Undeniable.

Lin Mengxi had once been naive.

For instance, she believed the district mayor's son, who won the first prize in a district-wide essay contest, when he swore eternal love. That led her to follow him into the woods during high school.

She believed in the entertainment industry's unspoken rules, thinking that as long as she accepted them, she would quickly rise to fame.

More recently, she thought her unchanged beauty could rekindle Ye Chen's old feelings, trapping him in a web of desire she carefully spun.

But those days were behind her.

It was precisely because of such naivety that she honed herself step by step through life.

If she still held onto that innocence, she wouldn't be here talking to Ding Chengjun. She would have foolishly tried to blackmail Ye Chen with this dirt or rushed to expose it online.

Faced with Ding Chengjun's skepticism, Lin Mengxi smiled and shook her head.

"Mr. Ding, I'm not so naive that I can't grasp this basic logic!"

"Hmm? Go on." Ding Chengjun was slightly taken aback.

"Mr. Ding, this dirt is enough to drag Yi Ren Ru Xue into a negative public opinion storm, isn't it?" Lin Mengxi said.

"Perhaps. But it won't change the inevitable market dominance of Wuxia Cream," Ding replied.

"If it can push Yi Ren Ru Xue into a PR crisis, that's all we need. While Ye Chen is dealing with public backlash, wouldn't this be the perfect time for you to win back your former deputy general manager, Pang Jun? If my information is correct, Pang Jun was Yun Dai's former deputy, right? And he's a principled man who doesn't tolerate injustice, isn't he?"

Hearing this, Ding Chengjun narrowed his eyes in thought.

Lin Mengxi continued,

"Although I don't know the exact grievances between you and Pang Jun that led him to side with Ye Chen, that's all in the past. I think you can seize this opportunity to win him back – appeal to his emotions, reason with him. After all, one is a cold, ruthless man who was nothing more than scum a few months ago, and the other is an old comrade who fought by your side for years. I believe Pang Jun knows where his loyalties should lie!"

"Expecting loyalty from someone who's abusive by nature isn't realistic, right? Under such a person, you're more likely to be discarded once your usefulness ends. Isn't that true?"

Ding Chengjun remained silent, but the contemplation on his face deepened.

"If you can win Pang Jun back and obtain the formula in his possession, wouldn't it be easy to bring Yi Ren Ru Xue down? Even if you can't win him over, you could leverage Ye Chen's disgraceful past to persuade Pang Jun to share the formula. Mr. Ding, do you think Pang Jun would risk everything for a man with a history of domestic violence and zero social credit?"

As Lin Mengxi's words unfolded, Ding Chengjun's gaze grew sharper.

He knew Pang Jun well—stubborn and hard-headed, but undeniably righteous. He despised laziness, detested gamblers and drunks, and had no tolerance for abusive men, even though he remained single to this day. In this aspect, he was empathetic toward women.

And Ye Chen? He embodied everything Pang Jun loathed.

"What you're suggesting is feasible, but you might not understand Pang Jun well enough. He's as stubborn as a rock in a latrine – foul and unyielding. The chances of success with this plan are slim," Ding said.

"Then let's try another approach," Lin Mengxi smiled.

An alternative plan—this was the real reason she had come.

"What plan?" Ding Chengjun asked.

"I'll personally approach Pang Jun to get the formula and sell it to you," Lin Mengxi said directly.

"You? How do you plan to do that?" Ding was momentarily confused.

Lin Mengxi didn't elaborate.

She simply smiled seductively, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

In that brief, indescribable moment, Ding Chengjun immediately understood.

A honey trap?

"And if you get the formula, will you really sell it to me?" Ding asked playfully.

"Mr. Ding, I know my limits. The business world is deep water—I can't wade in too far. If I sell the formula, I can make some money. But if I try to produce and market it myself, I doubt I have the capability. Even if I did, as a woman alone, I wouldn't be able to hold onto it. I'd end up with nothing," Lin Mengxi explained.

Hearing this, Ding Chengjun looked at her with newfound admiration.

This woman wasn't simple.

"And I'll need your help, Mr. Ding."

"What kind of help?" he asked.

"Details about Pang Jun—what he likes, what he doesn't, his temperament. You know him best, don't you?" Lin smiled.

"No problem. I'm happy to help!" Ding smirked but then added,

"Aren't you afraid of losing everything if Pang Jun refuses to give you the formula?"

"That's not something you need to worry about. I have confidence in myself," Lin Mengxi replied.

"Alright, I won't interfere then!" Ding laughed.

If Lin Mengxi could secure the formula, great. If she failed, Ding Chengjun wouldn't lose anything.

It was a win-win situation for him.

"Honestly, I don't think the first plan will work. I suspect you only brought it up to lead into the second plan. But since we're following the process, let's continue. What do you want in return if you get the formula? How much do you plan to sell it for?"

"Since you're being straightforward, I won't play coy. If I get the formula—200 million, plus 1% of the annual profits," Lin Mengxi stated.

"1%? Haha, that's reasonable! You're the smartest and most pragmatic woman I've ever met. Deal! If you get the formula—200 million plus 1% profit share. And if the first plan works, I'll pay you 50 million as a bonus," Ding Chengjun said with a hearty laugh.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Lin Mengxi smiled.

"One last question. You don't have to answer if you don't want to—just curious. Since Ye Chen is your old classmate, why are you so intent on destroying him? I sense a bit of hatred. Am I right?"

Ding Chengjun's eyes sparkled with curiosity as his tone shifted to one of playful interest.