Chapter 73: Chapter 73: When the Petty Man Gains Power
"What... What?!"
"What nonsense is this kid talking about!"
"Damn it, this has to be on purpose! Where did this guy come from, trying to stomp on our R&D Department? This is infuriating!"
"Who does this nobody think he is, spouting such nonsense? Iām speechless! If President Luo werenāt here, Iād rush up and slap him across the face!"
The members of the R&D Department looked like they wanted to jump up and curse, glaring furiously at Chen Xiao.
Luo Qingli looked at Chen Xiao in disbelief, then said with irritation, "Alright, my head is killing me, and now youāre here making snide remarks? Just get out!"
Chen Xiao was speechless. "Iām being serious!"
Elder Cheng snorted coldly. "Young man, just give it up. Do you have any idea how hard it is to develop a product? Do you know how many failures and setbacks one must endure? Do you know how good our previous products were?"
"You donāt know anything, yet you stand here spouting nonsense."
"President Luo, please throw this person out! Donāt let him ruin the mood for everyone in the R&D Department!"
Luo Qingli felt helpless seeing how furious Elder Cheng was.
This was because the beauty product had been developed from a modification of Elder Chengās ancestral beauty formula. It had taken half a year of research and refinement using modern technology, successfully retaining its original effects. Chen Xiaoās remark didnāt just call the product trash; it called Elder Chengās ancestral formula trash. Who wouldnāt be enraged by that?
Zhang Yi sneered. "Life is truly full of surprisesāa toad giving pointers to a man! Who do you think you are to criticize us? Are you saying that the product our R&D Department worked so hard to develop is just a piece of waste paper?!"
"Thatās right," Chen Xiao nodded. "Isnāt it?"
At that, the entire room fell dead silent. Then, many people in the R&D Department slammed their desks and shot to their feet, practically fuming.
Elder Chengās head was buzzing, and his blood pressure instantly shot up!
"Master!" Cheng Yi hurriedly supported him.
"Kid... you... If you donāt explain yourself clearly today, donāt even think about walking out that door!"
The usually calm Elder Cheng was so provoked he lost his composure. Everyone in the R&D Department was displeased, aiming all their hostility at Chen Xiao. This guy was just too arrogant! He had no respect for the fruits of their labor and was trampling all over their efforts!
Luo Qingliās head was throbbing, and her tone turned colder. "Go outside. Donāt cause me any more trouble."
Chen Xiao pursed his lips. "Iām not wrong. In my opinion, this thing is just mediocre."
Any of my beauty formulas could wipe the floor with it. I donāt know why this bunch of sheltered people are getting so worked up.
Elder Cheng said coldly, "Young man, I donāt know where you get the confidence to belittle my familyās ancestral formula! This was a recipe exclusively used by the imperial concubines for their beauty treatments back in the day! If its effects arenāt good, then what formulaās effects are?"
"Youāll find out soon enough." Chen Xiao pursed his lips.
Iām not foolish enough to leak the formula to these people, not when thereās a mole in their midst. Besides, I can see how important this formula is to Luo Qingli. I only need to show it to her.
The secretary trembled behind Luo Qingli.
Where does this guy get the audacity to spout such outrageous claims? Heās just stirring up trouble at this critical moment, provoking the entire R&D Department and making President Luoās situation even more awkward! Heās nothing but a shit-stirrer.
Seeing how thoroughly Chen Xiao had infuriated the R&D team, Luo Qingli quickly pulled him out of the room.
"What do you think youāre doing? This product is the culmination of the entire R&D Departmentās hard work! It also took me a great deal of effort to persuade Elder Cheng to modify his ancestral formula! Now youāve just made everything much more complicated. I was counting on them to help me restore the formulaās data."
"Forget it. Iāll just have to find a way for them to recover the data theyāve been researching. Maybe they can restore the formula in a short amount of time."
Chen Xiao said nonchalantly, "Thereās no need for all that trouble. Iāll give you a formula that will dominate the entire market."
His words left Luo Qingli stunned. "Are you serious?"
"Of course. When have I ever lied?" Chen Xiao picked up a nearby pen and paper and quickly scribbled down a formula. "Remember, donāt let anyone else see this."
Luo Qingli carefully tucked the note into her pocket.
"Will it really work?" she muttered, her voice laced with doubt.
Chen Xiao was losing his patience.
How dare this woman question my abilities again and again?
"Fine! Iāll concoct the finished product myself. You can try it tonight and see the effects for yourself!"
He wasted no more words and immediately contacted Zhou Yuan, asking him to prepare some medicinal herbs and deliver them to the Luo Group.
Luo Qingli was now a mix of skepticism and anticipation. Seeing Chen Xiaoās brimming confidence, she felt she had no choice but to trust him for now.
Just then, Luo Linlin came sauntering over, clinging flirtatiously to Xiao Hanās arm. She stopped directly in front of Luo Qingli and Chen Xiao. "Luo Qingli, I hear youāve caused another huge disaster. The beauty product project the company invested so much in went up in smoke?"
Seeing Luo Linlinās smug, gloating expression, Luo Qingli wanted nothing more than to slap her heavily made-up face. Her own pretty face turned ashen with rage.
Luo Baifeng, dressed in a sharp suit, strode over with an air of confidence. "Qingli! What is wrong with you? Why do you keep making such major blunders? How can the board of directors trust your capabilities? First the fire at the company, and now the formula has been stolen! You bear undeniable responsibility for this! If you canāt resolve this properly... heh!"
Luo Qingli knew perfectly well that the Luo Group had invested so much in developing this beauty product mainly because she had pushed for it so strongly. If things went wrong, she would undoubtedly be the one to take the fall. Seeing their gloating expressions, she had a growing suspicion that they were involved.
"You did this, didnāt you?"
Luo Linlin gave a cold, flirtatious laugh. "You can eat whatever you want, but you canāt just say whatever you want. Donāt go slinging mud at us! Besides, even if it was us, you donāt have any proof!"
As insiders at the Luo Group, they knew the company inside and out. They had prepared a foolproof plan before making their move, so how could they possibly have left any evidence behind?
Luo Linlin laughed with sheer triumph. "Oh, by the way, Young Master Jiang, Young Master Qin, and I also have a beauty product project thatās about to launch. Weāll be sure to invite you to the press conference."
Hearing this, Luo Qingliās breath caught in her throat.
Itās obvious. Theyāre the ones who stole the Luo Groupās formula. And theyāve colluded with the Qin Family and Jiang Tianyiās group. Theyāre trying to drive me into a corner!
"Remember to come! Hahahahaā" Luo Linlin cackled triumphantly.
Xiao Han sneered. "Go on, keep up your tough act. Just donāt come crying to us later, begging us to spare you and give you a way out!"
Luo Qingliās face was ashen as she watched them leave.
Once Iām kicked out of the presidentās chair, given their incompetence, the Luo Group will be devoured bit by bit. I canāt just stand by and watch them ruin the empire my grandfather worked so hard to build!
"To think theyād team up with outsiders against the Luo Group! That father and daughter must have lost their minds!" she fumed.
"Donāt worry. They wonāt be gloating for long. The bigger their investment, the greater their loss," Chen Xiao said nonchalantly.
Because the moment my formula comes out, the one they stole will be nothing more than a worthless piece of paper!