Chapter 362 — The Leader Has His Ways

Moreover, the moment such a thing appeared on the market, it would inevitably draw the attention of every faction and set off a frantic scramble for it. Wei Zhao had no wish to stand atop the crest of the wave just yet. He would simply put out a few pills, without declaring that he had refined them himself, and release a batch now and then — enough to achieve his aim of keeping a low profile.

Originally Wei Zhao had planned to produce a few pills and, on the opening day of Dr. Guan's pharmaceutical company, present them to the dignitaries who came to show their support, so that Dr. Guan's name would resound with a single shot. Still, taking one out early to give to Divine Doctor Kang as a birthday gift was not a bad idea either...

If Kang believed in it and found it effective after taking it, then his words would naturally carry all the more weight. If he did not believe, then it could only be said that he was fated not to enjoy a good thing.

Wei Zhao had at first intended to wait until after Kang Xiaofeng's second granduncle's birthday banquet was over before setting about compounding this elixir, but because of that phone call, he had no choice but to make his preparations in advance.

Fortunately, there was still time.

On Saturday afternoon, Kang Xiaofeng's call came through, and Wei Zhao drove to the Ningshi Road bus station to pick him up.

Tang Zhi's father, Tang Jucheng, was to have surgery on Monday, and Tang Zhi was busy running to and fro at the hospital with her mother, so she was there at that moment. After picking up Kang Xiaofeng, Wei Zhao would go and fetch Tang Zhi.

As for the matter of Xiaofen, Kang Xiaofeng had already squared it with his parents: Wei Zhao was his good brother, Tang Zhi was Wei Zhao's girlfriend, and Xiaofen was Tang Zhi's close friend — that was the whole of the relationship.

Kang Xiaofeng's parents had no suspicions; on the contrary, they thought it a good sign that Kang Xiaofeng was willing to bring a classmate along. After all, in the past Kang Xiaofeng had been most reluctant to go to his second granduncle's house.

Though the people over there invited him with great warmth, Kang Xiaofeng remained indifferent. How could his parents know that in private Kang Jingming had exhausted every means of mockery against Kang Xiaofeng, only keeping up a perfectly normal front?

The car pulled up at the Ningshi Road station, and Kang Xiaofeng opened the door and got in. "Leader, let's go pick up Xiaofen first — she's at home!"

Wei Zhao nodded. Xiaofen's family lived in the shantytown, and Wei Zhao knew the way well by now.

"Ah, Xiaofen's a bit reluctant to go now. She'd agreed to it, and now she's backing out..." Kang Xiaofeng sighed after getting in. "I talked her round for ages and she grudgingly said yes, but who knows whether she'll change her mind again in a bit?"

"That's only natural. After all, going to see Kang Jingming is a wound that will always ache in her heart. She may have prepared herself mentally before, but when the moment comes, it's understandable that she'd shrink back," Wei Zhao said. "Kang Jingming hurt her, after all. She wants to put him behind her for good this way, but you have to take Xiaofen's feelings into account too."

"I understand that, which is why I'll stay by her side the whole time and won't let Kang Jingming bully her!" Kang Xiaofeng clenched his fist. "I'll protect her from being hurt!"

"I believe you." Wei Zhao nodded. But even if Kang Xiaofeng had not said so, he would have stayed at Kang Xiaofeng's side all the same, and would not let anyone bully him or Xiaofen. Wei Zhao parked the car downstairs from Xiaofen's building, and as Kang Xiaofeng went up to fetch her, Wei Zhao sat in the car and called Tang Zhi.

"Hello..." The call was picked up quickly, and Tang Zhi's voice came through, hushed low. "Wei Zhao, are you here yet? My dad's asleep — I can't talk loudly..."

"Not yet. I came with Xiaobo to pick up Xiaofen," Wei Zhao said. "I'm downstairs at Xiaofen's place. I'll come get you in a bit."

"Mm..." Tang Zhi answered softly. Before she could say more, Wei Zhao heard Mother Tang's voice come through the phone: "Yun'er, is that Xiaolin? Hurry up and go have fun — you're not needed here, I can manage on my own. Your dad hasn't had his surgery yet, so there's no need for you to look after him!"

Then came Tang Zhi's voice, a little embarrassed and a little helpless: "All right, all right, Mom, I know. Don't worry about it — I'll be going in a bit, won't I..."

"Heh heh..." Wei Zhao chuckled and hung up.

Kang Xiaofeng was already helping Xiaofen down, limping step by step. Xiaofen was lame, and it showed plainly when she walked; ordinarily at home she was almost always in a wheelchair, but today a wheelchair would obviously have been inappropriate.

"I said I'd carry you down, but you wouldn't have it — see, you nearly fell, didn't you?" When Kang Xiaofeng saw Xiaofen stumble and almost fall at the entrance to the building, he instinctively rushed to steady her...

Xiaofen was dressed stylishly and innocently today: a candy-colored T-shirt, cropped jeans, her hair carefully styled, a touch of light makeup on her face. After this spell of care at the hospital, she had shed her former sickly look entirely.

With a pair of delicate sunglasses to top it off, she had rather the air of a pretty young girl about her, somewhat in the same style as Tang Zhi — no wonder they were close friends. One could well imagine that the Xiaofen of before had surely been a girl with no shortage of suitors, in no way inferior to Tang Zhi.

But fate's injustice had forced her to drop out of school, and she stayed home on sick leave. If not for Kang Xiaoyinbo, it would have been very hard for Xiaofen to step outside her own door again. Though Xiaofen's heart had not yet fully opened, she was nonetheless much more cheerful than before.

If not for the slight trouble with her leg, Xiaofen would have been even more radiant.

"You look very pretty today." Wei Zhao offered her a word of praise and comfort. A girl like Xiaofen was desperately short on self-confidence; she needed constant encouragement.

"Really..." Xiaofen lowered her head, a little pleasantly surprised. "I was afraid Xiaoyinbo would feel ashamed of me..."

"How could I? I've got plenty of face taking you out!" Kang Xiaoyinbo said. "With a companion this pretty, how could I be ashamed?"

"But my leg..." Xiaofen knew Kang Xiaoyinbo was only comforting her; at the very least, he wouldn't dare tell his parents the truth.

"Don't worry, Boss said he'll cure you! He has a way!" Kang Xiaoyinbo finished and shot Wei Zhao a meaningful look. "Isn't that right, Boss?"

Kang Xiaoyinbo wanted Wei Zhao to comfort Xiaofen a little. Even if he could not cure her leg right now, he hoped Wei Zhao could give her confidence. After all, Xiaofen knew that Wei Zhao understood medicine.

"Xiaoyinbo, don't comfort me... the doctors at the hospital all said there's no hope..." Xiaofen sighed, her expression somewhat gloomy.

"It can possibly be cured, but it needs some medicinal herbs. I have to go home to fetch them," Wei Zhao said. "Your leg is only a problem with the nerves, not the bones, which is why the hospital can do nothing. The body's nerves are a rather fragile and mysterious tissue. If the nerves die, in many cases surgery cannot cure it. But from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it is merely the meridians being blocked and not flowing freely. As long as the meridians are opened up, you can recover."