Volume One, Chapter 32: The Earth-Shaking News

The next day.

Universal Daily, front-page headline.

“Return of the Heiress: Lin Hua Rejoins the Chu Family After Twenty-One Years—Now Manager of Fu Pharmaceutical? Conspiracy or Coincidence?”

“Ten Years of Rivalry Between Chu Pharmaceutical and Fu Pharmaceutical—Is Chu the Final Victor? Lin Hua’s Twenty-One Years in Exile: Is Fu Yanting Merely Her Pawn, or Is It True Love?”

“Fu Yanting, Sole Heir of the Fu Family, in Pursuit of the Chu Heiress—Handing Over Fu Pharmaceutical: What Enchantment Does an Exiled Heiress Hold?”

Lin Hua was awakened that morning by a call from Chu Bainian.

She glanced at Fu Yanting, still sleeping soundly beside her, quietly took her phone, and went into the bathroom to answer the call from her newly recognized biological father.

On the other end, Chu Bainian could barely contain his fury.

“Lin Hua, what’s going on with the headline in Universal Daily? What’s your relationship with Fu Yanting? What’s this about Fu Pharmaceutical? How did you end up managing Fu Pharmaceutical? Is any of this true? Why do I know nothing about it?”

Lin Hua paused for a moment, pulled up the front page on her phone, and after skimming it, nearly lost control of her voice.

“Dad, it’s not what you think. There’s something wrong with this news—someone’s clearly trying to set me up, and the Chu family by extension. I was going to tell you about the pharmaceutical company later—”

Chu Bainian cut her off.

“So you’re really in a relationship with Fu Yanting? How did you get involved with him? Don’t you understand the history between our families? How can you date a rival? The Fu family will never accept you.”

“I know, Dad. But Fu Yanting and I are truly in love—we’re married. With that, Chu and Fu Pharmaceutical will no longer be competitors, we can—”

“Be quiet! The Chu and Fu families have been at odds for years—you think you can resolve everything with a few words? You’re being naïve! Get home immediately. We’ll talk face-to-face. I’ll see what I can do about retracting the headline.”

“Alright.”

Lin Hua hung up, walked out of the bathroom, and cast a glance at Fu Yanting, still asleep in bed.

On the way back to the Chu house, she checked the news again on her phone. Online comments were already exploding in every direction.

“This Lin Hua is no simple woman—able to get her hands on both Fu’s heir and the pharmaceutical company. She’s truly a Chu.”

“I went to school with Lin Hua. She always liked to act innocent, but was actually materialistic. Now that she’s revealed as the Chu family heiress, she’s showing her true colors, manipulating Fu’s only heir with skill.”

“This is obviously a conspiracy—Lin Hua, as a Chu, seduced Fu Yanting and took over management of the pharmaceutical company. A classic schemer. The Fu family has lost both their company and their son.”

“Shameless! Lin Hua used to steal other people’s boyfriends at school. Did she snatch this Fu heir from someone else? Now she wants to steal the company too—how disgusting!”

Reading these comments, Lin Hua was so angry she nearly smashed her phone.

It was clear she was being targeted.

She hadn’t even completed the procedures to take over the pharmaceutical company, and now, at such a critical moment, this scandal broke out.

It would be difficult to explain things to the Fu family now.

But for now, she needed to return to the Chu home and discuss with her father how to suppress and clarify this news.

She had originally planned to reveal her identity as the Chu family heiress after her engagement banquet with Fu Yanting.

Now, everything was spiraling out of her control.

She clenched her fists so tightly that she nearly ruined her meticulously manicured nails.

Mu Group.

Mu Shaozhou set down his black, matte-finish phone after reading the morning news and summoned Dai Ming.

His lips, thin and sharp, moved slightly.

“Keep today’s headline at the top. Notify all news agencies under the group to run this as the main story. Do not let it die for at least seven days.”

“Yes, President Mu,” Dai Ming obeyed, not daring to ask further, and hurried off to relay the order.

Lately, President Mu seemed different, often smiling at documents in a way he never had before—not even during times of soaring profits.

A sudden thought struck him—could the president be in love? Which man or woman had won the president’s favor?

Dai Ming clicked his tongue, shook his head, and personally headed to the news department.

Chu Residence.

As soon as Lin Hua entered, Chu Bainian nearly slapped her.

He was so furious his beard almost bristled off.

“Who have you offended? Look at what people are saying about Chu Pharmaceutical! Years of painstakingly built reputation, ruined in an instant because of you!”

Lin Hua’s face turned grim. She hadn’t expected things to go this far.

“I’ll contact the newspapers now and ask them to pull the story.”

“Don’t bother. I’ve already tried—they said it can’t be pulled. Now tell me, what do we do?”

Chu Bainian jabbed a finger at her.

“I should never have taken you back!”

Tears streamed down Lin Hua’s cheeks. She felt utterly wronged—the reports were all true, but told entirely from a perspective hostile to her.

Someone was clearly out to destroy her!

Suddenly, she wiped her tears away and looked up.

It was Yu Mo! It had to be her.

Hatred flashed in Lin Hua’s eyes. Picking up her bag, she turned without looking back.

“Dad, I’m going to Fu Pharmaceutical right now.”

No matter how much Chu Bainian shouted after her, Lin Hua strode out of the Chu home.

Fu Pharmaceutical.

The moment Lin Hua entered the building, the receptionist told her she was no longer allowed inside.

Everyone at Fu Pharmaceutical had seen the news. As a member of a rival company, she was no longer welcome.

Unable to get in, Lin Hua called Manager Yao.

Manager Yao, having already received notice from Director Huang, had been instructed to erase all records of Lin Hua’s employment from the company. Managing the pharmaceutical company was now entirely out of the question.

“Miss Lin, I’m just following orders. Given your identity has been exposed, why are you still here? Please leave at once.”

Manager Yao’s tone was polite, but as a company man, he could show no mercy to a competitor’s kin.

Lin Hua gripped her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.

“Manager Yao, this isn’t like what the news says. I’m being deliberately smeared. Though I am from the Chu family, I sincerely want a good relationship with Fu Pharmaceutical. Yan Ting and I are getting engaged in a week. When our union is announced, the alliance between the Chu and Fu families will be public.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Lin, I have no say in this. You’ll need to speak with Young Master Fu.”

With that, Manager Yao hung up.

Biting her lower lip hard, Lin Hua dialed Fu Yanting’s number.

Fu Family Residence.

Fu Yanting’s mother was so enraged she nearly shattered her teacup.

She glared across at her son, exasperated beyond words.

“Fu Yanting, just look at you. You refuse to marry Yu Mo, but instead bring home someone from the Chu family. Are you trying to drive me to an early grave, to join your late father?”