"Mm... As for this matter, Zhaolong, you make the preparations. We must drag Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals' name through the mud!" Medicine King Kang said to Kang Zhaolong: "Draw up a plan, then show it to me."

"Yes, Grandfather!" Kang Zhaolong nodded and accepted the task. Scheming and intrigue were his forte; he would certainly ruin Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals' reputation. This concerned not only the impression he made on Medicine King Kang, but also the fact that the Kang family would one day be his own—he had to strangle his rival Guan Xuemin in the cradle! They must not be allowed to seize their family's market share and standing!

"By the way, Grandfather, Guan Xin is already engaged. What are we to do about that? The old method won't work anymore—she's betrothed, so how could she possibly still befriend me?" Kang Zhaoming laid all his failure at the feet of Guan Xin's engagement. But the Kang family knew nothing of the details, and so they would never doubt Kang Zhaoming's skill with women.

"That was an oversight on our part! Who would have thought Guan Xin was already engaged? That being so, the formula for the Life-Extending Detox Pill will be hard to come by!" Medicine King Kang's brows knit tight at Kang Zhaoming's words. He too knew that a well-bred young lady like Guan Xin could never carry on overly intimate contact with another man once betrothed, so their earlier plan to steal the formula was clearly unworkable.

Yet to let Medicine King Kang give up just like that—his heart refused to yield! After all, this formula could be the stepping stone that elevated the Kang family to the rank of a great clan, could raise the Kang family's strength to yet another level and send them soaring to a higher station!

"Yes, I failed to investigate thoroughly before and acted rashly! Luckily we didn't alert the snake, or it would be even harder to manage!" Kang Zhaoming was no fool; fearing his grandfather's blame, he readily admitted his mistake: "I've let everyone down!"

"Grandfather, this isn't Zhaoming's fault either!" Kang Zhaolong now naturally had to display the magnanimity befitting the leader of the third generation. True, Zhaoming had failed to investigate properly, but who could have guessed Guan Xin had an engagement? So Kang Zhaolong said: "Such things are beyond human power to prevent. Fortunately Zhaoming is formidable—he got us the formula for Doctor Guan's wound medicine!"

"Zhaolong speaks the truth. Zhaoming, you needn't belittle yourself; you've done very well. As for the Life-Extending Detox Pill, we'll think of another way!" said Medicine King Kang.

"Rest assured, Grandfather. If there's nothing else, I'll head back to Songshan City and keep trying to sound out the truth. But as for operating funds, I'll have to rely on the family's support..." Kang Zhaoming lived the high life in Songshan City, free of family supervision, so once he had delivered the formula he was ready to go back.

"That's no problem. I'll give you another million as operating funds; if it's not enough, tell me. So long as we can get the formula for the Life-Extending Detox Pill, no amount of money is too much." Medicine King Kang said: "By the way, as for that supply channel, you'll have to put in more effort. If we get hold of Guan Xuemin's raw material supply channel and cut that road off entirely, let's see what they sell then! What use is a formula without materials!"

"All right, I understand!" Kang Zhaoming nodded and answered.

...

Wei Zhao sat on the sofa, keeping the young miss and Shen Yushu company as they watched Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf. He simply could not understand how the young miss and Shen Yushu, at their age, could enjoy something made for little children.

Then again, considering that the two of them shut themselves away together every day and had little contact with the outside world, it was understandable that their tastes ran a little childish.

The evening hours were dull, especially while Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu watched television; Wei Zhao had nothing to do either, so he picked up the phone from the coffee table and started playing games. He simply didn't have the nerve to leave—he had volunteered to come watch TV with them, and if he walked off halfway through, wouldn't that be a slap in the face?

The young miss seemed to be someone who cared a great deal about face.

"I'm going to take a shower." Wei Zhao found the show utterly flavorless. When the program finally ended, he tossed the phone onto the coffee table, stood up, and made to go back to his room to wash.

"I'm going to take a shower too." Gu Mengyao stretched: "What about you?"

"Oh, I haven't finished my apple. I'll watch a bit more TV. Sister Yao, you go first." Shen Yushu flipped channels with the remote, half an apple stuffed in her mouth, and spoke indistinctly.

Gu Mengyao turned and went upstairs. Seeing that everyone in the living room had dispersed, General Mighty wagged his tail and returned to his own territory—under the staircase.

Not long after Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao left, the phone Wei Zhao had left on the coffee table suddenly rang, giving Shen Yushu a fright. She picked it up, saw the name "Tang Yun" on the screen, hesitated a moment, and answered: "Hello?"

"Hello?" Tang Yun was startled—why was it a girl's voice? Her first instinct was that she had dialed the wrong number, but seeing that the screen indeed showed Wei Zhao's name, she couldn't help finding it strange: "Who is this? Isn't this Wei Zhao's phone?"

"Yes, it is. I'm Auto-Voicemail Shu. Is there something you need? You can leave a message, or I can pass it on to Brother Shield..." said Shen Yushu.

"!@#$%..." Tang Yun recognized Shen Yushu's voice and was momentarily speechless: "Xiaoshu? Where's Wei Zhao?"

"Oh, Brother Shield and Sister Yao are taking a shower right now. Is there something you need him for?" Shen Yushu said with a sly grin.

"A shower? Wei Zhao, and Gu Mengyao?" Tang Yun was stunned by Shen Yushu's words. How had Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao both gone off to shower?

"That's right," said Shen Yushu.

"Together?" Tang Yun didn't quite believe Shen Yushu—this girl spouted nonsense all day long; who knew if it was true or not? Tang Yun's guard was up these days; ordinary people couldn't fool her so easily.

"That's right," Shen Yushu answered.

"Then why aren't you joining them? Aren't you Wei Zhao's little wife?" Tang Yun shot back.

"Oh, that was just talk, a joke. Brother Shield has to be with Sister Yao for a while first before he can even consider my problem!" Shen Yushu said with perfect seriousness: "Anyway, I'm not in a hurry."

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