Chapter 62: 62. Good medicine turns into poison

“Why don’t you all believe me? I really am a prince, I’m just a bit down on my luck right now.”

Under the watchful eyes of Yuan Ruohai and Stubborn Su Gang, the young man from Sha Country known as Xiao Jie shook his head with a look of resignation, speaking broken Xia language with a heavy northern accent.

“Right, right, just maintain that state. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!” Stubborn Su Gang clapped his hands in delight, his eyes gleaming with cunning satisfaction.

“Indeed, not bad. To deceive others, you first have to deceive yourself,” Yuan Ruohai nodded in agreement, tossing a white cloth to Xiao Jie, whose lips were twitching. “We’ll be in Haicheng soon, so don’t show any cracks in the facade. First, we’re heading to the Yuandao Furniture woodworking factory. I need to rush-produce a batch of high-end furniture.”

He turned his head to look at the crowds on the distant shore, a fierce light flickering in his eyes.

The act had to be complete, just as a good horse needs a good saddle. To play up the nobility of the Prince of Sha Country, they naturally had to provide him with the right attire and furnish a royal chamber. Although these worldly possessions could be quickly acquired with money, the three of them were currently as poor as church mice.

The fare for their return trip had been paid for by Yuan Ruohai, who had to pry out one of his own gold teeth. Fortunately, he had secretly stashed away a lot of precious wood at the factory. Plus, his son, Yuan Tao, was the factory manager assigned by the family. Even without Old Man Yuan’s approval, would Yuan Tao dare not help obediently when his own father asked?

“Let’s go to the bus stop!”

After disembarking and walking out of the dock, Yuan Ruohai gazed at the bustling streets on either side, his spirits soaring. Following behind him, Stubborn Su Gang walked with his chest puffed out, looking radiant. Only Xiao Jie looked around curiously. He inwardly marveled at the rapid development of Xia Country over the years.

A few moments later, a bus arrived. Yuan Ruohai quickly pulled out a few crumpled bills and stuffed them into the fare box.

“Please board, Your Highness!” Ignoring the strange glances from others, his old face burned as he and Stubborn Su Gang flanked the door, bowing to invite Xiao Jie aboard.

“Okay, thank you.” Xiao Jie simply nodded and squeezed on, utterly disregarding the scornful looks from those around.

Thus, the two men and their so-called Prince of Sha Country began a journey of repeated bus transfers, heading all the way to the Yuandao Furniture woodworking factory, located beyond the Third Ring Road in the Southern City.

「At that moment.」

Inside a small private room in the cafeteria of the Yuandao Furniture woodworking factory.

“Lin Fan, what on earth are you up to? It’s one thing for you to mess around, but don’t drag us down with you!” Across the dining table, Mrs. Xue slammed her chopsticks down and glared at Lin Fan.

“Mrs. Xue, don’t be angry. Just think of it as getting out for a change of scenery. I think it’s quite nice,” Yuan Youwei said soothingly, taking a small sip of her soup. She then turned her head, her beautiful eyes full of tender affection as she gazed dreamily at Lin Fan, who was focused on his meal.

It had to be said, this man wasn’t just handsome; he became more appealing the longer she looked. That, combined with his extraordinary calm, made him completely incomparable to the wealthy young masters she’d met before.

“My dear girl, you… you’re completely besotted…” Mrs. Xue’s face darkened, and she turned away, fuming.

“Can you get full just by looking at me?” Just then, Lin Fan put down his chopsticks and bowl, then began to leisurely wipe his mouth with a napkin.

“Of course. Just watching you eat is enough to make me full,” Yuan Youwei teased with a smile, propping her fair cheeks in her hands.

“…” Mrs. Xue’s mouth twitched, her face turning green. She wished she could just cover her ears.

Lin Fan flinched, pretending he hadn’t heard her. He pushed the long box on the table toward them. “…What do you two make of this red sandalwood box?”

“It’s just a box for medicine. So what if it’s made of expensive material? What’s so special about it?” Mrs. Xue rolled her eyes and shook her head dismissively.

Yuan Youwei gasped, her playful mood vanishing as a thought struck her. “You didn’t tamper with the prescriptions, did you?” she murmured.

“The prescriptions are correct. I didn’t tamper with anything.” Lin Fan tapped his fingers on the box’s lid, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “However, preserving the medicinal efficacy for a long time requires a special container for storage.”

He lowered his gaze to the exquisitely carved patterns on the lid, a sharp gleam flashing deep within his eyes. He had already given the nine pharmaceutical giants their chance. How they chose to act was their problem. If they came to him seeking cooperation, there would be no issues. But if they wanted a freebie? Lin Fan didn’t mind teaching them a harsh lesson in four days and making them pay a much steeper price!

“Take this White Dragon Grass, for instance. The reason it has retained its medicinal value is largely thanks to this specially made red sandalwood box.”

His quiet explanation wasn’t loud, but to Yuan Youwei and Mrs. Xue, it was like a clap of thunder. They exchanged shocked glances. Who would have thought that Lin Fan’s trump card was merely the medicine box itself? It had to be said, this move was both brilliant and ruthless. It was impossible to guard against!

“Hmph, that’s a clever plan you’ve got, but Mr. Wang Sr. is no pushover. You think he won’t notice?” Mrs. Xue asked skeptically, recovering from her shock.

“I’m afraid they never even considered it.” Before Lin Fan could speak, Yuan Youwei picked up her buzzing phone. She glanced at the screen, then shook her head with a wry smile. “The Medical Association just released an announcement. The nine major pharmaceutical companies in Haicheng have simultaneously declared the successful development of their new drug and have already obtained the registration patent from the Association!”

Her red lips curled into a smile as she stared deeply at Lin Fan, her heart filled with emotion. “Moreover, each company is preparing to hold a new drug launch at the pharmaceutical purchasing conference four days from now!”

“So… you deliberately gave the prescriptions to Mr. Wang Sr. and the others?” Finishing her sentence with a grin, Yuan Youwei was absolutely ecstatic, secretly celebrating that she’d found a real treasure.

To think that you, Su Mengqing, would scorn such a man and throw him out! Humph. Your loss is my gain, Yuan Youwei!

“I didn’t originally plan to be so ruthless,” Lin Fan said calmly, putting away the red sandalwood box. “But I changed my mind when they covered for the Wang family and told blatant lies.”

“Then… what will happen at the new drug launch in four days when those nine companies discover something is wrong with their new drug?” Mrs. Xue asked tentatively, her voice filled with apprehension.

“Without my unique medicinal box for preservation, the drug’s efficacy will vanish within a day.” Lin Fan looked toward the door of the private room and added nonchalantly, “A few days after that, a potent medicine becomes a potent poison.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Xue trembled and drew a sharp, cold breath.

Yuan Youwei’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re so wicked… but I like it,” she chuckled.

“I’m not as wicked as they are.” Lin Fan stood up and walked toward Yuan Tao, who was just arriving at the door. “When the time comes, they’ll be selling medicine, and I’ll be selling medicine boxes… and no one will be able to refuse!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep