Chapter 717: Chapter 620

At the stairwell, Sun Yiming pulled Xiao Man back a step, insisting that Wu Xiaowen and Lin Aizhen walk ahead. He and Xiao Man fell behind, walking side by side as he whispered an explanation, "...They waited for me for ages. I felt too awkward to refuse, so I had no choice but to escort them here."

Of course, Xiao Man couldn’t blame him. "Avoid them if you can in the future," she said. "Stay as far away from them as possible. I’m warning you: they’re awful people and a real pain. Don’t come crying to me when you get taken advantage of. I have nothing to do with them, so it’s not my problem!"

Sun Yiming was amused. "Such tough talk from a young lady. You think I’d come crying to you if I got burned? Alright, alright. I won’t come to you. I can always go to Tang Haocheng, can’t I?"

"Suit yourself. I’ve already said they have nothing to do with me. For better or worse, it’s none of my business." As she spoke, Xiao Man stopped and pointed ahead. Sun Yiming followed her finger, his brow furrowing slightly as he sighed to himself.

Wu Xiaowen was carrying an intricately patterned tote bag. Neatly arranged inside were four rectangular medicine boxes, the top halves peeking out. An ordinary person wouldn’t have given it a second glance, but it was a different story for anyone who recognized those boxes.

It was a mild health supplement for the middle-aged and elderly, a "thousand gold recipe" from Sun’s Medical Books. Part of the herbs in the current batch for sale came from the small plantation at Gongdao Village, making it incredibly expensive. But there were always those who could afford it—the rich and powerful. And who among them didn’t wish for a long, healthy, and prosperous life? They prioritized wellness above all else, daring to try even the most precious medicines. After extensive comparisons, they became highly attuned to and desperate for any restorative supplement with outstanding effects, regardless of whether it cost as much as gold. The first batch of this supplement from Sun Pharmaceutical had been in hospitals for less than a month. One patient tried two boxes on their doctor’s recommendation, found the effects to be amazing, and couldn’t help but tell their friends and relatives. Word spread like wildfire, and people flocked to hospitals to get it prescribed. Those with publicly-funded healthcare or high-cadre privileges got prescriptions for seven, eight, or even a dozen boxes at a time. The extravagantly wealthy simply hauled away entire cases. In less than two months, the entire first batch was snapped up!

The second batch had to be sold under a controlled distribution plan—in other words, a purchase limit. Patients who needed the supplement were restricted to just two boxes, or two courses of treatment, per person at a time. The herbs from Gongdao Village were in high demand for many other uses, so the supplement simply couldn’t be mass-produced.

The Tang and Gu Families, of course, had no need for such a supplement. But Xiao Man had heard that people were fighting tooth and nail over it, with rumors even claiming that Sun Pharmaceutical was being besieged by the elite. That was a slight exaggeration. The Sun Family was close with the Gu and Tang Families and had also been clever enough to reach an agreement to supply medicine to the military. No matter how desperate the wealthy and powerful became, they wouldn’t dare make a reckless move. If they did, the head of the Sun Family would truly be tearing their hair out.

This purchase limit also meant Sun Yiming was constantly harassed. People frequently approached him, using all sorts of connections and pretexts, hoping he would pull some strings to grant them a special supply of the supplement. Sun Yiming was beyond annoyed and did his best to dodge them all.

The supplement in Wu Xiaowen’s tote bag had obviously come from Sun Yiming. She had gotten four boxes, already exceeding the limit. Yet she was brazenly carrying her bag open, showing off the boxes in a way that was both entitled and ostentatious. On top of that, she was walking with Sun Yiming. What would the medical staff or other patients think?

Xiao Man couldn’t be bothered with any of that. She just made it a point to tell Sun Yiming: pulling strings for the Wu Family or Wu Xiaowen was his business, but he was not to drag her into it. She definitely wouldn’t thank him for it!

Sun Yiming smiled at Xiao Man. "I couldn’t avoid them. And I’m only just realizing that... ah, Haocheng’s maternal grandmother... she’s incredibly shrewd and capable. I only instructed someone to give them two boxes, but in the blink of an eye, she somehow managed to get four. I was too embarrassed to ask for them back. It won’t happen again."

"Were you the one who told them about this supplement?" Xiao Man asked.

"No. Ever since Ms. Wu was hospitalized here last, she’s come directly to us for any minor ailment. Coincidentally, she never seems to run into you, so she comes to me instead. I had no choice but to assign Doctor Shen to her case. Later, Ms. Wu brought Mr. and Mrs. Wu in for check-ups. Mrs. Wu is quite shrewd; she’s always asking about good health supplements. Doctor Shen is aware of Ms. Wu’s connections, so he tells her everything and always lets them know when a new product is released. That’s why they were among the first to use this supplement as soon as it came out."

"Do they pay for it?"

"Of course. They all have publicly funded healthcare. And since Doctor Shen is the one writing the prescription, it’s not like he’s going to pay for it out of his own pocket."

"What about the medicine they got from you directly this time?"

"Ah, that... no, they haven’t."

"See? A free meal. One taste is never satisfying. Just you wait. It won’t be long before they come looking for you again. And when they do, don’t you dare drag me into it!"

Waving a dismissive hand at Sun Yiming as she spoke, Xiao Man turned and, without alerting the mother-daughter pair up ahead, hurried off toward a side exit.

Sun Yiming watched her go, shaking his head with a smile. After a moment’s thought, he called out to Wu Xiaowen and Lin Aizhen to tell them Xiao Man had left through a side exit. Then, claiming he had an urgent matter to attend to, he beat a hasty retreat.

Wu Xiaowen stood there stunned, but Lin Aizhen grew frantic. She gave her a shove and hissed, "That girl left through the side exit! The side exit, where’s the side exit? Hurry, go after her!"

Wu Xiaowen took a few steps forward, then backed away. "Mama, come with me. There won’t be as many people near the side exit. I... I’m really scared of that girl!"

"Ugh! Look at you! You’re her mother! If you could just muster an ounce of authority, *she’d* be the one afraid of *you*. You’re completely useless!"

"But..."

"But nothing! Don’t just stand there, go stop her!"

Lin Aizhen’s face twisted into a snarl as she shoved Wu Xiaowen hard. "You can’t get into the Tang family’s house anymore, you can’t find Tang Qingyun, and that damn brat Manman has gotten too clever to let you get a word in! Hao Hao is coming home soon, so use his name to pressure Manman! You have to make her help, no matter what it takes, and get your brother’s name cleared! This is all your fault! If you don’t fix this, your father and I will never forgive you! Your brother and his wife will hate you forever, too!"

Wu Xiaowen turned back, her eyes red. "Mama, Hao Hao is coming home soon. Why don’t we just wait for him? Hao Hao isn’t cold and heartless like Manman. I’m sure he’ll be able to..."

"No! Xiao Feng and his wife have already been suspended, and Xiao Yang is in a detention center! This means Bai Lihua is a lost cause! He’s going to get a heavy sentence, maybe even face a firing squad! And weren’t Xiao Yang and Xiao Feng only implicated because they listened to you, you idiot, and helped him move and hide his things?! We have to get Xiao Yang out as soon as possible! The longer this drags on, the more serious it gets, you understand? You’ve ruined your brothers, you made your father cough up blood from rage, and you’ve brought shame upon the entire Wu Family!"

Lin Aizhen jabbed Wu Xiaowen sharply in the forehead a couple of times. Her head buzzed, and she couldn’t process the other words, but she clearly heard the part about Bai Lihua facing execution. The shock made her knees buckle, and she almost collapsed. Clapping a hand over her mouth, she whimpered, "But Manman won’t listen to me. What am I supposed to do?"

"I don’t care!" Lin Aizhen said viciously. "Even if you have to drop dead right in front of her today, you *will* figure something out for me!"

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