Merchant and doctor

Chapter 2264 12 people gathered at one table

Busy all day long, Bian Mu and Dian Shuhua had almost no leisure time. Over time, they became somewhat dull and old-fashioned in their speech and behavior. Suddenly having a heart-to-heart talk with a like-minded colleague with a bit of chivalrous spirit made them feel incredibly refreshed.

Bian Mu paid for the tea and, together with Dian Shuhua, politely saw Doctor Lu off at the door. Watching Doctor Lu's agile figure gradually disappear into the distance, the two of them turned around and strolled along the sidewalk towards a fork in the road to the southeast.

"Dr. Lu didn't come all this way just to test you, did he?" Dian Shuhua said with a smile.

"You know what, they probably really did come here specifically for this!" Bian Mu replied with a smile.

"Them?! You mean there are other people of theirs nearby?" Realizing he might have misjudged, Dian Shuhua asked with a smile.

“Two other people came from the restaurant. One looked to be in his early thirties, and the other was about my age. They were strong and quick-witted. You could tell from their eyes that they came from Beiqi together,” Bian Mu replied with a smile.

"Ah?! You have a team behind you! You're amazing, I didn't even notice either side, I'm ashamed..." Dian Shuhua replied with a smile.

"Look at what you're saying. We're legitimate professional doctors, not itinerant quacks on the streets, haha... I guess the rumors about us in the industry are full of embellishments and nonsense. Dr. Lu and the others were worried that we were really those itinerant doctors who swindle money, so they sent two capable helpers over to investigate. At first, I didn't notice anything, but then I fell behind, so I secretly compared them and used the process of elimination! The two of them naturally gave themselves away. The one in his thirties from the teahouse didn't follow us anymore. Maybe for safety reasons, the young man just got some tea and melon seeds in the lobby downstairs and waited for a while. When he saw us coming out chatting and laughing, he got up and went to get his car elsewhere." With a smile, Bian Mu briefly described what he had seen and heard.

“Looks like I still need to practice more! No matter what, if anything happens at the clinic, we have to handle it ourselves. If we’re not flexible in our thinking, we’ll definitely suffer!” Dian Shuhua replied with a smile.

"Not at all! We're lucky to be in this new era. We just need to be careful and do our job well. There's no need to be so paranoid. Besides... if it weren't for someone in the city trying to influence us, Dr. Lu and his two colleagues wouldn't have been able to find us so quickly and test our true abilities in such an absurd way," Bian Mu said with a smile.

“Oh…is it really necessary?!” Dian Shuhua questioned.

"Who knows! Maybe they have their own special considerations. Last time, when that Doctor Chi temporarily took charge of all the miscellaneous affairs for the Cen family, I felt that Lijin, Beiqi, and Nanjin... I'm referring to our TCM community, and maybe even some things related to the Chinese herbal medicine industry, the three places have always been in a kind of triune relationship, a very subtle relationship. From a business perspective, you could also understand it as a community of interests! For example, the 'big health' industry projects in Beiqi are doing exceptionally well. In a year, the output value is completely unimaginable for our level. Affected by this, there are always those big and small..." Various investors approached me to discuss this matter, but our foundation is too weak to support such a large project, so I politely declined them all. This clearly shows that a large-scale integration of medical and commercial services in the three regions is gradually taking shape. Although our clinic is small, its influence is growing daily. To put it arrogantly, our influence has at least reached Beiqi and Nanjin. Overall… it shouldn't be considered a bad thing. However, we can't be careless. Being frail and recklessly tightening large bolts could lead to injury, which is a minor issue; the real fear is capsizing again. With our limited resources, a comeback would be virtually impossible!

Hearing this, Dian Shuhua nodded slightly from time to time.

"Then... who set off the cannons in Lijin?!" Dian Shuhua asked casually.

"It's hard to say, but he's at least at Lei Xiaoxuan's level! Otherwise, ordinary TCM practitioners wouldn't be able to reach Dr. Lu's level. Not to mention, his skill in regulating his own pulse even fooled you!"

"That's true, haha... So, shall we really go and visit them during the Chinese New Year?"

“We’ll see how things go then. Fixed rules aren’t the only rules. When dealing with senior figures like them, you can’t be too rigid in your thinking! By the way, this year is a bit special, it’s the Year of the Horse, an odd number, you know… Go back to your hometown before the end of the lunar year, make sure your aunt and uncle are settled in properly. After a year of hard work, it’s time to celebrate! I’ll try to mention the lab at the Little White Building to Cai Huaixin. You’d better come back before the third day of the Lunar New Year so we can do some drug sensitivity tests early. Processing a lot of related data is quite time-consuming. AI technology is advancing too fast. Lei Xueming and President Tao are both busy. Time waits for no one! There are some things we must get ahead of. Otherwise, even if we develop effective traditional Chinese medicine in the future, the market opportunity will have already been seized by others. We brothers will be working hard all day and still be late to the game. If we’re unlucky, we’ll definitely lose money!” Bian Mu patiently explained for a long time.

Dian Shuhua nodded repeatedly as he listened. To be honest, although he had a solid foundation in traditional Chinese medicine, Dian Shuhua didn't have any great ambitions. He thought he would be very happy if he could just stay at the No. 2 branch as the head of the branch until retirement.
Over the past six months, with Bian Mu's guidance in various aspects, his ambition has gradually been awakened. We're all men, who doesn't have some ambition?

"My family is quite small, and it's usually rather quiet during holidays like Chinese New Year. I'm used to it. I'll go back to visit my parents on New Year's Eve and then come back!"

“Our little matter isn’t that urgent! This year’s profits are pretty good, so we must have a happy and prosperous New Year! You can come back on the afternoon of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. As for some things… I’ll be frank with you, and I can only handle the specifics myself. You can’t really help much by being there.”

"Alright then, I'll try to go back to my hometown when I have some free time!"

"Make your own arrangements! Remember to get plenty of rest. Some things can't be rushed!" Bian Mu said with a smile.

"No problem!"

As they talked, the two arrived at a crossroads. After exchanging pleasantries, they parted ways and returned to their respective residences.

……

The next day at noon, just after I got off work, Cai Huaixin called me, seemingly right on time.

"We've invited 10 guests from all sides, and including you and me, that makes 12 people at one table. We're going to talk about something?"

"Business or personal matters?" Bian Mu was already feeling a bit sleepy, but upon hearing this, her mind immediately became much clearer.

"It's business! However... your side has a high degree of autonomy, and personal relationships play a significant role as well. Whether or not a deal can be reached ultimately depends on whether you, the museum owner, will give us face."

"You're too kind... Which restaurant is it?"

"Jinlong Hotel! If it's not convenient, the meeting place can be changed at any time." Cai Huaixin sounded very polite on the phone.

Upon hearing this, Bian Mu had a better understanding of the situation. Without needing to ask, he could basically conclude that Cai Huaixin was more likely to need his help, and the initiative was still in Bian Mu's hands.

After exchanging a few polite words, Bian Mu said he would be there soon and then hung up the phone.