Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Who is that expert_1
Yu Keqing’s face darkened, and a hint of displeasure appeared. She asked, "Can’t even I talk about it?"
"Uh..."
Xiao Manlian hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose to refuse. She said, "No."
These two words shocked Yu Keqing so much that she was instantly stunned.
"Today, you must tell me who that expert is," insisted Yu Keqing sternly, staring intently at Xiao Manlian as she awaited a response.
"Uh..."
Xiao Manlian continued to hesitate.
After a long period of hesitation, she finally shook her head.
"Mrs. Yu, that expert won’t let me tell you."
Yu Keqing changed tack and asked, "Was Ren’antang also introduced by that expert?"
"Yes," Xiao Manlian gave a definitive answer.
"So, that means from the very inception of White Cream to the purchase of raw materials, everything has been guided by that expert behind the scenes? Our Huanmei Group’s future is completely in that person’s hands? With just a little trickery, that expert could directly plunge Huanmei Group into an impossible situation?"
"He... He shouldn’t," Xiao Manlian said hesitantly, finding it hard to lie in front of her best friend.
She was indeed unsure about Qiao Wenshou.
But Qiao Wenshou was Qin Dongrui’s man, and the Huanmei Group was invested in by the Qin Family.
It wouldn’t make sense for one to sabotage a business they had invested in, right?
After analyzing the situation, Xiao Manlian believed that, whether it was for White Cream or introducing Ren’antang to her, Qiao Wenshou did it for the benefit of Huanmei Group.
Therefore, she corrected herself, "Definitely not!"
"First you say ’shouldn’t,’ and then you say ’definitely not.’ Why the change?" Yu Keqing asked.
She was determined to get to the bottom of it today, to understand the whole situation behind White Cream and the identity of the expert.
"Mrs. Yu, please don’t ask so many questions. You have to trust me, I’m not just the R&D director of Huanmei Group, I’m also your good friend. Even if I betrayed the whole world, I would never betray you. So, you have to trust me."
"Manlian, precisely because we’re good friends, you should be telling me the truth instead of keeping secrets. White Cream’s formula is crucial to the survival of Huanmei Group, and you won’t even tell me who gave it to you. How do you expect me to trust you?"
"Keqing, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s that the expert... he won’t let me reveal his name. If I do, the whole White Cream operation might fall through. In any case, you must trust me!"
Xiao Manlian’s jaw was set tightly, unwilling to say even an extra word.
"If you don’t tell me, then the White Cream project is suspended. Even if we restart White Cream later, we absolutely will not source the raw materials from Ren’antang. If even I, the president, can’t be told, then it can only mean that the White Cream project is a scheme. Huanmei Group’s current funds have been borrowed from Haiyun Group. That money is Huanmei’s last chance; I must account for every penny spent."
Yu Keqing’s words took Xiao Manlian by surprise.
She knew her friend well enough to understand that Yu Keqing was not joking.
Therefore, Xiao Manlian panicked immediately.
White Cream was Huanmei Group’s last chance—if that project stopped, then it would mean the end for Huanmei!
So, she quickly tried to pacify, "Keqing, don’t be rash!"
"I’m not being rash; I’m serious. As the president of Huanmei Group, who provided the White Cream formula? I must clarify such crucial information. If you won’t tell me, then we must immediately halt the project. I need to be fully involved in all of Huanmei’s major projects because as the president, I’m responsible for the entire group!"
This was the attitude of Yu Keqing.
As the CEO, she must act the part.
When she spoke, her word was final—there was no room for negotiation!
Even with her teeth clenched tight, Xiao Manlian could no longer keep quiet at this point.
However, before she spilled the truth, she made Yu Keqing promise something.
"If I tell you, you can’t let it out, okay?"
"Mm! I promise I won’t tell anyone!" Yu Keqing assured her.
"It’s Qiao."
Xiao Manlian’s answer left Yu Keqing stunned for a moment.
With a puzzled look in her eyes, she asked Xiao Manlian, "Which Uncle Qiao?"
"Qiao Wenshou, Qin Dongrui’s butler, Qiao Wenshou."
Yu Keqing was taken aback.
She knew who Qiao Wenshou was, but she had only met the old man once.
"Why would Qiao Wenshou give you the formula for White Cream?"
"It was arranged by Qin Dongrui."
"Qin Dongrui had Qiao Wenshou give you the White Cream formula, why didn’t he just give it to me?
Previously when Huanmei Group was short on funds, I asked him for money, but he didn’t give me a cent.
After I borrowed money from Qin Feng, he actually had Qiao Wenshou hand you the secret formula for White Cream?
What’s he trying to do with this move?"
"Uh... I’m not very clear on that. Anyway, that night, Uncle Qiao suddenly took me to see President Qin. President Qin instructed Uncle Qiao to give me the formula for White Cream. Later, Uncle Qiao also gave me a business card and introduced Ren’antang to me."
Xiao Manlian did not explain the details very clearly.
She simply went through the general situation with Yu Keqing.
"Okay, you go do your thing! However, the White Cream project is put on hold for now. Once I get a clear picture of the situation, we’ll decide whether to continue or not," said Yu Keqing, making a decision.
This decision took Xiao Manlian by surprise.
"Mrs. Yu, White Cream might be Huanmei Group’s last chance. If you put it on hold, what will happen to our group? If we can’t launch a new product in a short period of time, Huanmei will truly be finished. Right now, Tianlong Group and Shencao Ji are aggressively taking over. The whole market share is almost completely divided up by them."
"First, I need to be sure that White Cream can beat the products of Tianlong Group and Shencao Ji. Only then do we stand a chance to win. Rushing to launch a new product, if it ends up not beating the competition, losing so badly we’re picking up teeth from the floor, then Huanmei Group would truly be doomed.
Qin Dongrui suddenly having Qiao Wenshou give you the White Cream formula, this feels fishy to me. Anyway, before we get to the bottom of this, we should maintain composure. We definitely can’t rush to launch White Cream out of panic, potentially sinking Huanmei Group into a quagmire we can’t escape from."
Looking uneasy, Xiao Manlian asked, "Mrs. Yu, how are you going to be sure?"
She was worried that Yu Keqing would go to Qin Dongrui.
If that were to happen, wouldn’t her leak of information become known to Qin Dongrui?
"Since you don’t know anything, I’ll just go ask Qin Dongrui directly. I want to see what Qin Dongrui is really up to," Yu Keqing retorted bluntly.
Yu Keqing’s words frightened Xiao Manlian senseless.
It was as if whatever she feared most was coming true!
