270: Let's start showing off!

Ye Chen was also surprised.

Bing Lan actually exposed his identity?

After all...

For Bing Lan, who had zero scandals, this was absolutely a major decision.

Once exposed, thorough preparations were necessary.

He just hadn't expected.

That she would reveal it so simply...

Li Qin, on the other hand, wore a beaming smile, looking like a spectator ready to enjoy the show.

If the situation were different, she would probably have grabbed a stool, sat in the middle, and given the crowd of onlookers a good rundown of Ye Chen and Bing Lan's 'love journey'.

Ignoring everyone's stunned gazes, Bing Lan spoke again.

"Actually, today's matter isn't about me arbitrarily indulging him just because he's my boyfriend."

"It's because A-Chen truly has the capability."

"Taking a step back, we're just testing a formula. If it succeeds, it will be an opportunity for Shu Yue. If it fails, we can always think of other methods."

"Isn't that right?"

Everyone in the room fell silent.

Bing Lan was right.

Things had come to this point; they could only try a desperate remedy. What if it actually worked?

"I'll go get the medicine!"

Seeing the situation, Li Qin eagerly raised her hand, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

"Younger Male Cousin, hurry up and write the prescription!"

"I guarantee I'll get the medicine back at the fastest speed possible!"

Ye Chen glanced at her, picked up a notepad from the conference table, and tore off a page directly.

Then.

As if no one else was around, he began writing swiftly, jotting down the names and dosages of over a dozen medicinal herbs.

After finishing, he handed the paper to Li Qin.

"Go on. Get the medicine according to the prescription. The quantities must be precise."

"Also, have them bring a mortar and pestle and a small alcohol burner along."

Li Qin took the prescription, quickly scanned it, and although she couldn't understand it, she nodded firmly. "Understood! Wait for my good news!"

After saying that.

She turned and rushed out of the conference room like a nimble swallow.

Time passed minute by minute.

In less than half an hour.

The conference room door was pushed open, and Li Qin barged in with great haste.

In one hand, she held a large bag of traditional Chinese medicine, and in the other, she carried a mortar and pestle and a small alcohol burner.

"Here we go!"

"Got everything!"

She dumped everything onto the conference table, caught her breath, and looked at Ye Chen as if seeking credit. "Younger Male Cousin, I ran to three major pharmacies nearby to get it all. The quantities are absolutely precise!"

"You've worked hard. Later, you'll be the first to become beautiful." Ye Chen nodded.

Li Qin's eyes lit up. "Great!"

Without further ado, Ye Chen walked straight to the table, opened the medicine bag, and began inspecting each of the dozen or so herbs one by one.

Dang Gui, Huang Qi, Bai Zhi, Fu Ling, pearl powder...

They were all common Chinese medicinal herbs, some so ordinary that a few executives nearby who knew a smidgeon secretly curled their lips.

Just this?

Could this develop a formula that could rival the cutting-edge skincare technology of The Group?

Ignoring the surrounding gazes, Ye Chen got to work.

He first picked out a few herbs that required pre-processing.

Then.

He placed all the herbs into the mortar. Without seeming to exert much force, he simply held the pestle and ground them with a certain rhythm.

At first, only a faint rustling sound came from the mortar.

But gradually, some nearby executives were surprised to discover that an almost imperceptible mist was rising from the mouth of the mortar, accompanied by a strange medicinal aroma.

This medicinal scent wasn't strong or pungent; instead, it made people feel slightly invigorated upon smelling it.

Han Hai and the Old Expert exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of surprise and doubt in each other's eyes.

Just this skill in handling the herbs and activating their properties didn't seem like something an ordinary person could do!

Could it be...

They had misjudged him???

Ye Chen continued grinding for ten minutes until the herbs inside the mortar had completely transformed into a dark brown medicinal paste.

He then stopped, lit the small alcohol burner, placed the mortar over a low flame to heat it slowly, and stirred with a wooden stick.

As the medicinal paste heated, its color gradually turned to a jade-brown, and the medicinal aroma became even more mellow.

Just as everyone thought it was almost finished, Ye Chen did something that left everyone dumbfounded...

He picked up a paper cutter from the conference table and lightly drew it across the tip of his left index finger.

A drop of bright red blood welled up.

"Huh?"

Li Qin became curious. "Younger Male Cousin, what are you doing?"

Bing Lan also furrowed her delicate brows, not understanding.

Ye Chen simply smiled, held his fingertip above the mortar, and let the drop of blood fall into the warm medicinal paste.

The next second.

The blood drop fell into the paste and was eerily absorbed by it.

Immediately after.

A rich medicinal scent wafted from the mortar.

"Done."

Ye Chen extinguished the alcohol burner, removed the mortar from the flame, and placed it on the table to cool.

The conference room was deathly silent.

Everyone looked at that jar of ointment, whose color somewhat resembled excrement, with complex feelings.

Ye Chen's series of actions just now had been so impressive they thought there was real hope.

But in the end...

When the excrement-like ointment was presented, they silently retracted that thought.

Could this ointment possibly benefit the skin?

Damn!

Not vomiting just from looking at it would be an achievement...

As if not seeing their disdainful expressions, Ye Chen instead scooped up a bit of the ointment with the wooden stick, showed it to everyone, and asked with a smile, "Who wants to try the effect first?"

In an instant.

Every executive in the conference room, regardless of gender, shrank their necks back in unison, their faces full of fear.

Are you kidding!

Never mind that this ointment looks like a lump of excrement; the fact that it contains Ye Chen's blood alone makes it feel really weird...

Han Hai's mouth twitched as he forced a smile. "Mr. Ye, isn't this trial phase a bit too hasty? At the very least, we should do an allergy test first, or find professional volunteers..."

"No need for all that trouble."

Ye Chen interrupted him, his gaze falling on Li Qin. "Sister Qin, how about you?"

Li Qin waved her hands repeatedly. "I... I'm young, beautiful, and lovely as a flower. Let's not do that for now. The opportunity should go to someone who really needs it!"

It wasn't that she didn't trust Ye Chen.

It was that the ointment really looked like a lump of runny poop, making it hard to accept!

The others also chimed in, finding various excuses to decline.

Things like having recent cosmetic procedures and not being able to use random products.

Or being naturally allergic to traditional Chinese medicine.

Or religious issues preventing the use of blood-containing products...

All sorts of reasons.

Bing Lan hesitated for a moment, about to offer herself.

But Ye Chen spoke again first. "Sister Qin, go and invite the auntie responsible for cleaning this floor up here."

"Huh?" Li Qin was stunned.

Everyone else in the conference room was also stunned.

Invite the cleaning lady?

What kind of move was this?

"Ye Chen!"

Han Hai couldn't help but speak up again. "The auntie is also a person! You can't have her try this... thing just because she's a cleaner! That's disrespectful to others!"

"Respect?" Ye Chen looked at him with a half-smile. "I'm giving her a chance to change herself. Isn't that respect?"

"But..."

Another female executive also couldn't help but frown. "This ointment really looks hard to accept. Having the auntie try it is a bit too..."

"Too what?"

Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh. "Do you think her skin is too poor, she's too old, and she's not worthy of using good skincare products?"

The whole room: "..."

That wasn't the issue, okay?

The issue was...

Your medicine looks like a lump of poop!

Actually.

Ye Chen knew where the problem lay.

But he was also helpless.

The ointment from the inheritance was just like this...

Speechless.

He said to Li Qin, "Sister Qin, why don't you just go ask if anyone is willing to try the medicine? Tell her that if she's not satisfied with the effect, I'll compensate her a hundred thousand. If she is satisfied, consider this opportunity a gift of fortune for her, but there's no money."

Everyone was startled upon hearing this, looking at Ye Chen with even stranger expressions.

A hundred thousand?

Just to try this lump?

Was Ye Chen overly confident, or did he have too much money to burn?

Li Qin stole a glance at Bing Lan and saw her give a slight nod.

She no longer hesitated. "Got it! I'm going right now!"

After saying that.

She turned and jogged out of the conference room.

Not long after, Li Qin led a middle-aged auntie in a blue cleaning uniform into the room.

The auntie looked to be in her fifties. Her skin appeared somewhat dull from years of labor, with noticeable wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, and her hands bore the marks of hard work...

She seemed uneasy at the moment, timidly surveying the conference room filled with important people.

"Auntie, don't be nervous."

Li Qin quietly reassured her, bringing her before Ye Chen. "This Mr. Ye would like to ask you for a small favor, to try out his newly made... um, skincare product. He said if you use it and aren't satisfied, he'll give you a hundred thousand yuan."

"A... hundred thousand?"

The auntie's eyes widened instantly, but then she looked at the jar of ointment on the table with its indescribable color, and her face showed hesitation and fear again.

Ye Chen gave the auntie a gentle smile. "Don't worry, auntie. This thing won't hurt you. Just apply it evenly on your face, like a thin mask. Rinse it off with clean water after one minute. It's very simple."

The auntie hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Then I'll give it a try."

She walked to the table and carefully scooped up a bit of the ointment.

The ointment felt slightly cool to the touch and didn't have the strange smell she imagined. Instead, it had a faint, clear herbal fragrance.

The auntie took a deep breath and began doing as Ye Chen said, rubbing the ointment between her palms and then applying it evenly to her face.

Immediately.

A cool, tingling sensation spread, feeling very comfortable.

Everyone in the conference room stared at her intently.

One minute later.

"Auntie, time's up. Just go wash it off with clean water in the bathroom inside." Ye Chen pointed to the attached private bathroom in the conference room.

"Oh, alright."

The auntie quickly agreed, hurried into the bathroom, and closed the door.

Just as everyone watched with anticipation, wondering if this big lump could possibly be effective...

Suddenly!

A sharp scream erupted from inside the bathroom.

"Ah—!!!"