At exactly 1:00 p.m.
The livestream for Verdant’s autumn new product launch began right on schedule. However, the media, distributors, and eager fans who flooded into the channel immediately sensed that something was off.
The original backdrop—a massive poster for the new product bearing the slogan, "Luminous Rebirth, Envision the Future"—was gone. In its place stood a stark black screen displaying nothing but the white Verdant Group logo, casting a somber and oppressive atmosphere over the stage.
Where was the highly anticipated product launch? Where were the promotional banners? Why did the atmosphere feel so strange?
As murmurs rippled through the on-site reporters and online viewers, the spotlight suddenly flared to life.
Evans, dressed in a dark bespoke suit with a solemn expression, strode step by step to the center of the stage. He carried no cue cards, nor did he offer his usual warm greeting in Mandarin.
The air in the venue seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his opening remarks.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, before we proceed with the product launch, I need to address the events that unfolded online this morning," Evans said, his voice ringing crisp and clear through the microphone, echoing across the venue and reaching the ears of every livestream viewer.
He cut straight to the chase, skipping the pleasantries entirely.
"This morning, our public relations department discovered a sudden surge of online discourse regarding Verdant’s Luminous Radiance Serum.
"It is true that our Luminous Radiance Serum does indeed contain an ingredient known as Morning Glory Extract."
Not everyone in the audience knew what Morning Glory Extract was, but with hundreds of people in attendance—many of whom were industry insiders—those in the know quickly whispered explanations to their peers.
Following a brief moment of silence...
BOOM!
The venue erupted into chaos. The reporters went wild. Camera flashes strobed relentlessly, and the rapid-fire clicking of shutters blurred into a deafening roar.
He actually admitted it! The head of Verdant Group’s Asia Region had just publicly confessed that their product was flawed!
A few quick-witted journalists were already hammering away at their keyboards, racing to break the story first.
"BREAKING: Verdant Group President Evans Admits Flagship Product Contains Banned Substances at Press Conference!"
"The Verdant Myth Shatters! Ace Product Confirmed Toxic!"
This was the scoop of the year!
However, just as everyone assumed Verdant was about to offer a groveling public apology, Evans’s voice rang out again, calm and commanding.
"However."
That single word was enough to quiet the roaring crowd.
The massive black screen behind Evans suddenly lit up. Displayed side by side were scanned copies of two official documents, both stamped with bright red official seals.
"Please look at the document on the left," Evans said, pointing to the screen where the row containing ’Morning Glory Seeds’ was clearly highlighted with a red box. "This is the latest ’Inventory of Prohibited Cosmetic Ingredients’ published by the National Medical Products Administration on July 15, 2025.
"Now, look at the document on the right. This is the previous version of the inventory."
The eyes of everyone in the audience followed his gesture. In the older version of the document, there was absolutely no mention of Morning Glory Seeds.
"As you can see, the compounds related to Morning Glory Extract were only officially added to the banned list on July 15 of this year," Evans said, his tone devoid of emotion, yet every word carrying immense weight.
"And every single bottle of Luminous Radiance Serum currently on the market containing this ingredient was manufactured no later than July 10, 2025.
"In other words, at the time these products were produced, the use of this ingredient was completely legal and compliant!
"We strictly adhered to all national laws and regulations at the time! We are a responsible, law-abiding enterprise!
"Yet, someone has weaponized the time gap between the old and new regulations. They have exploited the public’s lack of specialized knowledge to launch a premeditated, organized, and malicious smear campaign!
"They have slandered a perfectly legal and safe product, branding it a ’toxic hazard’ to consumers! They are attempting to destroy a beauty brand that pours its heart and soul into its creations!"
Evans’s voice rose sharply, brimming with the righteous indignation of someone who had been framed. He masterfully painted Verdant as a diligent, rule-abiding victim, maliciously sabotaged by an insidious competitor exploiting an information gap.
His logic was airtight; the evidence, irrefutable.
The reporters were stunned.
So that was the truth?
The plot twist came so fast that their brains briefly short-circuited. The drafts they had just typed up about Verdant’s "confession" instantly became worthless trash.
A few veteran media figures could already smell the deeper layers of this strategy. This wasn’t a PR crisis at all—it was a brilliantly executed counterattack!
Back in her office, Wendy Lynch watched the livestream, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Incredible! Absolutely brilliant!" she thought. The response was flawless. The best defense was a good offense.
Yet, she had still underestimated Evans.
While the on-site journalists were still processing this shocking twist, Evans dropped a second, even more massive bombshell.
"Regulations are rigid and cold, but the human heart is warm. We understand the fear and panic consumers feel when they see words like ’banned’ and ’toxic.’
"To completely alleviate the concerns of every single customer, and to demonstrate Verdant’s absolute commitment to consumer responsibility..."
Evans took a deep breath. Staring straight into the array of camera lenses, he solemnly declared, "We have decided that, effective immediately, Verdant Group will proactively shoulder all social responsibility.
"Verdant Group is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall of all older batches of the Luminous Radiance Serum that contain Morning Glory Extract!
"Regardless of whether the product has been opened, and regardless of how much you have used, as long as you can provide a valid proof of purchase and the serum is still within its shelf life, you may visit any of our official channels.
"We will exchange it, completely free of charge, for a brand-new bottle of the Luminous Radiance Serum featuring our fully upgraded formula!"
Dead silence swept across the room.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then, thunderous applause erupted!
It was madness. Absolute insanity!
The Luminous Radiance Serum was Verdant Group’s flagship product, with monthly sales easily topping 20,000 units. Even though it was affordably priced at just over 100 yuan per bottle, recalling a year’s worth of unexpired products meant taking back at least 240,000 bottles.
They were recalling 240,000 bottles just like that? And offering free replacements on top of it?
This was no longer just crisis management!
This was a crushing display of overwhelming financial muscle, a declaration to the world: "We are Verdant, and we can afford to play this game!"
Even if a problem arose—even if the issue wasn’t Verdant Group’s responsibility in the slightest—they would see it through to the very end!