The entire Changle Alley has only one pharmacy,right next to the Happy Forest.
Others consider Changle Alley a slum with little profit,unwilling to open a pharmacy here.
Happy Forest,on the other hand,is prosperous,but how many people get sick on one street?Opening a pharmacy here would only result in losses.
However,the owner of Wang's Pharmacy has a longer-term perspective than others.
Poor people disdain seeking medical treatment;they endure minor illnesses until they can't anymore,then they come to the pharmacy to find a doctor.
At that time,he can charge exorbitant fees.
Even a dilapidated boat has its uses;in the impoverished Changle Alley,there's still some profit to be squeezed out(The Strongest Antagonistic System,Chapter 8).
So,Wang's Pharmacy not only has a good business but also earns more than some pharmacies in bustling areas.
The manager of Wang's Pharmacy is in his sixties,with a plump figure that doesn't resemble a doctor but rather a butcher.
At this moment,the manager is admiring a jade bracelet.
The jade bracelet is a bright and clear color,with some engraved hollow patterns,looking quite extraordinary.
"Unfortunately,this bracelet is only one.If it were a pair,its price would multiply several times.I just don't know which family that little girl belongs to.With a bit of effort,I might have gotten the other bracelet as well."
Regretfully shaking his head,the manager puts the bracelet back in the box,intending to exchange it for silver at the pawnshop when he has time.
"Hurry up!Don't be lazy!Otherwise,your monthly salary will be deducted entirely!"The manager scolds the assistants in the pharmacy,just as he was about to stand up,a handsome young man walks in,leading a little girl.
Seeing the little girl,the manager's eyes light up.Isn't this the little girl who stole medicine from his pharmacy a few days ago?
"Haha!You,little girl,dare to come again!Last time,you wasted so many herbs of mine.This one bracelet isn't enough to compensate!Quickly give me the other one!"
Startled by the manager's sudden outburst,Xiner clings tightly to Su Xin's clothes,saying plaintively,"But I returned the medicine last time."
"Humph!Can medicine touched by your dirty hands still be used?"The manager snorts,full of disdain.
Su Xin pats Xiner's little head,looks at the manager indifferently,and says,"What kind of medicine requires compensating with two jade bracelets?"
The manager finally notices Su Xin and sneers,"Are you this little girl's family?Look,the herbs she took last time were pure Liaodong ginseng,all imported from Dongjin,thousands of miles away.Each piece of Liaodong ginseng is worth over a hundred taels.She wasted seven or eight of them in one go.Can you afford it?"
The manager deliberately takes out a box wrapped in red cloth,containing Liaodong ginseng,and places it in front of them,with a confident look,as if he has already gained the upper hand.
"Liar!You're lying!The things I took last time were not this!"Su Xiner clenches her little fist,shouting with grievances.
"Humph!I said it is!"The manager looks at Su Xin,sneering,"Young man,quickly take out the other jade bracelet,or I'll report you now.You'll be thrown into the prison,and you can enjoy the prison food!"
Dealing with common people like Su Xin,the manager is very experienced.As long as he threatens them with government involvement,they will surely yield.
But to his surprise,he sees no panic in Su Xin's eyes.The young man remains calm.
After a long silence,Su Xin finally speaks,"I've never eaten prison food,but I believe you won't be able to eat anymore soon."
"You dare to threaten me?"The manager sneers,"Do you know about the Flying Eagle Gang?I pay them several dozen taels of example money every month.If I say the word,you'll be crippled and thrown out by the Flying Eagle Gang's people immediately!"
"Old Huang,come in."Su Xin calls out softly.
Hearing Su Xin's words,Huang Bingcheng leads eight gang members into the pharmacy.
"Oh!Master Huang,why are you here?"Seeing Huang Bingcheng,the manager immediately runs over,his short and fat legs running quickly.
Huang Bingcheng has been well-regarded in the Flying Eagle Gang for more than ten years.When Liu Sandao was the leader,although he trusted his brothers who had been with him for a long time,he entrusted the important task of collecting example money to the experienced old Huang.
So,when the Flying Eagle Gang had just occupied Happy Forest,the manager also gave a few taels of silver to Huang Bingcheng to ask him to take care of his pharmacy.
"Lao Da,do you have any orders?"Huang Bingcheng didn't even look at the manager but respectfully asked Qin Yu,bowing his head.
"Lao...Lao Da!?"The manager was dumbfounded.This young man is actually from the Flying Eagle Gang?Moreover,Huang Bingcheng,a senior member of the Flying Eagle Gang,actually calls him Lao Da(Old Boss)!
Huang Bingcheng glared at the manager and said coldly,"Let me reintroduce.My Lao Da,Su Xin,is the adopted son of the big boss,Third Master Hu.He's the newly appointed small leader in charge of managing Happy Forest.Wang Fatty,you really have some skills,daring to extort money from my Lao Da.Are you tired of living?"
Wang's manager suddenly sweats profusely,his short chubby legs trembling,barely supporting his fat body.For businessmen like him with some assets,they aren't afraid of government trouble.If the government comes after them,they can just spend some money to ease the situation.What they truly fear is the Flying Eagle Gang,a ruthless gang.Doing business requires a good relationship,but when dealing with such a violent gang,they have a thousand ways to ruin you.Even if they don't take your life,they can make you unable to survive here.
"Sao Lao Da,forgive me this time!"Wang's manager pleads,immediately returning the bracelet to Su Xin and attaching a silver ticket worth no less than three hundred taels.
"Forgive you?Haha."Su Xin laughed inexplicably at the manager's plea,carrying Xiner and leaving the shop.
Terrified,Wang's manager couldn't understand Su Xin's intentions.Huang Bingcheng followed them,showing a hint of ruthlessness,asking in a low voice,"Lao Da,should we finish off this Wang Fatty?"
Shaking his head,Su Xin said quietly,"The old man doesn't have many years left.Killing him would be too cruel.Just cripple him a bit."
For some reason,upon hearing Su Xin's indifferent words,Huang Bingcheng suddenly felt a chill rising from his heart.He nodded and walked back into the shop.
Inside,cries of agony echoed as Wang's manager begged for mercy,"Don't come over!What are you going to do!?If you dare touch me,the government won't spare you!Ah!Ah!"
Su Xin patted Xiner's head,covering her ears so she wouldn't hear the manager's screams.Looking at the manager lying on the ground,who had lost the strength even to groan,Huang Bingcheng rubbed his chin and said,"Alright,stop beating him.If we go on,he'll be beaten to death."
Hearing his order,the gang members immediately stopped.
Looking at the trembling pharmacy assistants in the corner,Huang Bingcheng sneered,"Bandage this fat guy up.Don't let him die.If the government comes later,you should know how to handle it."
Several assistants nodded repeatedly.Even with their courage,they wouldn't dare to provoke people from the Flying Eagle Gang actively.
"Xiner,let's go home."
Su Xin carried Xiner,handing the bracelet to her and feeling a trace of doubt in his heart.The style and material of this bracelet seemed too good,unlike something the Su family could own.However,Su Xin's childhood memories were already fuzzy,not as clear as Xiner's.After asking Xiner a couple of questions with no clear answers,Su Xin decided not to inquire further.
After settling Xiner at home and making arrangements for her care,Su Xin had Huang Bingcheng summoned."Lao Huang,gather all the shop owners in Happy Forest to discuss matters at Drunken Moon Tower."
He still had a mainline mission to earn one hundred thousand taels of silver,and this money had to be earned from Happy Forest.However,Su Xin wasn't like Liu Sandao;he wouldn't completely exploit the shop owners.That would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
At the mention of this,Huang Bingcheng revealed a knowing expression.A new leader will surely light a few fires.When Liu Sandao took the lead,they didn't hesitate to show respect.Now that Su Xin is the boss,if they don't contribute a bit,they won't be able to stay in Happy Forest in the future.
Seeing Huang Bingcheng's expression,Su Xin knew what he was thinking but chose not to correct him.He would understand everything when the time comes.
