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{Chapter: 348 Use the next few days to tease the product's potential}
Several guards, who had been stationed just outside the conference room, marched forward at once.
Zhang Zongliang's smile froze, his face contorting into indignation. He flicked his sleeves dramatically.
"Fine! I'll leave myself!" he snapped. "Now that the company's troubles are resolved, you just want to hoard all the benefits for yourself? Is that how you do business, President Yan?"
His voice was bitter and loud as he turned and stormed off, no longer bothering to mask his resentment.
Watching the man leave, Lin Yuan turned to Yan Ruyue and said calmly, "People like him only care about their own gain. If you let them go too easily, they might come back to bite you later."
Yan Ruyue nodded without hesitation. She understood Lin Yuan's meaning clearly.
"Don't worry," she said, her voice steady. "I've known Zhang Zongliang for years. I was never foolish enough to trust him. I've already gathered plenty of intel on his ventures and partnerships. Soon, his other investments will encounter... difficulties. I'll make sure he won't get the chance to cause trouble."
Despite her elegance and calm demeanor, Yan Ruyue had always been a strategic thinker. She was a businesswoman down to her bones—one who knew how to play both defense and offense.
Lin Yuan's eyes softened slightly as he reached out and gently patted her head.
"I underestimated you," he said with a chuckle.
The affectionate gesture took Yan Ruyue by surprise.
She had never allowed anyone to touch her like that before in her office. Not even her closest relatives. As someone who had grown up with deep-rooted trust issues and a strong aversion to most men, even casual contact usually made her uncomfortable.
But Lin Yuan was different.
His touch felt warm, reassuring—and oddly, it made her feel... safe.
Despite being in a formal meeting room, surrounded by her assistant Xiaoyun, Chen Yue, and several shareholders, she didn't pull away.
Instead, a faint blush crept up her cheeks.
She didn't dislike it at all.
In fact, she liked it.
At that moment, a system notification chimed softly in Lin Yuan's mind.
[Ding! Yan Ruyue's favorability +1! Reward: 800 counterattack points!]
Lin Yuan wasn't surprised.
He understood Yan Ruyue well.
She had always longed for a father figure, a source of warmth and protection—someone who wouldn't use or abandon her. And though his gesture was small, the fatherly, gentle nature of it stirred something deep inside her.
Of course, this only worked because her affection for Lin Yuan had already reached a very high level.
If it had been any other man who dared to touch her head like that, she wouldn't have hesitated to break his hand on the spot.
Yan Ruyue's discomfort around men was known by everyone in the company.
And yet, she allowed this from Lin Yuan.
That fact didn't escape the notice of those watching.
Xiaoyun and Chen Yue exchanged shocked glances. They were utterly stunned—not just because of the success of the company's revival, or Lin Yuan's god-like abilities—but because the ice-cold president they had worked with for years had just allowed a man to touch her so intimately... and had even smiled.
This moment shattered everything they thought they knew about her.
Yanyue Company wasn't just being reborn.
It was entering a new era—one led by two powerful, united figures who were rewriting every rule of the game.
And for those who left?
They could only look back from the outside and wonder what could have been.
—+---
Of course, considering Lin Yuan's striking appearance, noble aura, and the sheer capability he had just demonstrated in resolving two of the most pressing crises faced by Yanyue Company, it was not entirely surprising that Yan Ruyue appeared so relaxed and at ease in his presence. Still, for those who had always known Yan Ruyue as the famously cold and distant female president—someone who seldom allowed anyone close—the shift in her demeanor was nothing short of astonishing.
Even Xiaoyun and Chen Yue, who had worked with Yan Ruyue for years, were left stunned. For a fleeting moment, envy flickered in their eyes. Had it been anyone else who dared to touch Yan Ruyue's hair so gently, they would have been greeted with a glare sharp enough to freeze blood or possibly a slap on the spot. But Lin Yuan? He not only touched her hair, but Yan Ruyue didn't even flinch—she looked genuinely moved.
If Xiaoyun and Chen Yue didn't clearly understand their own positions and limitations, they too might have fantasized about receiving such intimate gestures from someone like Lin Yuan. But they were fully aware of how unreachable both Lin Yuan and Yan Ruyue were. All they could do was admire the chemistry between the two in silence.
After the initial moment of surprise, Yan Ruyue suddenly remembered they were still in the conference room, and her face turned slightly red. The flush on her cheeks contrasted beautifully with her usual ice-cold persona. She could feel the inquisitive and somewhat teasing gazes of Xiaoyun and Chen Yue falling on her like sunlight through glass.
Her pride pricked, and wanting to avoid more stares or questions, she made a swift decision.
Without hesitation, Yan Ruyue reached out and firmly took Lin Yuan's hand in hers. The touch was soft, yet filled with purpose. Without uttering a word, she pulled him with her, leading him out of the meeting room like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her steps were brisk, decisive—yet Lin Yuan could feel the warmth and nervous energy in her grip.
He didn't resist. Instead, he smiled.
This woman, who had once been shackled by her guarded nature and misandry, had recently shown more courage and vulnerability than ever. Yan Ruyue, once aloof and difficult to approach, was now taking bold steps—both in her personal and professional life.
Although there were still faint red imprints left on her hand from earlier stress, her emotions now were calm and collected. She wasn't harboring resentment. If anything, she was charging forward.
Once back inside her office—a sleek, modern space lined with minimalist elegance and a commanding view of the city skyline—Lin Yuan sat down across from her. Their expressions quickly shifted from personal to professional as they began to discuss the future direction of Yanyue Company.
First, they finalized the details of their strategic partnership and the equity transfer. Lin Yuan, now an official collaborator and strategic shareholder, would play a key role in the company's expansion, branding, and future product development.
Shortly after, Xiaoyun knocked and entered, reporting that all the medicinal ingredients Lin Yuan had requested had already been sourced and delivered.
Without missing a beat, Lin Yuan made his way to the company's in-house laboratory—a facility equipped with advanced research tools, originally used for skincare product testing. There, he personally handled the formulation process. Drawing upon his divine-level medical skills—far beyond even those of Ye Feng, who in the original novel had relied on more traditional means—Lin Yuan refined an essence that was not only purer but significantly more effective.
He didn't aim to simply match market standards. He wanted to surpass them.
The majority of facial masks on the market were, in reality, little more than water-based moisturizers. Their effects were often superficial and temporary. While some high-end brands added active ingredients, the pricing was disproportionate to actual benefits.
Ye Feng had previously made a small breakthrough by enhancing his products slightly and offering them at competitive prices. But Lin Yuan's approach was entirely different.
By integrating high-grade medicinal herbs with precision ratios and using advanced refinement techniques, he produced an essence that nourished the skin at a cellular level. It rejuvenated, repaired, and revitalized with a potency previously unheard of in mainstream skincare.
Later, he returned to Yan Ruyue's office with a small glass vial filled with translucent golden essence.
"Try it," he said simply.
Yan Ruyue, intrigued, carefully applied the new formula to her face. Within seconds, she noticed a difference.
Her eyes widened with surprise.
"My face... it's never felt this clean and refreshed," she murmured, touching her cheeks with both hands. "And it's not that oily, slippery feeling that most masks leave behind. It's light—almost weightless—but the effect is immediate. My skin looks brighter. The fatigue from yesterday... it's like it's vanished."
She leaned closer to the smartphone on her desk and turned her head slightly, observing the fine changes.
"I didn't get much sleep because of all the company issues. It was showing on my face—but now, it's like I've been to a luxury spa. Lin Yuan, this formula... it's easily ten times more effective than our current flagship mask."
Her joy was radiant—like a flower in full bloom. Her excitement wasn't just professional; it was personal. She had tested countless skincare products over the years. Never had she experienced something so visibly transformative.
Seeing her happiness, Lin Yuan smiled calmly and said, "I'll finalize the written formula. Production can begin immediately. But don't go public with it just yet. We'll need to build momentum."
He continued, his tone turning strategic.
"Use the next few days to tease the product's potential. Hint at a revolutionary beauty formula, but don't release anything concrete. Create mystery and anticipation both online and offline. That's our bait."
"From the recent moves of Ye Feng and the Chen family, it's clear they're planning something. I predict they'll jump into the facial mask industry within three days. Their goal will be twofold: profit and disruption. They want to hurt Yanyue Company and provoke me into reacting."