“The Aged tangerine peel case has damaged our company, and we must learn from this experience. If a mere anonymous report can crash our stock prices, then it means our company has a long way to go in building public trust.”
Livinus’s stern expression made everyone in the room uneasy.
Everyone present was a high-ranking executive, and they all knew that Old Master Scott was critically ill. This meant that a power struggle for the Scott Corporation was about to unfold.
Once the higher-ups began fighting, the lower-ranking employees would also be dragged into the chaos.
On top of that, negative media coverage had made the company atmosphere tense, and employees were feeling insecure about their positions.
Richard smirked. “Livinus, I disagree with your approach.”
Livinus barely lifted his eyelids and said flatly, “Oh?”
“Look,” Richard continued, “our Aged tangerine peel has already tested positive for issues. If the official report confirms that it is indeed subpar, then broadcasting a live press conference would only spread negative publicity and make things worse!
“That would be a PR disaster. Even an idiot knows that!”
Livinus’s gaze turned icy cold.
“Oh? So Director Scott doesn’t believe in our company’s integrity? You think our Aged tangerine peel is fake? You believe the accusation is true?”
“I…” Richard stammered under everyone’s scrutiny, then forced a laugh. “Of course, I don’t want any issues with our company. I’m just worried… what if the results don’t go our way?”
“There is no ‘what if’!”
Livinus stood up, his presence dominating the room.
“Everyone, follow my orders. Ensure this press conference goes flawlessly.”
Richard sneered as he watched Livinus hard at work.
‘Go ahead and be busy,’ he thought. ‘I’ll enjoy watching you fail.’
Did Livinus really think that by himself, he could turn the tide of the Aged tangerine peel scandal?
That was impossible.
After all, he himself had arranged for those inferior Aged tangerine peel batches to enter the supply chain.
The truth was that some of the Aged tangerine peel used in Scott Corporation’s medicine was indeed substandard.
But so what?
A true businessman didn’t get caught up in minor details.
Once he took control of the Scott Corporation, he could restore the company’s reputation later.
With a smug expression, Richard leaned back, fully expecting to watch the disaster unfold.
Later that day, the press conference was held, attended by all the company’s top executives.
Then, the official report was announced:
“The test results for Scott Corporation’s Aged tangerine peel indicate that the samples include 25-year-old, 30-year-old, and 28-year-old Aged tangerine peel.
There is no evidence to support the claim that the company used Aged tangerine peel aged three years or younger as a substitute for 20-year-old Aged tangerine peel.
In fact, all tested samples contained Aged tangerine peel no younger than 20 years old.”
Richard’s smirk froze.
His pupils shrank, and his face paled.
He had been so sure that the results would prove him right—but instead, they completely cleared Livinus!
His carefully crafted scandal had just collapsed in an instant.
This is the official result. Initially, many people suspected that the Scott family had bribed the authorities to obtain this outcome. However, after reconsidering, they realized Livinus had actively cooperated with the investigation. If bribery were possible, why would the Scott family allow such news about the company to be released?
Following this, the Scott family issued a response, stating that someone was slandering them in an attempt to lower their standing in the industry. However, it was widely known that the Scott family was a conscientious enterprise. Not only had they expanded within the domestic market, but for years, they had also been dedicated to overseas expansion. Today, their medicines are sold in more than a hundred countries, spreading traditional Medicine far and wide. While the Scott family might not be the largest corporation, they were committed to being a warm and responsible enterprise, ensuring that every package of medicine they produced was genuine and effective.
These words touched many netizens. As the Scott family recounted their company’s history, numerous people reflected on their own experiences. Many parents of netizens reminisced about times when they couldn’t afford medicine due to poverty, but the Scott family’s affordable drugs had sustained them. Some recalled that a medicine costing only two dollars could cure migraines, and to this day, it was still being sold—so cheap that it seemed impossible for the company to make a profit.
This raised suspicions among the public: if the official data was accurate, proving that the Scott family was innocent of such allegations, why would someone fabricate such a scandal?
At this moment, a blogger posted on a forum: “The Inheritance Dispute of the Scott family—Did You Really Think They Sold Fake Medicine? Wrong!”
The author, claiming to be an insider, explained why the scandal had erupted. The issue was not with the Scott family’s medicines but with its heirs.
The post exposed four sons of the Scott family and pointed out that the eldest and youngest were the main contenders in the inheritance dispute. The author further noted that although the fake medicine scandal seemed to target the company, it was, in fact, directed at Livinus. Around the same time, various “scandals” about Livinus surfaced online, making it evident that this was related to the inheritance conflict.
Although such posts were not always reliable, this particular one took the discussion in a different direction. Many were already inclined to believe in the Scott family’s integrity. However, with the current crisis, the question arose: Why would someone go out of their way to slander them? The author’s argument suddenly made sense—Livinus was in trouble because he was an obstacle in the inheritance dispute!
