“Xiao Fan, start the fire, what are you spacing out for?”
Xia Xue, carrying a kettle, and Wang Ying, holding an umbrella, two women quickly entered the living room.
“Okay, coming right up.”
Lin Fan stood up, “Sister Yu Rou, please sit down first and have something to eat.”
The brazier in the clinic had been removed, but there was a simple stove made from a water bucket, which was used for decocting medicine for patients. It was very convenient.
Lin Fan found it and placed it where the original brazier was. With the remaining dry firewood from the corner, he quickly lit a fire.
Actually, the living room had air conditioning, but freon was harmful to the human body, so Lin Fan rarely used it, unless the weather was extremely cold or hot.
“You two quickly go over and warm yourselves by the fire. I’ll slice some ginger. The water will be ready to drink once it boils,” Xia Xue called out.
It was still cold despite the recent warmth, and the two women were dressed thinly, shivering in the wind.
Seeing the warm firelight, they couldn't resist any longer.
Hearing this, the two women brought over small stools and sat down next to Lin Fan, one on each side.
“Xiao Fan, you went to Siam. Did you gain anything?” Su Yu Rou asked curiously.
“A little bit, I suppose,” Lin Fan chuckled.
“Did you make any friends, like influential figures in politics and business, especially from the medical field?”
Su Yu Rou’s beautiful eyes sparkled. “Bo Run Medicine’s reputation is too small. Outside of Yun Qing City, no one recognizes it. I was thinking it would be best to cooperate with a large foreign company.”
“No,” Lin Fan shook his head. He never wanted to go back to that wretched place, Siam, in his life.
“Not even one?” Disappointment was written all over Su Yu Rou’s face, and she looked at Lin Fan with reluctance.
Lin Fan simply turned his head away, remaining silent.
Wang Ying guessed that Lin Fan might have encountered unhappy things in Siam and signaled Su Yu Rou not to press further.
Su Yu Rou thought to herself, "Only you care about him!"
The rift between the two women had existed for a long time, and it was only a matter of time before it fully surfaced.
“Put the things in, Xiao Fan, here, take it.”
Xia Xue added ginger slices, brown sugar, red dates, goji berries, and licorice root to the kettle.
Fortunately, Lin Fan ran a clinic, otherwise, it would have been difficult to gather all these ingredients.
“What were you two talking about just now?” Xia Xue asked curiously.
“Sister-in-law, didn’t I invent a wound healing ointment? Boss Su took a liking to it, and she was discussing business matters with me,” Lin Fan replied.
Su Yu Rou nodded and said seriously, “We’ve encountered some difficulties recently. Our brand isn’t recognized by customers, and some people question the high price.”
She gave a wry smile, “Several times I’ve been mistaken for a骗子 (chàtán – swindler) and almost beaten.”
“You sell a box of medicine for two thousand, who would be happy with that? Why don’t you sell it for two hundred?” Lin Fan said dismissively.
“Xiao Fan, don’t talk nonsense. Boss Su must have her own considerations. You don’t understand business,” Xia Xue chided.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Lin Fan didn’t bother to argue.
“Actually, I have some connections. How about you, Sister Yu Rou, give me some samples, and I’ll try to help you promote them?” Wang Ying smiled sweetly.
“Alright.” Su Yu Rou’s smile was as fake as it could be.
She thought to herself, “You know what I’ve been doing lately. I’ve never seen you so kind. In front of Lin Fan, you’re acting so helpful. Hmph!”
Xia Xue saw them exchanging words and discussing business matters.
Feeling that she couldn’t contribute, she got up and said, “Xiao Fan, I’ll go back first to make you dinner. When it’s time, bring them over to eat.”
“Sister-in-law, I’ll help you,” Wang Ying also stood up.
“No, no.” Xia Xue wouldn’t dare to order around this section chief and hurried outside.
“Whew…”
After Xia Xue left, Su Yu Rou and Wang Ying breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Xia Xue was not old, both women felt she was like an elder, causing them great pressure.
They felt constrained around her and were not at ease.
“Xiao Fan, when did you get back? What have you been doing since you returned?” Wang Ying’s expression gradually turned cold.
“I just got back. I’ve been so busy every day that my feet haven’t touched the ground.”
Lin Fan wore a pained expression. “Heaven knows, if I had free time, wouldn’t I come looking for you?”
“I don’t believe you don’t have any time at all.”
Wang Ying refused to back down, her voice full of anger. “Luofeng Village is not far from the county town. If you really wanted to, couldn’t you have gone?”
Lin Fan retorted righteously, “The county town? I don’t have a car. It’s about eighty kilometers round trip. How long would it take to walk there?”
“You…” Wang Ying’s face turned red with anger. “What kind of car do you want? I’ll buy it for you.”
She impulsively took out her wallet and reached for the bank card inside.
“Even if I bought it, I wouldn’t know how to drive,” Lin Fan’s lips curved slightly. He never expected that not knowing how to drive would have such benefits.
“I’ll teach you!” Wang Ying was so angry she was about to cry, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Don’t!”
Splat!
Just as Lin Fan was about to comfort her, a sound came from the room.
All three turned to look.
“Is there someone in that sickroom?”
“It’s a woman!”
Wang Ying, blinded by anger, pointed a trembling hand at the opposite room.
“No, don’t think that,” Lin Fan immediately denied.
“Let me go in and see.” Wang Ying stood up and ran over.
“Don’t go! Come back!” Lin Fan tried to stop her, but it was too late.
“Let Sister Wang Ying take a look. Otherwise, she won’t be at peace,” Su Yu Rou said with an indifferent expression, as if she didn’t care at all about Lin Fan keeping a mistress.
“You don’t understand anything!” Lin Fan glared at her and quickly chased after her.
Wang Ying abruptly pushed open the door and then stood frozen as if she had been immobilized.
In front of her, a golden insect with six wings hovered in the air, staring at her with a pair of ruby-like beautiful eyes.
Although the Golden Silkworm Gu was beautiful, being stared at by it sent chills down Wang Ying’s spine, the coldness surging all the way to her crown.
“Go back!”
A sharp, thunderous shout echoed in her ears. Wang Ying’s eardrums immediately ached, as if her very soul was trembling.
Seeing its master angry, the Golden Silkworm Gu quickly flew away and burrowed under the bed.
It knew, of course, that the box was its temporary home.
But now, the box was closed.
As soon as the Golden Silkworm Gu landed, there were crackling noises from inside the box.
The Iron Head Gu insects, sensing the arrival of a powerful being, could not help but panic.
Clatter, clatter…
The box shook left and right under the impact of the swarm of Gu insects, making quite a commotion.
“What’s hidden under the bed?” Wang Ying turned around and demanded.
“Some small things I’m raising, brought back from Siam,” Lin Fan replied.
“So beautiful!” Su Yu Rou exclaimed at a fleeting glance of the beautiful Golden Silkworm Gu, cupping her cheeks. “Xiao Fan, can you give me one as a specimen?”
Lin Fan looked at her as if she were an idiot. “Don’t you even ask what it is before wanting to take it as a specimen?”
“Is it very precious?” Su Yu Rou was slightly surprised. It’s just a bug, how much could it be worth?
“It’s not a question of whether it’s precious or not, but that it is unique in this world,” Lin Fan said with pride.