C103 You Are a Machine!?

A frantic knocking sounded at the door. Lin Zhiqing set down the phone, composing herself before calling out, "Enter."

Her secretary hurried in, distress in her voice. "The media from all over Ningzhou are here. That woman is adamant that our cosmetics caused her allergic reaction!"

"We've tried everything, but she's rejected every solution! She's determined to publicize the issue with our products!"

Lin Zhiqing's brow furrowed as she asked, her voice tinged with panic, "Alright, I'm going out."

If she didn't face this now, it would be as good as an admission of guilt.

With Ningzhou's entire press corps on their doorstep, any misstep could spell disaster for their company's reputation.

Lin Zhiqing quickly made her way out of the building. As she emerged, a barrage of camera flashes greeted her.

"Miss Lin Zhiqing, are you aware of the allergic reactions some consumers have had to your cosmetics? What's your plan of action?"

"Miss Lin Zhiqing, what's your perspective on this issue?"

"Miss Lin Zhiqing, how does your company plan to compensate affected customers? Will you continue to sell these cosmetics?"

The questions flew at her relentlessly, treating the allegations as if they were already proven fact.

With an icy demeanor, Lin Zhiqing responded, "If our cosmetics are at fault, I will fully cooperate with the customer in question."

"I'm here to see that customer now. Please, step aside."

Her words hung in the air as security pushed through the crowd of reporters.

Surveying the scene, Lin Zhiqing realized that hundreds had gathered to watch. Cameras had the building encircled.

In a cleared space, the aggrieved woman stood, her anger palpable.

Lin Zhiqing approached her, as the crowd's murmurs swelled.

"This company should be shut down! Who would dare use their cosmetics now?"

"Exactly! They're revolting!"

"The Lin family's downfall is no coincidence! They've brought this on themselves!"

The surrounding chatter grew louder as Lin Zhiqing's expression darkened.

Then, the woman's voice rose above the noise, "Lin Zhiqing! Your business harms people! Today, I'll expose the truth to all of Ningzhou!"

Lin Zhiqing's brow furrowed as she spoke with icy resolve, "We're willing to cooperate with you in any way you wish at this moment, but until the situation is resolved, please refrain from spreading rumors."

The woman's anger intensified, and she bellowed, "I bought my cosmetics from your store! I have the receipt!"

"Do you really think you can just deny it?"

Lin Zhiqing's frown deepened, but she was at a loss for words.

She was confident that their cosmetics wouldn't cause an allergic reaction in consumers, yet she found herself unable to offer an explanation at present.

Murmurs rippled through the onlookers.

The relentless burst of camera flashes added to the tension.

The pressing atmosphere nudged Lin Zhiqing into a slight state of panic.

The woman's voice turned icy, "Have you run out of excuses? Are you done trying to dodge the blame?"

"I'll have you know, I'm not after compensation today! I want to see your company shut down!"

"I refuse to let you continue to deceive and harm the public!"

Her voice resonated with conviction, stirring the crowd into a chorus of supportive shouts for the woman.

Lin Zhiqing's anxiety mounted.

The woman's arrogance swelled.

Lin Zhiqing clenched her jaw, still uncertain of what to say.

Then, in that heated moment, a cool, detached voice cut through the commotion, "You can't prove our products are at fault."

"And yet, you wash your face. Why not accuse your water of being the problem?"

The woman was taken aback.

All eyes turned to see Zhang Chen emerging from the crowd, a smile gracing his features.

A spark of hope flickered in Lin Zhiqing's eyes, her anxiety easing without reason.

The surrounding spectators fell silent.

The woman, brows knitted in fury, retorted, "Nonsense! Everyone uses water. Who else has allergies from simply washing their face?"

Zhang Chen approached, his smile unwavering, "So many people use our cosmetics. Why is it only you who has had an allergic reaction?"

"You..."

She was left speechless.

After a tense pause, the woman glared at Lin Zhiqing and said coldly, "I wondered why you were hiding for so long. Turns out you were just waiting for someone to come to your defense!"

Lin Zhiqing's frown persisted.

Zhang Chen interjected, "Let's see the facts, then."

"You..."

The woman's frustration was palpable, her face a mask of rage, yet she found herself without a retort.

Lin Zhiqing gave Zhang Chen a meaningful look.

And in that instant, a steady voice rose above the noise, "Today, I'll show you the truth."

As the voice trailed off, a middle-aged man in a white lab coat stepped forward from the crowd.

"It's Chair Bai from the Central Hospital's Dermatology Department!"

An astonished cry echoed among the onlookers. Faces around showed sheer surprise.

The head of the dermatology department himself?

Lin Zhiqing felt a sudden squeeze in her chest, her recently eased anxiety surging back.

Even the woman looked momentarily bewildered.

Chair Bai approached swiftly. He pulled out a document and a bottle of toner from his bag, holding them up for all to see.

"In my left hand is Xuanying's toner. In my right, the test report. I'm her primary physician, and the results just in show that this toner contains an excessive amount of hormones."

A cold smirk played on Chair Bai's lips.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.

Lin Zhiqing's brow furrowed as she responded icily, "Impossible! Everything we produce has been thoroughly tested!"

Chair Bai shrugged nonchalantly, a smile on his face. "You may have passed previous tests, but the hormone levels in this bottle of toner are still alarmingly high. Now, whose fault might that be?"

The implication hung heavy in the air.

The crowd began to whisper and gesture more animatedly.

The woman gloated, "Do you hear that? The proof is irrefutable! What do you have to say for yourself now?"

Lin Zhiqing clenched her jaw, her heart sinking into the depths of despair.

With the arrival of the Central Hospital's director, what defense could she possibly mount?

Zhang Chen flashed a sardonic smile and quipped, "You're talking about hormone levels as if you're a machine, aren't you?"