Uncle Li lightly rapped his bald head from behind.
"It's one thing to poach my apprentice right in front of me, but you're stepping on me too."
Zhang Fuhai rubbed his head and snorted.
"I just don't want to bury talent!"
Cheng You chuckled, "No, no, I'll just stay here."
When conditions allowed in the future, she would open her own pharmacy.
If she went to work for someone else, she'd be found out within two or three days.
It was better to keep a low profile.
Zhang Fuhai didn't insist further, "Alright then, I'll take thirty cans of this chapped skin cream. How much?"
"Seventy cents a can."
"Tsk, that's almost as much as your hemostatic powder."
"The medicinal ingredients are different!"
Hemostatic powder primarily used radix notoginseng.
Zhang Fuhai wanted it but found it too expensive. "Can you make it cheaper?"
At least let the health center make some profit. It sold well in winter.
After winter, people wouldn't buy as much.
"At most, one dime less, the same price as hemostatic powder! Uncle Hai, this has costs, I buy the cold cream from the commune myself."
Zhang Fuhai slapped his hand. "You should have said so earlier. I know someone at the daily-use chemical factory, I can get it for you at wholesale price!"
Cheng You's eyes sparkled. "How much cheaper?"
Zhang Fuhai thought for a moment. "I can get it for as low as fifteen cents. I'll get the goods for you, and you sell me one hundred cans for fifty cents each, how about that?"
Cheng You calculated; she could still make a good profit.
"Deal! Get the goods to me soon, and I'll get them to you sooner."
She had planned to rest during New Year's Day, but it seemed that wouldn't happen now.
Zhang Fuhai jiggled two cans of hair growth pills in his hand and said, "These are for my personal use. How much? No need for wholesale prices, just charge me the normal rate."
Cheng You had never sold these before, so she looked at Uncle Li hesitantly.
Zhang Fuhai said, "Whatever price he bought them for, that's what I'll pay. Don't be shy."
Uncle Li: "...I didn't pay for them."
Zhang Fuhai: "..."
He was tired of saying the word "envious."
Uncle Li patted his head with pride. "Wild Fo-ti Root is hard to dig up. How about five yuan a can?"
This was not a low price, but Cheng You's hair growth pills were worth it.
Basically, one can would grow hair.
Zhang Fuhai understood this himself, so he didn't haggle and paid readily.
He had to keep this safe and show people his newly grown hair later. He couldn't wait to see their surprised faces.
Just thinking about it made him happy.
Cheng You hadn't expected to earn ten yuan from just two cans of hair growth pills. And there were more inside!
After Zhang Fuhai left, Cheng You was already thinking about her path to riches.
"Five yuan a can... one hundred cans is five hundred... then one thousand cans..."
Wouldn't she be able to be a couch potato soon?
"Don't get ahead of yourself. Do you think everyone is like me!" Uncle Li interrupted her fantasy.
Cheng You chuckled, "I'm just thinking aloud."
Her medicine could only be made by herself; mass production was impossible. No matter how much she made, there were limits.
Indeed, there was still a long way to go before she could lie down and be lazy.
Zhang Fuhai personally coming to order medicine from Cheng You was, of course, not kept secret from everyone.
The villagers all said Cheng You was capable. She had only been an apprentice for a short time and was already making money.
And it was likely a considerable amount.
More and more people went to Cheng Tianhua, mocking him for losing the big while chasing the small.
He didn't want such a good daughter, yet he doted on that Cheng Tao like a treasure.
Cheng Tao wasn't even his biological daughter, yet he was so invested in her.
Song Yulian didn't seem particularly attractive either, so how could she have bewitched Cheng Tianhua to such an extent?
Seeing Cheng You make money, Song Yulian couldn't sit still.
That night, she started whispering in Cheng Tianhua's ear again.
"Cheng You can make so much money. If it were our Cheng Tao, she could definitely earn more."
Since the Old Jiang family had visited last time, Song Yulian had given Jiang Qing's dowry to Cheng Tianhua to seek his forgiveness.
Cheng Tao wasn't living well at the Old Zhao's. Her hands had become rough from doing chores, and she couldn't even spare money to help her.
It could be said that since entering the Old Cheng family until now, she had only truly experienced financial hardship.
Without money, life was truly impossible.
Cheng Tianhua was tempted by her suggestion but couldn't agree.
"With Cheng Tao's current reputation, how can I have the face to send her to Brother Li's place?"
Song Yulian quickly said, "Many people in the village are watching. Surely many want to work for Brother Li. You don't just have to send our Cheng Tao; select a few others to go together. Frame it as cultivating talent for the village."
If the commune health center recruited later, perhaps they could even apply after learning the skills.
Hearing her speak, Cheng Tianhua felt it was a reliable plan.
Although he had a good amount of money now, who would say no to more?
"Then I'll talk to Brother Li tomorrow."
Song Yulian leaned her body over. "I knew you treated Cheng Tao the best."
Cheng Tianhua sighed softly. "She is my biological daughter. If I don't plan for her, who will I plan for?"
As he spoke, he reached for her lower abdomen.
"I've already had the surgery, why is there no movement here yet?"
Song Yulian glared at him. "How long has it been since your surgery? It's not that fast."
Cheng Tianhua chuckled and pressed her down. "Perhaps we haven't done it enough."
...
The next day, Cheng Tianhua went to discuss the matter with Uncle Li.
He adopted a righteous demeanor, arguing for the good of Wujing Village, and urged Uncle Li to take more apprentices.
"It doesn't have to be a formal apprenticeship; consider it guidance. There are too few barefoot doctors in our Yangshu Brigade. If we can have more, it would benefit the villagers."
Uncle Li nodded. "Alright, pick the candidates and send them to me."
Cheng Tianhua was surprised he was so agreeable and felt a surge of joy.
"Great! Brother Li, then you wait. I'll send them over tomorrow."
Before leaving, he cast a glance at Cheng You.
This look was mixed with an indescribable sense of triumph.
Cheng You knew then that he intended to send Cheng Tao over.
"Uncle, why did you agree?"
Cheng Tianhua clearly had ulterior motives.
Uncle Li squinted at her. "His primary motivation is for Cheng Tao, but he has a point: there are too few barefoot doctors in our Yangshu Brigade."
When he got older, what would happen to the village?
Given Cheng You's current situation, she might not stay in the village in the future.
Even if she stayed, making medicine was one thing, but treating illnesses was still far off for her.
Therefore, it was best to teach someone else.
Cheng You mused, "Then can Sister Yunru come over?"
However, she was pregnant now and she didn't know if she would be willing.
Uncle Li didn't object. He just wanted to teach someone, and it didn't matter who.
"If she's willing, then it's fine."
Cheng You happily stood up, dropping the medicinal herbs in her hands.
"I'll go ask!"