Mu Xing naturally accepted the invitation, and Zhang Derong's attitude changed from its previous dismissive tone to one of genuine sincerity. Over the next few days, Mu Xing visited pharmacies located in the north and south of the city, and also inspected Desheng's pharmaceutical factory.
It must be said that Zhang Derong was indeed quite shrewd in business. Unlike some local pharmaceutical merchants who were stuck in their ways, his pharmaceutical factory adopted new machines purchased from the West and was also willing to invest heavily in labor. At the same time, he also built employee dormitories and modern warehouses in the factory to ensure the quality of raw materials.
His management and supervision methods were also quite different. He appointed three inspectors and implemented a series of meticulous and thorough assessment systems to ensure that everything was backed up and every matter was properly addressed.
Furthermore, because Zhang Derong adopted a shareholding system without the involvement of family members, everything was handled by Zhang Derong and another major shareholder. Although this had both advantages and disadvantages, it at least prevented personnel chaos and controlled the phenomena of nepotism and falsification of accounts.
Overall, Desheng Pharmacy is a very worthwhile partner in all aspects. If we can get the support of the Mu family to alleviate the pressure on cash flow and personnel, it will only be a matter of time before we expand our scale.
Although Mu Xing didn't show it on her face when Zhang Derong was around, she noticed all of this and recorded it in her report. After a whole week of investigation, Mu Xing carefully compiled a report on investing in Desheng Pharmacy and handed it to her uncle's desk.
"Uncle, this is a report I wrote. Please take a look." Although she pretended to be calm in front of Zhang Derong, Mu Xing couldn't suppress the excited smile on her face when facing her own family. She handed the report to her uncle, looking a little smug.
"Hmm? Little girl, what kind of 'Shanghai day trip plan' have you come up with this time?" Duke Mu took a sip of tea and said slowly.
Upon hearing her uncle mention things from her childhood, Mu Xing twisted her body and said, "No, I'm not a child anymore, look!"
Although he didn't know what she had done again, Duke Mu still smiled, put on his glasses, and looked at them carefully.
The success or failure of this matter was crucial to whether Mu Xing would have enough funds to find Miss Bai again, so she couldn't help but feel nervous, keeping a close eye on her uncle's expression the whole time, trying to figure out what was going on.
But whether she was too naive or her uncle was too astute, she couldn't see anything except that her uncle was in good spirits.
The report wasn't long, and soon his uncle put it down. Mu Xing immediately took a deep breath and looked at his uncle with anticipation.
Unexpectedly, his uncle did not directly talk about the report, but instead said, "Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I asked you how you were feeling at the clinic?"
The high expectations that had been raised seemed to vanish into thin air. Mu Xing frowned and could only honestly say, "It's great. I've learned a lot of new things. Last week, Dr. Zhao performed a surgery, and I even assisted him. He actually praised me a couple of times, which is quite rare for him."
"Yes, very good. It's best to be able to apply what you've learned." Uncle nodded. Mu Xing thought he was going to talk about the report, but his uncle said again, "The Peking Union Medical College entrance exam is coming soon. Your second brother is studying at home all day. You're lively, so you should take him out for a walk when you have time. You can exchange experiences with each other."
Mu Xing frowned and agreed.
Seeing her so anxious, Duke Mu smiled and finally got to the point: "I heard from your father that you took two days off from the clinic these past few days. Your father and I just thought you couldn't resist the urge and went out to play. We never expected that you would have contacted Desheng's people and even wrote such a serious report."
Mu Xing immediately laughed and said, "He contacted me first. I thought it would be good to get to know him, so I talked to him a couple of days ago..."
Before she could finish speaking, her uncle coughed, and Mu Xing immediately fell silent. Her uncle then looked at her helplessly: "Silly child, you're too honest."
Upon hearing this remark, which sounded similar to what Miss Bai had said, Mu Xing blinked, then realized what she meant. She immediately covered her mouth and whispered, "...I thought I was talking to you, sir..."
My uncle said, “But now that you’re submitting a report to me, our relationship is that of superior and subordinate. If you want to convince me, a well-written report and sincerity alone are far from enough.”
Knowing that his uncle was training him, Mu Xing nodded obediently.
"Do you know why your uncle asked you about the clinic earlier? When cooperating with someone, the first thing to consider is not what they can give you, but what they want. If the clinic is going very well and you're not doing this for fun, then Ah Xuan, what is the purpose of this report?"
After saying that, the uncle lowered his head and took a sip of tea. He didn't look at Mu Xing, but Mu Xing inexplicably felt that his uncle had seen through him.
Never mind, this isn't the first time I've felt this way...
Knowing he couldn't hide it from his uncle, Mu Xing simply got straight to the point and told him about his desire to acquire a share of the business as soon as possible, naturally omitting the part about Miss Bai.
Upon hearing this, Duke Mu pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "That's not a difficult matter. Indeed, your wedding is approaching, and the shop will eventually be in your hands. It's good for you to gain more experience while you're still independent. I will discuss this matter with your parents."
Things went surprisingly smoothly. Mu Xing was still somewhat incredulous that her uncle had agreed so easily. She asked blankly, "It's...it's that simple?" She had prepared a whole speech to appeal to his emotions!
The uncle smiled kindly as he looked at Mu Xing: "It's just a shop. As long as Ah Xuan is happy, nothing else matters."
As Mu Xing relaxed, he felt a sudden surge of heat wash over his eyes.
She quickly covered her face, feeling both like laughing and crying: "Why are you saying all this..."
The uncle smiled, then sighed. He said, “I’ve told you many times that medicine is a business that the Mu family has inherited without interruption. It was only in your grandfather’s generation that everyone stopped engaging in production and entered officialdom, which led to the decline of the family business. It was only under my father’s and my care that it gradually recovered. I just didn’t expect that you three siblings would each have your own ambitions. Some went into politics, some into medicine, but no one could be entrusted with business. I’m getting old, and I can only rely on the help of my maternal relatives. I never thought that our little Ah Xuan could write such a report today.”
Mu Xing listened quietly as her uncle spoke with great emotion.
"But, alas. Ah Xuan will have to get married one day, and given the Song family's status, it's inevitable... Never mind, let's not talk about this."
After taking another sip of tea, his uncle regained his composure. He said, "You wrote this report very well. Although there are still some errors, you are still young, so we're not in a hurry. I'll make arrangements in a couple of days. If you're still interested, you can come and take a look."
Encouraged by her uncle, Mu Xing was filled with enthusiasm and quickly replied, "Okay!"
Sure enough, two days later, her uncle handed Mu Xing several documents and asked her to sign them.
To Mu Xing's surprise, instead of the small, insignificant shop her uncle had expected, he directly transferred a branch of Minkang Pharmacy to her name.
My uncle said, "Don't worry, if you can't manage it, you can just let go and sign the books every month." It was very considerate.
After signing the papers, his uncle asked a relative from his maternal clan to take Mu Xing to inspect the pharmacy. Since it was a formal trip, Mu Xing took Fu Guang with him.
In terms of seniority, Mu Xing should call the manager's relative "Third Uncle." On the way to the pharmacy, Third Uncle explained the pharmacy's situation to Mu Xing.
Mu Xing listened attentively, but as they passed Huai'an Road, she couldn't help but drift off into thought.
Go two more intersections and turn two corners along this road, and you'll reach Yuhua Academy.
She had been busy dealing with Boss Zhang all week and hadn't had a chance to see Miss Bai.
However, unlike the last time they hadn't seen each other for a long time, Mu Xing's heart was now filled with a great deal of peace and a clamorous longing, but there was no unease or tension.
She knew that after that day, Miss Bai would surely feel the same way.
Even though it was brief and turbulent, she was still immersed in this moment of satisfaction and unwilling to leave.
Suddenly, someone beside her said, "Third Miss, Third Miss? Are you even listening to me?"
Mu Xing regained his composure: "Ah, yes, I heard that. I just thought I saw a lady I knew, and I glanced at her a little longer."
A gloomy expression flashed across his face, but as time passed, his third uncle smiled and said, "That's good. With so many things to do, I was just worried that you'd been staying in your boudoir for too long and wouldn't be able to adapt."
Unaware of the situation, Mu Xing laughed and said, "With Uncle San's help, any problem can be easily solved."
They arrived at the pharmacy quickly. Today happened to be the day for receiving new stock, and the purchasing agent was busy checking the goods in the shop. Everyone at the pharmacy had received the handover notice early in the morning. When they saw Mu Xing, his third uncle, and his followers enter, the manager and the purchasing agent hurriedly came forward to greet them.
Looking at the newly arrived raw herbs, Mu Xing asked curiously, "This is... He Shou Wu?"
The purchasing agent hurriedly replied, "Yes, Miss has a good eye. This is He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) sourced from Yunnan, along with Angelica sinensis and Dragon's Blood. This is Qingyang Ginseng..."
Upon hearing "Yunnan," Mu Xing immediately thought of the Yunnan ham that Miss Bai had mentioned. She didn't show it on her face, but when everyone moved to the back hall for tea, she quietly instructed Fu Guang: "Ask that purchasing agent if they have received any Yunnan ham. I can offer a high price."
Fu Guang was immediately surprised. She whispered, "Miss, this is our own shop. It's common for us to receive gifts. Why are you paying money?"
Mu Xing naturally knew that her subordinates would send annual tributes every year, but since she had just taken over and her third uncle was watching over her, openly accepting gifts might have a bad influence.
There was no time to elaborate on the details, so she simply said, "Silly boy, just go and ask him."
Fu Guang had no choice but to agree. After Mu Xing and the steward went inside, she strolled back to the main hall, found the purchasing agent, and chatted with him about the ham.
The compradors who could manage the entire Minkang Pharmacy were naturally quick-witted and insightful.
Upon hearing Fu Guang mention ham, he immediately thought of Miss Mu and then of the Mu family mansion. In his mind, he immediately packed up the ham he had originally collected for himself and sent it to the Mu family mansion: "Of course we have some. I originally brought back a few to present to Lord Mu, and I can deliver them to the mansion tonight."
As expected, whenever there are good things, these purchasing agents always supply them to the household. Why would they need to come and ask? Miss is probably just too busy to remember.
But when did Miss become so concerned about these things? It's just a ham, and... wait, didn't Aunt Liu from the kitchen say that Miss asked if there was any ham? That day was... the day Miss went to see that unknown lady?
Good heavens, Miss has been thinking about a ham for so long because of that other lady? This is a treatment that even Miss Li has never received!
Something's not right, something's really not right!
Upon recalling a certain rumor, Fu Guang felt a sudden panic and hurriedly walked away.
Chapter Forty
Since they were only there to familiarize themselves with the venue, Mu Xing and his third uncle took their leave after sitting for a short while.
As soon as Mu Xing left the pharmacy, she looked at Fu Guang. Fu Guang's eyes flickered for a moment, then she followed Mu Xing and whispered about the ham. Upon hearing that the ham would arrive that evening, Mu Xing was immediately in a great mood, feeling that everything was going smoothly. She chatted and laughed all the way back, which made her third uncle glance at her several times.
After returning to Mu Garden and exchanging thoughts with her uncle, Mu Xing went back to her study to organize the files and notes she had brought back from the clinic. However, unlike her usual focused work, she couldn't concentrate at all today.
She twirled her pen for a while, then spaced out, fiddling around for ages. As darkness crept in, her notebook remained stuck on the very first page. Looking closer, she saw it contained only the phrase, "The symptoms of this disease are ham porridge, lotus root and ham soup, and stir-fried ham and peas"... Long passages of nonsensical sentences and various recipes were written, but in the end, it all boiled down to two words: Bai Yan.
Each stroke of the brush, like a flower in the ink, marks the two characters. They roll across the lips and teeth, finally touching the corners of the mouth, resulting in an unstoppable smile.
"Fu Guang, has the ham arrived yet?"
After countless urgings and inquiries, and countless trips to and from the kitchen, Fu Guang finally brought good news: "It's here! It's here..."
Putting down the pen, Mu Xing jumped up and ran to the kitchen, with Fu Guang following behind, his expression conflicted, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Mu Xing ran to the kitchen and saw that two very fresh hams had been delivered. The cook was instructing someone to put the hams away.
After confirming that her mother wasn't near the kitchen, she quickly found Aunt Liu and, just like last time, ordered a bunch of dishes. Having learned from the last experience, Aunt Liu knew what to expect, noted it down in her notebook, and everything proceeded smoothly.
With the matter she had been longing for finally settled, Mu Xing was able to return to her room to work with peace of mind. As she turned to go upstairs, she happened to meet Fu Guang's conflicted expression behind her, and Mu Xing couldn't help but frown.
Um?
This girl seems to have been acting strange since the afternoon. She was preoccupied with something then and didn't have time to ask, but now I should really ask her properly.
Without speaking directly, Mu Xing returned to his study, with Fu Guang following closely behind. While refilling tea in the study, she kept glancing at Mu Xing.
Mu Xing pretended not to know anything. Only after Fu Guang finished refilling the tea and was about to leave did she slowly speak: "Fu Guang."
Fu Guang hurriedly turned around: "Oh, is there anything else you need, Miss?"
Looking at the notes in front of her, Mu Xing said, "You've been with me for over 10 years now, and you've grown into a young woman. You have so many little thoughts hidden in your heart, but I, as your mistress, know nothing about them."
Sensing something amiss in her tone, Fu Guang was terrified and stammered, "I didn't, Miss! Heaven have mercy, whatever thoughts I may have, they're all for you, Miss!"
"Really?" Seeing that she'd startled her, Mu Xing almost burst out laughing. Clearing her throat, she continued, "Seeing you so absent-minded all the time, I assumed you were thinking about finding someone to marry. I think Steward Wang's son is quite promising; I heard he's got the makings of a scholar..."
Seeing that Mu Xing had already proposed a candidate, Fu Guang assumed she was serious and blushed with fear. She hurriedly offered another explanation, almost swearing an oath of loyalty to the heavens. Seeing that she was taking it seriously, Mu Xing softened his tone and said, "Then what have you been thinking about these past few days? Tell me."
Upon hearing this, Fu Guang's face immediately displayed an indescribable expression. After hesitating for a while, she stammered, "Well, it's nothing. I just heard a rumor a few days ago, and it intrigued me, so I've been thinking about it for a few days."
Mu Xing asked dismissively, "What rumors?"
Fu Guang glanced at her furtively and whispered, "Well, I heard that the eldest daughter of the Pa family back then, the one who had a foreign name, she, she..." She hesitated for a long time before she dared not continue.
Mu Xing raised an eyebrow: "The Pa family?" After thinking for a while, she suddenly remembered such a person and quickly said, "You mean Pa Annie? She, you still hear news about her? I only heard that her family suffered a fire that year, and then I heard nothing more about her. What did you hear?"
Gritting her teeth and steeling her resolve, Fu Guang said decisively, "I heard she married a woman!"
"Oh, so you got married... What did you say?!" Mu Xing was shocked, almost breaking the pen in his hand.
“I said, Miss Pa married a woman! It’s the tailor from Caiyun Pavilion who often makes clothes for Madam. They’re married!” After saying that, Fu Guang quickly looked at her young mistress, hoping to see some “normal” behavior.
Women, and women, getting married...?
A sudden, inexplicable shock ran through Mu Xing. Her eyes widened, and she was speechless for a moment. The image of Miss Bai inexplicably appeared before her eyes… No, why think of Miss Bai at a time like this…
Fu Guang probed again, "Miss, aren't you curious about what's going on with them?"