Chapter 383 - See If It Works
"Oh, lil' bro Guifeng! I had something urgent to do today, so I left early- My apologies, I'm really sorry about that!" Guifeng may be saying that, but he wasn't trying to apologize in the slightest.
Guifeng was a bit displeased, but there was nothing he could do about it- what else could he do when he needed to rely on Liu Tianyi for the military's medicine order?
"Haha, it's fine, it's fine!" Guifeng smiled like it was nothing. "By the way, brother Tianyi, I have something to ask you- that friend of my nephew, do you know him?"
"Oh, Mister Lin? Of course, of course I know him…" Tianyi said with a 'haha'.
"Oh? Then his family…" Guifeng wanted to know where Lin Yi was coming from.
"Haha, must be quite something… I say, lil' bro Guifeng, why are you asking this for?" Tianyi asked faintly.
"It's nothing, I was just thinking about the Pill of LIfe Extension and Toxin Cleansing he gifted today, it looks like you know something about that, brother Tianyi?" Guifeng tested.
"That? Haha… it's good stuff…" Tianyi had a pretty good idea what Lin Yi wanted, and that was to make the Kangs on Miracle Doctor Kang's side regret. He wouldn't mind revealing information that would lead to the regret, but the real information wouldn't be coming out of his lips.
"Good stuff? Does that mean you know something, brother Tianyi?" Guifeng tensed- there was no reason for Tianyi to make something up like this. After all, he was Liu Tianyi, of House Liu! Even if he were close with him he wouldn't be lying for Lin Yi's sake!
As a result, Guifeng was starting to find the Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing genuine.
While Guifeng might be on the right tract, he wasn't completely accurate- Tianyi really would lie if Lin Yi had asked for that help, and Tianyi would do so without hesitation!
"Haha, let's not talk about that- it's not something that can just be thrown around." Tianyi made a 'haha' once more. "By the way, Guifeng, I'm going back soon- sending my old man back to Yanjing."
"Hm? Brother Tianyi, wasn't Elder Liu here for Miracle Doctor Guan to heal him? Why's he going back?" Guifeng paused.
"Haha, he's healed up, of course! He even wanted me to buy him four types of crops for his garden!" Tianyi laughed.
"Healed??" Guifeng was taken aback by the news. "Didn't Miracle Doctor Guan say that only long-term acupuncture would work…"
"Haha, I wouldn't joke around about my old man's body- I wouldn't get him back home if he wasn't recovered!" Tianyi laughed. "Alright, I'll talk with you next time, my old man's asking me to join him on the dance rug…"
"Wha?!!" Guifeng couldn't believe his ears! Dance rug?! Liu Zhenhu, that old man? On a dance rug? The guy had problems with just walking!
But the phone had been cut off before Guifeng could say anything about that… He sighed and walked back to the group, his expression sullen.
"How did it go?" Miracle Doctor Kang tensed up after seeing that look on his son's face.
"Didn't get a direct answer, but it seems like it really is good stuff!" Guifeng said with a lowered voice. "But I've received some important news… Liu Tianyi's father, Elder Liu- he's miraculously recovered and even dancing on a dancing rug…"
"What?!" Miracle Doctor Kang's exclaimed upon hearing the insane words. "You're telling me that the ninety year old man's dancing on a dance rug? Seriously?"
Miracle Doctor Kang had seen what Zhenhu's condition was before- even walking took him a great deal of effort, so how on earth was he dancing on a dance rug? His eyebrows twitched- he had a bad feeling about this. "Could it… have something to do with that pill?"
"That's what I think too… It has to have something to do with that- why would that old fox Liu Tianyi mention that to me all of a sudden?" Guifeng nodded. "That pill might really be genuine, but what I don't understand is where Kang Xiaobo's friend got it from!"
"That kid looked like he was from a rich family- there's nothing odd about a young master getting his hands on something rare… But this Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing- it really is real?" Miracle Doctor Kang lifted up the dog poop once more, still in disbelief. "How would something that smells this bad be effective?"
"Grandpa, as the saying went- bitter medicine makes for better medicine! I think there's truth to that saying!" Zhaoming decided that it was time to show off the logic he'd come to a conclusion to earlier- he wanted to make up for his mistake, after all. Making himself seem more important would be beneficial.
"Hm.., Zhaoming isn't wrong- bitter medicine does make for better medicine!" Miracle Doctor Kang nodded approvingly. "But, that's still what it is, a saying- experiencing something first hand would be much more real than just hearing about it!"
"Grandpa, are you saying that…" Zhaoming asked.
"Here, cut this pill in half and consume it- see what effects it has!" Miracle Doctor Kang said after some hesitation.
"Ah? Me??" Zhaoming thought his grandpa was going to eat it, he never thought it'd be him!
"What's wrong? You don't want to have your life extended and your toxins cleansed?" Miracle Doctor Kang asked with his eyes on Zhaoming.
He himself didn't really want to take the risk- he wasn't as young as he used to be, and he might not be able to handle it. Zhaoming, however, was a different case.
"No… I…" Zhaoming felt like backing out- this Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing looked like it was good stuff, but that was still just a conjecture at this point! They couldn't just eat it without a solid conclusion!
"You're worried it's poisonous?" Miracle Doctor Kang hmphed. "Idiot, Kang Xiaobo isn't that big an idiot to present a poisoned pill in front of everyone! That's murder right there, it's prison for life! Even if it wasn't some Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing there wouldn't be any negative effects!"
"Dad… maybe I should be the one to test it…" Kang Cuipu said after some hesitation. Zhaoming was his son- he couldn't just let him eat something with unknown origins!
In the Kang house, Elder Kang held first priority, and the eldest son Guifeng and his son Zhaolong second. His son and Cuipu himself were actually less valued, and something like testing medicine could only fall to him.
The key thing here was that this was restricted to the core of the Kang family- they couldn't let an outsider carry out the test!
What if news got out that the Miracle Doctor Kang went and dug out the stepped-on pill back home to consume? People would burst out laughing at them!
This wasn't a humiliation the Kang family could take!!
Chapter 384 - An Unexpected Call
"Alright, let me do it!" Zhaoming understood the logic in his grandpa's words- he'd been too cautious. Now that he thought about it, it was obvious that Xiaobo wouldn't just give them poison; he wasn't an idiot.
He'd just be digging his own grave if that were the case- after all, he'd be the first target for suspicion should anything have happened to a member of Miracle Doctor Kang's family!
As a result, Zhaoming felt that it'd be better if he were the one to test it- after all, even if it didn't benefit him he still wouldn't be risking his health. Letting his father take the pill would only increase his grandpa's disdain for him.
He announced that decision with gritted teeth.
Zhaoming's words took Miracle Doctor Kang by surprise- he wasn't expecting for his coward of a grandson to actively offer testing the medicine! He was very happy with Zhaoming's decision. "Good! Zhaoming, I didn't think a day like this would come for you to grow up! Don't worry, If the research on the pill proves successful I'll give you a share for the profits coming from the medicine!"
The news joyed Zhaoming- If the research on this Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing turned out to be a success then the profits would likely be on the same level as the profits Golden Creation yielded! Having a share in all of that was very much worth celebrating!
Among the third generation Kangs, even Zhaolong didn't have any shares with all that excellence he had! Zhaoming never expected to become the first to get a share- he was overwhelmed with joy at that point.
Zhaoming's father Cuipu was surprised as well at his son's bravery and guts! He never expected for one decision from his son to reap benefits this huge!
Even Zhaolong eyed this little brother of his with jealousy!
To the Kangs, Zhaoming had always been a typical young master, a coward- as a result, whenever he did anything bad there'd be a lack of reaction from everyone, since they'd all gotten used to it… All it took was for him to suddenly do something sensible for once and it'd surprise everyone.
And that very surprise led to Miracle Doctor Kang's decision to make Zhaoming that promise…
Zhaoming took the Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing lookalike out of Miracle Doctor Kang's hands and placed it on the table before cutting it with a sharp blade. He scooped up half of it and prepared to consume it.
"Ugh… It smells so bad!!" Zhaoming was as disgusted as he could be as he put it to the edge of his mouth. "Why does this smell the same as dog poop!!"
"It's like you said, bitter medicine makes for better medicine!" Cuipu urged, excited himself- if his son were to consume this pill and learn that it was effective then they'd get their hands on some company shares! It'd make him happy as a father.
Zhaoming gritted his teeth and nodded. He closed his eyes, pinched his nose, and dropped the piece of dog poop into his mouth before gulping down some water, barely managing to stop his intense urge to vomit.
He started calming down after a while, and let out a long breath. "Fuu…… Finally got it down!"
"Alright, Zhaoming- stay home for a couple of days, see what the effects are!" Miracle Doctor Kang nodded and turned to Guifeng. "Guifeng, you seal and contain the other half of the Pill of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing- if it's effective for Zhaoming, send it to the lab and have them test its components!"
"Understood!" Guifeng nodded.
Having ingested the dog poop, Zhaoming felt only the rolling and tumbling of his stomach- it was extremely uncomfortable, but he kept himself from vomiting as he went back to his room and lay himself flat on the bed!
One had to say that Zhaoming was actually considered pretty lucky- the part of the dog poop he'd consumed coincidentally had some remnants of the PIll of Life Extension and Toxin Cleansing. It wasn't pure dog shit.
Lin Yi, naturally, had no idea what was going on at the Kang house. He'd be laughing himself to death if he ever learned that Zhaoming had picked the dog poop back home, thinking it was the pill and even eating it.
At Guan Xuemin's house, Lin Yi explained to Xiaobo some general information regarding the medicine company to Xiaobo's excitement and worry. After all, he had no experience in management whatsoever! He didn't want to let the good opportunity go, but Xiaobo was no idiot- he understood the consequences for messing things up. "Boss, I don't know anything about management and business… You gotta let me have a learning process first…"
Xiaobo had calmed down from the excitement at that point- as hot-headed as he may be, he was able to compose himself and think about the problem after the hot-headedness.
What happened with Fen and what happened on the rooftop were examples of instances when Xiaobo managed to calmly think about his gains and losses after the events.
Xiaobo's words put Lin Yi in a bit of a difficult position- Xuemin was a scholar, naturally lacking experience in managing a company… Even more so with Lin Yi. He could handle assassinations, but managing a company? That was out of the question.
But Xiaobo was making sense- he had no such experience either!
It was at that point where Lin Yi realized- he'd oversimplified some things. It wasn't as simple as just having a recipe!
Yet, Lin Yi didn't want to include people he didn't trust within the core of the company's management…
Firstly, Lin Yi's existence itself was a secret! He didn't want to reveal himself to the public and let everybody know that he was the source for the recipe! It was especially so when considering how he was still in the middle of a mission- he wasn't in a position to be multitasking.
"Yi, here's what I'm thinking- look for a professional manager we can trust, and I'll primarily act as the vice-chairman in name, or some other title like the head of the research department. I'll just be responsible for helping the promotions!" Xuemin suggested. "As for the company, we can let Xiaobo and Xin Xin take the positions at the board, involving them with the policy-making and strategies, but not the management of the business operation."
"It's a good idea, but the problem here is finding a manager we can trust." Lin Yi nodded. "But it won't be easy at all to find that person…"
"That won't be something we can rush." Xuemin shook his head. "I'll make some inquiries."
With that, the matter settled down for the moment, and Lin Yi left Xuemin's villa with Xiaobo in his car. He wanted to drive him home directly, but the guy wanted to purchase some business management books at the bookstore!
It felt very last-minute, but Lin Yi appreciated Xiaobo's efforts. He'd be really troubled if Xiaobo lacked the drive and didn't work hard on his own accord, after all.
Lin Yi drove Xiaobo to the bookstore, but didn't go up with him, making his way to Mengyao's villa instead. He'd been gone for two days…
Lin Yi wondered if the Miss would be displeased? He'd told her that he was attending Xiaobo's second grandpa's birthday feast with him before, and while Mengyao didn't say anything about that who knew what sort of things that Yushu might be saying to her?
Lin Yi's phone rang up just as he was reaching home- he thought it was Tang Yin calling, but paused upon seeing the number on the display.
It was Wang Xinyan's!!