After measuring the area, Chen Qin closed his notebook and asked, "What kind of medicines does Zhen Shan Tang sell? If you trust me, give me the prescriptions, and I'll see what equipment you need."
Cheng You didn't have them on her at the moment and asked Chen Qin to follow her home to get them.
Chen Qin thought there was nothing else to do here, so he locked the door and followed her home.
Cheng You had a notebook where she recorded her medicinal prescriptions.
Some formulas were passed down from her predecessors, while others were versions she had refined herself.
The first page was for Hemostatic Powder.
Chen Qin glanced at it and said, "Hui Chun Tang's Hemostatic Powder sells very well, but yours is slightly different from theirs."
Cheng You's formula had two additional herbs, and the dosages were adjusted. He felt that this formula seemed better, but he hadn't tried it and couldn't be sure.
"Did your master from the countryside prescribe this formula?"
Cheng You shook her head. "No, I made it myself."
Chen Qin nodded in understanding, his opinion of Cheng You already changing.
He had initially thought, what good medicine could this young girl come up with?
Now, he had to look at her with new eyes.
As he flipped further, he saw that Zhen Shan Tang didn't have many medicines, only a few in total.
However, each formula he saw was incredibly ingenious.
Some people succeed through hard work, while others succeed through talent.
He thought Cheng You was likely the latter.
"Are these convenient for me to take back?"
After all, they were her own developed formulas, and Chen Qin felt a little embarrassed.
"Of course."
The pharmaceutical formulas of Zhen Shan Tang had never been a secret, and Cheng You didn't feel there was anything to hide.
Chen Qin thought she was a bit naive. Hui Chun Tang had a health-preserving pill that could be called their shop's treasure. Its formula was kept very closely guarded; no one not surnamed Pei had ever seen it.
Unlike Cheng You, who gave it away so easily.
Chen Qin said, "I won't show these formulas to anyone else."
It was as if he was assuring Cheng You.
Cheng You smiled and said, "That's alright. All the formulas at our Zhen Shan Tang are open to the public."
"This... isn't that too much? Cheng You, people usually hoard their good things, but you're making yours public? That's not how you do business."
Chen Qin thought she was foolish and felt he needed to teach her more.
"Although Hui Chun Tang is state-run, it belongs to the Pei family. I'm not trying to speak ill of others, but the Pei family is unethical. If they get your formula today, tomorrow they'll be using your medicine to compete with you."
As long as there was profit, they wouldn't care about face.
Cheng You smiled and shook her head. "It's alright, Mr. Chen, don't worry. Just help me get the pharmaceutical factory set up. I have things under control."
Hearing her say this, Chen Qin didn't try to persuade her further. Seeing that it was getting late, he felt it was inappropriate to stay longer and took his leave.
Qi Ning took the bus home by herself, while Sun Xiaowan and Duan Liping stayed to sleep overnight.
It was Sunday tomorrow, so they could rest for another day.
Cheng You took advantage of her free time in the evening to soak the seeds sent by Zhao Jisheng in the condensation dew.
After showering, the three girls lay in the same bed to sleep.
They listened to Sun Xiaowan and Duan Liping talk about school.
"Military training is actually quite fun, but there's a girl in our class who's dating a drill instructor," Duan Liping whispered.
Sun Xiaowan didn't think much of it. "Drill instructors are soldiers, right? Many girls naturally admire soldiers."
"This matter caused quite a stir. She wants to drop out of school for this drill instructor."
She was willing to give up university, which she had worked so hard to get into. The school teachers and parents were trying to dissuade her, but she wouldn't listen.
Sun Xiaowan didn't comment. Hearing this, she thought of Song Jingtang.
He was different; he had given up his chance to enroll for her.
Duan Liping also thought of this and shook Sun Xiaowan's arm.
"You're different from her. She's only been dating the drill instructor for a few days, and they haven't even talked much. She doesn't understand his family situation at all."
Of course, Duan Liping didn't approve of Song Jingtang's actions either.
They chatted aimlessly, and before they knew it, they had fallen asleep.
When Cheng You woke up the next day, only Sun Xiaowan was beside her. Duan Liping had already gotten up to wash.
Seeing Cheng You come out, Duan Liping asked, "How is Brother Yan doing in the army?"
"He came back a couple of days ago, and everything is going smoothly."
Duan Liping nodded. "That's good."
Cheng You washed up and changed her clothes.
"I'll go out and buy some breakfast. Wait for me."
"I'll go with you."
Cheng You waved her hand. "No need. I don't want Xiaowan to wake up and find no one here."
There were many small breakfast shops nearby, less than two hundred meters away.
The breakfast Cheng You bought was still warm.
When she came in with the food, Sun Xiaowan had also woken up.
"I didn't have time to ask last night, but your ginseng was swapped. How is the investigation going?"
Cheng You shook her head. "There's no news from Professor Zhao yet."
"They are all from the agricultural research institute. Wouldn't they cover for each other?" Sun Xiaowan suspected.
Cheng You shook her head. "It shouldn't be the case."
Zhao Jisheng cared even more about this ginseng than she did.
The two of them weren't planning to leave yet and found it comfortable just sitting in Cheng You's yard, basking in the sun.
You really shouldn't talk about someone behind their back. Just as they mentioned Zhao Jisheng, he arrived today.
Cheng You thought he was here to pick up the seeds and brought out the items for him.
"They are all here."
Zhao Jisheng said, "Cheng You, the person who stole the ginseng has been found."
"Oh? Who is it?"
Zhao Jisheng was a bit hesitant to say, as the incident happened within the agricultural research institute.
"It's Zhou Qi."
Cheng You: "..." This person really had no brains.
Zhao Jisheng sighed with distress.
"Although he was kicked out of our group, he took the key to our base with him, which is how he got the opportunity."
Cheng You wasn't too angry. It was hard to blame him entirely.
"Professor Zhao, how will Zhou Qi be dealt with?"
Zhao Jisheng: "He said the ginseng has already been sold..."
"Do you believe him?"
Zhao Jisheng was unsure, but they searched Zhou Qi's place thoroughly and couldn't find any trace of the ginseng.
"The agricultural research institute has decided to expel him."
Cheng You shook her head. "This punishment is not enough. You know the value of my ginseng. This matter cannot be treated lightly. If you can't handle it properly, I will pursue legal action and make him compensate the full price."
As for how much compensation, the agricultural research institute had records, and it wouldn't be cheap.
If she was serious, she could make Zhou Qi pay until he had nothing left.
Zhao Jisheng nodded with a troubled expression. "I know that just expelling him isn't enough, but... but he has the Qi family behind him, and the agricultural research institute cannot go too far."
Cheng You said, "Is that so? Then I won't trouble you. I'll report it to the police myself. The agricultural research institute cannot even guarantee my basic rights. Future cooperation might be..."
"No, no, no, I'll go back and discuss it with Director Cao again. We will definitely give you an explanation!"
Zhao Jisheng wasn't afraid of her reporting to the police, but he was afraid of affecting the cooperation between the two parties. This was not something to be taken lightly.