Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

Jiang Xue couldn't help but scoff disdainfully, "Jiang Nianyu, who is this blowhard? Improve Jade Face Cream? What a joke!"

Jiang Changming added with a forced smile, "Nianyu, you should have this irrelevant person leave immediately. This is no small matter, and we don't have time for his games."

The group continued to scorn Zhao Dong, but he ignored them, his gaze fixed solely on Jiang Nianyu. All that mattered to him was her decision.

Jiang Nianyu looked deeply into Zhao Dong's eyes before turning to the crowd. "I believe Zhao Dong! If he says he can do it, then he absolutely can!"

Zhao Dong offered a faint smile, but the people around them were aghast, their jaws nearly dropping. "President Jiang, are you serious? You're going to rely on some nobody to find the problem and improve Jade Face Cream? Have you lost your mind?"

"Exactly! To improve the cream, you'd have to give him the formula! President Jiang, the formula for Jade Face Cream is a corporate secret. Can you bear the responsibility if it's leaked?"

Zhao Dong sneered, "It's just some simple cream. I'm really not interested."

His words sent the crowd into a rage. "You insolent whelp! Jade Face Cream is a star product in the beauty industry. Who are you to belittle it so casually? Someone, get him out of here!"

Security guards outside the door started to move, but Jiang Nianyu raised a hand, her voice icy. "I'd like to see anyone dare touch Zhao Dong today!"

Everyone froze, their expressions grim.

Jiang Nianyu turned to Zhao Dong and said, word by word, "Zhao Dong, I believe you. Come with me to the R&D lab."

Zhao Dong nodded and began to follow her, but the people behind them erupted. "President Jiang, think this through! The R&D lab is a highly classified area of the corporation. You can't just bring an outsider in!"

Jiang Nianyu replied coldly, "I am the president. What's wrong with me taking someone there?"

Just then, Jiang Xue interjected, "Jiang Nianyu, you need to be able to tell right from wrong! They're correct. The R&D lab is a classified area. Bringing an outsider in is irresponsible to the corporation!"

Jiang Nianyu faced the crowd. "I know what I'm doing. I trust Zhao Dong."

Jiang Xue frowned. "Your trust is meaningless. *We* need to trust him. So, how about this? We'll allow you to take him in. But if this person you've brought can't identify the problem or improve Jade Face Cream, we will consider it an intentional leak of corporate secrets, and you will voluntarily resign as president. How about it?"

Jiang Nianyu's body shook. She clenched her teeth, her eyes narrowing as she stared coldly at Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue spoke indifferently, "Don't blame me. I'm also thinking of the corporation's best interests. I don't covet your position as president; I'm just advising you not to be so impulsive. The choice is yours. If you accept the terms, then take him."

Zhao Dong patted Jiang Nianyu's shoulder and gave her a faint smile. "Trust me."

Seeing the smile on his lips, Jiang Nianyu was momentarily dazed. The next second, she scanned the room and declared, "I trust Zhao Dong! If he cannot solve this problem, I will voluntarily resign from my position as president!"

She turned and headed for the R&D lab with Zhao Dong, the others following close behind, their faces etched with shock.

Jiang Nianyu is willing to make such a huge wager? Could this kid actually have some incredible skill?

Jiang Changming pushed up his glasses and looked at Jiang Xue. "Xue, what's this guy's background? Could he really have what it takes to find the problem?"

Jiang Xue shook her head disdainfully. "Impossible. I have a Ph.D. from the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and even I couldn't find anything wrong. I even had several of my professors look at the Jade Face Cream, and they couldn't do anything either. What could some nobody who just popped out of nowhere possibly do?"

Jiang Changming nodded thoughtfully, then gave a cold smile. "Well, I for one am curious to see what kind of stunt Jiang Nianyu is pulling today."

The R&D lab was filled with high-precision instruments, looking like a high-tech base from a movie. Staff in white lab coats and masks bustled about.

Jiang Nianyu led Zhao Dong straight to a display counter where a small jar of pale green paste sat. "Zhao Dong, this is the latest batch of Jade Face Cream. See if you can find the problem."

Her heart was in her throat; she had just gambled her presidency on him. All she could do now was pray that Zhao Dong was the real deal and not just bluffing. The crowd gathered around, their gazes a mixture of curiosity and mockery as they watched Zhao Dong.

Jiang Xue looked at him with disdain. "As a Ph.D. from a university of traditional medicine, even I couldn't see any issue. It would be a miracle if you could."

Zhao Dong replied calmly, "And what happens if I do?"

Jiang Xue was taken aback for a second before snorting, "Then do whatever you want!"

"Alright." Without another word, Zhao Dong brought the jar of Jade Face Cream to his nose and took a sniff. He then dabbed a small amount on the back of his hand before speaking calmly, "Ink Fragrance Powder, Pearl Sand, Nine Clarity Lotus, Abyssal Water Lily, Musk, Beeswax, Angelica Root, Evening Primrose, Autumn Orchid, Cowrie Shell..."

Zhao Dong rattled off dozens of ingredients. The crowd's expressions shifted from disdain to confusion, then to surprise, and finally, to utter shock and disbelief. He had recited the formula for Jade Face Cream precisely, without a single error. Everyone was astounded. It was the first time any of them had seen someone figure out the entire formula just by sight and smell.

Even Jiang Nianyu was stunned, a strange light glinting in her eyes as she looked at him.

Jiang Xue stared blankly at Zhao Dong, utterly shocked. "How... How is that possible?" she murmured. "How could you know that? Even my mentor couldn't figure it out..."

In that instant, the way she looked at him changed. Jiang Xue appreciated talent, and Zhao Dong had just won her over completely. If Zhao Dong really figured out the formula for Jade Face Cream on his own, he's a genius! The kind of top-tier talent that any university of traditional medicine would fight over!

Her tone softened, the earlier contempt replaced by a hint of excitement. "Since you can identify the formula, can you tell what's wrong with it?"

Zhao Dong pondered for a moment. "There are two problems. First, there's an issue with the quality of the herbs in this batch. Many of them were soaked in a chemical solution, which neutralized the other ingredients and triggered an adverse chemical reaction. This is the direct cause of the inflammation on the customers' faces. Second, someone tampered with the batch."

"What?!" everyone exclaimed.

Jiang Nianyu asked gravely, "Tampered with how?"

"The dosages of several herbs are wrong," Zhao Dong explained. "For some ingredients, a slight variation doesn't matter. But for others, even a single gram more or less can cause a world of difference!"

Shocked and confused, Jiang Nianyu asked, "But why didn't the experts detect any of this?"

"Partly because the concentration of the chemical agent is too low to be easily detected," Zhao Dong said calmly, "and partly because you have a mole among your lab technicians."

The crowd gasped. Even Jiang Nianyu's expression hardened. The testing and research divisions were the two most critical departments in the corporation. If there were moles in both, the entire company was in grave danger.

At that moment, no one noticed a fierce glint appear in the eyes of a technician standing just behind Jiang Nianyu. Before anyone could react, the man stealthily pulled a gleaming silver dagger from his pocket and lunged, aiming straight for her neck. Completely oblivious to the danger behind her, Jiang Nianyu was helpless as the dagger plunged toward her throat.