A month later, Gu Corporation Pharmaceuticals officially launched Rebirth—the miracle ointment said to heal severe scars. The moment it hit the market, it sold out completely.
Each tube, only two fingers wide, was priced at 30,000 yuan, and it took three tubes to heal a palm-sized scar. After seeing Gu Corporation's clinical videos, no one doubted its effectiveness.
Ordinary families were willing to pay the steep price—let alone those whose faces had been disfigured. Many of them could now treat their faces first, step out of the shadows, and return to a normal life. With hope of working again, of being seen again, they fought desperately for that chance. Despair, isolation—none of that mattered anymore. What mattered was healing.
Within three days, Gu Corporation's stock skyrocketed. Major hospitals lined up for partnerships. In the face of such profit, no one could resist.
Everyone agreed: Gu Corporation's meteoric rise spelled disaster for Huanyuan. No one paid attention to Huanyuan anymore. Other pharmaceutical companies also suffered heavy losses—their orders fell to near zero.
Many speculated that Qin Corporation would soon withdraw its investment. If it did, Huanyuan might never recover.
But two weeks passed, and Qin Corporation remained silent—no withdrawal, no statement—leaving everyone puzzled.
At that moment, President Qin was sitting inside Huanyuan's office, accompanied by a middle-aged woman. From the side, her posture and grace were elegant—but turn to her front, and the ruin was visible: a large, ugly burn scar stretching across her cheek, destroying what must once have been a beautiful face.
She was Mrs. Qin. Years ago, when a fire broke out at their home, Qin had been drunk and unconscious. Instead of fleeing alone, his wife had wrapped him in a blanket and dragged him out with her small frame. Her own body had no protection—the flames left scars along her arms and legs.
"President Qin truly trusts us that much?" Axin asked calmly. "Gu Corporation already launched Rebirth. With your position, you could easily obtain the ointment in bulk."
President Qin shook his head. "President Yuan must be joking. I know perfectly well who really developed Rebirth. I'd rather trust Huanyuan than thieves. I invested in Huanyuan because of this project. To deny Huanyuan would be to deny myself."
He turned, squeezing his wife's hand affectionately. "And I would never let my wife risk herself with something made by thieves."
Lin Siya, standing nearby, couldn't help the admiration in her eyes as she looked at the couple's joined hands. "President Qin, Madam Qin will surely recover."
"President Yuan! We've got the results!"
The assistant hurried in, placing a report on Axin's desk. "President Yuan, you were right. The earlier Rebirth formula wasn't perfect. The first two months looked great, and by the third month, the researchers thought everything was stable—but the next day, the mice showed strange skin reactions at the healed sites. We still don't know how to stop it."
President Qin exhaled in relief, glancing at his wife with gratitude. She smiled gently back at him, her eyes full of love.
So many people had urged them to try Gu's Rebirth. But he'd trusted his instincts—and his wife had trusted him. Now they'd narrowly escaped disaster. No one yet knew what the side effects truly were.
Axin flipped through the report. "Publicize Rebirth's side effects," she said flatly.
"Yes, President Yuan."
"And the data I gave the lab last time—any progress?"
"Almost finished."
"When they're done, test the new compound on the mice that used Rebirth."
The people in the office exchanged uneasy looks. President Qin and Lin Siya both felt chills run down their backs as they watched the calm, collected young woman issuing orders.
President Qin was a shrewd man—he understood perfectly now that only Huanyuan could save his wife's face. He didn't ask more. In business, hesitation could mean defeat.
When only Lin Siya remained, she dragged a chair beside Axin, propping her chin on her hand. "Axin."
"What?" Axin didn't look up, her gaze fixed on the monitor.
Lin Siya took a deep breath, summoning her courage. "Rebirth being stolen... that was your plan, wasn't it?"
"No." Axin turned her head. "They wanted to steal it. I merely let them. Strictly speaking, I even gave them a new data set to help them clean up their mess. They should be thanking me."
Lin Siya's lips twitched. So… that's still not intentional?
"So many people bought Rebirth—what if something happens to them?" she asked softly. Lin Siya wasn't a cruel person; she couldn't ignore the thought.
Axin's lips curved faintly. "I've already issued a statement."
"They might not believe it."
"Then that's their choice."
Lin Siya fell silent. This side of Axin—so cold, so detached—it made her heart ache. She had always thought Axin was gentle and kind, but when she turned cold, it was like warmth laced with blades—soft, but cutting deep.
"What are you thinking?" Axin finally looked away from the screen, resting a hand on Lin Siya's shoulder. "Are you scared?"
Lin Siya's eyes flickered, her fingers twisting together before she nodded. "A little."
She was afraid. Afraid that someday, Axin's gaze would turn cold on her too—that the warmth she had come to depend on would vanish forever.
"What are you afraid of?"
Her voice trembled. "I'm afraid you'll look at me like I'm a stranger one day. That you'll stop being good to me. Stop smiling at me."
It wasn't logic—it was love. Axin had become her anchor. Just imagining losing her felt like being torn apart.
"You're overthinking."
Axin smiled gently, pulling her into an embrace. Her hand patted Lin Siya's back softly, her voice brushing her ear like a breeze.
"I'll never be cold to you, Siya."
For a second, Lin Siya froze. That sudden hug, that unexpected promise—was she dreaming?
Her arms lifted on their own, wrapping tightly around the woman she'd wanted for so long. The faint scent of her hair filled her lungs. Her heart hammered so hard it hurt.
"W–Why?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why will you never be cold to me?"
Axin hesitated for a moment. Why? She didn't know. It just felt right.
"I don't know," she said quietly. "I just want to be good to you."
It wasn't the answer Lin Siya expected—but somehow, it was enough.
Her lips curved into a small smile, eyes glistening with tears. Only good to me? Then that's enough.
"Axin, I'll hold a press conference," she said softly. "We'll tell the world about Rebirth's flaws. Whether they believe us or not—it's up to them. I trust you'll handle the rest."
She could feel it—this was their chance. The moment Huanyuan would rise again and crush Gu Corporation completely.
And Axin—she was doing all this for her. She was sure of it now.
Maybe Axin didn't understand it yet, but this tenderness, this protectiveness—it could only mean one thing.
Love.
The thought made her grin uncontrollably. When she left the office, she was practically glowing.
Employees stared as she passed—wasn't everyone terrified that Huanyuan might go bankrupt any day now? Then why was their general manager smiling like spring had come early?
Unknowingly, her smile steadied the whole company's nerves.
Soon after, Lin Siya, General Manager of Huanyuan Pharmaceuticals, held a press conference. She publicly stated that Rebirth was unsafe, that its effects were incomplete and could cause serious side effects.
She warned consumers to stop using it immediately.
She condemned Gu Corporation for rushing a product after only a month of trials, for endangering lives in the name of profit. "Medicine should save people, not harm them," she said fiercely.
Huanyuan presented lab reports and live footage of their mice experiments as proof.
But—no one believed them.
The harshest backlash didn't come from Gu Corporation. It came from the users themselves.
They looked at their smooth, healed skin and refused to believe anything was wrong. They dismissed Huanyuan's warnings as jealousy, slander. Even the mice experiments were mocked. "Humans aren't mice," they said.
Before Gu Corporation even responded, the internet erupted—countless users flooded online platforms, accusing Huanyuan of lies and sabotage.
Within days, Huanyuan's products were boycotted worldwide.
Gu Corporation, initially nervous, quickly relaxed. Two months passed, and Rebirth users still showed no visible problems. Confident now, Gu Corporation held its own press conference—accusing Huanyuan of malicious competition and defamation.
They even issued a legal notice, suing Huanyuan for reputational damage.
The public roared in support of Gu Corporation. Buyers vowed loyalty, raised donations to fund the lawsuit, and cheered Gu's defiance.
The result: Huanyuan became infamous overnight.
"President Yuan," President Qin joked dryly, "your company's certainly world-famous now."
Outwardly calm, Huanyuan's halls buzzed with quiet tension. Many wondered when the bankruptcy announcement would come.
But Lin Siya only smiled. "Regeneration's final product is ready. We've run three months of tests so far, but this time we'll continue for a full year. For safety, we'll invite volunteers—real people with local scars—and broadcast the process live."
"Once it's proven safe, Madam Qin will be the first to use Regeneration." She smiled. "President Qin, you're welcome to observe every step yourself."
Of course, he agreed immediately. Trust was good—but seeing miracles with one's own eyes was better.
"You're really recruiting volunteers?" he asked.
"Yes. Mice alone won't convince the public. We'll pay volunteers fairly. Even if complications occur, it's only a small patch of skin, and the compensation will be worth it to them."
President Qin nodded, then rolled up his sleeve, revealing a long, faint scar. "Then I'll volunteer too."
"That's from the fire," he said softly. "Just a few inches long. Let me try it first."
A month later, Rebirth's nightmare began.
One morning, users woke to find the once-smooth skin on their scars swollen, hot, and painful. Panic spread. Hospitals found no cure. One by one, people realized—it had to be Rebirth.
The scandal exploded worldwide.
Consumers demanded answers, demanded accountability. Regulators shut down Gu Corporation for inspection.
The empire collapsed in days. Stocks plummeted to the floor. Investors fled.
The once-glorious Gu Corporation was finished.
Dr. Yu, under investigation, confessed that Rebirth wasn't his creation at all. He admitted Gu Yan had pressured him to cut clinical trials from three months to just half a month.
Now, public fury turned fully on Gu Yan—the man once hailed as a genius. His photos were spat on, slashed, shredded across the globe.
Reporters swarmed him wherever he went. Even Gu Rui's school was besieged; the boy couldn't attend classes anymore.
The elder Mr. Gu tried to salvage the company—too late. Inspections uncovered unqualified drugs, illegal production lines. The Gu legacy was wiped out overnight.
Gu Corporation went bankrupt.
Even stripped and fined, the Gu family still had assets—but lawsuits poured in from all over the world.
They owed billions.
When the court ruled against them, they sold everything. And then came the final blow—Gu Yan was arrested.
The charge: theft.
Even if his father could have saved him, he didn't. Gu Yan had destroyed them. He went to prison.
Later, Lin Siya personally bought out Gu Corporation's remains at rock-bottom price.
As for the Lin family, they'd poured so much money into Gu's project that their own funds dried up. Bankruptcy loomed.
Jian Jia, stunned and broken, left the luxury villa, the jewelry, the gowns. She moved with Gu Rui into a small house—the one old Mr. Gu had left for his grandson. The old man still pinned his last hopes on the boy.
The lawsuits ended—but the victims' pain hadn't.
That was when Huanyuan stepped forward again, announcing they'd found a cure for Rebirth's side effects—and would treat a thousand victims for free.
The live broadcast lasted ten days. The world watched as swollen, ruined skin gradually healed back to normal.
Huanyuan had done it.
A month later, with no adverse reactions, Regeneration was ready. Public trust returned overnight.
People forgot their hatred. They forgot their vows never to buy Huanyuan's products again.
When Regeneration launched globally a year later, every tube sold out on the first day.
And just as success bloomed, the Lin family came crawling back. Facing ruin, they approached Lin Siya, hoping for mercy.
That day, she was in her office, sipping soup that Axin had personally brought her.
The ones who came were the old patriarch and her uncles. If her parents were still alive, perhaps she'd never have been cast out in the first place.
"Drink it while it's hot," Axin said gently, eyes never lifting from her phone.
Lin Siya smiled, her voice soft and sweet. "Okay. How could I let your soup go to waste?"
The old man's face was dark as thunder, but needing her help, he kept silent.
It took her half an hour to finish that bowl. When she finally set it down, she stretched lazily and walked to the window.
"After meals, I like to stand for ten minutes. Helps digestion," she said lightly.
The Lin elders said nothing. Rage burned in their eyes—but they didn't dare speak.
Inside, Lin Siya felt gloriously vindicated. All those years of humiliation, finally washed clean.
When she turned back, her expression was calm, distant—like she was looking at strangers.
"So, Chairman Lin, what brings you here today?"
The old man slammed his cane. "Don't you even know how to greet your elders anymore? You've forgotten your manners!"
"Say what you came to say," Lin Siya replied coolly. "The severance document you made me sign—I still have it. I may share your surname, but I'm not one of you."
The old man fell silent. Looking at the radiant, confident woman before him, then at the relaxed Axin tapping her phone on the sofa, he finally understood. The Lin family no longer had any hold on her.
In the end, they gave in, begging for help.
Lin Siya's price was steep—complete control of the Lin Corporation.
They were furious, but they had no choice. Facing bankruptcy, they surrendered the shares.
They thought she would save them. That with Huanyuan's backing, the Lin Corporation would flourish again.
They never imagined that two months later, she would sell all of it off.
The Lin name was gone.
"Miss, would you like to buy some flowers?"
The florist smiled as the beautiful woman walked in.
"Yes."
"Are they for family or… a boyfriend?"
"A girlfriend," Lin Siya said with a bright smile.
The clerk blinked, surprised, then smiled shyly. "Your girlfriend must be beautiful."
"She's stunning," Lin Siya murmured, thinking of Axin. The sweetness in her smile made even the florist forget to breathe. "Give me your best red roses—the ones that mean passionate love. I want to confess to her."
The clerk, dazed, handed her the bouquet and watched her leave, still murmuring to herself, "Girlfriend, huh…"
As Lin Siya reached her car, her phone rang.
"Ya-ya, it's me."
"Mu Sen, I told you already." Her tone turned cold.
"Ya-ya, I'm leaving. Can I see you one last time?"
"Sorry, no." She hung up, annoyed. Who knew what schemes he had planned? She had more important things to do—to confess her love to Axin, to make her officially hers.
Across town, Mu Sen's expression darkened. "Fine, Lin Siya. If you won't come… don't blame me."
Back in the parking lot, Lin Siya unlocked her car, roses still in hand. She never saw the white van pull up behind her.
Before she could react, three men jumped out. A sharp sting hit her nose—then darkness.
The bouquet fell to the ground, petals scattering across the asphalt, still glowing red under the sunlight—just like her smile moments before.
Inside the flower shop, the clerk happened to glance outside. She froze, then clamped a hand over her mouth. By the time she realized what she'd seen, the van was already speeding away.
Panicking, she grabbed her phone and dialed emergency services.
"Hello—someone's been kidnapped! I'm sure she wasn't willing—three big men, very rough-looking! Yes, she's a beautiful woman, I can describe her—our address is…"
At that very moment, Axin, in the middle of signing documents, received a call from the police station.
The pen in her hand snapped cleanly in two.