This was a form of protection for informants, but it was also a form of connivance for those who tried to fish in troubled waters and frame people.

“Actually, other than the company and Dad’s previous research institute incident, another incident has happened in the past two days.”

“Junhao!”

“Dad, at this point, what’s there to hide? There are no outsiders here.”

When Cheng Xiuqin heard this, she also felt that something was wrong. She frowned and said, “Dad, what else are you hiding from us?”

“Actually, it’s nothing much. It’s just some old things that happened in the research institute.”

Cheng Junhao was furious. “That’s nothing. That shameless person even said that you plagiarized!”

“Plagiarized?” Su Yayan’s expression changed slightly. “What can Grandpa plagiarize?”

Thinking about it again, the old man had just mentioned the research institute, and Su Yayan’s face immediately darkened. “Grandpa and Grandma’s research results back then?”

“… Yes.” Now, the old man also knew that this matter could not be hidden anymore, so he had to tell the truth, “Actually, it was an assistant who followed me back then. He was a little talented but had an evil heart. Later, something happened, and I kicked him out of the research institute.”

“So he was holding a grudge. Seeing that something happened to you, he came out to falsely accuse you of plagiarizing your research findings?”

“Yes.”

Su Yayan subconsciously turned to look at Huo Chenhuan. This was too much of a coincidence.

Just as something happened to their family, someone rushed out to spread rumors that were both true and false. They were the first to lower the public’s impression of the person involved, causing people to have a bad impression of the person involved.

Even if they were to clarify that these were all rumors and that the report was not true, those gossipers would ignore them and pretend to be deaf and mute. They would think that the higher-ups were deliberately protecting the privileged personnel and bullying ordinary people like them.

“Grandpa, what happened back then that made you drive him out of the research institute?”

Su Yayan did not think that her grandfather was someone who did not distinguish between public and private matters. This person must have done something extremely overboard to cross the old man’s bottom line, which was why he was so ruthless.

As an assistant who was personally chased out by his senior, who would dare to take him in so easily in the other regular laboratories?

“He…” At the mention of this, Old Master Cheng’s face also turned a little dark, “He used his identity in the research institute to receive kickbacks from the equipment, and he almost leaked the things we were researching and analyzing at that time.”

Su Yayan was shocked. This was already considered a leak of trade secrets, right? Moreover, due to the special nature of the research institute, if he were to be investigated, his crime would be much more serious than leaking trade secrets.

This was an academic secret. If he were to be investigated strictly, it would be a light punishment if he were to be sent to prison for a few years. He might even be implicated in some unknown big crime.

“Has this matter not been recorded?” If it had been recorded, how could he be allowed to jump up and down here and bite back?

“When the matter was exposed, he knelt in front of your grandmother and me to admit his mistake. He wanted us to give him a chance to repent. Your grandmother was soft-hearted and thought that he had just gone astray for a moment. In the end, she couldn’t bear to see a young man’s life ruined because of this. She just wanted me to kick him out of the research institute and never hire him.”

However, the facts proved that some people were fundamentally crooked. Even if you gave him 1,001 chances, he would never really repent.

The temporary plea for forgiveness was just to find an opportunity to pick up the butcher’s knife again in the future. Meaningless softness could only be exchanged for another backstab by an ingrate.