Chapter 307: The Third Path
Bauhinia Pharmaceutical Company was located in the Provincial City’s industrial park, on a sprawling campus of several hundred acres.
The campus was divided into several sections: a cultivation center, a research building, factory workshops, and an office building.
Bauhinia Pharmaceutical Company was a hive of activity. Under the direction of mid-level managers, employees were cleaning and hanging banners, creating a festive atmosphere.
SCREECH...
Lin Ruoxi’s car came to a stop in front of the cafeteria.
After getting out of the car, Cheng Yuan asked gently, "Ruoxi, what’s all this? It looks pretty lively."
Lin Ruoxi smiled. "At two o’clock this afternoon, our Yuanxi Pharmaceutical is holding a press conference to officially launch the Anti-Aging Cream!"
Cheng Yuan’s mood suddenly brightened. ’Yuanxi Pharmaceutical? It seems I hold a pretty high position in Ruoxi’s heart after all!’
"Come on. I’ll take you to the cafeteria for lunch first. You can rest for a bit afterward, and then you can join me at the press conference."
Cheng Yuan gave a slight nod in agreement.
Led by Lin Ruoxi, Cheng Yuan entered the cafeteria.
Along the way, all the employees greeted Lin Ruoxi with great respect before turning to look at Cheng Yuan with curiosity, wondering who this handsome man was that President Lin was personally taking to lunch.
Lin Ruoxi led Cheng Yuan to the smaller, second-floor dining hall and ordered several dishes she knew he liked.
With President Lin personally placing the order, the cafeteria staff gave it top priority. In less than ten minutes, all the dishes were served.
Cheng Yuan tried them and remarked that the food was quite good.
As they ate, they chatted about what they had been up to over the past few days, and the warmth between them grew during the simple lunch.
Just as the atmosphere was getting comfortable, Lin Ruoxi’s phone rang.
Lin Ruoxi took out her phone and saw it was a call from her assistant, Hua Fangfang. She answered and asked gently, "Fangfang, did the patent registration go through?"
Hua Fangfang’s voice was frantic. "President Lin, this is bad! My contact at the patent office told me that the patent for the Anti-Aging Cream has already been registered! Its stated medicinal effects are identical to our Anti-Aging Cream! If we launch it at the press conference, we’ll be committing infringement."
The color drained from Lin Ruoxi’s face. "Which company registered the patent?"
"Huanya Pharmaceutical."
Lin Ruoxi’s expression turned grim. ’Huanya Pharmaceutical?’ If it had been any other pharmaceutical company, it might have been a coincidence—a case where both companies had the same idea, and the other one was just a step faster.
But for it to be Huanya Pharmaceutical of all companies... that meant the problem was much bigger.
Lin Ruoxi’s mind raced, but she couldn’t think of a good solution.
On the other end of the line, Hua Fangfang was growing anxious. "President Lin, we’ve already made the announcement! If we don’t unveil a new product at the press conference, our stock price will plummet! You have to think of something!"
"I know."
Lin Ruoxi hung up and rubbed her temples in frustration.
Cheng Yuan asked, his heart aching for her, "Honey, what’s wrong?"
Lin Ruoxi quickly explained the situation. "Huanya Pharmaceutical is shameless! They stole our formula and registered the patent for the Anti-Aging Cream ahead of us. If we launch the Anti-Aging Cream at the press conference, we’ll be infringing, and they could sue us into bankruptcy. But if we don’t launch a new product, the company’s credibility will be destroyed, our shareholders and investors will lose all confidence, and the stock price will likely plummet! No matter what we choose, it’s a no-win situation!"
Cheng Yuan smiled faintly. "Ruoxi, don’t worry. What if we took a third path?"
Lin Ruoxi was taken aback. "A third path?"
"We just launch a new product that’s even better than the Anti-Aging Cream."
Lin Ruoxi gave a wry smile. "Honey, you make it sound so simple. Yuanxi Pharmaceutical invested two hundred million in R&D and spent a full five years developing the Anti-Aging Cream! New products aren’t as easy to develop as you think."
Cheng Yuan said with supreme confidence, "For ordinary people, developing a new product is certainly difficult. But for your husband, it’s a piece of cake! Now, take me to the lab."
Lin Ruoxi trusted Cheng Yuan one hundred percent. Without a moment’s hesitation, she hurried him toward the research building.
As they walked, Lin Ruoxi asked, "Honey, can you tell me what kind of product you’re planning to develop?"
"Yuanxi produces health drinks, right? I want to make a health drink."
"We do. But most health drinks are just gimmicks. They don’t have any real medicinal value. It would be difficult for one to become a blockbuster product that could crush the Anti-Aging Cream."
"I have a way to give a health drink the effects of strengthening the body, beautifying the skin, and extending one’s life. Wouldn’t a health drink like that become a blockbuster?"
Lin Ruoxi laughed. "It doesn’t even need all those functions. Any one of them would be incredible! If it’s really as you say, it could definitely take all of Dongshan by storm, maybe even the entire Dragon Country. But how can you possibly give a health drink those kinds of effects?"
The corners of Cheng Yuan’s mouth turned up slightly as he took out a Three Patterns Rejuvenation Pill and handed it to Lin Ruoxi.
"Ruoxi, smell this."
Looking skeptical, Lin Ruoxi brought the Rejuvenation Pill to her nose and took a whiff.
Huh?
The fragrance was so fresh and pleasant, not at all pungent.
’Why did Cheng Yuan want me to smell this pill?’
The next second, her expression changed dramatically!
Lin Ruoxi had been very busy these past few days, and her body was exhausted.
But after inhaling that fresh scent, she felt a surge of energy. The fatigue in her body instantly vanished, and she became invigorated and radiant!
She even had a strange sensation.
Her skin all over felt warm and tingly, as if every last one of her capillaries was opening up!
Lin Ruoxi quickly fumbled in her handbag for a small mirror and looked at her reflection.
Lin Ruoxi was stunned!
She had been so tired lately that her complexion had been poor and her face pale. But now, her face was rosy, and her skin had become more delicate and firm.
It was like she had returned to her eighteen-year-old self!
Lin Ruoxi asked in amazement, "Honey, is this an Immortal Pill? How can it have such powerful effects?"
Cheng Yuan smiled faintly. "Not quite an Immortal Pill, but it has about thirty percent of an Immortal Pill’s Medicinal Power. If we infuse this Elixir into a health drink, do you think our beverage will be a massive hit?"
Lin Ruoxi nodded enthusiastically, like a chicken pecking at grain. "Yes, definitely! Let’s go figure out the ingredient ratios right now! We need to produce a few bottles as soon as possible!"
Cheng Yuan said gently, "Honey, don’t be in such a hurry. First, we need to find the mole in your company. Then we can work on the new drink."
A mole?
Lin Ruoxi froze, then quickly realized what he meant. "Honey, you’re right. There must be a mole in Yuanxi Pharmaceutical, and a high-level one at that. But how can we possibly find them in such a short amount of time?"
Cheng Yuan smiled faintly. "In a little while, gather all the senior executives. I’ll help you screen them."
Lin Ruoxi gave a wry smile. "Honey, this will be your first time meeting them. How are you going to screen them? Don’t tell me you can read minds."
Cheng Yuan said gently, "I can’t read minds, but I can read faces."