Chapter 40: There's no such thing as a free lunch.
"Dad, how could you sell the clinic for such a low price?" Chen Li's face darkened as he looked at the sales contract in Chen Maquan's hand, especially when he saw the price of 400,000 yuan. His eyes were blazing with fury, as if he wanted to devour someone.
Chen Maquan puffed on a pipe, exhaling a puff of smoke as he said, "What can we do if we don't sell them? We can't compete with Shen Qingtang at all." Since the fake medicine scandal, their clinic's reputation has been ruined, and the doctors they hired at high salaries have all run away, afraid of getting involved in this mess.
On the contrary, Renxin Medical Clinic's business is getting better and better. If he still stubbornly sticks to this clinic, he will really lose a lot of money.
Hearing this, Chen Li pursed his lips, unable to utter a rebuttal for a long time. They had spent so much money to acquire Yuexi Poria cocos, just waiting for Shen Qingtang to be unable to produce the pills and bear the wrath of the entire group of wealthy wives and young ladies. But the other party just happened to be lucky enough to save Ma Guoqiang's daughter, and Ma Guoqiang, by sheer coincidence, had purchased a lot of Yuexi Poria cocos, allowing the other party to get a half-price bargain. They, on the other hand, had tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead.
Looking at the unwillingness on his son's face, Chen Maquan sighed softly and advised, "Son, some things are just unfair, but we have to accept it."
“I’ve already thought it through. We’ll go back to our hometown and use this money to open a small clinic. We can barely make ends meet in the future. These powerful and wealthy families are simply not something ordinary people like us can afford to offend…” He continued talking to himself, completely unaware that Chen Li’s eyes were deep and he hadn’t taken his plans to heart at all.
Just across the street, unlike the oppressive atmosphere inside Chen's Medical Clinic, everyone at Renxin Medical Clinic was excitedly gathered around an invitation, discussing it heatedly.
"Sister Shen is so lucky to be able to attend the Spiritual Medicine Industry Conference in Yancheng. I heard that many big shots will be there to exchange ideas. If they could give Sister Shen some pointers, it would be a lifelong benefit."
"Haha, if you ask me, Dr. Ma's leg injury was brilliantly timed."
"What are you talking about? Sister Shen didn't rely on luck at all; it was clearly her own ability. Otherwise, Dr. Ma wouldn't have sent this invitation to Sister Shen."
"Being able to participate in the Spiritual Healing Conference is my lifelong dream. I've heard that the food there is better than that in ordinary restaurants."
......
Hearing the chatter of the crowd, Shen Qingtang walked in from the doorway and asked curiously, "What are you all talking about? You seem so happy."
Sun Wukong chuckled and respectfully picked up the invitation, handing it to Shen Qingtang. He said, “Sister Shen, take a look at this. This is a gift from Doctor Ma. He was originally one of the five representatives from Kyoto to attend, but because he injured his right leg, he recommended you instead.”
He asked expectantly, "Sister Chen, you'll participate, right?"
The white invitation in front of me is exquisitely made and imprinted with special red clay. Holding it in my hand, I can smell a faint fragrance of osmanthus and feel its heavy weight.
In the very center, two large characters are written in a vigorous, flowing style: "Miracle Medicine".
When Shen Qingtang was giving Mrs. Li acupuncture, she heard her mention that the "Miracle Medicine" industry conference was the highest-level conference in the Chinese Medicine Association. Each province/city could only send five representatives to participate, and many big names would exchange ideas and share their experiences there.
Of course, this is also an important way to build connections. Most participants are over fifty and quite well-known locally. Such an opportunity is rare and precious. Therefore, Shen Qingtang nodded without hesitation, "I will go."
She opened the letter and said, "The event will be held in Yancheng in three days. I can arrive a day in advance."
Cui Mingyue suddenly coughed and said, "I heard that Yancheng roast duck is quite delicious. Unlike the sweet and fragrant duck here, the duck there is air-dried with a secret recipe."
Sensing the implication in those words, Shen Qingtang smiled faintly and said, "Then I'll bring you a few more back." She wondered to herself whether Brother Qin would like this flavor.
The next moment, her phone rang. Looking at the name flashing in her contacts, she ignored her disappointment and answered immediately. Sun Yun's cheerful voice came from the other end of the line: "Qing Tang, are you also going to Yancheng to attend the Spirit Medicine Conference? Come with us, the branch association can reimburse your travel expenses."
Being able to leave with the main group was naturally a good thing, and without much thought, Shen Qingtang agreed immediately.
As Shen Qingtang boarded the plane to Yancheng, a package quietly arrived at a parcel locker in a high-end residential area in Country M.
Outside the window, snow was falling heavily. Pedestrians on the road were wrapped in thick down jackets and trudged through the snow with difficulty. Shen Qinglan carried her violin and looked at the snowflakes falling in front of her, feeling as if they were going to kill her.
Her gloved right hand accidentally touched her face, and the stinging sensation, like silver needles, rose again. She tugged at the corners of her mouth, but could no longer be as positive and optimistic as usual. Her mentor's words hit her head like a heavy hammer.
“MISS Chen, your musical talent is impeccable, but you… perhaps I need to think about who can truly take the center position, so as not to leave a bad impression on the band.”
She opened the door with a blank expression. The warm air from the heater made Shen Qinglan feel a little better. She carefully put down her violin, took off her thick mask, and hearing the constant coughing coming from inside the house, she immediately composed herself and said with a worried look, "Mom, is your cold still not better? How about I go to Dr. Jin's to get you some medicine?"
As she walked, one could see dense clusters of red rashes on her cheeks, like ugly scars etched onto her once beautiful face, which aroused disgust.
Xu Ying coughed weakly again, took a sip of water, and waved her hand, saying, "Xiao Lan, no need, I've already taken my medicine." Her illness wasn't simply caused by a cold; it was a weakness she had been born with.
When I was young, I took good care of myself, and things were fine. But now I've been living in a strange city for almost a year, and I still haven't adapted. I often have fevers and coughs every few days.
After saying that, she looked at Shen Qinglan's red rash with concern and said, "Why is it so serious? It's still not healed."
Shen Qinglan shook her head and said, "I don't know either. Maybe my skin is just too sensitive. I'm not quite used to being here."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ying looked remorseful and said, "It's all my fault for letting you take your brother swimming. The water there must be dirty, causing your skin allergy. What are you going to do about your band auditions? I still have two boxes of face masks that I brought from China. Do you want to continue using them and see if they work?"
When this topic came up, Shen Qinglan was also somewhat disheartened, lowering her head and saying, "It probably won't have any effect." In fact, she had gone to the hospital for a check-up, but the medical efficiency in the United States has always been low. She had undergone several tests repeatedly, and the hospital would only tell her to keep going to bed early and getting up early, and then prescribe some ointment perfunctorily, but the effect was better than nothing.
After saying that, she forced a smile and said, "Mom, maybe I'm just not meant to be with the Chers Orchestra. I'll just go to work for Dad after graduation." Although she had prepared for this opportunity for a long time, she could only sigh softly in the face of this inevitable elimination, feeling powerless.
Xu Ying knew perfectly well that her daughter was meant to be in the spotlight, not working a nine-to-five job; that would only stifle her vibrant spirit. She patted her daughter on the shoulder and comforted her, "Don't be so discouraged. Maybe things will turn around. I heard that a medical clinic in China sells Xuehua Dan, which is very effective in treating allergy rashes. I'll ask someone to try it."
Shen Qinglan's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again. She shook her head and said, "Mom, let's forget about it. These Snow Flower Pills are very hard to buy." In fact, she had considered buying the Snow Flower Pills, but the high price of 150,000 per pill was enough to deter her, not to mention how popular the Snow Flower Pills were.
Moreover, although they share the surname Shen, they have already been marginalized overseas. So, who would buy their products? If they end up with fake pills that worsen her skin condition, that would be a huge loss.
Moreover, even if we could buy the real thing, it would take a full half month to ship it from China to overseas, and the orchestra audition would be a week later. It would be too late, too late.
Xu Ying pursed her lips, revealing a look of disapproval. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Shen Ningyue's joyful voice coming from outside the door.
"Mom, Second Sister, someone sent me something! The packaging box is exactly the same as the one that sent us mooncakes last time." After saying that, Shen Ningyue couldn't help but lick her lips and said greedily, "Yu Fang Zhai's mooncakes are really delicious, and I haven't had enough yet."
Hearing this, Shen Qinglan glared at the little boy who pushed the door open and said, "Shen Ningle, why are you so greedy? What if someone poisoned it?" When she received a mooncake gift box of unknown origin, her first instinct was to throw it away.
After all, since their family came abroad, they had almost completely severed ties with their relatives and friends back home. Who would go to the trouble of sending them a few boxes of mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival? Moreover, it's not as safe abroad as it is in China, so it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Unexpectedly, her greedy younger brother tore open the packaging and ate it, causing her to rush him to the hospital for a check-up. They also had the mooncake's ingredients tested, which confirmed that there was nothing wrong with it.
Upon hearing this, Shen Ningyue said with a dissatisfied look, "Second sister, you overestimate yourself. Who would travel thousands of miles to send a mooncake to poison us? Besides, didn't you eat quite a few mooncakes last time?"
Seeing her second sister moving her lips as if about to scold her again, Shen Ningyue quickly opened the packaging box and said with some puzzlement, "Strange, why are there three medicine bottles inside?"
He looked at the label and muttered to himself, "Weight loss pills, Qi-boosting pills, Xuehua pills? This isn't a fake medicine, is it?" He said warily, "I have to throw it away right away."
As he spoke, he casually picked up the small medicine bottle in his hand. The next second, Shen Qinglan grabbed his wrist and screamed, "Don't throw it!"
Her face flushed red and her breathing became rapid. Her heart pounded, and she felt as if she were floating on clouds.
Snow Flower Pill... the Snow Flower Pill she had been dreaming of had appeared right in front of her.
She thought she would break the medicine in her excitement, but in fact she gripped the small bottle tightly, holding it in her hands as if it were a sacred relic.
"Second sister, what's wrong with you?" Seeing this, Shen Ningyue was completely baffled and quickly cast a pitiful and pleading look at Xu Ying: "Mom, do you think second sister is...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Ying interrupted him, saying, "Xiao Le, don't speak yet. Let your second sister take a closer look first."
Shen Qinglan took a deep breath and carefully took out a pill from the small medicine bottle. It was full in color and had a pleasant fragrance. As she turned it, she could vaguely see the four characters "Renxin Medical Hall". She then took out a photo that someone had posted on WeChat Moments and carefully compared it. After a moment, she looked up excitedly and said, "Mom, this seems to be the real Xuehua Pill!"
She couldn't help but touch her face, which was constantly red and allergic, and said with a hopeful expression, "Mom, my face is saved." After saying that, she swallowed the pill in one gulp.
Xu Ying was startled by the other party's reckless actions and frowned, saying, "Xiao Lan, how could you just eat it like that? You should have waited for your father to come back and take it to the hospital for testing."
Shen Qinglan shook her head and said, "It's okay, I think it's true." To be honest, she herself felt a little disgusted by the red rash on her face, let alone others.
Soon, she felt a cool sensation on both sides of her cheeks.
Shen Ningyue exclaimed, "Sister, your rash seems to have gotten much better!"
"Really?" Shen Qinglan quickly took out a mirror. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but the bright red rash seemed to have faded a bit and the area it covered had shrunk.
Xu Ying also showed a delighted expression and said, "The effect is really too immediate." After saying that, her eyes swept over the remaining two bottles of pills and said, "It seems that these are also real."
Shen Qinglan smiled and said, "Mom, try taking this Qi-boosting pill tomorrow. Maybe it can cure your illness from the root."
Xu Ying carefully put away the remaining medicine bottles and said, "Okay, okay." But she quickly frowned slightly, looking very confused, and said, "But who sent these pills?" She pursed her lips and guessed, "Qinglan, could it be one of your male classmates in China who admires you?"
Shen Qinglan quickly went through the list of male classmates she knew in her mind and shook her head, saying, "It shouldn't be." Those people all grew up under the protection of wealthy families, just like her, and they simply don't have that kind of power.
Hearing this, Xu Ying was deeply worried: "Then who gave them to us?" These pills were worth over two million in total, which was no small sum. As an adult, she naturally knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.
Shen Qinglan looked at the rash on her face, which had obviously improved, and waved her hand, saying, "Mom, don't worry too much. Since this person sent these things here, it's for us to use."
"Let's not waste each other's kindness. If she wants something in the future, we should repay her well." Shen Qinglan is a typical pragmatist. The most urgent thing is to solve their current situation instead of worrying about the future.
Hearing this, Xu Ying nodded and said, "Xiao Lan, you're right." Then she sighed softly and said, "I wonder how Qing Tang is doing in China?"
When Shen Qinglan mentioned this person, the veins on her forehead kept throbbing, and she showed a rare irritated expression on her face: "Mom, don't worry so much. When you asked her to come abroad with us, she herself refused."
“We left her three million in cash plus a clinic, which is enough to ensure she will live a life of comfort and security.”
Shen Ningyue joined the conversation, saying with some dissatisfaction, "Mom, have you forgotten that she sold your family heirloom bracelet? There's no need to worry about someone like her." He still felt angry thinking about how she had abandoned him at the amusement park.
Xu Ying opened her mouth, but couldn't utter any more words to refute it. Admittedly, Shen Qingtang was abducted when she was a child, and as her mother, she bore some responsibility. However, the wrongdoings committed by the other party were far too numerous, not only against her but also against her other two children.
Finally, she could only sigh softly and say, "Okay, I understand, I won't say anything more."
*
Three days later, the Qin Group.
"Boss Qin, this is our promotion project for this quarter..." Qin Rongyun nodded absentmindedly, "Yeah, I understand. You guys can do whatever you want."
After saying that, he saw Qi Yi pushing Qin Guanlan out the window and frowned, saying, "Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting this afternoon? Why did you sneak away, brother?"
His subordinate explained, "Manager Qin took leave early this morning and sent the documents over simultaneously."
"Oh, I see." Qin Rongyun stroked his chin and smiled. "Then I won't attend the meeting this afternoon." As he spoke, he picked up his suit jacket from the back of the chair and said, "I'm leaving now."
The moment he stepped out of the company, he finally felt as if his imprisoned soul had been set free. Indeed, managing a company was simply suppressing his true nature. Meanwhile, the people in his office exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes revealing the same sigh of regret.
The Second Young Master Qin is truly no match for the First Young Master Qin.
Qi Yi stepped on the gas and drove Qin Guanlan straight to Renxin Medical Clinic, where they could hear a lively commotion from afar.
"Sister Chen, is participating in the Spirit Medicine Conference fun?"
"Sister Chen, which big shots did you encounter?"
"Sister Chen, did you bring back the Yancheng roast duck?"
......
Soon, an unfamiliar male voice came from inside, speaking with great enthusiasm. Seeing Qin Guanlan's suddenly darkened face, Qi Yi knew something was wrong and deliberately coughed, saying, "Brother Qin, this might be Sister Shen's new apprentice."
Qin Guanlan simply replied, "Is that so?"
Qi Yi touched his nose and dared not speak again.
Sun Yun sat on a bench at Renxin Medical Hall, talking with great enthusiasm, spitting as he spoke, feeling more and more that attending the Spiritual Medicine Industry Conference with Shen Qingtang was well worth it.
They were traveling by plane when, by sheer coincidence, they encountered a patient who had suffered a sudden heart attack. While everyone hesitated, Shen Qingtang used acupuncture to stabilize the patient's vital signs. After getting off the plane, they learned that the old man was actually the organizer's grandfather.
As a result, they received special treatment and gained the favor of many influential figures. Even Liao Qinghe's grandfather heard about it and came to discuss acupuncture with Shen Qingtang, praising it highly.
Thinking back to that scene, he felt as if he had drunk a bottle of fine wine, and he was still savoring the memory: "I originally thought that Liao Qinghe, the youngest, would steal the show at this Spiritual Medicine Industry Conference, but I didn't expect it to be Qingtang."
"The organizers also held an acupuncture competition on the last day, and Shen Qingtang won first place. Liao Qinghe's face turned ashen. Our Kyoto delegation really made a splash." He showed a proud expression.
Hearing this, Fang Ze asked with some confusion, "Why would Sister Chen participate in the competition?" As far as he knew, she wasn't someone who liked to show off.
Sun Yun pouted and said, "It's all for Young Master Qin. The first place winner gets to have a half-hour private conversation with the big shots present. Qing Tang insisted on changing it to getting them to agree to help find patients with the same condition who are paralyzed in both legs." He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "She's really too good to Young Master Qin."
Shen Qingtang replied in a flat tone, "This is what I should do." Participating in the Spiritual Healing Conference has been very beneficial to her. She has already mastered the Thirteen Ghost Doctor Needles and only needs to find patients to test them on.
If successful, Brother Qin will be able to stand up and won't have to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Suddenly, her ears moved, and a slight smile appeared on the corner of her mouth as she said, "It looks like Brother Qin's car. I'll go out and take a look."
Looking at Shen Qingtang's face, so different from her expressionless one just now, Sun Yun stroked his chin and belatedly looked at the others, saying, "Aren't Qingtang and Qin Guanlan...?"
Cui Mingyue rolled her eyes speechlessly and said, "Brother Sun, how can you be so slow? Can't you even see that?"
Xu Xiaosheng and Xu Xiaoxun each gave a thumbs-up, their smiles full of ambiguity.
Sun Yun clicked his tongue and said, "I never expected this, I never expected this."
Shen Qingtang quickly left Renxin Medical Clinic, saw the understated Maybach parked by the roadside, and smiled, "Brother Qin, what brings you here?"
Qin Guanlan subtly looked the other person up and down, and seeing that Shen Qingtang was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "My little sister said she wanted to eat Yancheng roast duck, and couldn't wait, so she urged me to come and get it first."
Hearing this, Shen Qingtang shook her head repeatedly and said, "I didn't expect Qin Xiaomei to be so greedy." She said, "I bought a whole box and put it in the storage room."
Qi Yi blinked and said tactfully, "Brother Qin, Sister Chen, I'll go get it. You two are too lazy to go in."
As soon as he entered, he saw a group of people eavesdropping by the crack in the door. He coughed twice on purpose and said, "What are you all doing?" Qi Yi was a very outgoing person, and since he often picked up Shen Qingtang from school, he had become familiar with the people at the clinic. His tone was teasing.
Monkey King laughed and said, "Of course, it's to see people fall in love."
"Exactly, you don't understand what it's like to eat dog food."
"Sister Chen and Brother Qin are so sweet together."
......
Qi Yi smiled helplessly, recalling the half-demolished scene of the clinic across the street, and couldn't help but ask, "Is the Chen family clinic across the street going to shut down? Can we buy it?"
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