The serial numbers on new items wouldn't even match the ones she bought, so they wouldn't be her things anyway."

"Wow, you really are..."

Qu Shu wanted to argue with her some more, but Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha held her back. "Don't bother talking to her; you won't get through to her."

"Officer, we stand by our demands: either compensate with brand-new items or pay the full original price. We will not accept a third option... As things stand, we will not be forgiving her either."

If she had confessed quickly and actively admitted her mistake from the start, Miss would have agreed to write a letter of forgiveness.

But she refused to believe that and insisted on being stubborn, so there was no need to save face for her anymore.

The officer nodded and turned to Zhao Fang. "The amount you stole is significant, and because this was a repeated offense, it constitutes the crime of theft. If you show sincere remorse, obtain the victim's forgiveness, and return the stolen funds, there is a high probability of a lighter sentence. However, since you refuse to admit your mistake and refuse to pay, the law dictates a sentence of no less than three years and no more than ten years."

Upon hearing the sentence, Zhao Fang took a deep breath. "Fine! I'll pay the original price! I'll pay the original price, okay!"

She still acted as if she were the one who had been wronged.

The officer said, "Paying the original price for items you stole is only right. The amount involved is too large; even if the victim forgives you, the law will not take it lightly."

"What do you mean? I'm paying the money, isn't that enough?" Zhao Fang was visibly panicking.

The officer's expression was stern. "You have a bachelor's degree, yet you don't know how to spend your free time learning basic legal knowledge, only how to steal. As an adult, you need to pay the price for the mistakes you've made!"

"How could it come to this?"

The color drained from her lips in an instant. Zhao Fang pushed back her chair and ran to Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha, bowing repeatedly. "I was wrong, I was really wrong.

Housekeeper Shi, please, for the sake of us being colleagues for so long, could you put in a good word for me? 102,200 yuan, right? I'll pay it! I'll definitely pay it!

I just need a letter of forgiveness! We're all just working people; my family's financial situation is already bad, and life isn't easy. Please, I'm really begging you to help me, okay?"

"Let go!" Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha pried Zhao Fang's hands off her.

At this point, if she actually dared to go and plead on her behalf, it would be all over the industry by tomorrow, and she could forget about ever working in this field again.

"Housekeeper Shi, we're both just working people. Please, just do me this favor."

Qu Shu hadn't intended to speak, but hearing Zhao Fang's moral manipulation, she couldn't help but 'kick her while she was down.' "What were you doing before this?

Do you really know you were wrong? You're just scared, and you can't face the consequences. No one owes you anything."

Zhao Fang wept bitterly. "I won't ever do it again. I know Miss Ling is kind-hearted; I will be eternally grateful to her!"

"Is your gratitude worth anything?" Qu Shu forcefully pulled Zhao Fang's hands away and looked at her coldly. "And by the same token, your curses won't be worth anything either!"

As soon as Manager Tao Yu received the news, he dropped everything else and rushed to the police station, only to find Zhao Fang crying incessantly and Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha looking thoroughly displeased.

Upon seeing Manager Tao Yu, Zhao Fang instantly fell silent, even forgetting to cry.

Ling Yue was the employer, but her contract was signed with the housekeeping company. Manager Tao Yu was not nearly as easy to deal with as Ling Yue.

At that moment, Zhao Fang suddenly felt regret. Why hadn't she just admitted it from the beginning!

Things had escalated to this point; she had no way out.

"What's going on?" Manager Tao Yu glanced at Zhao Fang and strode over to Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha.

Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha explained the situation in detail and stood firm. "We will not be appealing, and Miss will not be issuing a letter of forgiveness.

The police can sentence her however they see fit. It would be best if the compensation could be recovered, but if not, the company will have to step in and cover the cost."

Manager Tao Yu pulled Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha aside. "Zhao Fang has been with the company for several years and has served several families before without ever having any issues with theft. Could this be a misunderstanding?"

"Zhao Fang confessed to it herself. There is evidence and there are witnesses; there is no misunderstanding," Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha said coldly.

Manager Tao Yu lowered his head and gritted his teeth.

He glared fiercely at Zhao Fang, then turned back to Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha. "The company will compensate according to the contract. We'll use the express channel and try to get the payment processed within three working days."

Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha nodded. "Miss said that this matter is left for the company to handle; she won't be involved anymore. The missing personal assistant position needs to be filled as soon as possible."

"When would Miss Ling be available? I'd like to go and apologize in person."

He wouldn't dare offend Ling Yue. Since the company's inception, she had been their biggest client!

Who could have imagined that the always honest and reliable Zhao Fang would suddenly go insane!

"Miss is busy. Apologies are hollow; only what's in hand actually counts." Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha looked over at Qu Shu. "We're leaving now. Manager Tao Yu, you can handle things here yourself."

"Hey! Sigh..." Manager Tao Yu took two steps after them, but Housekeeper Shi Xiaosha didn't stop.

He let out a sigh.

What a mess this was!

Manager Tao Yu turned back to the mediation room.

He looked at Zhao Fang with a displeased expression.

"M-Manager Tao..." Zhao Fang shot him a pleading look.

Manager Tao Yu withdrew his gaze and looked at the police officer. "We will cooperate fully."

Zhao Fang's heart, which had been hanging by a thread, finally died completely.