29 29

◎29◎

On the flight from Paris back to Shanghai, Lin Ruoyin barely slept a wink.

Outside the window was the boundless night and the occasional flashing navigation lights.

She sat by the window.

The rain on the banks of the Seine, the umbrella Xu Jia shoved into her hand, and the moment his eyes reddened as he turned and disappeared into the rain—these images replayed repeatedly in her mind.

She didn't understand.

Why would someone who is pressing forward relentlessly give you that look?

...

When they returned to the Lu residence, it was just dawn.

Lin Ruoyin did not disturb anyone. After going upstairs, she met Lu Yan, who was dressed neatly and preparing to go out, in the corridor.

"You're back?" Lu Yan was clearly taken aback when he saw her. "Why didn't you tell me beforehand? I would have come to pick you up."

He had dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating he hadn't slept well these past few days. He looked different than before; his superficial arrogance had faded considerably.

"How did the talks go?" Lu Yan asked.

Lin Ruoyin shook her head: "The counter can't be kept, the area will be reduced by half. The official documents will arrive this week."

Lu Yan's expression darkened, but he quickly composed himself: "You've worked hard. Take a rest first. I'll keep an eye on things at the company."

“No need,” Lin Ruoyin pushed open her bedroom door. “I’ll take a shower, change my clothes, and then go to the company.”

"You just got off the plane..."

"It's okay, now is not the time to rest."

Lu Yan watched her walk into the room, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he ultimately said nothing.

About twenty minutes later, Lin Ruoyin came out of the room.

She had changed into an elegant suit and was wearing full makeup, which concealed the fatigue from the long flight and the sleepless night, but the weariness in her eyes could not be hidden.

Stepping out of the mansion, Lin Ruoyin paused slightly upon seeing the car parked at the entrance and the person in the driver's seat.

Lu Yan had already gotten out of the car and walked around to the passenger side to open the door for her.

"Get in the car."

Lin Ruoyin glanced at him, said nothing, nodded, and got into the car.

The carriage was quiet, and the silence lasted for several minutes.

Lu Yan gripped the steering wheel, looked straight ahead, and spoke first.

“After you left, we had a meeting to discuss alternatives to the high-end custom orders.” He tried to make his narration sound logical and clear, like a collaborator who could share the pressure. “Given the current situation, the most feasible option is to use top-quality spinel with diamond pavé setting. Although the cost will be 15% higher, the production period is controllable, and the visual effect can meet expectations.”

Lin Ruoyin turned her head to look at him and listened quietly.

"On the client side, Zhao Wen communicated with several key clients. Some of them indicated that they could accept the price if they were given a discount; a small number of them still insisted on the original plan, saying that changing the main stone would destroy the meaning."

He paused, glancing at Lin Ruoyin out of the corner of his eye, and then continued, "I have already asked Zhao Wen to continue the communication and offer extended after-sales service, including free comprehensive maintenance and refurbishment of old jewelry."

After he finished speaking, the carriage fell silent again.

It's not ideal, but for now, it seems like this is the best we can do.

"You've worked hard," she said softly.

Lu Yan seemed to tighten his grip on the steering wheel, but his expression remained unchanged; he simply hummed in response.

Another moment of silence. The car rounded a bend, and the iconic Lu's Building came into view on the distant horizon.

"As for Paris..." Lu Yan spoke again, "Is their attitude very firm? Is there absolutely no room for negotiation?"

Lin Ruoyin's gaze fell on the roadside trees rushing past the car window, but the image of the cold rain on the banks of the Seine flashed before her eyes.

Her breath hitched almost imperceptibly for a moment.

“Very resolute.” She looked away, her voice calm.

The car smoothly drove into the parking lot of Lu's Building. Just as he entered the office, Xiao Tang followed him in, holding a tablet and looking anxious.

"President Lin, President Lu," she placed the tablet on the table, "look at this."

The screen displays a newly published in-depth report with a shocking title:

Lu's Blue Sapphire: A Century-Old Marketing Scam

The subtitle is even more scathing: The Capital Games and Consumer Illusions Behind the Myth of "Scarcity"

The article comes from a financial media outlet known for its in-depth investigations, but it's clear to anyone with a discerning eye that its writing style and argumentation are highly consistent with a series of recent actions by Mohe.

"...Is the so-called 'Lu's Sapphire,' with its unique 'imperial blue' hue, truly derived from the unique geological conditions of a mysterious mineral vein in Mogok, Myanmar? Or is it a beautiful lie carefully woven by the Lu family's century-old marketing rhetoric?"

"According to the latest disclosed laboratory data, the 'Newborn Sapphire' synthesized by Mohe Technology is completely identical to the natural 'Lu's Sapphire' in terms of physicochemical properties. So the question is: if 'beauty' can be perfectly replicated, is the premium brought about by so-called 'scarcity' just a collective hypnosis targeting consumers?"

"What's even more intriguing is that the Luk Group has consistently emphasized the 'natural' and 'unreplicable' nature of its gemstones for many years, using this to justify its high prices. But now that technology has made 'replication' possible, has the narrative cornerstone upon which this century-old brand has relied for survival collapsed?"

The article also included several striking comparison images: on one side were century-old antique sapphire jewelry, touted as "priceless," displayed in the Lu Family Museum; on the other side were sapphire crystals growing in the Mohe Laboratory, accompanied by the caption: "Past or future, which is more real?"

The office was deathly silent.

Everyone stared at the article, as if they could hear the sound of the Lu family's century-old brand reputation being torn apart inch by inch.

"And..." Xiao Tang swiped the screen, her voice trembling, "It's not just this one. At the same time, several mainstream media outlets and influential self-media accounts published similar articles."

She brought up another page:

"The Jewelry of Our Fathers, the Shackles of Our Youth" – Exploring how traditional luxury goods have become a burden and a source of identity anxiety for the new generation.

Interview with Xu Jia – Xu Jia: “True art should liberate people.”

On social media, hashtags such as #Lu'sStyleIsOutdated# and #ArtificialGemstonesAreSoGood# have become trending topics, with views quickly exceeding 100 million.

...

Lin Ruoyin stared at the screen, her fingers unconsciously tightening.

This was no ordinary campaign; it was a meticulously planned, multi-faceted media blitz. From professional financial media to mainstream social media, from rational analysis to emotional manipulation, Mohe's media matrix operated like a precisely functioning machine, accurately striking at the Lu family.

"What's the public relations department's response?" Lu Yan suddenly stood up, his voice filled with suppressed anger.

Xiao Tang: "I have contacted those media outlets, but they are quite adamant, saying that all their reports are based on facts and that they welcome us to resolve the matter through legal channels."

Lin Ruoyin: "It's obvious that Mohe is backing them up."

A heavy silence filled the office.

Lu Yan and Xiao Tang both turned their gazes toward Lin Ruoyin.

She looked away from the tablet screen, seemingly tired of the endless firefighting.

"Xiao Tang," Lin Ruoyin began, her voice surprisingly calm, "inform all our media partners that the Lu Group will be holding a press conference at 10:00 AM tomorrow."

Xiao Tang was taken aback: "President Lin, if we hold a press conference now, the reporters' questions will be very pointed..."

"If the questions are pointed, we'll answer them directly. Avoiding them won't solve anything. We've notified the financial channel, mainstream print media, and several authoritative independent media outlets that we're accepting exclusive interviews."

She turned to Lu Yan: "You'll attend with me tomorrow."

Lu Yan: "Me?"

“You are the heir of the Lu family,” Lin Ruoyin looked at him with a firm gaze, “At this time, you must stand at the forefront.”

A flicker of unease flashed in Lu Yan's eyes. But he clearly saw that Lin Ruoyin's gaze was firm, and at the same time, there was a deep trust in her that touched his heart.

Lu Yan took a deep breath and nodded: "Okay."

The following morning at 9:50, in the multi-functional hall of the Lu Group headquarters building.

The media area was packed, with cameras and microphones pointed at the simple yet dignified press conference stage. The live stream began, and the number of viewers quickly rose.

In the temporary lounge next door, Lin Ruoyin gave her makeup a final check in front of the mirror. A dark blue suit, pearl earrings—flawless.

Lu Yan stood beside her, also dressed in a well-pressed dark suit, the tie she had picked out for him that morning. He was a little nervous, subconsciously adjusting his cuffs.

“Don’t be nervous,” Lin Ruoyin said calmly as she looked at him in the mirror. “Remember the key points we discussed last night. You are Lu Yan, the heir to the Lu family. You don’t need to put on an act; you just need to show your true determination.”

Lu Yan took a deep breath and looked at her: "I know."

Lin Ruoyin nodded slightly, turned around, and extended her hand to him.

Lu Yan paused for a moment, then took her hand. Her fingertips were slightly cool, but her grip was firm.

Lin Ruoyin: "Let's go."

The two walked out of the lounge side by side, their hands clasped as they strolled down the corridor leading to the press conference hall. Display cases showcasing Lu's classic works from over the years lined both sides of the corridor, radiating a gentle glow under spotlights. This scene was quietly captured by the PR team's photographers, who were well-prepared.

At 10:00 AM sharp, the lights in the press conference hall came into focus.

Lin Ruoyin and Lu Yan walked hand in hand onto the stage and sat down in front of the flashing cameras of the media. Without any tedious opening remarks, Lin Ruoyin took the microphone directly and calmly scanned the entire audience.

"Thank you to all our friends from the media for coming today. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion and questioning about the Lu Group and 'Lu's Blue Sapphire'. Today, my husband Lu Yan and I will be here to communicate frankly with you all."

Her opening remarks were calm and composed, without the slightest hint of stage fright or evasion.

For the next twenty minutes, the reporter bombarded him with sharp questions—about the impact of "Newborn Sapphire," about brand aging, about the feud with Mocore...

Lin Ruoyin remained calm throughout.

When asked whether the myth of scarcity held by Lu has been broken by technology, she smiled slightly and replied, "As a modern person, I must admit that technology is great. It makes certain 'blues' quantifiable and reproducible. From the perspective of things, the barrier of scarcity seems to be lowering." She then changed the subject, "But what Lu has always cherished and conveyed has never been the scarcity of things, but the scarcity of people."

She paused briefly, allowing the concept to settle.

"The master craftsman's eye for reading the unique texture and temperament of each rough stone with a lifetime of experience is an intuition that cannot be summarized by algorithms and is rare."

"The focus and patience that artisans pour into hammering cold, hard metal into a soft curve that fits the skin in the quiet workshop for hundreds of hours is rare."

"From the initial conception and carving of a piece of jewelry to its final wearing, the emotions and stories flowing between the designer, craftsman, and owner—this unique life trajectory—is even more precious."

"Therefore, we are not afraid of technological progress. Because the group that Lu serves has always been one that knows how to cherish these rare things and has a deep humanistic understanding and high aesthetic standards."

She looked at Lu Yan beside her, who promptly took over the conversation: "Lu's future will not be one of stagnation. We will embrace new technologies and optimize the experience, but our roots will always be planted in the pursuit of ultimate craftsmanship and the respect for our customers' emotions. This dedication and sincerity are Lu's true moat, a core competitiveness that no technology can replicate."

Lu Yan's voice was a little tense at first, but it gradually calmed down, and his sincere attitude, which was completely different from usual, was conveyed through the camera.

In the latter half of the press conference, Lin Ruoyin gave a detailed introduction to Lu's subsequent plans, a series of solid cooperation projects and service upgrades, demonstrating Lu's attitude of actively seeking evolution and renewal.

Throughout the press conference, Lin Ruoyin and Lu Yan displayed excellent teamwork. When Lin Ruoyin explained her ideas, Lu Yan's gaze remained focused on her, full of trust and support; when Lu Yan spoke, Lin Ruoyin leaned slightly to listen attentively, nodding occasionally, her posture natural and approachable. Their hands would occasionally touch lightly on the table, these small details keenly captured by the camera.

At the end of the press conference, Lin Ruoyin and Lu Yan stood side by side on the stage once again.

Under the spotlight, she gently turned her head to look at Lu Yan, and then very naturally reached out and took Lu Yan's arm.

Lu Yan paused slightly, then relaxed, supporting himself with his arm, and looked down at her with focused and affectionate eyes.

The sound of camera shutters went off instantly, and flashes rained down like a galaxy, capturing the two figures embracing closely.

Photos and clips from the press conference spread across the internet at an astonishing speed.

The public opinion on the internet has quietly begun to shift.

Some neutral comments began to appear.

"That makes sense. If you only look at the material when buying jewelry, what's the difference between that and buying gold bars?"

"Young Madam Lu has such a strong presence, and Lu Yan seems to have matured a lot too?"

"Putting competition aside, the skills of those master craftsmen are truly admirable."

Subsequently, public opinion gradually veered off course.

"Could the class representative summarize the key points? What was that little chattering about? She was staring at their faces the whole time..."

"What happened to the saying that couples are like birds in the same forest, flying away separately when disaster strikes? How come these two are so deeply in love?!"

"It feels like they used to do their own thing, but this crisis has made Lu Yanchang grow up. Look at him, he's like a puppy trying to keep up with his sister! Damn, I'm totally invested now."

Similar discussions quickly gained momentum, with topics such as #Lu's Couple's Stunning Looks#, #The chemistry of a Couple Fighting Side by Side#, and #The Right Way to Be a Rich Couple# even making it to the top of the trending topics list. The discussion was exceptionally active, with a tone completely different from the previous one-sided pessimism.

Xiao Tang was reporting to Lin Ruoyin in real time.

"President Lin, people online are starting to ship you and President Lu..."

After quickly glancing at it, Lin Ruoyin handed the tablet back, her voice hoarse with fatigue, "Keep an eye on it. Report any changes in the wind immediately. As for the rest, let nature take its course."

"Understood." Xiao Tang nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then whispered, "President Lin, you don't look well. Would you like to rest first..."

The first step was a barely successful stabilization.

But Lin Ruoyin knew that this was far from enough. The temporary shift in public opinion could not change the substantial crisis facing the Lu family.

She shook her head. "Notify the design department to hold a meeting."