Unparalleled medical and martial arts skills, saving the CEO's fiancée at the start.

Qi Yongchang arrived the next morning.

They arrived earlier than Ye Chen had expected; just as dawn broke, the black SUV stopped at the entrance of the valley.

This time he only brought one person, the bald guy, and no one else.

After the car came to a stop, Qi Yongchang got out and stood at the entrance of the valley without going in.

Ye Chen walked over from the direction of the greenhouse, with his seventh uncle following behind him, carrying the shovel in his hand.

Qi Yongchang saw Ye Chen, cupped his hands in greeting, and forced a smile: "Mr. Ye, I've come to pick you up."

Ye Chen did not release the person immediately.

He stood under the old locust tree at the entrance of the valley, looked at Qi Yongchang and said, "Boss Qi, let's make this clear. Your men sneaked into my greenhouse to steal seedlings. This isn't something that can be resolved by just bringing one person in."

Qi Yongchang's smile faded slightly as he asked, "So, what do you want to do?"

Ye Chen said, "You can't touch the Moonflower anymore. Not only can you not touch it, but you can't touch your people either. You're not allowed to stop the medicinal herbs from Baizhi Valley from heading south. If you can do these two things, you can take your people away. If you can't, your people will be sent to the police station, and you can go back and wait for the summons."

Qi Yongchang was silent for a while, then took out a cigarette, lit it, took a couple of puffs, and suddenly sighed and said, "Mr. Ye, I've been in the medicinal herb business for twenty years and have never lost money before. This time I'll admit defeat. You can let go of those three men under my command. I won't touch the Moonflower anymore. I don't care if the herbs from Baizhi Valley go south. But you have to promise me one thing."

Ye Chen asked, "What is it?"

Qi Yongchang said, "Give me the southern agency rights for Anhetang's He'an Ointment. I won't take it for free; I'll pay for it and go through a formal contract. I'll also help you promote your Baizhigu medicinal materials to the south. It'll save you trouble for both of us."

Ye Chen stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed and said, "Boss Qi, you're quick on your feet. You sent people to steal yesterday, and today you're here to talk about becoming an agent."

Qi Yongchang shamelessly replied, "When it comes to business, you take whichever path is feasible. If you can't steal it, then let's talk. You can't expect me to have made this trip for nothing."

Ye Chen thought for a moment and said, "We can discuss becoming an agent for He'an Ointment, but we have to follow Anhetang's rules: pricing, distribution channels, and after-sales service. Everything has to be arranged by Bai Zhigu. Are you in or not?"

Qi Yongchang said, "Do it."

Ye Chen said, "Okay, take her away. In a couple of days, Jiang Ruoxi will sign the contract with you."

He turned to his seventh uncle and said, "Release them."

Seventh Uncle opened the warehouse door and released the three thieves.

The three men slunk into the SUV without daring to lift their heads.

Qi Yongchang got into the car, rolled down the window before leaving, and said to Ye Chen, "Mr. Ye, you may not show any mercy in business, but you follow the rules. I admire that."

Ye Chen said, "Take care. Next time, call ahead before you come. Don't sneak in at night."

Qi Yongchang chuckled and drove away.

That afternoon, Jiang Ruoxi learned about it.

She sat on the sofa in the living room, and after listening to Ye Chen's explanation, she replied, "You gave the agency rights for the south to Qi Yongchang?"

Ye Chen said, "We gave He'an Ointment the agency rights, not Moonflower. He'an Ointment was originally meant to be sold outside the region. Qi Yongchang is familiar with the channels in the south. It's easier for us to sell it to him than for us to do it ourselves. Besides, he just lost face. If we give him a business deal, he will work hard. This kind of person doesn't lack money, he lacks face. If you give him face, he will work for you."

Jiang Ruoxi thought for a moment and said, "That makes sense, but I have to sign the contract, and the terms have to be according to ours."

Ye Chen said, "Of course, you're the CEO, you're in charge."

Two days later, Qi Yongchang sent someone to deliver the contract.

Jiang Ruoxi revised three clauses and added a clause stating that "if any violation is discovered, the agency will be automatically terminated."

Qi Yongchang signed it without changing a single word.

On the day the contract was signed, Shen Jingqiu called from Nancheng, saying that Anhetang's stock of He'an Ointment was insufficient and they needed to replenish it quickly.

Su Qinghan overheard this on the other end of the phone and said, "Then let's replenish it. There are still seedlings in the Moonflower greenhouse. Have Jingqiu send the Fritillaria cirrhosa from Nancheng. I'll take care of making the ointment."

Ye Chen said, "I'll have Ayiguli cultivate another batch of seedlings, and plant them on those two rows on the south slope as well."

Su Qinghan said, "Okay, let's do more this time. Now that we have an agent in the south, the volume will increase."

In May, the second batch of He'an ointment was produced.

This time, a full two hundred bottles were made, three times more than the previous batch.

Su Qinghan, along with Ayiguli and Shen Jingqiu, spent three days and three nights brewing the ointment in the medicine hut. The brewed ointment was stored in small porcelain bottles, each stamped with the copper seal.

Shen Jingqiu sent the first batch of goods to Qi Yongchang.

Less than ten days later, Qi Yongchang replied, saying, "Sold out, need to restock."

Jiang Ruoxi had Shen Jingqiu send out another batch.

When shipping the goods this time, Shen Jingqiu slipped a letter into the box, which read, "Grandpa told me to tell you that medicine is for people, don't just focus on making money."

Ye Chen smiled when he saw the letter and said, "Jingqiu is starting to sound like Grandpa Shen now."

By June, Jiang Ruoxi's belly was already showing.

She walked a little slower, but was in good spirits.

Ye Chen would accompany her for a walk around the yard every morning before going to work.

When they returned in the afternoon, the two of them sat on the porch, one looking at reports and the other at a medicine book.

Big Yellow was dozing off next to him.

The moonflower on the windowsill was in full bloom, a small cluster of white flowers shimmering silver in the twilight.

One evening, Jiang Ruoxi suddenly said, "Ye Chen, I want to give the baby a name."

Ye Chen asked, "Have you thought it through?"

Jiang Ruoxi said, "If it's a girl, name her Ye Zhi. Zhi is the same as in angelica dahurica."

Ye Chen asked, "What about the boy?" Jiang Ruoxi replied, "Ye He, the 'He' from 'Heji' (a famous Chinese story about marriage).

Ye Chen paused for a moment, then smiled.

He said, "Okay, anything is fine, as long as it's like you, you can call me whatever you want."

Jiang Ruoxi gently tapped him and said, "You're not bad either."

That night, Ye Chen sat in the courtyard polishing his sword.

Su Qinghan came out of the medicine shop and sat down next to him.

Neither of them spoke.

After a long while, Su Qinghan said, "If your father were alive, he would be happy to see this today."

Ye Chen put down his sword and looked at the starry sky. He said, "I know."

Su Qinghan added, "Your martial uncle will be happy too. He gave you the moonflower, and you didn't sell it; you used it as medicine."

Ye Chen said, "Moonflower is originally a medicine; you taught me that."

Su Qinghan didn't say anything more. After sitting for a while, she stood up and went back to her room.

As she reached the door, she turned back and said, "Move that potted plant into your room tomorrow. It gets chilly at night, so don't let it get cold."

Ye Chen agreed.

He sat in the courtyard and polished his sword for a while.

Then he stood up, put away his sword, and went into the house.

Jiang Ruoxi was already asleep, her breathing light and even.

The moonflower on the windowsill shimmered with a faint silver light, falling on her face and casting a soft outline.

Ye Chen sat down by the bed and reached out to tuck the blanket around her.

Then he looked down at her belly and whispered, "When you come out, I'll take you to Baizhi Valley to see the flowers, the moonflowers, the angelica flowers, and all the medicinal herbs on the mountain. Your father has spent his whole life protecting these things, and protecting you all."

After saying that, he leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes.

In the courtyard, the new seedlings in the medicinal herb field swayed gently in the moonlight.

In the distance, the lights of Jiangcheng were lighting up one after another.

Like many, many ordinary nights.

But this day, this night, he had waited for a long time.

Finally waited.