"It's done very well, but how do you plan to produce medicine here?" Jin Wenxin asked.
Cheng You led him forward, revealing another room.
This room contained several hospital beds, intended for patients with mobility issues or those who had fainted.
The room connected to the backyard.
Stepping outside, Jin Wenxin discovered a different world.
The backyard was spacious, and the main house in the center had been opened up and transformed into a moderately sized pharmaceutical factory. Some equipment had already been purchased and was being calibrated by Chen Qin inside.
The letters Cheng You had mailed back earlier had received a response, with many people willing to come, including Zhao Lifang.
The east and west wing rooms were repurposed, with one serving as a decoction room and the other as dormitory for the workers, all arranged meticulously.
Jin Wenxin casually flipped through a notebook nearby, looking surprised.
It contained Cheng You's medicinal prescriptions.
Such important items were left out in the open.
"Cheng You, shouldn't this be kept somewhere safe?"
Cheng You glanced at it casually and said, "Director Chen needed to use it, so I lent it to him temporarily. It's not anything earth-shattering."
Jin Wenxin was taken aback again.
The health bureau had spent so long researching with experts, yet in Cheng You's words, it was "not anything earth-shattering."
He found it both amusing and exasperating.
"Isn't this a prescription? As far as I know, Huichun Tang guards its prescriptions very closely and is reluctant to reveal them."
Cheng You chuckled, "This isn't some inherited family recipe. I've just made slight modifications based on the experience of predecessors, and I'm not even sure if these changes are for better or worse. There's nothing worth hiding."
If someone could review it and discuss its shortcomings with her, she would be even happier.
This was the first time Jin Wenxin had heard such a viewpoint, and he found it novel.
He felt even more that Cheng You had a broad mind, which explained why Qi Chengyan could be with her.
Since Cheng You had said so, he didn't hesitate to look through it.
When he reached the pregnancy-preserving medicine, he paused.
This medication was unfamiliar in Yancheng.
"Why are there two types of these pregnancy-preserving pills?"
Cheng You explained, "The dosages are different, and so are the efficacy and the specific targeting."
"I have a friend whose wife suffers from habitual miscarriage. I consulted several hospitals and doctors before modifying this formula."
Jin Wenxin couldn't discern much, but he decided that once Zhen Shan Tang opened, he would buy some for people to study.
After touring the facility, he saw nothing significantly different.
In terms of drug variety, production scale, or equipment, Zhen Shan Tang couldn't compare to Huichun Tang.
However, he knew in his heart that Cheng You's medicines were exceptionally effective.
"Cheng You, since the tour is over, Uncle Jin will head back now."
Cheng You saw him to the door. "Please take care, Uncle Jin."
"Alright, no need to see me out."
Cheng You returned, and Chen Qin had finished calibrating the machines and was packing up.
"That Wang Fang you asked me to inquire about, I saw her again yesterday when my wife and I took the child for a check-up."
Cheng You's spirit lifted, and she quickly asked, "Was she alone?"
"No, with her husband."
Cheng You sneered coldly. Qi Chengyan had been harmed so terribly by them, yet she had run off to get married.
"I heard that her pregnancy was difficult. Apparently, because she had miscarriages before, this pregnancy was particularly challenging. She took some medicine to keep the baby, but almost had a mishap during delivery."
Cheng You gritted her teeth. "Perhaps it's retribution."
Chen Qin raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a grudge against her?"
"No, please continue. Do you know where she lives?"
Chen Qin shook his head. "I don't know if she noticed me, but I lost her. However, I'm sure she lives near my home. If I see her again in the future, I'll keep an eye out for you."
Cheng You nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Director Chen."
"It's a small matter. I'll be going back now."
Cheng You saw him off and turned to lock the door.
Most things were in place, waiting only for the personnel.
The only remaining issue was that Zhen Shan Tang still lacked a resident physician.
When Cheng You returned home, Zhao Jisheng arrived again.
"Zhou Qi couldn't hold out any longer and revealed the ginseng. I've brought it for you."
He had found the ginseng at a friend's place, but it was wilted, with yellow leaves.
Cheng You glanced at the ginseng. "What about Zhou Qi? Is he released?"
"Not yet. Whether to reconcile depends on you."
Cheng You nodded, reasonably satisfied with this outcome.
"Cheng You, can this ginseng still be saved?"
Cheng You carried the ginseng inside and replied casually, "Yes, just needs watering."
Zhao Jisheng: "??? This is impossible!"
They had already watered it.
Cheng You used the water from her face-washing that day, poured a little less than half of it into the ginseng, and then placed the ginseng in the small courtyard.
The ginseng that Zhou Qi had swapped earlier was still there, and she hadn't discarded it.
With a bit of water, it would grow well in the future.
Zhao Jisheng's gaze was steady as he studied the basin of water.
If it wasn't Cheng You's face-washing water, he would have wanted to taste it to see what was different.
"Professor Zhao, is there anything else?"
Zhao Jisheng shook his head. "No, no. I just came to tell you, how do you plan to deal with Zhou Qi?"
Cheng You asked, "What is Zhou Qi's salary at the Agricultural Research Institute?"
Zhao Jisheng replied, "He's just a student, his salary isn't high, twenty yuan a month."
"Two hundred and forty a year. How long has he been at the Agricultural Research Institute?"
"Two and a half years."
Cheng You chuckled. "Then let him compensate me six hundred yuan for emotional damages. The rest can be waived."
Zhao Jisheng calculated, and it was precisely his salary for two and a half years.
He nodded, deeming the request not excessive.
"Alright, I understand."
After Zhao Jisheng left, Cheng You casually watered the flowers and pulled weeds at home, humming a tune.
She wondered what Qi Chengyan was doing at the moment.
After pulling out the last weed, Cheng You looked around and found she had nothing else to do.
She picked up her hoe, intending to clear a patch of land in the small courtyard to plant some vegetables.
Since no one lived here, she even considered demolishing it and turning the area into a vegetable garden.
She had bought vegetable seeds a couple of days ago; just scatter them and add water, and they'd grow.
Before she could plant, a sarcastic voice rang out.
"Are you treating this place like the countryside?"
She turned her head and saw Song Qinglan's disgusted face.
Cheng You continued scattering seeds, saying, "Is there something you need?"
Song Qinglan pulled out an envelope.
"Didn't you demand six hundred compensation from Ah Qi? It's all here. I see you only care about money and have no regard for family affection. I don't know how Ah Yan could possibly fancy you!"
She said this and turned to leave.
Cheng You watched her retreating back, her face darkening as she spoke, "I'm actually quite envious of Zhou Qi because even when he makes mistakes, you protect him without hesitation. But Qi Chengyan doesn't have that. He never has."
It was as if in their eyes, Qi Chengyan was naturally impervious to harm, needing no protection.
Song Qinglan's footsteps faltered. A chill ran down her spine, and her pale lips trembled slightly.