Upon hearing Wang Qiqi's hypothesis, the three men, John included, burst out laughing. "Qiqi, are you serious? How could you think Sam likes Anna? Granted, Anna is attractive, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that she is not Sam's type," the Fatty said bluntly, helping himself to some food. Watching John’s clumsy attempts to pick up food, the Fatty struggled to suppress a laugh.

Seeing how he was struggling, the Fatty worried that if John managed to fill his stomach, they’d still need a late-night snack. Since they were all close, there was no need to be so formal. "John, why don't you just use a spoon?"

The Fatty meant well, but John was a man of principle. He proudly refused the suggestion. "No way. I refuse to be defeated by a pair of chopsticks." John thought to himself, I can master the keyboard with such skill, there’s no reason I can’t manage chopsticks.

The Fatty watched John insist on using the chopsticks and decided to remain silent. After all, he had offered advice, and it was John’s choice not to listen. However, the Fatty wouldn't hold back his chopsticks just because of someone's awkwardness; in the face of delicious food, everyone was equal.

Wang Qiqi found the Fatty’s certainty strange. She knew the Fatty and Sam weren't close, and the Fatty wasn't the type to frequent bars. How could he possibly know what kind of girl Sam liked? Especially since Wang Qiqi had noticed there wasn't a single photo of a girlfriend on Sam’s desk—only pictures with his parents and his dog. "How do you know he doesn't like Anna? Her figure is pretty good, too." Although her skin tone wasn't ideal, her figure was definitely excellent—all the right curves in the right places. Wasn't that appealing enough for a homebody like him?

Wang Qiqi knew that plenty of people at the company had tried to woo Anna privately. But first, she was interested in Han Tao, and then the rumor broke that she already had a boyfriend. This discouraged any potential suitors. For the Fatty to be so sure Anna wasn't Sam’s type, there was one other possibility. "Is he gay?" Although foreigners were often open-minded, homosexuality wasn't widely accepted. Otherwise, Brokeback Mountain wouldn't have caused such a sensation a few years later. Before that, there were very few films focusing on same-sex relationships, and few celebrities admitted to being gay.

Sam was gay? Han Tao felt dizzy. Although he was a rather reserved man, he couldn't see anything effeminate about Sam. "Qiqi, are you mistaken?"

John flinched too. "Just stop talking nonsense." Although they wouldn't really do anything to Sam if he were gay, John felt a growing sense of discomfort, especially after hearing today that Anna was talking about Sam being on the phone with someone outside. John kept feeling increasingly uneasy about him. If Sam really was gay, John felt a wave of disgust.

The Fatty had been wondering how to tell them about the scene he witnessed, but he hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to blurt out the possibility herself. "Qiqi, you know? Did you see something?" Heavens. At most, they would press him about what type of girl Sam liked. How did she know Sam didn't like Anna? But Qiqi had actually guessed correctly—she was incredibly sharp.

"Huh, no way," Wang Qiqi replied, equally surprised. Han Tao and John fell silent. "I was just guessing. I didn't expect I’d be right! Hurry up and tell us, how did you know?" Wang Qiqi thought Sam must have been very careful to keep it secret. Plus, he often stayed late working at the company. If he had a sweetheart, why would he work himself so hard?

"Last time, I went to visit Weiwei, right? Then Weiwei suggested we go bar-hopping. Since I wasn't used to it, Weiwei and I left early. As we passed a gay bar, I saw him hugging and kissing a man. At first, I thought I was seeing things, considering Sam usually stays home on his days off. Why would he drive five or six hours to a place like that? When I passed by, I heard the man call out Sam's name, so I took a second look and realized it was indeed Sam. Tao, you know I wouldn't want to expose something like that, especially since he specifically traveled so far." The Fatty briefly explained why he hadn't mentioned it sooner; it was someone's private business, and he wouldn't have said anything if it hadn't concerned Sam this time.

Wang Qiqi and the others let out a collective "Oh." Given the Fatty's nature, he wouldn't lie. But that wasn't what struck them as strangest. It was the Fatty suddenly adding, "I suddenly thought that man looked a little familiar." Dali Jun had seen him before but forgotten; it wasn't a pleasant memory, so he hadn't dwelled on it. But recalling the scene now, the Fatty felt that the other person involved wasn't entirely a stranger.

Familiar? For the Fatty, who wasn't interested in recognizing celebrities, to say someone looked familiar suggested it must be either a classmate, a senior from his school, or someone from the IT industry. If it was the latter, that person must be quite successful, the kind who gave interviews. If it was the former, Wang Qiqi thought the issue wouldn't be too big—it just meant the object of Sam's affection was someone the Fatty knew. But if it was the latter, Wang Qiqi felt the problem was huge. She wondered if they were just discussing their future plans, or if the other person was using a honey trap to acquire some vital company secrets.

Finally getting a lead, Wang Qiqi was anxious to press the Fatty on who the other person might be, but Han Tao quickly pulled her back, shaking his head. "Let the Fatty think it through. You'll interrupt his train of thought." It wasn't just Qiqi who was anxious; Han Tao was equally worried. The company wasn't just where his dreams resided; it was also the source of his future happiness. Hearing that someone might be targeting the company, how could he possibly remain calm?

John stopped wrestling with the chopsticks. All three stared intently at the Fatty, who kept muttering under his breath, "I definitely have seen him. Why can't I remember?"

As minute after minute passed and the Fatty still couldn't recall the person’s identity, Wang Qiqi started to lose heart. Even Han Tao beside her began drinking, seemingly resigned to disappointment.

"Could it be a senior from school, or someone you saw in an IT magazine?" Wang Qiqi refused to give up. Although they could track Sam to find out who his partner was, what if Sam tightened his security and only communicated via phone or email recently?

"A senior!" Wang Qiqi’s reminder made the Fatty's eyes light up. After thinking for two minutes, he finally remembered. "It’s Richard! Yes, it’s him!" The Fatty clenched his fist. Yes! I finally remembered.

Wang Qiqi was unfamiliar with the name, but when Han Tao and John heard "Richard," their expressions turned grave. "What's wrong? You two know this person too?" Heavens, their expressions were so serious. Wang Qiqi worried they had run into a formidable enemy.

"Richard is an IT prodigy. He designed several successful games a long time ago, earning a fortune..." Han Tao briefly explained the man’s background. "But after he became addicted to drugs, his condition declined significantly, and the company's operational capability also suffered." Han Tao sighed, lamenting how such a talented person could fall so far. He kept this lesson close to heart, staying far away from that particular vice, but he never expected this person might now be plotting something.

Wang Qiqi finally understood the man’s glorious past. But even a glorious past was history. "He brought it on himself. Getting some money made him lose perspective. There’s nothing to sigh about for someone like that. By the way, you better not turn out like him." Although Wang Qiqi knew her man was absolutely a good provider with no chance of touching such things, a preemptive warning was necessary. "At least now we know he has a motive. The company isn't doing as well as before, and he needs money to keep up appearances, right? It all comes down to money." Wang Qiqi thought Anna hadn't spread false information this time; she hadn't wrongly accused an innocent person.

John looked stunned, then thoughtful. "Tom, when you saw them that day, did they see you?"

The Fatty scratched his head, admitting he wasn't entirely sure. "Their demeanor wasn't quite normal. Sam seemed drunk, but Richard was more than just drunk. He looked like he was high—his eyes were unfocused, totally different from a normally drunk person." The Fatty admitted that if Sam hadn't been sitting right there, heavily intoxicated, he might not have been able to tell. "So I think they probably didn't see me."

Hearing this, John cautioned him. "From now on, treat Sam exactly as you have been; don't let him notice anything amiss. I'll go investigate the situation. Someone had mentioned before that Richard was planning something big, but given his current state, how big could it be? I always assumed they were talking nonsense or that Richard was creating a smokescreen to attract new investment. But now, it seems it might not be a smokescreen—it might actually be aimed at our company." John became furious at the thought of someone resorting to such despicable tactics. "Tomorrow, you guys find a reason to modify the procedures we prepared earlier, making sure to save the correct version. Postpone the new testing. I’m worried if our test passes this time, the other side will make a move. I’ll go prepare and gather information." Someone was scheming behind the scenes? John had to guard against it. If it turned out he was just being paranoid later, that would be the best outcome. But if someone was truly making a move, they wouldn't be caught flat-footed. "Han Tao and I will continue our work."

"Got it," Han Tao and Tom confirmed.

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