CHAPTER 15: CHAPTER 0015: SELLING GINSENG, ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAUTY_1

On the busiest street in Qingshan County City, Zhang Bin rode a rickety old bicycle that clanged loudly with every turn of the pedals.

He finally arrived at his destination, stopping in front of Sifang Pharmacy.

Sifang Pharmacy was well-known, selling not only Western medicine but also traditional Chinese remedies. It also purchased all sorts of precious medicinal herbs.

Zhang Bin locked his bike outside and was about to enter, plastic bag in hand. Just then, he heard someone shouting from behind, "Zhang Bin! Zhang Bin!"

Zhang Bin turned, and his expression immediately darkened.

He saw a BMW parked right behind him. A man had his head stuck out the window, looking at him with utter disdain. In the passenger seat sat a woman who was rather attractive.

These two were Zhang Bin’s middle school classmates. The man was Yu Qingsheng, and the woman was Xin Yefang.

"It’s been a long time, old classmates." Zhang Bin’s greeting was flat, devoid of any surprise. He and these two had never gotten along.

Back in the day, Zhang Bin had been the most handsome guy in their class, and Xin Yefang had a secret crush on him. Yu Qingsheng, on the other hand, had been relentlessly pursuing Xin Yefang, so he naturally saw Zhang Bin as an eyesore.

"Zhang Bin, where are you working now?" Yu Qingsheng asked mockingly.

"I’m farming back home," Zhang Bin said indifferently. "I have something to do. See you around."

With that, he turned to enter the pharmacy.

But Yu Qingsheng jumped out of the car and grabbed Zhang Bin’s arm. "Come on, old classmates are finally meeting up. We have to chat a little."

Xin Yefang also got out of the car. She walked over and looked at Zhang Bin’s rumpled clothes and disheveled hair, sighing. "I can’t believe this is what’s become of you."

"HAHAHA..." Yu Qingsheng burst into laughter. "Darling, I really saved you. Otherwise, you would have ended up with a country bumpkin like him. How tragic would that have been?"

"Thank you for saving me, dear. I must have been blind back then," Xin Yefang said sweetly.

A wave of smug satisfaction washed over Yu Qingsheng. He let out a strange laugh and said, "Zhang Bin, if life’s really that hard on you, come work for my family’s company. Our factory needs another security guard. I’ll pay you 2,000 a month. Go have some fun on me."

"Darling, you’re so magnanimous," Xin Yefang gushed, shooting Zhang Bin a harsh glare. "Aren’t you going to thank him? A salary of 2,000 yuan could buy you dozens of outfits like the one you’re wearing."

"Actually, I’m doing just fine. I don’t need your concern," Zhang Bin said lightly.

"Zhang Bin, just stop pretending to be well-off," Yu Qingsheng said contemptuously.

"You’d rather suffer than lose face. How utterly foolish," Xin Yefang added with disdain.

"I’m busy. We can talk later." Zhang Bin couldn’t be bothered with them. He turned and walked into the pharmacy.

"What’s that guy doing in a pharmacy?" Yu Qingsheng muttered, feeling his fun had been cut short.

"I heard his father had a stroke. He’s probably here to get medicine," Xin Yefang said.

"Our old classmate is having such a hard time; we should show some concern. Let’s go in and see." Wearing a strange smile, Yu Qingsheng led Xin Yefang into the pharmacy as well.

Inside, Zhang Bin had already taken out the ginseng. A white-haired old man was examining it with a magnifying glass, exclaiming repeatedly, "This is the highest-quality Century-old Ginseng I have ever seen! Young man, where did you dig this up?"

"Deep in the Great Green Mountain," Zhang Bin said with a small smile. "I wonder how much this ginseng is worth?"

"Young man, you’ve struck it rich! This ginseng is incredibly valuable. I’ll consult the boss right away and get you a high price." The old man spoke excitedly, immediately dialing a number on his phone.

"Boss, someone is here to sell a Century-old Ginseng of excellent quality..."

"That’s wonderful! My grandfather can live for another year. I’m coming over right now to speak with him personally. We absolutely must acquire it..." A charming, feminine voice replied from the other end.

After hanging up, the old man said excitedly, "Young man, our boss is on her way. Please wait just a moment. She is willing to offer over three million for your ginseng."

"What? That pauper was lucky enough to find a Century-old Ginseng worth over 3,000,000?"

Yu Qingsheng stood frozen in the doorway, speechless. He had come in to laugh at Zhang Bin, but now he felt as if he’d been dealt a resounding slap across the face, leaving him seeing stars.

Xin Yefang was also stunned. Her eyes burned with a feverish glint as she stomped over and asked excitedly, "Zhang Bin, how many more of these did you find?"

If he found one Century-old Ginseng, he might have found more! Does that mean he’s rich now?

"What does that have to do with you?" Zhang Bin asked, taken aback.

Xin Yefang’s face fell. He was right, what did this have to do with her? Just moments ago, she had been looking down on him. Besides, she was already Yu Qingsheng’s girlfriend. And while they weren’t married, she’d already had two abortions for him. Any future with Zhang Bin was impossible. A sharp pang of regret stabbed her.

"Xin Yefang, you get over here right now!" Yu Qingsheng’s face turned ashen, his eyes blazing with a fierce light.

"Darling, I’m sorry, I... I... I..." Xin Yefang scurried back to his side.

"You materialistic bitch, I’ll kill you!" Yu Qingsheng dragged her outside, and the two began to brawl right at the entrance.

What a pair of clueless idiots. Zhang Bin thought to himself.

A moment later, a ridiculously beautiful red Ferrari came to a SCREECHING halt in front of the pharmacy. An exquisitely beautiful woman stepped out.

Her raven hair flowed like clouds, her face was as perfect as jade, and her intoxicating fragrance could stir a man’s very soul. She wore a red, form-fitting dress that revealed a pair of long, flawless white legs.

Such a modern belle instantly captivated every pedestrian on the street.

Yu Qingsheng and Xin Yefang stopped fighting, both staring dumbly at the breathtaking woman.

The stunning beauty entered the pharmacy, bringing a rich fragrance with her. "Elder Li, let me see the Century-old Ginseng."

As the stunning woman began to examine the ginseng, a look of shock appeared on Zhang Bin’s face. He was, naturally, stunned by her beauty. He scrutinized her closely, realizing she was flawless, without a single imperfection.

He drew a sharp breath. Can a woman this beautiful really exist in the world? Today has truly been an eye-opener.

A short while later, this stunning beauty invited Zhang Bin to a VIP room on the second floor and introduced herself with a charming smile.

It turned out her name was Liu Ruolan, the owner of Quadrangle Pharmacy.

While she didn’t reveal her origins, it was obvious to Zhang Bin that this woman came from a significant background.

"This Century-old Ginseng is worth roughly 3,500,000," Liu Ruolan said with a smile, "but I’m willing to offer 4,000,000. However, you must agree to one condition. If you ever find wild ginseng or other precious medicinal herbs in the future, you must contact me first. I guarantee a price that will satisfy you."

Zhang Bin had already looked up the price online, so he knew she was offering more than the fair market price. He was very satisfied. "Alright, I agree."

He was cultivating ginseng himself and planned to grow other valuable herbs in the future, so he did indeed need a partner.

"Here is my business card." Liu Ruolan handed Zhang Bin a card as thin as a cicada’s wing that gave off a unique fragrance. Then, she transferred 4,000,000 to his account on the spot.

I have 4,000,000 yuan now? Zhang Bin stared at the text message from his bank in disbelief.

After a long moment, he finally came to his senses. Looking at the delightful beauty before him, he smiled and said, "President Liu, I also have another kind of... magical medicine. I wonder if you’d be interested?"