C20 Something Happened in the Factory and Ann Lan Was Humiliated!

"Lanlan, maybe we should wait a bit longer?"

"Lin Chen could arrive any minute now."

Standing at the entrance of the Treasure Jewel Makeup Factory, Sun Lili watched the bustling crowd inside and a wave of concern washed over her.

Despite the factory's recent establishment, its production lines had undergone rigorous inspection.

Clearly, the sudden troubles indicated sabotage.

"No need to wait."

Ann Lan shook her head, opened the car door, and stepped out decisively.

Realizing Ann Lan was set on her course, Sun Lili quickly pulled out her phone.

She was about to call Lin Chen when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a convoy of vans speeding towards them.

As the vehicles came to a halt, Lin Chen emerged first.

Following close behind were Qian Duoduo, Wang Sheng, Zhang Xiaoyu, and the entire security department team.

Sun Lili's face brightened at the sight, and she hurried over. "Lin Chen, you've made it!"

"Secretary Sun, about the child in the madwoman's belly..."

"Never mind that, can you fill me in on what's happening here? What's the situation?"

Lin Chen had intended to seek clarity from Sun Lili, but considering the crowd, he abruptly checked himself.

"Lanlan recently launched a new project, aiming to revitalize the company with some fresh energy."

"But who could have imagined? Just days after the cosmetics hit the market, over a dozen customers suffered disfigurement."

Sun Lili finished, then added, "I have a suspicion someone is deliberately trying to set Lanlan up."

Lin Chen nodded, sharing her suspicion.

After all, each new product was exhaustively tested before release. Allergies might occur due to individual differences, but it wasn't poison. Disfigurement should not be a common occurrence.

He remained silent, prompting Sun Lili to remind him, "Lin Chen, we need to approach this with caution. If not, Ann Lan could lose her CEO position, and Ann's Group might just slip through our fingers."

"Heh, they think they can take over my wife's company? They'd better check if they can stomach it," Lin Chen said with a steely look, then gestured assertively.

"Qian, Wang, later on, I want you and the guys to secure the perimeter of the factory."

"Don't let anyone escape without my orders!"

"If someone tries to force their way in, greet them with a stun baton."

"Big Brother, rest easy. With us on watch, not even a fly will escape," Qian Duoduo assured, thumping his chest.

Wang Sheng was aware of the complications involved and, with a nod, had his team seal off the factory entrance tight as a drum.

Sun Lili expressed her concern, "Lin Chen, are you sure this is going to work?"

"Never mind that—just tell me if the child that madwoman is carrying is mine."

Once they were alone, Lin Chen fixed his gaze on Sun Lili.

He wouldn't be able to rest until he got to the bottom of this.

"And who am I supposed to ask? All I know for certain is that the child isn't mine!" Sun Lili stubbornly insisted, her gaze drifting off, avoiding Lin Chen's piercing stare.

She would never betray her dear friend!

Lin Chen nearly choked on his frustration at her response.

What kind of logic was she using?

Even if she wanted to claim the child in Ann Lan's womb, she'd need the means to do so!

Sun Lili cleared her throat as Lin Chen's temper flared.

"But, you know, these things aren't always set in stone," she added.

"At the hospital, when Lanlan was artificially inseminated, I caught a glimpse of a name on the donor form—something Lin."

Lin Chen's tension eased at her words.

With so many Lins in the world, why would he assume the donor was him?

And even if his father had been spreading his seed, it wasn't necessarily linked to Ann Lan.

She wasn't his kin, after all.

But then it hit him—his father had once mentioned having other descendants in the secular world.

A chill ran down Lin Chen's spine.

Why had his father arranged for him to apply to Ann's Group?

And why did that donor share his surname?

There was undoubtedly a huge issue at play.

"Lin Chen, for a grown man, you sure can be petty."

"Whether the child in Lanlan's belly is yours or not, it's going to carry your last name once it's born."

"So why are you so hung up on it?"

Seeing Lin Chen's troubled expression, Sun Lili couldn't help but offer some friendly advice.

"What are you standing around for?"

"Come on, lead the way!"

Lin Chen bit his lip and pressed Sun Lili to move faster.

Despite his doubts, the current situation left him no choice.

If there was even a one percent chance that the child in that woman's womb was his, Lin Chen couldn't risk anything happening to mother and child!

Meanwhile, inside the factory.

A throng of reporters had encircled Ann Lan.

"Director Ann, can you explain how your company's new product resulted in severe disfigurement for a dozen customers? What's your take on this?"

"Rumor has it that to turn a quick profit, you deliberately sold inferior products as premium ones. Is there any truth to that?"

"Director Ann, we understand that this factory was a project you personally endorsed."

"As the person in charge, you've disregarded consumer safety to a degree that could be considered criminal. We need an explanation!"

Zhang Changsheng, amidst the crowd, shook his head at the lackluster questions from the reporters and signaled to some others.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our news agency has just uncovered a bombshell."

"The CEO of Ann's Group is pregnant out of wedlock, and the father is nowhere to be seen!"

"If you're skeptical, take a look at these pregnancy test records from Ann Lan's hospital visit."

The crowd gasped in unison at the reporter's revelation.

Ann Lan was not only one of A City's four great beauties but also hailed as a business goddess.

Now, her premarital pregnancy shattered the dreams of countless men who aspired to marry a wealthy beauty and reach the pinnacle of success.

As the audience reeled in shock, another reporter stepped forward.

"Ann's Group is a titan in the cosmetics industry. The pregnancy of its CEO, if made public, will surely cause the company's stock to nosedive."

"I'm willing to bet that Director Ann, fearing accountability from the board, rushed to approve this new factory project in a desperate attempt to cash in one last time before facing potential dismissal!"

As Ann Lan's pregnancy test report and her slightly swollen belly came into view, a wave of anger swept across the faces of those present.

"Ann Lan, you shameless woman. I can't believe how much I trusted you," one person spat out bitterly.

"You've been deceitful, making a fortune with no regard for your conscience, and this is how you repay us?"

"Indecent enough to carry a bastard child, and then you scheme to swindle our hard-earned money? Do you even have a shred of humanity?"

"Damn you, you wretched woman! I'll crush you! Without you, my sister would never have been scarred like this!"

Amidst the turmoil, several actors, prearranged by Zhang Changsheng, began to set the tone. They pulled out the foul eggs and decaying vegetable leaves they had prepared and hurled them viciously at Ann Lan.

Caught off guard by the sudden onslaught, Ann Lan had no time to react, instinctively shielding her abdomen.

The putrid eggs and leaves pelted her, a pungent odor immediately filling her nostrils.

"Hold on, everyone," a voice called out. "Director Ann has always been a paragon of integrity. There's definitely some mistake here!"

"It's possible that someone with a hidden agenda has crafted this deception to sabotage both our factory and Director Ann!"

A middle-aged man quickly stepped forward, urgently trying to clear the air.

"A misunderstanding?" someone questioned.

"If it's all a misunderstanding, then tell us, Director Ann, are you pregnant out of wedlock?"

The reporter, planted by Zhang Changsheng, sneered and thrust the microphone toward Ann Lan.

"And if you're lying, Director Ann, I'll have no choice but to curse your child to a dreadful fate!"

The harsh words made Ann Lan disregard the filth on her face and the spoiled leaves in her hair.

She bit her lip gently, attempting to explain, "Things are not as they seem..."

But before she could elaborate, the reporter snatched the microphone back.

Another rotten egg, thrown with malice, aimed straight for Ann Lan's belly.

"No!" Ann Lan cried out in alarm.

Thankfully, her hands were already guarding her stomach. She shifted slightly, and the egg splattered against her arm instead.

The crowd could have witnessed a tragedy!

"Did you all see that? Ann Lan's protective instinct over her belly suggests the pregnancy report could be a forgery... but a person's instinctive reaction can't be faked!"

"With such a callous disregard for her customers, just to scrape together some money for her child's formula, her heart is truly malicious!"

No sooner had the reporter finished speaking than a woman next to Ann Lan, seizing a moment of distraction, delivered a fierce slap across her face.

She then burst into a tirade, "You wretch, you've disfigured my mother's face. Now, your child will pay with their life!"

"Brothers and sisters, unite! Let's take this wretch down!"